The Rambling J

I don't know how to say this, so I'll just get it over with.  I'm leaving.

I know it's sudden and I'm sorry it has to end like this, but I've found someone else.  We've had some great times and I'll remember you fondly.  You were my first and a part of me will always love you.

But I have to do this.  For me.  And in some ways, for us.

Someday you'll find someone even better than me.  Someone who will blog more often and have more interesting things to say.  You know you'd be happier with someone who brings more web traffic and has more online friends.

So this is goodbye.  Thank you for everything and I hope someday you'll understand and forgive me.

http://jalan46.wordpress.com/

Love y'all,

J

Ok.  This made me laugh just hard enough to feel obligated to share.

Going to check out the Found Footage Festival tonight after work.  Should be a lot of fun.   I just love random stuff like that.  

Tomorrow I'm going to try and accomplish any and all chores that I've been putting off the past few weeks.  Assorted cleaning of things, final unpacking and settling into my room at the new apartment and other etcetera's.

On Sunday, Mario Kart Wii comes out (note the awesome steering wheel gizmo).  So that pretty much takes care of after church entertainment.  And every night next week.  Me and Roomie (Or "Roomie and I" for all you grammar lovers) have been playing through the Donkey Kong Country games the past few days.  It's been a lot of fun.  It's scary how many little tricks and secrets the mind retains from over 10 years ago.  I know to jump down that certain hole to find the secret barrell, but I can't remember anything I learned in history class in high school.  Go fig.

In other news, my next attempt to save the economy will be to buy a new laptop very soon.  Thanks to all the tips, advice and free publicity over at Pop's Universe I've decided to go Mac (and never go back?).  I'll be sure and let everyone know when that happens.

That's it for now I suppose.  Y'all have a good'n.

J

While this hasn't been the week from hell or anything, it has certainly been the week from a place where the temperature is at an uncomfortable level and some fat guy in red spandex with an over-sized spork is staring at me menacingly. 

Without getting into gory details, all our billing deadlines at work have (for several reasons) been moved up.  Last week was serious crunch time and the momentum has continued.  Throw stupidity office politics into the mix and me covering for one of our busiest coordinators while he's out sick and you get a real fun environment.  

But the good news certainly outweighs the bad.  It's Friday, high of 80 Degrees today, Comic Con tomorrow, church Sunday and clear skies predicted the whole time.  Any spare time I have this weekend will be spent in Central Park with a camera, lemonade (complete with crazy straw and little umbrella) and shorts.  Come find me.  I'll be the guy with the bad Hawiian shirt and cowboy hat.  Just listen for the Jimmy Buffett music.

Come to think of it, life is pretty sweet.  And God is very good.

Love y'all,

J

Saturday, April 12

7:00AM
My alarm goes off signaling that my life should now include getting out of bed, attention to matters of hygiene, putting on clothes suitable for destroying, finding a hat and heading to the train.  The eventual goal is to Do a Good Thing and help Hands on New York renovate a park in Brooklyn thus making a difference in the world and adding merriment to the lives of many children.  I am to be there at 8:45.  I have been assured there will be coffee when I get there.

7:30
Arrive at the subway, take my seat and read

7:50
Wonder why I haven't left the station yet.

8:00
"Ladies and Gentlemen, due to switch and signal problems at Queensborough Plaza, all Manhattan bound N train service has been temporarily suspended.  This train will go to 39th Avenue and then return to Ditmars Blvd."

Wellll frick-n-frack.  Now what?  I could *inhale deep breath* take this train to 39th then get off and walk to Queens Plaza take the R into Manhattan then transfer back to the N (all on a weekend train schedule mind you) then get to De Kalb Avenue in Bklyn, get to the park about an hour and a half late and then find my church group and start working.

Or I could just go home and play Wii all day.  I pace back and forth on the platform caught in the crossfire of a battle raging between my conscience and sense of duty vs. my laziness and desire to relax after a horrible week.  

In the midst of my pacing I see a purse sitting all alone on a bench on the platform.  As we all do I looked at it and then looked around for a possible owner.  Not seeing one I took it to the MTA office at the end of the platform and gave it to the (astonished) MTA representative.  It should be noted that when I told him I found a purse and was trying to return it he looked at me like a dog would look listening to high pitched sound.

Having done my good deed for the month day without leaving Queens I felt somehow justified in returning home, settling into my papasan with a Dr Pepper and $50 worth of Wii points and beginning a pretty good Caturday.

I found out yesterday I'll be working this Saturday.  It was "suggested" I could come in Sunday too, but that just ain't happening.  Sunday is J Day and that's all there is to it.  Okay, Sunday is God Day but I'm going to borrow a little that night if He doesn't mind.  Truthfully, working on Saturday doesn't bother me all that much.  The office has a more laid back feel because there aren't as many people around and we're all in jeans and t-shirts instead of the usual business casual.  Makes me feel sneaky or something. 

In book news (as he stretched for something to blog about)...  I'm re-reading Good Omens for the 2nd time.  Good Omens is a book published in 1990 co-authored by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaimen.  It's a delightful story about the week of the Apocalypse and has some of the most brilliant subtle commentary on religion, people and politics I've ever read.  I realize that to describe the Apocalypse as "delightful" is a bit odd, but it's all about context.  You'll see when you read it.  Which you should.  Because I said so.

Two weekends from now is the New York Comic Con.  I've never been to one of these and I'm pretty excited about it.  While comic books aren't exactly my forte, they will be revealing a lot of upcoming video games and movie releases.  The entire sections dedicated to the upcoming Iron Man and Batman movies for instance.  That and I derive a lot of pleasure from laughing at grown men dressed up as super heros.  It clearly isn't the place to go meet the ladies lol.  But if I do happen upon a life size Samus Aran, I certainly won't complain.  

Y'all be good,

J

After a very hectic and productive weekend, I'm all moved into my new apartment.  No injuries, nothing lost and the new roomie and I are quite comfortable with everything.  There is still a ways to go before the place feels (or looks) lived in, but it'll get there.  The Texas flag blanket is on the futon, so that's a darn good start in my book.  I also need to buy a new bed, dresser and probably some shelves of some kind.   I figure my moving alone is going to be enough to re-stimulate the economy.

We got our cable and wireless set up the same day we moved in.  I've been living without internet in my apartment for the last year and a half and I'm really excited to have it at last.  For obvious internetty reasons of course, but now my Wii has wireless as well.  I've had it a year this coming weekend and now it feels like a whole new gaming system.  I have a weather channel, news channel, web browser and I can finally start downloading classic Nintendo games.  This will require spending a little more money on a new controller and buying some wii points, but it will all be worth it.  What can I say?  Nostalgia sells and I fall for it every time (as evident by the fact that I have a Super Nintendo right next to my Wii).

A simple change of scenery has brought on a whole slew of new thoughts and ideas.  I have a sudden urge to buy a cookbook and make everything in it.  I want to pick up playing guitar again.  I wandered around the apartment this morning with a screw driver looking for things to tighten.  I just want to DO stuff. 

Too bad I'm just going to end up on the couch playing Mario Kart 64 lol.

God Bless!

- J

There are things that you find hilarious when you're seven that are not so great when you find them again later in life.  This is not one of them.  

This is for my brother.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBlsAKXvpd0