At 6:45AM this morning, my cellphone went off. I can usually fall right back to sleep after reading a text message, and although, the sound my phone made today didn't sound like an incoming text, I checked it anyway. Instead, it was a reminder from my calendar. Not surprising that it was set for today since it is both my Godson's birthday and at midnight, it will send a text or email to Raegan & Kyle Sonnenberg to get as close to both their birthday's as possible (hers is today, his is tomorrow).
However, my cellphone was not reminding me of either event. Instead it said, "Mom's military id expires."
WHAT?! I had zero recollection of adding that information, and I had no idea why it was set so early in the morning. I was not even quite sure why it was on my calendar, much less set in my phone.
After processing the information a few moments, I sent Madre a text: "Does your military id expire today? Or sumptin? For some reason, I had a note about that on my phone for today."
A couple minutes later, I got her reply: "Omg yes u r right I will take of it on monday thank u thank u."
At this point, I suspect that we had a conversation when my cellphone was new and I was bragging about how far in advance I could set a reminder, promising to remind her when the time comes. I got my cellphone in April of last year, so maybe it was a year ago, maybe it was a few months before then.
Regardless how it was originally set as a reminder, it worked. And it was just a bizarre start to a very weird day overall. Maybe I'll have time to tell that story later. Maybe there's nothing to tell.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
MOVIE REVIEW: Before Sunrise/Sunset
MOVIE REVIEW: "Before Sunrise" (1995) and "Before Sunset (2004), highly recommended
The first entry was from 1995, with two strangers traveling on the Eurorail train to Vienna. After a brief, mildly charming encounter, Ethan Hawke's character (Jesse) comes up with an idea to get Julie Delpy's character (Celine, I think) to get off the train with him and bum around town until he has to fly back home. Selfish proposition, no doubt, but Hawke's charm carried the weak explanation that she somehow could use their time together to reinforce the fact that no relationship is all that different than any other relationship. Believe it or not, the explanation worked: not just for Celine, since her character was scriped to do whatever was needed, but also for the scene itself since the explanation set the entire tone of the movie. Credit Hawke's boyish charm and Delpy's ability to convey a hidden intrigue for the link since the writing gave them no freebies.
We pick up nine years after the end of the first film, and Jesse (Hawke) is now a successful author for having penned a romantic novel about this implausible romance with Celine. Instead of catching a morning flight home, Jesse is now catching an evening flight home. But he has at least 20 minutes with Celine, who surprises him at his Paris stop on his worldwide book tour. Perhaps it was the memory of meeting Hawke on his book tour on Halloween 1996, but the premise instantly hooked me on this second encounter.
This pair of movies came to me highly recommended within the subject of romantic comedies. There are several examples of movies that supercede the genre, through which the recommendation would extend past the rom-com audience. These movies do not reach those heights, but they never set out to either. These are strictly for romantics at hearts.  |
| "Before Sunrise" was very good... |
In fact, the script was largely improv as both Hawke and Delpy are given writing credits. And rightly so since there are only a few pauses in the script and even less additional parties. For the most part, the film is carried by these two romantic, pseudo-intellectuals bonding over a walk through Vienna. The budding romance takes a lame turn when Celine suggests they should agree to never meet again. Without exchanging names or numbers, they continue their wonderously romantic encounter until the time comes to say goodbye. Unable to call it "the end," they agree to meet each other in six months in the same town again. No names exchanged, no phone numbers. The viewers are left to decide for themselves what happend in six months.
Until nine years later, when directly Richard Linklater provided the movie's fans with an answer.
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| ... but "Before Sunset" was incredible! |
The film sets out to answer every lingering question any fan of the first film, and despite the hefty endeavor, the film succeeds and exceeds its goal. While Jesse and Celine were mildly shallow in the first film, the two characters have now evolved (or aged, if they existed in real life). We learn about their meeting six months after the first film ended, and why the two never spoke in the interim. We find out how their respective lives are now, and then we learn how they feel about their current lives.
It is not often for a sequel to eclipse the original, and it is especially unlikely when those films are nine years apart, but I find it extremely hard to believe anyone could be disappointed in "Before Sunset" as a follow-up. Personally, I enjoyed the second installment far more. Of course, it is worth repeating that both of these films are strongly recommended to romantics (for the rest of the movie-going audience, they may not enjoy the endless conversation between two characters whose screentime encompasses 95% of the run time).
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Virtual Ego Boost
A while back, albeit not too long ago, I was feeling down for no particular reason (at least, none that I remember), so I made use of a recent purchase: NHL 2002 for PS2, which I picked up for a mere $1.80 from Rockzone Records in Tempe (University & 101). Like most video games nowadays, it has the actual, full-length NHLPA roster, as well as a Create-A-Player option, i.e. "add yourself to the game." I went ahead and worked through the options to make Edward Motley a rookie goalie for the Montreal Canadiens.
I didn't think much of it until, unexpectedly, the announcers started calling me by name (or at least, "Ed" which is not my first preference of how to be addressed, but many people still do) and they were praising my big saves! Mind you, I did absolutely nothing to make the save beyond putting myself in the net, but compared to my sour mindset at that moment, I found it extremely cool. And sadly, it raised me out of my funk.
Admittedly, adding myself to a game's roster is nothing new to me since I've been doing it since 1998 with the purchase of WWF War Zone (N64), which instantly made my roommate and I believe that the game was superior to WCW/nWo Revenge (nowadays, I don't think it ever was). The feature spread to every wrestling game released, commonly referred to as CAW for "Create A Wrestler," and by the release of WWF No Mercy, CAW's were so enjoyable that I never felt the need to upgrade my console system to a PS2 until October 2004. I remember my mother's first comment upon seeing my name listed as "WINNER" was that it was a fantastic way to keep your self-esteem elevated. I didn't really agree with her until my recent activity on NHL 2002. I guess I had never needed a virtual ego boost before then.
Honestly, I never used CAW's in wrestling games after I upgraded to PS2 until the purchase of last year's WWE Smackdown versus RAW 2010 (PS2), which not only featured Create-A-Wrestler, but it also had a thorough Create-A-Storyline feature. For the PS2, you could include several CAW's in an unlimited number of segments. In other words, you could create an entire storyline using your own CAW's. Sadly, this option was limited to the actual roster on the other gaming systems. When I bought SVR 2010, I was told that it would be the last game for the PS2, which made sense. Surprisingly though, I have learned that this year's SVR 2011 will be released on PS2 as well, so I can put off my upgrade at least for another year.
Not that I haven't been considering the idea of a PS3 or Xbox 360. Come to think of it though, I am visiting my sister's kids next month, so maybe they will sell me on a Nintendo Wii.
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| Habs fan since the '93 play-offs. |
Admittedly, adding myself to a game's roster is nothing new to me since I've been doing it since 1998 with the purchase of WWF War Zone (N64), which instantly made my roommate and I believe that the game was superior to WCW/nWo Revenge (nowadays, I don't think it ever was). The feature spread to every wrestling game released, commonly referred to as CAW for "Create A Wrestler," and by the release of WWF No Mercy, CAW's were so enjoyable that I never felt the need to upgrade my console system to a PS2 until October 2004. I remember my mother's first comment upon seeing my name listed as "WINNER" was that it was a fantastic way to keep your self-esteem elevated. I didn't really agree with her until my recent activity on NHL 2002. I guess I had never needed a virtual ego boost before then.
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| I understand I made a few big saves. |
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| Taking the net for the Habs and staring into the virtual spotlight. Who needs reality? |
Friday, September 17, 2010
Tony Trouser
For the first time, I saw a friend perform a stand-up comedy routine. It was a friend I've known through my local Impact Zone Wrestling troupe. In fact, my first show was his first show. And we had both known each other through a mutual friend for a couple years before IZW. In IZW, he was known as Tony Trouser, and that nickname has stayed with me since then. I call him "Tony" these days, even though he performs under his birth name of Keith Wilson.
Overall, the show was entertaining, and apparently, it was a contest (I suspect a very crooked contest since the winner was neither the funniest routine nor the most popular amongst the paying audience) but I had promised myself that I wouldn't laugh unless Tony earned it. I wanted an independent opinion of his routine. Lucky for him (and the $5 that I paid to attend), it was hysterical.
