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01/10/09 02:37 - 22ºF - ID#47351

Why?

A few questions have been rattling around my cerebral cortex.

What is it about the Thirsty Buffalo that has young morons parking expensive cars across driveways? I chuckled as Verizon had a beemer towed away last night.

Why is it when it is snowing and the same amount of snow is on both the street and the sidewalk, people inevitably walk in the street.

Why haven't I learned that when a television director says he wants 3 hours for filming stand-ups in the Rainforest, he really means he wants 9 hours all over the friggin place?

Why did a representative from one of the local city agencies tell me entirely incorrect misinformation about a gathering at the Library thursday night? I did a lot of prep work to talk to people who were apparently fictional.

Why is it when going down a narrow street people are either slow to give ground or hang up the phone? Both of these happened on Lancaster the other night.

Why did it take so long for Edrito's to return? I ate dinner last night felt immediately better. Nothing like a really well prepared selection of tacos with fresh stuff to make you forget about the week's travails.

Why did this week take so frigging long? First week of everybody back and it seemed to go on for a staggering length of time.

There, that's better.
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Permalink: Why_.html
Words: 229
Location: Buffalo, NY


Category: work

01/07/09 03:48 - ID#47322

No cover sheet on my TPS report

I'm thinkin' and my head hurts...

Had a day off from well, everything, on sunday and I think it was just odd enough that I'm just out of whack in general. The surreality culminated in running three different photo shoots at work. One was a photo shoot for the hostess of a kids tv show produced out of Fredonia. One was a tv segment for local cable that was in and out in 45 minutes. The biggie was a thing that might wind up on the Discovery Channel. Everybody on that crew was local, except the director. He was an out of towner who was gracious enough to buy lunch. The host and I went into the project with one set of expections and things grew and grew, with a four project stretching into hour nine by the time it was all over.

Playing traffic cop had its moments. The big cable crew had a lot of nice toys including $60,000 in hd equipment that I was scared to touch. By the time the snow started to fall around 4 by the river otters, the glamour was off. The otters however thought the boom mic was a treat instead of the worst pinata ever.

That stuff leaves everybody whipped and grumpy. An associate and I were marooned till close to 7. Not that big a deal, but after 11 hours together, the closing of the car door is not the worst sound in the world.

The 2 guinness' with dinner made life grand, but today started mighty soon. I'm working on an advil stupor as getting out of the car left me with a bruise on hip. The only real damage is to what's left of my dignity. With all the freezing rain and what not, things are little frozen. Nothing had come through the section of the park where I usually abandon my car. Got there, opened the door and promptly slipped, hipchecking my car door way on the way down. The "fun" of making tv yesterday reduced me to a Sabres watching mess on my couch last night, skipping yoga and with a bruised hip, I ain't feeling tonight, but I'll probably suck it up. Can't fall behind.

That is unless my insurance company induced headache doesn't clear. The kids are currenly under my ex insurance only as mine barely covers me very well. When I was still in the throes of cabledom, we had them covered by both employers. This is a fine plan, because it leaves nothing to chance except the complete and utter incompentency of billing department staffs in the respective medical practices. They solve the policy process by billing the parent's acct by when in the calendar year each parent's birthday falls. With my February date, my policy came up first. Inevitably, they fuck that up, but I digress. Apparently, the dental folks I had with the cable kingdom never sent any cessation letter, so the current carrier thought we were double dipping. So, you can imagine the series of emails, phone calls, and what not, compounded by my frustration at people reading some of what I am addressing so you get to say it twice. I am certain that this is why prices are insane.

Reason why you shouldn't take too long writing a journal: My dad sent me a note (so he could talk to me and my sisters at the same time) that his brother passed away last night. I didn't really know him that well. He was roughly 8 years older than my dad and lived in and around Jersey for as long as I remember. So, it feels a little weird. I'm sad for my dad a little bit, but I think he is a little relieved. My uncle had both a really bad run with Parkinsons and a number of strokes that have left him existing a lot more than living. So, it's one of those you're not sure what to feel. Lord knows I've been through enough services within the past 12 months, and you're relieved that you don't have to participate in this one, I feel like there is something I should be doing, writing, whatever, but I guess a nice letter to my aunt will suffice. Strange how that all can work.

