From the Dark Syde

2004-04-30T17:37:00.000-07:00

Twenty Six

Due to Eugene' s view's on witches, see here, and here, I can no longer advocate this blog. My 1st official, posted de-linking. I would never have expected this kind of miss-informed and PREJUDICIAL statement coming from someone who otherwise has appeared to be rational. A shame, really...just goes to show...some things never change...and they wonder why witches stay in the "Broom Closet". So that people like you, Eugene, cannot carry out your hate crimes. All of the suffering that you and your Jewish ancestors have suffered must have taught you nothing.

2004-04-20T17:11:00.000-07:00

Twenty Five

I am changing jobs at work in a few weeks, which is a very good thing if anyone has read some of my posts about the things I have to deal with. The down side to that is that I will no longer be sitting at a desk with a computer all day long. What does it mean? I am not completely sure yet...but one thing is certain...I will not have the time or access at work to read blogs, make posts, and such...whether I will do this when I am at home will remain to be seen...I know some of you (well about three of you) actually care about this...just be patient while I make this transition.

2004-03-10T20:27:00.000-08:00

Twenty Four

Postatem obscuri lateris nescitis.
"You do not know the power of the Dark
Side." There are two possibilities: you
are a Star Wars geek, or you are unreasoningly
scary.

Which Weird Latin Phrase Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

2004-02-17T01:48:00.000-08:00

Twenty Three

I love it when the lovelies lurk,
To read the words I write.

They visit from the gloom and muck,
The snowy and the night.

Some of them are very shy,
And others speak their mind.

They give me a new reason why,
For composing thoughts and to find...

A place to visit when dull is work,
Read their thoughts and see their sights.

2004-01-28T17:02:00.000-08:00

Twenty Two!

After over four months, they have finally fixed my computer at work! Some of you have gone back to Meatspace, some have joined forces with others...but it is still good to be back. To those of you who have hung in there with me...thank you!

2003-10-18T17:45:00.000-07:00

Twenty One

Not gone...it is just that my blogging is done from work...and my internet connection at work is broken...things there take a long time to fix...it has been over two weeks now...they always have an excuse...and with me going to be famous soon...hope they get it fixed this coming week...I don't blog much (at all) from home because I do different things when I am at home...

2003-09-29T17:14:00.000-07:00

Twenty

WHY is it that people stop caring? How can they just not do their job properly? Are they that STUPID? It boggles my mind, and pisses me off! You do the same thing, over and over again, every day, and yet you cannot or should I say WILL not do it right, each time, and follow the procedures? Who needs "Talk Like a Pirate Day"? AAAARRRRRRGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!! IT'S TH' BRINY DEEP AFOR TH' LOT O' YA!!!!!!!! YYYYYAAAAARRRRR!!!!!!

2003-09-25T22:13:00.000-07:00

Nineteen

A long time ago, back during the mid 80's, I had a friend. If you believe that some people have the blood of the Fey running through their veins, she was one. She went by the name of Maramis. I still have a present she gave me once, a 74 page booklet, printed on heavy paper, bound with the plastic spiral thingy you don't see much of these days. It is called "Commitment to Excellence" and each page has a saying or quotation on it. I keep it with me to remind me not only of her, but for those days when it seems like I am the only person at work who cares about what I do and how I do it. I have a few favorite ones, of course. Here they are. It is one of those days.

"Every job is a self-portrait of the person who did it. Autograph your work with excellence."

The difference between failure and success is doing a thing nearly right and doing a thing exactly right." Edward Simmons

"We cannot direct the wind...But we can adjust the sails."

"Don't be afraid to take a big step if one is indicated. You can't cross a chasm in two small jumps." David Lloyd George

"The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra."

"Failure is not the worst thing in the world. The worst thing is not to try."

Still thinking of you, Maramis...wherever you are...

2003-09-23T20:32:00.000-07:00

Eighteen

Each week I recieve a copy of Entertainment Weekly. I get it beacuse I am a member of Suncoast's Replay club, which gives points for DVD's and the points turn into gift certificates which can be used to buy...you guessed it...more DVD's. It does provide some information, mainly about newly released movies on DVD. But once in a while, something else will catch my eye, like Gisele Bundchen. A now 20 yr old supermodel, they had a picture of her with angel wings. Now, I don't really get into angels and such but this picture had a something...anyway I found some other pictures of her...as a butterfly, being harrased by PETA, and of course, as an angel. I usally go for more...rubenesque types...but she does make a good angel.

2003-09-23T17:56:00.000-07:00

Seventeen

Lynn Carrier had an operation to remove some torn cartilage. He is doing fine, and should be out running in a month or so. (That's funny doc, I didn't run before...) Ginger is having to deal with her sister being in a probably abusive relationship and her boyfriend being a "typical" male. Better get that training school going, Ginger. Maizzy has finally posted something! And what a post, trying to catch up on over 10 days of her life. You know, Maizzy...if you post more often this wouldn't happen. Like I should talk! I have moved up a category in the Blogosphere Ecosystem. I am now a Slimy Mollusc. And it is done. At least she didn't cry. My Brazillian Demonesss Miss From Hell, answers what appears to a critic. Blood kisses (viel kusses) to her!

2003-09-18T00:28:00.000-07:00

Sixteen

I finally dug out my copy of Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand and brought it to work with me. A few hard stats...it was first published in 1957. It is one of the best selling books of all time. It has over 1,170 pages divided into three distinct sections, each with 10 chapters. The first sentence is "Who is John Galt?". I am not sure what I am going to write about it, but most of the things that happen in it that I plan on comparing to my job happen in the second and third sections. So I will have to come up with something. Probably just give a summary of sorts, and it will include "spoilers". Just so you know. And this post is the first that I have been able to spellcheck using Blogger. They announced that many of the features that were available with the "Pro" version are now being added to the basic one. Yay!

2003-09-16T16:27:00.000-07:00

Fifteen

Happy comes from within. Time to move on. Face the Fear. It will not be easy, but it must be done. I cannot fool myself any longer. And why are the ads on my blog about conveyor belts?

2003-09-15T17:46:00.000-07:00

Fourteen

I want to thank you all for you comments. But there are some things about the relationship I have with Sara that none of you know about, and maybe never will. Things that this blog is no place to discuss directly. Yet. She can (and does) fulfill a Need of mine, a Need which has long been neglected. If I didn't care for her, I could not do what we do. I have repressed myself in many ways for sometime, and she allows those repressed areas to surface and be addressed. So yes, part of the reason I have not ended our relationship is for a very selfish reason. But I also know that it would not continue if she were not getting something out of it, too. I am not THAT selfish. Her Needs are the same as mine.

My musings are exactly that, musings. Sometimes my thoughts flow in many different directions all at once. That is how I am. Thinking back to when we first met, there was something there. Maybe that something was only about the Need, the spark of recognition between two who are unique, maybe it was not. Right now, the Need is enough for both of us. But I do think of the future. And I think of LOVE. I loved once. It ended in a total unexpected way. And she is still with me, even after 10 years. The memories of her are still fresh, as is the pain of never speaking to her again, at least in this lifetime. I don't pine for her, but she is there. Always. No one can replace her, nor do I try. I accept the new one as they are, not in comparison. So maybe I cannot Love another, because I still Love her. But I still want companionship and all the other things that come with it. If I get them, and we both are happy...*shrugs*...maybe that is enough.

2003-09-12T17:01:00.000-07:00

Thirteen

The weekend approaches. What will it hold? Sara is staying with me again. She was also with me for the labor day weekend we just had. Where are we going? It is nice to know someone is waiting for me, but what about her? She is so...simple. Yet I wonder if what she tells me is really how she feels. I don't even know how I feel. How much of it is my own projections? Why don't I just tell her that it isn't quite right? But is it? Is my own paranoid mind preventing me from caring for her more? Or my insecurity surfacing? She seems like what I want, is it that I refuse to believe it could be true? Can I ever open up enough to let myself?

2003-09-09T17:19:00.000-07:00

Twelve

Patience. What a word. Last night I went to the grocery store. Bought some stuff, was in the line checking out. It was a store where you bag your own. No big deal. Some lady...she worked with the slot machines...starts playing with my purchases as they are being put on the conveyor. Arranging, re-arranging, stacking them. She is talking to the cashier while this is going on, I guess she was bored. Mentioned in passing how he shouldn't use the conveyor, SHE would move them. To keep the bread from getting smushed, she said. What if...I don't want people to touch my stuff? What if I don't trust her? I don't know her. Maybe she was poisoning them. Maybe she has perfume on and I will get a reaction. I didn't ask for the help, I didn't ask her to SAVE my bread from the disaster she percieved was about to occur. I am fully aware of how it works, how the items move down the belt. I almost walked out, then and there. Just leaving the stuff. I should have.

Work. Why does someone feel the need to make your job harder? How many times have I tried to communicate, to come to some agreement, only to be ignored...or have it get even worse? Why do people REFUSE to be reasonable? Why am I still working here?

Game. Every time I talk to someone else, they have a different story to tell. Just when I think I know what is going on, a new piece of information will surface that makes at all the rest seem like a lie. I am in 2 guilds, and joining a third. The third almost isn't a guild...they will not last long. They have no idea what they are doing. I am joining to spy on them...to bring them down. The first? I am a spy for them too. The second...that is the one that I am now unsure of. I don't know what to believe about it, who to talk to, who I can trust.

