Easily influenced by others

Easily influenced by others
Current mood: stressed

After a conversation last night with Grace, I had a sudden urge for Mac and cheese. So, i had a box in the cupboard (about the only food i have in there) and well.. i had no cheese or milk. Bugger. So I had 2 choices, go to the store and buy milk and cheese or take a nap and get some easy mac on the way to work... I went with option 2 because I'm lazy and i don't want milk sitting in the fridge while i'm out of town for the weekend. And i just couldn't be bothered to go all the way to Krogers at that time. But the easy mac hit the spot about 4 AM.

But the whole episode made me think how easily i tend to be steered by others. Its especially bad when I'm tired and really can't be bothered to think for my self. The power of suggestion works best when i'm half asleep.. apparently i agree to a whole lot of things then. And even worse, I'll tell you anything there is to know. Perhaps I should stay away from people when i'm sleepy. Keep me from agreeing to mow lawns and wash others cars. Thats going to make coming to work harder. The other problem is, I'm a sucker for a pretty face... a girl can get me to do just about anything with a wink and a smile, works better than the Jedi mind trick. Its sad I know... and its gotten me in trouble in the past.. and probably will again.

While today is Friday for me, and I have a big weekend planned, I'm in a crappy mood. I'm starting to stress about getting up to Chicago on friday morning... as it slooking like the planes are full. So i'll be at ATL from oh about 8AM begging some one to let me on a plane. And the whole logistics of getting the DMB expedition to run is bugging me, I have this feeling we're going to get to the campsite and have forgotten something minor.. like a tent, and be screwed... especially with the chance to storms forecast!! Oh well, I like playing in the rain! It will all work out I'm sure. I think i'm going to start buying plane tickets... at least domestic.. save me a huge headache and i can wear jeans...

Todays mission... to pack everything i need for a 4 day weekend trip in my backpack. I'm sure it can be done! Other goals.. not to talk too much, relax and just go with it.

PS.. Ain't I doing well with the typing.. amazing what proofreading will do!

This just in...

One of the most annoying aspects of my job is that for 10 hours, theres a projector showing Fox News on a 5 foot screen at the front fo the room... but without sound. But the lack of sound isn't the most annoying aspect (we have the captioning on and can read if so inclinced), its the content of the Fox News network. Either its the most useless news stories in the world (and watch it for 10 hours straight you'll see them over and over) or we take a guenuine story and blow it out of proportion.This is not unique to Fox, the rest are about the same.

The inspiration for this rant today comes form 2 hours of live coverage of rescues of flood victims in Pennylvania and Maryland. While I am sympathetic to those who will suffer damge and dislocation due to torrential rains, 2 hours of people being "rescued" from a building just aggrevated me. Now, these people are being loaded into a zodiac raft from a warehouse type building. And then, 2 people pulled the raft about a block to "dry land". The part that annoyed me was the flood waters were all of oh... about 4-6 inches deep. Can we not walk through 4 inches of water half a block and need the Coast Guard to come get us?? When I was 5 years old thats what we called a good time. Hell, i still would be the one out playing in the water!!

Fine, so we're boating stranded people a block in 6 inch deep water to rescue them... but does this really rate 2 hours of untinerrupted helicopter coverage?? I mean there has to be something else going on more consequential to the public in general. There shoulda been a car chase somewhere in America so we could split the screen and get both happening LIVE!! Then the ratings would have shot up!

People wonder why i don't watch the news... I'm always of the opinion if it effects me, i'll know about it before CNN. Otherwise i'll manage just fine. And besides its already happened, nothing much i can do about it now. If CNN could tell me today that a car will drive into my living room tomorrow... well, thast worth reporting.

Luckily it hasn't been too bad this week, we've coerced the holder of the TV channel changer to put World Cup games on in the morning. I think i'm gonna crack open a beer and enjoy not being "informed". That being said, I think its gong to be Brazil over Italy for the title... anyone wanna put some money on it?

excessive connectivity

excessive connectivity
Current mood: pensive

Am i the only one who feels some times I'm way to connected to the world? For example, I have a cell phone that connects everywhere I go, in 120 different countries (with the exception theres no service in my apartment... but on the middle of Loch Ness, 5 bars... go figure). And then theres the massive internet connections, I have 2 laptops and a wireless network inside my 600 squarefoot apartment. because a 30 foot ethernet cord (i had one once upon a time) is just too unsightly and not cutting edge enough. I can be reached by phone or email, and probably e-fax (if i knew how to set it up on my cell phone) anytime day or night... should anyone decide to call or text message. Yet i am the most horrible person about answering the phone. Just ask my family.

