Journaling on estrip is easy and free. sign up here

Joshua's Journal

joshua
My Podcast Link

10/25/2006 18:06 #24684

An Anecdote
Before I get into this one, I have to say that for the weekends Halloween parties that I will not be dressing up, as I never do. I hope thats okay and if I am not let into Halloween parties because I'm not really a costume kind of guy, I'll just have to go to the bar!

A memory came back to me today while I was listening to Coldplay. Once upon a time (meaning 2 or 3 years back) I was having um, "relations" with a girl that lived around the block from Chateau Larson. I began to notice that I was falling for her, and I am utterly incapable of keeping my feelings to myself for too long. So, I decided to write her a poem and make a mix CD for her. A few days later I asked her if she got the package I sent to her, and she said to me that the some of the songs were kind of whiny on the CD - Coldplay was on the disc!

Her reaction shocked me a little bit, but I soon found some humor in it for some reason. Being a Gemini I am supposedly quick to find humor in all things, which for me is 100% true. I quickly realized that my efforts were wasted, which for me is perfectly okay - you are always better off letting people know how you feel rather than not giving it a go.

In all honesty, even though it didn't work out, I have a lot to thank that girl for. Firstly, she got me over the fact that the girl I thought I was going to marry cheated on me for the SECOND time (another story for another time) and she put my faith back into women. Secondly, she made me realize that I need to find cooler music to put on mix CDs. Thirdly, she taught me that life is meant to be enjoyed and to loosen up a bit. Fourthly, she made me look at myself and others in ways I hadn't before. I can honestly say that the experience has made me a better person and if I had the opportunity I'd definitely buy this girl a drink... she doesn't know that she had a positive impact on me and probably thinks that she hurt me.

All of this from her reaction to a Coldplay song!
jason - 10/26/06 17:47
She was an opportunistic, cold bitch! At least you got to pipe her.
codypomeray - 10/25/06 20:32
good way to look at it man. way to be positive!

10/25/2006 16:13 #24683

Various things
I haven't read the article in question in Rolling Stone, but its not particularly surprising to me that somehow that uneducated lunatic's discombobulated rantings ended up in RS - it is well known for left-leaning opinion pieces. It is particularly unfortunate because I like reading music magazines and this type of garbage basically ensures that I will read anybody else's magazine instead. If they are going to have some schmuck write their inane opinions in the magazine, at least give the public somebody with some credibility and reknown. The Beast is utterly worthless outside of a few laughs.

I have been invited to several Halloween parties this weekend - I'm completely flattered and I am definitely going to be showing my face. The problem is that I'm not particularly a Halloween person - there is no way that I'm wearing costumes anywhere. So, partygoers and party hosts - be forewarned that I'm showing up in my standard uniform of collared shirt, North Face vest, jeans, shoes of some sort and gelled up hair, probably in some sort of mohican party boy fashion. Since I rarely go out anymore I think this will fly because its a legitimate "as himself" type of situation - I can hardly be found in public anymore!

Although I do not wear costumes, the one thing I particularly enjoy about Halloween is that it gives girls license to show as much off as they want. I absolutely love that - do your thang ladies!

10/18/2006 11:54 #24682

Deplorable
Recently, Scotland topped the list of the world's most violent country, sparked by a "booze and blades" culture that spurs the worlds most recorded (and apparently unrecorded) violent assults. England and Wales come up a close second.

So, how do the British handle their violent criminals? They play Scrabble!

I wish I wasn't making this up. I'm listening to BBC now and they are talking about it. They feel that this allows violent criminals to learn how to act in civilized society and, golly gee, these guys really are going to reform only if we don't actually treat them with contempt and like the animals they are, and be NICE to them. Scrabble is part of this program because it encourages literacy, according to the prison official I'm listening to. I'm glad that these aren't my tax dollars that are being spent on such absolute naivety and foolishness.

What an absolute crock of shit - these people are getting what they deserve from their criminals. Hell, if I were ever to commit a violent crime at this point I'm absolutely certain that its going to be in the UK. Why bother dealing with the US criminal system when I could simply get a slap on the wrist and a new board game?

EDIT: In other news, Steve Wynn, who if you've ever been to Vegas you surely know who he is, had to cancel an auction of a Picasso set to fetch $139m because he put his elbow through the painting!
terry - 10/18/06 14:43
What do you think the prisoners should be doing while there? Is prison punishment only or should it seek to "rehabilitate"?