I'm taking anither aspirin
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Permalink: No_cover_sheet_on_my_TPS_report.html
Words: 713
Location: Buffalo, NY


Category: random

01/03/09 09:38 - 21ºF - ID#47271

Reheated Leftovers

Let's see. Lesson one, kids, is to pay attention to your firefox tabs. I just accidentally deep sixed about 800 words by not watching what I was doing. Grumble, grumble.

Lesson two? Breathe regular. I'm in the middle of a well deserved long weekend. I took advantage of that and caught a mid day yoga class at the elmwood studios. I'm sailing along and got a little discombobulated and spent a little time getting recombobulated. When we hit the final sit up series, I nearly dropped like a stone. Never been tagged by a dizzy spell like that before. Made a slick recovery, but had a headache for the rest of the day for my troubles. Woke up this morning fine, so I don't think I blew any fuses.

Prior to that, I made a stop at the current location of the DMV to get enhanced driver's license information for me and permit info for my darling eldest. That makes me cringe.

Insanely nice time at the 24 on NYE. Thanks again to PMT for letting run amuck in their confines. It was great to meet (e:iriesara) and her man for the first time. Great to see our noted world traveler (e:ladycroft) and her man. Thanks again for the book, LC. I was actually thinking about that one last time I was in Talking Leaves. I enjoyed every silly minute of the shenanigans.

It was a nice breather. I think I journaled about my own Dad being the latest to need Roswell's services. He was biopsied earlier in december and had type b lymphoma. Roswell, with either a twisted sense of irony or humor, relayed this news on Christmas eve. So, we have that to think about. His treatment regimen cranks up in earnest in a few weeks.

Poured my self a drink. Anyway, also had to ask the folks to think about something else. i didn't go to their house on Christmas Day, but they did invite my brother-in-law's sister. Of the three times I've met her, the phrase raging asshole popped into my head and once out of my mouth. So, I put the question to them about if Sister Crankypants merits an invite, how about letting the mother of your grandchildren out of the penalty box? I have hated being the conduit for activity since my divorce. I drank the one big happy family kool aid right away and truth be told, it seems to be working, but too damn slowly. She and I have always been able to talk and her family went through great pains to show me that I was still a part of the team. Mine has been a little slow on the uptake. They are getting there, but a more stubborn bunch of irishmen I don't think you'll ever see.

I put the question to the rents to just extend an invitation. The ex might not take it, but the extension might make my world a little easier. She was there for 15 of them so it isn't like this would be something new.

Want to do it for the kids sake as well as our own. We already lost her dad this past year and my mom had her own drama last fall, so it seems sort of silly to wallow in leftover nonesense. Me? I'm just sick of being the perpetual middleman.

My daughters seized on all this to rag on me about my apartment being too small. They have a point, but I don't have first and last to give somebody at the moment. Lease runs through April. If any of you are renting a 2 to 3 bedroom place, let me know. I might be in the market.

Lesson three:go get another drink, class dismissed.
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Permalink: Reheated_Leftovers.html
Words: 625
Location: Buffalo, NY


01/03/09 09:10 - 21ºF - ID#47270

Love Reign O'er Me

Here's the video I wanted to highlight in the post I just screwed up. Check out this take on 97 Rock staple during the Kennedy Center Honors. I don't know why the Kennedy Center folk felt compelled to let Joss Stone handle "My Generation." Dave Grohl did a nice job with "Who Are You." Rob Thomas did a harmless version of "Baba O'Reilly, but Betty LaVert stole the show with this

It's funny because you can see on some shows like this. Audience types are prone to playing to the camera, but the honorees box was into this one. Very cool. Reminds you of how powerful music can be when it done right.

Here's the original for reference

Still one of my favorites.
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Permalink: Love_Reign_O_er_Me.html
Words: 127
Location: Buffalo, NY


01/03/09 09:04 - 21ºF - ID#47269

Dammit!!!

Just spent 30 minutes working on a post and clicked on the wrong tab for a Youtube clip. Sonofabitch!
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Permalink: Dammit_.html
Words: 18
Location: Buffalo, NY


Category: random

12/29/08 10:05 - ID#47209

Holiday Hangovers.....

I'm tired.

