car rant

Took my car in for an oil change this morning. On the way there, my battery light stayed on. So I had them look at it and it turns out I need a new alternator. $300 I don't really have to spend.

Oh, and by the way, my rear strut is messed up and they can fix it, but they like to fix them both, and that's about $500+. At least I know what is making that weird clunking sound.

Ugh. So I'm getting a new alternator today. One of my coworkers works on cars, so I'm hoping he can do the struts a bit cheaper than the shop.

the wtf? post

wtf? #1

How did Bo Bice not win American Idol? I *heart* that guy.

wtf? #2
Why does Gmail suspect unusual use of my account? It's the other accounts I downloaded files from. And I actually have an email I needed to check about gigging in June. Guess it'll wait 24 hours.

wtf? #3 - saving the best for last
Posteb by the lovely ladies (and maybe men?) at the DDW:

Forget-Me-Not Panties

just friends

Very few of my friends adore kung fu movies as much as I do. My friend Brent likes them almost as much. His wife could care less about them. So for his birthday a couple weeks ago I took him to see Kung Fu Hustle at a rad local theatre. I picked him up, talked with his wife (one of my best friends), bought the ticket, the beer, etc. and took him home.

The movie was fabulous. Other than an extra good film, it was your average night out for a couple of friends. I didn't think much of it.

The other day Brent mentioned to one of his coworkers that he had gone with me to see the movie. His coworker practically flipped out. He said, "Your wife lets you go out with other women?"

Brent was taken aback and tried to explain that we're all friends and it wasn't so much "going out with" as it was just hanging out. His coworker then proceeded to tell him that his wife will not let him go out with -/ hang out with any other women. He even has a female friend he plays some role playing game with online, and his wife sent the friend an email claiming that she was destroying their marriage.

Is it really that absurd to expect that people will make friends with members of both sexes? And maybe they'll have something in common with them and want to just hang out?

I kind of think that someone that jealous might be cheating themselves. Or maybe she's just psychotic.

wow

You wouldn't know it from my recent blogging, but I really don't usually pay much attention to television shows.

I have to say:

Bo Bice - wow that was amazing. Just... incredible. (And the lines to vote for you are still busy!)

House - loved it... might be my favorite episode of the season. They switched up the format from the usual formual. Hugh Laurie's acting in that episode may have won him an Emmy.

Thank goodness next week is is finale week so I can actually have a life again.

good week

This week got off to a really good start and I'm hoping it stays that way. A few recaps:

Sunday morning I was a half hour late to rehersal because I was sleeping - and it didn't matter because (surprise!) they were only just starting. Then the music director actually gave us 1 piece of next week's music in advance. (The rest of the music, however, I will get at 8am next Sunday and get to play through maybe three times before the performance).

Sunday night was filled with excitement at my friends' house. We were all sitting around watching the Simpsons and suddenly our friend Brent freaks out and demands we all get away from the windows. Two young girls drove up into their yard, almost hitting my friends' house, and then the girls took off across the yard (bottles of beer in hand) into some apartments or something. Brent called 911 and we had great entertainment for almost 2 hours.

Monday morning I was on my way to work at the other office when I got a call from my boss telling me to go to my regular office instead. I was so exited I didn't even mind being at work on a Monday. Shortly after I arrived, my boss told me I get to stay at my regular store again (a week ahead of schedule). And my hours have changed to Monday-Friday 9am-5pm - like a normal person.

Today is affectionately called Hughsday on several of my House communities. And since I enjoy Hugh Laurie so much in House, and found him amusing in the few British shows I'd seen him in, I've sort of been on a Hugh kick this week. So Sunday night I rented Flight of the Phoenix (which was decent but 100% predictable). Yesteray I ordered a used copy of Maybe Baby - with shipping it was a about $2 more expensive than actually renting it - so if I hate it I can sell it for about $2 and not really be out anything. I also ordered Hugh Laurie's novel The Gun Seller which I've heard is funny and I'm always looking for something new to read. Yay for Hugh Laurie and House. (I downloaded two more episodes this morning, and while I can hardly wait for the the DVD to come out, I love the internet and the fact I can pretty much get what I want in 15 minutes). Happy Hughsday everyone!

Tomorrow night I'm going to watch Some Kind of Monster - the Metallica documentary, which I also rented. I've heard loads of good things about it from my musician friends.

Finally, speaking of musician friends, two of them are in my favorite local band and they just got booked to headline one of the sweetest festivals all summer. The organizers estimate a few thousand people will be at that particular stage during their set. Lots of good exposure for them.

Yay for a good week. Sunday was my brother's birthday. I like to think that he's celebrating by smiling down on me and sending some good karma. Happy Birthday Jeff.

slackin'...

I've been informed by Freedom Girl that I'm slackin'. Which is too true. I didn't even post a Friday Foto, and that takes like 20 seconds.

There are actually several times a day that I'll think of something to blog about, but I've forgotten it by the time I get some free time and internet access.

Earlier this week I had this thought about when people say "There are two kinds of people in the world..." and the they proceed to tell you what kinds of people there are: people who blog and people who don't, people who obsess over TV shows and people who don't, people who live life to the fullest and people who never take risks, whatever.

Usually, one of the two traits or behaviors is represented as more desirable than the other. But the context these statements are made in usually leads me to believe that the person saying it is actually the more (perceived) negative of the two, and simply wishes that they could also be one of those superior people. That by stating these two "types of people" they are inferring that they, too, are of the superior bunch.

This is the other reason I'm slackin'... I have these thoughts but they're not coming out clearly when I sit down and type them.

friday foto: little turtle

Little Turtle
Originally uploaded by SilverTurtle.

Blog Neglect

I know I've been neglecting my blogging lately.

I could say it's because I'm working at a new location until June, and it's and extra 20 miles drive every day, interrupting my morning rituals (when I used to blog). I could say it's because my newsletter deadling is around the corner and I've got interviews to set up, photos to scan, and articles to edit. I could say it's because I've been working a steady church gig every week and will be for 4 more weeks. I could say its because I think I finally found a band, and have been attending rehersals, which are twice a week for 2 hours each. I could say it's because I've had some volunteer things to attend this month. I could say all of this because these things are all true... but they're not the reason I've been slacking on the blogging.

I've got an addiction. I'm not easily addicted to things, I can smoke 10 cigarettes this week and not touch them for 3 years. I can drink or not drink any night of the week. It's not like me to get so wrapped up in something. Most things I can take or leave. But not this - this, somehow, has got ahold of me and is sucking up my few minutes of spare time every day.

This something is a television show. I rarely even watch TV. Some American Idol here, maybe a version of Law & Order there, and occassionally DVDs of M*A*S*H or 21 Jumpstreet. I didn't really even like the show when I first saw it, but a coworker loved it and talked about it every week, and I kept watching. Now I'm hooked. If there's a chance I will miss any of it, it must be taped. I joined an online community to download episodes to hold me over until a DVD is released. Then I joined 2 more online communities just to discuss the show, characters, plot lines, etc. This is a sickness.

Maybe it's because Hugh Laurie is just such a fabulous actor. Actually, that's probably a lot of it. And the show, while I'm sure it isn't 100% medically acurate, is interesting and touches on some iffy subjects.

So if I haven't updated in awhile, or haven't taken the time to comment on your blog, even though I just read a great post and have something to say, it's because of that damn House MD.