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Michigan trip: Sunday

On October 10, 2010

Sunday we got up early on the island and had breakfast again in the hotel. Then we carried the luggage back to the ferry, loaded up, and headed back to Mackinac City. Once in the car we drove to nearby Petrosky to looked for the fabled Petorsky stones on the beach – but really had no idea what we were looking for. We found a lot of smooth round and flat stones that were kinda cool and some stuff that might have been petrified wood – but mostly we just walked on the beach barefoot, though it was really too cold to spend much time there. We tried another beach, but there wasn’t much there as well – so we ended up going on to our next destination: the Bayshore hotel at Traverse City. We hit the pool for a bit, then went to a “hip and trendy” restaurant that served food on “small plates”. I got some sushi that was pretty good.

Michigan trip: Saturday

By admin

On October 10, 2010

In Uncategorized

An early breakfast at the hotel and we were off. On foot. We decided not to rent bicycles or a carriage and instead began a self-guided walking tour of the island. The first stop was the Grand Hotel – which, living up to it’s name, charged $15 just to enter the building and walk on the porch. We declined. Instead, we continued on past the hotel and found a couple of neat walking trails through the woods. The next stop was the historical reenactment at the fort. I was a little less than impressed, but the muskets and the cannons were cool.

20 minutes for lunch at a pizza place and we were off again – this time to check out the shops and the downtown area. I was looking for some souvenirs, but everything was either vastly over-priced or “cheap”. I walked away empty handed, but my friend got a book on ghosts of the island. After a short break at the hotel, we set out again – this time, following the book to locate the haunted areas. We didn’t see any ghosts (it was afternoon, after all), but we did see a lot of the island and got lost a few times.

After a few more hours of walking, we headed back to the hotel to soak in the hot sauna and swim in the pool. Feeling a little more human, we headed out again to get some dinner. Over all, I think we were walking about 8.5 hours that day through some pretty rough terrain at times. Maybe 20+ miles? It was a hard to tell – what with the “getting lost”. Still, we saw a lot more of the island than most visitors do and had fun doing so.

Michigan trip: Friday

By admin

On October 9, 2010

In Uncategorized

My friend and I took a few days off from work and took a trip up to Michigan. We got a pretty good start on Friday and – despite some arguments with the GPS – we drove on up to Cheboygan to get a picture and then on up to Mackinaw City.

Editor’s note: Some parts of that area were called Mackinaw and others were Mackinac. I pretty much gave up trying to keep track. Both come from Michilimacinac anyway and I’m not going to very particular about which spelling I use.

We caught one of the last ferry’s to the island for the evening. It was cold and raining a bit and we only went on deck for a little bit before retreating to the warmer cabin – not really a great start to the trip. The ferry docked and the bags we had checked in Mackinaw City were delivered right to the hotel room – by a cart pulled by a bicycle. The island doesn’t have any cars or trucks on it – it’s all bicycles, horse drawn carriages, and walking. So, after we got settled into the hotel room, we walked back towards “downtown” and found a place to eat called the Pink Pony – which, in Myrtle Beach, is the name of a gentleman’s club. As in, strippers. On the island, though, it turned out to be a pretty passable restaurant. We walked back to the hotel in the dark and called it a day. Here are a few pictures from the hotel – the Island House.

Every time we went down any of the hallways in this place, either one or both of us would quote those creepy little girls from the Shining. “Come play with us,”

We referred to the hotel room itself as “quaint” – for values of “quaint” that include “small, weird, uncomfortable, and likely to result in a bruised head”.

It does exist!

By admin

On October 8, 2010

In Uncategorized

In conversation, I tend to exaggerate wildly when I don’t know the specifics of something – as an amusing clue to the listener that I don’t really have any idea what I’m talking about.

So, a large amount of something becomes “extra gigantic” or “several bazillion”. In geographic terms, a vague but distant location becomes “south central Mongolia”, “downtown Siberia”, or “Cheboygan” – which I was convinced was a made up place.

Recently, one of my friends and I took a trip to Michigan and we made a stop along the way in Cheboygan, MI. It was raining and we stopped just long enough to get a picture of me next to the “city limit” sign before driving on. Proof positive that the town really does exist.

