Tom Wants To Live in Arizona

3 years

First off, I haven’t posted here in months. The girl at work has been out on maternity and ever since I have been stressed out and have not wanted to look at a computer.  I have been angry and annoyed and have not had any desire.  Plus I have been busy and have forgot.  Is that enough excuses?

Today is my 3 year anniversary of quitting smoking. Yay me.

I just got back from California.  I went out there for the weekend to go to Disneyland and to do some sight seeing.  I went to Disneyland Friday.  It was fun. I love the Disney parks. It definitely not DisneyWorld but it was still fun and had the same feel.  Saturday I got up and went to Beverly Hills for lunch at this garlic restaurant called The Stinking Rose.  I have been there before a few years ago. It was really good. We even got the garlic ice cream. The we drove through Beverly Hills and went to Grauman’s Chinese Theater to check it out.  We walked down Hollywood Boulevard looking at the stars on the sidewalk and the freaks and weirdos everywhere. Then we took a drive up the Pacific Coast Highway. It was sunset and it was an awesome drive.  Sunday we went to the La Brea Tar Pits. It’s a big bubbling asphalt pond in the middle of the city. Totally cool. Checked out the museum and the fossils and bones.  On the way there we saw a Bugatti Veyron driving on the road.  It’s a 1.5 million dollar car! Awesome. After the Tar Pits we drove to Venice Beach but I didn’t have time to get out and walk around.  I had to get to the airport.  I took the red eye home.  I got off the plane, drove home, showered, and went to work.  It sucked but it allowed me to have most of Sunday out there and the ticket was way cheaper. 

I had today off. Veteran’s Day. I didn’t know I had off until last week or so.  Stupid me didn’t bother to check the holiday schedule.  I could have made different travel plans and stayed in California for an extra day! Yeah I’m an idiot. 

Smallville ranting…

So there hasn’t been much going on. Working. Sleeping. Working. Sleeping. It sucks. Life isn’t supposed to be like this.

In between working and sleeping I’ve been catching up on two seasons of Smallville.  I am almost caught up.  The problem with watching two entire seasons of a show back to back is that you start to notice certain patterns or dialogue that gets repeated.  For example, whenever Lex is checking in on a secret project and the doctor/scientist tells him of a problem or a concern, Lex replies something like this: “I don’t pay you to/for (insert verb), I  expect results (or some other word).” Also the Clark/Lana stuff is annoying. 

That show is starting to decline.  In the season 5 finale, Zod was on Earth and Clark was locked in the Forbidden Zone.   Then in the season 6 premier, Clark gets out and defeats Zod really easily.  Why the HUGE build up if he defeats him in ten minutes?  They could have stretched the storyline to cover a couple of episodes. They rush to wrap up the storyline often. There are some other annoying things they do but I don’t want to bore anyone.

Lex Luthor is not returning this season, and there is internet chatter that this will probably be the last season.

I noticed that two members of the BSG cast played parts on different Smallville episodes.  Oh and the chick that was married to Apollo has part on Reaper. I would rather see them all on BSG, but those bastards at SciFi are reluctant to give up the best show they have ever had on their network! 

Birthday

It was my birthday yesterday.  Yay.  I’m another year older!  I got some gifts cards to Magiannos (or they can be used at On The Border, Macaroni Grill, or Chilis) so I was pretty happy!  I love Magiannos, On The Border, and Macaroni Grill.  Chilis is good but I would rather go to one of the other ones.  On The Border has THE best frozen margaritas.  Love them.  I got a PSP game too (Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron).

After work I basically chilled at home, and around 10 pm I went to Nifty Fifties for fries and a milkshake.  It was really nice. 

iPhone rant

Well it looks like the masses of losers with nothing else to do with their time were camped out to buy a piece of technology that will be obsolete in six months.  Who the hell sleeps out on a sidewalk for a cell phone?  Seriously!  It’s a cell phone. It’s not a limited edition or collector’s item, and within a year they will be throwing it away (hopefully recycling it!) So what’s the point?  Will owning that phone and paying the service fee going to change their life for the better? Will they be curing cancer with it and solving the environmental crisis we are facing?  No. They will most likely be on Myspace, looking for YouTube videos, and emailing pictures of their asses to their buddies.   

Do they really have nothing else to do?  Did these people take a day off of work to wait in line? Do they work at all? These people need to be studied. 

Are they that insecure and think they are special because they have one of the first of MILLIONS of cell phones to be manufactured and purchased?  Do they get a prize for having one of the first ones? Does your penis grow by an inch if you buy iPhone? Will ‘the ladies’ throw themselves at you?

Another question is who is going to know that they were the 18th person to buy one?  Do they get a tshirt? The biggest question is WHO CARES? Who are they trying to impress?  Their Dungeons and Dragons buddies? The people at work? Their mom? “Mom, I’m calling you from the latest iPhone! Yay I’m a man now!  (lowers voice) Yes I would like meatloaf for dinner…  MOM! I’m out with the guys.  Okay can you pick me up at 10? There is a Star Trek marathon coming on.” 

