"Changing fast....for the better" written by Fing on estrip.org

03/16/08 12:54 - 33ºF - ID#43693

Changing fast....for the better

I am on the verge of turning 30. My birthday this year falls on Easter Sunday and I can't remember the last time that has happened if at all. Some would probably be freaked out about turning 30 but I am excited.

I was given a card with some money in it from my coworkers on Friday. They all knew I wanted to get a PS3 so I immediately went out and got one along with Rockband. I believe they all secretly just wanted to play it and no buy it themselves :) Needless to say we had a blast. Here are some pics to prove it:

Yours truly on the drums

(e:mrdeadlier) singing

(e:paul) on the drums

(e:enknot) rockin out

On a totally other unrelated topic my wife and I are expecting our first child. We started telling people officially this week which is so much fun. At this point I am a little nervous but I am sure that will go away.

Thank you everyone for coming to my party....it was a great time for me and looks like for everyone else also.

Permalink: Changing_fast_for_the_better.html
Words: 194
Location: Amherst, NY

02/23/08 02:20 - 29ºF - ID#43437

Saturday just doing things

This is the first Saturday in a while where 1) I have been home and 2) the weather is decent. Doing things around the house is one of my favorite things to do. It might seem boring to some but just cleaning up the basement or the garage is very therapeutic. Funny how such a small improvement can allow me to step back and say to myself "That looks so much better why didn't I do this sooner." Today is one of those recharge feel good days for me. Hope everyone else's Saturday is a great one.

Permalink: Saturday_just_doing_things.html
Words: 95
Location: Amherst, NY

02/21/08 02:38 - 20ºF - ID#43417

Styrofoam

Today I want to Bagel Jay's on Delaware for lunch. Besides the sandwich being good they served my fountain drink in a styrofoam cup. Is it just me or does a fountain soda just taste better in styrofoam? I have always been able to taste certain things that others don't seem to. For example I can taste the difference between say Poland Spring water and Dasani. I am not saying that I am special or anything but I notice the difference. Although styrofoam is bad for our environment I sure do enjoy drinking from one. Maybe it's the carcinogens that are released that gives it that oh so great flavor.

Permalink: Styrofoam.html
Words: 110
Location: Amherst, NY

02/19/08 09:01 - 20ºF - ID#43387

Living room

Yesterday my wife and I went out to purchase some lamps for the living room. This room has a light in the center on the ceiling that does not give off any sort of warm light. We even tried to change it out at one point but hated the way it looked. Target was our only hope in this matter. We ended up buying 2 table lamps and one floor lamp. After some moving around it looks so homey now. Maybe now I will not be so uptight while trying to relax.

As is life with one solution comes another problem however. As I was sitting in our well lit, cozy inviting living room I started brainstorming about our tv stand. Since we purchased the 46" tv I had to move my floor standing speakers out and put some replacements in. The floor standing units were to tall and the tv was to wide. I was on the hunt for a good stand last night and I am a little disappointed. They were either massive or downright expensive. My main goal is to get the surround sound set back up. So I either have to build a stand myself or maybe even buy a smaller set of speakers.

Permalink: Living_room.html
Words: 206
Location: Amherst, NY

02/15/08 10:30 - 17ºF - ID#43353

Friday is supposed to be fun

Today was not a fun day for me. Work was crazy because of this project I am working on and I was tired besides. We have so many devices and hardware to keep straight that you can't carry it all. The worst part is that I have to be totally mobile. So if I leave something in one building because I used it there last I have to go and get it to use it somewhere else. There is really no telling when or where you will need it next. However, it keeps me moving and prevents what my wife likes to call "9 to 5 ass".

I was mentally and physically drained today though. I felt like I was making more work for myself actually being at work. Oh well I guess you can't win em all.

We capped off the night going to Amicis in Kenmore recommended by (e:mrdeadlier) I had the Penne and Shrimp with the Vodka Cream Sauce.....it was fantastic. I'm a sucker for vodka and cream sauce. Yum!