2003-09-06T00:38:00.000-07:00

Eleven

Yesterday, I was checking my blog and I noticed that my REAL NAME had somehow replaced "Darksyde" on several of my posts. In a not so frantic attempt to correct this, I spent over an hour publishing, re-publishing, and updating my information in Blogger. At the end it was to no avail. Today the affected posts are back to normal. Is my blog possessed? Or is this the first of a series of challenges? Or are all the rumors I here of Blogger buggyness true? I will admit I have lost one post, but it was a very long one. And I was able to recreate it, so no real harm done.So those of you who may have seen it, now know something others may not. Enjoy your new found knowledge.

2003-09-05T21:25:00.000-07:00

Ten

Anrdea Harris, of Too Much To Dream has been one of the longest bookmarked blogs I read. Even with all the different site re-designs, her scathing wit can often be a joy to read. Such as this. Ouch! Poor Shell...

2003-09-05T16:36:00.000-07:00

Nine

My fan base continues to grow. Up to 6! Alas for Maizzy, this is about the earliest I can get around to posting something. My schedule is very...unique. But it pays the bills. And I do most of my posting from work. Sssssh! The way it looks so far (and I have only been to work for about 30 minutes), it will be another long night. I should be able to post something with more...substance. Thanks for coming by, Oldcatman. I have visited you a couple of times. Your linkfests are most interesting, but the background color...kind of rough on the eyes! But it does let me know when I get there :) ...and Lynn, my friend...just wait intil I acttually start writing about Objectiveism/libertianism...there are many others who do a much better job than I...and a few of them are linked over there...like The Light of Reason, and Diana. She lectures on that stuff! I have read a couple and all I can say is...WOW!

2003-09-04T22:08:00.000-07:00

Eight

A year or so ago, I was on a big reading kick. I would read three, sometimes four books a week with my spare time at work. One of the books I read was "Atlas Shrugged", the work by Ayn Rand. I am always interested in new things, and I had heard quite a bit about it. A couple of the web sites (and blogs) I was visiting at the time were either "Randroids" (sorry guys and gals), or at least presenting a view point very similar to the one her writings and teachings indicated. The big broad heading these beliefs are usually placed under is called Objectivism. But it also has many things in common with libertarianism. Anyway, I have been thinking it is time to re-read the book. Why, you might ask? (And since you cannot really ask while I am writing this, I will ask it for you...but you know you would) Because lately at work, I am being reminded of it by the parallels of how things started going in the book regarding workers, and how things are going here at my work. Imagine this...a process is not working. Instead of fixing it, or even finding out why it is not working, the process is left in place as is, and the people are blamed. This should sound familiar if you have read the book. There are many, many more similarities...that is why I need to re-read the book. As I come across them, I will be posting about them...in addition to my usual drivel.

2003-09-04T18:37:00.000-07:00

Seven

It is nice to know that there are others who share my obsessive nature. I don't have any tattoos personally, but I have always been fascinated by them. I have thought about getting one, but I have been thinking about it for over 10 years now...like many of the things I want to do, I never seem to have the time to accomplish them. Something else always gets in the way. But someday...

2003-09-03T01:49:00.000-07:00

Six

This is just like some of the types of things I once had to deal with. From Popular Science, no less. Dark Arts: The Real Reason Your Computer Keeps Crashing. But my all time favorite "stupid" question has to be...Where does the wax go when you burn a candle?

2003-09-03T00:59:00.000-07:00

Five

Since Maizzy of Hard Nights Shape Me..., thinks I need to post something here (actually she doesn't but I might as well blame her), here is my weekend update. I spend most of my time on-line playing in the NWN PW that I spend most of my other free time in. I didn't get up early enough to go to the gun show...so no new toys. Work continues to test my sanity, but I did get to the grocery store so I have food to eat. And sometime during the weekend I managed to get my laundry done, so I have clean clothes to wear. The kitchen got cleaned up, and I almost found my kitchen table and my computer desk again. I even found the time to thaw and cook and eat a rabbit that had been in my freezer for a very very long time! I haven't bought any new DVDs lately, but I did finally watch the "extra-special" one that came with the 1st season of Xena. It a little interesting, all of the different directors talking about how they were...different...and how there was a lot of experimenting. No great revelations. If today is any indication of how my week at work will be...it does not look pretty. I may not even have *gasp* much time to play on-line. Sleep or play....sleep or play....too many decisions! So if I do find anything that I just HAVE to blog about, I should have the time to do it, since I will have more time than usual at work, sitting here, wiating... Just like the time I have spent writing this. For Maizzy.

2003-08-28T22:17:00.000-07:00

Four

Anyone who bothers to get a tattoo on their ass of a well known blogger, (see this post from Amish Tech Support), deserves a link! Welcome to the my list of blogs, Robert! Please don't shoot the cute dog!

2003-08-27T20:29:00.000-07:00

Three

Ok, this does have to do with the last post. At least the first comment does...and I visit them daily..and it made me laugh. Go see. Hit & Run: Blog Humor

2003-08-27T18:42:00.000-07:00

Two

Now that I am back, wouldn't you know it, something to post about. This editorial...We've Gone the Wrong Way, Baby: Take Two!, is from a site I goto at least once a week. I should probably have a link to it over there. Maybe this weekend... Anyway, the main site is ifeminists.com, a very good place to read about what I think is the reasonable side of the feminist movement. Granted, this article is a bit ranty, but it and the majority of the other articles and content is something I can agree with. Thanks to Ipse Dixit for reminding me to check with them more often!

2003-08-27T18:11:00.000-07:00

One

First Ginger, came back...then Lynn. And now this Brazilian lovely, Miss from Hell, has found me. So I guess I am done with my break. I don't know how or even if what I blog about will change, but we (and you readers out there...4 confirmed!) will see. Here is the down and dirty update of the past month...

My vacation plans went 1/2 well. I got to see my friends, learned about drumming, got to watch 2+ hours of belly dancing babes (but alas, most of them would have got me put in jail for a looong time, so I didn't get to bring one home with me). And I got to by some much needed new clothes. On the down side...my truck broke again on the second leg of my journey. The same fuel pump problem, but it may have been traced back to some computer module that may be going out. So many of my plans for in Sedona were..shall we say, disrupted? I did get to spend the first night watching the full moon rise from the top of Airport Mesa, and even with the few other people that were up there talking all the time, it was still quite a sight. I made an aborted attempt to go to Bell Rock (it was way too hot for doing in the day), but I did get to spend some time at the river that runs through Cresent Moon Ranch. Obsessive rock stacking is still very much alive there, and I even got to witness a spontaneous display of it! The trip back home was very...er...exciting, as I decided to drive home at night to avoid truck troubles. The weather was out in full force, and the rain I drove through was very intense, but at least the challenge of seeing where I was going and avoiding crashing to my doom kept me awake and made me be alert! (and we all know the world needs more lerts...) Since I have been back, I haven't done much, work is still about the same, and so is my home life. Loki the cat is doing fine, every day we seem to get a bit closer. He comes up on the bed now, if only for a few minutes to be petted and to say goodnight. I think he has stopped trying to claw his way under the door, at least the carpet doesn't seem to be getting any more damage. More to come...

2003-08-05T17:31:00.000-07:00

On Blogbreak

No posts for a while....go visit some of my favorite reads over there! *points to the left side of the page*

2003-08-01T18:26:00.000-07:00

Unhappiness

Last night I was privy to something in the game world I have been playing in, Glorwing. It wasn't pretty. The consequences were harsh, but it could have gone a lot worse for them. I am spending almost all my free time there. Like 4-6 hours per day during the week, and 12+ hours on Sat and Sun. Totaling it, thats like 40+ hours, almost as much as I spend at work! *looks at the words just typed with a surprised expression* I enjoy it (except for last night), but wow! I didn't realize...maybe I am doing this too much! But it's not like I have anything else to do...if I wasn't doing this, I'd probably just be watching TV or something. And at least I am interacting with others for a change, even if it is only in pixels. Back on topic...I feel real bad because of what happened, I don't think the person meant to cheat, but what they did was DEFINITLY not supposed to be done, not one gray spot to be seen. But why do I feel bad? I have grow to care for some of the people on the other side of the screen. And because I was a witness, in the wrong place at the wrong time, I got sort of rewarded, compensated for the delays because this was happening at the same time as what I was having done...it felt strange...Things won't be the same now...I am glad I will be going on vacation at the end of next week. No computer for a while...I should be able to survive, I've done it before...and this may be the geekiest post I have ever done!

2003-07-28T17:00:00.000-07:00

Weekend Update

Well, Lynn Carrier is gone. But he did say he will be starting a new blog...I hope he lets us know where it is. Nearly a year ago, link, I lost a dear companion. I have gotten over my loss, as much as anyone can I think. And for some time I have been considering a replacement. I thought about adopting from a shelter, or even going with an exotic, link, but the Gods have decreed otherwise. Yes, you guessed it. One of my two friends was have some...behavior...problems with his cat. He was always friendly to me when I visited and I liked him. So when the...problem...became to much to bare, I was thought of. I brought him home on Saturday. I had been over there working on my truck, not because it is broken, but to get it ready for my trip. It seems to be running fine, so instead of renting a vehicle, I am going to use my own. I was going to wait until after the trip to get the cat, whose name is Loki, but when I saw him...well I just wouldn't have felt right waiting. The ride home was uneventful, just the usual nervousness and curiosity. He was not used to being inside as much, but he seems to be adjusting nicely. I just hope I won't come home to a big mess, but I'm not too worried about it. I think he has forgiven me for the distress I caused him removing the matted hair. And he gives me a reason to clean up the apartment, because he like to climb on things...like the counters. It's nice to not be alone again, even if he still won't come up on the bed. I will just give him all the time he needs...