If I was going to get one I would wait at least three months.  Don’t these people remember how Apple dropped the price on the first version of the iPhone?  All these morons started crying to their moms about how they should get a refund and how it’s not fair. That’s the price you pay sucker! Suck it up! Wipe your nose on the sleeve of your Star Trek shirt, curl back up in your race car bed, and get back to watching Captain Kirk making it with a green alien lady.  I know that’s what I am going to do…  

Feeling old… music

I was pretty excited the other day.  I was talking to my 18 year old neice about music and I told her that I am really into Wolfmother.  She didn’t know who they were, and for a moment I felt young and hip.  Then she rattled off the names of five different bands that I had never heard of and that feeling was gone. 

So much of the music today is disposable.  Here today, gone tomorrow.  Especially all the rap.  I mean, one day the rapper is everywhere and then you never hear about them again. I’m not complaining; I would be happy if it all went away. I can’t imagine that anyone will be listening to it ten years from now. So much of it is SO BAD.

There are some newer bands that I follow, and some bands that I have liked since the 80’s.  There is so much music to listen to that the old stuff gets forgotten. If I don’t have it on my Ipod it rarely gets listened to.  It’s not convenient to carry around a portable cd player and dozens of cds.  I did that at one point but not anymore!  And I don’t have time to sit and rip all of my cds to my Ipod. (I could conceivably bring them to work and do it a little each day.)  So I decided to bring an old cd to work each day to listen to it. Yesterday it was The Best of Blondie, today it’s Danzig and CCR Chronicle. I had forgotten how much I like the first Danzig cd.  I haven’t heard it in years. 

Broad Street Run 2008

So a few weeks ago now I did the Broad Street Run in Philly.  It’s a 10 mile run for cancer.  I walked it.  It was pretty neat.  I kept forgetting to write about it.

I was a little later getting there than last year, and what a difference being early made.  I had to sit in traffic on the double decker bridge (Girard Point Bridge?) for about 20 - 30 minutes.  Then we got on the train and got on the local instead of the express.  So every stop more and more people crammed onto the train.  It was tight. You were right up on the people around you.  I was beginning to get claustrophobic and anxious.  I had to stare at the ceiling or close my eyes to keep from freaking out.  We finally got to the start and had to forcibly push through hundreds of people who were standing around waiting for the start.  I kept yelling Move! Coming through!  I’m sorry! and had to squeeze through.  I was starting to freak out again because I was in the middle of this mob and could barely move.  I think as I am getting old I am getting more claustrophobic.

Anyway, I got through that mob and ran across this big field to pick up my race bib.  You had to pick it up by 8:00, and the race started at 8:30.  I think I picked up my bib at 8:35. So we got back into the mob and shuffled out to the starting line.  It looked neat because as you got closer to the start line, there was a wave of bouncing heads that got closer and closer to you.  It was a pretty neat effect. It was also very cool to look ahead and see nothing but bouncing heads as far as you can see.

So as I was walking the Run, I was taking picutres with my cell phone and sending them and texting my friend who was meeting me near the finish line.  Some spectator on the side of the road yelled at me for texting.  He said, “Hey are you trying to mack the ladies or are you in the race?”  Mack the ladies? So I was like look at this guy yelling at me and he’s standing on the sidewalk with a cup of coffee!  A-hole.  A little further down some a-hole yelled over and said “Walkin already? It’s too early to be walking already!”  Again, F U. At least I’m doing it! I love how people have the balls to judge me because I am walking, when they are standing around doing absolutely nothing!  Further down the course I heard someone yelling “RUN! RUN!”.  I looked around and there was someone yelling out of a thrid story window!  Are you kidding me?  Apparently the Broad Street Run is a popular run because of the spectator participation.  I could have gone with out it. 

At about mile marker 6 I think it was, some chick was screaming support to the runners.  She was saying “Come on you got this!” and she was yelling so loud and hard that all the muscles in her neck were buldging out.  It was hilarious. Plus we are 4 miles from the finish. It’s a long way to go to be saying that someone has “got this”. 

The entire walk I was tyring to keep ahead of the truck that was driving along taking down the mile markers!  I would see him pull up to the sign and get out of the truck.  Then as I was approaching the next mile marker again he would drive by really slow and stop.  So it became my goal to beat the truck.  I think I beat him to miles 8 and 9.  I can’t really remember. 

The results?  Out of the 9821 men that participated, I came in 9801.  I beat 20 men! Over all, out of 19112 who did the Run, I came in 19002 or something. So I beat about 100 people!  I ROCK!  Seriously, I walked it so I expected to come in at the rear.  Maybe I will run it next year.  It really was fun and overall a really nice day.  And I got a t-shirt! 

Goonies Question

Last night I found out that my brother’s girlfriend has never seen The Goonies.  She said she hasn’t seen anything from before she was born in 1985.  That is a bit fishy because The Goonies came out in June 1985.  She may have been born after June.  Not that it matters… 

Then I found out that a woman I work with has never seen it either!  Incon(th)eivable! (to quote a different movie)

Anyway, here’s my question.  Do you think it’s possible for a grown adult person to watch The Goonies for the first time and enjoy it?  I love the movie, but I grew up with it.  I’m thinking that an adult might find it extremely cheesey and stupid. 