Permalink: Friday_is_supposed_to_be_fun.html
Words: 173
Location: Amherst, NY

02/13/08 10:18 - 19ºF - ID#43319

I hate Amazon.com right now!

So this is my first rant post (great!). Let me give you a little background:

I have not carried a CC balance since 1996. That was the year I first signed up for a card and it was a Sabres Mastercard no less. I have been very proud to say every balance has been paid in full every month on time.

For Christmas I ordered the same TV that (e:paul) just got. Under the impression that I was getting 1) $30 dollars off at Amazon.com for my first purchase with the Amazon Visa card and 2) 18 Months no interest. This was a win win because the tv was cheaper then any retail store. Plus there was free shipping and no tax.

Tonight I got my second statement and noticed that there was $19.24 in interest. So I called Chase to clear this up and found out the 18 month promotion was offered through GE????? What? Don't they make light bulbs? So I called Amazon directly. I am not someone who enjoys confrontation but on the phone I don't really care. I am never going to see/meet this person and if I do then I would not know anyway. I ripped into everyone I talked to tonight...all 3 of them.

It came down to the fact that I signed up for the Amazon.com Visa and not the Amazon.com Store Card. Now maybe this was my mistake but Amazon in my opinion did not make this very clear. Who knew that they had two cards? So it all came down to "Oh you signed up for that card...well you needed this card."

Needless to say I am very pissed off tonight. However, I guess I have a lot still going for me.

1) I got $30 off
2) The TV was 700 cheaper then getting it in a retail store
3) I got a $25 gift card from Amazon as a reward for buying the tv
4) I managed to talk Chase into giving me a credit for the finance fees

I do feel cheated though. I have the money to pay this off tomorrow which I will do and then cancel the Chase Amazon card. The principle is the thing that kills me.

Man this blogging thing is like free therapy. I feel better already!

fellyconnelly writes at 09:52:44 02/14/08 - Comment #31660: the entire country is run on credit. i mean the federal reserve is a private banking institution! so yes... the only way to have good credit is to give all your money to credit card companies. fuckers.

jenks writes at 08:36:54 02/14/08 - Comment #31656: I never carry a balance either, except for once or twice after christmas when I've had to pay it off over two months. But you know what kills me- that that does NOT give me the best credit rating. Of course it doesn't... the credit card companies don't get to make their ridiculous 18% off me, so they don't like it.
fuckers.

drew writes at 11:39:03 02/13/08 - Comment #31652: (e:janelle) recommended I get a bass guitar when the check comes. Too bad I won't be able to afford an American made one!

jason writes at 11:11:53 02/13/08 - Comment #31651: James, I'm sure you know this already, so we can share the joke, but Uncle Sizzam is borrowing the cash to give us! Yay! He's as irresponsible as we are!

mrdeadlier writes at 11:03:55 02/13/08 - Comment #31649: Maybe it's un-American but my tax money is going directly to the CC as well.

On the flip side, I think except for maybe a grand total of oh say 6 (non-consecutive) months, I have CARRIED a balance of some sort on a CC since 1995. :(

james writes at 10:47:52 02/13/08 - Comment #31647: You don't carry a balance with crushing interest every month? What are ya? A pinko commie or something? Real Americans get buried under debt, for America!

Bush's economic stimulus package expected to pass both the house and the senate means a $600 check to each single tax payer. They urge us not to pay off our debts but to spend it on consumer products to stimulate the economy... and economy swirling at the bottom of the bowl because of debt.

America, Fuck Ya!

Permalink: I_hate_Amazon_com_right_now_.html
Words: 377
Location: Amherst, NY

02/11/08 10:36 - 11ºF - ID#43284

My pipes are frozen again....

No not those pipes. I am sure (e:mrdeadlier) was going to jump all over that one.

