Gold Standard

I think I'm better off than I have been in a long time. I have actual goals and plans. I'm healthy. I haven't been in shape like this since high school, if I ever was. I'm working a job I don't hate and saving up money for a change in lifestyle and for the first time in several years I'm certain that someone gives a flying fuck.

Welcome to the good times.
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Now playing on iTunes: The Mighty Mighty Bosstones - The Rascal King
via FoxyTunes

Welcome to the Weekend

And I'll be busy. Tonight I'm due for a cigar with my most consistent friend and a stop at Sean's if only because I haven't seen Julie in bloody ages.
Saturday I get to deal with the family, which decided to come over tomorrow instead of Sunday at the last minute. Mom hopes Mirthquake will drive them off. I hope Gary shows.
Saturday evening is the long-awaited Mirthquake. Please, for the love of your God, don't do anything that will put me on damage control.
Sunday I'm sleeping. I'm sleeping all day. When the sky is finally streaked with red and orange I'll shower and drive to Jimmy's.

Should be fun.
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Now playing on iTunes: The Eagles - Take It Easy (Live)
via FoxyTunes

Kick-Starting the Old Dreams

For the last couple weeks I was pretty sure my motorcycle plan would straight-up fail, but I realized two things: I've got an uncle who happens to be a Harley guy and too many friends in too many places to take the Jetta everywhere. Example: It takes roughly $30 in gas to drive down to Louisville and back. On a bike, that'd be about $10. Maybe less, since I'd drive the bike more efficiently than I tend to drive the car. It'd be one cylinder and about 400 pounds, rider and all, for the bike I'm looking at. The Jetta is four cylinders, almost four times the displacement, pulling two solid tons of car and spending gas on electronics and hydraulics that an air-cooled bike doesn't have.

Uncle Gary will be here Sunday. That's when I start asking real questions.
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Now playing on iTunes: Coldplay - White Shadows
via FoxyTunes

Micro-Blog 36

I'm pretty sure I'm unconsciously sabotaging myself and I have no idea why. I could try something new, something I've yet to try. I could do it without real consequences and pretend to be normal. I'm a logical person on all but a single, simple topic but when I run into it I finally reach a point where I'm terribly awkward.

Pretend you don't want something long enough and your subconscious will believe you, I guess.

Growing Up or Just Getting Older?

Over the last couple months I've come to understand just how much I've changed in the last ten years. It's a lot to talk about in one post, so I'll just mention the practical aspects.

I am not the geek I once was. I can't remember a time in the last couple years when I played D&D and wasn't bored to tears most of the time. Every game of 40K leaves me in a worse mood than when I started. I haven't played a video game for any significant amount of time this year, with the exception of a few parties. These are not the responses of my early high school days. I used to enjoy the games. I don't know what happened, but I think it's time I put away my D20. I'm done with Dungeons and Dragons and my Iron Hands are being retired from the nonstop war of the far future. My orks and chaos are on sale to the highest bidder.

I am not the geek I once was, and that doesn't disappoint me.
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Now playing on iTunes: Coldplay - The Scientist
via FoxyTunes

Turn it up!

It's presently 88 and sunny, with 59% humidity. I'm in a great mood. You all know I can't bloody stand winter. In a move that doesn't reek of hypocrisy, I'd like to take a moment to celebrate the coming of summer. I'm happy with scorching heat and sunburns. I have a head start on the yearly dark farmer's tan and I smile every time I climb in the car and feel the sting of hot leather. It's officially time to transition from dark ale to pale lager and relax under the thermonuclear wonder of the blazing sun.

Here's to a long, lazy summer and another green Christmas!

Hey there Mr. Blue,
We're so pleased to be with you!
Look around see what you do,
Everybody smiles at you!
-ELO, Mr. Blue Sky

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Now playing on iTunes: Electric Light Orchestra - Mr. Blue Sky
via FoxyTunes

That worked out.

Second shift turned out to be exactly what I was going for. I don't see people any less than usual (Which is to say basically never) and I'm not a zombie at work. Other perks:

Second is hella laid back. If I hadn't spent a month on first, I wouldn't know about several rules.

It's quiet. The warehouse operates at capacity on first shift. Second shift is maybe half to a quarter as many people, so the only real noise is the conveyor belt and fans.

With fewer people in the way, I can get more work done with less effort. Woo efficiency!

And speaking of efficiency, traffic moves slower West on 275 than East at 3:00, and at midnight there are so few cars on the road and the average speed is so much lower that I can drive 70 to work and 65 home and save gas on the commute.
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Now playing on iTunes: Bears - You Can Tell
via FoxyTunes

This week should be interesting. By the end of it I need to do a few things:

Get back some money I lent to somebody and turn it into a Zippo Blu.
Adjust to the new sleep schedule.
Start really looking into the motorcycle project.
Talk, if only via Facebook wall conversation, to about ten different people.

Also, I got some 12, 10, and 8 G tapers, so by the end of next week I'll be up to an 8.

Does anyone know how late Starbucks is open? I'm gonna need a frappuccino or something later.
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Now playing on iTunes: Matchbox Twenty - Push
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Gotta Love the Fresh Air

A road trip to Jackson Center was exactly what I needed. I ran up North where I had little or no cell service, met Alicia's friends (Many of whom had heard stories... oh, god), saw some small-town "wonder" and "boredom" and was slept on by cats and kittens, assailed by dogs, and sexually assaulted by a rabbit. I also came out strengthening a friendship that was definitely not in need of repair and I have a sunburn that'll be a dark tan by morning.

And to think I was half-ass resisting this for four months...

Going Away

I'm getting the hell out of here for the weekend. I'm not telling you where I'm going, but it's about 200 miles distant. You can text me if you'd like, but now seems like a good time to leave this blasted city for sparser zones.

Also, fuck your moping! Get happy!
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Now playing on iTunes: Maritime - Guns Of Navarone
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