He started with a short observation about how he looks like the guy from Twilight. Either Jacob or Edward. He didn't seem sure, and no one cared anyway. Then, he went straight to his next joke (observation) which was in regards to his size. He noted that he was skinny, then mentioned that it saves a lot of money on X-Rays. Impersonating an ER visit, "doctor, doctor, I think I broke a rib!" "Uhm, yes, you did. It is that one right there. It's sticking out. I can see it!"
Perhaps it was the delivery, but hopefully, he was truly that funny. He went on to make a few other observations (which is all jokes are these days anyway), and he eventually built up my level of interest to the point that I literally laughed to tears. It was part of his routine, but he made a statement that I thought was on accident, so when he frantically corrected himself, it sounded genuine to me. After the show ended, it was the first thing I asked him. I was glad he said it was part of the routine. Primarily so I could learn the exact quote. Unfortunately, it is not very print-friendly and it invovles my least favorite four-letter word, but even still, or perhaps because, I thought it was hilarious.
His best friend of the other competitors (Shawn) stole the show. He came up to the stage and said, "Yea, that's the sound of -- inviting the entire audience here!" It was true. No less than 75% of the crowd was there to see him. Any other group organizing a "contest" would have recognized that fact and given him the win for that reason alone. Afterall, he may have invited a dozen people out tonight that won't go back because their whole evening was ruined by his coming in second place.
Nonetheless, his routine was fantastic as well. Plus, he was able to gauge the audience. This crowd was not a blue crowd at all, which was good for me. It would have been good for all of us if the "talents" were actually talented enough to adjust their routines to suit the audience. They weren't. But it was a local amatuer contest at a bar, instead of a comedy club anyway, so I couldn't expect more than I got. Shawn (or maybe Sean) started his bit by saying that he had a troubling day, because his mother unfriended him on Facebook. It maintained the same level of cleverness throughout his time.
Before the show, Tony Trouser and I got to catch up for a bit, especially in regards to IZW. It has been about a year since my last IZW show, and when I left, I swore that I would never attend another local wrestling show for a full year. I was bitter about everything involved around it, and I kept to my promise. Now, my self-imposed embargo has been lifted. I'm free to go back, but I'm not really interested in the shows these days. I've spoken with several of the people with whom I used to work closely, and I don't sense any bitterness from them. Talking with Tony Trouser tonight, I feel as though I moved a few steps closer to making that final step of enjoying a local wrestling show again.
The real problem is that I'd rather watch Tony perform comedy, or especially either Jeordie or Kyle Sonnenberg perform music any day over seeing a handful of my old wrestling friends perform. But I know the time is coming. I had planned to write a blog about my time with the wrestling troupe. And I have it mostly completed. I just need to put it together and make sure it flows, then check to make sure that I've said everything I wanted to say and told every story that I wanted to tell.
After that, then I'll be able to let all my previous resentment go. It really hasn't served any purpose for me the past nine months anyway.
Overall, the show was entertaining, and apparently, it was a contest (I suspect a very crooked contest since the winner was neither the funniest routine nor the most popular amongst the paying audience) but I had promised myself that I wouldn't laugh unless Tony earned it. I wanted an independent opinion of his routine. Lucky for him (and the $5 that I paid to attend), it was hysterical.
He started with a short observation about how he looks like the guy from Twilight. Either Jacob or Edward. He didn't seem sure, and no one cared anyway. Then, he went straight to his next joke (observation) which was in regards to his size. He noted that he was skinny, then mentioned that it saves a lot of money on X-Rays. Impersonating an ER visit, "doctor, doctor, I think I broke a rib!" "Uhm, yes, you did. It is that one right there. It's sticking out. I can see it!"
Perhaps it was the delivery, but hopefully, he was truly that funny. He went on to make a few other observations (which is all jokes are these days anyway), and he eventually built up my level of interest to the point that I literally laughed to tears. It was part of his routine, but he made a statement that I thought was on accident, so when he frantically corrected himself, it sounded genuine to me. After the show ended, it was the first thing I asked him. I was glad he said it was part of the routine. Primarily so I could learn the exact quote. Unfortunately, it is not very print-friendly and it invovles my least favorite four-letter word, but even still, or perhaps because, I thought it was hilarious.
His best friend of the other competitors (Shawn) stole the show. He came up to the stage and said, "Yea, that's the sound of -- inviting the entire audience here!" It was true. No less than 75% of the crowd was there to see him. Any other group organizing a "contest" would have recognized that fact and given him the win for that reason alone. Afterall, he may have invited a dozen people out tonight that won't go back because their whole evening was ruined by his coming in second place.
Nonetheless, his routine was fantastic as well. Plus, he was able to gauge the audience. This crowd was not a blue crowd at all, which was good for me. It would have been good for all of us if the "talents" were actually talented enough to adjust their routines to suit the audience. They weren't. But it was a local amatuer contest at a bar, instead of a comedy club anyway, so I couldn't expect more than I got. Shawn (or maybe Sean) started his bit by saying that he had a troubling day, because his mother unfriended him on Facebook. It maintained the same level of cleverness throughout his time.
Before the show, Tony Trouser and I got to catch up for a bit, especially in regards to IZW. It has been about a year since my last IZW show, and when I left, I swore that I would never attend another local wrestling show for a full year. I was bitter about everything involved around it, and I kept to my promise. Now, my self-imposed embargo has been lifted. I'm free to go back, but I'm not really interested in the shows these days. I've spoken with several of the people with whom I used to work closely, and I don't sense any bitterness from them. Talking with Tony Trouser tonight, I feel as though I moved a few steps closer to making that final step of enjoying a local wrestling show again.
The real problem is that I'd rather watch Tony perform comedy, or especially either Jeordie or Kyle Sonnenberg perform music any day over seeing a handful of my old wrestling friends perform. But I know the time is coming. I had planned to write a blog about my time with the wrestling troupe. And I have it mostly completed. I just need to put it together and make sure it flows, then check to make sure that I've said everything I wanted to say and told every story that I wanted to tell.
After that, then I'll be able to let all my previous resentment go. It really hasn't served any purpose for me the past nine months anyway.
Watching the Watchmen
"Who's watching the watchmen?" - Chad MacDonald, countless times
Jeordie shocked me tonight, she ended around midnight and we were on the road 10 minutes later.
As I pulled away, I thanked her for getting me home early. I needed all the rest I can acquire before work tomorrow. I drove home quickly and slightly wrecklessly, first pulling out in front of an oncoming car (which was a lot closer than I realized) and then rolling through a red light to turn right. The second violation got the officer's attention.
Jeordie lives right next to a popular bar in Tempe, so the officer's first question was where I had been tonight. Foolishly, I attempted to answer Catch 22, but doubting he would know where that was, I was trying to give the crossroads, neither of which were readily available to me. He assured me, "if you're coming from Four Peaks, you can say you're coming from Four Peaks." I told him the crossroads finally (seriously, what are "Union Hills" exactly?) and noted that I just dropped off my friend who performed there. He asked what type of music she played, and I answered acoustic folk (quickly, and clearly sober).
He asked how much I had had to drink tonight, and I replied, "nothing since I got off work at 5." "Nothing *since* you got off work? You drank at work?!" I admitted that I worded my sentence poorly, but "if you're giving me permission, then I'll take it!"
Almost all of my friends are very anti-establishment in terms of our local police departments. I know Jeordie, Chad, and Amy have each had several unpleasant encounters with the members of authority, and each time they feel as though their civil rights were violated. On the other end of the spectrum, I have had a few pleasant encounters with the same policemen (or at least their peers) and I have not felt as though my civil rights were ever in doubt. All of which begs the question, how much information is on our driver's license?
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| This is my favorite photo in 30 years. |
On Tuesday, I got a text from Amy because she has to pay a $170 fine for having an expired temporary plate on her car. The MVD had sent her plate at least twice before without it reaching her, so eventually, her grace period ran out. It did not matter that her car was in fact fully registered with the state. For having an outdated plate, she was fined almost $175 (and there is a misdemeanor on her record).
