Being a tiny part of a big event can be exciting and even though Monday Night Football is on cable now, it hasn't lost any of its circus like nature. I was sort of dreading working it since a lot of visiting fans get stuck in the end zones and you know what that usually means.

Even the drive to the stadium took on a different feel. I got in early and was glad I did. Coming up Abbott Rd, ESPN had set up the ESPN experience so there were people spilling out of that tent onto the street. Crossing Southwestern Blvd to the actual stadium area, vendors doubled their usual number. The lots were full. The Bills have a big "thing" in their fieldhouse, but moved it outside for ESPN's benefit.

It was kind of fun to watch the preparations inside. ESPN's pregame crew was at the end zone opposite me for which I was grateful. THE espn talent was going to draw a crowd. The show Pardon the Interruption was done closer to where I usually hang. I've seen a number of live tv shows so that wasn't a big deal, although it was fun to watch all the buffalo sports reporters all staighten up a little bit as the ESPN guys walked past. Guess the Buffalo dudes were thinking they might get discovered if they look good.



The game itself, you all know about. Fans can be such assholes to each other. A woman in Dallas gear ran headlong into a guy getting directions from me, splashing us both with overpriced Bud Light. Instead of any apologies, all she could mutter was "Where the fuck is this seat?" Without missing a beat, I replied with "Right fucking down there." Last I saw of here. Now, Cowboy fans in this area, are like NY Yankee fans. They just appear. Last Night, that seemed to bring out the worst in some residents of Bills Nation. I turned my back for a second and a Dallas rooter got a beer tossed on him by a cowardly Bills goof. I had to kwell two different testosterone injected arguments, including one between two guys dressed up like Hulk Hogan.

It meant a lot of extra trips up and down my 39 steps so my knees aren't speaking to me today. I knew it was going to be a little weird as I checked in for work. There is an employee gate where anybody working the game shows up to. On one wall, there is a poster of MYP's from last week's game. They take the pictures from the ID badges and my badge pic stinks, but there I was on display. A photo worthy of the most fashionable mugshot.



So, from the fireworks to the GOfast guy landing his jetpack on the field to the hoopla with ESPN and that floating field camera of theirs, quite a night and a surreal way to end a weekend.

I spent Friday through Sunday in Fishkill and Cold Spring, NY. My younger sister got married at a spa/club/Resort called the Garrison. My guys and I logged a lot of Route 17 miles. The New Paltz signs made me think of (e:fellyconnelly) and (e:lauren). Forgot my laptop, it was refreshing and a little disorienting to have that sense of disconnect. The ceremony and reception were nice. My folks threw a party at the Cold Spring Depot restaurant that night to cap off festivities.

Good Suit picture of me to follow. Have a good Tuesday everybody. I'm taking today off.

I've been whored out whoring for cable. Last year's photo, this year's propaganda. The uniform does nothing for me. It's on the company web site, you can imagine my shock - especially since I've got one foot out the door

Whenever I do the Bills game thing, I'll tend to drift to someplace to get a decent breakfast out, because game day lunches are pretty hypothetical. That said, I didn't sleep real well last night thanks to some epic back spasms. They went away thanks to Aleve with a side, actually a pint or two of Guinness. I found myself at the Towne this morning sleepily looking through the Sunday paper and scarfing down eggs, coffee and sundries. I was morning reading and thought for all the world somebody was calling me. I wasn't sure so I kept reading, eating, coffee slurping, etc.

Happened again ( I think), and I looked over and saw nothing. So if you were in the Towne, saw me from afar and I snubbed you, please accept my apologies. I wasn't trying to be aloof, it just worked out this way. If this was not case, please instruct the voices in my head to cool it.

Today was kinda of sucky out there. People were piling into seats not their own, which put some folks out which had me doing a lot of shuttle diplomacy up and down my aisle during the first quarter. Got that settled with some verbal jousting, only to see one guy relive the 8 beers he had in the parking lot all over the people in front of him. It was one of the days where despite the great weather, you wonder why you do this -- and then I remember the extra cash and keep on keeping on. I'm not a big fan of little kids at the Bills games due to the high amount of drunken assholes, but one little thing did crack me. A little girl of 4 was on her dad's shoulders screaming "Let's go Buffalo" with some impressive conviction. Being the jerk that I am, gave her a high five on her way out. That aside, I'm not really looking forward to Monday Night Footbal next week -- I'm too busy thinking of the Zoo the week after! Funny what a win will do. People are leaving the stadium thinking the Bills aren't all that bad. Keep dreaming folks, I'm happy about getting asked to work the Sabres outdoor game on New Year's. That could fool around and be fun.

I'm thinking of the Halloween E strip party when my son presented me with one of those fake hatchets that fit on your head so it looks like you got bludgeoned. I believe my costume will be that of a deceased peep.

Time for a pint, I've earned it.

a geek gets his wings....

In spring 2005, I was slaving away at the Adelphia call center. Didn't have to talk to anybody so I had my IPOD keeping me company. One night from hell, I was putting it in my jacket pocket and the lil devil slipped to the floor, killing it. Drove out to the mac store and they replaced it. On the way home, I got the call for my marketing gig that was laced with many free dinners from cable channels (that will have to be the subject of another journal sometime). I already wrote about my current ipod swirling down the digital drainpipe. I got the zoo call the next day. It's a nice pattern, hope it sticks this time.

