Thunder of Wade

Reading Savage Love this morning – a column from Dan Savage in seattle that discusses some of the weirder issues of love, sex, and life – and a reader sent a letter in about having a Zombie Fetish. I’m not going to go into details, but as someone with a Zombie PHOBIA – well, it was extra creepy.

Got an email this morning as well from a navy recruiter – offering “money for your education, experience in highly technical positions, all while staying in the local area.” Seems a little odd that a branch of the US government would be sending spam, but there you go. I’m going to hang onto this one – might be good evidence for some future argument.

And I think I may have played too many video games. Had a dream last night that was a combination of Prince of Persia and Pitfall Harry. Essentially, get from point a to point b – and pretty much everything between is some kind of trap. I woke up exausted. Guess I need to take a break from those.

Might be the dream, might be the last remenent of the cold – but I’m feeling slightly disconnected from reality this morning. Or maybe like I’m waiting for something to happen. I dunno, it’s weird.

Well, I guess it’s time get back to work…

I did a good thing this afternoon while I was getting my lunch. Stopped off at the bank machine first and got $30 out – then headed to the Student Union to get sushi, fried rice, and a pepsi (since they don’t sell coke on campus).

There was a line for the checkout and they were pretty busy. When I got up to the front the cashier rang up my meal and said, “$7.00”. I handed her a $10 and almost didn’t catch when she said, “out of $20”. She was moving pretty fast and I saw her put the $10 in the cash register in the $20 slot, then grabbed a $10 and 3 ones, which she started to hand to me. I stopped her, told her that I’d given her a $10. She looked puzzled and I asked her to open the cash drawer again. I pointed to the $20 slot and indicated the $10 she’d put there by mistake. Realizing her mistake made her a little flustered – so I helped out and told her that she owned me 3 dollars back. She thanked me, handed me my change, and I went on my way.

I guess I’m used to certain rhythem to a transaction for a meal and it took me a few seconds to catch the error. If I hadn’t, she would have been off by the cost of my meal, and I would have gotten my lunch for $-3 dollars.

The sushi was pretty good, the rice wasn’t that great, and the pepsi was pretty much the same as any other pespi I’d had – i.e. not as good as a coke.

There’s my good deed for the day – quick thinking and a little honesty.

Back to work…

Had a dream last night that I was at a cirque du sole performance – in a mall foodcourt, I think. The two performers were strapped to a huge circular ring on either side and a large piece of white fabric was stretched across it. The ring was hinged on either side and the performers could, with the help of a rack of burners like a hot air balloon would use, fly and perform airobatics. The were both really strong and painted, for some reason, like gargoyls. After the performance they joined the small audience for snacks. It was beautiful – and very surreal.

In other news, I finished Prince of Persia: The Warrior Within. Good game, pretty amazing. I had some instructions on how to get the alternative ending, I may try it again to get the regular ending.

Watched part of the Lost Boys last night before bed – great movie. “My own brother! A god-damn shit-sucking vampire! You just wait until Mom finds out!”

Work has been busy the past couple of days and things are starting to ramp up around here again. Best get back to it…

Had a weird dream this morning, but then, aren’t they all? In this dream, I was in a house that had a typewriter in the front hall. It was constantly typing out everything that happened in the house – dialoge, actions – the whole deal. And anyone in the house could take over and type something to make it come true. All the pages were stacked to one side, so if someone in the house left for a bit, they could read what happened and catch up. On the surface it would seem pretty chaotic, but everyone “played fair” and didn’t abuse the typewriter. We all (I think there were 5 or 6 of us) got along pretty well. And to make matters stranger, the dream started with the story being told from the perspecitve of a cat that wandered in.

I woke up when the alarm went off, then drifted right back into the dream to keep it going. I’m really hoping its the drugs I’m taking for my cold – ’cause this was way messed up.

I’m feeling a little better today, not as much mucus. Which is always nice. Got a bit of a cough, but it’s not bad. Could just be because I left a window open last night. I guess I’m rushing summer a bit.

Did a bunch of reading yesterday and listened to music. A pretty quiet evening – something I need at least until I’m feeling all the way better.

Well, I guess that’s it for now. Back to work…

I guess it started a little bit last Wednesday evening. A slight cough, a bit of phlegm, no big deal. Thursday, I filled my garbage can at work with tissues. Friday, I couldn’t even go to work – spent much of the day in bed or otherwise laying around like a bump. Spent most of the weekend sick and did a lot of sleeping – though I did force myself to get dressed and go outside for a little shopping and errands.

Today, I’m back to work – and wishing I was home playing video games. Or sitting outside reading. Throat is a little sore, mild headache, etc. But, I’ll survive and get through the day.

Saw my ex-roommates Mom last week – with a vague invitation to breakfast or a dinner. Still haven’t heard from him since he stopped by – beginning to wonder if it was a hallucination.

Had a string of calls Friday night at 1:14 AM – hmmm, I guess that would be Saturday morning. No info on the caller ID – and they just hung on the line long enough to piss me off while not saying anything. After the third one, I just left the phone off the hook. I don’t like doing that in case something important really happens, but it was either that or not sleep. It’s the kind of thing my ex-roommates ex-girlfriends used to do. You’d think the two “exs” in that one would stop that kind of call, but they still pester me. Or at least I think it’s them.

Well, better wrap this up and get back to work…

My brakes have been squeeling for the past few week or so – and I finally went to get them fixed yesterday. Pulled into Midas, went inside, and the guy behind the counter remarked, “So, you need your brakes worked on?” – since he had obviously heard me pull in. I was slightly embarassed about that – but hey, it’s his job to notice things like that.

