Neighbor Guy is Okay

My neighbor friend that got himself carted off in an ambulance came by last night. He didn't have a heart attack or anything too serious. He has cerebral myotaxia (sp?) and fell down on his elbow. Said it swelled up like a softball. It still looked pretty bad last night, but says he's okay. I gave him a ride to pick up his paycheck, at 10 p.m.

In other news, I have a friend (maybe more) coming into town this weekend....

Cartoons

At lunch we had a discussion about our favorite cartoons and shows from when we were kids. Here is a list:

Looney Tunes, of course
Thundercats
He-Man
Transformers
Animaniacs
ALF - the real show and the cartoon
Pinky and the Brain
Snorks
PeeWee's Playhouse
Tiny Toons
Captain Caveman
Grape Ape
Rescue Rangers
Ducktales
Talespin
Darkwing Duck
GoBots
Inspector Gadget
Can't remember the name, but it had Bo Jackson, Michael Jordan and Wayne Gretzky as superheroes/athletes
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Nowadays I like Aqua Teen Hunger Force

Currently listening to:
Robert Earl Keen - LIVE No.2 Dinner

I want my MTV - wait a minute, no I don't

House M.D. is one of the best new shows I have seen in a long time. Since I don't have cable anymore, I have become a slave to network television. All I watch now is Fox. (American Idol, OC, Point Pleasant, Simpsons, Malcolm in the Middle, etc.)

This gives me time to catch up on my reading. I started The Stand a few days ago. I've been meaning to read it for a long time. I thought it was a nice coincidence that the book is about a superflu that devestates America and I have a cold. The version of The Stand I bought is the big one with all the extra stuff King didn't include in the first print. It's going to take a long time to read, but I don't see cable television coming back to my apartment for a long time.
I have always enjoyed Stephen King books. The first one I read was Skeleton Crew. I started the Dark Tower series this summer when I was unemployed. I flew through the first 6 books in about 2 months, then waited impatiently for the 7th and final one to come out. I picked it up the day it came out and holed up in my room until I finished it. It was a different ending to the series than I had imagined. The cool thing about King is that a lot of his books have this common thread of characters who play a role in the Dark Tower series. The Stand is one of the books that ties into and Roland's quest for the Dark Tower, but I'm not sure how yet...

Other neighbor

I met the other neighbor last week - Dennis is his name. Seemed like a nice enough guy. I came home Thursday after work and parked in the usual spot. As I was walking up the stairs I heard sirens getting closer. I didn't think anything about it, just grabbed Mak's leash and headed out for his walk. I get to the bottom of the stairs and a firetruck and ambulance are parked behind my car.
Turns out Dennis had a little panic/heart attack or something. I haven't seen him since they carted him off, but I hope he's okay. I sure liked him a lot more than the other neighbor.


Currently listening to:
Burden Brothers - Buried in your black heart

Halfway around the sun

It is my 6 month anniversary at work. No big party or anything. Just wanted to note that.

Ice cream cake is my new favorite sweet. I had some over Christmas break and it was excellent. We did a potluck lunch today at work, so that's what I brought. Strawberry passion with red velvet cake. It was a hit.

I'll be playing golf and watching football this weekend. May even play a little poker. I am not what you'd call "good" at golf or poker, but I am an excellent football watcher. May even go pro some day.

Currently listening to:
Charlie Robison - Good Times

That feeling, you can only say what it is in French

I make a lot of copies at work. It's part of the process validation. It's also a requirement that each copy be stamped COPY.
I found that it's easier to hit the pages as they exit the copier than wait for them to finish and flip through each one. (Actually, a co-worker showed me this trick. I cannot take credit for coming up with it, modesty prevents me.)
There is an older lady who works here and has a somewhat important job. The first time she saw me doing this she made a remark - "Oh, now that's a good idea. You are so smart!" I was flattered, but replied that it wasn't totally my idea.
A few months later she saw me doing this again (I do it nearly every day) and made a similar remark. I dismissed it as deja vu.
Today she saw me making copies and doing my little trick again. She says, "I have never seen anyone do that before! That's a really good idea."

Damn, I'm smooth

At lunch today I sat across from the new girl. We talked a little and I realized she's sorta cute in a nerdy way. Then my ketchup packet exploded all over me. Smoooooth.

Slow day

You never realize how much you rely on something until it's gone.
Our network has been down for two days at work. I cannot accomplish anything without my network. I can obviously still surf the web and read blogs (when no one is looking) but all of my files that are work related are unaccessible. Which means that I've spent the last two days cleaning, throwing out old stuff, organizing files, roaming the halls and trying to look busy. I even got excited about going to the landfill.

other brother dwayne

This is honestly what my neighbor Tom says to me Friday evening as I'm getting home from work:

Tom: Hey Dwayne, you got change for a 5?
Me: No, Bob I don't
Tom: I'm Tom.
Me: Okay. (walking upstairs) Asshole.

