I keep trying to take a picture of this and it never comes out how i planned it so I decided to just post it anyways. I feel like it might have more potential against a very blue sky or very green grass.

Red snapper is so freakin' expensive at the coop, to be exact $30/fish. Its a whole fish. You have to clean it yourself, its not half as big as it looks in this picture. There is no such thing as organic fish - so really what is this. I could have it cooked and served to me at that price.



This bird died. Hop its not the avian flu or west nile.


People parked us in this morning and even left there car. Seriously, it makes me just want to slash their tires at this point.

Had a semi stressful work day. Not because the work was so hard (although I ironed out a lot of bugs) but because I was trying to wrap up any lose ends before Vegas. We went to lunch at Anchor Bar today and I ate mild chickenwings - basically with no sauce. It was pretty good, better than I remembered anchor bar being. It makes me wonder if I just didn't like their hotsauce. We went because our new co-worker just moved to Buffalo for the job at Roswell and had never tried it.

Afterwards, I worked out so hard at the gym. It feels good. According to their much more accuratre looking scale I weigh 158 which is much better than the 153 I weigh on my scale at home.

On a side note, Holy crap, Apple is worth more than google today. I can't believe this - I saw it on macrumors:

- Microsoft (MSFT) - $255,648,204,000
- IBM (IBM) - $169,964,678,000
- Apple (AAPL) - $157,012,662,240
- Google (GOOG) - $156,392,862,560
- Cisco (CSCO) - $142,125,692,160
- Intel (INTC) - $135,658,860,000
- Hewlett-Packard (HPQ) - $111,866,423,760
- Nokia (NOK) - $97,746,699,520
- Research In Motion (RIMM) - $71,143,935,000
- Disney (DIS) - $59,257,501,500
- Dell (DELL) - $50,483,256,060

The new firefox is great. You should get it

I wish I had something important to write about. Mostly, I have just been concentrating on work.

Now that the various lodgers are gone we have been slowly converting back to house mode. (e:matthew) is on this super pre July 4th Americana kick so the room is red white and blue.



Finally, the red couch I bought for (e:matthew) for his birthday - has a home.



The closet is still messy. I wonder if we should paint the drawers in the closet all red white and blue.



(e:mathew) and I headed down to Pearl Street Brewery last night to see (e:ladycroft) before she went back to Qatar. You can see pics on (e:metalpeter,44695)

It was great seeing her. 15 peeps showed up including (e:souternyankee) who I had not seen in so long and minus (e:imk2), who I had seen the day before . It was nice to catch up with everyone and Pearl street was beyond accomodating for us, making one big tables and even taking our pictures with a bunch of different cams. I wish I caught our waiters name because he was really one of the best waiters I ever had.


The Tenants
Afterwards, we stopped by the tenants to pick up the oh, so late rent. One of our tenants paid rent like 15 days late - in change - including pennies. I was fine with her being late because I am nice like that but havig to count out change including pennies is seriously ridiculous.



Not to mention that they never re-imbursed me for the fine we got for them not putting out the trash like she promised. She is movng out to south carolina in July. I think its time to let all those tenants go and just start over. That will give me time to redo the bathroom before new students move in, in the fall. Hell, maybe we can just sell it as I am so sick of dealing with students that can't pay rent on time.

Food
Friday night, we went to Europa Bistro on Elmwood and I had pheasant, it was totally delicerific. I would suggest anyone who loves European food head on over. (e:matthew) had polish Golabki which looked pretty good too.


Garbage Pile
I called the city to pick up the "garbage" left over from our bathroom demolition. It costs $82 for 12x3x3ft.


I thought that was reasonable as the wood was going to just mold in our garage and a lot of it was just garbage (broken glass, old plastic doll house, etc). I put it out and the city guy said he would come by in the morning to assess the cost, we would then have till 1PM to bring the money down to city hall and they would take it away.

The thing is I put it out on Thursday night and Friday morning at 9:20 I got a call from the city saying I forgot to put my garbage out and need to reschedule. The thing is I did not forgot, someone must have taken it all. I find it hard to believe because a lot fo it was no reusable in any way. Like I could see someone taking the wood, but every scrap of everything? Well, it was free so I can't complain. I would have put out more stuff from the attic.

Air Pollution
According to this article I was reading, air pollution increases the risk of Blood Clots. The really surprising part was the picture of pollution in Beijing. I had no idea it was so bad. It seems so far removed. Apparently, they are going to reduce pollution just before the olympics by shutting down factories, stopping construction for two months and reducing traffic



Imagine what it feels like during the "clean" time if you live there. Imagine the impending doom feeling of it coming back after it is gone.

I guess it was bad in riverside when I lived there one summer - but not like that photo. Someone, recently wrote or told me about some chinese friend driving down the way to Niagara Falls and saying how it smelled like home - was it one of you guys?

Work
Is so freakin' crazy. I am back to loving it but its just crazy how much there is to do! I launched one of the apps I was working on today and the the department that uses it seemed to really love it. I think tomorrow is going to be a really dramatic, life changing day. Hopefully, in a good way.