Now through the miracle of modern technology, I'm at work connected to one of my laptops playing sound files directly off it. How neat, i can listen to any of my MP3s that i have at home on my work computer.. and I'm sure this would be a hackers dream. Although I've been so paranoid so long about some one breaking into my computres i don't keep important records on it... I have a paper file... yes paper. Remember that old dead tree u could write on.

And even better than accessing my home files from work (to listen to music, defintely not doing anything of any work relevance), i can do it from my super cell phone. So no matter where in the world i am, except my own apartment where i have no connectivity, i can access my laptop and download stuff to my cellphone. And one might ask why i would need such a service... I don't. but its neat to have anyway!

And what do i do with all this connectivity... i send text messgaes to friends who may be on the other side of the room. Ahhh.. the modern world. And u know some of the best days i have consits of riding my bike, where no one can call me, and just being out of touch. I think we should all disconnect every so often for our own sanity.

Dispatching from the edge...

I'm chillin here at work, and thought I would write a note. Nothing too exciting going on these days... I am looking forward to the upcoming camping trip this weekend, with the associated 2 DMB concerts! So that's pretty positive. And as I sit here, watching airplanes fly across the world (well, on my computer screen they fly across a map of the world... same thing), Yahoo! (trademark) videos pops up a Paris Hilton video. Now, its quite different from the last Paris video I saw.. she stays dressed in this one. The other one showed more talent IMHO.

Otherwise, I'm here living a dream. Spent the last 4 days on a bike, by a pool, in a bar (Yay for the new Taco Mac, 100 draft beers, 250 in the bottle... that is a dream come true), or just sleeping. Very relaxing. More to the point, very boring. I need some excitement... I may take up skydiving, that looks exciting. I've unfortunately found that most things that combat my boredom require money, and its in short supply at the moment. So, if anyone out there would like to donate to the JD's Fund for Supporting Wayward Souls... please contact me!

I'm currently contemplating applying for yet another job in the mid east. I don't know why i keep looking that way for openings... well yeah I do, they pay better than US airlines! So, Anyone out there know anything about the city of Doha and Qatar Airways? I better get back to work and pretend I'm paying attention where the planes are...

On a side note, i find that people who talk all the time are annoying more and more... is it bad that i've started tuning out annoying voices and the people that are associated with them?

Why do the landscapers...

Why do the landscapers...
Current mood: groggy

feel the need to run the blowers and weedeaters outside my window so early in the morning? I'm so trying to sleep but noooooo... loud lawncare. Geez... Don't they know i spent all night out playing trivia and came rolling in at 4 am... i just wanna sleep in! Is that too much to ask?

On the upside i had a great time out last night, and have $75 in gift cards from the bar i play trivia at... unfortnutely that doesn't cover our usual bar tabs, especially when some one gets the bright idea that we all need a red headed slut (the shot). I blame society.

IF your not following the World Cup, the US was knocked out by Ghana... thats unfortunate. But they didn't have the best performances on the field... Since they're out, i'm not becoming a resident of Australia and following their futbol hopes. So in that respect, "AUSSIE AUSSIE AUSSIE"!

I'm off to sit in the dark and cool and drink a lot of water, I'm not hanging out with Grace anymore, she keeps me out to late and makes me drink too much... her and her evil roommates! Hopefully i'll feel better by the time the FedEx guy gets here with my DMB tickets and i'll be up for going somewhere.... it feels liks a starbucks day... Later kids.

hot, damn hot...

Today was the first day of summer, and the longest day of the year here in the northern hemisphere... and it felt like it, 98 degrees here.. bu thats better than the 120 it hit in Kuwait (don't ask why i know that)

.Why is it the last day you work before you get time off seems to drag by forever. Perhaps its because you sit and watch the Windows clock count the minutes. Then again perhaps its that i do nothing at work for most the time i'm there and surf the internet, and you can only read the NY Times online so many times. Of course i can't do anything fun on the internet or even take an online class because that distracts me from my "work".