While the holidays are great, they also exhaust me. There is the mad prep, the juggling of egos, the balancing of which out of town visitors need to see the kids next, the guilt (imagined or otherwise), so it was with a sense of relief that I walked from my mother-in-law's place back to mine on Thursday night. Without prompting, the kids pronounced themselves "happy" and I think my ex and I both exhaled at the same time. I took them out to my folks on Christmas eve to be feted by my folks and siblings. She did likewise Christmas Day for dinner. The five of us got together Christmas morning and I think it was my favorite part. Nobody was on their best behavior and I mean that in a good way. That was fun, getting to see them show off their new wares.

Work on the 26th was surreal by comparison. Everything is open, but a large contingent of my department takes a good chunk of their holiday this week. The commute is a quick one, and downright deserted on Friday. Ten minutes this morning and that's including a stop at Spot to caffeinate.

I'm not complaining, but it is good to be the marketing guy. You get a lot of gifts that, well, swish. Two bottles of Bully Hill's finest from one of the radio groups, two bottles of local stuff from one of the tv stations, a case of guinness from my brother in law, and a case of Sleeman's Dark Ale from my own brother. My mom gave me a couple pounds of coffee. Together that is a metaphor for something. I'm just not sure what.

Order my Secret Santa thingy, what will officially be the last Christmas gift of the season -- Hope it makes it in time for the festivities for Wednesday evening.

The clock across the hall is chiming different christmas carols at the top of the hour with all the style and verve of dentist office muzak. Is it bad that I want to take to the parking lot and run over it a few times with the little bull dozer?

Yeah, probably.

Would have thought for sure that yesterday's winds would have hit my block. They did last year. I seem to remember wrapping the final presents pre-christmas by flashlight. At the height of yesterday's gales, I was searching for a good football game since the Bills were playing and number one son was gaming on my pc. We like our power.

The alarm clock went off this morning and my first thought was toward a nap.

I'm tired. Think I'm long overdue for sammich from the old Pink for dinner.

But I'll rest up for the (e:strip) balldrop (no, not a euphemism)


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Permalink: Holiday_Hangovers_.html
Words: 466
Location: Buffalo, NY


12/23/08 10:52 - 29ºF - ID#47163

Those rumblins

When you go to Bikram Yoga, they recommend that you do not eat 2 hours before the start of class as the class is pretty demanding on all your systems. When I go, I sneak a little snack in the afternoons most times. Didn't do that today, was running around etc.

So, about 50 minutes into the 90 minute class, during one of the quietest parts of class, my stomach announces in a large voice that it is yiddish

OYOYOYOYOYOYOY!!!!!!!!!!

It's hard to stretch constructively and laugh at the same time.
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Permalink: Those_rumblins.html
Words: 88
Location: Buffalo, NY


Category: random

12/22/08 07:50 - 17ºF - ID#47144

Monday Post-its

Four wheel drive makes no difference. It's the driver that gets the car in and out of snow banks. I saw many a jeep marooned over the past day or so and plenty of Minis getting around just fine.

Call the ex and kids to see if all was well, if they needed anything, only to see them zipping past me on their way back from Wegmans.

Netflix resumes with Dr. No, excellent.....

Blew off Yoga tonight as Elmwood is still a mess. I didn't want to come out and guess which drift is mine.

My boss called to say we were closed this morning at 6:15. It was early enough that she didn't remember about caller id and was a little bumfuzzled when I greeted her by name. At that hour, something is closed or somebody died. Worst part, that was just long enough that I was UP, and contemplating the best way to avoid the mess on the "S" curve.

Still wondering what the Park ring road will look like tomorrow. It was an adventure leaving on midday Friday.

Saw an idiot driving down Lexington last night when I was taking number one son back to Mom's. If your pickup truck is fishtailing like that, it might be a sign that you are going too fast. If you continue to drive like that down a street without a lot of room, it might be a sign that you are a moron.

Sudden snow day meant ironing got done, laundry got done, trash got taken out, tree was put up, dishes were washed and the shelved stocked. At this rate, I'm looking forward to work on Tuesday to slow down. Did I wrap anything? Nope.

Got the Sabres game on in the background. I'm pretty sure that the Versus network couldn't cover a ribbon cutting very well. Announcers are talking about everything except well, the game in front of them.