Conversely, since May 1st of last year, I have been pulled over at least three times, often for moving violations and without proof of insurance on hand, and I have not been cited beyond a "work order" to get my front headlight replaced. Tonight, I got pulled over again. I ran a red light. And I had a friendly conversation with a police officer for 15 minutes before I was on my way again with a courtesy reminder.
Amy needed me to let out Jeribear (which is always my pleasure) and then Jeordie needed me to take her to a gig later, which was all the way across town at Catch 22 on 32nd Street by Union Hills. Once I got home from work, I enjoyed a quick beer before I started moving along: first to visit Dog, then to pack Jeordie. Jeordie's gig ran from 8:30 until midnight, and Jeordie bought me dinner there. She offered me another Bud Light, and I said that I'd share one with her but I had already had one today, so I was good (as per my previous blog, you may remember this limitation has more to do with my vanity than my adherance to the law). I offered to split the beer, but she had misinterpreted my statement, thinking that I meant I had a beer there. I just let her think so and I didn't push the issue. I was already feeling good, except for the growing angst of being at Catch 22, which has usually meant a night full of drama or a night that drags on 30-45 minutes past the end of the show.
Jeordie shocked me tonight, she ended around midnight and we were on the road 10 minutes later.
As I pulled away, I thanked her for getting me home early. I needed all the rest I can acquire before work tomorrow. I drove home quickly and slightly wrecklessly, first pulling out in front of an oncoming car (which was a lot closer than I realized) and then rolling through a red light to turn right. The second violation got the officer's attention.
Jeordie lives right next to a popular bar in Tempe, so the officer's first question was where I had been tonight. Foolishly, I attempted to answer Catch 22, but doubting he would know where that was, I was trying to give the crossroads, neither of which were readily available to me. He assured me, "if you're coming from Four Peaks, you can say you're coming from Four Peaks." I told him the crossroads finally (seriously, what are "Union Hills" exactly?) and noted that I just dropped off my friend who performed there. He asked what type of music she played, and I answered acoustic folk (quickly, and clearly sober).
He asked how much I had had to drink tonight, and I replied, "nothing since I got off work at 5." "Nothing *since* you got off work? You drank at work?!" I admitted that I worded my sentence poorly, but "if you're giving me permission, then I'll take it!"
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| My current driver's license was issued 4/16/98. |
I handed him my license, registration, and proof of insurance. One by one, because I was fumbling around with them. All the more reason it was necessary for me to answer clearly sober earlier. He looked at the registration and confirmed, "this is current!" Proof of insurance, "this is current!" And my license, "where's your real license?" It was a fair question since I am over 30 and the one I handed him denoted that I am under 21 until 1998.
He gave me back my registration and proof of insurance, then he ran my license. This is where they usually write up a ticket for the whole "running a red light" issue, but he came back and gave me my license with two strict pieces of advise: first, come to a complete stop at every red light (sorry. officer) and second, get a new license "because this one is pathetic!" In my defense, it is the best picture I've ever had taken with long hair. And it does not expire until I turn 50.
Unfortunately, the whole ordeal made me think of my friends who are usually put through the wringer on these traffic stops. I wonder whether my friends instigate more or they get more defensive too quickly, or if there are personal records embedded in our license, so they will know who has overdue library books versus those who have five years of perfect attendance at work. If so, then for the record, I'm the latter! =D
Monday, September 13, 2010
Ex Marks the Spot
"And as always, my ex just took me out for dinner and is giving me 20 bucks for bills, hell, being interested in other guys pays off, lol!" - incoming text @ 9:29pm, 9/12/2010
According to the time, I was at Wal-Mart buying a Pepsi Max and AAA batteries in order to withdrawal $20 to give to Amy, with whom I had just eaten at Arby's. Although I generally refer to Amy simply as my friend, she and I were dating for about 3 years between 2006 and 2009. My reasoning for calling her a friend is that is the main reason we are still friends. I am not necessarily the type of person to keep an ex-girlfriend in my life out of a warped sense of loyalty, or especially not out of an obsessive feeling of ownership as the incoming text seemed to imply.
Maybe I was wrong. The true irony is that my own interest in another girl had been building in recent weeks, not that I've told Amy. As I turned out, my instincts were right and the text was truly written mostly in jest.
She explained that she had recently started chatting with a guy online that she liked, so it was odd that I invited her out to dinner out of the blue (it wasn't "odd" because we frequently dine together, often on Sunday evenings) shortly after she had grown an attachment. I reminded her that we had not even been discussing the guy, as far as I knew, and I had no idea about the timing. She said that she knew, but it was an inside joke between her and this particular friend.
I tried to clarify the context of her text further, curious whether it was truly each time we went to dinner or just every time she had a new crush. As I expected, it was the latter. The entire situation was somewhere between a coincidence and just her regular life looking different due to new circumstances.
The true irony is that I cut my conversation with Amy short as soon as I got home to talk to my neighbor: one I insisted would make a good friend for Amy but also, one I had nicknamed "Hot Kristy" when I met her several years prior. I wanted to talk to Kristy for two reasons: first, because I had not seen her in a while, in fact not since I managed to land her the ownership of everybody's favorite neighborhood cat, and secondly, I wanted to get her opinion on this text to find out whether I was over-reacting.
Kristy read it, and I explained the circumstances around the situation. Then, she told me just about everything I needed to know in her response, "it wasn't (written) very nice."
Regardless, by the time I hung up with Amy, I was comfortable with the nature of our friendship. Kristy's words actually made me feel good. It was the first time that I ever confronted an uncomfortable situation directly and immediately. I really don't encounter too many of these situations, but it's good to know that I can nip them in the bud when they arise.
According to the time, I was at Wal-Mart buying a Pepsi Max and AAA batteries in order to withdrawal $20 to give to Amy, with whom I had just eaten at Arby's. Although I generally refer to Amy simply as my friend, she and I were dating for about 3 years between 2006 and 2009. My reasoning for calling her a friend is that is the main reason we are still friends. I am not necessarily the type of person to keep an ex-girlfriend in my life out of a warped sense of loyalty, or especially not out of an obsessive feeling of ownership as the incoming text seemed to imply.
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| Outside All State Arena in Chicago, where we met. |
I was greatly perplexed by this message because Amy had not mentioned a new guy in her life at all, so I had no clue why she would think that I was taking her for dinner in order to block her from anyone else or, even worse, to mark my spot. Obviously, this text was not intended for my eyes, which made the context all the more troubling. While I am extremely non-confrontational most of the time, I barely wasted a moment before I called Amy. It was 20 minutes after the text had been sent, and as far as I knew, she was unaware that it went to me, not the intended recipient.
I told her that I was driving home and I had just received an interesting text. She was genuinely interested in what I had to say next, but as I expected, she was unaware that I received it. I told her and she laughed it off as if it were no big deal.
Unfortunately, I had not really planned that reaction so I had nowhere to go in the conversation. Luckily, my first question was the one that I needed answered. She explained that the text was intended for a friend of hers who was teasing her about my constantly coming around every time Amy was interested in someone new. As far as I knew, this had only happened once or twice before and I thought our interactions during that time were mutually supportive. I found it very hard to believe if I had been duped and, all this time, Amy thought of me more like a pushover than a friend.
Maybe I was wrong. The true irony is that my own interest in another girl had been building in recent weeks, not that I've told Amy. As I turned out, my instincts were right and the text was truly written mostly in jest.
She explained that she had recently started chatting with a guy online that she liked, so it was odd that I invited her out to dinner out of the blue (it wasn't "odd" because we frequently dine together, often on Sunday evenings) shortly after she had grown an attachment. I reminded her that we had not even been discussing the guy, as far as I knew, and I had no idea about the timing. She said that she knew, but it was an inside joke between her and this particular friend.
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| Amy and I dated for three years. |
The true irony is that I cut my conversation with Amy short as soon as I got home to talk to my neighbor: one I insisted would make a good friend for Amy but also, one I had nicknamed "Hot Kristy" when I met her several years prior. I wanted to talk to Kristy for two reasons: first, because I had not seen her in a while, in fact not since I managed to land her the ownership of everybody's favorite neighborhood cat, and secondly, I wanted to get her opinion on this text to find out whether I was over-reacting.
