Recharging My Batteries

The year is almost over. Where did the time go? I've been way too busy this year. I finally wrote my long-winded Year In Review column for my Road Warrior site. It's been a nice relaxing week so far. For the first time in quite a while, I took a couple of days off. It's not just a matter of taking the day off from work. I mean that I took the day off from everything. I just needed a couple of days to rest and recharge my batteries, which were probably dead from exhaustion. I took a quick drive up to meet a friend in Las Vegas. The drive was kind of nice, since there wasn't too much traffic going up, and coming back down. All of the traffic was going in the opposite direction. But, thanks to the security procedures in place at the airports and other areas, the journey was an adventure unto itself. Getting a rental car required some dexterity training, and the flat tire on the way didn't help matters. Anyhow, I'm back home now, and now I have to get back to work once again. Onward to New York... Happy New Year! See ya.

Connections

I went shopping today, since my VCR broke down some time ago. I've been missing my Star Trek movies, so I really needed a replacement for the holidays. I got a nice combo VCR/DVD player, and just hooked it up. Surprisingly enough, the crowds were not as bad as I had anticipated. I've been on the road way too much, and never really had any time to do any shopping. I've been away too long, and I think sometimes that I really need to be connected more with stuff going on right here in Southern California. I was in Orlando when the big news was the 6.5 earthquake in Central California that seemed to affect the area here. I didn't notice any damage when I got back, and everything seemed fine. No one was talking about it. That's the kind of stuff that makes me feel a bit disconnected with my home. Maybe I'll get to stay home more next year. That's what I've been told anyway. I'm starting to get a bit cynical, so I'd better sign off now. Merry Christmas everyone! See ya.

Rising From The Ashes

I've been kind of down on this whole aging concept lately. Maybe it's because my knees started predicting the weather in Minnesota. Or maybe it's just the fact that I can't seem to handle the sleep deprivation as well as I used to any more. In any event, I just can't get over the fact that I'm not eighteen, and maybe your needs change as you move into those *dare I say it?* middle-aged years. I've been reflecting on my regrets for quite a while now. It kind of started a few months ago, when a random comment from some idiot blowhard caused me to feel like I stopped making a difference out here in the field. It's amazing how one negative remark can overshadow all of the positive feedback throughout the last decade of my career, including all of the words of encouragement since then. Maybe I've just been hiding for the last few years. It's amazing how one can hide in the largest crowds, as a faceless traveler throughout various cities across the USA. Well, it's time for a comeback, with a vengeance . . . To be continued. See ya.

Picture Perfect

Looking through some of the old pictures I have, I've noticed that I really no longer resemble my past pictures. I recently renewed my driver's license at the DMV, and my old driver's license photo no longer looks like me. They did take a new one, but somehow, that picture still doesn't capture the real me. Maybe I've grown a bit vain when I entered this version of mid-life crisis, or maybe I just can't take a good picture. Getting older really sucks. I've noticed that I'm slowing down, and I don't have that indestructible feeling that I had a few years back. You can even tell by the pictures. I think we start losing something when we start aging. I just can't place my finger on what it is. I'll let you know when I figure it out. See ya.

Process Issues

There has got to be some sort of explanation for why things are so infuriatingly stupid. Now, for example, last week I ordered a component from an online store, and I did not receive the complete order. In order to get the right item, you have to go through so many hoops, it's incredible. You see, since the item they sent was incomplete, I had to return the item via FedEx, which cost them more than the item to begin with. Then they would issue me a refund, so I could start the whole process over again. So, instead of instant gratification within a one week period, I now will probably have to wait a few months. I know we have processes in place in order to improve efficiency. But really, is this progress?? See ya.

Payback

I still can't shake that ominous feeling, and it's really starting to become disturbing. I've got several trips coming up, and it's not a good thing to go into the wonderful world of travel in this state of mind. After all, I think I've got quite a few turbo-props in my itinerary this week. Those don't usually strike me as the safest planes out there. Maybe the sleep deprivation is really catching up with me from the last couple of decades. After all, I have gotten away with functioning during weekdays on minimal sleep for the last fifteen to twenty years, and I think it's probably payback time. I did go to Knott's Berry Farm today, and got on a few roller coasters, despite my better judgement. I got my banking done, and sent out several bills and assorted business letters. I've still got quite a bit to do before my trip tomorrow, but I thought I'd give you, my gentle readers -- all three of you -- an update of my life. See ya.