For some reason the person that decided to put in a great master bathroom did not know exactly what he was doing. From what I can tell the hot and cold come up from the basement and then go out into an overhang that covers the back entry way. They continue back into the house to the toilet, shower and whirlpool tub. That means they are out in the cold for a good stretch.

This is probably the 5th time this has happened in the past two winters. I have been able to avoid anything bursting because I open the valves until they thaw. From what I understand this gives the ice a place to go which is a good thing. This summer I plan on doing some demolition so I can finally stop this cycle.

For now we have to use the guest bathroom but at least we can shower in the morning. If I can't shower then I am not a happy person. I would be a dirty unhappy person at best.

Permalink: My_pipes_are_frozen_again_.html
Words: 191
Location: Amherst, NY

02/10/08 11:29 - 27ºF - ID#43266

80's Movie Weekend

Friday I had an urge to just stay inside and watch 80's movies. So we went to Blockbuster and picked up the following:

Back to School

License to Drive

Money Pit

I have never actually seen Back to School until yesterday and I thought it was funny.

We are talking about getting a NetFlix subscription but I have heard some good and bad things about it. Every day that passes I get closer and closer to a PS3....I REALLY WANT BLUERAY NOW!

enknot writes at 06:28:14 02/11/08 - Comment #31544: Yeah fing. I've been tring to get to (e:pmt)'s to check out the TV they just picked up. I'm dying to see it in action, and after the whole BluRay winning the HD war it really makes me consider buying a PS3 even though Ihave a XBOX. The newer XBOXs are kinda nice, but I (by I, I mean the people who live in my house) watch movies on it a whole hell of a lot more ofthen than we do anything else with it, and it's got just about all the games I want to play in it as well, and the price is now trying to compete with XBOX so, don't tell Paul, but I feel really bad for steering him towards XBOX and I'm considering a PS3. Though the woman and I did just start playing the HALO series and she's kinda into it. She gets dizzy and sick cause it's 3D, but she's getting used to it. I tell her. Think of the after effects of playing this game as a crazy night out when you first started drinking... and she stares at me blankly, but I think she gets it.

mrdeadlier writes at 08:22:57 02/10/08 - Comment #31537: Listen to James. Netflix is totally where it's at. Awesome.

And I'm disappointed Uncle Buck and/or Trains, Planes, and Automobiles couldn't find it's way into your weekend. :(

james writes at 01:37:19 02/10/08 - Comment #31524: Netflix is amazing. Seriously fucking awesome. There selection of movies is immense. I spent the first four months watching Soviet progaganda movies. Next I watched every Bergman movie. Then every Woody Allan movie. Then dozens of samurai movies. Three years later I still can find obscure stuff I can't find elsewhere. The service is crazy fast. I mailed in a movie Thursday and got my next movie Saturday.

Fucking Awesome!

paul writes at 11:58:17 02/10/08 - Comment #31521: Ours is coming on Wednesday. There is no way you could justify any other bluray player when they are about the same price. Plus it can be a media center. We are going with that instead of cable.

Permalink: 80_s_Movie_Weekend.html
Words: 83
Location: Amherst, NY

02/08/08 08:15 - 27ºF - ID#43241

Another late night...

Ok this is starting to get crazy and this is only week one. Last night we upgraded the switches in two other closets and I am very tired this morning. I think it is time to look at the schedule and push some of these off so I don't go crazy. I think I am going to ask my manager for a cot so that I can take a nap on days like these. He probably would go for it since we really have been burning the midnight oil and they coming in early the next day to make sure everything is working.

Permalink: Another_late_night_.html
Words: 103
Location: Amherst, NY

02/05/08 11:50 - 34ºF - ID#43203

Late night at work

Tonight was the first of many late nights at work. You can't just change out switches in the middle of the day. We are currently working on the hospital and will be installing over 120 48Port Cisco switches. The new ones are so much better then the old ones. I could bore you with the details however I am sure you have better things to do.

Here is the rack after it is done. You can see the old switches now have nothing connected.