2003-07-25T16:14:00.000-07:00

Just When You Think It's Getting Better

Sad news. Lynn is letting his blog...go. As he says, once he reaches 4000 hits, he will stop writting and such. I don't even know why he choose that number. But I will miss him. And I respect his decision, how ever much I may not want it to happen. We had some fun while it lasted, but I didn't want to win our little competion this way. And through him, I found some other people to read. It will be like losing a friend, but sometimes you just have to deal with it, and go on. And maybe he will write once in a while, just to let us know he's doing ok.

2003-07-21T22:05:00.000-07:00

The Tide Turns

The friendly contest between Lynn and myself has taken a turn for the worst. Lynn has advanced to 2187 while I now lag far behind at 2334. At least I am still a wiggly worm! It also still looks like there have been many new additions to The Truth Laid Bear: The Blogosphere Ecosystem, so many that it is may not be an accurate indicator of anything anymore (like it was before?). We will see.

2003-07-16T17:42:00.000-07:00

We Have Weather

Right now it is raining. I noticed on my truck windows that just enough rain had fallen last night to get them dirty, and I saw the clouds today, but you don't really know if it will rain until it does. I used to not like rain...I have changed my mind.

2003-07-15T16:43:00.000-07:00

Weekend Update

This weekend was rather dull. I accomplished nothing of note, and didn't even get my laundry done. I have been spending most of my time playing Neverwinter Nights online at a world called Glorwing. I did manage to go to the grocery store so I have some foods to eat. No changes at work, no changes with Sarah. No paintball, no going over to my friends. And it looks like a lot more blogs have signed up with the Ecosystem, so it's back to being a wiggly worm for a while. With all the negatives these days, looks like the depression has hit. On the positive side, my plans to visit people and do touristy things in August are becoming. So it's not all bad...and I have been watching the 1st season of Xena on DVD. She helps.

2003-07-10T17:17:00.000-07:00

The Gaunlet Has Been Thrown (so to speak) and Other Things

If you recall, I had been nearly taunted to sign up for the Blogosphere Ecosystem by Lynn. It seems that somehow I have surpassed him on the charts! He is currently at 2184 while I am at 2063. This also put me ahead of blog darling Jodi, one of the first people to communicate with me in a bloggy sense. And the only person I ever bought a present for without ever seeing it. I don't comment much on her site, but I still read her nearly every day. She's at 2124 today. But the real winner is Ginger! She is at 1844! Lynn and I have a long way to go to catch her. Not that I am even exactly sure how the whole thing works anyway. All these links may help my competitors, or they may not. The next nearest who I read is Tanya, a red haired lovely, at 893. May not ever catch up with her, but who knows?

The other things...it is hot here. Very Hot. Hot enough to break records and there are still several weeks of summer left. They are predicting 115, by the weekend. The current record is around 117. I won't be going out much (not that I do anyway).

2003-07-09T16:33:00.000-07:00

Weekend Update

I took two days off from work this week, and I had hoped to do something with the template. Alas, that was not to be, but I did update my links. The truck...is still running, at least it got me to work today. But it runs like crap. No acceleration. I'll see what I can do about it this weekend. May have to rent a vehicle for my trip in August. Didn't really do much during my time off. Spent most of the time playing in Glorwing, but it is starting to become more like a soap opera than a role playing game. Everywhere I turn, people are creating a new drama and I somehow get dragged into it, just enough to have no real idea of what is going on. I tried to start my own in self-defense, but the results of it are yet to be seen.

2003-07-03T17:00:00.000-07:00

Truck Saga, part 3 Return of the Red Truck

I got my truck back today, Once again, the internal (tank) fuel pump has been replaced. I am still going to take it to the electrical guy to see if he can figure out why they keep breaking. I really hope he can find something so this madness will end. Means I will not be able to go anywhere like I had planned this weekend, but then again, the way the truck has been (it will probably be fine now, at least until next summer), it is probably a good idea not to risk it.

Keep those comments coming! At least I know I have three regular readers! And for some reason, even though I know you are "supposed" to blog for yourself, it still provides me with additional motivation to blog when I know at least a few others are reading it and enjoy it. With some of the time I will have this weekend, I am again going to attempt to update the template and stuff. Since I have had this one for almost a year! That's right, July 26 of last year I started this thing. Hard for me to believe its been that long. Going to keep it going for as long as I can, and with people out there like Ms.J777 (who I know doesn't really have the time to blog), Ginger, and Lynn, and all the others who don't choose to comment, I have more reason than ever to continue!

2003-07-02T22:19:00.000-07:00

Moving Up In The World

Thanks to Ginger, I am now a Crunchy Crustacean in the Blogosphere Ecosystem! Number 2426. Three more and I'll be caught up with Lynn in the Lowly Insects department. And with 3 more, I could be a Slimy Mollusc!

2003-07-01T21:51:00.000-07:00

Work Sucks, part 2

This is a message I left in a log we keep a work...

Why are the options for the printer in some strange (non-English) language?

This is the "response" I got...

We are not sure of the printer you are referring to.

This is my reply and as you read it, it will become painfully obvious why the response I got was...lacking. And remember, that the people that it is addressed to have been working here longer than I have.

The only printer where I would need to select non-default options is not any of the larger, dot-matrix printers (printers 03, 04, 08, 09), and if any problems occur with those printers they are usually indicated, for example; 'PRT08 paper feed broken' (NOTE: there is currently nothing wrong with PRT08 which need reporting, this is simply a sample message that would be left in the ARC LOG should there be an issue with one of the dot-matrix printers, with the proper printer designation used, of course), that only leaves two possible printers, the laser jets. And any of the printers in the other areas of the plant would also be indicated based on their designations (PRT05 and PRT11 are the only that come to mind). Since it is highly unlikely that I would send items to be printed to a printer in an area to which I have no access, that only leaves the HP printer in the ARC as the printer in question. I will provide a more detailed explaination.

There are times and situations which call for printing using something other than what amy be the default settings. Such as when you are asked to print a picture because a supervisor wants a better copy then the one he was able to print. The picture is provided as a file on a 3.5 inch floppy. After inserting the floppy, and left clicking twice (using the mouse button) on the desired picture, the picture is opened in Internet Explorer, the default viewer. Next , a left click on "File" option on the taskbar brings 'down' a menu with several options. Since we want to print, and be able to control how we want the item printed, we left click once on the "Print..." option. This produces another 'pop-up' window, with printing options. When this is done, it is imediately apparent that the language this 'pop-up' is using is a mixture of English on the first and second tab, and another language (not english, possibly Spanish) on the other five tabs.

If you try to print, with control of the process, from another screen, say one of the sessions of the AS400, again by left clicking once on the "File" option on the taskbar, and then left clicking on the "Printer Setup" option from the menu that appears, another 'pop-up' is generated. The only legitimate options are "Print to Disk-Append", "Print to Disk-Separate" and "HP LaserJet 4100 PCL 6 on IP...". There is a option for another "HP LaserJet 5Si", the designation for the printer in the front office. The printer in question is not the printer in another area, but one that is used exclusivly (almost) by the ARC. The item is to be printed to a printer, not a disk, so the third choice is highlighted by left clicking on it to select it. When you select the "HP LaserJet 4100 PCL 6 on IP...", the "Setup" option is now available, and then selected by a single left click of the mouse. This generates another 'pop-up' that is exactly the same as the 5 tabs that are indicated above, again in a foreign language.

Those are the first two ways I tried to verify the problem. The third way was from the "Start" button on the desktop taskbar. A slingle left click on the "Start" button, brings 'up' a menu with several options. Moving the mouse pointer over the "Settings" option will create another group of options, one of which is "Printers", and again moving the mouse pointer to that choice creates another menu with three choices, "Add Printer", the HP printer in the front office mentioned above, and the "HP LaserJet 4100 PCL 6" printer, which is the obvious choice since, again, the printer options in question are for a printer that would be used regularly in/by the ARC. If the printer in question were a printer not regularly used by the ARC, or even for that matter one of the dot-matrix printers, it would have been undicated as such since they have very specific IDs that are used frequently. A left click on "HP LaserJet 4100 PCL 6" brings up a status window which displays information about any currently printing or cued jobs, but the part of interest is the toolbar on the top of the window. The toolbar has 4 options, the one that is needed is "Printer" which left clicking on once creates another menu. This shows that the "HP LaserJet 4100 PCL 6" is the default printer for the computer that is normally used by me. If is was not the default printer, that would indicate a wrong choice was made in a previous list of options. The default printer is the printer being investigated. The other relevant option is "Properties". A single left click on "Properties" generates a 'pop-up' with several tabs. It is again immediately apparent that a language other the English is in use on two of the tabs, "Hojas de NT" and "Configurar". These words are not standard English and again I would guess that they are Spanish. Further exploration by clicking (one click with the left mouse button) on the "Help" button, produces a help 'pop-up' which, again, is obviously in a language other than English.

It also does not appear that any of the other options choices that are used frequently have this problem, but I must admit that I have not explored ALL of them. There are many and most of them are rarely used, if ever.