These people must watch it though, just so they get the pop culture references and the various quotes that people say.  Rock-ee road? Chunk?  Hey you guuuuuuuys! 

Arizona - Trip 2

I’m in Arizona again.  I came out here Friday night and I am going home today (Monday).  I called in sick today, cough cough. I fly out of here around 2 or 3.  Something like that. 

I am writing this from my old job’s Chandler office.  I got to see everyone in their “new” work environment.  It’s very quiet in here.  It’s almost as if there isn’t anyone else here.  I hear various mouse clicking so I know there are others here.  It’s all so business like.  Henry has jury duty so I did not get to see him. I can picture him sitting in the jury box rubbing his head and hopping up and down in his seat.  I did get to see Mon who I haven’t seen in years, and met some people whose names I recognized.  Martin claims that I am legendary here.  I don’t know why though. 

During this trip, we went for an hour and half drive throught he mountains, stopped at Dairy Queen, and then turned around and came back. I went to dinner at the Roaring Fork with Webby, Pere, and Lisa.  Henry, Martin, and Eileen were supposed to come but forgot.  It was really good. They are famous for their green chili mac and cheese so I got it.  It was really good and had a mild kick.  I had a really good time at dinner, and had a huckleberry mararita. It was very tart but good.  I liked the atmopshere there too.  It made me feel like I was at the Wilderness Lodge in DisneyWorld.

Webby and Pere recommended that we see the Pima Air and Space Museum, so we did that Sunday.  It was pretty cool.  We took the tram tour around the grounds.  About a quarter of the way through the tour the tram got a flat tire, and the tour guide had to walk back to the hangar to get a different tram. There were so many weirdos on our tour, which gave me something else to look at.  Definitely interesting.  We took a scenic route home from Pima, which took us up throught the mountains and on a dirt road. We were going to go to the drive-in, because I haven’t been to one in a long time, but by the time we ate dinner it was too late.  I was going to go swimming but I was too tired.  My body was telling me that it’s three hours later then what it was! 

Henry just showed up.  They didn’t pick him to be a juror. 

I’m headed off to lunch and then to the airport. I finagled my tickets so that I can fly First Class home. Nice!  On the way out here I got an exit row seat (the one without a seat in front of me), and the people next to me got up and moved when they closed the door. I had the whole row to myself!  It was really nice. I laid down and made myself as comfortable as I possibly could. 

I watched the last two Lost epiosdes, and last week’s BSG on the flight out here.  After that my Ipod was almost dead!  WTF!  I thought they lasted DAYS on one charge! (I guess that’s if you are playing music).  I have a ton of stuff to watch on the way home, and my Ipod better not die or I will be pissed! I might have to READ or, God forbid, sit quietly with my thoughts!

Anyway, it’s about time for me to go.  Thank you to Jeff for “letting” me use his pc while he was out of the office.  I swear I didn’t screw it up too much. Tell him to call 5555 for help!   

When I get home I have to write about The Broad Street Run last Sunday. I keep forgetting to.  It’s pretty funny. 

Star Wars

I went to see the Star Wars exhibit at the Franklin Institute last weekend. It was neat.  They had a lot of models used during filming, and a number of costume and droids.  Luke’s landspeeder was there.  It is small!  There must be bigger ones out there.  I’m not sure how anyone could have fit in it.  They had a destroyer droid there, you know, the ones that roll around in a ball and have shield generators.  It definitely was intimidating! My favorite item there was the Millenium Falcon model. It was probably 5 foot wide, maybe bigger.  I wanted to bring it home with me.  It’s my favorite ship in all of the movies.  They were showing four and a half minute movie in a life-sized recreation of the Millenium Falcon cockpit.  You had to get a ticket for that when you got there. You had to walk down a little hallway that was made to look like the inside of the Falcon.  The movie was about space travel but it did have a few X-Wing fighters in it.  It was kind of cool.  It was fun just to sit in the cockpit. 

The most amusing part of the exhibit were the people who were there.  Weirdos!  I swear I saw the Comic Book Guy from The Simpsons.  If you get a kick out of people watching, this was a feast for the eyes! 

Nothing else exciting has been going on. Just working, and wishing I wasn’t. 

BSG TOMORROW!

Battlestar Galactica returns to television tomorrow night on SciFi at 10 pm! 

If you go to the website, there are a couple of videos to watch. One of them will get you caught up on the past three seasons in just 8 minutes.  The lady narrating sounds bored as hell, and some of her comments were funny.  It’s funny how they stripped the show down to 8 minutes.  Obviously it’s missing a lot, but it touches on the major plot points. 

There are two other videos that they showed on SciFi last Friday about the show and the buzz around it.  It’s worth watching, especially if you are at work and looking to kill some time. 

Set your TiVo!