I also saw this cancer fighting robot surgeon in a conference room the other day. It looks like the future.


The Fireplace
I keep working on the fireplace in the side parlour/office. It is starting to look really nice.



I am so glad I stripped it, even though I am painting it because the detail stands out so much now. I think I am never oil painting again though.

A co-worker of mine just figured out that I am gay. It took him only 2 years to figure it out. I thought I was gayer than that, lol.

Here are some random pics of stuff from my camera.

There are all these holes in the backyard. What are they from.




We gave Basra a bath


For such a hhuge freakin house we didn't have that high of a gas bill considering it was for 4 people.




I was at the Boulevard Mall the other day trying to escape the floor refinishing fumes at home when I saw this car tire with a license plate jammed into it.



Then I found this squirrel paw? on the street. I wonder what happend to the rest of it.


Last thursday we went to go see the Libera at the Church of Ani on Deleware. They sang really good but I got very uncomfortable in the wooden fold out seats. I would probably never go back there for another show if it meant sitting on those chairs for an extended period of time.





I saw these converse at the mall and thought of (e:twisted).


At Michael's they sell customizeable paddles. Who buys these, fraternities?



There is a page in the Elmwood Village called the Elmwood Villager. I never saw it before. The term villager sounds so agrarian and poor.


We went to cheektowaga on vacation.


It actually beat our vacation on Deleware with the view of Walgreens.

So after this dramatic day of someone trying to save my soul at work (e:paul,41100) a while back, I put up a religion free zone sign in my cube. I hope people don't think I am being a jerk about it because really I could care less about other people being religious. It is only when they try and convert me to there thing that it aggravates me but that is not what this is about.

Anyways, so I was in the bathroom the yesterday and have the Apple word of the day screen saver running. Its good Friday, the highest day of the Christian holy year and when I come back its got this whole animated Antichrist thing going on across two monitors. If you didn't know about my word of the day screensaver you would think that I really just had an animated Antichrist screensaver. Do you think it is a co-incidence that Apple or whoever they draw the words form chose Antichrist on Good Friday on purpose.



Having flowers in the house makes sprin gitme a little more real even though it is 28 degrees today. The sun shining through the windows is nice




The Church of The Ascension on Linwood (e:paul,3683) has a new garbage pile. Is it not totally insane that they have this much garbage 4 days after garbage day. It is like this every week, And what is that garbage bag bridge between the two cans?

The new incarnation of the federal building is on its way. I wonder what it will look like. Whatever it looks like, it will look nicer. That building was perhaps the ugliest I ever saw.


We went to the century grill and (e:matthew) had a fish fry.


One of our tenants pays in cash. Even though the money goes to things like mortgage, it is nice to actually see cash for once. I get my paychecks direct deposited as does (e:terry) and (e:matthew) gets checks, so it is rare to see cash around.


Here is (e:matthew) playing with one of his doll action figure collections. He really loves them.


And totally, totally unrelated - I was walking to work the other day and found these tightly whities on Elm street near the corner of high street. Pretty much across the street from the back entrance of the Allen st subway stop. I walk this route multlple times everyday and they were never there before. How do you lose you underwear on the sidewalk. At least the mud blends in with the shit stains, lol.

I am still so sad over the gay boys that got killed in Iran for being gay



I think that is what their president meant when he said they had no gay people in Iran.

From wikipedia - Sodomy is a crime for which both partners can be punished by death, if the participants are adults, of sound mind and consenting; the method of execution is for the Shari'a judge to decide. A non-adult who engages in consensual sodomy is subject to a punishment of 74 lashes. (Articles 108 to 113) Sodomy is proved either if a person confesses four times to having committed sodomy or by the testimony of four righteous men. Testimony of women alone or together with a man does not prove sodomy. (Articles 114 to 119). "Tafhiz" (the rubbing of the thighs or buttocks) and the like committed by two men is punished by 100 lashes. On the fourth occasion, the punishment is death. (Articles 121 and 122).

If two men "stand naked under one cover without any necessity", both are punished with up to 99 lashes; if a man "kisses another with lust" the punishment is 60 lashes. (Articles 123 and 124). If sodomy, or the lesser crimes referred to above, are proved by confession, and the person concerned repents, the Shari'a judge may request that he be pardoned. If a person who has committed the lesser crimes referred to above repents before the giving of testimony by the witnesses, the punishment is quashed. (Articles 125 and 126).

As of 2007, teenagers accused of engaging in sodomy have been executed, although the official rationale for the hangings is debated.

I feel so bad for this lard ass. I mean really, their picture shows up in every single google news article about obesity. I wonder if he/she is on an obesity clipart CDROM somewhere. Has anyone else noticed this?



I was talking with (e:libertad) the other day and telling him this usb vaccuum I wanted for my vaccuum collection.


They dug up king Tut and unwrapped him. He has buck teeth. I am not sure exactly why someone would not just leave him alone. Isn't the whole point of being a mummy to be mummified and left alone. I kind of feel and for him too.



This is a new mp3 player for dogs . (e:jim) and (e:james) - you guys totally need ot get this for ben, although maybe it is too prissy for him.