Well we didn't win the laptop at the barbeque/raffle last night. Which means we have to go and buy an uber cheap laptop. For lauren to do her papers on. Boo. but NOT a vista model. NO NO NO!

and i don't have much of a hangover at the moment, which rocks.

Anyone been to the melting pot?

Where the hell have I been???

working. Apparently around here, summer = busy months. Not to mention that, for the most part, days off have come to = a strange combination of weddings, events and obligations. And yes, I have been cheating on estrip with another online community.

Now now its not what you are thinking. Don't be upset, let me explain.

It all starts with samsung, you see. Samsung has offered me a deal wherein for every Samsung phone that i sell at work, I have the ability to go to their website and enter that phone's ESN number in. What it gives me in exchange are points. yes points. Delicious and free points.

And what do points give me exactly? THINGS! Thats what! Allow me to relate the items that I have received, free of charge, with said points.

1. A pair of kicks (adidas)
2. A George Foreman Grill the size of my microwave.
3. 3 month supply of Frontline Plus flea repellant stuff for Ralphie.
4. Puppy shampoo for Ralphie
5. A wok about the size of the George Foreman
6. Kicks for lauren
7. A book for Lauren.
8. A harness for Ralphie (not yet arrived)
9. An audio book
10. Age of Empires III
11. A new wireless card for my computer

and finally....

12. Mr Beer Premium Edition Microbrewery
13. Mr. Beer Whispering Wheat Weizenbier refill

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So first of all, lets not even talk about the time that I am on the computer playing Age of Empires.

I AM BREWING MY OWN BEER!!

Okay I admit, I am, by no means, a beer connoisseur. In fact, I will admit that I am a beer idiot. I know I like blue moon, and the original intention is that I would like to make blue moon!

well it has started to evolve.

The website I have been checking out is a forum for Mr. Beer fans, that tells you the ins and outs of home brewing. So I apologize for cheating on you, but I desire to know MORE!

Presently I have a Pale Ale fermenting in the closet. I will be able to Bottle said beer on the 17th and then it might be ready the first week of September.

Next batch will be a weizenbier. Then a 'witty monk' which is a true belgian witbier - or the most similar to a blue moon that you can get.

Also, I have decided to start TASTING beer, instead of drinking it. IE we went to the village beer merchant (oh my goodness what delightful beer selections!!)
We picked up a Moosbacher Weisenbier to try. Had a pint last night, good flavors! I will not even begin to pretend as though i know how to detect subtle flavors. But its a start.


incidentally, I just ordered a scale, thermometer and some extra bottles from samsung. BAM! free!!

I feel as though I always post about the crazy and uninteresting things that are part of my life. And when I stop to try and not post about my life, and post about something meaningful and interesting, I find myself at a loss. Oh well, back to your regularly scheduled programmng.

I have a video project that I am dancing around which could be potentially huge. But I am reserving any happiness for, as I don't want to be let down. So I will say no more on that...

My best friend and her GF broke up and it gives me a horrible sense of the world, and how people need to 'find themselves' which I sorta believe means 'i would like to see what else i could get'. It makes me sad in a more universal way about the direction of humanity. We are so determined to get and experience everything that we can out of life that its so easy to give up, to lose hope.

(e:lauren) says I'm being melodramatic. I guess 'empathetic' was what I was going for. Ah well.

we were wondering if estrip was down. we finally got our internet working today, but in the few snatches of internet time we have had in the past few days, we have not been able to get onto estrip. boo!
but now i'm at work and its working! And its not working at home! what gives?

internet issue was actually a problem with the lines apparently. same internet guy came back and fixed the problem. hopefully.

anyway... i should NOT be playing estrip at work. Boo.

I am having a hard time right now...

The internet is barely working and its really pissing me off. It is as if it works, then it doesn't... you have to mess around and connect it again... its as is my computer is changing its internal setting whenever it damn well pleases. Sometimes I will go into the wireless network connection page and it says that windows is controling my wireless network, and sometimes the wireless card program is controlling my wireless network. I even went so far as to purchase a completely new wireless card last night because I thought that might be it!

The Verizon DSL guy came out and said my line is great, putting out even more than what I am subscribed for.

