So, I know I've been mostly silent these past few weeks, and the tales of those adventures will follow, soon. I promise. However, I have something of a rant/cautionary tale to offer to those ears willing to listen.
I finally crumbled and put the money into purchasing a Kindle. Not just any Kindle, but a Free Wifi+3G with Special Offers. So, all in all, considering the $150 cost, plus shipping, it's a valuable deal. Amazon thanks me for my business, and sends it via UPS.
Understandably, I'm extremely excited. I want to see this happen. I want this Kindle so badly I can taste it. So naturally, I'm watching the tracking information like a bloody hawk. Imagine my surprise when this little doll pops up:
Friday, September 2, 2011
Monday, July 25, 2011
ID Cards & Registrations
So here I sit, in the College of St. Rose, Albany, in the library, which has a name. It's probably named after someone important, but I have no idea who that person is. Bummer, I bet they were important. Actually, they were more likely just rich. Rich and dying, so said person had to do SOMETHING so the damned government couldn't take all his dough when he croaked. So, dammit, give it to a school, get a building named after you, and all of a sudden, you're a patron. Or Patrón, which is a tequila.
I don't think you get to be a tequila by donating money.
Then again, hell if I know people's true motivations, or the process by which tequila is made.
One thing I am looking forward to, or not, depending on whether or not the pit in my stomach decides to return, is hopping buses back to Troy. I'd almost rather just walk, get the exercise, but I'm rather sure that walking from Albany to Troy is less exercise and more 'destroying your joints' at this point. Luckily for me, my Student ID card gets me free bus fare on the CDTA. Which is a boon, especially if I get a job that requires a bus trip. Bus hop?
I've been writing quite a bit more lately, thanks to my officership in MR. It's taken me from a 'meh, I'll write a scene or something every...well, never' to 'ZOMFG, I MUST WRITE AN ENTIRE GUILD STORYLINE RITE NAO.' So yes, quite a bit of writing, a bit of co-op writing with everyone from the conceptualisors to sounding boards to even dealing with the people that don't pay a lickin' bit of attention (I'm looking at you, Chala). it's been a wonderful challenge so far and I hope I don't lose the time I need to really keep this up. Could be the basis for the new and the inventive.
Anyway, I'll probably post again once I've met with Dr. Morrow in...two hours.
Also, I do want a Kindle. Looking into my options as we...type? Speak? Read?
I don't think you get to be a tequila by donating money.
Then again, hell if I know people's true motivations, or the process by which tequila is made.
One thing I am looking forward to, or not, depending on whether or not the pit in my stomach decides to return, is hopping buses back to Troy. I'd almost rather just walk, get the exercise, but I'm rather sure that walking from Albany to Troy is less exercise and more 'destroying your joints' at this point. Luckily for me, my Student ID card gets me free bus fare on the CDTA. Which is a boon, especially if I get a job that requires a bus trip. Bus hop?
I've been writing quite a bit more lately, thanks to my officership in MR. It's taken me from a 'meh, I'll write a scene or something every...well, never' to 'ZOMFG, I MUST WRITE AN ENTIRE GUILD STORYLINE RITE NAO.' So yes, quite a bit of writing, a bit of co-op writing with everyone from the conceptualisors to sounding boards to even dealing with the people that don't pay a lickin' bit of attention (I'm looking at you, Chala). it's been a wonderful challenge so far and I hope I don't lose the time I need to really keep this up. Could be the basis for the new and the inventive.
Anyway, I'll probably post again once I've met with Dr. Morrow in...two hours.
Also, I do want a Kindle. Looking into my options as we...type? Speak? Read?
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Alternators & Car Troubles
After doing laundry this morning, and finally getting clean sheets, Tony and I went on a little trip around in his car. He'd been having trouble with his battery the last couple of days, and we'd gone out to replace it yesterday. This didn't seem to fix the problem, as it proceeded to die twice in parking lots, and then, while we were attempting to get back to Troy, died on the highway. We managed to limp off an exit and started calling around to see if we could A) figure out what was wrong and B) see if anyone in the vicinity could help us.
As we're sitting on the side of the road and trying to figure out what to do, a cop pulls up behind us and gives us a hand locating a nearby Firestone, which is the only car repair shop that's open on Sundays. Mind you, it's about 4:40 at this point, and Firestone closes at 5:00 PM.
Oh goody.
As we're sitting on the side of the road and trying to figure out what to do, a cop pulls up behind us and gives us a hand locating a nearby Firestone, which is the only car repair shop that's open on Sundays. Mind you, it's about 4:40 at this point, and Firestone closes at 5:00 PM.
Oh goody.