Anyway, I had a great weekend at the deer camp. Killed a lot of beers and a wild turkey. No animals were harmed by my hand, but it was fun anyway.
Saturday night was very interesting. I danced around the campfire with a pretty little thing and watched some older gentlemen wrestle around on the ground. All the roughhousing was stopped short when Gary found his way into the fire. Thank God for Nomex overalls. Otherwise we might have made a drunken trip to the nearest hospital. All in all, it was a great weekend. Exactly what I needed.

Neighbor

I introduced myself to the neighbor that lives below me when I moved in. This is the conversation we had last night - or what I remember of it.

Tom: Hey, Dwayne, right?
Me: It's Darrel. Whats up, Tom? Is the radio too loud?
Tom: Yeah, I mean I'm not trying to be a jerk and I'd never go to the office to report you. It's just that these walls are so thin and I'm right below you...
Me: I understand, I'll try to keep it down. I wanted to ask, what hours do you work so I'll know when to be quiet?
Tom: You see.. Dwayne, right?
Me: Darrel.
Tom: I work in sales and usually don't get home until about 10 or so...
Me: Oh really, what kind of sales?
Tom: Well, Dwayne I've been with Kirby for about 10 years now.
Me: Oh.
Tom: But I had to take some time off because work was getting to me and I know you've been moving in the past few days. Honestly all the moving around and noise really has me on edge.
Me: I'm sorry, Tom. I'll keep it down.
Tom: It's just that I can hear every move you make and I've been really edgy lately.
Me: Okay. If you think I'm being too loud just beat on the ceiling or something.
Tom: Alright, Dwayne.
Me: It's DARREL.
Tom: Okay, talk to you later.

For those who aren't aware, Kirby is a vaccum cleaner company. This guy has been selling vaccums door-to-door for 10 years. No wonder he's on edge. I mean, if he can't remember my name when I tell him 3 times he must not be a very good salesman either. Guess I won't be throwing any wild parties at my place.

Eavesdropping

One of the best perks of this job is that I overhear really good conversations.
Two people at work are dating, another has testicular cancer, and the new girl is selling girl scout cookies for profit.

"We're not ones to go around spreading rumors.
Really we're just not the gossipping kind.
No, you'll never hear one of us repeating gossip.
So you'd better be sure and listen close the first time."

Life is good

As if getting a new apartment and going hunting this weekend weren't enough, I GOT A RAISE TODAY!!! Life is definitely good for me at this moment.
On the other hand, my flippin' brand new TV doesn't work. Have to take it back to Wally world...

Word of advice, NEVER go the post office during your lunch break. The geniuses down there take their lunch at the same time as everyone else - noonish. If you go, you will undoubtedly find yourself standing in a line of roughly a dozen other people on their lunch break with only one postal worker manning the register. And the one worker is usually the new guy, who doesn't know where they keep the mailbox keys.

"Your girl be callin' my name like Clarence Carter, Clarence Carter, Clarence Carter."

Gotta keep movin' on

Got the keys to my apartment yesterday!! Granny and Pawpaw should be here around noon to help my aunt move her stuff home. Took some of my stuff to the new apt last night. It's gonna be great to finally have my own place. Can't decide between the 32" regular screen or 27" flat screen TV.

Fire marshall is inspecting the building at work today, so the alarm keeps going off. It's driving me crazy. Earplugs would be nice. At least I don't have to stay all day.
Found out that I have a weeks vacation saved up. Think I'll save that for the beach this summer.

Sunday Sunday Sunday

To update last night's post, San Diego choked in OT and the Jets won on a field goal. I think Schottenheimer made some very stupid decisions in that one.

Not much to post today. Good football games on. Indianapolis won big and Minnesota beat Green Bay.
Talked to my stepdad about the hunting trip next weekend. Looks like it's gonna be cold, which is good.
Think I'm going to take a half-day off whenever my grandparents get into town and move into the new apartment. This will be the first time I actually live alone, no roommate. Can't wait.
I want a guitar.

sniffles

Feel pretty shitty today. Took some APAP/DMHB/PSEH/DXS cough syrup. Eyelids very heavy now. Need some GFN for the cough.
Got up early and did laundry - 4 loads. Had to go commando today.
Boxed up some stuff for the move. Not very motivated today. LAZY.
Both playoff games were good ones.
The Rams won in a close one - Seattle's receivers dropped too many passes, including one to tie the game at the end. As I type this, the Chargers have tied the Jets with 11 seconds left in the game. Don't know if I'll make it for the overtime results.

good flicks

I hadn't seen a good movie in a long time and then bam! Like they say, when it rains it pours.
Napoleon Dynamite - probably one of the most original, funny and cool dork movies ever. One of the first scenes reminds me of riding the bus to school when I was a kid.
Anchorman - two words. Will Ferrel. nuff said.
Cold Mountain - my mom kept bugging me to see this movie. It finally came on cable tonight and wow. Excellent film. Probably has more substance than the other two. And you can see Nicole Kidmans nipple.