Night Terrors

For the last few days, I've been having some weird nightmares. I don't usually let night terrors overwhelm me, but this time, it feels kind of real. No, I haven't gone off the deep end. It's the sleep deprivation, or disruption of sleep associated with the waking-up-in-terror part that I'm having a problem with. For the last few nights, I've been getting killed in some sort of weird James Bond fantasy. Ok, I have some weird dreams, and I've probably been watching Goldeneye or Die Another Day way too many times. I've got to lay off the action movies for a while. Still, I just can't shake this ominous feeling for some reason. I could really use a good night's sleep -- soon! See ya.

Worlds To Conquer

I've been playing Sim City 4 a lot lately. There's something about this game that just makes you want to stay up until strange hours of the morning and continue playing. The problem is that there is no end to this game -- you just keep building and building. It's kind of like the Winchester Mystery House. The game doesn't end until either the computer or I gives up and dies. I kind of like things that have these strange infinte loops. I can't explain it. I think I need to get a life. I've probably said that a few too many times. Anyhow, I hope all my readers -- all two or three of you -- have had a great Thanksgiving. See ya.

Follow The Closures

Today was a day of closure. No, nothing in my life was brought to closure. I should say that I was chasing the closures today. I got up a little late today, which for me, means after 3pm. I managed to have a quick dinner with my friend Jon, when we decided to go to Fry's Electronics so I could get some more geek stuff to play with. Well, we went to the Anaheim location, and we missed them by a half hour or so. Since when do they close at 7pm? Anyhow, we went to the one in Fountain Valley after that, and they also closed at 7pm. What's going on? Oh well. I was going to the grocery store after that, but Ralphs changed their hours due to the strike, and all of them close at 10pm. I, of course, arrived at 10:04pm, as they were locking the doors. Maybe I shouldn't hibernate on weekends. See ya.

Fun And Games

In the past couple of years, I really haven't allowed myself to have much fun. I'm not usually the type to mix business with pleasure. However, this time, on a quick trip to New Orleans, I had a great time at dinner and walking around the town. I guess you have to stop and smell the proverbial roses every now and then, even when the smell is not that great (especially in the French Quarter of New Orleans). A lot of weird stuff always happens on the road, but none stranger than this week. We were staying next door to the Harrah's, and were able to contribute to the economy. I actually had a good time. Now that's one for the books. There was an interesting article on MSN that really matched my mood for the last year or so. It's time for me to leave. Anyone need a slightly burnt out tech sales-type? Have laptop, will travel. Really. The job search continues. See ya.

Back From The Dead

Hey, everyone! I'm back, and there's no stopping me now. Reports of my death were greatly exaggerated. I'm back on solid food as of yesterday, when Jon called and decided that he wanted to go to lunch. It was kind of iffy for me, since I hadn't eaten in a while, but I went anyway. So Jon, Lulu, and I had some lunch at the local Sizzler. After that, I got distracted with paperwork and other stuff, and reminded myself that I had to get a new SmartMedia card and some other stuff. So, naturally, I had to make a quick trip to Fry's Electronics. (Now, that's the ultimate oxymoron.) A couple hundred dollars later, I came home to attempt to get some work done. It never happened, but then again, everyone thinks I'm dead anyway, so what's the difference? Ha! See ya.

My First Sick Day

I just took a sick day for the first time in almost a decade. What did I do during this time? I actually caught up on some work. Sad, isn't it? You see, last night I think I got some food poisoning or something, so I was up all night waiting for someone to put me out of my misery. I'll spare you the details of the projectile vomiting and other symptoms, but suffice it to say, I was not going to be able to get on that airplane today. I went to the doctor today, and he seems to think it's one of those 24-hour virus infections from something I ate. Hey, at least I lost 10 pounds overnight. Not the best way to do that, I suppose, but it was effective. Anyhow, I'm taking another sick day tomorrow, too. I'm still not feeling very well. Hopefully, I'll get back to normal by Friday. See ya.

Just Another Saturday

It's been a rather uneventful day. I decided to go into hibernation last night, and got up at 3pm, which was really, really nice. I haven't done that in a long time. However, as soon as I got up, I had to go to do the usual Saturday stuff -- you know, dry cleaning and mail. I picked up a newspaper at a 7-Eleven, and the new owner is my former mechanic. Then, I went to get a haircut, and the lady who cut my hair seemed to know a lot about me. I guess I must have stopped by that Supercuts before. I just can't remember. It was one of those strange days where I seemed to be catching up with some of the people from my past. Then , I just had to catch up on a lot of nonsensical paperwork. I've grown accustomed to having that paycheck, so I needed to finish up a bunch of expenses today. Ok, so maybe my life really isn't all that exciting while I'm on the ground. I've still got a lot more filing to do before I take off again tomorrow, so I guess I'd better sign off for now. See ya.