Friday, July 22, 2011
No Soliciting & Job Hunts
Tony and I went to the local Gamestop so he could pre-order the new Catherine puzzle game, I could drop off a job application, and on our way out, we decided to stop at Burger King for food. Normally, we'd avoid this place like the plague because of my past experiences working there, but I felt the need for a chicken sandwich and he was indifferent. So there we went. We're sitting there, eating our food, when the couple behind us stands to leave and a kid approaches them. I didn't initially hear what he said, but I knew he was trying to sell something by the box he was carrying. A flip-top cardboard box reinforced with a couple layers of clear packing tape.
That always worries me.
Well, he walks up to us after getting shut down by the couple, and with this big smile, says his name is (what sounded to me like) Young Buck. He's trying to raise money for his church to send kids on a leadership camp. I'm with him so far, trying to be polite but keep in mind, I have no intention of giving him any money, and neither is Tony. Finally, he gets to the point of his spiel where he shows us what he wants to sell us. He opens the box.
And inside are a bunch of the cheesiest, most worthless sun catchers I have ever seen.
One is a tiger. One is a bird. They're all the cheapest pieces of crap in the world.
I look over at Tony and I see his eyes almost closed, his hand over his mouth, and his cheeks are turning purple. This sets me off, I'm trying my damnedest to keep a straight face, but this kid, who KNOWS by now that he's lost us, he cannot be so dense as to think that we're going to actually buy these pieces of crap. But he. Keeps. Talking.
We let him go for a little longer before basically saying, 'No, dude, I'm sorry, but we can't afford to donate right now, but good luck.' He comes back with that DENSE smile and replies: "Are you sure? Only a hundred, two hundred dollars would help us out."
What, are you serious? This kid wants $200 from a couple of people in t-shirts, eating at Burger King?
I shudder to think how much the sun catchers actually COST.
He hasn't walked away yet and Tony loses it. He's laughing so hard, and that starts me laughing and it's just all over but the fat lady singing. The only other people in the restaurant look at us, look at the kind that's heading towards them, and the hands go up and the heads start shaking. The kid has now lost all chance of soliciting his wares within this Burger King.
Who let him solicit here anyway?
That always worries me.
Well, he walks up to us after getting shut down by the couple, and with this big smile, says his name is (what sounded to me like) Young Buck. He's trying to raise money for his church to send kids on a leadership camp. I'm with him so far, trying to be polite but keep in mind, I have no intention of giving him any money, and neither is Tony. Finally, he gets to the point of his spiel where he shows us what he wants to sell us. He opens the box.
And inside are a bunch of the cheesiest, most worthless sun catchers I have ever seen.
One is a tiger. One is a bird. They're all the cheapest pieces of crap in the world.
I look over at Tony and I see his eyes almost closed, his hand over his mouth, and his cheeks are turning purple. This sets me off, I'm trying my damnedest to keep a straight face, but this kid, who KNOWS by now that he's lost us, he cannot be so dense as to think that we're going to actually buy these pieces of crap. But he. Keeps. Talking.
We let him go for a little longer before basically saying, 'No, dude, I'm sorry, but we can't afford to donate right now, but good luck.' He comes back with that DENSE smile and replies: "Are you sure? Only a hundred, two hundred dollars would help us out."
What, are you serious? This kid wants $200 from a couple of people in t-shirts, eating at Burger King?
I shudder to think how much the sun catchers actually COST.
He hasn't walked away yet and Tony loses it. He's laughing so hard, and that starts me laughing and it's just all over but the fat lady singing. The only other people in the restaurant look at us, look at the kind that's heading towards them, and the hands go up and the heads start shaking. The kid has now lost all chance of soliciting his wares within this Burger King.
Who let him solicit here anyway?
Friday, July 15, 2011
The Meat House & Quotable Roommates
Tony and I took a long walk around Troy today, and we found some of the most beautiful buildings I've seen in what seemed to be the well-cared for area. Makes me jealous, as we live in the duct-tape part of town. There was a single bedroom, three closet (yes, you read that correctly) apartment for $600/month. Third floor? I can barely keep my little corner of paradise cool, much less survivable, for half that. The only intriguing aspect? No dogs, but cats were not mentioned. Ponderousness for thought.
And speaking of works that just plain out sound weird, Tony has had some pretty hilarious quotes lately. If you can imagine these phrases in a ridiculous, Eastern European accent, then you're pretty well on your way to understanding what I have to deal with on a day-to-day basis.
"Taco is meat in food hammock!" No idea where this came from.
"Shish-kabob is stripper meat that fails!" Pretty sure he pulled this out of thin air, too.
Yesterday, Tony and I took a drive out to Clifton Park for Boneless Wing Thursdays at Buffalo Wild Wings. These trips have been tradition since undergrad, when we'd run down to Mason City and eat chicken and shoot digital moose! We felt like MANLY MEN! The three letter initials that you choose for yourself? Tony is LOL and my moniker is AFK. Go figure, I'm the one that always loses.
