Monday, January 30, 2006

Strange misfortune

Went out for lunch today with the guys from work today for Chinese food. We usually go to Jade Palace. The food is good and the prices are reasonable.

The guy in charge of building maintenance, office supplies, landscaping, etc. (Facilities Manager?), was there, along with my boss and the helpdesk guy. The facilities manager isn't known for his firm grasp of the English language, especially in written form. He'll often ask me or the helpdesk guy for help with writing an email that he wants to send to all our staff, since he knows that his writing skills are pretty bad.

We finish eating lunch and the waitress brings us our bill, along with some fortune cookies. We all pull out our fortunes and read them aloud - appending the phrase "in bed" to the end, as seems to be the funny custom. The facilities manager stares at the slip of paper in his hand for a moment and just tosses it on the table. I lift it up and read it, then burst into laughter. I showed it to the other guys, who also start to laugh hard. This fortune was such perfect irony that I decided to scan it...



This entry was brought to you by a Chinese fortune cookie... in bed.

Sunday, January 29, 2006

Weekend brief

This weekend was nice. I was able to see 2 of my best friends, as planned. Went night-caching with one and introduced the other to geocaching. Saturday and Sunday were very relaxing, non-stressful days.

Tomrrow (Monday), Rece will be leaving for his 6th grade science camp, returning home Friday. While I'm going to miss the hell out of him, the break will also be nice. He's going to have so much fun... I'm so jealous!

This entry brought to you by a gaggle of geeks.

Thursday, January 26, 2006

The one about nothing in particular

Yep, another one of my rambling posts. I don't have a story or funny thing to report right now, but there are a few things from time to time that aren't enough to make a full post about, but that I sometimes feel like writing down. Here are some of them...
  • I miss my friends a lot, lately. They know who they are - and know that I miss them. Hopefully I'll see 2 of them over the course of this weekend.

  • Work seems strange lately. Since I've started here, I've felt like it was a nice and friendly place to work. As of late, things seem to be shifting to a more corporate feel. That seems like a bad move for a health and human services fundraising organization that's supposed to care for people.

  • Just realized that I haven't mentioned that I've got wheels again. That's right! I'm back to driving again. You don't realize how much freedom you have when you can just get into your car and go wherever you want on a whim, until you can't do it anymore. I've been resisting the urge to drive all over the place - gas is expensive, and I still have to get a couple things fixed on it before I'll feel safe enough to drive it long-distances. The funny part is that my dad might actually be taking this car back to use and giving me the one he's driving around (a 1995 V6 Ford Taurus Wagon). We'll see what happens.

  • Doing my best to keep exercising from home. It's just the basic push-ups, sit-ups, and wrist & bicep curls for now. Geocaching has helped by getting me out and walking/hiking more. The occasional walk/hike with some folks from work on a Saturday morning haven't hurt. What I've been missing the most of lately, though, is the night-caching.

  • Seems that my resolve to learn guitar has shifted a bit lately. I think I need some structured lessons. While I'll pick it up and try to learn what I can on my own, it's frustrating to think that there's probably an easier way to learn. I'm far from giving up on it, but the goal I set for myself of being able to play Under the Milky Way by The Church within 2 months might have been a bit too lofty. The urge to play the drums has been getting even stronger lately, too. Sherise (my ex) needs to get her car out of my garage before that'll happen.

  • Looks like I might start doing side-jobs again. Finances are OK right now, but I'd like more of a cushion. I'd also like some additional fun money. Now I just need to find some clients...

  • One of my friends just called me and described how her day was going. After hearing about her experience with a card-hungry ATM machine and a coffee and cream fiasco this morning, my day suddenly doesn't seem so bad. I told her that she should be careful and just stay indoors today.
This entry was brought to you by taco butt!

Tuesday, January 24, 2006

Woo hoo!

I just learned that Lisa Loeb, who I've had a crush on since the first time I heard her sing "I Do", is single again. Why does this matter? What the hell am I going to do about it? Nothing... but my imagination does get to wander a bit more. Hmm...

That is all...

This entry was silly.

The Geek Shall Inherit the Earth!

It's geek day for BuzzKill. I stumbled upon a few geek-related links - and not from BBspot this time! I found them pretty interesting, hopefully you will as well...

The Do's and Don'ts of Dating Geeks - So very true!

