Posts from March 2011

The biggest reason I love Buffalo is the most major things in my life have happened here.

-I was born here
-I met my wife here
-I was married here
-I earned my bachelors degree here
-My child was conceived and born here

It's kinda crazy that all of these things happened to me and I have lived here less than 5 years. Not consecutively obviously. Buffalo will always hold a special place in my heart.

Honorable mention:
-Sponge Candy
-Bistro Europa
-Blue Monk
-Walking distance to Canada
-Really cool buildings and mansions
-Bidwell Market
-Good wings everywhere
-Crazy Parades
-Free Concerts
-Paula's Donuts
-CEPA Art Gallery
-Traffic Circles

I guess that was reasons instead of reason.

So I'm becoming really private online. I have been keeping any sort of real details about my life off of the net. But a few of you here know that my wife (Btw I got married) was pregnant. She had the baby last week and we are doing very well. I don't want to post her name or pictures because I think if the baby wants to have some sort of online presence that will be her decision in the future. But she is wicked cute and I hope you all get to meet her soon.

I really do intend to keep writing here. I'm currently just trying to get inspired again. I guess for while I didn't really care what I posted about. Now I don't want any potential or current bosses or colleagues to stumble upon this journal by accident. I have been cooking up a storm lately, which really means its time to start posting about that again.

A picture comment to @paul #53737

Just in case it was too hard to slice the pre-cooked potatoes they include that convenience too.

NY state is now recommending Hepatitis B vaccines for all newborn babies based on six case studies of medical errors I'm not one of those crazies (see Jenny McCarthy) that thinks vaccinations lead to autism. I do think that its overkill to give a newborn a Hep B vaccine based on six case studies. I didn't even get this vaccine until I went to work in a hospital with routine exposure to patient blood. I can't see how a newborn would ever likely come into contact with this. Anyway I did find find this great website the Jenny McCarthy Body Count I find idiots like her and and people like Oprah that give her a pedestal from which to spew forth dangerous crap highly despicable. It is amazing to me how quickly bullshit spreads in the information age. It's no wonder I'm becoming a Luddite. It's scary to think that my baby could get polio because some moron thought that a vaccine was more dangerous than the disease it prevents.

I am really annoyed with how much I use Facebook these days. I can't figure out why I even log in anymore. I can't stand close to 10% of my "Friends". Most of these people were someone I was acquainted with many years ago. For the most part I was never their friend and it is obvious why. Another 10% are people that I went to high school with and was never friends with. In fact everything I know about these people is based entirely on their facebook status. Most of the people I'm close with don't actually communicate anything at all with me there. In fact I also don't communicate any sort of real personal information. But the craziest thing of all is that most of my communication is with people from (e:strip).

Btw @paul's head keeps showing up on the people I may know screen. What's up with that?

Once again Arkansas and the deep south for that matter has proven to me that they ought to be a separate country from the one that I live in. Clint McCance (cmccance@midlandschools.org) Midland School District Vice President in Midland Arkansas states the following on his Facebook page in response to a GLAAD sponsored "Spirit Day" event in which supporters wear purple:

"Seriously they want me to wear purple because five queers killed themselves. The only way im wearin it for them is if they all commit suicide. I can't believe the people of this world have gotten this stupid. We are honoring the fact that they sinned and killed thereselves because of their sin. REALLY PEOPLE."]

Ok, In all fairness to the rest of Arkansas I'm sure you find this guy to be as much of an asshole as I do. Not only does he have severe mental issues, but the guy make up his own words! How does someone like this get elected to the school board? Not only do I feel bad for the students at that district, I worry about his children who undoubtedly have much working against them considering who their father is. I really hope the rest of the 253 people in Midland Arkansas do all in their power to remove him from the board.

So as every NPR junky has heard Juan Williams was fired this week. I have mixed feelings about this whole mess. First I must confess I love NPR. It's the only radio station I will listen to, with the exception of christian radio (that is a completely different kind of obsession). I love NPR because its where I get not only my news but entertainment. I don't think NPR is a liberal media outlet although I'm sure someone would argue that. Even though I completely disagree with Mr. Williams sentiments I was shocked to hear he was fired. I disagree with him being fired for expressing his feelings. I believe he probably was fired more for where he said his comments than for what he actually said. With that said I will still listen to NPR and give them my money.

It's incredibly unfortunate that Sarah Palin is still in the spotlight. She is now calling for all federal funding for NPR to be cut . It's unbelievable to me the idiocy that spews forth from this woman. Why should a news organization that is truly "fair and balanced" be in her sights? Is it because she feels threatened by anyone smarter than her? I mean she folded when Katie Couric, of all people, interviewed her. Such hard hitting questions as "what newspapers do you read?" really threw a wrench in her spokes. I sincerely hope our country is still with it enough to never elect this woman.

The past two days I have biked to buy my groceries. Yesterday I went to the Asian Grocery stores on Niagara st. and the Lexington Coop. Today I ventured out to Wegmans for the rest of the stuff. On my way home on Elmwood traffic was pretty much at a standstill as it is most hours of the day. I was in front of the Burchfield Penney when I heard someone shout "Wow!". I turned to look and saw a two rednecks in a rusted out red Chevy Blazer staring at a college girl in tight shorts. The passenger side lowlife was in his early 20's with his seat tilted all the way back sporting a dirty white t-shirt. His facial hair completed the look that said he hadn't showered in days. I'm sure had the vehicle not been in motion he would have a had a shot with her. Soon thereafter Casanova looked directly at me and shouted "faggot!". I sped up my pace in hopes to get my revenge. I knew that I would eventually catch up to them given the pace of traffic. It was finally around Breckenridge st. where they were stopped a red light. I pulled up right next to them looked at him a called him a "douchebag" right to his face. In retrospect it was probably not a great idea. But I didn't stick around for the repercussions. I headed down the one way street in hopes that they wouldn't be able to catch me. It really did make my day.

In an unsolicited response to @paul #52605 . I suppose I have stopped blogging for more than one reason. Part of it is I just haven't had a whole lot I have wanted to share with the world lately. I know this may sound kind of strange but I have had people say things about my blog that aren't really part of estrip and it made me uncomfortable. In turn I stopped blogging because I wasn't sure how much I wanted to share about my life. So many things have happened and changed in my life I would love to be able to write about them here however I am reasonably public with this account and am not certain I am comfortable saying them. I have often thought about starting over here with an anonymous account. But for whatever reason I just haven't. Everytime I start to write a blog I end up erasing it and just continue to lurk. I have actually started to lurk on my own facebook account partly for the same reason.

For me the increased popularity of facebook has had absolutely nothing to do with why I stopped blogging. I was on facebook at least a year before even knew estrip existed. Facebook has gotten to the point of annoying the shit out me. I really can't stand most things that people say and do on facebook. It isn't anywhere near as creative as estrip is. In fact I really only keep it to stay informed.

It also makes me sad to see that the blogging traffic on estrip has dwindled. I obviously have to take some responsibility for not posting much of anything in the past year. When I first moved here and didn't know a single person estrip was one of the best things about Buffalo. I met people instantly. I suppose I don't spend a whole lot of time with estrip people anymore but occasionally I still see them and hang out with them, and it alwasy turns out to be a good time. I would like to say I will blog more from now on, but I'm not certain I will follow through as usual. But I guess one post is a start.