This post has nothing to do with smurfs

It's 1130pm, and I still don't want to go to sleep. I have a feeling I'll just lay in bed awake and mind-numbingly bored, but not bored enough to go to sleep. Ug. So, here I sit at the computer, writing yet another blog post.
I'll be changing cubes at work next week. I'm looking forward to the change of scenery, honestly, but the people around me have been fun to work with. This whole process kind of fits into the whole "shifting the furniture" theory I came up with a while ago. By changing the environment or by simply moving around the furniture, your mind reconfigures and looks at things in a different way, unlocking new ways to solve old problems. I look forward to a new perspective.
I've been thinking recently how cool it would be to get a motorcycle. I've also been thinking recently how uncool it would be to crash said motorcycle into a tree after I misjudge a turn. So there goes that idea.
See, I told you this post would have nothing to do with smurfs.

School days

This morning, I couldn't really sleep, just staring at the ceiling at 5 in the morning. Needless to say, everything I usually do in the morning happened earlier than when I usually do it. I had finished burning a CD, wrote a blog about it, and packed it in an envelope before my alarm rang at 630.
I drove earlier to work than usual as well, and on the way, I noticed kids at the end of their driveways waiting for the school buses. Most of them had a parent waiting for them to be picked up. One girl was waiting at the end of a long driveway, at the end of which was a huge home. She was all alone, and she held a stuffed bear in her hand. I thought this to be cute, at first, and then I thought it was incredibly sad. Why did she have to be out there all by herself?
I guess it's not that strange. When I was a little dude, my parents would never wait with me. It didn't even occur to me that they should.
Yet, when I was driving by this girl who lived in a big home but was left all alone and who carried a stuffed bear, I felt sad.
Weird. I don't know why.

Take a listen, sis

I stood staring at the ceiling this morning, not being able to sleep. I'll be waiting for the alarm clock to go off, but at least I did something productive. I made a mix CD for my sister in Switzerland, and I think it turned out ok, so here is a track listing. Also, thanks to Simon for tuning me in to a couple of great songs that I put on...
Trouble - Ray LaMontagne
Even Tho - Joseph Arthur
Hallelujah - Jeff Buckley
Sad Eyes - Josh Rouse
Landed - Ben Folds
Babylon II - David Gray
New Slang - The Shins
Somebody's Crying - Chris Isaak
Give Judy My Notice - Ben Folds
Eye In the Sky - Jonatha Brooke
Somewhere Only We Know - Keane
You Don't Know Me - Michael Buble
Don't Change Your Plans - Ben Folds Five
Portions For Foxes - Rilo Kiley
I Love a Long Goodbye - Sloan
Track You Down - Sondre Lerche
Call Me Mellow - Tears for Fears
American Girl - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Sleepwalk - Santo and Johnny

She asked for new music, so I think this accomplishes that. Also, most of these songs happen to be ones I've played incessantly over the last few months...

On to other things...I can't believe that Katherine was in the bottom 2. Sheesh! What's up with that? If she had left so early in the competition, I would have lost whatever faith I had left in the public. Apparently they didn't do what I would have prefered...sending 3 or 4 packing in one go like they did last season on the apprentice. I can't understand how some of them are still in the competition, honestly (imagine the "honestly" with Simon Cowell's British accent).
You know, my alarm has yet to ring...don't we switch the hours soon so that it's still dark in the morning at 630? I can't wait.

Idol

Egads. I just finished watching Idol, and I thought most of the performances kinda bit. I like the song that Taylor did, and he did a fine job, but I don't think any of the performances had that wow factor. Boring.
Tonight, I was all set for Chaplin's City Lights, but the Netflix DVD Gods didn't deliver it, so I'll have to wait for tomorrow, I suppose. ERG.

Tuesday morning

On a drive through the hinterlands of New Jersey yesteray afternoon, I saw a covered bridge for the first time. Those things are pretty cool, I must say! I was told that it might be the only one in New Jersey. I like finding out new things like that and exploring my environs...makes the day all that more interesting.
I have a feeling this spring will be great, a time of renewal and potential, which makes up for the crap winter I had, and it might help me wipe off the slight tint of nostalgia that has formed on the memories of last fall.
It's one of those optimistic days again, I think.

Do rah Dilly's

I love it when I can spend days just exploring.
I didn't really have much intention to go to Lambertville today, but instead of heading into Princeton for errands and the usual, I headed there. Once in Lambertville, I didn't want to do the same old, same old, so I headed up to Dilly's, which is across the river from the Jersey town of Stockton.
One thing I love about living up in this area are the small little road side places like Hot Dog Johnny's and Dilly's. One just doesn't seem to find them in Florida. At Dilly's, I had the first chocolate shake of the season...Good stuff!
I also drove along 32 for a while, and this will be an area I'll want to explore when the summer comes along.
Overall, I had a nice day and a productive weekend. And the Gators won! Very Very cool!

Go Gators!

Final Four, baby! This season has exceeded all expectations. They have as good a chance to win the whole thing as any.