The above is a somewhat brief, detailed, explaination of the "...options for the printer in some strange (non-English) language?" statement refered to in the arc log under the name *edited* for the date of 06-30-03. I also was unaware that my computers skills were such that this issue could not be duplicated by anyone else. And, alas, I only speak my native language, English, nor can I read any others with enough fluency to comprehend them. I may know a common word or two, but that will not suffice for specialized areas such as printing. I was able to deduce which of the tabs I needed to use, simply by selecting each one in turn, using the "trial and error" method. I also "took a chance" and assumed that the layout was probably the same (or at least very similar) as it has been in other printer interfaces that I have been exposed to over time, so that was a help, too. And some of the terms are close enough to the English words that I produced the needed item for the supervisor. It is simply easier to read in my native language than to spend the extra time needed to decipher and troubleshoot a process that could have taken a much shorter amount of time.

In the future when I discover a issue that I have investigated but am unable to resolve, I will make sure I provide the most detailed description of the concern that I can, along with the steps I have already taken (to determine the extent of it's affects and to try and solve the issue using my own resources). I aplogize for any inconvienence that the delay of my communication of the needed details has caused, and for the distress I have created by not providing more information in the first place.

On a more friendly note, I recieved a very nice e-mail the other day from Ginger. Oh, and my truck is broken again. Looks like it is about that time again. Weeeeeeeeeee!

2003-06-30T18:37:00.000-07:00

Truck Saga, part 2...Curse of the Fuel pump

Every year around this time, the registration for my truck is due. This means tune up time, oil change, and smog test. It also means that one of the fuel pumps on my truck will overheat/break and need to be replaced. I have done this ritual for the past 4 years, and Saturday it began to unfold once more. After picking up the truck from the tune up place, I drove a short distance before the engine slowly stopped due to fuel starvation. The same symptoms as in the past. I get it pulled over, go to the store for about an hour, and return. Sure enough, it starts right up. So I figure it will be ok until Monday and I can take to the guys who figured out I had just switched the spark plug cables. A real problem, this time! On Sunday, I drive to my friends house. Well, almost. At my needed freeway exit, the truck quits again. Great. I push it to the nearest repair place which happens to be a PEP-Boys, a chain of auto parts/repair stores. They won't be able to do anything with it until Monday, because it was late afternoon when it stopped working. Call my friend, he picks me up and we still enjoy a pleasant evening watching movies, the new re-release of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, and Scobbie-Doo.

When I wake up today, I call the shop to check on the truck. Seems the electric relay switch for the fuel system is rusted and fried, and has probably been that way since I have had the truck. I was reading about the possibility of that very problem on other Ford vehicles at a web site I found. Who ever had it before, instead of just replacing it, also bypassed it and that is why I rip through so many pumps. The shop replaced it, and they say it runs now, but they don't do the rest of the major electrical work like it needs. So now I get to take it (I hope is gets there) to another place and have the wiring redone. Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy!

On another subject, I just got migrated to DANO, the new version of Blogger. This is the first post using it, we'll see what happens. If it looks wierd, now you know why.

2003-06-19T18:46:00.000-07:00

Squirming

I am a Wiggly Worm (number 2391) in The Truth Laid Bear ecosystem. Thanks, Lynn.

2003-06-19T16:46:00.000-07:00

Work Sucks

Why shoud I move out of your parking spot? There may be others, but I want this one. Ok, I'll move, but I'll still park in the spot next to yours over the lines so you have difficulty getting out of the vehicle. And once you have left, I'll move to another spot anyway. Got a complaint? People not doing their jobs properly? It doesn't matter. They should eventually realize on their own that their actions are not within the policies and it will just fix itself or go away. This has been going on for several weeks? They just have not come to their senses yet. Give them time. A year? Two years? Must be a personality conflict...nothing we can do about that. What do you mean you think people should be responsible for their actions? They were just having a bad day, and you must be more sensitive about their feelings. It doesn't matter if that is a policy or not. We cannot upset people by requiring them to do what they agreed to do.

2003-06-10T17:14:00.000-07:00

Stars Must Be In Negative Alignment

I got my truck back today. I may not be an expert mechanic, but this time I was plain stupid. When I changed the engine gasket, I was very careful to not get dirt in the engine, to put everything back the way it was. I even had to replace some of the vaccuum lines and their connectors because they had gotten fragile and just broke apart when I touched them. While the OEM parts were not available, I was able to splice the ends to new lines without too much trouble. I even marked the spark plug wires to get them back on in the proper place, so either I marked them wrong, or I have been driving with them wrong, because that was what they said was the problem. I drove fine to work from the shop (a very short distance), I'll have more confidence in the diagnosis over the next few days. Tomorrow I'm getting the rest of the new tires put on, and this will give it a chance to stop working again, not that I want it to.

I got into another fight with one of my "friends". After getting his go ahead every step of the way on how he wanted to do something, he gets all upset because it wasn't what he wanted. I don't know what to do about it. I would not like to lose him as a friend, but there doesn't seem to be anyway to deal with him. I'll give it some time before I try to approach him again, but if it happens again... I should have time this weekend to get around to updating my links and such. Probably do a link-fest with them just for variety. Might look at changing the colors around, too.

2003-06-03T16:35:00.000-07:00

Weekend Update

I played paintball on Sunday and the new barrel worked fine. I could see an improvement in accuracy, but I still have trouble at the long ranges. It was very hot at the playing field, an indoor warehouse type setup. They only had two swamp coolers operational, needed 4 more, may have two by the next time I go. I got my truck ready to go to the shop this morning, and I decided to see if it would start. Surprisingly, it did, and although it did not die like happened the first time, it was not quite right. I may try to drive it to the shop instead of towing it. Now all I need to do is get the insurance reactivated and I may be driving again soon.

While doing my usual reading yesterday, I came upon this siteRiver Road Cats (link from Abberant News). I think I now know where my next cat is coming from, but I cannot decide between this one, or this one. Of course, it really depends on what the laws say I can have also. I like the looks of the lynx better, but I don't know how well it would do here in the summer. I'll post updates about the great cat hunt as I get them.

2003-05-29T21:29:00.000-07:00

Its Been A While

Since there are some people (like Lynn) who think I am an interesting fellow, I guess I should write some more stuff. I am still without a vehicle, and I still feel better because of it. I was going to see about buying a shiny, brand new vehicle, but knowing myself well, if I were to do that, I would stop riding the bike. So I think I will just get the truck I have fixed, because even if it costs more than I hope, I won't have payments and I won't feel so bad about not using it.

I should also get to go play paintball this weekend. This will let me try out the barrel system I bought in ?March?, should make a difference with a better size match. The co-blogging thing didn't really pan out, mostly because of me not really wanting to do it anymore. I have been reading blogs and posting the random comment here and there but writing about anything has been...uneventful. Maybe I will look at picking a single topic to blog about regularly. This seems to work for most of the other blogs out there. Sarah still calls about once a week and she has taken a couple of days off at the end of June so that we can be together...I don't miss her that much but her company will be a nice change from being alone.

Still haven't got a cat, still want one. Any cats who read this blog and want a new home...leave a comment. You'll have the apartment to yourself for at least half of the time, and I'll play with you every night when I get home. I'll get around to updating my list of favorites one of these days. I keep three lists of blogs bookmarked in my favorites, one old (and rarely visited), one for those noted on my blog (and visited almost daily), and one new. I'll read the new one for a few weeks to see if I really like it or not before transfering them over to the "permanent" list. There are several that need to be moved, and the perm list needs to be corrected as it is also out of date. I won't say I'll post every day, but more than once or twice a month is a good bet.

2003-05-01T16:06:00.000-07:00

Lastest Obsession

Simce I am without a motorized vehicle, I have been spending a lot more time at home. While I still enjoy playing Diablo II (single player off-line), I was given a copy of Neverwinter Nights for christmas and have been playing it quite alot, online. There are many modules that have been created by fans, in many different styles. Some try to simulate the paper adventures or worlds, others are about powergaming, and some even emphasis player vs player (PvP) contests. Lately, I have been playing in one called Grim River. Well balanced, no bugs, breathtaking views and areas, neat monsters, and the people who play are friendly. But don't expect any uber-items, you will have to earn every xp and gp! I have even went so far as to sign up on their forum and was able to chat with some of the designers. Great people also, from all over. Findra lives in Thailand! Hi FrenchOnion! I have two characters I am working with, and will be playing there for a long time. Look for Audigy and Khatmyst.

2003-04-22T16:13:00.000-07:00

Bagpipes and Drums in the Sun

The weekend went great. Even without a vehicle I was able to get to the games in time to see all the performances, as well as those of others. Picked up several cds. While I am slightly sunburned, it was worth it. Too bad they are only able to get out here once a year. If they are in your area, go see The Wicked Tinkers!

2003-04-16T15:59:00.000-07:00

Is It Over?

They say the war is over, but troops are still being fired upon, and Saddam is still unaccounted for. And of course the talk about Syria being next. That is a strange definition of "over".

2003-04-14T15:51:00.000-07:00

Rough Weekend

Either my friends are losing their minds or I am. My relationship with Mike is becoming "strained". I don't know why. What relationship I have with Sarah is nearly non-existant now that I cannot go pick her up. I have a four day weekend coming up and I was planning to see her on Friday, but it is not going to happen. Time for a break, at least until one of us is mobile again. I can't live two lives, my own is challenging enough right now. May just be one of those phases where nothing goes right, but there is no need to drag others into it. It will fix itself, just a matter of weathering the storm. Haven't drowned yet, have no plans otherwise. /end doom and gloom

Update: When Sarah called to talk to me today, she said she had to work on Friday because of the holiday. I still told her that we should take an "official" break. She's still going to drop by and get her stuff after work.

