Thanks Giving

I decided to join the millions of people who decided to travel this past Wednesday. I was not about to pay the outrages air fare prices however, especially when the destination was about 250 miles away; no sir not me! There are certain risks that one assumes when they hit the highways however, and one of them is the potential of getting a speeding ticket. This of course is in direct relation to making good time. I read an amusing article about making good time on road trips at Something Awful

Anyhow my trek there was pretty easy, done in the day time so I could at the very least spot highway patrol a little easier. This was not the case when I decided to leave at ten o'clock to head back home. I wanted to make good time and was going between 75 and 80 miles per hour, which really isn't so bad when the posted speed limit is 70. Anyhow a truck passed me, and had a visible radar detector, great I think - simply follow this guy and I should be ok.

Wrong again! The truck weight station was on the right side, and all of the sudden I see the trucks brake lights light up like Christmas tree lights, so of course I step on mine. I gaze into my rearview mirror only to find a patrol car was planted behind one of the buildings at the weight station to trap people. He flashed his spotlight at me, which I interpreted as a sign to "slow down". I immediately realized the guy I was counting on to keep me out of any sort of tickets was unreliable.

So I accept the responsibility for my actions and continue on making good time when an old Nissan Nx comes passing me. He had been on my tail for a while, but he too had a radar detector. I rolled the dice again and cruised behind him. We were going about 80, and then I see him slow down some - I of course follow suit and sure enough there was a cop ahead with some poor sap pulled over. Yay! This guy actually knows how to use this thing, and it is has good results thus far.

Right about the time I gain a little confidence in it, we slow down again to find an officer on the east bound lanes finishing up a traffic stop. I look in the rearview only to see him pulling his patrol car over the median and onto the west bound side. *Gulp* I immediately think the worse and slow to the posted 65 mph speed (night time). I think I am pinched for sure, until he zooms passed me to catch up with the guy with the radar detector. Next thing I know that guy is being pulled over.

So I decided to take it easy for the rest of the way back to avoid any sort of run in with the law. They were out for fresh meat that night, and I did not want to be their next prey. I can imagine them gathering at the local Exxon to chuckle about how they instilled fear into the hopeful eyes of the driver in violation of the law only because there is a desperate hope they may only receive a warning for their infraction. Ha, not from this crew, but luckily I got away with making good time even after my short bursts when I topped 100 mph.

Them's Fightin' Werds!

It seemed like a violent week end when I left for work on Friday morning. I get to the junction with the interstate I take to work where I am facing south. I look through the underpass and I see a 4-Runner at the yield sign heading north east, and I see a guy walking up. Next thing I know I see this guy throwing punches like a mad man through the drivers window; this couldn't have been an isolated case of road rage could it - the window was rolled down.

Nope, after this guy took a beating and traffic started to slow down around them the woman appeared. A thick girl who decided to wear some very unflattering clothes that day, honey that pink skirt and white shirt is doing no favors for any one!. I have no idea what the root cause of the fight errr, thrashing was, but the woman had to be involved somehow.

I drive to work, and write my friend telling him that there was something in the air today (Friday). So later that night I am watching the news and - what is this? A fight broke out at a basketball game. Ben Wallace shoved Ron "I want to concentrate time on my music" Artest, and then Ron laid down at the scorers table. Then the beverage came flying at him in sighting the near riot. Benches clear, fists are thrown like drunkards in a bar fight. All in all it makes basketball look like soccer or Raider fan. Wow, they will be talking about this for some time to come.

I also managed to man-up and say more than two words to an attractive woman this weekend. So I manage to chat her up a bit, make her laugh, even get the touch on the arm (I love that!). So when the time comes for her to leave, I ask if she would like to meet up later, and of course thats when she tells me she is taken (boy friend). Of course she was taken, attractive, intelligent - strike...I have some more before I am out. I don't know why she didn’t say something sooner though. *shrug*

Gimme Some Truth

There has been a reoccurring theme going on as of late and there is no real rhyme or reason for it happening. This Saturday I tried to do get some answers, because it typically occurs with women, and what better source to answer these types of questions than from another woman? After asking my first few questions, I found that the problem may be more complex than I initially thought.

It seems that when you ask for some ones phone number there are a handful of scenarios that can happen.

1. You ask for the person’s number, try to call them and it is the wrong number all together. This is a clear indication that something wasn’t working out for some reason or another and it was a blow off tactic. Never to be heard from again unless you just happen to bump into this other person again; which is typically unlikely. Unless of course it is a Seinfeld episode where Elaine keeps giving out a fake number, and then she needs something from the guy who received the fake number, and has to wait for his call – all the while the people working there hold a certain resentment towards you. I have never actually heard this happening to any of my friends, but I was told that it does happen - frequently.