We played that moose hunting game again, and, no surprise, Tony got all the sites perfect and the bonus game with 96% accuracy. This is the game that I tend to play like I used to play Nintendo Duck Hunt: I'd put the gun RIGHT up to the screen and blam away, hoping to God that I hit something. And that snickering little dog? He still haunts me. But hey, after a while, I got good at scraping the gun across the little TV screen to the point where it really didn't matter WHERE I aimed it. I was a Summer Camp Winner.
Thank you, Camp Omega, for trying to teaching me that I don't have to try to gain anything. (That's just a little plug for the old summer vacation spot!)
And speaking of works that just plain out sound weird, Tony has had some pretty hilarious quotes lately. If you can imagine these phrases in a ridiculous, Eastern European accent, then you're pretty well on your way to understanding what I have to deal with on a day-to-day basis.
"Taco is meat in food hammock!" No idea where this came from.
"Shish-kabob is stripper meat that fails!" Pretty sure he pulled this out of thin air, too.
Yesterday, Tony and I took a drive out to Clifton Park for Boneless Wing Thursdays at Buffalo Wild Wings. These trips have been tradition since undergrad, when we'd run down to Mason City and eat chicken and shoot digital moose! We felt like MANLY MEN! The three letter initials that you choose for yourself? Tony is LOL and my moniker is AFK. Go figure, I'm the one that always loses.
We played that moose hunting game again, and, no surprise, Tony got all the sites perfect and the bonus game with 96% accuracy. This is the game that I tend to play like I used to play Nintendo Duck Hunt: I'd put the gun RIGHT up to the screen and blam away, hoping to God that I hit something. And that snickering little dog? He still haunts me. But hey, after a while, I got good at scraping the gun across the little TV screen to the point where it really didn't matter WHERE I aimed it. I was a Summer Camp Winner.
Thank you, Camp Omega, for trying to teaching me that I don't have to try to gain anything. (That's just a little plug for the old summer vacation spot!)
Friday, July 8, 2011
Air Conditioners & Max Payne
So Tony and I have continued our tradition of his playing video games and my watching him. This time around, it was Max Payne 2 (we skipped the first one). It was pretty good, but I'm gonna interrupt this video game review to let you know that this air conditioner makes me very, very happy. Thank God for A/C units. I'm relatively sure that my internal temperature would have reached somewhere in the unhealthy region soon.
82 degrees inside is ridiculous, I don't care who you are. And Texans? You're just nuts. I would rather live inside a walk-in freezer than attempt to live in Texas without an A/C unit.
82 degrees inside is ridiculous, I don't care who you are. And Texans? You're just nuts. I would rather live inside a walk-in freezer than attempt to live in Texas without an A/C unit.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Overheating & Pidgeons
One of my greatest allies and deadliest enemies in Troy has been my computer. Access to the world, to friends and family, to job hunting, but also one of the hottest creations since the sun. The $25 fan in my window hasn't been turned off since we bought it. It's hellishly hot in the apartment, the only comfortable place is in the living room, within range of the one air-conditioner we already have.
We've got a few options, and going through them, the only viable one that we've somewhat decided on is getting a second air conditioner. Which is another $250. Ugh.
Back to the fan.
So this fan is a two-fan window-mounted dealie that can blow air in, suck it out, or do both, cycling the air. I've gone through all three settings and had settled on the cycling before, get this, a pigeon decided to SLAM into my fan, in protest! Like it was offending him or something!
TWICE.
So I had to flick feathers out of my fan and henceforth opted for the 'blow air OUT' feature, to prevent any more animals from trying to destroy my window fan. Which is apparently the ultimate evil and they must protest him.
I have Fan-thulu in my window!
I'm very tempted to get a small A/C unit for my window, but I'm afraid the avian wildlife around here will use that as an excuse to crap everywhere. I don't think I can win!
We've got a few options, and going through them, the only viable one that we've somewhat decided on is getting a second air conditioner. Which is another $250. Ugh.
Back to the fan.
So this fan is a two-fan window-mounted dealie that can blow air in, suck it out, or do both, cycling the air. I've gone through all three settings and had settled on the cycling before, get this, a pigeon decided to SLAM into my fan, in protest! Like it was offending him or something!
TWICE.
So I had to flick feathers out of my fan and henceforth opted for the 'blow air OUT' feature, to prevent any more animals from trying to destroy my window fan. Which is apparently the ultimate evil and they must protest him.
I have Fan-thulu in my window!
I'm very tempted to get a small A/C unit for my window, but I'm afraid the avian wildlife around here will use that as an excuse to crap everywhere. I don't think I can win!
THE FACE OF THE ENEMY!
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