2003-04-08T16:02:00.000-07:00

Weekend Update

I had planned to go to the animal shelter and see about getting a new cat, but my ride didn't wake up so I just went and bought a few DVDs. While I was out, I looked into bicycle parts but to no avail. I did end up playing paintball on Sunday, but my gun just woulndn't/couldn't shoot far enough. The indoor field is not set up well enough to allow us large people to have enough cover in the forward areas. I changed a couple of settings, to see if that helps, and I am going back to my longer (14 inch) barrel, when we go play again. Maybe if I write about not doing other things, they will also happen. In two weeks, one of my favorite bands is playing and plans are in the works for me to see them on both days. The are the Wicked Tinkers and will be playing at the Las Vegas Highland Games. Three performances on Saturday, and two on Sunday. I should also get to pick up their latest CD "Loud".

2003-04-03T16:08:00.000-08:00

Riding Around and Other News

The bicycle thing is working out fairly well. I purchased a 30 day pass for the bus from a store that is very near my apartment so I don't have to worry about exact change. I am still experimenting with my arrival times and trying to make it so I don't get to work too early. The rides home have been very nice, even with the wind the past couple of days. I have received an invitation to co-blog with someone in the near future...more details as they become available. Without a vehicle, Sarah is nearly unreachable. I miss her even though we talk on the phone nearly every day. Haven't played any paintball for some time, and lugging all the equipment on the bike is out of the question, so probably won't be doing that much for a while. I do feel better now that I am exercising daily. I may continue it even when I do get a new vehicle. I have been reading the old Shadow pulp novels. Found a site...Black Mask, that has many of them available to download or just read. They don't have them all, but what they do have will keep me occupied for a long time. After that...Doc Savage!

2003-03-31T16:15:00.000-08:00

Weekend Update

The truck is broken again. I did some work on it Saturday, and when I was done, I started it up to make sure everything was working fine and it was. Tried to go over to my friends house on Sunday and I barely got it out of the parking lot before it made awful noises from the engine and/or transmission. I double checked to make sure I had put everything back where it belonged (and I had) and pushed it back to a parking space. Even if I had the money to fix it again (which I don't), I think I am going to give up on it and see about getting a new one. I hate the idea of making payments and being in debt but it is difficult to operate in this town with out one. At least I will be getting some exercise every day now until I get the money saved up for a down payment. I'll take the bus to work and ride home on the bike. It is nice at night.

2003-03-27T16:31:00.000-08:00

Strange Dreams

Very strange dreams last night. What dreams I have I remember very little of, if anything at all. Now that my sleep pattern is back to normal, I must be in a state to remember. By now most of the details have fled, but I was dismembering a body or bodies, no one that I recognized, which I guess is a good thing. Stress levels are about the same or even less than usual, so I can't blame that. I am not feeling very homicidal, either. Not any more than any other day, anyway.

2003-03-19T21:44:00.000-08:00

It Has Begun...

2003-03-17T16:43:00.000-08:00

Weekend Update

I had a longer than usual weekend this week, taking Thursday and Friday off, just to not be at work. Sarah spent those two days with me, giving us a chance to test how it might be should we live together. It went ok, but I don't think we are quite ready for that leap yet. When I took her to work on Saturday, the clutch on my truck was giving me problems. I also finally picked up my new rifle and even had plans to go shoot it Sunday. But the clutch wouldn't even survive that long. Had to get the truck towed and it was too late in the day to get it fixed until Monday.

I walked home from the car shop and it was a reasonably pleasant experience. No shooting on Sunday, and no visiting friends who live way across town. Monday the car shop calls and give me the price for the new clutch. No problem, but when I call to check on it, they tell me the water pump is also leaking. But if the fix that too, it won't be done in time for me to pick it up AND get to work on time. So I say I'll just pick it up tomorrow. How do I get to work? By bicycle. It's not that far (so I think) and I can stop by the bank to make sure I have enough money to cover the repairs. I guess it will take me about an hour but I leave an hour and a half before I need to be at work "just in case". The first half of the trip (to the bank) doesn't go too bad and takes about a half hour (right on schedule). But the second half must be all uphill. I can only ride for a few minutes at a time before my legs tighten up so much it hurts to move. I even try walking a little ways but then other parts of legs start hurting. And did I mention that it is going to rain? After several rest stops, I feel the wind pick up, the wind that goes before the storm, anmd this gives me just enough incentive to ride the rest of the way. I get rained on a little bit, and make it to work with only 15 minutes to spare, just enough time to cool down before I have to start.

I will be so glad to get my truck back.

2003-03-11T16:25:00.000-08:00

Sleeping Update

The new mattress has proven interesting. After getting used to the sinking feeling and the extra warmth from the foam, it seems to be helping. I have been able to get to bed/sleep earlier and the sleep that I do get must be of a better quaility. I also don't have as much of a problem getting/waking up still tired. The verdict-I would suggest it to anyone with sleeping problems.

2003-03-07T16:39:00.000-08:00

World of Ends

From Ipse Dixit, come a link to a (and dare I say THE) definitive defintion of the Internet, World of Ends. Go read this!

2003-03-04T20:51:00.000-08:00

An Interesting Snapshot of the World

From Topica Email List Directory, comes a note that has been placed on the Internet. According to UPI, it is not a hoax. This Laurie Garrett may feel bad about it, but how could she not believe that it could get forwarded/released to the rest of the world? Original link from Unknown News.

2003-03-04T16:17:00.000-08:00

It's Heeeere!

The new bed arrived and is read for sleeping. No apparent damage from transport and the delivery was relatively painless. Alas, I didn't get to try it for very long, but tonight...

2003-03-03T18:23:00.000-08:00

I Love Animals

It seems that PETA has cooked up another fun-filled ad campaign. This one uses the imagerey of the Holocost to tug at your heart strings and get you to stop eating meat (that includes fish, and fowl). Meryl is counter-campaigning with Eat an Animal for PETA Day. Saturday, March 15th. Mark you calendars, sharpen your steak knives. I'll be having sushi!

2003-03-03T17:17:00.000-08:00

Gypsy Curses

What with my somewhat (ok, very) maniacal posting on Friday, I decided to go buy a new phone after work. I have been spending time playing Neverwinter Nights modules on-line with my friend. It is easier to talk on the phone than to keep typing conversations. The phone I was using, while being a portable, is very old (10+ yrs) and doesn't even have a headset jack! There is also the feedback issue. Shopping can be an adventure and this expedition was no different. While the store had many models (20+) to choose from, the challenge proved to be narrowed down to two choices. Why only two? Was it because I wanted on of the 2.4 ghz models? Oh, no, it was because only those two had buttons that were not made of/covered with my nemesis, rubber! But now I have a built in answering machine and can check my messages from away! (Like I care). I also got a very interesting e-mail. Most of what I get is spam but the one was from CalPundit! Ah, the wonders of the Internet.

Saturday proved to be relatively uneventful. The only real high point was that the Cartoon Network has changed their line-up and it now includes Thundarr the Barbarian!! It was overwhelmed with nostalga. I was only able to sleep for a couple of hours before I had to get up again to take Sarah to work. I managed to spend the rest of the doing nothing but falling asleep until I had to pick her up.

Sunday started off nearly the same as Saturday, but I did end up with a whole 4 hours of sleep. After dropping her off, I headed to the Gun Show to try and get my new rifle. I got there way too early and waited in the parking lot for my friend (who we will call Mike) to show up. While I was there, I watched a homeless man stop nearby. He was carrying on a conversation with at least two other people, neither of which I could see. This went on for over 15 minutes. I couldn't make out too much of what he was saying, but he was not very pleased with his companions. A police car went by, and then turned around and stopped across the street from him. Initially I couldn't tell for certain if they were waching him or not, but then a second car arrived and they pulled into the parking lot to roust him. He wasn't harming anyone, but maybe they knew something I didn't. By that time Mike had showed up and we drove rest of the way to the show.

It was small, using only one of the exibit halls. But the selectiojn was better than the bigger one. We went to see the guy that I had already paid about picking up the guns (Mike got one too). After waiting for over a half hour to talk to the guy, I gave up and we wandered around the tables. Mike works with the guy but so far I wasn't very happy about how it was going. Mike found some Army field manuals he wanted, but the real find was made by me. For a couple of years, Mike has been searching for a side mounting sight rail for the type of rifle we're getting. And there they were. Score! I bought some of specialty ammo, tracers and explosive rounds because they look cool when firing, and that first shot is often hard to find. They had pictures of the round in use. (Yes, I know shooting too much of that stuff can damage the barrel. I only got like 5 round of each kind.) We went back to the rifle guy again and were finally able to talk to him. He had a couple of the rifles, but the ones he was expecting to be here hadn't arrived yet. So we could hang around until the end of the show to see if he hadn't sold them or wait until they ordered ones arrive. I hate paying for something and not being able to get it! But in the end, we ended up not getting them. He also said he would "hook me up" with a couple of magazines and a stock kit. So we'll see how is goes. And as I promised here's what I am getting. It is the SAR-1. I don't know the full details yet, but when I do I will post them here.