Kristy read it, and I explained the circumstances around the situation. Then, she told me just about everything I needed to know in her response, "it wasn't (written) very nice."
Regardless, by the time I hung up with Amy, I was comfortable with the nature of our friendship. Kristy's words actually made me feel good. It was the first time that I ever confronted an uncomfortable situation directly and immediately. I really don't encounter too many of these situations, but it's good to know that I can nip them in the bud when they arise.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Capricorn Rising
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| I was born in the last hour of my birthday |
There's a seriousness to Capricorn rising people that is unmistakable. Even when they're joking around, it's of the deadpan variety. In fact, plenty of very humorous people have Capricorn Ascendants. It's all in the timing ... and the fact that they don't giggle before the joke is over.
[[Most of the time, anyway. I wish I could keep my reaction under wraps at all times, but I guess I do more often than not. Another problem I run into in the field of communication is when people are torn on whether I'm serious or joking. My excuse is that my voice just naturally sounds sarcastic. Ya know, how some people just sound bossy (usually because they're so bossy so often that it comes across, even when they're not trying). Same deal with me (because I'm usually so sarcastic it comes across, even when I'm not trying).]]
Capricorn Ascendant people project competence. They simply ooze it. They're generally very image-conscious people -- the clothes they wear and their manner are a big deal to them. They want to appear successful, and they generally succeed!
[[I wasn't sure about this one at first because I generally say that I can't have nice things because I don't take care of those things, but the indication that nice things require additional care seems to embody the point nonetheless. Plus, I only have pretty female friends -- or at least I value my friendships with pretty girls more than my other friendships, as evident by Jeordie calling me as I was mid-sentence typing and we made plans for a dinner gig. Being seen with pretty girls can be as shallow of a status symbol as nice clothes or an expensive car.]]
Often the Ascendant persona is the one that was forced upon us by family conditioning. For example, parents may label their Libra Ascendant child the "nice" one; their Aries Ascendant child the "independent" one; and their Pisces Ascendant child is generally the space cadet of the family. We adopt these roles as familiar ones, and often carry them with us as our defense mechanisms, in some way or another, for the rest of our lives. In the case of Capricorn Ascendants, these were the children who were considered the responsible ones. Sometimes, it was they themselves who looked around them and felt the need to be the structured, dependable, and responsible members of the family. So, often, Capricorn rising people adopted a strong sense of tradition, family, and responsibility at a very young age.
[[When I was a kid, I loved saving money. Note how that is "saving" and not "spending." It was often hard to find a toy that was worth the price, but when I found one priced well enough, M.U.S.C.L.E.S. for example, then I would usually stock up. Also, my parents would borrow my money because I always had cash in my velcro wallet, usually around $20, and they would always reimburse me when we got home. Nowadays, my biggest weakness is my obsessive need to feel needed, which has cemented itself through my 5 Years Perfect Attendance Award at work. Deep down, I know Jeordie would be fine without me but my practical assumption is that she needs me. I'm sure she would openly admit that I make her life infinitely easier, but at the same time, we know I am non-essential. Still, I work from the position that she can always count on me. I even wrap up most of our conversations by saying, "call me when you need me."]]
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| Capricorn Zodiac symbol (sometimes) |
[[What me? Worry? Well, I have asked myself all three of those questions often (especially the middle one), so if that is an indication of worrying, then yes, I worry. Honestly, I was unaware that this paragraph was unique to individuals, but it would certainly explain a lot about several other people for me. I guess I am guilty of taking my uniqueness for granted.]]
If success seemed to have come easy to these folks, it hasn't. They just made it look that way with a patient, hard-working, driven personality. Some Capricorn rising people practice some form of self-denial. They know how to do away with the frivolous. Still, they'll spend money on the clothes they really want (the ones with the right labels, that is), and other status symbols. Although they're rarely showy, their quiet air of success is often a result of conscious effort.
[[This paragraph should be my "About Me" section for every online profile I have.]]
More often than not, Capricorn rising individuals are success stories. Their childhoods may have been difficult, but they slowly but surely turn their lives around. Saturn rules this Ascendant, and this generally means a kind of backwards way of living--as children, they are serious and bear a lot of responsibility; and as they grow up, they age beautifully, learning how to loosen up.
[[Frankly, I remember being a snotty little brat as my childhood and somewhat winsome. But my father passed on when I was 12, so there was a lot of growing up in a short period of time. Add to that the above-referenced statements about naturally feeling inclined to support the family, and I can see justification for acknowledging my childhood as a struggle, or my adolescence anyway. By aging beautifully, they must mean an internal beauty, and I have learned to loosen up (the purse strings). Until I turned 30, I was extremely tight around the pocketbooks. But I hit my financial goal at that time, and I felt more confident in my financial security and, since that time, I have been more giving. Not foolishly so, more like Luke 14:13-14. I don't buy my friends, not even the pretty girls. But I have proven myself to myself as a good provider.]]
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Zero to Sixty
"Car broke.in the .middle of kno where." - incoming text @ 9:46PM, 9/9/10.
Several hours earlier I had declined an invitation to get Jeordie to her show, which I knew was all the way across town, because I was meeting a now-mutual friend (see prior blog) and my ex-roommate at Dave & Busters in Tempe Market Square for the NFL Kick-Off game. Plus, I was still feeling dizzy for reasons that remained a mystery.
Regardless, when I read her text 10 minutes later, I responded "Where are you? I can get you" and then I followed up with a phone call, but I got her voicemail. About an hour later, I left a voicemail for Chad hoping that (A) he had not gone so he would know more, or (B) he had gone but he was available to answer. But obviously, I didn't hear from him either.
Usually, my imagination doesn't get the best of me. Ordinarily, my conclusions are reached through logic and not jumping to the worst case scenario. Maybe it was my dizzy spell, or maybe it was the guilt from not staying for a movie with them on Labor Day, but my concern grew by leaps and bounds in record time. I didn't eat when I got home (of course, it was also after 11PM and I still hadn't eaten dinner, so it's highly likely that I would not have eaten regardless).
At some point, I had enough rationale to decide that I should give them 12 hours before I started to worry (not that I didn't have the news channels on already) so I bartered with my mind to give them until 9:45AM on Friday morning. As it turned out, that wasn't the best plan ever since I had a remote meeting at 10AM local time in another building, but I managed to text their drummer at 10:05 (yes, during the meeting) to ask whether he had heard from them, since I knew he lived nearby and I expected he would have been the most likely person to assist. Unfortunately, he had his own gig at the same time so they declined his offer to help if they needed him when they asked what he was doing, and he had not heard back from them. At least now, I knew they made it to the gig that night. But that was really all I knew for sure.
Fortunately, I heard from Chad about an hour later. He let me know where they were, where the car was, and that everyone was fine which was an obvious relief. Jeordie called me about 45 minutes later while I was at lunch, so I got to talk to her.
Then, I noticed something happen. I started having a GREAT day! Even as I walked out of Chipotle (btw, Chipotle > EVERYTHING!), I ran into her part-time percussionist Larry Schneider and chatted with him briefly. The rest of the afternoon just felt better overall. I wasn't even reeling from my earlier dizziness anymore.
That night, Chad had a substitute gig at a dive bar in Phoenix (near Thomas on 16th Street) from about 6-10PM, and he had texted Jeordie to "grab Brutha Kay and get down here," so we arrived about 20 minutes before the end of the last set. The guy with whom Chad was playing wasn't the coolest guy in the world, just in his own world I understand, but to his credit, he had a Black Crowes shirt on, so two things became abundantly clear: first, I really AM not old enough for TBC. And second, I should at least give this show a fair shake. Unfortunately, neither revelation changed my long-term thinking. I told Jeordie, "after you guys leave town, and I grow old and am no longer cool, I can come here!"
Somehow, the thought of my having a girlfriend triggered her memory of "the creepiest thing ever."
We actually shared a hearty laugh at the poorly executed segue, and I even told her about my old pet peeve of her dedicating songs to me. Because it was never a song like "Forever & Ever," "Diamond," or another flattering song. It's just, "let's play Kay's song. This is Kay's song, it's called 'Love is Cruel'." OR, my favorite example, I brought Amy to a gig when we first started dating, and Jeordie said, "this next song is dedicated to my friend Kay" and she proceded to start a song with the chorus.... "You're a long way from being my everything!" I had to do damage control for that one!
