My Addled Brain

Currently playing: Kylie Minogue - Can’t Get You Out Of My Head

Thanks to the thousands of you that have sent me e-mail regarding my web site. Well, alright, I’ve gotten a couple dozen. Ok, four. Whatever. The point is, I’ve put together a page where I post some of them, and my responses, so that your eternal reward for sending me your thoughts will be public ridicule laced with generous amounts of sarcasm. Or maybe I’ll fall in love with you. You never can tell. Check out the new working link, Of No Consequence, now. Or don’t. I’m not the boss of you.

* Or maybe he is, foolish meatsacks. Why don’t you just save yourself some time, and kneel before us in humiliation now? *

Thanks for getting my back, Robby. You’re a peach.

So I got in this discussion about cooking while playing EQ earlier tonight. That’s right, while we were busy smacking around some shardwurms (who are not very nice, and insist on using me as a toothpick to dislodge the armor that gets caught in their teeth), myself and another player discussed a few different recipes we enjoy. Then she suggested I post some on my website (which I had just mentioned to them earlier: heya Tana and Cal!), and I thought that might be a good idea. So keep your eyes peeled, as my website slowly expands like some giant bloated Enron of the Internet, consuming all in it’s path and claiming a profit in the process. Just what you need, recipes from a shut-in.

And as to the Kylie Minogue selection today: Have you seen that video? No, really, have you seen it? My God, I find my self watching TRL just so I can see it. TRL, people. Believe me, I find this behavior more disturbing than you do, but I just can’t help myself. That…that…hooded cloak outfit thing she wears…it’s just so…mezmerizing…

[UPDATED 3/15/2002 - 5:13 PM] I revised my answers to an e-mail. It was just mean. Mean, mean, mean.

Currently playing: 9/11

For those of you who don’t know me (and for many of you who do), allow me to explain something about myself. I am, by my nature, somewhat of a giving person. However, I tend to give more than I take in relationships, be they friends, family, or romantic. This has led me into some rather, well, unpleasant situations in my life, but I always chalk them up to helping out those that I love. But I’m really not one to donate my time to complete strangers. I can’t quite explain this; I suppose it could be chalked up to the innate shyness I feel and deal with every single day of my life (a fight I seem to be losing these days). So when Miah (Major Cool Guy’s wife) asked me if I’d like to join them volunteer for the Hillsborough County Special Olympics area competition, my first reaction was, honestly, "no". Why would I want to volunteer my time to anything? Aren’t I more important than that? Then, I took a moment an analyze what I have to do that Saturday: play EQ.

I said yes. So I went to the USF soccer field, and helped out by running the souvenir stand, along with Major Cool Guy, Miah, and a gentleman named Erik. Most of the volunteers were there to be a "buddy" to the athletes, where they escort them to their specific events, and to the little olympic village, where they could eat, play games, or sit and talk with their friends or, just as likely, complete strangers. However, by the time we got to the field to meet up with an athlete, all the athletes had been claimed by a volunteer. That’s right, there were more volunteers than athletes. So, we were given a choice: we could either double-buddy with an athlete (while quite possibly amusing, more than likely a waste of my time) or help in the village. Which is why I ended up pimping the Special Olympics goods. And pimp them I did. I’m pretty sure that Lori (or Laurie, didn’t catch the spelling), the Event Coordinator, didn’t expect us to sell all the T-shirts, golf bags, and tote bags - but we did. We sold about $900 worth of goods in fact. I also got to meet a lot of very interesting people, and spoke with quite a few of the athletes as well. And the thing that surprised me most about the events: a lot of the competetors were old. For example, a quite lively woman, who came in first place in two cycling events (and was very, very enthusiastic about showing us her medals), looked to be late 40’s to early 50’s. But more surprising than that: she wanted to get some pens (only 2 for $1! Get yours today!), but she needed to ask her mommy. And she did. I think mom was pushing 70, but she greeted us with a smile, and promptly bought two pens for her daughter.

For those of you who choose to laugh when I call these people athletes, I have this to say. If the definition of an athlete is a person who puts everything they have into physical competition (and that sure sounds about right to me), then these people are, without a doubt, athletes. And they’re not high dollar athletes (obviously), not there to stroke their gigantic egos or prove that they are better than everyone else. They genuinely love being able to do this. And I find myself a bit envious of this childlike innocence.

Currently playing: The Wildhearts - Inglorious

So, this has been quite the week. Or so. I spent the first part of the week with my thumb more or less lodged firmly in my nether region, and the rest of it doing my best impression of a beheaded olympic chicken. I’m sure I’ve bored you to tears with the server move stuff (which I got more or less done this morning finally), but the other circumstances are new. Well, new to you.

Happening last week: My friend and ex-co-worker (is that right?) Eric Morton was in town, and we proceeded to get our drink on. It was good to see him, as he is currently enjoying the high life in Lawrence, KS, home of the Fighting Jayhawks (speaking of which, have you ever seen a jayhawk fight? Neither have I) and a damn fine college town if you ask me.

Also happening last week: my cousin’s wedding. This is her second marriage, and her new husband is a pretty cool guy, and his kid is a damn riot. I may post some pictures if I can get Major Cool Guy to send me a few. The reception was fun, and the anticipated brawl between one of my other cousins and his now-ex-wife (is that right?) never came to pass, most likely because they both got tanked and kept out of the same room as the other. I also discovered that Andy’s stepfather and the Padre both race in the same league. Pretty small world if you ask me.

Also Also happening last week: The Madre came down for a visit. Had dinner with them over at MCG’s house, a delightful spaghetti dish with a killer meat sauce and sumptious garlic bread. Well, it was good, anyway. The house still hasn’t sold yet, which may lead to taking drastic measures: hiring a halfwaydecent realtor. Apparently, our current one has difficulty with the whole "follow-up" (is that right?) concept. Otherwise, the Madre is doing well, and Bruce is looking at expanding the business to a second airport.

Also Also Also happening last week: My grandfather turned 87 last week. Eighty-seven (is that right?) years old. And this summer, he and grandma will be celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary. Sixty years of marriage. First of all, allow me to state that these are two people I hold in very high regard. Grandpa used to be a Methodist minister (well, he’s still a Methodist, natch, just not a minister), and has all these great stories about the places he’s traveled and the things he did growing up (the bit about riding on the roof of a bus because he couldn’t afford the fair is a gem), and they’re really nice people, and I should be so damn lucky when I get that old to be able to live like them and not want to kill my wife. Happy birthday, Grandpa.