I'm planning a new weekend trip to Rome... why Rome... well.. its either there or Ethiopia and i really hate shots, and Rome doesn't require the immunzations Addis Ababa does. So if anyone has an idea or where to go and what to do while there, and most importantly how to do it cheaply, i'm open to advice. All i know is I want to check out the Vatican (The Catholic church fascinates me.. even before the DaVinci Code came out, plus the frescos and paintings and sculpture look beauitful in pictures... ), otherwise.. I'm open. I've found that when I travel to the exotic locales, that its most enlightening to get away from the tourist stuff and see the sort of local perspective. Sure there are the requirements of things to do, you have to go to the Effiel Tower if your in Paris or the Tower of London in... well London... but if you find a back street cafe where you can be submersed in the local culture its more beneficial to really knowing someplace and the people that are there. Not seeing that side of the a country is sort of like visiting the Louvre and only seeing the Mona Lisa... skipping the rest of the artistic treasures there. So, when in Rome...

Other things to look forward to, Next weekend is Dave Matthews Band in Wisconsin... yay!!! And the end of July (DCI at the Georgia Dome) i will see many of my dearest friends whom i never see enough of... Its nice to have things to look forward too... i tend to overlook it and get bogged down in the monotony of the day to day grind. I'll work on that...

Total Haplessness... er happiness

Just when u think you're the only person in the world that has some weird psychodic quirk, u learn you aren't as unique as you think. Some of you maye have the video from the song "Dirty Little Secret" by American Rejects (and if not see it). Basically its faceless people holding up post cards with their secrets on it. And some of them are way out there. After some research and a few friends recommendations... i found a website where these cards are posted (also has the history of the project). I have to say its enligthening into just how quirky most of us are. Every so often I just get hung up on some weird feeling or emotion and i think I'm a weirdo for that... turns out not so much. I'm not the only one obsessing over my future or my love live or if i've thrown it all away for a good time. Its liberating to an extent.

Then again, theres the chance its only like 5 of us out there and we're the one sending all the post cards in. SO check us out at http://postsecret.blogspot.com

Otherwise, its been a real dull day, work, nap (i would love to be able to sleep more than 5 consecutive hours)... and here i am. I'm even *gasp* thinking about cleaning. I need some desperate help. Luckily tomorrow is "friday" (for those of u non airline people with normal work schedules.... , "friday" can occur on any day of the week.. the beginning of my "weekend"). And theres 4 days of nothing planned... any ideas?

And be forwarned for future ramblings... i have horrible typing skills... there will be many mistakes... deal with it!

Its my first time,... please be gentle..

So last night i typed this really moving and articulate first blog entry, and the myspace promptly crashed when i went to save it. Thanx myspace.

And now I'm not feeling particularly philosophical or literary, but i wanted to do this whole thing, since eveyrone else is and i feel left out. (No i do not succumb to peer pressure, i want to jump off the cliff when everyone else does). So, i thought i would start this off this afternoon, being home and bored and too sunburned to go hang by the pool. Here it is.

I'm wondering what its like to have a social life...and a job where i work hours that support a social life... But then again, i do get to travel.. like life it all balances out.

Thats it, the first time is usually pretty quick, check back for more inspiration soon.

Yes, I'm a nerd...

So Yes, I've been accused of it for years now. I watch Jeopardy and know the answers. I go to play trivia and win. I read books by Stephen Hawking and undertsand what he's saying. I blew the grading curve before. Its a hard life. Today, a special kind of nerdiness was experienced. The airplane nerd. Me and a pal went and watched airplanes take off and land for about 2 hours.

Although the nerdiness was slightly lessened by the fact we were in a bar, though not drinking. And many of you kids have been recipients fo the B-52's Trivia winnings. So sometimes it pays to be a bit geeky. If you take a way the super kewl biker image, and the world traveling itnernational man of mystery, I'm there with my books reading about quantum physics because its interesting. Its easier to digest with bourbon, but i'm still reading it. And there was this one time at band camp... lots of fun thnigs actually happened there.

So i was accused today of being a nerd, because i was watching airplanes. Its easy to vegetate doing that and its impressive to see 600,000 lbs leave the ground. That impresses me more than say.. wrestling. Something about greased up men in tights just doesn't do it for me, contrary to what Grace may have me doing in HER dreams. I'd rather read than say go out and sit in the woods at 5 AM waiting for a fury woodland creature walk by so i can shoot it. Wheres the challenge in that? (other than actually being awake at 5 am and not coming home from a bar). I say give the deer a chance, put down the gun and face him like a man.

Being nerdy pays off.. I did watch planes with a gorgeous young lady. And i do win free bar tabs. And I've had a good time being geeky, and women love a man with a big brain. We can be very creative.

PS. Yes, I'm bored at work again... can u tell? And i know your reading this, It tells me your reading this...