After the gun show, we dropped off out goodies and got some food at Applebies. Our server was way too happy, just like all of the people there, but they have good food. We then spent the rest of Sunday afternoon as we usually do, at my other friends house (who we will call Brad). The evening was pretty standard and much fun was had by all. There was a small snag, however. At one point we were laughing so hard that I, well, fainted. I was laughing and then I remember a cough, and then Brad was standing near me. Like when a movie skips of a part of a scene from a bad editing job. They told me that my face got very red, my tongue lolled out of my mouth. I was out for 5-10 seconds. Because of my allergies, I have had coughing fits when I couldn't stop coughing and would "almost" feel like I could pass out, but something like this had never happened before. As I recovered, my whole body broke out in sweat. I felt fine, and we were getting ready to end the evening anyway. After some discussion and thought, I decided to got to the emergency room "just in case". I drove myself, and while I felt "funny" on the drive there (about 15 minutes) I couldn't tell whether it was just my imagination or not. After waiting for only 4.5 hours (some people had been waiting for 6), they hooked me up to monitoring machines, and ran a bunch of tests. Bloodwork, a chest x-ray, an EKG. I had not been to a hospital in a long time and was amazed at how the technology had changed. They took my temperature by running a probe over my forehead. Even the needles they used to draw blood had an attached cap. Everything came back normal, and they sent me home. Well, Kevin, I did got the doctor after all, even if it was not for the sleep problem. I wonder what interesting things will happen this week?

2003-02-28T20:31:00.000-08:00

???????

I think I am going insane. I see things no one else sees. I react to the smallest thing with way too much emotion. Could be because of the sleep deprivation, not sure. I have scheduled a couple of vacation days but they are two weeks away. Work is becoming more of a challenge to survive. Everyday the same people make the same mistakes, nobody give a shit, nothing improves. Probably time to move on, but not without a place to move to. If this is what psychotic feels like, I don't like it. At least am still coherent enough to write (and spell check). But even when I get drunk, I have always been aware enough to keep from doing anything too crazy. No drinking to forget for me. Not that I drink that much anyway. I usually forget that it is an option. Probably a good thing.

2003-02-28T16:15:00.000-08:00

Sarah 2.0 and Other Excitements

During the past few weeks, Sarah and I have been unable to spend much time together. She tells me that she has had her father begin to teach her how to drive, usually on the way home from work. She also has bought herself a couple of books to read, but hasn't gotten very far. The verdict? She made an effort, and it is a start. So we will continue to be we for a while longer. Her schedule is back to normal, mine is still screwed up. The mattress I ordered will be delivered on Tuesday, so maybe I will be able to get quaility sleep again.

I got a great deal on a new rifle and should be picking it up this weekend. More details when I actually have it in hand, but I will say that it is a new caliber and model for me. May even be a convertable.

2003-02-27T19:45:00.000-08:00

The End of A Legend

I read about it on several of the blogs I visited today, but a random reference from Did You Know... caused me to remember the influence that he had on my life as well. Mr. Rogers is dead.

2003-02-24T20:13:00.000-08:00

More on the Introvert Mystique

While reading my usual suspects I came across a link to this. Thank you, Calpundit. Us introverts need to stick togeth...be alone.

2003-02-20T16:50:00.000-08:00

2 X 4 Madness

With Jane on a well deserved vacation from the people who just have to send hate-mail, her co-blogger, Mindles H. Dreck , is rising to the occasion. While not to disparage ?his? usual posting (which is also thought provoking and entertaining), this in response to the new visitors is simply the best!

2003-02-11T18:55:00.000-08:00

Days of Sleeplessness

The title says it all. I was almost late for work today. I have ordered a new bed, The Isotonic Sleep System. I found their pillows at a store and found it to be be much more comfortable than the regular kind. While this will allow the quality of my sleep to improve, it is the getting to sleep that is the issue. I have tried nearly everything I can think off, but it doesn't work. Creating a sleep ritual, reading, just lying there, tring to tire myself out playing games on the computer, the herbal teas (chamomile, valerain, hops), watching TV (the boring stuff). I even looked at the over the counter sleeping pills, only to find out that their ingredients are the same ones that are in most cold/allergy medicines, with diphenhydramine HCL (Benedryl) being the most found. This does me no good, unless I take a really high dose (100+mg) because when I take it for my allergies, it does not produce drowsyness. I don't want to go to the doctor, but if I can't make it to when the bed gets here, I may have to. It is probably a stress issue, but the usual activities that relieve stress are not. I didn't go play paintball because of this.

2003-02-05T18:30:00.000-08:00

Back in the Saddle

(Warning! This post contains graphic desciptions of allergy reactions. Read at your own risk!)

I have allergies. They arrive in many forms. There are the seasonal ones, that make you feel like you have a cold all the time, with the runny, stuffy nose and leaking eyes. There are the food allergies. These also can be cold/flu like, or they can cause such irritation that coughing of a violent nature occurs. So violent that you can feel the blood building up in your head so it could explode, so violent that you try to puke up what may or usually may not be in your stomach. And there is the shortness of breath that makes you feel like you are going to die because you cannot get enough time between bouts to breathe fully. But my "favorite" is the contact allergies. I am aware of several substances that should they remain in contact with my skin, not only produce the standard itching, but will develop into large blisters, full of entraping fluid to isolate the toxic material form the rest of me. Even with the best of precautions, exposure will occur, and often it is difficult to determine the culprit.

I usually walk around at home without any shoes on. One of the services provided by my apartment complex upon lease renewal, is free carpet cleaning. I had passed on it the first year, but I figured it needed it this time. They brought up the cleaner and a several days later the fun begins. Sometimes, depending on the nature of the substances, it takes a period of continual exposure to get a reaction. A few small blisters at first. I notice and troubleshoot my latest activities to determine the cause, but nothing stands out. More time passes, the blisters become much larger (dime sized) and the only thing left to be the cause is the remains of the carpet cleaning. So I switch to wearing shoes inside but the blisters still need to be dealt with.

I have had this for over twenty years. There is only one way that I have found to deal with it, beyond preventing the exposure and outside of simply not walking or wearing shoes for 2-3 weeks (a relative impossiblity). Pop the blisters to remove the toxins, and remove the affected skin to prevent them from sealing back up (the liquid is sticky). This has the effect of turning the area, about 2 inches by 4 inches this time, into one big sore. It gets infected at least once, so you have to start the healing process almost all over again. It is not exceptionally painful, most of the "bad" part is well above the layer of skin with the nerves in it, if I even have any left. It helps to scrape the area until it bleeds, to provide a fresh surface and to open it up to drain. I have a special knife for this (only), not too sharp but with enough edge to do the job. Clean the area a couple times each day (by blotting the wet spots and then with hydrogen peroxide-this doesn't hurt like alcohol does), pop any new blisters, bandage with telfa pads when you have to walk on it, leave it uncovered to ooze, drain and eventually dry up when you don't. This weekend finalized the healing as I didn't go anywhere. It still take 2-3 weeks to get back to normal, but I can go about the usual activities (like work) without having to spend time explaining it or wasting time with doctors. Now I can go play paintball this Sunday.

2003-01-27T16:22:00.000-08:00

Uneventful Times

The past few weeks have been pretty boring. No changes at work, or in my life generally. The world continues to spin, and I go from day to day living as best I can. The only real area where "something" has happened is with Sarah. I found out this weekend I can write whatever I want here, without being concerned (if I ever was) that she might react to it. Why, you may ask (or may not but I will end the suspense and tell you), or how is this possible? She does have access to a computer and the Net. The issue is that she is functionally illiterate. She knows enough to barely get by, but to read a book, or take a driving test, or operate a computer, is out of her current realm of reality. Do I still care for her? Yes, but this is outside of my knowledge. So I will spend this week researching, discovering her options. While this is a blow, I am not ready to just toss it all away yet. The perfect is gone, if it ever existed. Where it goes from here, time will tell. Should any of my readers have some advice, your comments are welcome.

2003-01-06T16:22:00.000-08:00

Changes

A new year and now what? Many of the blogs I read, and several of the ones that I have links to, are either stopping for a while to pursue other activities, or are changing their format to the point of non-recognition. I, too, have been considering the why of my blogging. I started blogging mainly because I had the time to do so, at work. While I still have some time available, I have been spending it reading blogs instead of writing for my own. My entries receive very few if any comments, a reflection of my limited audience and the mundane-ity of the posts, in most cases. What does all this mean? The future is not set, but posts are going to become less frequent. If any of my readers have requests, I will do my best to provide for your desires. I will continue to post items of interest to me as well, but probably more on a weekly basis, a "week in review" type of format. Look for updates on my love life with Sarah, my trials and tribulations involving paintball, and who knows what else. Bunnies, guns, and reason? Oh, my!

2002-12-25T03:12:00.000-08:00

Tis the Season

As usual, I am running on my own, very special schedule. In 4 hours I'm off to see my friends and I haven't slept yet. The holidays have always been a trail for me, and even with the support of Sarah, I am still not able to react (or respond) positivley. I go through all the motions, but it just doesn't work for me. I must be wired differently. Genetic Holiday Resistance Syndrome. Is there a cure? Will it get it's own organization to raise funds? What celebrity will make this their personal crusade?

2002-12-19T23:50:00.000-08:00

Look Over Here

For some time now, I have been reading a blog, Common Sense and Wonder. They always have something interesting to say, and many NEAT-O pictures. And when you go visit, Leave a comment!

2002-12-17T20:47:00.000-08:00

One Man's Opinion

Over on Rachel Lucas' Blog, she asked a question. It was about how to best argue FOR the keeping and bearing of arms and its impact on crime. So far she has gotten over 240 comments and one of them, this one, was the best of the bunch. I agree. And from a man who doesn't currently own a gun. Mr Bill Whittle, THANK YOU!

2002-12-16T22:02:00.000-08:00

Something New Every Day

I always thought they only came in demonic red.