Modern Classics Of Our Time

I've resumed my massive scanner project. The goal of this weekend is to spend a lot of time filing, some light accounting work, and the start of the massive clean-up of my files. I bought a shredder to take care of some of the documents from the eighties. I'm actually still stuck in 1978 or so, which really was not one of those eras that I remember very clearly. Hey, after all, I was only eight years old. My time was really the eighties. As the ultimate Star Trek cliffhanger episode, The Best of Both Worlds, is playing on the television in the background, I'm working on cleaning out my bookshelves. I noticed some of my old Calvin and Hobbes and Bloom County books on the shelf. These are the true classics of our time. Back to work for me. Maybe I'll hit 1979 soon. See ya.

Perchance To Dream

I've often wondered when my sleep patterns would catch up with me. After all, zipping around the country is not the best way to make a living. Well, it's not a very good living anyway. I took a quick nap on one of the planes on the way back, but that just wasn't enough. You see, you can never catch up. I've found that it is impossible. Kind of like attempting to lick your elbow. It just can't happen. I've been hopping time zones so much that I just don't seem to have a consistent sleep pattern any more. There's only one thing that is consistent -- I've never really been a morning person, even when I was really young. I was also never the type to completely stay awake all night on a regular basis either. I've found, as I've started to get a little older, that it's not always possible to control some of this stuff. Maybe zipping around the country is truly a game for the young, don't you think? I've only been doing it for a little less than a decade now, and I'm certainly ready for retirement. Now, I could use some sleep, time zones notwithstanding. By the way, how many of you tried to lick your elbow? Admit it. I know you did. Ha! Okay, I'm delirious now. See ya.

A Day In The Life

It's been a relatively uneventful day. I had lunch with my friend Jon, and after that I got a car wash today at the local Shell station to get the thick layer of ash off my car. Also, I picked up my dry cleaning, and added some mood indicators to both of my websites. I've actually got a lot of work to do, but it's Saturday, and I really don't want to break my Saturday rule. I'm trying really, really hard not to do any office work on Saturday, so I have a few more minutes until midnight. I had this really long blog entry for all of my readers today -- all two or three of you. However, it was so long and angst-ridden that I'm sure it would be considered a real downer, so I decided to just tell you about my day today. Wasn't that fun? I guess not. Oh, well. See ya.

It Was A Dark And Stormy Night

And so we say goodbye to yet another month this year. It's been an interesting day. I spent a good portion of it at the DMV getting my driver's license renewed. It was a really, really, really long line before I even got to the entrance of the building. After that, you wait in a couple more lines and suffer through eye exams and written exams and the photographer that always catches you with your eyes shut. I'm glad that ordeal is over. Maybe next time I'll plan a trip to one of those remote offices in Lancaster or Kettleman City. Anyhow, after I finished my work -- it's amazing how that work stuff just gets in the way, isn't it? -- I ran a few more errands. I got back to the house after the Halloween rush, and noticed that it was a dark and stormy night. The fires continue, but at least the rain is helping a bit. It's been a long week. I could use some sleep. See ya.

Blue Skies . . .

. . . smiling at me. Nothing but blue skies do I see. Yes, we finally got some rain today. The combination of rain and wind has caused some of the smoke and ash to clear away from my area of the world, but surrounding areas are still ablaze. The smoke and ash are on their way to the Phoenix and Las Vegas areas. Ironically, I'm headed over to Phoenix next week, so I'll get another dose of the remnants of Firestorm 2003. Until then, we had a brief view of the blue skies, as the greater Los Angeles and Orange County areas experienced a few clear hours. I went shopping today, and bought another one of those high-priced items that I collect. Who could ask for anything more? I'm hungry. I need a sandwich. I'm going back to dining on ashes once again. See ya.

Firestorm

I've been home for almost 24 hours now, and it's been an interesting experience. As you know, we're experiencing a few minor issues here in Southern California. Most notably, WE'RE ON FIRE!!!!!!! As I was returning from San Diego the other night, I drove through the fire and brimstone. This gives new meaning to my adventures through the various rings of hell, from that other blog of mine. Yes, it's been a dark night over Southern California. Over 1000 homes have been destroyed, and many lives lost. The smoke and ash continue to thicken outside, and not only can you see the air, but you can actually feel it. Ironically, I'm home for the next few days to enjoy the disaster. Hey, life's a journey, but there's a bumpy ride ahead. See ya.

Reclaiming The Lost Hour

I just finished writing yet another masterpiece about reclaiming the lost hour. Daylight Savings Time is a strange thing. If you haven't already heard, I'm starting to get a little older, and staying awake all night is becoming one of those problem areas for me lately. With an extra hour, I don't think I'll make it much farther. I think I've seen every infomercial on late night TV. I just watched some sort of cleaning solution infomercial, and found it mildly entertaining. But not as entertaining as the one for the Ronco Showtime Rotisserie or the George Foreman Grill. Hmmmm. I think I need to get a life. Now, I'm going to enjoy that missing hour by going to bed. Time for me to blend into the darkness of the night, once again. *Fade to black* See ya.

