It actually is a pretty slow morning here at work. So coming in at 7:30 just seemed like a waste until I witnessed the beautiful sunrise this morning after I was woken up by the thunder and lightning. I snapped a few pics of the "Red Sky in the Morning, it was breathtaking and one of those moments I felt good to be alive. Then on my way from my "secret parking spot" to work about a 2 block walk I pretty much was drenched by the downpour. I guess you have to take the good with the bad.

On another note I guess I'm another (e:strip)er with a B-day in October. Although by subconscious plan or circumstance it ends up as a low key event. This year I'm getting a room @ the Best Western and plan on hitting every bar from Prespa to Hardware on Allen. At least that is the game plan so far, I could always get that quick gambling junket to Foxwoods or Vegas that my parents haven't told me about yet.

Early A.M. and I just didn't want to get up this morning. Woke up @ 6:30am and given my commute time that made me 15 minutes late. It was just so nice to get that really deep sleep but hey I have to come in and feed peoples poker addiction.

I should have not watched that VH1 Behind the Music episode about Pantera last night. WOW is all I can say. I remember them about 13 years ago now when they opened up for White Zombie @ the CT St. Armory. A part of me sometimes wishes that I could go back to the early 90's and really savor the music live at the time. Actually if I remember correctly White Zombie did outsell them in T-Shirts.

It just reminded me that there really isn't anything all that strikes such a chord with me musically. I would hate to be a kid today given the state of corporate music. If I was young and angstful again what would I listen to? Things are just so micro specialized. Y

If I was a teenager, depressed, full of volitile emotion; What would I listen to? That kid of music @ the time Pantera, Alice in Chains, Helmet and heavy industrial music was the soundtrack to me and my friends walking up and down elmwood drinking out 40oz's underage and other stuff while we were going to those shows.

Would Simple Plan provide the same effect??? I doubt it.


Oh, and I shouldn't have talked with M* so late on the phone as well.

OK, back to work. Nothing like throwing out random thoughts...

I've been having pretty fun and enjoyable conversations with M* over the phone. We're probably going to do something soon, heck I've even kicked around the idea of bringing her to the party. We are on the same page when it comes to a good number of things. I really enjoy talking to someone that sees the world and enjoys the same activities as I do.

The one thing that seem to be worrying me is she likes to be the one being dominated. All of this came out of a really weird conversation regarding kinky fetishes and such. Really my experience and personality is one that pretty much laid back and not one that exerts control. This could get interesting and should be a good barometer on how much I can can tap into my traditional "male" role in certain situations...

That's something that my "Friend" that i meet there said to me that has stuck in my head since NYC.

Working a grave shift can really cure any slight insomnia that one has. After being up 28 hours which never happens to me, all I wanted to do for the last 2.5 days is sleep and I haven't reached such a deep level in a long while.

Other than that I'm feeling pretty good right now. Although I love the cool crisp weather[especially for SLEEP] I fear that at some point I will get hit with a S.A.D. episode, something which I really can't afford this year/season.

All I know is that now that for some reason I have been feeling better I need to take advantage of my athletic center privileges now that I'm a grad student. The only weird thing that is keeping me back in the awkwardness of getting a locker and the fear of being "that guy."

Other than that I have been talking to someone that graduated from NU that i came across on Match. She's a very interesting conversation to say the least. In a way part my appeal seems to be that she really never had an fun when she went here. As a social work major she only had 1 guy in her program, all the other students were Canadian or other commuters and never was able to mingle with other groups or went to any parties. So it seems that was at least in her questions regarding what I did for fun way back when.

The fun part is she's a counselor and I can't pull any B.S. on her although that aspect is quite fun and interesting. I don't know where it is going to go or if we will even get anywhere but it is just fun to have an intelligent and fun conversation with someone. The odd part is she always gets me on the phone when I'm naked or recently naked. The first time she called me when I was changing and last night after I just got out of the bathtub. Is there some sort of vibe in the air? Ha Ha

So it if Football season and the biggest aspect of why people watch the games isn't the competition or athleticism but THE GAMBLING.

When I was younger I was pretty stupid in this area. Now I am working with a younger guy who pretty much is in the same place I was 6 years ago. He "blew his brains out" last year in the playoffs by taking Carolina over Seattle.

It's just that his mentality making so many mistakes. I'm trying to steer him in the right direction but he just has to experience things himself I suppose. Prime example, He dropped out of Canisus and wants to deal Poker. He thinks the cocktail waitresses are Goddesses on earth. Ever since he started working @ the Poker room has just been buying the whole Sex, Drugs, Lies and Money lifestyle hook line and sinker.

My point is really I can't have any effect on him. His Mom the host got him the job in the first place. He hasn't told her yet that he dropped out and she will most likely blame herself for him doing so and her introducing him to everything in the first place.

I can't show him that you will always destroy yourself betting sports since our "friendly wagers" this college football season has me -$40 for the two weeks so far.