I’ll have more details on the trip later, but I thought I’d share this little bit.

games, knotting, doctor, sleep

By admin

On September 29, 2010

In Uncategorized

I played and beat a couple of games recently. Prince of Persia: Forgotten Sands (good gameplay, but the story was weak) and The Darkness (great game, amazing story, really cool). I’ve moved on to Uncharted: Drake’s fortune – which is also, ironically, one of my new favorite songs by Sara Bareilles.

I made a necklace for my room-mate’s niece (more hemp knotting) – just sort of a fun little project and I’m hoping that it passes the muster of a teen-aged girl. If there’s a harsher critic, I don’t know of one.

I went to the doctor last week as a follow up from my septum un-deviation surgery. I think both the doctor and I were both a little disappointed that I didn’t have a more massive improvement. I may be breathing a little better, but it’s really tough to tell. I’m still snoring, though maybe not quite as bad. He did tell me that the inside of my nose looks “awesome” – so, I’ve got that going for me. He gave me a sample of Omnaris (Omnaris! To the nose!) to see if that helps and gave me additional options for more surgery. This would include deliberately scaring my soft pallet to reduce vibration or implanting something in there – or removing part of my uvula or the back of my tongue. None of it covered by insurance. Ummmm… no thanks. So, I’ll see him again – maybe – in a few months for another checkup.

In other news… the magic code seems to have reduced the problems with my phone. I still don’t have a great signal at home, but it’s enough that it doesn’t kill my battery.

I try not to write much about work since complaining specifically about your job is a dang good way to get your ass fired. But, I had a rough Monday that was mainly about processes that got in the way of getting things done. I ended up in a sort of ‘cold war’ with colleagues to help our clients. Very frustrating. I got a little more information today and I’m going to have to jump back into the very-polite-but-also-kinda-tense fray to see if I can make some progress.

I also haven’t been sleeping well. Just sort of restless. Which is odd cause if there’s one thing I’m good at, it’s sleeping. I fall asleep easily, wake up only if I have to pee, and then wake fairly easily in the morning. Not sure what’s going on – maybe it’s the new pillow?

Better get back to it – got a long day ahead of me.

training, travel, comic,baby, sword

By admin

On September 22, 2010

In Uncategorized

One of my co-workers and I went to an Adobe CS5 training session last week. It was an all day thing and I had other things going on at work that day, but we sorted things out and spent the day at a hotel conference room in Fairlawn. I left in what I thought was plenty of time that morning, but traffic turned into a big, steaming pile of crap. I did what I always do in traffic jams, turned on AM radio. Partly for the traffic reports, but mostly for the misery. People on AM radio are, generally speaking, having terrible lives. Helps put things in perspective.

Anyway, the training was okay, but parts were a little beneath me. I think I could have taught a couple of sessions and my co-worker could have taught them all – and they didn’t use CS5 for the whole thing anyway. I learned a little, maybe – and it was still nice to get out of the office.

That Friday, I headed south a bit to visit my co-worker and his wife and new baby. I brought a baby toy and made some earrings for his wife – which she really liked. I got to hold the new baby for a while and then stayed for dinner. We had a nice time and they have a really nice place.

On Saturday, I headed back to Fairlawn to get a new battery for my room-mate’s camera, some new books at the over-priced Barnes and Noble, and some craft supplies for about 5 different projects. One note about Barnes and Noble – there was some guy on the second floor that believed he was doing a stand-up comedy routine. When I first heard him, he was so bad I thought he was doing a mic check. He wasn’t. He was as for real as he could get. I actually cut my trip – to a bookstore of all places – short, just to get away from him. Yes, that bad.

I worked on a couple of projects over the weekend and helped my room-mate get to the car show that he helps host each year. I also learned how to braid hemp fiber – one of my co-workers needed a new carrying strap for his drum – so, that was kinda cool.

On Monday, that same co-worker came into the office to see how we’d decorated his cubicle with pink streamers and balloons to celebrate his return to work after his baby daughter was born. He was really surprised and liked the decorations – he’s kept them up all week.

Today, on top of not getting enough sleep and getting my beverage stuck in the vending machines – I forgot my trunks and couldn’t go swimming. This is the first time I’ve missed a swim since I started and made my rule: M-W-F, if the university is open and I’m there, I swim.