10 Reasons Why You Should Date a Geek - Gals should pay attention to this one... especially #8!

10 Reasons Why Geeks Make Good Friends
- We do!

10 Reasons It Isn't Always Easy Being Married to a Geek - OK, so we're not perfect, but I can fix a car!

Top 10 Reasons Geeks Make Good Fathers - I'm a proud father... so this was nice to read.

This entry was made possible by Geek Power! wo0t!

Monday, January 23, 2006

Men are too easy...

What did I do when the guys in the office asked me to join them out for lunch, but I had packed a sandwich that day?

Politely declined, letting them know that I had brought my lunch.

What did I do 15 minutes later when one of the hottest gals in the office called, asking me if I'd like to join her for lunch?

I said, "Sure, when did you want to leave?"

This entry brought to you by a typical guy.

Thursday, January 19, 2006

Miniature Bag End

Found yet another link on BBspot that I wanted to pass on; this one being of a tiny dollhouse of Bag End.

What is Bag End? If you're asking this, then you obviously haven't read The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings - or seen the movies - or watched the animated versions - or you just weren't paying any attention when you did. So I won't answer this question for you - just click the link.

The amount of time that went into putting so much detail in that dollhouse is amazing. I figured that she deserved some kudos for her efforts.

This entry brought to you by the Shire.

Friday, January 13, 2006

Shopping Carts Don't Fly!

A very special friend gave me a very special gift for Christmas this (well, last) year. It was something I had never seriously considered doing on my own, and it was something completely unexpected. She did an excellent job of keeping it a secret up until the very last second.

Originally, I was supposed to receive my gift the day after Christmas, but it had rained earlier that day and was threatening to do so later that day as well. My friend contacted me that morning and informed me that my gift was an outdoor activity (that was the only hint I was given) and that the weather was not conducive to the activity we were going to do. She asked if we could reschedule for January 12th (yesterday) and fortunately I was already taking the day off from work, so the timing worked out perfectly.

Curiosity had been working on my brain for almost 2 weeks already, since that's how long before the original date we had arranged for time to do this. Now I had to wait another 17 days and still had no idea what was planned. It's a good thing that I enjoy a good surprise and can deal with being in the dark, otherwise I'm sure I would have been a lot more anxious than I already was. I was definitely ready to be let in on the secret when the time came, though!

I met up with her at her place yesterday afternoon so she could drive us to our destination. Not knowing the area, I must admit that I had no clue where we were or where we were going. After driving for a few minutes, we arrived at Fullerton airport. My friend is a pilot, so my mind automatically started thinking that she might be planning to take me up in a plane and give me a tour or maybe she booked me some time in one of the flight simulators (since I really enjoy video games). Still, I had no idea why we were there, but my mind was already getting excited about whatever was going to happen.

Walking into the terminal, she was greeted by some people that she knew. They hadn't seen each other for awhile and over the course of about 15 minutes I was introduced to more people than I could possibly remember the names of... except for the last fellow. She says to me, "Gabe, this is Mike, he's a flight instructor here..." and as with the other folks I had met earlier, I shook his hand. She continued, "... he's going to be taking you out for your first flight today."

My heart seemed as though it had suddenly stopped for a moment. Did I just hear her correctly? *THUD* My heart then leapt into my throat! The reality of what she just said came rushing through my mind. I was stunned, so much so that the only thing I could think of doing was give her a huge hug! I think I muttered something along the lines of "thank you" but I can't be certain, considering my state of surprise and joy.

Mike went over what it was we were about to do. He was going to show me a couple of videos, make sure I understood what was gone over (via a computer quiz), then we were to go out to perform a preflight check and get familiarized with the plane that I would be flying. At this point my curiosity got the best of me and I asked him if he meant that he'd take off, fly us to some safe area and let me take the controls for awhile, then fly us back. He was happy to clarify that I would be the one to start the plane, taxi it to the runway, proceed to take off, climb to an altitude of around 3000 feet, have me go through some turns, have me fly "straight & level", perform some descents and climbs... and that I'd be the one doing it myself. Finally it dawned on me that I was really going to fly a plane! HOLY SHIT!

It was at this point that my mind slipped into the make-it-happen mode. I became dead serious about learning what Mike had to teach me and to understand what my responsibilities were while doing it. My ADD brain was so hyper-focused, that everything else in the world that didn't pertain to what we were doing disappeared. This was serious business and I wanted to take it all in.