We kept laughing, and she told me the story about the creepiest thing ever. Apparently, another guy had fallen in love with her overnight again. Kinda lame, kinda sad, but I had to share the revelation that I had the prior night while fretting her fate: "my life went from 0 to 60 as soon as I met Jeordie!" Truthfully, I understand perfectly what happens to these guys. Unfortunately, they think they have some great mutual connection, but in reality, Jeordie's life is just that awesome. Either way, it makes your life much better. It may just be charisma, but it really feels like more. A lot more.
After the gig, the three of us went out for sushi since it was still early and we were hungry. Unfortunately, we tried Crazy Fish Sushi at Rural/Scottsdale Rd by the 202, but the whole building reeked of bleach, so we went to Sushi 101 at University and Rural, except it wasn't as early as I thought it was and the place closed at midnight. They directed us to Saki Bombers on Broadway near McClintock, which was open until 2AM (although, not really) and they had enough options available for us to satisfy our sushi hunger for under $30, surprisingly.
The only thing we had left to do was get Chad and Jeordie home, and let Playmate (a.k.a. Peekers) back inside since she was uncooperative when Jeordie and I left at 9:30, about 3 1/2 hours earlier, so we left her outside. Unfortunately, she was nowhere to be found when we got home, but they let out Moonpie (a.k.a. Pookers) for a second or two, and she immediately re-appeared. I missed it happening, but it sounded like it was more or less exactly how she came into our lives the first time. Something about that kitten, I'd bet her presence has ramped up Moonpie's life from zero to sixty as well.
Several hours earlier I had declined an invitation to get Jeordie to her show, which I knew was all the way across town, because I was meeting a now-mutual friend (see prior blog) and my ex-roommate at Dave & Busters in Tempe Market Square for the NFL Kick-Off game. Plus, I was still feeling dizzy for reasons that remained a mystery.
 |
| I cannot image Jeordie with any other vehicle. |
Usually, my imagination doesn't get the best of me. Ordinarily, my conclusions are reached through logic and not jumping to the worst case scenario. Maybe it was my dizzy spell, or maybe it was the guilt from not staying for a movie with them on Labor Day, but my concern grew by leaps and bounds in record time. I didn't eat when I got home (of course, it was also after 11PM and I still hadn't eaten dinner, so it's highly likely that I would not have eaten regardless).
At some point, I had enough rationale to decide that I should give them 12 hours before I started to worry (not that I didn't have the news channels on already) so I bartered with my mind to give them until 9:45AM on Friday morning. As it turned out, that wasn't the best plan ever since I had a remote meeting at 10AM local time in another building, but I managed to text their drummer at 10:05 (yes, during the meeting) to ask whether he had heard from them, since I knew he lived nearby and I expected he would have been the most likely person to assist. Unfortunately, he had his own gig at the same time so they declined his offer to help if they needed him when they asked what he was doing, and he had not heard back from them. At least now, I knew they made it to the gig that night. But that was really all I knew for sure.
Fortunately, I heard from Chad about an hour later. He let me know where they were, where the car was, and that everyone was fine which was an obvious relief. Jeordie called me about 45 minutes later while I was at lunch, so I got to talk to her.
Then, I noticed something happen. I started having a GREAT day! Even as I walked out of Chipotle (btw, Chipotle > EVERYTHING!), I ran into her part-time percussionist Larry Schneider and chatted with him briefly. The rest of the afternoon just felt better overall. I wasn't even reeling from my earlier dizziness anymore.
That night, Chad had a substitute gig at a dive bar in Phoenix (near Thomas on 16th Street) from about 6-10PM, and he had texted Jeordie to "grab Brutha Kay and get down here," so we arrived about 20 minutes before the end of the last set. The guy with whom Chad was playing wasn't the coolest guy in the world, just in his own world I understand, but to his credit, he had a Black Crowes shirt on, so two things became abundantly clear: first, I really AM not old enough for TBC. And second, I should at least give this show a fair shake. Unfortunately, neither revelation changed my long-term thinking. I told Jeordie, "after you guys leave town, and I grow old and am no longer cool, I can come here!"
 |
| If you can't see this band, you're not missing much. |
As soon as the band finished its last song, Jeordie genuinely said to me "that (band) was pretty good!" It wasn't. Think of a garage band's mid-life crisis, and you will get the idea. But it's comments like hers that remind me that I will never be as positive and bright-minded as Jeordie. Plus, it was a nice reminder of just how in love Jeordie is with Chad. In response, I supportively said, "I want a girlfriend just like you!" She said, "we'll have to get right on that," followed promptly by, "Oh, that reminds me, I forgot to tell you about the creepiest thing ever!"
We actually shared a hearty laugh at the poorly executed segue, and I even told her about my old pet peeve of her dedicating songs to me. Because it was never a song like "Forever & Ever," "Diamond," or another flattering song. It's just, "let's play Kay's song. This is Kay's song, it's called 'Love is Cruel'." OR, my favorite example, I brought Amy to a gig when we first started dating, and Jeordie said, "this next song is dedicated to my friend Kay" and she proceded to start a song with the chorus.... "You're a long way from being my everything!" I had to do damage control for that one!
We kept laughing, and she told me the story about the creepiest thing ever. Apparently, another guy had fallen in love with her overnight again. Kinda lame, kinda sad, but I had to share the revelation that I had the prior night while fretting her fate: "my life went from 0 to 60 as soon as I met Jeordie!" Truthfully, I understand perfectly what happens to these guys. Unfortunately, they think they have some great mutual connection, but in reality, Jeordie's life is just that awesome. Either way, it makes your life much better. It may just be charisma, but it really feels like more. A lot more.
After the gig, the three of us went out for sushi since it was still early and we were hungry. Unfortunately, we tried Crazy Fish Sushi at Rural/Scottsdale Rd by the 202, but the whole building reeked of bleach, so we went to Sushi 101 at University and Rural, except it wasn't as early as I thought it was and the place closed at midnight. They directed us to Saki Bombers on Broadway near McClintock, which was open until 2AM (although, not really) and they had enough options available for us to satisfy our sushi hunger for under $30, surprisingly.
The only thing we had left to do was get Chad and Jeordie home, and let Playmate (a.k.a. Peekers) back inside since she was uncooperative when Jeordie and I left at 9:30, about 3 1/2 hours earlier, so we left her outside. Unfortunately, she was nowhere to be found when we got home, but they let out Moonpie (a.k.a. Pookers) for a second or two, and she immediately re-appeared. I missed it happening, but it sounded like it was more or less exactly how she came into our lives the first time. Something about that kitten, I'd bet her presence has ramped up Moonpie's life from zero to sixty as well.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
MOVIE REVIEW: Mr. Woodcock
MOVIE REVIEW: Mr. Woodcock (Not Recommended)
Billy Bob Thorton is one of my favorite actors, and I definitely respect a lot of his professional choices, all the way back to "Sling Blade," but there's no denying that his track record is far from flawless. Honestly, the fact that he does not appear to take himself too seriously leads me to respect him more than others who would turn down a poor script on the basis that it would harm their reputation. It's the same reason I like Sandra Bullock more than Julia Roberts. Unfortunately, this movie was more "All About Steve" than "The Blind Side."
It was unfortunate that the plot was not worked on for a couple more years before the script was picked up, because the premise was absolutely fantastic! A grouchy gym teacher's student writes a self-help book to become famous, and then he returns home to find out that his mother is engaged to his perceived foe. Of course, there weren't too many options to end this movie except the obvious, but the story between its strong set-up and that obligatory ending was not as enjoyable as I was expecting it would be.
Aside from a few forced laughs, mostly through the lines of Amy Poehler's character, this movie relied on the strength of its lead, and when I want to see Billy Bob Thorton portray this kind of character, I'd rather watch "Bad Santa" again. It isn't the worst movie ever made, but I don't think it was worth the investment of time or money by the viewer.
Kudos for the use of OK Go "Here We Go Again" during the credits. It may have been the highlight.