Finally, I had a weird feeling today. I do not, as a rule, carry a sword when I’m on campus. It’s not really allowed. But all day, whenever I was walking around, I kept reaching for a sword that I knew couldn’t be there. Apparently, if I did carry a sword, I would wear it inverted on my back – so I kept reaching behind my back for the handle to grab, draw, and decapitate someone. Yeah, it’s been that kind of week. How can you be in the habit of doing something that you’ve never done before? The feeling faded once I got in my car and headed home – which is a good sign. I got my oil changed and did a couple of little projects – I’m making replicas of world-ending technology. So far I have ICE-9, Red Matter, and a bottle of concentrated Time.

Ummm… yeah.

100

By admin

On September 17, 2010

In Uncategorized

I did 100 push ups yesterday as part of the “hundred push ups program”. This was the final test for the program and I sort of surprised myself – it wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be. I mean, it was work and I was tired when I was done, but I didn’t collapse into a pile of lumpy Jello afterward. I just kept a steady pace and kept counting.

I didn’t do “nose to the floor” – didn’t do that at all during the program. So, there’s room for improvement and I’ll keep going with it.

So, yea me – in a sort of anti-climactic way.

the hatred returns

By admin

On September 10, 2010

In Uncategorized

I used to despise cell phones. The dropped calls, the bad reception, the “minutes”, the way people used them in stupid ways. And I was pretty much set on hating them – going so far as to write up a detailed rant about it and refusing to get one of my own.

But, being a geek, the lure of technology eventually wore me down and not quite two years ago I finally got a cell phone. I wasn’t the last person on the planet to get one, but I did my best.

The phone was a little bulky, but it had a sliding keyboard that was nice since I didn’t know if I was the kind of person that would text. The monthly plan changes annoyed me, but I figured that was just the way things were.

And slowly, I got lulled. It was kinda nice to chat with my sister on the way home from work. Text messages were kinda fun. I liked having a camera with me all the time. The service seemed pretty good in my area and I didn’t have many dropped calls. It was… okay. And all that hatred started to fade into a quiet acceptance. I was careful to always keep it with me and dutifully kept it charged. The phone became part of my daily routine.

But about a month or so ago, something changed. I found that I had no signal strength at my apartment. In fact, after some tests, it appeared to die just as I pulled into my driveway. I’d have maybe one bar – if that – and the phone’s battery would swiftly drain as it tried to find a signal. Instead of days between charging, I’d get maybe an hour at home before it was desperately beeping as it died.

So, yesterday after my haircut, I stopped by my local Verizon store to figure out what was going on. The guy there was helping someone and I waited patiently. At one point, he asked if I had a question while he was still working with customer and I told him to go ahead – I was in no hurry. And I didn’t want some flippant answer to get rid of me to get back to the paying customer. A second staff member showed up after a while and she came over to help me.

Side note: She was dressed in the standard “uniform” – but was wearing a headband that might have been more appropriate at a jazzercise class. I’m not judging, but I’m just saying…

Anyway, I explained what was happening and asked what kinds of things might be causing interference in the signal. You know, science.

Her reply:

“I notice you’re using one of the old (it’s less than 2 years) Alltel phones. The towers in the area were upgraded and that might be causing the signal issues. You should be eligible for an upgrade on your phone.”

Translation: “We changed something that had a negative impact on our customers without telling them and the only fix is to drain more money out of them by selling them a new overpriced phone they don’t want or need and calling it an upgrade because we hate you all and don’t understand the basics of customer service or human decency”

And in that moment, my hatred of cell phones returned. It swelled up around me like a fleece blanket, warm from the dryer. Then it burrowed into my skin, down to my very soul, where it began to fester and rot.

Ahhhhhh, yeah. That’s the stuff. Feels sooooooo good to be back on familiar ground.

I told her that I wasn’t prepared to get a new phone right then, but that I’d stop back.

Translation: “You’ve wasted enough of my time and I’m too angry to think carefully about the phone I’d get and vulnerable to your evil psychological sales tactics. I’m going to do some research so I can come back here and get a phone that is actually appropriate for my needs and doesn’t get chosen for me to feed your commission.”

As I was walking out the door she called out to me and said that if I hit *228 option 2 it might help, but she couldn’t guarantee it. I thanked her and went on my way.

Yeah, right. Like I’m going to push some random buttons on my phone before I have everything backed up. Do I look like George Jetson? I like pushing buttons, but let’s be serious here.

So, with the hatred spreading its poison into my system, I got in my car, filled the air with some deeply satisfying swear words (including a couple new ones I made up on the spot), and went home.