They were really busy yesterday and shorthanded, so he asked if I could leave the car there. I thought for a moment and then agreed, since it was a reasonable walking distance home. I gave him the keys and walked homeward, stopping briefly at the comic store to get some reading material. I got home, played a video game – waiting for the call from Midas and hoping they could fix it that day. Otherwise, I’d have no way to work today.

They finally called at 6:30, said the full crew was there, and they should have it done at 5 till 7:00. I told them I’d be there and headed out – wondering why the odd time. In route I figured they maybe they closed at 7:00 and I had visions of finding the place shut down and my car locked in one of the bays. I hustled a little and got there at 3 till 7:00 – and my car was still in the bay, still up on the hoist, and the rear tires weren’t back on. So, I sat and waited for a bit while they finished up, took the car for a test drive, and handed me the keys – after I paid a boatload of money. Brake pads, rotors, and cleaning. Yikes. My car is running fine now, I just can’t afford to put gas in it.

And I’ve officially got a cold. I usually have a mild sniffle most of the winter that gets slightly worse when the temp changes, but this is a full blown cold. Sniffling, sneezing, coughing, aching, stuff head, and maybe a feaver. So, I’m drinking a lot of tea and slowly filling my garbage can with tissues.

I organized my art supplies a bit this week – with an eye toward some new projects. I’ll update my site when I get some things done and photographed.

Well, I think that’s it for now – time to get back to work…

in my dreams, at least. That was pretty much all I remember from my dream last night, spent the whole time just trying to navigate around new york. Not sure where I was going, maybe just trying to get out of the city. Subways, parking garages, dark alleys – yep, I saw the best that new york has to offer. Kind of ironic – considering how much I don’t like to travel and in my dreams I’m all over the place. And that I’d manage to get lost – as I tend to do in real life.

Played a bit more of Prince of Persia: Warrior Within last night. I got to a section that looked like a final boss fight vs. the Empress of Time. Kicked her ass, took down her name, and was a little surpised that it was over – but wait! No it wasn’t. The hero of the game screwed up time itself (again) and was now looking for a second chance – again. I think it really would have been a third chance, if the first game in the series is counted. Anyway, I wonder why they didn’t check with me first – time travel is dangerous and should be left to the experts.

Did a little laundry, read a little, tried to relax a bit. Got another letter from the insurance company – essentially countradicting what they told me before – I guess I’ll need to call them again. Annoyed, again.

If the weather holds, I may try and do some work outside – it’s been too long since I’ve done any serious building. I tihnk that footstool/crate may be my next project.

Well, I guess that’s it for now – hope the rest of me gets back from new york sometime soon cause it’s time for me to get back to work…

I dreamed last night that my Mom, my sister, and I were going to visit my grandparents on my Mom’s side – though in reality both of grandparents have passed away. In the dream, sometime before my grandmother’s passing, but after my grandfather had died, my mom pulled into the drive and had to stop and wash all the cars that were there. She was apparently very nervous and I couldn’t blame her. We’d just found out that my grandfather had been the subject of a very high-tech nanotech experiement – and had been brought back from the dead. And not in a scary zombie kinda way – but brought back for real with his personality and memories intact. My sister and I went on up to the house, knocked, and went in when my grandfather opened the door. He looked like I remembered him, before he got sick with cancer. We gave him a hug and waited in the doorway for Mom to finish washing the cars. My grandmother was apparently upstairs getting changed.

We seemed to accept that he was back – though still kinda shocked and surprised and all. He seemed a little tired, but in good spirits. The dream ended as my mom walked up to the door.

…cause my alarm was going off and I ended up knocking the clock to the floor to try and shut it off. I either need to get a bigger nightstand or a smaller alarm clock.

And I guess that’s about it for now – I’ve got some emails to return this morning and a training session this afternoon that has me a little concerned.

So, it’s back to work…

I picked up a new game yesterday – a quirky little Japanese game called Katamari Damacy. It’s interesting and kinda fun – but I started to get queasy after playing it. I thought it was the circling type movement of the game’s character, but it may have partially just been me as well. I’m still not at my best today, but I’m doing a little better.

I got new neighbors last weekend – they seem like a nice couple. Weird getting used to having people living on that side again – the walls are kinda thin.

Car is making a weird noise – I suspect the brakes. Yea.

Still pretty quiet here at work – but I should get back to it. I’m trying to work on some projects that I’ve been putting off, but it’s tough to stay motivated.

back to work…

Did my taxes the other day by phone – at least the federal one. The state had the wrong pre-printed label, so I did that one on-line. And hopefully fixed the School District tax problem I had in the past.

Got another call from my insurance company about the claim – they are essentially saying that they can’t tell who’s right – so each person’s insurance will cover their own repairs. I need to call them tonight to find out how this will affect my policy – and my “no-accident” discount. It’s still annoying.

I switched my phone service a while back and I still keep getting a credit statement from AT&T. So, I called them today to get a check issued – talked to Marge. I think we talked – she had a very strong and undetermined accent. What I was able to extract from the phone conversation was that they would issue me a check and I should get it between 30-40 days from now. 30-40 days? Wankers.

Fairly busy days at work this week – kinda stressful, but I’m keeping up with it.

Been experimenting with some polymer clay at home – cool stuff. I think I’m ready for a big project.

Guess that’s it for now – time to get back to work…