Tomorrow - Caddyshack

Fridays at work

They go something like this:
Show up early, check mail.
8 o'clock meeting. Coffee. Donuts (mmmm donuts)
Finish stuff I didn't do Thursday, plan stuff I'll try to do Monday.
Lunch at the buffett.
Find something to look busy.
Bathroom break.
Keep looking busy.
Begin countdown to 4:30.
Check mail again. Look at blogs. Bid on ebay. (When no one is looking over my shoulder).
30 minutes left, start organizing clutter on desk.
15 minutes - gather everything needed over the weekend (water bottle, CDs, magazines, sunflower seeds)
5 minutes - attempt to avoid boss before exiting the building.
1 minute - listen to boss ramble on for 30 minutes about some insignificant detail that doesn't even apply to me. (Flippin' PhDs)
Leave 30 minutes after everyone else. FREEDOM!!!!!

Makaveli Wayne

I have a male miniature schnauzer named Mak, short for Makaveli Wayne. He was a high school graduation gift from my step-mom, which means he'll be 7 in a few months. Me and Mak spent nearly every minute of the first 4 months of his life together. I was a recent high school grad with no job and lots of scholarship money to blow on beer. He was a fearless little pup with an amazing way with the ladies.
That was a great summer. We went to the creek, the lake, the beach, the golf course. Life was good. Then I went to college.
Mak stayed with my mom, since I was living in the dorms.

When I finally moved out of the dorms two years later, Mak came to live with me. I moved in to a house that will long be remembered in the hearts and minds of members of Gamma Pi as Club 200. This house was located along a street that included a bar, a liquor store, another bar (actually 3 bars in 1 building), Taco Bell and Long John Silvers.
My routine at the time typically included drinking in excess, smoking in excess and eating Taco Bell (not a big fan of LJS). Mak's routine typically included barking at the door, attacking my roommates (when provoked), begging for pizza, catching a contact high, and running away. He must have run away 30+ times in the 3 years I lived at 200, but he always found his way home.

Once, Mak was gone for 3 days and I almost gave up hope. I remember drinking at the bar next door on the 3rd day, and gettting pretty well lit. Needless to say I was depressed about my dog. When I walked home, I climbed onto the roof and yelled his name for about 20 minutes. I stayed a while longer and then went in and crashed. When I woke up in the morning, Mak was on the front porch couch fast asleep, dirty and stinking like fish.

He's a tough little fucker, too. One time when he ran off I found him 4 hours later. He was laying about 100 yards from my house and bleeding very badly. The vet said he must have been in a fight with a much bigger dog, because the optic nerve to his left eye had been severed by a bite to his head. There weren't any dogs that big living near us at the time, so I assume he must have gotten into the fight and found his way home with only one eye.

Mak is still with me. He doesn't run away anymore, though. Only because I now live in an apartment and it's practically impossible for him to get out. I take him for a walk every morning before work and right after I get home. It's a nice routine for us both.

Things I'd Like to See in 05

Longhorns in the BCS Championship game.
Julius Jones rushes for 1800 yards
Roy Williams ends Terrell Owens' career with a vicious hit in the middle of the star at Texas Stadium (sweet).
Cowboys play Texans in the Super Bowl. Cowboys win by 21.
Carlos Beltran and Roger Clemens return to the Astros, then lead the team to first World Series and win in 7 (against Rangers).
Clemens wins the Cy Young (again).
SFA wins the Southland Conference in football, basketball, soccer, golf, lacrosse, and volleyball.
Gamma Pi wins Greek Week '05.
Kountze wins state title in basketball (again).

Lame-ass New Years Eve

I've come to the conclusion that I am an old man trapped in a young man's body. Playing 18 holes of golf, having 4 beers and an awesome steak sandwich (Thank you BoneDaddy's) left me tired and cranky on NYE. To rejuvenate myself, I lay down for a short nap and.... woke up at 11:50 p.m. Just in time to watch the ball drop and take a shot for 2004. And the sad thing? I wasn't that pissed.
At least that's not as bad as leaving all the Christmas presents hidden under my bed when I went home for the holidays, and then realizing my mistake 3 freakin' hours into my trip home. I must be getting senile in my old age.

New to this

I just recently learned about blogs and blogging. This is my first attempt at keeping a diary of sorts, so please be patient. I will try to keep this interesting and up to date, but make no guarantees.