I arrive in Redmond at 1:00pm on December 22nd.

I depart out of Redmond at 11:50am on January 8th.

Word.

Damn. Today I finally feel somewhat back to normal.

Saturday, I didn’t have any plans. So I slept in until about 11:00 and then got up and made coffee, and spent some time reading “Searching For The Sound : My Life With the Grateful Dead” by Phil Lesh. It’s a pretty great book, if you like the Grateful Dead. Anyway…after a couple hours of uninterrupted reading, JR came home from work and wanted to go to City Steam for lunch, so we did. Lunch passed into dinner time, and by the time we left, we both were a bit on the hammered side. I had a couple more Celebration Ale’s when I got home, and then had a grand old time recording drunken covers of various bands into my awesome little recorder until about 2:00am.

So I slept until about 11:00am again on Sunday…only to be woken by JR wanting to go to John Harvard’s for the Mug Club party. We are members of the Mug Club, meaning we get our 25 ounce mugs filled for the price of a regular tall. On mug club party days, you get an extra dollar off as well. I barely know what happened, all I know for certain is that I passed out after puking at about 7:30pm. That’s right, I was barely awake for 8 hours on Sunday…and spent nearly all of them at the bar….yeah me. I also passed out without setting my alarm, and when I woke up to get water at about 2:00am, I remember distinctly that I thought it was Saturday night/Sunday morning and that I didn’t need to get up for work the next day. Stupid me. I was about a half hour late for work. JR just laughed when I came crawling in…

I stayed FAR away from alcohol yesterday…and today feel relatively normal.

Tonight I’m going to see Phil Lesh and Friends in Wallingford. It’s nice and fitting that I just got his book and have read about 3/4 of it, and now he’s playing 20 minutes from here. It should be a good show, although I can say I’ve never seen a Dead related show indoors…it should be quite a trip.

I went to take the trash down to the dumpster, and left my house keys sitting on the table. I had two big armloads of trash bags, and it was going to be a quick trip, so I just wore a t-shirt. It’s like 30 degrees out right now. So I ran to the dumpster, threw my shit in there…and then turned in horror as I reached into my pockets and realized I was now locked outside with no keys and nobody inside I could call to let me in. (Ahh the irony of living in a world where I take my phone to the dumpster, but not my keys.)

So I sat, in the cold, pushing the page button for every single apartment in the building, until some kind soul finally buzzed the door and let me in. Our awesomly ghetto apartment doesn’t have an intercom, so you can’t tell who you are letting in. So normally, when someone pages my apartment and I haven’t called for a pizza or know anyone that is coming over, I never buzz the door for them. But now I’m always going to have to wonder if some poor dumbass isn’t down there freezing his ass off because he forgot his keys.

Anyway…thank you, whoever you were that was brave enough to let a stranger into the building. It’s much warmer in here.

Yipee! I just checked the tracking information and my copy of The Electrifying Conclusion is Out For Delivery!!!

So that’s totally awesome.

What’s not totally awesome is that apparently no regimen of beer and other pharmacologicals can prevent me from dreaming about stuff I would really rather not dream about. At least since I’ve resumed smoking the good stuff, they aren’t quite as vivid. But they still happen.

So I spent most of the weekend watching Ali G and Aeon Flux via Comcast OnDemand. I also watched Speak, Batman Begins, the last half of Pieces of April, Me and You and Everyone We Know and a few various other less than notable movies. Exciting life, no? No. Not at all.

It’s really quite amazing how much of a TV junky I’ve turned in to. I used to really hate TV, but we seem to have reached critical mass of something near 1000 channels plus OnDemand and now I can usually find something to watch, whenever I want. It’s dangerous, but I guess it’s probably partially responsible for breaking my addiction to WoW. Which I guess could be construed as a good thing.

Part of me misses WoW, but every time I sign on, I just don’t feel connected anymore. None of the quests seem worth doing…blah…I get bored even thinking about it. Yet I know Hipgno would probably like me to keep playing…but I just can’t. Maybe when the expansion pack comes out I’ll be able to dive back in…who knows.

Anyway…So I partied Friday night, utterly wasted the rest of the weekend in a haze of smoke, TV, guitar and beer…and then last night went out with RobSurge, his wife, and Dimitri to the most killer pub I’ve ever been to. They had like 100 beers on tap. I had a Dead Guy Ale (ON TAP! UNHEARD OF OUT HERE!), a 60 minute IPA, and uhmm…another 60 minute IPA. That’s right, 100 beers, many of which I’ve never tried….and I stuck to the known favorites. It’s pretty amazing though, 60 minute tastes WAY different from the tap. Scarily even the same beer really.

GODDAMN UPS TRUCK! GET HERE NOW!

Anyway…work calls. So this concludes my infrequent rambling post about nothing, meant only to make it look like I care about and update my blog sometimes. I suppose I’ll get around to writing a real post again here someday…if I can stay away from the TV long enough.