It was unfortunate that the plot was not worked on for a couple more years before the script was picked up, because the premise was absolutely fantastic! A grouchy gym teacher's student writes a self-help book to become famous, and then he returns home to find out that his mother is engaged to his perceived foe. Of course, there weren't too many options to end this movie except the obvious, but the story between its strong set-up and that obligatory ending was not as enjoyable as I was expecting it would be.
Aside from a few forced laughs, mostly through the lines of Amy Poehler's character, this movie relied on the strength of its lead, and when I want to see Billy Bob Thorton portray this kind of character, I'd rather watch "Bad Santa" again. It isn't the worst movie ever made, but I don't think it was worth the investment of time or money by the viewer.
Kudos for the use of OK Go "Here We Go Again" during the credits. It may have been the highlight.
Monday, September 6, 2010
(Almost) Never-Ending Day
Saturday felt like one of those never-ending days. Luckily, today is Labor Day so I have a full day to recover. It started Friday evening after midnight, where I was already at Fibber Magees in Chandler, AZ, with Jeordie & The Mixology Project. They wrapped their gig around 1:45AM, and our reload took an especially long time due to the amount of idle BS chatting. I think I finally got home well past 3AM, but I slept well and I probably had a wake break that afternoon as well, so that was fine. They had another gig at Tempe Market Square that afternoon, so around 5PM, we started making plans for that show.
Admittedly, things went somewhat awry there but it wasn't too bad. We had everyone in position for a 7:15PM start to a 7PM show. It was a bigger disappointment than it should have been since Jeordie started right at 9:30PM for her 9:30PM show (only because we arrived at 8:45PM for what we thought was a 9PM start, and we forgot the mic stands so I had to run back to grab them).
A couple weeks ago, I had an evening Happy Hour with my ex-roommate Judge and he had a friend with him known as Marnier. At one point, Judge mentioned how Marnier was a singer/songwriter, so I suggested that he meet (and potentially collaborate with) Jeordie. This gig turned out to be his best opportunity, but unfortunately, I had forgotten to contact him earlier, so I texted him around 7:30 for a gig that had already started. Luckily, he made it out during her second (of two) sets, so he heard a good deal.
At the same time, my friend Psy had texted me to find out if I wanted to go see "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World." I am a big fan of "Arrested Development," but (or maybe, "therefore") it is hard for me to look at Michael Cera in his current state. I have no interest in that movie, but I told him to come by the Jeordie gig afterwards. He was already en route, and the movie had already started, so we went to Chipotle (btw, Chipotle > Everything) for dinner and then watched Jeordie's gig until he had to leave, which worked out perfectly with Marnier's arriving, so I went from one friend to another. Jeordie talked to Marnier after her gig for about 5 minutes, so hopefully a collaboration can happen in the near future.
Meanwhile, one of Jeordie's best friends of the past 10 years was in town with her 2-year-old daughter. She's a very good person that I've met several times before, so we chatted for a bit. She and Jeordie talked for a very long time. They seriously kicked around the idea of Jeordie staying over and then hanging out the following day, but she lives over an hour out of town, so the only way that could be feasible is if I were able to take her. Obviously, the invite was extended to myself and Chad as well. Despite the logical problems with this plan, we all agreed. An overnight stay at a resort sounded like a great idea for the extended weekend, and where her friend lived, it was more or less a resort.
Unfortunately, we didn't leave TMP until midnight and I didn't get back to Jeordie's place until after 1AM. Also, Jeordie was nowhere near ready to go when I arrived. We weren't sure whether or not it was going to happen, but I had just downed a Pepsi Max to make the trip, so I wasn't the least bit tired. After an hour, we were ready to leave, and she called her friend to confirm that it still wasn't too late (plus, we still didn't have the exact directions).
The directions were kinda funny. We took the US-60 to the 202, and then exited Ellsworth and we drove on that road for the next 30-40 miles. That road would become Ellsworth, then Ellsworth Loop, then Ellsworth again, then curve and become Hunts Highway, and eventually, it would intersect Anthem Way. Eventually, like 3 miles after we gave up and called her friend for directions. She stayed on the phone with us as we tried to find her exact address, which was a big help! We arrived just before 3:30AM. We chatted with her for the next hour or so, and then we went to bed. There were five bedrooms: one master bedroom for our hostess, one guest room for Jeordie & Chad, one bedroom that was her daughter's playroom, one bedroom with a Hannah Montana motif, and one bedroom that was her office, basically. My room was the Hannah Montana room. Of course, it's barely a footnote at 4:30AM.
Two hours later, there was a knock at her front door and a continuous ringing of her doorbell. Perhaps now it a good time to note that Jeordie's friend is one of those gorgeous blonde types, except she's down-to-Earth and kind. Not that most gorgeous blondes aren't, but kindness isn't really a trait in the usual stereotype. The reason this information is relevant now is that the knocking lasted about 5 minutes, after which I snuck downstairs and peeked outside but there was no one there. The knocking/ringing resumed about 45 minutes later (I think there was a single knock or two in between) so I looked outside through her office and I saw a gray-haired gentleman walking to a black Tahoe. Having only had about 2 hours sleep, I considered that it may be a member of her HOA citing that my car is illegally parked in her driveway (my mom's HOA does not let its residents park in their driveways). Therefore, my thought was that this visit may involve me, so I took it upon myself to address him.
Instead, it was a friend of hers named Peter who had made plans to go riding with her "first thing in the morning." I wasn't sure what that mean, even though she had told us that she owns horses, but again, working on two hours sleep. The guy was polite, but it appeared as though he left angry. He said, "tell her to forget it," which I didn't know if that was because it appeared as though she had forgotten about him, or if he didn't want to inconvenience her since she had other company. Either way, I wrote a note that he stopped by and went back to bed.
It wasn't until about 9:30 that I heard her daughter playing in her game room. The mission that morning was to finish inflating her bounce house, so our hostess had purchased a hand pump that could work. I came into the room and greeted them both. She said she was going to start coffee as soon as she got this thing inflated, and I offered to help. She told me how to turn on the coffee maker, but I don't drink coffee, so I offered to help inflate the bounce house. She greatly appreciated that since she wasn't sure how to use it either (it was brand new).
The design of this thing was not very useful at all. The pump wasn't very long, so once it got started, it was like small breaths of air into the bounce house. And you had to pump it yourself, which to me meant that I would have a bicep muscle before Shaylee would have a bounce house. The other problem with the design is that after three or four solid blasts, the connector would fall off. I put it in place with electrical tape, but then my arms were getting too much of a workout for only four hours sleep. Granted, we could've waken Jeordie and put her to work on it but that wasn't the most logical option at 10:30AM either.
In middle school, I played the trombone. In high school, I continued playing. So, although I had zero passion for it, I had over five years of playing trombone, so today's result of that is a better-than-average blowing capacity. Therefore, it made more sense to me to blow than to pump. It only took about 20 minutes to get the thing inflated (after realizing that my previous hour had been spent in a futile effort). Little Shaylee had her bounce house, so we took it downstairs where she was able to wake up Jeordie about 20 minutes later.
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| Jeordie & Chad gig at Fibber Magees in Chandler |
A couple weeks ago, I had an evening Happy Hour with my ex-roommate Judge and he had a friend with him known as Marnier. At one point, Judge mentioned how Marnier was a singer/songwriter, so I suggested that he meet (and potentially collaborate with) Jeordie. This gig turned out to be his best opportunity, but unfortunately, I had forgotten to contact him earlier, so I texted him around 7:30 for a gig that had already started. Luckily, he made it out during her second (of two) sets, so he heard a good deal.
At the same time, my friend Psy had texted me to find out if I wanted to go see "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World." I am a big fan of "Arrested Development," but (or maybe, "therefore") it is hard for me to look at Michael Cera in his current state. I have no interest in that movie, but I told him to come by the Jeordie gig afterwards. He was already en route, and the movie had already started, so we went to Chipotle (btw, Chipotle > Everything) for dinner and then watched Jeordie's gig until he had to leave, which worked out perfectly with Marnier's arriving, so I went from one friend to another. Jeordie talked to Marnier after her gig for about 5 minutes, so hopefully a collaboration can happen in the near future.
