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Mrmike's Journal

mrmike
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08/05/2007 12:34 #40390

Goin' to the Drive In Tonight
Gonna see the Underdog/Ratatouille selection. Not my choice, but number one son is with me for the week and he got to pick. His sibilings and their mom are en route to the Michigan Women's Festival, so we have some guy time this week. So, culture isn't quite to hibrow this week

I read the current Harry Potter book this week. It was a really good book. The thing is huge, but written in a way that you can lose yourself in the narrative. Only secret that I'll spill is that Col. Mustard did it in the conservatory with the lead pipe.

Got the week off and already life feels a little brighter. My direct supervisor changed and who she "Is" varies from day to day. It's a little surreal watching somebody else deal with being overwhelmed. The downside is the answer to a question can change depending on when you ask it. I do pretty well on commissions and was expecting a nice pile to come with the check that is arriving this week, but somebody (her) forgot something and now we have to wait another two weeks to see the $ for July. Argh.

Stole out of work early to see Lucinda Williams at Artpark and it was well worth it. Aside from having a 'thing" for her, it dawned on me that both Artpark and the Canal Concerts have better lineups then the Square does this year. Although, I do plan on showing up for Dropkick Murphys when they get here in September -- certain freedoms to staghood I guess.

It's nice out, we're going golfin'

Later peeps
drew - 08/05/07 16:05
I was at Lucinda concert. It WAS awesome.
fellyconnelly - 08/05/07 15:16
i didn't even know about canal concerts and artpark! wow! i love buffalo!

08/02/2007 13:30 #40356

"Hot enough for you"
Category: potpourri
I'm spending the bulk of my time at the Time Warner office in Amherst and I'm trying to find the comedy in the inherent insanity. For example, three separate incidents yesterday: a couple comes to the counter and without fail, the male steps up and shows his knowledge by "asking about our DSL." Without missing a beat, the woman gently informs him that that is the phone company, we're at the cable store." Funny, sometimes, I don't even have to be here.

I had to stop downtown to apply for another position and stepped into see my current supervisor and I wound up getting dressed down for a few errors in the billing system. Makes you wish you don't show up sometimes. I was on my own time, and quietly hpoing to sneak out, instead I wound up refreshing my mind over what happened to one customer abour 10 days ago. No problem except that I talk to over 100 people typically on a variety of issues.

Feh, two days from vacation. Boy do I need it. The folks out here are spoiled, lazy and whiny but I do what I do what I do.

94 in Amherst at the moment -- Tell me there is nothing to global warming, go ahead, go ahead.

Not going anyplace on this vacation, just going to be nice to get some time away from the work to relax and hang with number one son while his sisters and Mom head off to the Women's Music Fest in Michigan. Tis' our time for guy stuff, rainy day at Dave and Buster's, sunny day golfin or going to a Bisons game and stuff like that.

I was mesmorized at the coverage of the Bridge disaster in Minneapolis last night. Given the vicisstudes of rush hour there, I'm amazed the death tally isn't higher. We've got CNN on in the office at the moment and they are on the edge of not having much new to say. The Minneapolis paper had a headline of "Down, Down, Down." It's a Rupert Murdoch world and we're just living in it.

Did win a Weggies gift card the other day, so the beer will be quality this evening.

Stay cool, peeps
joshua - 08/03/07 10:41
I was sort of wondering where all the hurricanes are.
tinypliny - 08/02/07 19:10
Oooh! 115!! I wish I was there with you!

I love it when it crosses 100. :)
ladycroft - 08/02/07 18:51
don't sweat it, it was 115 for me today, in the shade.
metalpeter - 08/02/07 18:02
To Be honest it isn't Hot enough for me :) I say lets break the 100 mark. Then from there lets try to got Hotter then AZ where (e:lilho) is. Not for any good reason just for braging rights. Um seriously though where I work it is pretty hot. I think there is a certain point that once you hit it, in there it pretty much feels the same so you may not notice it is hotter outside. However that doesn't hold true outside because the sun can really cook you. I think you then some how may hit another point where the heat is unbearable but I don't think Buffalo can get in that range, I think you need middle east or tropical heat to get that. That being said I would rather it be 93 then it snow. Yeah you get all wet and it is hard to sleep but that is why they make air conditioners.
theecarey - 08/02/07 16:43
I was reading about it this morning. Seems to be the consensus of those on the bridge at the time, "Boom, boom, boom, and we were just dropping, dropping, dropping, dropping."

cant.even.imagine.

oh, and someone (cant find the bit of this story) had gone through this before, during an earthquake several years ago. ugh!

I didnt dare turn on the tv..

Enjoy the wegmans card- great night for ice ice ice cold beer going down down down; preferably in the safety of a hammock or Adirondack chair.

07/31/2007 08:08 #40323

Yield doesn't mean "Goafuckinghead"
Category: traffic
Knew Monday was going to live up to its name as I was leaving for work. I entered Gates Circle to catch the 33 by Elmwood.. Apparently, coming from the other direction on Delaware the notion of stopping a little and then entering the circle (Basically, waiting your fucking turn) was applying as a oblivious fuck in an SUV decided to go faster right in, anybody else be damned. Jerkass scared the shit out of me. Wasn't driving angry till then.

