Damn Straight

Building a Better Pirate

The cover to a recent issue of Entertainment Weekly was eerily prescient.


In fact, that's just what I've been doing recently. Once again, I threw away all my hard work at being healthy and keeping organized and living fully in the present. So I've had to start over again.

No promises, but this time I think it might just stick.

Not that it isn't tough. The last three weeks of work before summer vacation are always rough. Add to that pressure the second job, the possibilities of additional summer work, the whole online dating thing, and it's pushing the edge of overwhelming.

On the plus side, I noticed a second gray hair in my goatee. That, I am excited about. (Truly.)

Looking for a New Car

Looks pretty sharp. And the little Vader is cute.

Dumbass Move, Pirate

I'm not entirely convinced it was my fault. I think it was a glitch. Or a ghost.

There is no way I locked my keys in my car while it was running.

Except, I did.

This wouldn't have been such a problem - I have spare keys - only they are at home. Locked in the house with no one home. The brother that lives with me: in Florida. The closest spare home keys: with my mother. I'd call her, only my cell phone is in my bag. Locked in my car. And her phone number...I'm not 100% sure I remember it. (I never dial a number; I speed dial.)

My first reaction - after swearing and stomping around in the parking lot - was to punch in one of my windows. Break it with a rock or something other than my fist? Didn't even cross my mind. After deciding it would be more expensive and more of a hassle to replace the window, I chose not to break it - and my hand - in an attempt to unlock my car. I then had the ice scraper - the reason I got out of my running car in the first place - wedged into a crack of the door and was in the process of trying to pry it open when I decided that any further action on my part to open my locked car was going to result in more trouble than it was worth.

I went back inside work to try solve my locked door problem. (Beats standing in the snow storm outside.) With no real clue who to call - and here's where my brother will laugh his ass off because he's been telling me to get AAA ever since I bought my used piece-of-crap car - I had to stop and think this situation through.

After attempting to get ahold of my one local police contact with no such luck, I called my grandparents to get my mom's cell number. See, she has a key to my place. If I could just catch her before she heads home from work, she might be able to swing by and get me into my house so that I can get my spare car keys and unlock the door.

Only, I get her voicemail. And the kicker? She can't call me back because of my lack of cell phone and no direct line to my phone at work - everyone in the office had gone home to beat the snow storm outside, leaving all incoming calls routed through to voicemail.

After some more telephone work, I managed to get ahold of my spare house key, my extra car keys, and eventually made it home.

Needless to say, my night did not go as planned. Any drive I had to eat healthy, exercise, clean house, and do work evaporated. I'm writing the night off.

On my To Do list for Wednesday (the next night I have any free time): a AAA membership, a list of important phone numbers to keep in my wallet, and some research into keyless entry to my garage.

Not My Marathon

My brother is running the Walt Disney World Marathon this morning. I received his first text at 1:20 AM as he was getting around to head out to the race. Later I saw that he started his run at 6:04:48 AM.

I believe my uncle signed me up to receive race updates via email, and for this I couldn't be happier. See, I was supposed to be running this marathon with my brother.

And then I didn't train. Not like I was supposed to. Not like I promised to. Not in time to run this marathon I sort of talked my brother into running. How completely uncool of me.

As I slept in bed this morning, the updates came in. 5 miles at 58:31; 10 at 1:58:09; half at 2:37:41; and 20 at 4:15:51. I'm sure he's near done by now. I'm proud of what the little Monkey is accomplishing at this very moment. I wish him the best.

My plan is to be at the Disney Marathon next January. I think my brother said he might even go down and run the half. Hopefully this time I won't disappoint him, or myself.

Congrats, Monkey!

LEGO Advent Calendar 2010 - Day 25

Finally, I was able to upload this video recap of the 2010 LEGO Advent Calendar. Don't know what went wrong with the last two uploads. However, this was fun.

I don't know if I'll do the same next year, or find something different. Hope you enjoyed watching.

What We'll Be Delivering 2010

This is what the Monkey and I have purchased for presents this year (with the exception of a mirror - it's wrapped with a couple of stars and leaning away from the door so it doesn't break before we deliver it). Not a bad little pile of presents to deliver.

I Brought It Back

We haven't done Christmas stockings in my family for a few years...until NOW! I brought the stocking back. This one is crammed full of Christmasy goodness for my brother, a.k.a. The Monkey.

It Grew

My Grinch-heart grew this evening. Not all the way to normal size, but just enough that I was able to think of an idea that will make Christmas a bit better for someone I know.


It's not a new idea, but something that's been missing for a few years, and I'm happy to bring it back. I'd tell you what I'm planning, but that would spoil it the surprise.

Now I'm actually looking forward to Christmas.