In reality I wish I could smack some since into him and show him how wrong he is but I just have to sit back. The one thing I must admit is it is the highlight of working a grave shift with him on Tuesday Nights. It is a ton of laughs to get through the night/morning.

On another not of why I just don't bet anymore, I was thinking I'd take philly over NY. So when I was leaving work this afternoon texted NYC girl about Philly being up 24-7. Needless to say when I get home they are in Overtime. NYG win 30-24!!! They were 3 point underdogs...

Needless to say it was a funny conversation when she called after Eli Manning threw the game winning TD pass in OT, rarely do OT games get settled by a TD. It is usually a safe predictable Field Goal.

Yea, Graveyard shifts are really fun.

I've been here for 3.5 hours and the only thing that has happened is the idea being put in my head to get a "Hair Transplant!"

The good news: I am now down to 4 days a week!

Yea, I need the $ more now than the last 2 years but I am not complaining at all.

Is about to be unleashed for the first real time this year. I'm off today and I am now going to "The Track" over in Fort Erie.

I'm going to miss the first race but usually it just costs me $6 for the daily double I usually lose. I'll just spend that on the [link=Daily Racing Form]http://www.drf.com[/link]
Last summer I spend many Monday's over there and then headed back over and just spend the rest of the day on Elmwood somewhere with my friend Deb. Unfortunately she's now in Rochester :-(

Well at least I am going to get a chance to bet Arlington and Fairplex. I missed my favorite California meet in Del Mar this summer so at least I'll get my tiny fix with the L.A. County Fair!

100th Post

So Fall has finally kicked in and I am just thinking now of what I am going to do to get away during the winter months. I just need to go away again on a trip, although I did go to NYC 2 weeks ago. I could have even had a possible Aruba trip next weekend but work screwed up those plans :-/ Hopefully if soft plans hold up I will be in Vegas very soon.

It is just that I have been thinking beyond just getting out of town for a vacation lately. NYC really reaffirmed to me something that I have known all along, "The prospects for finding a woman are much better in a bustling metro area."

My friends have told me to move to Northern Virginia and I could have my choice among the 10+ single girlfriends of his wife. It took me all of 3 HOURS in NYC to find a "Girlfriend." In Buffalo once in my life it took me almost 3 YEARS!

I love this site for the basic fact that it contains people me age that are prospering in WNY. A place usually filled with hard luck stories and lives that are driving down the highway of life in the slow lane held together by bungee cords.

For the most part I have stuck around here for some advantages that I have enjoyed in regards to a few things in my life. Compared to most people I know outside of this site and especially the people that I work with I am pretty well off. Self actualization though a career in the past was not a high priority in my life. If that was the case I would have left for a job like many people have over the past 20 years from this area. I am convinced that I can't find a "Real Job" in Buffalo if my life depended on it, but I still remained.

The factor that may make me leave town is the fact that I am now convinced that I will have a better chance of finding someone elsewhere.

There is a disconnect with the women now entering the prime marrying age and the potential men that would be their mates. They're looking for guys like me that are pretty much are in short supply. The birthrate in the mid 70's was the lowest in the last 40 years. So these women in the mid 20's looking for an older guy are looking for guys that were never born in the first place. Let alone if they want someone that: has a degree, speaks proper English, enjoys culture, has an athletic body and able to dress himself.

I look though the non-existent personals on CL Buffalo and then the CL personals in other cites and think, "Wow there so much out there, compared to here." Yea, I know the difference in population has a great effect, but still I know what I have experienced dating in this area for more than a decade.

Why am I in this kind of mood? I just saw a house on line in Buffalo that I want, but thinking it through I don't want to be stuck in this area with just me living in it. I would rather have a wonderful relationship with a woman that I can't get enough of, than a house in Buffalo alone.

I just brought the Garden State Soundtrack never saw the movie, but I love it. The only reason why I purchased it is every time I would go to the Orange Cat in Lewiston the song "Such Great Heights" by Iron and Wine covering the Postal Service just takes me to an interesting place.

Today wasn't all too bad. I had the day off. I am going to be strung out @ work for the next two weeks. The whole going to school thing plus working a screwed up schedule as I have for the past 6 weeks is going to end in about 2. They are finally going to hire 2 people and alleviate the pressure that they have been putting on everyone. The money from tips was excellent, but I am at the point where I just could care less, I want a normal life back.

Spent the early afternoon with my Dad. Dropped him off @ the dealership to get his car serviced and we ended up heading downtown. Stopped @ Chef's, which was excellent as I had the linguine with clam sauce and we split an antipasto. That place is just SOOO GOOD!

Although I am still throwing stuff in my suitcase I am just about to head off to the Airport. Hopefully (e:dragonlady7) is working so I can grab a POP or two before I fly off to Laguardia.

All I could be doing is starting off the weekend right, since a Bachelor Party is what I am heading down there for.