Meanwhile, one of Jeordie's best friends of the past 10 years was in town with her 2-year-old daughter. She's a very good person that I've met several times before, so we chatted for a bit. She and Jeordie talked for a very long time. They seriously kicked around the idea of Jeordie staying over and then hanging out the following day, but she lives over an hour out of town, so the only way that could be feasible is if I were able to take her. Obviously, the invite was extended to myself and Chad as well. Despite the logical problems with this plan, we all agreed. An overnight stay at a resort sounded like a great idea for the extended weekend, and where her friend lived, it was more or less a resort.
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| Jeordie & The Mixology Project rock TMP |
The directions were kinda funny. We took the US-60 to the 202, and then exited Ellsworth and we drove on that road for the next 30-40 miles. That road would become Ellsworth, then Ellsworth Loop, then Ellsworth again, then curve and become Hunts Highway, and eventually, it would intersect Anthem Way. Eventually, like 3 miles after we gave up and called her friend for directions. She stayed on the phone with us as we tried to find her exact address, which was a big help! We arrived just before 3:30AM. We chatted with her for the next hour or so, and then we went to bed. There were five bedrooms: one master bedroom for our hostess, one guest room for Jeordie & Chad, one bedroom that was her daughter's playroom, one bedroom with a Hannah Montana motif, and one bedroom that was her office, basically. My room was the Hannah Montana room. Of course, it's barely a footnote at 4:30AM.
Two hours later, there was a knock at her front door and a continuous ringing of her doorbell. Perhaps now it a good time to note that Jeordie's friend is one of those gorgeous blonde types, except she's down-to-Earth and kind. Not that most gorgeous blondes aren't, but kindness isn't really a trait in the usual stereotype. The reason this information is relevant now is that the knocking lasted about 5 minutes, after which I snuck downstairs and peeked outside but there was no one there. The knocking/ringing resumed about 45 minutes later (I think there was a single knock or two in between) so I looked outside through her office and I saw a gray-haired gentleman walking to a black Tahoe. Having only had about 2 hours sleep, I considered that it may be a member of her HOA citing that my car is illegally parked in her driveway (my mom's HOA does not let its residents park in their driveways). Therefore, my thought was that this visit may involve me, so I took it upon myself to address him.
Instead, it was a friend of hers named Peter who had made plans to go riding with her "first thing in the morning." I wasn't sure what that mean, even though she had told us that she owns horses, but again, working on two hours sleep. The guy was polite, but it appeared as though he left angry. He said, "tell her to forget it," which I didn't know if that was because it appeared as though she had forgotten about him, or if he didn't want to inconvenience her since she had other company. Either way, I wrote a note that he stopped by and went back to bed.
It wasn't until about 9:30 that I heard her daughter playing in her game room. The mission that morning was to finish inflating her bounce house, so our hostess had purchased a hand pump that could work. I came into the room and greeted them both. She said she was going to start coffee as soon as she got this thing inflated, and I offered to help. She told me how to turn on the coffee maker, but I don't drink coffee, so I offered to help inflate the bounce house. She greatly appreciated that since she wasn't sure how to use it either (it was brand new).
The design of this thing was not very useful at all. The pump wasn't very long, so once it got started, it was like small breaths of air into the bounce house. And you had to pump it yourself, which to me meant that I would have a bicep muscle before Shaylee would have a bounce house. The other problem with the design is that after three or four solid blasts, the connector would fall off. I put it in place with electrical tape, but then my arms were getting too much of a workout for only four hours sleep. Granted, we could've waken Jeordie and put her to work on it but that wasn't the most logical option at 10:30AM either.
In middle school, I played the trombone. In high school, I continued playing. So, although I had zero passion for it, I had over five years of playing trombone, so today's result of that is a better-than-average blowing capacity. Therefore, it made more sense to me to blow than to pump. It only took about 20 minutes to get the thing inflated (after realizing that my previous hour had been spent in a futile effort). Little Shaylee had her bounce house, so we took it downstairs where she was able to wake up Jeordie about 20 minutes later.
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| It's hard to have bad times with good friends |
Our day began slowly, Chad got up shortly after Jeordie. I think Jeordie had told Chad that we were leaving sooner than she realized, but at least we got to chat for a full hour before we started getting ready to go to the water park. It was a communal water park, complete with a couple water slides (like the kinda at public water parks), which was the main draw in the first place.
Honestly, it has been about 15 years since I've been fully submerged in water. I bought a swimsuit about 7 years ago for hot tubs, and I packed that swimsuit to Flagstaff a few weeks prior but I never used it there. Luckily though, I knew exactly where it was! And it was clean. So, it finally got its intended use.
After a few more standard delays, we got to the water park at 2PM and we had to be on the road by 3PM. It's unfortunate, but at the same time, it was about 110 degrees outside, so a full hour in the sun is probably enough. We left the house as quickly as possible to our schedule, and we got Chad to work one minute after his actual start time (sorry, Chad!). Then, Jeordie and I had an early dinner at our favorite restaurant (Pita Jungle) for a nice conversation, which ran into my time for church, but I just went to a later service on campus, and it worked out fine.
We originally had hopes to going to see "Inception" at 9:30, but the day had taken its toll on us by that point. We called it an early night, and everyone slept through the morning. I know I slept about 9 hours, and then I took another 2-hour wake break this afternoon. Ideally, we will be able to watch the movie tonight. And this time, we will be able to stay awake for it. If we had gone last night, I imagined the ushers may have had to wake us after the movie ended.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Think Like a Fish
I came up with this blog title a couple weeks ago (maybe less) but I wrote nothing for it. I am guessing that it was about one of two things: drinking or dating. I would hate to speculate what I was going to say about either subject at the time, but I would be happy to share my current thoughts as of this evening.
DRINKING: I think the subject header was based on my impromptu, uninspired decision to give up drinking last week. On Friday night, I drove Jeordie to a gig at an Irish pub where I had one Bud Light at about 8:30PM. The following Friday night, I drove Jeordie & Chad to a different gig at a different Irish pub where I had one Bud Light around 10:30PM. In between, I didn't drink any alcohol at all.
I have never had any issues with drinking too much personally. But I have always felt as though I have an addictive personality, so I have been extra cautious about my drinking habits ever since I turned (two months away from) 22 since it took me 10 months to realize I was suddenly old enough to get into all bars in the Valley. Additionally, I have a very close friend who got a DUI about ten months ago, and he is still having to deal with it. It was a huge wake-up call to everyone he knew because now, although he still drinks, he does not drink and drive -- and he will not let me either.
On the first Saturday night of my alcohol embargo, I went up to Strawberry, AZ, with Jeordie, which is about 90 miles north and 10-20 degrees cooler. I did not have the intention to not drink, but the last time I was at this particular location, I was treated so shitty that I started calling Strawberry "the abortion that the state of Arizona should have had." I don't know if it was my ability to stay out of the way, or if it were just that my words were overly harsh, but I did not find as many "personality conflicts" this time. I label that as "personality conflicts" because if you've ever been to a small town where everyone is overly friendly to all strangers, then this town was the smaller town to that town, where it's the exact opposite and every stranger is considered an intruder (and "how dare they intrude!"). The people were pathetic, but this time, the pathetic people left me alone and only the people that like other people bothered me (which was not an actual bother). I spent half the night reading the Patrick Roy biography that my mother bought me for my birthday (and I'm still less than half-way through) and the other half of the night listening to the music from my car in a slowly successful attempt to sleep.
The next day, I dropped Jeordie off at the airport because she was going to join Chad in San Diego for a day or two (it turned out to be two). At one point in those days, I considered opening a bottle of wine that Jeordie had given me (every so often, she hands me a bottle of wine in gratitude for all I do for them) but I opted against it for one reason or another. I guess the thought in the back of my mind that inspired the embargo was a picture of Jeordie and I where my head looked bloated, so I figured a few days of not drinking should straighten it out. I don't know if it's just a matter of my perception or if it actually works, but this isn't the first time I've had this thought/reaction to a photo of myself.