2002-12-13T16:57:00.000-08:00

Tribulations

A few posts ago, I got a comment (the first one this week), this one, saying how well I am doing. Maybe in the blogging world. This week has been a disaster in "meatspace". Strange dreams every night, with people in them that I haven't dealt with for a very long time, people that took a while for me to even remember who they were. People at work not doing their jobs, properly or at all. I don't get to be with Sarah until tomorrow. The grocery store being out of my favorite things. And I just found out I am going to be here (at work) very late (12+ hours). I will survive, but it won't be pretty.

2002-12-12T22:09:00.000-08:00

Sarah V1.5

It has became a standard feature of our relationship for Sarah to spend the weekends with me. She has even gotten her days off changed so she has one of the same days off that I do (sunday). Last week I took her with me to play paintball. She seemed to have a good time. My marker was acting up on me, so ended up taking it apart, but I couldn't find anything wrong. I also finally decided to switch from CO2 to compressed air, mainly because I had gotten some unexpected money. Hard to tell yet what difference it has made. But I did get it working better after I got home so maybe I can test it for "real" next time I play in a week or two. I also brought her with me to my weekly RPG session. It went ok, but not as good as I had hoped. Many a relationship has been ruined by RPGs, at least according to what I have read. I don't think ours will be, and I will be on the look out for signs. I do find myself noticing that when she is not around, I "miss" her. A good sign, but then I am very perceptive. Could it be love? I am almost ready to tell her, but...maybe after all this holiday junk.

2002-12-11T17:55:00.000-08:00

Preparations

When all of the hoopla about the end of the world when we went from 1999 to 2000 was going on, I made preparations for survival and possible evacuation. Then there was the attacks on 9-11. Again everything was in readiness, and to some degree still is. Now, acording to Instapundit, it is time to consider increasing our personal level of readiness once again. I'll be ready. Will you?

2002-12-10T17:14:00.000-08:00

Here I Am

Here is another place to find out info on the web. It is called Alexa, and I am listed there. Link found from jhames.

2002-12-06T19:27:00.000-08:00

Blogging the Fast Way

Thanks to Amish Tech Support and this post about shortcuts to blogging perfection. Words to live by and worth trying.

2002-12-06T16:24:00.000-08:00

The Power of Blogging

According to Instapudit,the New York Times has decided to run a couple of articles they "spiked" about the Augusta all-male golf club thing. He says it is because of the work of bloggers. Could be.

2002-12-06T01:27:00.000-08:00

A Second Helping

And my top two refferers are Sunlight-through-rain and I Will Dare. Thanks for and to both of you, my Official Top Refferers!

2002-12-06T01:21:00.000-08:00

Tooting My Own Horn

Looking at my referers and searches tonight, I found out that I am in the number 1 spot on Google when searching for darksyde. Yea!!!!

2002-12-05T20:21:00.000-08:00

Sarah 1.4 Family Units

The relationship between Sarah and me continues to progress. We are spending pretty much all of our free time together, with her continuing to come over on her days off. Over the thanksgiving holiday, I went over to her house and ate with her family. I think it went ok. And she came with me to meet my other friend. That went ok, too. And he observed that our hair styles are very similar, which they are. And she is over this week, too. We are starting to practice domestic type things, I suspect to try them out to see how they fit. While I am at work today, she is doing laundry (hers and mine). I did "help" by sorting it before I left. So I call her to see how she is doing and she tells me her family was "in the area" and stopped by to see her. It may be true, but I believe they were "checking" on her also. My paranoia level is naturally higher than average, but when I heard that, I didn't like it. From what I have seen and what she has told me (more what has been implied) about her home life, she has been under the kind of over-protective "umbrella of love" that creates more difficulties than it purports to prevent. Her lack of a drivers license is but a reflection of this. I am dating her, not her family. She is an adult and can make her own choices. While I realize that some level of inclusion is or at the very least will be needed for them, should we continue to grow closer together, this may end up being a difficult area to come to an agreement about. I know that I will not tolerate this level of intrusion by others into what is my life, even though they believe they have some valid reason to do so. I don't believe that just because I happen to be dating her gives them that option. If she was not an adult it would. If they believe that, then there will be a conflict, one that could ultimately bring grief to both me and Sarah.

Update: I just talked to Sarah and the story has changed. Now she says that they called her on her phone and then decided stop by. Not as bad perhaps, but which version do I believe? Time for a talk with her about accurate information.

2002-12-05T18:38:00.000-08:00

Internet Pheremones

When I first re-entered the dating game several weeks ago, I read somewhere that when you are "on the hunt" and particularly after you have caught one, the body produces a different set of pheremones than usual. Sort of a feast-or-famine type of thing. And amazingly enough, it does appear to be true. Several women at work (the only place where I am likely to encounter other people during the week) have taken a greater interest in me. Nothing directly overt, but it is noticable (but it might just be my imagination). But when it happens through my blog also, I can no longer ignore the possibility. First there was JadedJu, a wonderful writer and someone whos writing evokes very strong emotions in me (and others). Then there is Jenny, who seems (in many ways) to be a typical teenage girl dealing with the trials and tribulations, joys and sorrows, of learning about life. And then Deanna starts commenting. She is a friend of Jenny. Now there is Mellisa, who just appeared out of nowhere. Definitely a cutie. Who will be next? Who knows but I do love the attention!

2002-12-02T21:54:00.000-08:00

Attack of the Killer Bunnies

A new warblog has arrived in the blogsphere. Called BBB or the Belligerent Bunny Blog, it has many photos of bunnies, reviews of classic movies and tv shows, and very detailed expose's on various weapon systems, used or to be used in the course of "The War". And tomorrow is their (its?) one month anniversary. Because of the many pictures (and Blogger), the site is a little slow to load but well worth the wait. Go say Hi!

2002-11-19T01:12:00.000-08:00

Simplicity

Even though I have "found" the basic religion that I wish to pursue, in the course of that search I have looked into many possibilities. One of the possiblities that came very close was Buddhism. Most of my research was through books, by several different authors. In the course of my blog-hopping tonight, I came across this, from AMCGLTD.com. It embodies the style and philosophy more than anything I have read in a book. Perhaps he is better at it than he believes...(((edited for gender and spelling)))

2002-11-15T16:56:00.000-08:00

Front Sight Lawsuit Update

Diana Hsieh has got a copy of the first filing against her up. The link is here. The suit is about her comments that she made on her website, and the e-mails she sent to Mr. Piazza. Light-of-Reason also has some interesting comments that he found on GlockTalk and The Firing Line related to this.

Update: Many more bloggers are on the case. Eve Tushnet, Anti-Idiotarian Rottwieler, also known as Emperor Misha I, and Icchan, who apparently lives in the Las Vegas area.

2002-11-14T16:14:00.000-08:00

Sarah V1.3

I talked with Sarah today. After spending the past few days preparing what I was going to say and how I was going to say it, it didn't go quite as planned. She knew something was going on. I was able to communicate most of my "doubts" to her, and much to my surprise, she was understanding. I think most of what I have been experiencing about her was self-created, maybe because "I" recognize it but am not yet ready to admit it to myself. So we are going to only be apart for certain this week(end). I told her that my "doubts" only seemed to be there when I was not with her. I'm not going to give up on her as I was planning. Just talking with her melted several of my issues away. I did, however return the call of one of the other women. She had a nice voice over the phone, but there are already lifestyle clashes between us. I think that we are much more different than what was revealed in our profiles. We are meeting for lunch on Sat, but it feels more like an obligation (since we did take the trouble to contact each other) than a "date". I haven't even been to the "center" to get my pictures...may go tomorrow or Sat. Maybe because I subconsciously know that I won't be needing them (to send to others)??

Still too early to tell, but Sarah made me feel more comfortable today than I thought she would. I am a little less confused than before, and we'll just have to wait and see for the rest.

2002-11-13T00:55:00.000-08:00

Paintball Fever

After an aborted attempt to use my new paintball marker (thanks to my friend getting struck on his package), I was able to spend an entire day (4 hours) getting used to it's workings. The break did give me a chance to purchase a new set of springs to get the speed down to 250 fps. The lowest spring worked fine, and by the end of the day I was firing at 4-6 balls per second. I was even able to confirm at least 3 "hits" on other players. But the accuracy of the gun still needs work. I have a few options, a new barrel, using a remote, and switching from CO2 to compressed air. I'm going to try the remote setup first, basically a strechy cord that connects between the marker, and the bottle (worn on a belt), so the bottle is not directly attached to the gun. Not only does this make the gun lighter, but it also is supposed to give the CO2 more distance and time to expand after each shot, making them more consistant. A new barrel will be next, and then if needed the change in gases.

2002-11-11T16:36:00.000-08:00

Sarah V1.2

I just read the comment on my V1.1 post from "Anonymous" ( who I believe I know their identity but why they are not admiting it remains a mystery) today, and it appears we have come to the same conclusions. I have "put the brakes on" as it were, and we talked about rushing things too fast. I also decided not to let her come over this week(end) to stay. And I have also decided to contact at least one of the other women. What I haven't decided is if I should breech this with Sarah. I want to be honest with her, especially because of her previous experiences, but don't know if she will be that understanding from the if-you-love-something-set-it-free point of view. She is very "clingy". But if she does react extremely negatively to it, than that would provide more "proof" that we are not truley meant to be. I want both of us to get what we want and need, even if it is not with each other. So I will tell her, and let the chips fall where they may.

2002-11-08T18:03:00.000-08:00

Yet Another Link Thingy

Another place to let people know about my blog. This one is Blogwise.