I get to my current office and had to seperate two customers who were actually grumbling out their place in line. One of my colleagues screwed her wrist up and couldn't lift anything. She was trying and doing the best she could, downside was all that stuff came to me and that spoiled rotten overprivileged middle aged fucksticks don't know how to behave.

I actually yelled "Do I have to pull this store over?" I guess with enough elan that no one said a word. I love my job.

Going home, I felt like I had a finished a 15 round fight. Cruising back via the 290, I watched as two separate SUVs (Must be something about them that cause brain damage) slip right in front of a Semi to make their lane change with about half a car length to spare.

Very grateful that there was some Labatt's in the fridge.
metalpeter - 07/31/07 18:59
I admit that I don't drive but if I did I would stay away from that circle. I'm sorry it is death (ok well maybe not at those speeds) waiting to happen. You have to many streets coming togather at that circle. But the bigger problem is that Circles arn't really commonplace so you get a lot of people who don't understand right of way and what a yeild sign means. I can tell you that basicly it means that anyone entering the circle has to give the right of way to people allready in the circle. But when you are behind someone you don't know when they are going to turn out and onto what street so you have to be carefull. But there is one odd thing about a Yeild sign that I think a lot of people may not know. It has nothing to do with pedestrains. A stop sign does and lights do. But when at that circle that yeild sign is only about entering the cirlce. When I walk it based on right of way I could wait for forever almost. Then when crossing it you can't really when walking because you don't know when they car you see is going to turn out so it is really tough. Yeah when you cross there is a raised part to stand on but there used to not be. Let me tell you that was some fucking scary shit just standing between those yellow lines. I think if people would just be patient then the problem you had wouldn't happen, but good luck with that.
james - 07/31/07 15:32
I was in the car with a friend, a Buffalo native who has been driving for nearly a decade. You would think the subtle nuances of traffic safety would have either dashed his oblivious brains across the dashboard or sunk into said soft pink brain and allowed him to live yet another year as a driver.

Well, we pull up to gates circle and the bastard just drives right in, both lanes in the circle screech to a halt. I swear I heard the impact of several cars and the screams of a thousand burning babies as we drove ignorantly along.

When I yelled at him he said "what? I thought they had to yield in the circle.

jackass.

So, apparently the mind of the driver is built off the grid and things like cirlces just confound them.
jason - 07/31/07 08:31
Hahahaha. Nice display of bollocks, Mike. Well done, man. Well done.

07/26/2007 11:54 #40262

It's gonna be a good day.....
Category: omens
Didn't sleep very well last night, which there is nothing unusual about that, but I had a big interview this morning. Trotted out a nice light grey suit. Ipod cooperated and played some nice upbeat stuff through traffic. The interview went well and was free of the bullshit questions and actually talked about the job instead of my greatest weakness (blue eyes and a killer smile). Makes you want the job just because of the freedom from the nonsense. Interview finishes with me getting enough time to get home to change before the actual work day gets going. I hit the road and the Allentown Trading Company is stocking Aero Bars. Rapture! I know you can get em elsewhere, but seeing them (an awesome candy bar) on the shelf was a sign.

Got back in the car and the IPOD cranks up my u2 Buffalo Bootleg for the jaunt down the 290.

These are positive signs.
leetee - 07/29/07 10:15
All the best with the job. Can't see why they wouldn't hire you. Keep us updated?
museumchick - 07/27/07 21:17
I hope things work out with the job:).
chico - 07/26/07 16:41
Hope you get the job and that it suits you to a T!
ladycroft - 07/26/07 12:45
i really hope it works out for you!

07/23/2007 09:32 #40217

Grumble, grumble
Category: monday
For the past six years or so, the ex and I have been splitting the cost of a membership at the Holiday Inn on Delaware. They have a pool club that for a flat rate you get unlimited swimming pool access from 10am to 10pm, Memorial Day through Labor Day. It's not a bad deal and we can get cooled off with the hassle of the border or packing cars like you're temporarily moving. Basically, throw your suit on and go. The fact that the hotel bar delivers out to you helps too. Previous summers had us ordering LaNova for dinner and getting drinks from the bar.

I do wonder about the buffoons who own the place. They had a watermain break near the pool that put a serious crimp on operations out there. Shit happens, I understand that. They are getting ready to open the pool for what is left of the summer. Since two thirds of their usual swimming season is shot, the Hotel isn't going to run a pool club since the fucksticks in management couldn't come to any kind of consensus on how to price it. Two thirds of the season is gone. Deduct two thirds from the price, doesn't seem that hard to me. That sort of logic made me the befuddled male I am today. It's that sort of muddleheaded thinking that just pisses me off. You'd think they want to cultivate previous pool club so we all come back in 08.

Jerkasses.

In other news, here's a sign that I spent too much time fixing computers of the weekend. Simpsonized myself
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