What do I do? I'm getting so pissed! I feel as though by the time i click on the publish button my internet will be back off!

(e:lauren) will have to mess with it all day.

note... INTERNET DID NOT WORK WHEN I HIT PUBLISH!!! AAARRGHHH!!

note again... TIMES TWO!~

couple a things i have recently noted...

(e:paul) i cannot believe that you have a cat. Its really kinda blowing my mind right now. How much 'anti cat dander' medicine do you have to take?

obama is totally screwing up right now and its highly dissapointing.

my internet connection h as been screwy and I was out for two days. Now I'm just waiting on a new wireless card to replace the wireless dongle which suuucckks. Hehe dongle.

They are reblacktopping my parking lot. Which means they have invited us to use their lot behind the old YMCA on North Street. Which is total sketchville. Ithink maybe it might be better to park in the street, but I don't know if there is a no parking overnight rule here. I know its just 2 hour parking 7 am to 7 pm....

OH an the old YMCA is totally haunted. They are turning it into senior housing, but its the type of place you can just look at and say... yup its haunted. I know one of the guys who is working in there and I want to try and get him to bring me in there in the middle of the night so i can get freaked out by ghosties.

Work. Work. Work. Work.

With (e:lauren)'s parents visiting for a couple days, I don't quite know what to do with myself. Normally in themornings that I work I have things timed perfectly for getting myself up, dressed and fed. But with sleeping parents in the living room, I decided to cut my morning down by a half hour.

I got to springville a whole hour early. Went shopping for my lunch and now I'm sitting here a half hour before close. *sigh* I'm not really good at this whole timing thing.

On another note, I am looking at a box here at work that have my new kicks in them. I'm very excited. So excited that I'm going to go put them on. Yes... sneakers at work. What a rebel I am!

Its hard being a single mommy apparently. I was so busy while (e:lauren) was gone, trying to pay attention to my boys when i got home from long shifts, i had very little time for anything else!

Went to my grandparents for a couple days also - haha spent fourth of july at the races. WOW! let me tell you how interesting that was... some interestin folk up there... especially when they had the boat races... as in race cars pulling old boats around the track - the boats were, incidentally, not on trailers. It was kinda ridiculous.

OH and here's the good news.. If ANYBODY is interested or knows anybody who is interested in an apartment, my complex here at 367 elmwood has some openings. Totally gay friendly, pet friendly and wonderful people. example.... last week i said - hey my dishwasher isn't working! is that something i should call somebody to come fix it? and my response was... hey, i'll send out a brand new dishwasher by tuesday! it should be here by five. she also offered to include a free kitten, but i declined.

HEAT is included! believe it or not... the place is a bit smaller, but perfect for one.

SO if anyone needs a place, PLEASE let me know. (we also get referral credits!)

anyway, senior ralphie is off to the vets again!!

LONGEST work days ever. FOr the past four days at work everything has been insane. 11 hour work days that are so crazy that i couldn't eat anything for the entire time. The store packed to the rafters. INSANE i tell you! but the good news is that my springville store surpassed goals thus month that couldn't even have been reached in december/christmas season! heeellll yeah!

im exhausted though.

lauren is leaving me on tuesday, and i'm worried about ralphie. Hes going to be home alone all day! tues weds AND thursday for like 8 hours! poor puppy! all alone in his crate!

anyway... i guess i should go get ready for work. god i can't wait for tomorrow. SO need a day off. even if that day off is spent working ont he car with my bro.

Training yesterday Morning (my day off) on data devices on the Verizon Network. I believe that it has forced me into being interested in a data device. I think I want a blackberry. or should I say a crackberry? Sigh.... DAMMIT. I think I really do. Seriously. But I have to wait till September before I'm going to be eligible for a ten month upgrade. stttuuuupid.

But speaking of yesterday mornings training, I was complaining that I had to be up at 6 am on my day off. I dislike this morning stuff. This morning it was 630. Tomorrow? 530. Friday? 5. Sat? 7. Phew for Sat! Can't wait to sleep in man. BOOOOO!

BUt of course this is all so that i have about ten minutes of procrastination in the morning that I can attempt to read/post estrip.

or to post video of Ralphie and MAxx playing.