2002-11-08T16:35:00.000-08:00

Sarah V1.1 I Just Don't Know

Sarah is staying with me again, thru Sun morning. I am in a quandry. I like her, but..I just don't know. Maybe everything is moving too fast. And it seems like she is trying way too hard to please me. At one time, I thought I would like that sort of thing, but experiencing it for real... Of course I think about her and us and where we are going. Maybe that is the problem. I tend to over analize things, but... We have a lot in common, is that enough? If I were to go only by my emotions...I don't know. Maybe if we back it off a little... And there are other issues, not between me and her, but me and the other part of the world. I am still wondering about the other women from the dating service. Is that a sign? One of them called while I wasn't home. I like Sarah, but I don't love her, at least not yet. She woke me up early today to make love to me. Didi I enjoy it? Yes. Did she? Also yes. But...I don't know. I don't like to get up any earlier than I have to, even for such things. I am just afraid of getting what I want after all this time, and reacting this way as a defense? I don't want to hurt her because she is a nice person. Maybe she's too nice? I don't know. She has a basket with "special" dinnerware in it that she brought over last night. It's like she has already decided my (our) fate. If I already am wanting to spend time apart from her, should I take that as a sign? Or maybe I am not as ready for a commitment as I thought I was. I...don't know. Do any of my 10,000 readers know?

2002-11-06T20:03:00.000-08:00

The Big Guns

Instapudit has just posted about Front Sight, Scientology, and the sueing of Diana. Yea!

2002-11-06T18:20:00.000-08:00

Front Sight Followup

The lastest on Front Sight from the trenches. They are now threatening Glock Talk, a popular message board. The response from Glock Talk-refunding Front Sight's paid for banner ad spot. An excellent summary of the entire thing is here, courtesy of Light-of-Reason. And of course, the details from Diana are here.

Update: I sent a e-mail about this to one of the bloggers I usually visit. They said that they had heard about it, but were waiting to see how it develops before getting involved. I wonder how many others are doing the same.

2002-11-05T17:40:00.000-08:00

Connections

For the past few weeks, Diana Hsieh, of NoodleFood, has been investigating an interesting possibility. A while back, a man named Dean Gamburd posted an article entitled "The Fourth Secret", alleging that "the founder, director, and super-majority owner of Front Sight", Ignatius Piazza, was "deeply involved" with Scientology, a "cult-religion commonly accused of immoral and illegal activities in its quest for money and power." Front Sight is a nearby weapons training facility that purports to have some of the best training available. She investigated this connection herself, eventually placing her findings on a separate page of her website. At one point, Mr Piazza did indicate that he had recieved "services" from Scientology, which to achieve what he did, takes an enormous amount of time and money. She and her husband were supposed to go this weekend to Front Sight for one of their 4 day training sessions. This trip was cut short/canceled due to her being sued by Front Sight Management.

I had considered going to Front Sight for training, but I don't think that will happen now. I have done my own research on Scientology, and agree with Diana that it is not a good idea to associate with anyone that might be connected to it, however tenuously. Next option, Gunsite. I also offered my assistance to her, since I live in Las Vegas. I'll keep you posted.

2002-11-04T21:56:00.000-08:00

Sarah V1.0

Spending two days with another person can be a challenge, especially since it has been about two years since I have had to. But even with all the adjustments that I needed to make, it went very well. Friday was a little rough for me at work. Nothing like having someone you barely know staying at your place while you are not there. While I could imagine coming home to find an empty apartment, nothing of the sort happened, and she even got all "domestic" and cleaned up my kitchen! A nice surprise. Getting up early to take her to work was somewhat draining, but just having someone to be with (other than myself) who was with me because they desired to be there, made it tolerable, even desirable. And I got to get my "running around" done early. I have already though about reducing the amount of time I spend sleeping. I managed to finally get my spare bedroom/storage room straightened up, even did part of the dining area and re-setup a table to pretend like I am a civilized person (I usually eat sitting on the couch). I taught her how to play the Pokemon trading card game (I have an extensive collection, due to my obssesive-complusive nature) and she enjoyed it completely. I was somewhat saddened when she had to go, but took heart in the positive way she seems to be (I seem to be allowing it) affecting me.

2002-10-31T20:28:00.000-08:00

Another Wonderful Site

Maybe it is because of all the bruhaha (always wanted to use that word) about Halloween, but there seems to be a lot of pagan sites poping up these past few days. This one, The Militant Pagan, provides a refreshing look at the world from another view. But they need comments!

2002-10-31T17:30:00.000-08:00

The Search V2.3 Over Before it has Barely Begun?

I have been sick the past few days, barely able to drag myself to work and survive the day. Sarah has called me a couple of times, and today I went to see here before work, She made me food, saimein and inari. After eating we sat on her couch and watched some more anime, this one called Dragon Half. Very silly fun, but alas, after a search on line, they only released the one recording with two episodes. She will be disapointed when I tell her. We made out for an hour or so, kissing and touching. More questions and attempts by each other to "scare" the other one away. She said she was ok with my religious beliefs, and I hope she really is and not just blinded by the passion. I don't think she is. We even talked about the possiblity of her getting pregnant. We have opened to each other a lot more than I thought would happend. We were going to spend saturday together again, perhaps with her staying over, but that has changed to tonight! She wants to be with me, but no nooky yet as I have an allergy to latex and require special protection that may need to be ordered if I cannot find them in a local store. The last time I used the standard kind was not pleasant for a few weeks after, like having a sunburn. (sorry about the imagery) When I pick her up tonight, we'll stop by a place I know of to see if they have them. They have pretty much everything else. I can still smell her scent on my shirt. Is it love? I don't know, but it feels like it. It is at least a great like, with a seasoning of lust and mutual interests. I haven't contacted the other 3 (one more addition) and I am going to go inactive for awhile to be with Sarah.

2002-10-27T03:53:00.000-08:00

The Search V2.2

A few hours ago, I got back from my date with Sarah. She was wondrous. I picked her up from work earlier than we had planned; many of her expected customers did not show up because of the rainy weather (she is a dog groomer). We went to her house so she could change clothing. After not being able to decide what we wanted to do or where we were going to do it, we ended up TGIF. I had their tuna wasabe sandwich (it had hardly any wasabe on it) and she had a chicken pasta thingy. After much conversation (mainly by her-she talks alot when she in nervous, unlike me-who is very quiet) our eating ends and then there is more deciding what to do. We had brought a couple of her movies with us, with the intent of envetually viewing them at my place. I was slightly hesitant, as my apartment was not exactly ready for company, but she had already "shown me hers" so I took the risk.

Our mutual love of Anime was the icebreaker. We watched one of her movies, about a girl who get transported to another world to activate a suit of armor shaped like a dragon. The reasons I like this media were refreshed once more, with the beautiful music, story and animation. It was warm in the apartment, so I offered to let her wear one of my shirts. I also changed into lighter attire. I only have a single couch to sit upon, so we watched to movie with me sitting up and she lying against me, in a classic cuddle. I think both of us were having a difficult time concentrating on the movie. I know I was. It was as if we had been doing this for years, even with the standard hesitations and nervousness that was still present. After her moive was over, I introduced her to Ranma 1/2, and she was delighted, laughing at the situations. I also was infected by her response, allowing myself the opportunity that laugh along. We reluctantly ended our date with me taking her home. But even then, I spent over an hour in her room, just sitting there talking and holding each other.

Several times, we almost kissed, but each was hesitant, even though it was obvious to both of us that we both wanted the same thing. We were able to eventually voice our desires as I "forced" myself to leave for the night. We did eventually kiss goodnight, the light pecking sort of kiss, full of meaning, but not with passion. Several times through the evening, we were both struck by our common likes, and with the level of comfort we felt, even with our nervous skepticism at how well we were connecting. She eventually reveiled her previous experience, indicating that her ex-boyfriend was also a member of the service, who apparently just used her for sex. I reassured her that I would not do that, but she is also aware that I have received a couple of other positive responses from other members, but they did not contact me, and I have not contacted them. Which is sort of a good thing, because as you may be able to tell form what is written here, I (and she) sense there is a potential here. I could not have known this would happen but I couldn't (and won't) date someone else at the same time, especially because that happened to her before, and secondly because that is not how I operate. I cannot "unselect" the others, but I will call the service tomorrow to find out what they recommend. While I have no real doubts about Sarah and I, it would be foolish of me to burn bridges too soon. It was only one date, there will be several more to follow. I just don't want to fool myself, it has been so long since I have been with anyone, any positive response from any female is welcome. But I also don't want to ruin it before we even get a chance to try.

2002-10-25T17:08:00.000-07:00

Lost Passage

I have found much enjoyment from reading the philisophical posts on light-of reason . But the humor is just as good as bright. Don't be eating or drinking when you read this.

2002-10-25T15:19:00.000-07:00

The Search V2.1 Against the Odds

I was finally able to get up early enough today to go into the dating service. Much to my surprise, I had gotten two more positive responses! Now what? I have never had more than one person at a time to juggle, and now I have three! I do not want to short change any of them, but there is only so much time available. If this group proves to not pan out, I will definitely not pick this many again! I guess I'll try to call them tomorrow. Probably not a good idea to call from work-not enough time to spend just talking. I also must remember that they should also know how the system works and that I may have selected more that one at a time. Can I date two or three people at once? I know of a guy at work who has a different girl every night! That is not me. One is enough. Part of me hopes that the other three that are left don't respond, but another hopes they do, then I can have 6 who want to meet me! What an ego boost (like I needed it, well I did but I am not going to let it get to me too much)! At least I don't have to worry now if it doesn't work out with Sarah. I have a back-up plan, at least two of them!