The Chameleon Principle

Anyone who works remotely can appreciate the special underground network of communication that gets created by necessity. When you work for a dysfunctional company, you need a way to find out what's going on. Sometimes, the underground network is a lot more accurate than any visit to an office. This is the only way you can find out who got fired, who is still employed, and who got transferred. It's hard to keep up without a scorecard. In order to keep the underground going, you need to know The Chameleon Principle. The most important part of it all is the ability to blend into the darkness of the night, along with the rest of the underground network. Wow, I'm beginning to sound like Batman. Hey, heroes aren't hard to find. Sometimes they're right in front of you. See ya.

There's A Future In The Past

I just read that station wagons are coming back, and there's calling it a blast from the past. It's funny, though. I never thought they went out of style to begin with. After all, I drove my station wagon for 13 years before I bought my new one last year. Of course, the manufacturer did stop making station wagons for an 8 year period before starting production once again. I like to think that I'm timeless, but deep down, I know that I tend to gravitate toward the past. After all, in the past, the rent is cheaper. Ha! I've been called a relic in my own time, but I still think there's a future in the past. Maybe my next job should be a museum curator or an antique dealer. See ya.

Destiny's Choice

If you were so inclined, you entered this page by finding my URL through blogger at destinyschoice.blogspot.com. At the time I created this blog, there was really no hidden meaning to the title. It kind of sounds like some sort of romance novel, doesn't it? It had occurred to me that we all read or sometimes write about those things that are missing from our lives, so maybe the title came from some sort of unconscious level. In the last few posts, I've been really down about work, and rightly so. But I'm taking a breather from that for a moment to write about all of those things that have been missing lately. I, as many others, have been too caught up in daily life lately. I just saw the bulk of my friends this weekend. I realize that we all have busy lives, and in order to enjoy each other's company, we all had to make the time. It really isn't destiny's choice for anyone to become engulfed within their own little world. The choice is yours. So, until next time. Get a life! See ya.

Jaded

I know change is supposed to be important and beneficial, but when good and honest people are lost in the process, I think change can be a bad thing. If I wasn't jaded before this, I sure am now. In these changing times, I think it's necessary for some other things to change as well. The job search still continues, and I am thinking of doing something a little different. Too often have we created an identity of self with our jobs. I have gotten to the point of separation, as I feel, for the first time, that my job and I are separate entities. To some degree, identity with your job isn't always a bad thing. The more passionate and enthusiastic you are about what you do adds to your performance in your job. I'm not playing that game any more. There are now more important things in life that require my attention. I'm after some new challenges. The stange ride through the job market continues, as I also get back to basics. There's a lot more to tell, but I'll save that for my next editorial. As I said earlier, "Another day, another segue!" See ya.

Crossroads, Part 2

I'm finally home, after racing with my luggage back to Los Angeles. See that other blog of mine for more details about that. I've made one of those life-changing decisions this week, if you haven't already guessed by reading the last post. I'm leaving my current job at the earliest opportunity possible. It's been one of those decisions that I have been struggling with for a long time. After an irritating message from someone, I decided that it was time for me to make a change. That was just the topper, though. There have been so many things that I have had a problem with in this job, and it really isn't the same job as when I started. I think the only way to affect some change is for me to completely be removed from the job. Maybe that's what makes (or will make) the difference. In any event, wish me luck. It's going to be an interesting ride for the next few weeks. The job search continues. See ya.

Crossroads

I've been in Philadelphia most of the week, which is unusual, since I am regularly out for a day at a time in various locations. After an irritating occurrence, I've been reflecting on the last several years. I just realized that this part of my career is over. It's been over for a long time now, but I'm still here, and I just hadn't recognized that it's been time to move on for quite a while. No, the travel hasn't been enough. It hasn't filled up all of the empty spaces in my life. I'm just getting the feeling that I'm not making a difference any more. I guess that's what the ironic foreshadowing was all about a few weeks ago. It's ironic that I don't mind the travel, the really bad treatment, excessive work hours, or many of the other things that really suck about my current job. I just need to make a difference somewhere again. Let the job search begin. See ya.

Let Freedom Ring Again

I just happened to be in Philadelphia for yet another great moment in history. Today, the Liberty Bell was moved for the first time since 1976. I'm sort of sequestered in a hotel right next to Independence Mall, where the bell has been in a pavillion for the last 27 years. Many precautions, including sensors on the bell's crack, were taken for this historic event. Although they were moving it less than 1000 feet, it was one of those monumental tasks, since the bell weighs over a ton. Hey, at least I was nearby. More than I can usually say for a lot of those historical moments. All patriots, please rise, and let freedom ring! See ya.