2. You ask for the person’s number and actually receive the right number. Great! You passed acid test number one, but that leads us this scenario which I have been privy to. Say you meet person y, seem to have a good time and ask for the digits, you receive a number, but may be skeptical of scenario 1. You wait some amount of time, days, hours, minutes, what ever and call. It is answered by voicemail, it happens for numerous reasons and I don’t so much mind leaving a message. However that message goes into the black-hole, never to be heard from again. You know you got the right number because the greeting said “hi this is person y leave a message”. One would think that they would receive a call back after leaving a message, but no not in this case. So what does that mean, they weren’t interested but actually went ahead and gave you the right number – maybe so they wouldn’t feel so bad? Or is it that they want to be called again, become the pursued and enjoy the chase. What ever case it is, it never seems to end up well.

3. Of course this is the all good scenario, they answer the phone to have a chat a bit, maybe set up something for the week end, or they return your call. Yay!

So that’s it, and any input would be at the very least interesting to read. So make sure and post your reply – thanks.

Hanging Around

Delivery times with four hour windows should be eliminated. Its bad enough that these places will treat their customers like they have nothing in the world better to do than sit at home and wait for a delivery when its most convenient for them, but blowing that window is even worse.

Since I had the day off yesterday I had plans to take care of a few things during the day then hit the gym later in the evening. After I woke up in the double digit hours I made a call to the furniture store to see what my window was. “Nine to One” is what I heard from the lady. Fine I thought, already an hour into it I was happy to have the early window as opposed to the later window.

One o’clock rolls around, and still no delivery – so I place call number one. They claim the delivery guys are running a little late, which is understandable and I could leave a message with the dispatcher. So I do that hoping to hear back from them in a reasonable amount of time. You think that happened, of course it didn’t.

One thirty rolls around at which point I place another call. After giving the operator my information she says “it’s scheduled between nine and one.” So I quickly say “yea, but look at the time”. Duhhh…I get transferred again only to be told that I would be contacted by the delivery person directly this time.

Another 20 minutes rolls on by, and by this point I am getting a little pissed with the whole ordeal. Another call is made and the lady began to say the all too common phrase of the day “scheduled between nine and…oh, let me get the manager for you.” Finally moving up the chain of command, but still no delivery and no answer as to why the delivery has not been made. I get some schpeel about them having a new system, and that my delivery was numbered 23. I asked “of what, 40 stops, 230 where am I?” “You don’t understand – they don’t have 23 deliveries to make today.” So now I am really pissed.

She goes on and on about a new system, and they are still working the bugs out; so on and so forth. I’ve had it at this point and I demand restitution for my time spent at home. I was told that my delivery charges would be refunded to me, but being the skeptic that I am with this company I instantly ask “how do I know it was done?” I receive the answer of the day “you’ll receive a phone call from one of our representatives”. Sweet!

You think that phone call ever came – yea of course not so I am getting ready to try and get to the bottom of this and see if it was really taken care of or if I was being jerked around again.

And for the patient ones out there who have endured this little tale, that company which has remained nameless to this point is named Star Furniture. Some of the worst customer service in recent experience. Time to make that phone call about my refund.

Eternal Sunshine

After having a real bad day, I went over to a friend’s house to see one of the best movies released in 2004. If this movie is eligible for best picture, it deserves the nod not only for best picture, but for writing and certainly directing. The entire premise of the movie is brilliant!

There is a theme in the movie - everyone who has more than five minutes screen time in the movie will have their heart broken at least once in the movie. I won't spill any more details than that. Oh, and that shot when Jim Carrey is a kid hiding under the table and Kate Winslet is dressed in those boots, yea thats nice in a retro kind of way.

*shift gears*

I also managed to get my hands on Brian Wilson's album Smile. If you are not familiar with Brian Wilson he was at one time a Beach Boy, and started writing this album back in the 60's. It was the proclaimed answer England, and the Beatles Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band

Back & at 'em

Wow this is the longest drought I have taken from this - ever i think. I will be posting again with more regularity, but probably fewer politcal things. On the other hand that swindle W managed to get the evangelical voters to come out and vote on moral issues rather than the real issues at hand.

These so called devoted people turned their cheek when they found Bush lied about war, and continues to do so. We have the largest debt in history, coming off a major surplus, and health care coverage is on the rise. All that paired with the fact that chief justice Rhenquist isn't doing so well health wise. That only means that an appointee may be closer than every one initially thought. If things go the way I think they will, Roe v. Wade will be over turned, and the age of hangers and falling down stairs will return.

Its a terrible thing.

I am going to make this one short only becuase it is already late and I neex some zzzzs after staying up too late this Sunday. Here is to a 4 day work week though (yay!)