(Mostly) Vacation

I'm on (mostly) vacation!

Finally.

You don't understand - or maybe you do - just how great it feels to not have to go to work (both jobs) tomorrow. It's not that I don't enjoy my (day) job, it's just that it is very time intensive and demanding work. Every little break is greatly appreciated. If for nothing else, to recharge.

The vacation - 11 days - will be spent working out, reading books, watching movies, reading comics, cleaning house, making lists, and sleeping. I actually can't think of a better way to spend my time. (Well, okay, I can. This will be cheaper.)

Lacking the Christmas Spirit

This is me. This has been me for the past few years at Christmas time. It's not that I don't like Christmas, but I've lost the Christmas spirit. It's just another day, more or less. (I miss it, but I can't bring myself to care.)

LEGO Advent Calendar 2010 - Day 12

This reminds me that I haven't been out to my uncle's to split wood in awhile. Not that I'd want to be out doing that today - it's cold. Just loading groceries into the car was an experience.

Halfway done with the Advent calendar. Only 13 days until Christmas. (Oh, and isn't it strange that there's no Day 25 on this calendar? Seems a little cheap.)

Overlooked Catastrophe/Blessing

In my frustration/anger last night about my end of the day troubles I neglected to mention the following devastating news:

My watch broke.

I know. I'm at a loss. I have to have a watch. I'm at wit's end if I can't look to my wrist and see that three minutes have passed.

A small piece on the face came loose and now catches my minute hand around the 40-minute mark every rotation. I've tried all I can to save the watch, but I'm no miracle worker.


The down side is that I really liked this watch; it had an impressive face and heft.

The up side is that I can purchase a new, better watch. I would have picked one out tonight, but I didn't make it to the mall (there were no great movies out to see this weekend - at least, not around here).

As soon as I get the new watch I'll show-and-tell it for you.

Furnace Problems

I came home last night to a frozen home. The furnace was no longer running, and it had dropped to 56 degrees inside. I'm just happy it wasn't any colder outside than it was, or who knows how cold it might have become inside.

I called to have the furnace looked at today, and they were able to fix it while I was at work. Turns out I had an "extremely dirty flame sensor" and a plugged vent tube on the inducer (whatever that is).

$37 for labor. $80 for a trip charge. And it cost me $124.02 after tax to have the heat restored to my home.


Still keeping the thermostat set at 63 degrees, but with the unseasonably warm day we had, I returned home to a house resting at a comfortable 66.

For My Messed Up Hands

(My hands - they are cracked and bleeding worse than I can ever remember. So very painful.)

LEGO Advent Calendar 2010 - Day 4

For the life of me, I couldn't figure out what I was building until it was done. It's a snow blower. Sure is.

Reminds me that we still haven't had a good snow yet. Come on, it's already December. Where's the snow?

Black Friday Booty

I woke up early (3:15 AM) to stand in line for an hour in the cold (12 degrees) outside Best Buy for these, my morning pirate's treasure.


Hard to pass up TV series on the cheap.

My Hands

My hands hurt.
They dry out around the knuckles every winter, crack and bleed and burn. It probably didn't help that tonight I was out pushing carts at work without gloves when temps were in the teens. They are especially sore now.

Day 19 - Yelling Discount

It should be socially acceptable for a person to vent their feelings or frustration vocally and viciously. Granted, some people will have a more natural talent for providing and weathering such outbursts of anger, so we would have to find a way to even things out. Compensation of sorts.

I imagine it would work a little something like this:

A person places an order for chicken chunks with barbeque sauce at a drive-thru of a fast food restaurant. That person looks in the bag and once again the barbeque sauce is missing. The person should be able to drive back around to the window, hand the restaurant worker a dollar, and then tear the worker a new poophole (verbally, of course).

If you don’t want to pay the cost of verbally abusing someone, you simply keep the complaint to yourself.

Sounds pretty simple to me. And you’d be able to use this practice anywhere. Don’t get enough extra butter on your movie popcorn, fork over a buck and let loose. Don’t think the neighbors should let their dog bark through the night, knock on their door, and simply provide the payment to give them a piece of your mind. Don’t like the look of someone’s face, give them a dollar to expound on their ugliness.

Sure, this will upset some people, but just imagine the thick-skinned character it will build. And, it’s not like they get nothing out of the deal. Listen to some dummy’s rant and get a free dollar.

Only problem is I’d be broke. I’d be handing out dollar bills faster than I could make them. So I guess it’s still just silent yelling at people for me. For the time being.

Day 18 - Least of My Problems

My knees are sore from too much time crouched in a stuffy attic laying insulation.

Not just my knees, but my eyes too. Old contacts mixed with dust and fiberglass. Not a winning combination.

And these are just the least of my problems.

What a day.