Let the cat out of the bag yesterday at TW. My boss was on the road and nearly drove her SUV up a telephone in Mayville. She and my other sup were very cool about the whole thing. Get your cable questions in, because after 10/15, no more peep credit. Internet gets slow, all I can do is give you a train ride ticket. I called her around 11:30 and by 3:00, my current job was posted internally. You want free cable, it was posted for anybody on the TW site this morning. With the bosses two counties away, it was interesting to see just how fast I became gossip fodder. If the company was that efficient on all matters, we might have more satisfied customers.
But alas...

Elsewhere, I was reading about the marketing geniuses on the thruway authority who want to take away discounts for paypass and raise rates, because people aren't using the thruway system as much. Apparently, it's never dawned on them that they might want to discount or try to entice people to use the system with paypass so they can save by using the system. Or perhaps trying cutting costs as well. Stupidheads!!!

Thanks for all the post interview good vibes, peeps, you guys indeed rock. Oh, and (e:enknot) , a bit of veteran father advice to a newbie. If you hear something in the middle of the night, get your butt up. That said, congrats to you and Meg. Well done, good sir

Wegman's had pumpkins out. Who the hell is carving a pumpkin now except these folks

Check it out, peaches!!!!!

Take your cable problems and give em to somebody else. Animal issues, I'm all over.

Hope it isn't an omen, but on the way to work, I made a stop and got back in the car and my Ipod greeted me with the sad mac face. I got applecare on it, but that can color the rest of the journey. I'm not a big John Mayer fan but he was writing (ghostwriting) a column for Esquire about how Ipods are truly sentient beings.

I thought there was some truth to that as on Monday, the ipod filled the car with some gloomy stuff and how yesterday it was cranking anthems on the way to Zoo interview number 2. Today, a little Wilco on the way to Weggies. As soon as I got out, it swirled the digital drain pipe. Guess I get to go see the "Geniuses" tomorrow before work.

Terrible to have to rely on those Silvery circle like thingys for musical entertainment.

Zoo went pretty well yesterday. Talked for an hour and half. Just have to wait for the interviewers to compare notes to see on who they prefer. I looked sharp and unlike my estrip party appearances was good and quickwitted. So, we'll see. Interesting that TW had a interview for me this morning and I'm apparently not good enough to help run a call center. Not that I was terribly interested in that anyway. With Chang's burning down, another good Chinese takeout place went down in this plaza and we are chock full of people who buy stuff, without any insight into what they are buying. Wish I could go into a place and ask "got any deals?" The only thing more amazing than the uninformed purchasing is the amount of people who pound on the door after hours wanting to get issues addressed. That makes me wonder if these same chuckleheads pound on the mall door after 9 when Auntie Anne's has stopped cranking out pretzels.

In other news, I'm playing bus stop dad again for my younger two kids. A friend of mine brings her two kids down the same bus stop and I think she is getting taken advantage of by her neighbors. The school the kids all go to is over on Minnesota and the kids start at age 3. Two of this woman's neighbors send their three year olds down with her instead of stepping up and acting as adults. It's an adjustment for all parties involved, but because of the disruption of the other kids, she's wondering about how well her own child is coping with the new school experience. I tried to tell her that it looks like her daughter is adjusting okay, but that is tough for her to see since somebody else's problem kid is dumped on her door. I'm not sure what to do about that, but I think that if you are getting a kid through the educational system, it's on you, not a well-meaning neighbor to see to the kid's introduction to school. I hurt myself professionally for a few years on my guys behalf and would make that choice again in a heartbeat. I know what career goals can mean, but shit you got a kid to think about in all respects ya'know?

I'm looking forward to seeing if my Buffalo Bills Moonlighting translates into admission to the outdoor hockey game. Good Football seats won't necessarily translate into decent hockey viewing, but the event itself seems like a fun spectacle to be a part of, especially with no risk of football being played after the Bills regular season ends.

Got a ticket for Neil Young in Toronto so I guess that makes me happy.

I don't wax on politics too much, because it is almost too troublesome these days. The will of the people demanded change in Congress and we got folks too spineless to change anything. Nobody has much nerve. I've been paying a little attention to the county executive race to see what is going to happen in our post-Giambra world. The two leading democrats are behaving like a couple of 2nd graders (and I do apologize to any second graders cuz you deserve better). Paul Clark and Jim Keane are sniping at each other at such a clip it is truly impossible to know what either one stands for. This is particularly disappointing in the case of Keane. I worked on his 1986 congressional campaign when he nearly beat Jack Kemp and he talked in specifics. This election is sadly another story. When the voice of reason, the sense of accomplishment, the moral compass comes from Jimmy Griffin, you know something is fucked up about the process. I'd like Keane and Clark to actually say what they would do in office instead of trying to out-"Swift boat" each other.

David Rivera is running for something (I'm not sure what), but his campaign thought it was a good idea to stuff my mailbox with 9 different postcards in a two day period. You would have thought there would have been some substance to the mailings and you would have been disappointed. Apparently, the printers and direct mailers will profit from the campaign. The rest of us just have to wait to see who bubbles to the top of the infighting.

It's a process that has become very bloated. You really have to dig to find of stands on things, especially in primaries where candidates are saying whatever to get past the primary hurdle. I guess hoping for a "Joel broke this, but this is how I'm going to fix it" is too much to ask for.

Hope springs eternal I guess. Despite the direct mail excess, I'm going to vote anyway. Do likewise folks.

Happy day, ya lil devil