The Five Year Itch

Five years ago, I started playing Final Fantasy VII. Tonight, I finally finished the game. I invited my friend Jon to join me in this historic venture. Well, I finished it all right, but it caused more questions than answers. In the five years it has taken me to resolve this game, there have been many unanswered questions, but never as many questions as I have now. I'm not going to give away the ending of the game, but, suffice it to say, it does make you contemplate existence. It's finally over, and I am filled with more questions than answers, but at least it brings some closure to a really long day. I feel like Bill Murray at the end of Groundhog Day. Maybe it's time to start Final Fantasy VIII. Or maybe I should stop playing games and start working on other things that are more important. To quote Opus the penguin, "Another day, another segue." See ya.

Suddenly, Fifteen Years Later

As I've mentioned a few times before, I'm not eighteen, and haven't been eighteen for fifteen years or so. It's been most apparent this week. I just did the California to Florida to Michigan to Springfield to California run. D'oh. No, I'm not giving up. I'm just exhausted, that's all. I think I've been working for so long and so consistently that I sometimes forget that I'm not indestructible. It's starting to get cold again. I just noticed that it was near freezing temperatures in Detroit. Of course it should have been. After all, it was late September. I mean, what was I thinking? No jacket, no long-sleeved shirts for what little leisure time we have after work. Time seems to be passing at a different rate these days. I guess that just goes with the territory. For now, I have my retirement plan in motion. It also involves the retirement of my new sidekick, Demo Duck. Don't ask. Anyhow, here's to the next fifteen years. See ya.

Oxymorons For Dummies

Now then, my faithful readers, this is the final version of a true story. I’ve worked for a company that has a huge niche software market for several years. I also have a home office from which I take care of daily business when not on the road. I have a pretty ugly travel schedule these days, and I can’t really give you an exact estimate of my annual trips, but I’ve spent a small fortune in expenses. It was nothing much, based upon the initial results, to say the least. I’ve also had some ill health these days, but I’m terribly pleased with the fact that I’m better now. It’s almost exactly eight hours before I have to get back on the road again, and since I don’t want this post to be completely unfinished, I’ll leave you with some friendly advice -- always remember not to be redundant by repeating yourself. Same difference, don’t you think? If not, you’ve clearly misunderstood the whole meaning of this post. Good grief! See ya.

Back To Basics

I was doing some light reading a little while ago, and I found a personal item which caused me to reflect on the last few years. A combination of factors led me to take another job which not only consumed my time and life, but caused a rift within my personal life. I've been avoiding any kind of personal life because of a series incidents that happened a little over three years ago, which also caused a rift within my family. I recently read an article in one of the airline magazines that dealt with the topic of overwork and over-scheduling of our children and ourselves. Well, I don't have any kids that I know about, but I do agree that we do seem to define ourselves to some degree by the work that we do. Sometimes, we forget that our jobs are just that -- our jobs. It was about three years ago when I stopped having that life separate from work, and it was so gradual to me that I never really noticed or believed it. Hey, it happened, and it's time that I did something about it. Now, all I need is an "I told you so" from my friend Jon, and this posting will be complete. In the last several weeks, I have been slowly starting to get my life back, and I never really understood the full reason why until today. It's about time, isn't it? See ya.

Stuck In The Seventies

Greetings, gentle readers. Returning to the mundane events of my life at home, I decided that it was time to finish up my scanner project for the year 1978. I returned from dinner with Jon and Lulu tonight, and Jon had mentioned that he was six during that time. Hey, I wasn't much older than that. Yet, I have papers and other things from 1978 that I am trying to scan into my computer and then throw away. You see, I still have the paperwork explosion as I mentioned earlier. It's amazing that I haven't left the 1970's yet in my scanner project. I'm hoping that I get into the 80's soon. Hey, remember the 80's? See ya.

Rezoning Issues

It all started this morning when I entered that other dimension. You know, that dimension not of sight or sound, but of mind. I entered the Twilight Zone this morning. I'm staying in North Carolina for a few days, but I popped up to Connecticut for the day. This has been a surreal day, as I traveled without checked luggage for the first time in quite a while. Dateline: Downtown Hartford. I entered a food court that was completely empty in the middle of the day. In fact, at 3pm, there is no place to get any food in Downtown Hartford whatsoever. Restaurants are locked, food courts are closed, and hot dog vendors raced away. In some strange twist of fate, I actually knew where I was going on the highways. How weird! When I returned to Durham, I swear I heard someone in my room, and my key didn't work. So, I returned to the front desk, and changed my key. When I got in, I could hear the TV going until I opened the door, and there was dead silence, inside and outside the room. So, unless my room is haunted, I guess this has all been a strange coincidence. Maybe I've only been in the Flashlight Zone, a smaller, and more affordable version of the aforementioned Twilight Zone. See ya.