I’ll withold your name, but I just want to say I’m sorry for chatting with you over coffee in the kitchen, and then telling you that you’re totally gorgeous while standing right in front of your boyfriend. It was worth it for the smile you gave me, but I didn’t mean to make him pissed off at you, or at me. I didn’t know you had a boyfriend. You certainly didn’t tell me, or show it with those bambi eyes. How could I have possibly guessed that a girl like you would be with a guy like him? I mean he seemed pretty cool, had fairly good taste in music, probably a really nice guy over all. But you deserve so much more. So forgive me. I had no idea. Hopefully he didn’t stay angry too long after I left.

On second thought, hopefully I was the catalyst it took for you to decide to dump his ass. Call me. One of your friends can get my number.

Don’t cry Scooter, I don’t like the fall either. God do I ever hate the fall. Of course, I mean the season, not “of our horrendously corrupt administration”. Yeah, I suppose it is pretty. But it’s also colder, the days get short…and you know the New England winter is just around the corner. This week has been surprisingly nice, but even nice fall days just seem like a tease, and thus still piss me off.

There is one thing this fall that keeps me going, and it’s BEER! Just kidding…erm…sorta. Seriously though, it’s all the GREAT fucking news we’ve been getting lately.

What a great season for the news addict/political junkie…at least those of a left wing bent. I can hardly wait for each days work to be over so I can rush to my position in front of both the computer and the TV and bask in the glory that is our political process. When work was over yesterday, I hadn’t heard any new scandals or bad news for the Bush administration, so I was a little bummed out. But I faithfully turned one TV to CSPAN2, and the other to CNN, only to be rewarded with up to date information regarding the bitch slapping of the republicans by the minority senators. I was cheering like your typical hooligan. I mean, check these choice quotes out:

“Unfortunately the unwillingness of the Republican-controlled Congress to exercise its oversight responsibilities is not limited to just Iraq. We see it with respect to the prisoner abuse scandal. We see it with respect to Katrina. And we see it with respect to the cronyism and corruption that permeates this Administration.” - Harry Reid

–

“Let’s take a look back at how we got here with respect to Iraq Mr. President. The record will show that within hours of the terrorist attacks on 9/11, senior officials in this Administration recognized these attacks could be used as a pretext to invade Iraq.

The record will also show that in the months and years after 9/11, the Administration engaged in a pattern of manipulation of the facts and retribution against anyone who got in its way as it made the case for attacking Iraq.” - Harry Reid

I had the words, “BOOM! HEADSHOT!” running through my head the entire time. Normally, the Republicans get a bit of heat, and they change the topic. Either they raise the terror alert, or they nominate a supreme court justice, or some other attention grabber. But they tried that today and the democrats finally took a play out of the republicans playbook, and kicked their ass with it. I just hope they don’t back down now that they’ve finally seized the offensive.

It feels like Christmas all ready. First we have Fitzgiving, and now this. It’s enough to make me dance for joy. But that’s not all, we also get Trent Lott hinting that maybe Rove needs to be replaced!

I initially tried to hold back, and not just wallow in how much joy I was feeling watching the Bush administration fail. Because, after all, their failure is bad for America. But it is apparent to all but the most misguided and crazed of the right that Bush is not compassionate, not conservative, and clearly not competent. AT THE VERY LEAST. A clear case is also building that the administration is also incredibly secretive, manipulative, and deceiving. Or in a word, corrupt. Staunch Republican friends of mine are all of a sudden slamming Bush every chance they get. I try not to say “I told you so” but in some cases have been unable to refrain - and even in those cases, rather than the caustic nonsensical backlash that I’ve come to know Bush supporters by, I’ve received meek “I know” responses.

I have witnessed absolutely glorious things I tell you! I’ve seen Ann Coulter on Real Time with Bill Maher, talking shit about Bush. How can it get better than that?

It’s great finally the news makes me feel a little less insane. For a while there, I was getting to the point where I was really questioning whether or not I was just insane and that Bush really was a good president, just doing what’s right for a America, and everyone loved him for it….or if he was a greedy, deceptive little shit weasel, screwing us over at every turn, and I was one of the few people who for some reason didn’t get brainwashed. I think it’s now clear what the answer is, even if no more indictments come down. You don’t have a leak that high up in the government, unless you have a leaky, deceptive government. It’s become clear that at the very least, Cheney and Bush knew who leaked what, if in fact it can’t be proven that either of them in fact ordered it.

They are so fucked. I LOVE IT. The best part is that not only do they look bad, the whole conservative movement, particularly the crazy religious wackjob section of it, looks utterly insane for putting this man in power, and supporting him for so long.

I’m not getting my hopes up too far, but I don’t know if any amount of spinning in the world is going to convince the American people to trust the Republicans again come election time. It’s certainly possible I suppose. But I’ll wait until then to get thoroughly depressed by the ignorance of my fellow Americans, until then you can find me in front of CNN, dancing wildly with beer in hand, screaming “Oh my god, you guys, this is so awesome!” in my best Cartman voice.