After the lesson and quiz, we went outside for our preflight check. We walked up to a Cessna 172s - (N259TA). He explained everything he was doing with the aircraft as he was doing it - and I was enjoying every single minute of it! Mike knew his shit and I wanted to absorb as much of his knowledge as he was willing to give me in the short time I was there.

Preflight check went according to plan and we got ourselves situated in the small cockpit of the plane. Mike explained some more details (I won't bore you with them - go fly your own plane!) and went over some of the controls, gauges, etc that we'd be dealing with during our flight. Once that was over, he told me to take the keys and start the engine.

Gladly, I took the key and put it in and turned it to start. Just like a car, the engine turned and turned, then caught and roared to life. This still didn't seem to be real to me, it was like I was watching myself from the outside while I was doing something that I had never thought I'd ever get a chance to do. The propeller was spinning in front of my view and I felt the rumble of the engine through my seat. Surprisingly, I wasn't nervous at all. This was going to be great!

Mike explained the rudder and brakes to me a bit more - because that's how you steer and stop while you're rolling - and we taxied out to the runway. We had to wait for a couple of planes to land first, then we rolled on towards the runway. Full throttle, engine blaring, we started speeding down the runway. We reach the speed we need and I'm instructed to nose up a bit, which I did. In just a matter of seconds, the vibration becomes less pronounced and I notice the ground moving away from the plane. Mike, who's hands were near, but not holding, the controls notes, "check it out... that was all you..." while wiggling his fingers. SWEET!

He directed me on where we need to fly and I pointed the nose in that direction. For the next 30 minutes or so, he had me flying "straight & level", through some turns, a few descents and climbs, he pointed out some landmarks along the way... we circle above the Queen Mary... turn back down the coast... then head back inland towards Fullerton airport. There was just so much to see and take in, that I'd bore you to tears (even more than I probably already have) if I went into full detail. Trust me, this was heaven for me. It was like looking at the world through a whole new set of eyes!

As we neared Fullerton airport, Mike took over the controls for the final approach and landing. True to form, he explained everything he was doing. My brain was wide open, doing it's best to take in whatever else I could still fit in there - and I'm still trying to sort through it all now!

If it weren't for the money, I know for sure that I'd go back and sign up for lessons in a heartbeat! Learning to fly is now one of my long-term goals in life. This is something I'd like to work towards someday.

Now that I've experienced it, I know that there's just no way to accurately describe it. It's just too far beyond words! The best I can do is point you to a web page I've put together of photos taken during the experience.

My friend was snapping so many photos, trying to capture as much of it for me as possible. The funny thing is that I hardly remember seeing her taking the photos. I remember seeing her snapping a few, but she really went all-out for this. Mike took some of the photos while we were flying (she didn't fly with us), but almost all of the outside shots were done by her.

In closing this epic-length blog, I just have to go on record by saying that this is, by far, the most generous, thoughtful, and meaningful gift that anybody has ever given to me in my entire life! Just thinking about it brings a tear to my eye. I am truly and humbly grateful, not only for this unbelievable gift, but for the amazing friend who thought enough to give it to me. Thanks again, my friend!

This entry was brought to you by them crazy folks who enjoy stapling
rubbers to wood and then stomping on it to the tune of Whip It! woOt!

Tuesday, January 10, 2006

Ultimate Showdown

In my ever-continuing search for online entertainment, I found this entertaining Flash cartoon called The Ultimate Showdown. I found it funny, so I thought I'd share it with the world - or at least the 5 or 6 people that I know read my blog from time to time... Hi mom!



Speaking of blog readers; I'm curious as to who actually reads my blog. I know The Mighty Quinn does, Rhiannon used to (don't know if she still does), "Guess who" does, my mom does from time to time, a couple of friends from work... but I don't know who else. So if you read my blog, please drop me a comment and just say hello or something. You don't even have to use your real name.

This entry was brought to you by bloggers anonymous.

Thursday, January 05, 2006

The Unstoppable Mix Master - The Mighty Quinn!

One has to wonder about friends when they take something you've done and turn it into something so wonderfully strange and funny. You've just gotta check out this crazy remix!

This entry was remixed by the ultimate mix-master!