Need A Lift?

Otis Elevator Company opened their doors 140 years ago today. As I have a deep appreciation for elevators (especially the "up" kind), I thought it would be appropriate to say happy anniversary. After all, Otis brought us not only elevators, but escalators and moving sidewalks. I make use of all of those conveyances regularly, and my feet are most appreciative. Ok, it's really time for me to get back on the road again, before I start talking about chewing gum or sweatsocks. I'm off to Indianapolis tomorrow, and then it's onward to Durham once again, where I hope to take several elevators, escalators, and moving sidewalks. Anyway, back to the mess of paperwork that's still on the floor. I never really stayed up late last night to take care of it. I must be getting old. I can't seem to stay up until 4am any more. Oh, well. Until next time. See ya.

It All Started With A Haircut

So, back the mundane events of my life. It all started when I decided to get a haircut the other day. You can tell that I've been grounded for too many days when I start to think about hairstyles. Actually, I haven't changed my hairstyle since I was four or five years old, so if you knew me back then, well you could still identify me by the hair. After that, I had a few meetings and a lot of phone calls. I decided to sign up for some volunteer work once again. It's been at least three or four years since I've done some community work, so I guess it's about time that I started again. After that, I decided that I really needed to play "catch up" with my editorials. I've never really been ahead of the game, but I just started some of my spastic writings for next month's column at my Road Warrior site. Now, I'm in the process of working through that mess that I call my desk. The paperwork expansion extended itself onto my floor and to the other end of the room. After that, the scanner project continues -- 1970's, here I come. You see, it all started with a haircut. I get less and less motivated when my hair gets longer. I can't seem to explain that. I must be making up for some sort of loss when the hair gets cut. Oh well, it sounds like I'll be busy for the rest of the night. See ya.

Once Again, There's No Stopping Me Now . . .

My Road Warrior site is ready to go, and I just changed the DNS settings successfully, so within the next couple of days, I should be back in business. Just like the last time I wrote something using this title, I have another big laundry day. I've got a lot of expenses and other mail to catch up tonight. Also, I just moved some furniture around to make it a little easier to access my printer and position my air cooling devices. Then I can get back to the scanner project, as I move forward within the 1970's. Welcome back to my readers at the Road Warrior site! As I said earlier, there's no stopping me now! See ya.

All Patriots Please Rise . . .

. . . because today is Constitution Day. Yep, 216 years ago today, the Constitution of the United States was signed. Granted, ratification did not occur by the states for some months afterword, but we recognize today as the anniversary. We've come a long way since then. Many laws and documents have come forth to speak of our rights. Earlier, the Declaration of Independence protects our rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. I'm not going to take you on a walk throughout history, but it helps to remember these things every so often. It would be tragic if these rights were abrogated or forgotten. One of the rights guaranteed by our consitution gives us the right to free speech, a right to which I exercise regularly in all of my editorials. So, as I mentioned before, the rantings will continue. All patriots, please rise. See ya.

The Ironic Foreshadowing

In the 80’s, there was a popular comic strip by political satirist Berkeley Breathed called Bloom County. Remember it? You know, Opus the Penguin and Bill the Cat? Oh, come on, it wasn’t that long ago. Well, anyway, toward the end of the line for the strip, one of the characters was contemplating a sense of permanence. That’s kind of how I feel these days. I’ve got that same sense of permanence going forward. Yes, everything is that wonderfully stable in the job market these days. Yes, I’m dabbling in some ironic foreshadowing. Or at least, I’m hopeful about that. We’ll all find out soon enough. As always, though, the rantings will continue. See ya.

Risky Business

Risks are important in everyday life. I've often contemplated why I had been so risk averse in earlier years. I've changed quite a bit in the last few years, probably in reaction to the fact that the world has changed also. I think it has something to do with the fact that I have taken quite a few more risks in life. Being a human target on various airlines these days just adds to all of the excitement. After all, I have quite a few more things that I'd like to accomplish before I get too much older. I'll write more about those wonderful risks in that book that I need to finish, which will be coming soon on that other website of mine. Hmmm, I think I also need to dust off my copy of Risk to see if the green guys can capture the Northern Territories from the orange guys. See ya.