I’m stuck in a strange state right now where I want to post something, yet can’t think of anything to write about. The blogging community seems to be of two minds about such situations. One theory goes that even if you can’t think of anything to post, just ramble on and post anyway. On the other side, we have those that say all posts should at least be topical, if not well thought out and proofread.

I’m going to side step the issue and cop out totally by just posting a few links I like to read.

As an aside, I finally caved in to Naya’s badgering and set up a myspace account. It will probably updated even less than this page, so don’t expect much. But here it is. Naya was out here for a week, and just left yesterday. I miss her. This whole “living on the east coast” thing is really wearing kinda thin at this point. But fortunately I have Warcraft and Beer to keep me company, as depressing as that is.

I’m leaving for 2 weeks in Muncie, Indiana on Sunday. Much like just about everything else that goes on in my life, I’m really not so thrilled at the prospect. Especially since it’s for training that will enable me to sucessfully make the conversion that will take away the only joy I get from my job, and relegate me to the level of system operator. So thats, uhmm…totally lame. But RobSurge is going with me, so we’ll be Fear&Loathing it as much as possible. Judging from past trips together, I don’t think we’ll have a hard time blurring, or completely erasing, the memories of whatever they try to teach us.

I haven’t posted anything about the hurricane yet, as I’ve really been just too dumbfounded and shocked to have anything to say about it. It’s a travesty, a huge travesty….

I agree with the Mayor of New Orleans when he said questions will have to be asked during the clean up. Essentially he says he believes the poor response in New Orleans will likely have led to more deaths than the actual hurricane itself. And if and when the numbers are tallied and that conjecture is proven true, hard questions will have to be asked.

Broussard: “We have been abandoned by our own country.” Listen to the three examples he gives of the terrible mismanagement by FEMA, right before he bursts into tears. The examples really make it sound like FEMA is attempting to kill more people.

“THIS IS PERSPECTIVE!” Among other things, we learn that in this evactuation, you aren’t allowed to leave. Hannity, is a douchebag as alway. Geraldo cries. It’s pretty amazing the amount of candid moments we’re getting on the news. This event seems to have finally broken through the “all spin, all the time” filter the “news” has been suffering from for quite some time.

A phenomenal rant from Steve Gilliard.

The handling of this situation is despicable. The Republicons are already contorting to blame the victims, and absolve the absolutely limp federal government of any responsibility. It’s hard to say where the responsibility lies at this point, and judging by the history of this administration, we’ll never really know. I can only hope it doesn’t go that way this time, as someone needs to pay. Slashing taxes and FEMA funding, while simultaneously appointing an ineffectual and inexperienced buddy as FEMA director is deserving of, at the very least, wrist slapping. I can’t remember where I read it, but I read someone else’s idea…which I think is much more fitting. Go to Washington, round up the politicians, chain-gang them…and march them down to New Orleans and put them to work rebuilding the levees. Use the libertarians, neocons, warmongs and assholes far and wide as the filler for the sandbags. It should be apparent to all the conservative nuts and libertarians now that clearly sometimes there are functions that the government really should handle…the “market” didn’t jump in and help anyone out here. In fact, lack of funding, due tax cuts for some and increased burden for others has led directly to massive amounts of death. They estimate that 20% of the population of remained behind in New Orleans. Incidentally, 27% of N.O. residents do not own vehicles.

Good job FEMA.

Yes Mr. Rove, it is indeed the states fault. Not the federal government at all…they’ve done just fine so far.

The more I read of the right wing spin…the sicker I become. What the fuck do they think FEMA stands for? What do they really think it is supposed to do? If an organization called the “Federal Emergency Management Agency” is not responsible for dealing with situations like this in a timely and effective manner, what are they supposed to do?

60 Minutes interview with Mayor Ray Nagin.

Dennis, it’s called tact you fucking asshole. The best part is that Hastert didn’t even go to the vote for the aid to the hurricane damaged region. Why? He was out at a fund-raising event for a colleague, and followed it up by a car auction. Now of course, he says the money he made at the auction will go to Katrina relief…spin spin spin…

“George Bush doesn’t care about black people.” No Kanye, I can’t say he does. I do however have to say that you are now responsible for the best moment I’ve ever seen on national television. You can just feel some network executives bowels release in “shock and awe.” Check out the look on Mike Meyers face.

“I’m 62 and I remember the riots in Watts, I remember the earth Quake in San Francisco, I remember a lot of things. I have never, ever seen anything as badly bungled and poorly handled as this situation in New Orleans. Where the hell is the water for these people. Why can’t sandwiches be dropped to those people that are in that Super Dome down there…This is Thursday…This storm happened five days ago. It’s a disgrace and don’t think the world isn’t watching…”

“President Bush shouldn’t be the president no more.”

I’m just beside myself people. I’ve done nothing the last week other than stare at this train wreck. I just can’t believe this can happen in America. I knew it was bad…but Lord are we ever fucked. I really hope this serves as a wake up call to people. When you vote for “morality” over your own interests, you end up with people that respect neither.