It's a Jubilee!

This is a hilarious recording of a guy dealing with some sort of sales call. It's an MP3 file, so it should play in whatever you have set to open MP3 files.

This entry is a jubilee!

Best Blonde Joke Ever

This has got to be the best blonde joke I've ever read!

This entry was brought to you by Clorox bleach.

Long Story Short

Found this site with some funny stuff on it. Thought I'd share the link hoping that it might bring a smile to somebody else's face. Enjoy!

This entry was running off a cliff with my cat in it's arms, so, long story short... it isn't anything like warm apple pie.

Wednesday, January 04, 2006

The Meeting That Wouldn't Die

This afternoon I was forced to sit in a 2-hour meeting of sheer boredom. It was a web/teleconference that went over the features and setup of a new web portal for our partner organizations (agencies). There were about 12 staff in attendance. 10 minutes in, I realized that I understood the entire thing already... leaving 110 more minutes of having to listen to the pleasant lady on the speakerphone describe everything she was doing on the screen (via WebEx) in excruciating detail. My mind began to wander, so I decided to write down everything that popped into my head during the meeting. Here's the complete list of thoughts that passed through my mind...
  • I'm a happy, happy boy!
  • I like to draw with crayons and climb trees.
  • My bicycle goes very fast! I like to race cars.
  • Where did my brain go?
  • What am I doing here?
  • Dear God, make it stop!
  • What is this for?
  • Can I fit a whole avocado in my mouth?
  • What's for dinner?
  • I need a hair cut.
  • Please don't fall asleep before the meeting ends.
  • If I strapped a rocket to a dog's back, would it fly? Would it blow up?
  • PIE! I like pie! Mmmm...
  • What is Jennifer doing with her arm? It looks weird, but I like it.
  • Can I get the time I lost in this meeting back?
  • How much did this meeting cost the company, in terms of salary paid for staff just to attend it?
  • Rolling podiums are cool.
  • Jeanne really looks like she's paying attention to this.
  • How much would it cost for a propane camping stove?
  • I'd like to go camping soon.
  • Maybe just a nice light hike.
  • I just want to hoot and cheer right now.
  • COFFEE - MUST HAVE COFFEE!!!
  • By my estimates, this meeting has cost about $300 in staff time so far.
  • I wonder what [my love] is doing right now.
  • It will be fun to see Quinn next weekend.
  • Is Courtney (the lady on the phone) cute? She sounds cute.
  • My fingers hurt from practicing guitar last night.
  • There's soda or coffee spilled on the table - that's messy!
  • Yesenia looks so bored, maybe she'll fall asleep.
  • The computer was so bored, it fell asleep too! (I had to wiggle the mouse to wake it up)
  • BIG BLACK MARKERS - BLANK IT OUT! Just like the FBI.
  • Mulder and Scully were cool.
  • Must ask seemingly interesting questions! (and I did) Okay, that worked!
  • Now we're probably pushing around $450 in staff time for this meeting.
  • Knowing glances around the room - everybody wants this meeting to end.
  • If I poke this pencil into my eyeball, would it just spring a leak, or could I get it to pop?
  • I was just told that this tele/web conference cost us $500!! So we're now at close to $1000 for a meeting that really didn't accomplish anything.
  • And I wonder why I haven't received a significant raise lately...
This entry was brought to you by a brain-dead I.T. guy. OY!

Monday, January 02, 2006

Happy New Year!

We had a great weekend celebrating New Years with friends. Rece and I had a blast with our geocaching friends who let us sleep on their sofa so we could hang out for the majority of the weekend. Rece had stayed with them for most of the week, since he was out of school. They really are the coolest people!

This year marks a new beginning for me, it seems. 2005 was a crazy year: I went through a divorce, reconnected with a dear old friend, started dating, lost a good friend, fell in love...

Going forward I'm hoping to be able to hold on to the good things, understand and apply the lessons I've learned from the bad things, take more control over my own life and who or what I allow into it. I want to love more, learn to be more patient, enjoy spending time with my good friends more often, get out and experience life more, and just allow myself to feel and absorb everything that comes my way. I want to do my best to show how much I care for the people in my life. After all, what's so good about life if you can't share it with someone special?

... only the beginning. Only just the start.

This entry hopes to serve as a New Years Resolution, but it really isn't one.