I’ll do my homework, back up my data, and in a few days I’ll head back and get a new phone. I guess the anger at being screwed with is tempered by the satisfaction of knowing I’m being screwed with. And I’m hooked on the convenience of a phone now – any kind of defiance is just going to hurt me and won’t impact their bottom line much. I suppose I could switch carriers if I could find one that wasn’t pure evil, but I doubt such a thing exists.

So, I’m back to hating cell phones. It feels like things are right with the world again, I’ve got a baseline to my emotional levels.

And though it sickens me to the core and makes me physically uncomfortable, I’m wondering it I can get a new phone in metallic green. (shudder)

2 miles, signed, chicken, say my name

By admin

On September 4, 2010

In Uncategorized

I swam 3/4 of a mile yesterday and this morning I headed back to the pool. I planned on doing at least 3 miles, but the lanes were set up the “long way” – and I got worn out and only did 2 miles. It was also a little weird – there was no one else in the pool. Just me and the lifeguard.

She was bored – obviously. It’s not like I was going to drown, so she just paced slowly up and down the length of the pool with me. It was kind of nice, actually. When I finished up my swim, I walked over to her and thanked her for watching out for me. I told it must have been pretty boring, but it was appreciated. She smiled and said it was no problem. Might have been the first time anyone thanked her for being a lifeguard.

Not that I really needed a lifeguard – but they wouldn’t have opened the pool if they didn’t have the staff. So, I guess I did need her there.

I’m a little disappointed that I didn’t do more -but I still have pushups to do this afternoon and my shoulders were starting to hurt.

I went over to Borders after the swim and found a couple of books that looked good. I stood in line for a while – longer than I should have had to. The problem was a woman who hadn’t signed her credit card. The clerk rightly asked for ID, which the woman didn’t have. So, we all had to wait for her to go out to her car and get her purse and get her ID.

You know what, people? It says right on the back of the damn card that you need to sign it. Period. If you don’t sign it, they don’t have to accept it. Also period. For those that think – “well, what if my card gets stolen?” – well, then the thief can then sign your name however they want and then go on their way. It’s actually worse because they won’t have to worry about matching a signature. Also? The post office won’t accept your card unless you sign it. Do you really want to go up against the post office? Do you know where they got the phrase ‘postal’? Sign your damn card and get out of my way.

Afterwards, I headed over to Chik-filet. (sp?) They have good chicken sandwiches there and I have two stories to relate.

1. I went there a few weeks ago and the line was so long I didn’t want to fight for a special order to not have pickles. So, I just rolled with the standard bun-pickle-chicken-bun order and discovered – to my surprise – that I like dill pickles. Weird.

2. This time, they asked me for my name as I placed my order. When they brought the food over to me, they called me by name and thanked me for coming in today.

Now, my bank does this same thing too and it vaguely annoys me. (actually Borders did this as well today.) These people don’t really know me. We aren’t friends. The bank (and borders) is just reading my name off the screen after I swipe my card and Chik-filet only knew my name because I told it to them 45 seconds before that and they typed it onto a screen.

I guess they are trying to form some kind of relationship with me – trying to reinforce customer loyalty or something. But the name doesn’t do it. Having the books I want – and short lines – will bring me back to borders. Having good chicken sandwiches will bring me back to Chik-filet. Having a nearby location and reasonable fees will bring me back to my bank. Having strangers say my name won’t do it. Heck, I think I had a better rapport with the lifeguard and without my glasses I couldn’t even really see her – and I sure don’t know her name.

Hmmm… lot of time of soapboxes today. Better get back to the real world.

working out

By admin

On August 31, 2010

In Uncategorized

The past few weeks I’ve been on a fitness kick. Monday, Wednesday, Friday – still swimming at lunch time at the pool. Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday – pushups (part of hundredpushups) . And at least 2 miles a day on elliptical 6 days a week.

Feels like I’m training for something, but I don’t know what that is. Maybe I’m just trying to look more reasonable in my Speedos.

It’s been crazy busy here at work with the start of classes. I’m keeping up with most of it, but it’s been a struggle.

I’ve started to acquire my Halloween costume supplies – should be a good one this year if I can pull it off.

I got to see my folks and my sister and her family this past weekend for my Dad’s birthday. We didn’t do much, but had fun with my baby niece. She’s pretty adorable and very good natured. And she gets along pretty well with her uncle Anthony.

Finally, I’m trying to learn how to make an origami kangaroo. It’s surprisingly slow going – I barely made it through the “basic shape” before I ran into trouble.