Got to buy one more thing for each daughter and I'm done!

I paid bills today too, on a Monday, oin the daylight!

Unexpected napping opportunities are downright blissful.

Rented the lastest "Guitar Hero" over the weekend and had a blast with number one son. I'm scared of the Primus, but thankful for the Jane's Addiction and Wings. Guess that is another in a series of factors that make me old.

Great time at the holiday dinner last week and I'm looking forward to the annual PMT ball drop next week.

Not sweating Christmas, eager for boxing day!
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Permalink: Monday_Post_its.html
Words: 418
Location: Buffalo, NY


Category: holiday

12/20/08 10:24 - 13ºF - ID#47122

Random Acts of Foolishness

The season makes people do some strange shit, all in the name of unabashed consumerism. I made my first foray to the Boulevard Mall since the beginning of the madness. I tend to take a laid back approach to these sojourns, but there is enough nonsense occuring to turn you into Michael Douglas' character in Falling Down.

With the snow, the parking lot looked like an angry toddler tossed his toy cars where gravity decided. People basically impaled their cars in snow banks in order to get their desired space. Essentially, cars abandoned everywhere. Inside, it was busy but not overwhelming like I can only imagine that the Galleria must have looked like the shopping apocalypse.

The Boulevard has those obnoxious folks with the carts who "HAVe" to ask you a question. I declined one such samply query with a polite "No, thanks" and kept walking as she just couldn't help but ask "Can I just ask you one more question?" Apparently, there is an air of ambiguity in my delivery of the phrase "no, thanks." I gather the death stare I awarded her foolishness sent her back to annoy somebody else.

After securing some duplo blocks (big legos) and a magna doodle for my 2 year old nephew, I was done and rewarding my efficiency with a quick escape to Ted's for some of their finest. With the snow and the cold yesterday, the ex and I decreed that everybody should stay put. I got a good nap out of the deal as well as not having to share one of my better culinary endeavors.

I had pulled into the Target lot, where a car was signaling left, so I started to cross, but she was still going straight (and looking right). I think the combination of almost christmas and actual snow can reduce some folks' cerebral cortexes into something resembling a jello pudding pop.

Since number one son was headed over tonight, I wanted to swing by Blockbuster on Elmwood for a game or movie where something blows up. With all the unplowed snow and all the people infiltrating the neighborhood for shopping, getting remotely close to Blockbuster was interesting to say the least. The elmwood village Santa was talking to a guy withdrawing money from the bidwell HSBC. From the car, it looked like Santa might have holding him up.

After making off with Indiana Jones #2 & #3 and Edward Norton as the Hulk, as well as Lego Batman for the Xbox for just $25, we had the makings of a decent night.

Stay warm everybody, round #2 is tomorrow.
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Permalink: Random_Acts_of_Foolishness.html
Words: 429
Location: Buffalo, NY


12/18/08 01:40 - 28ºF - ID#47101

Food Coma

Annual office christmas lunch was just a little bit ago. It feels a little forced. One of my staffers bought me stuff which was very nice. Our Business Adminstration chief was liked a hopped up four year old on Christmas morning, so it threw me off with my staffer. She bought me Guinness. How can you not love that. I nearly forgot about a card attached to the box (of Guinness!! Briliiant!!) because I had to present a gift to our boss in front of everybody.

It's a nice occasion, but to me it feels a little tempered. When I attended my first one of these last year, it was just our department and we went out to a restaurant. We stayed at the office and it felt a little weird having the shenanigans in front of non-participants from accounting passing us by. They were invited in, but chose not to. This can be such an awkward holiday at times.

That said, nothing like a helping of pizza and wings to get your mojo running for pizza and wings at the 24 this evening. A lunchtime food coma to kick the afternoon off right. Perhaps, the garlic bread could have stayed out of the mix.

Looking forward to it, especially since the winter apocalypse is coming overnight. I know the tv stations find some brown paper bags for their weathermen. They all seem to be hyperventalating at the prospect of some snow. Like we've never gotten it a foot a time before.

Kids are already counting on a snow day.
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Permalink: Food_Coma.html
Words: 259
Location: Buffalo, NY


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