The Forms Of Things Unknown

No, I'm not talking about the Outer Limits classic from the 60's about the murdered blackmailer, although it was a really good episode. I'm talking about something a bit more real than that. Ever try to get your property, taxes, and other life issues in order? Oh, the mountains of forms that you have to fill out. Believe it! In everyday life, there are so many stupid forms out there that request all sorts of information from us. I mean, really... Why does the supermarket need to know my t-shirt size? Why does the bank want to know what I do for leisure activities? Why do the airlines want to know my shoe size? I'm filling out some forms right now. I've got financial information forms for the bank, and other forms that I'm working on for my taxes. I wonder if I should put a footnote in there to tell them that I'd enjoy a side of fries with that. See ya.

The Buggy Whip Syndrome

I'm still in the running for another career change, but I'm still not getting my hopes up, even as my company went through yet another bunch of firings today. After all, it's closing in on the end of the quarter. What better time to fire people, right? *Sarcastic grin* Anyway, it continues onward, just like the movie Other People's Money. We're just pawns in the larger game at the moment. If you don't know what my title means, rent the movie. It's worth watching. I've got to take care of a lot of personal stuff this weekend, before I embark on the next Flight of The Road Warrior, so I will sign off for now. See ya.

And So I Returned . . .

I just got back home, and it's been one of those hectic travel weeks, but I'll leave those rants to my other blog (if I can ever get it back up and running). I've got a lot of stuff to do in the morning. It's after midnight, as usual, and I'm just starting the work that I have for my personal life. It never ends, does it? I'm still considering a career change, but I'm not strongly pursuing it yet. It all depends on what happens in the next few weeks. I've stopped working full days on Sundays, and stopped working on holidays also. My next visit is to San Diego on Monday afternoon, so I've got yet another free weekend. I've got to get a life. See ya.

Laundry Daze

Well, I'm off again. Insanity is no excuse, to be sure. Ha! Anyhow, I've got an early flight to Baton Rouge, but I've got almost four hours in Dallas, so it's going to take all day to get there. I think I arrive close to 9pm, even though I leave at 8am. Bummer! Anyway, one more round of laundry tonight and I've caught up. Five loads of laundry in two days sure doesn't sound like a thrilling holiday weekend, but I guess it could be worse. I had a few meetings with a contractor, and another set of interviews for cleaning crews and other workers to get bids for one of my projects. The usual boring stuff. I'm glad to be back in the field tomorrow. It's got to be more productive for me than watching a Law & Order marathon on TNT today. On the road again for me. See ya.

There's No Stopping Me Now . . .

I just uploaded all of my old stuff from the other website to my new hosting service. Blogger also accepted the new site information, and actually published successfully, so I'll be back in business shortly. It's been a long laundry day, and I watched a lot of movies on cable today, including Trading Places and Legally Blonde. I still haven't gotten out of the 1970's with the scanner project, and I'll probably need to put it on hold for a little while. I've got another secret project that I'm working on for the rest of the year. Anyhow, now that the laundry is done, it's time to get ready for Baton Rouge. See ya.

The Explosions Continue

I'm starting to get a little too old to stay up all night. I never made it past the first Die Hard movie, and since I just watched Die Hard 2 recently, it's time to watch Die Hard With A Vengeance, to continue my weekend of watching things explode. This is a great movie. There's a big explosion in the first minute before the opening music ends. I'm still organizing a few more things around here, and wondering why I didn't book myself on the road tomorrow. I really, really, really need to get out of here. I'm in the middle of four loads of laundry, so I can start my journey later this week. I also just changed hosting services for that other site of mine, so I hope to have it operational once again in a few more days. Hey, I also noticed that James finally got his site up and running. Cool! See ya.

The Scanner Project Begins

Calm before the storm? Maybe. I've been scheduling myself at home a bit more lately, and it's made me appreciate the road so much more. I went to Trader Joe's today to do some light shopping, and ran a few errands that I had been putting off earlier this week. Other than that, nothing out of the ordinary has been happening. I'm starting to throw away several things, and my scan project begins tonight. My friend Ruth told me about this once, and I thought that it was a good idea. It's one of those wild projects where I actually throw things away (all the way back to the 1970's), but keep a document image on my computer. Cool, huh? I'm watching the Die Hard trilogy while I do this. Did you know that they are actually going ahead with Die Hard 4? To change the subject completely, my other site seems to be shot at the moment. I've been locked out by my hosting service for the moment, so I'll try to take care of that sometime next week. Until later. See ya.

Technical Difficulties

My Road Warrior site is still experiencing problems. I'm thinking of moving to another hosting service for it soon. It looks like my other site got reset to a few days ago, and I'm locked out from making changes. What fun! I ran a bunch of errands today, still haven't had lunch, so I guess I'd better eat something. See ya.

Yay! Another Guest!