Chad & Jeordie got back to town on Tuesday, but they made it home via the Light Rail, and for one reason or another, I didn't cross paths with them. The next night, Jeordie got an early gig up north in Cave Creek at C4 (Cave Creek Coffee Company). By pure luck and good friends, she was able to get a ride to the location but she needed me to bring her back. It had been since Sunday afternoon that I had seen her, so I was happy to see her, but the prices of almost everything in Cave Creek are inflated, so I didn't drink anything. At one point, I snuck a sip of what I thought was Jeordie's wine or beer, but it turned out to be her water, so my embargo stayed in tact.
Thursday was nothing special (apparently, since I don't remember it) and then Friday was the gig where I asked Chad to order me a beer on the band's tab, so if the bar comped the band, I could get a free drink, and if they didn't, then I could throw in a few dollars at the end of the night. Not drinking is easier than some people make it out to be, but admittedly, it sure can get boring!
DATING: Although I believe "Think Like a Fish" was in reference to fish being surrounded by water and never drinking (a comparison to myself being surrounded by drinkers and not drinking), I think the title would be better served to describe my views on dating. The old saying "there are plenty of fish in the sea" had always confused me since I found it extremely sexist and I'm a feminist (nevermind the fact that the advice could be given to either gender) but the comparison of fishing to dating made no sense to me.
Then I flipped the perspective. No longer the fisherman, I'm a fish! *Spare me the cue for the South Park spoof of Kayne West.*
It took me 25 years before I realized that dating & courtship are a lot easier when you just swim about your day without obsessing over another person. After all, you cannot change someone's mind and you cannot made someone else's decision (unless you're controlling, in which case you've got more problems than courtship permits). And by this time, I decided to add "interested" to the top of the list as what I would look for in a perspective girlfriend. That's a personal choice after I realized that if my girlfriend weren't interested in me when we started dating, then I'd have heightened trust issues.
For the record, this also goes the other direction where I get closer and closer to a girl with whom I am fully infatuated, but she loses interest the closer we get. Unfortunately, I don't have an example of remaining friends with any girl like that, but I suspect that is mostly because my mindset of thinking like a fish isn't widely employed.
Jeordie and I discussed the subject of dating & courtship at dinner tonight, and ironically (or maybe not) our waitress was one of the girls who caught my infatuation a week or two earlier. The night I met her was especially meaningful because I was supposed to start dinner for four of us and it was 20 minutes before closing, and I was the only one there. But as soon as I looked into our waitress' eyes, I was calm. And flirty. And then I proceded to drink too much, in hopes that the evening could last longer, which is an absolute first for me. It was also a last time, since that strategy did not serve me well in the end when I realized I ate and drank more than I could digest.
Jeordie gave me good advice on the subject of pursuits tonight, which fortunately I had already been following. As we have all heard a million times, it all comes down to confidence. That's why I decided to think like a fish and just learn to swim. It's easy and it comes natural to fish. If I find a hook, then I'll bite.
DRINKING: I think the subject header was based on my impromptu, uninspired decision to give up drinking last week. On Friday night, I drove Jeordie to a gig at an Irish pub where I had one Bud Light at about 8:30PM. The following Friday night, I drove Jeordie & Chad to a different gig at a different Irish pub where I had one Bud Light around 10:30PM. In between, I didn't drink any alcohol at all.
I have never had any issues with drinking too much personally. But I have always felt as though I have an addictive personality, so I have been extra cautious about my drinking habits ever since I turned (two months away from) 22 since it took me 10 months to realize I was suddenly old enough to get into all bars in the Valley. Additionally, I have a very close friend who got a DUI about ten months ago, and he is still having to deal with it. It was a huge wake-up call to everyone he knew because now, although he still drinks, he does not drink and drive -- and he will not let me either.
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| Strawberry is "hit & miss" socially but its summers are great! |
The next day, I dropped Jeordie off at the airport because she was going to join Chad in San Diego for a day or two (it turned out to be two). At one point in those days, I considered opening a bottle of wine that Jeordie had given me (every so often, she hands me a bottle of wine in gratitude for all I do for them) but I opted against it for one reason or another. I guess the thought in the back of my mind that inspired the embargo was a picture of Jeordie and I where my head looked bloated, so I figured a few days of not drinking should straighten it out. I don't know if it's just a matter of my perception or if it actually works, but this isn't the first time I've had this thought/reaction to a photo of myself.
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| "The Last Honest Hamburger" is $5.95 in Cave Creek |
Thursday was nothing special (apparently, since I don't remember it) and then Friday was the gig where I asked Chad to order me a beer on the band's tab, so if the bar comped the band, I could get a free drink, and if they didn't, then I could throw in a few dollars at the end of the night. Not drinking is easier than some people make it out to be, but admittedly, it sure can get boring!
DATING: Although I believe "Think Like a Fish" was in reference to fish being surrounded by water and never drinking (a comparison to myself being surrounded by drinkers and not drinking), I think the title would be better served to describe my views on dating. The old saying "there are plenty of fish in the sea" had always confused me since I found it extremely sexist and I'm a feminist (nevermind the fact that the advice could be given to either gender) but the comparison of fishing to dating made no sense to me.
Then I flipped the perspective. No longer the fisherman, I'm a fish! *Spare me the cue for the South Park spoof of Kayne West.*
It took me 25 years before I realized that dating & courtship are a lot easier when you just swim about your day without obsessing over another person. After all, you cannot change someone's mind and you cannot made someone else's decision (unless you're controlling, in which case you've got more problems than courtship permits). And by this time, I decided to add "interested" to the top of the list as what I would look for in a perspective girlfriend. That's a personal choice after I realized that if my girlfriend weren't interested in me when we started dating, then I'd have heightened trust issues.
This phrase ("Think Like a Fish") is more apt right now than in recent months, because, for a week or two (maybe it was the entire week I went without drinking?), I got incredibly infatuated by a different girl every day. Incredibly infatuated. At one point, I saw a beautiful girl having lunch with her mother at Wendy's, and she looked like a friend of mine, so I immediately texted her, "what's the best pickup line to use on you? There's a beautiful girl in here that looks just like you, and I'm hoping it's transferrable." To her credit, she was more than ready and willing to help me, but I opted not to follow her sound advice of introducing myself and asking the girl what her name was. Why not? Because I burst out laughing at something my friend had texted me, and the girl didn't smile at me. Are my standards too high? It depends on the definition of "standards" by which you're judging me, but a positive demeanor is very important, and I think smiling when you hear someone laugh is a strong indication of positive energy.
The real reason I didn't ask her name at that point was my demeanor at the time scared me. If I had such a short attention span that I could see one girl and forget about the other girl who had my heart racing the day before, I probably wasn't in a good state of mind to date or pursue anything. Although, I can eliminate the idea that I'm not confident enough to ask out a girl that I like because I went on a quick date with one this past week.
I have a close friend with whom I had been discussing most of these misadventures or whatever misnomer would apply, and I pointed out that my ideal dating structure would be to start as friends because that way you can maintain a solid friendship, even if the person isn't what you would call "dating material." I shared a story from several years ago where I went to dinner with two really cute girls simultaneously when all three of us started the same job. I thought it was ideal because then I could compare & contrast both girls, side-by-side, and decide which one to pursue. By the end of the night, both girls annoyed me so badly that I eliminated any further pursuit of them. For the record, I became close friends with both girls and I'm still friends with one almost eight years later, so it wasn't that they were annoying per se, it was just that they weren't what I was looking for in a girl.
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| My confidence has risen tenfold since befriending Jeordie. |
Jeordie and I discussed the subject of dating & courtship at dinner tonight, and ironically (or maybe not) our waitress was one of the girls who caught my infatuation a week or two earlier. The night I met her was especially meaningful because I was supposed to start dinner for four of us and it was 20 minutes before closing, and I was the only one there. But as soon as I looked into our waitress' eyes, I was calm. And flirty. And then I proceded to drink too much, in hopes that the evening could last longer, which is an absolute first for me. It was also a last time, since that strategy did not serve me well in the end when I realized I ate and drank more than I could digest.
Jeordie gave me good advice on the subject of pursuits tonight, which fortunately I had already been following. As we have all heard a million times, it all comes down to confidence. That's why I decided to think like a fish and just learn to swim. It's easy and it comes natural to fish. If I find a hook, then I'll bite.
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