10/14/2006 23:49 #24681

Yawn.
So bored. I have gone all night without my ID and never even bothered to worry about it, until we got to 67 West! Screw that fucking place, I see no reason to spend my money there. My friends are there and I am not. I'm perfectly happy here at home. Although this may be trivial for those without power - screw Chippewa!
jenks - 10/15/06 13:13
I agree. I hate Chippewa too. But I went to Blu Mirage last night... it was ok... But there were some Sabres there, (the goalie, and some tall guy that I guess was in a fight on the ice, Andrew maybe. Miller? I dunno) and I think it messed with their heads that I didn't know (or care) who they were.

10/11/2006 13:50 #24680

My Day
So yeah.

I just paid a $655 "parking tax" as I'm now calling it. Plus another $20 to get from Elmwood to City Hall and back.

I am beginning to hate this city more and more every day. Larsons need to do the prudent thing and get the fuck out of dodge. Its tragic that I love this place so much, yet despise how the city is run and how punitive and draconic a place it is to live.

Now the police are looking into legal recouse to find out if it is possible to strike because they haven't gotten their pay increase. You know what BPD? FUCK YOU. Welcome to the real world, where people aren't necessarily guaranteed pay increases every year regardless of performance. Any guesses on how the public rate you guys? Try F minus. You fucking guys and gals are the epitome of what is wrong with the region. I'm okay with police officers getting paid. What I'm not okay with is that you demand *from the hard working public* that you should get your % increase every year. You work for us. Remember that the next time you shit where you eat. You don't get any sympathy from me, you never will, and I'm fairly confident in saying that most Buffalonians feel how I feel. Do your fucking job - which by the way, is catching criminals and dealing with the 50+ homicides thus far this year, rather than setting up stings on convenience stores to see if they sell cigarettes to minors. You are fucking terrible, BPD. Everybody hates you right about now.
joshua - 10/12/06 12:58
Actually my solution to the parking problem here would be to do exactly what communities with parking problems do - pay like $60 for a yearly parking permit and in Elmwood Village have certain streets be residential parking only. Free parking isn't "so important to me" but lets be a little fair here - during the evenings and weekends when people are parked on both sides of Cleveland, when people constantly are double parking on the street, etc. - how often are these people being ticketed compared to the people who actually live here?

It is against NYS law for the officers to strike, like Peter was saying. Their basis for possibly striking is that the pay freeze constitutes a breach of their contract iwith the city. They are looking into it is still illegal to strike as a result of that "breach" - unforunately because it was implemented by the control board I doubt they have any legal recourse whatsoever, let alone the MAJOR public relations disaster it would be for the police if they even attempted it.
uncutsaniflush - 10/11/06 22:42
You could have taken the Elmwood bus to City Hall and back for a lot less than 20 dollars.

I bet that you could have found friends or (e:peeps) to drive you there and back for a lot less money - maybe just a kind word and smile.

I've lived in NYC in the 80s when Parking Enforcement towed cars with people in the cars and would ticket ticket cars parked at expired 30 minute meters every 30 minutes for days so I have real trouble understanding why Buffalo is evil about parking.

In Toronto, to park overnight in many neighborhoods you need to pay for a parking permit or your car will be towed.

But on the other hand, if free parking so important to you, I don't blame you for wanting to leave Buffalo.

(e:leetee) and I lived in the Mayflower at Linwood and Summer for over 6 months and I never got a parking ticket. But the experience made me realize that we needed a house with a driveway.

Good Luck with your move.
metalpeter - 10/11/06 20:01
It is illegal for them to stirke. But I guess their is a legal issue because they where granted a raise and the control board after the fact said that there is a freeze on their pay raise. Generaly for the police or Firefights to strike is illegal I think it is federal and not state law but I could be wrong.
museumchick - 10/11/06 18:32
I thought it was against NYS law for police officers and firefighters to strike?
terry - 10/11/06 14:26
Here's an issue we entirely agree on. We just had this whole discussion last night about how the po are the personification of everything bad about this country (we were speaking w/Annika, our neww roomie from GB). Those fucking stickers on the fucking police cars that WE paid for make me want to scream like Jenks. They've never done anything for me including after being attacked by knife-wielding thugs who slashed our tires, and after blowing a tire in front of the fucking police station. Let's put the raise to a referendum and see who gets a raise.
lilho - 10/11/06 14:13
dont even get me started. im sure my accumulated "parking tax" is way more. from now on we fight dirty. pay your ticket online and leave the ticket on your winshield when you park. (e:zobar) taught me that.
ladycroft - 10/11/06 14:13
yah. i just dropped $135 on two tickets on got on the same day at bloody canisius.
jenks - 10/11/06 14:01
Every time I see those "pay the police like your life depends on it" bumper stickers I want to scream. Because, um, the police have never done one thing to save/help my life that I know of. Pay your nurses/doctors/EMT's/teachers/etc/etc like your life depends on it- ok. But not the BPD. it's more like "pay the police like their hair plugs and free cosmetic surgery coverage depends on it".