I got another guestbook entry today on my Road Warrior site! Yay! Thanks, Dee! See how little it takes to make me happy. By the way, I forgot to mention in that other blog of mine that we did have a wonderful lunch with wonderful company in Dallas. It was a great trip despite the seven hour flight delay, and all of the other stuff that I'm about to write in that other blog of mine. See ya.

Not Without My Cheesecake

Eating healthy on the road? Not likely. My friend Jon can attest to that. I got in early to Dallas, and did some work, so I had to order from the late night room service menu, and you know how they always tempt you with add-ons? "You want fries with that?" or "Want to super size that?" or "How about a selection from our desert menu?" Well, that last one's my weakness. I had to get a slice of cheesecake with my buffalo shrimp. After all, the diet coke always cancels it out, right? I feel like I'm cramming for a test tonight . . . In a way, I guess I am. I've got one of those career-changing meetings in the morning. You know what I mean. Wish me luck. See ya.

Roaming . . . And Loving It

I've decided that it's time to change my billing plan on my cell phone. It's highway robbery with the plan that I have right now, and it's not like roaming areas are too bad these days. After all, I pay an extra thirty or forty dollars above the regular $100 for my monthly service, due to excessive airtime. They gave me an extra 1200 minutes for twenty dollars less than my base bill, if I pay for roaming charges when I am in Podunk, USA, so I opted for that plan. After that, it was pizza and sushi for lunch. I found some great New York-style pizza and some great sushi at The Block at Orange. Weird combination, but it actually does work. See ya.

Watching Friday on Saturday

I took yet another Saturday off from work. This is turning into a personal record. I've started to master the art of doing nothing on a day off, and it's great. Unfortunately, the mail is piling up, and so is the rest of the work I have to get done before I start my travels once again. Caught the new version of Dragnet of television today, and it's amazing that Al Bundy actually makes a believable Joe Friday. I figured that I should watch the new version of the show after my parody on Desk Duty on my other blog. Back to work for me. It's time for me to clear the desk, so I can actually see the bottom of it once again. See ya.

Insert Uplifting Title Here

Well, I had a late lunch at Hof's Hut in Long Beach, where Jon highly recommends the ribs. I like the seafood. After reading my various blogs, Jon thinks I should try out for a part as one of those bouncy ball tribble-lookalike things in a Zoloft commercial. Isn't that hilarious? I'm guessing that I need to work on my dry humor and satire a bit. If I sugar-coated everything that happens, I'm sure it would turn a lot of people off. I admit that the road warrior blog sometimes seems a bit extreme in the last few posts, but then again, it's great to write about some of the weird stuff that happens on the road while you're there. The emotional response just isn't as pronounced after a few days. So, don't worry about me. I'm not on some sort of downward spiral. Hey, that would make a neat title. Contrary to popular belief, it's not easy coming up with some of these titles. Ha! See ya.

Rapid Routine

My life is in a rut. I never realized the repetitive pattern until recently. Get up. Work. Get on a plane. Get sick. Work. Sleep. Get up. Work. Get on another plane. Catch another cold. Sleep. Get up. Work. Try to develop sleep substitute. Get on yet another plane. Work. Sleep. Get up. Work. Repeat ad nauseum. I just got home in time to pay the bills just before they are due, and now it's time to get back to bed, so I can get up and work some more tomorrow. I was just watching Die Hard 2. As much as I travel, you'd think I wouldn't find a movie about terrorists at an airport as the best way to unwind, but hey, I'm funny that way. See ya.

Energy Crisis

Too hot? Too cold? I'm in Phoenix right now, and it's only 111 degrees, and I've noticed that when you go inside, it's about 68 degrees. Does that make any sense to anyone out there? In the news, we've got a gas crisis here that rivals the crisis of the 1970's. Yes, I actually remember some of what went on in those days. Wow, I'm getting old. Anyhow, I've got to get some sleep. Got to be up at 3am for a flight later this morning. I guess there's more than one energy crisis going on here. See ya.

Much Ado About Nothing

So, my Shakespeare isn't all that it used to be... I just had lunch with my friend Jon and his girlfriend Lulu. I picked up my mail at my mailbox center, and I'm now doing some laundry so I can go on my next trip to Phoenix tonight. I'm reactivating my other personal website later today. I'm surprised it's still there. I forgot all about it last year, so I've got to figure out what to do with it. Got some bills to pay, a lot of mail to go through, and I've got to pack, once again. Boring, but it's a living. See ya.

It Begins Again...

I've decided to keep another blog for all of my personal rantings, and anything else that I find interesting. Check out my regular blog (if my hosting service ever brings it back up.) This blog is for that part of my life that isn't consumed with that travel job of mine. Hey, you're the one that's reading this, so don't complain if it's a bit boring.