Chaplin

I spent a good part of Saturday afternoon trying to track down two Charlie Chaplin movies, City Lights and Gold Rush, all with no luck. I went to all the video stores I know of from one end of the greater Princeton area to the other, but I was only able to track the films down on two different box sets, one of which was $92 and the other $79.
Needless to say, I decided not to spend the $170 and went home without the movies, which was rather disappointing. These are classics! Why should it be so bloody hard to track them down without having to spend a fortune.
I may try Netflix, or buying them online, but when all is said and done, the interest in seeing them might have worn down by the time they arrive.
Each movie manages to give The Tramp humanity in certain scenes that are in such stark relief to the slapstick in the rest of the film that it makes Chaplin look like a genius. He can go from having The Tramp make soup out of a shoe to standing out in cold and looking in on a party he wasn't invited to. It'll knock you down if you let it. If you haven't seen either film, see them.
On another note, Chaplin lived a few towns over from where my grandmother lives in Switzerland, so that's kinda cool.

10 things.

TEN FIRSTS
First best friend: Roland Reiger- 2nd grade
First screen Name: mikeg
First pet: Golden Retriever - Guapo
First piercing: None
First crush: Christie - 4th grade
First CD: Soundtrack to the Imagine: John Lennon bio, or A Hard Day's Night
First house: Montreux, Switzerland
First stuffed animal: Don't think I had one
First detention: Senior year


NINE LASTS
Last beverage: Irish breakfast tea
Last thing bought: breakfast
Last car ride: princeton to hopewell - my commute home
Last movie seen: Munich
Last phone call: Chris, my brother
Last CD played: Whatever and Ever, Amen - Ben Folds Five
Last time you cried: a full-on cry? don't remember. I shed a tear at the end of It's a Wonderful Life, like always.

EIGHT HAVE YOU EVERS
Have you ever dated one of your best friends: No
Have you ever been arrested: No
Have' you ever skinny dipped: No
Have you ever been on TV: Yes. A closed circuit TV show in school. many moons ago.
Have you ever kissed someone, and then regretted it? Yes
Have you ever done drugs? Nothing that would ever kill me.
Have you ever danced on a table? Not that I recall, but I would only do that if I were disastrously drunk.

SEVEN THINGS YOU ARE WEARING
1. Jeans
2. Converse hi-tops
3. Turtleneck
4. Shirt
5. Socks
6. Underwear
7. Glasses

SIX THINGS YOU'VE DONE TODAY
1. Woke up
2. Fell back asleep
3. Woke up again.
4. E-filed my taxes
5. Went for breakfast at the coffeeshop
6. Finished a book i was reading

FIVE FAVORITE THINGS IN NO ORDER
1. Music
2. Movies
3. Family and friends
4. Relaxing in coffeeshops and reading
5. Scheduled aimlessness - heh, kidding

FOUR PEOPLE YOU CAN TELL ALMOST ANYTHING TO
1. Greg
2. Javier
3. Chris
4. Margaret

THREE CHOICES
1. Black or White? black
2. Hot or Cold: hot
3. Chocolate or Vanilla: chocolate

TWO THINGS YOU WANT TO DO BEFORE YOU DIE
1. Find a nice woman with whom I can travel the world.
2. Make some great memories to take with me, and create happiness.

ONE THING YOU REGRET
1. Focusing too much on the past to the detriment of the present. I have some others, but this thing only asks for one.

My excuse is that I'm bored. What's yours?

1. Where were you 1 hour ago?
Failte Coffeehouse, eating breakfast

2. When is the last time you filled up your gas tank?
Last weekend

3. What is the most amount of $ you spent in one store?
$533.88 at Thoroughbred Music in Tampa, when I bought my guitar. There may be others, but that's the most memorable.

4. Is there anything pink within 10 feet of you?
Nope

5. When is the last time you went to the mall?
Two weeks ago to get some dinner with people from work.

6. Are you wearing socks right now?
Yes I Am! Woohoo socks!

7. Do you have a car worth over $5,000?
Yes it is, and since it's a Japanese car, it may stay over $5000 for a while. I hope.

8. When was the last time you drove out of town?
Sunday, to East Stroudsburg, PA

9. Have you been to the movies in the last 5 days?
Nope

10. Are you popular?
The people at work know my name. I think.

11. What was the last thing you had to drink?
Irish Breakfast Tea. If you mean something alcoholic, Yellow Tail Cabernet Sauvignon

12. What was the last thing you mailed in the mail?
My car payment

13. Do you wash your car?
Yeah. It really needs one, too. When it gets warmer...

14. Last fast food you ate.
Chicken Sandwich from Wendy's. I'd thought there'd be bacon on it, but nope. D'oh!

15. Where were you last week at this time?
Watching the second round of the NCAA college basketball tourney. March madness, baby!

16. Have you bought any clothing items in the last week?
No

17. What Bank do you use?
Wachovia

18. Do you own any land?
No, I don't.

19. What do you want to be when you "grow up"?
A copy writer, or at least something where I can use creativity. A husband and father at some point.

20. Your dream vacation?
The Amalfi Coast in Italy, with a Ferrari of course.

21. Last boat ride you went on?
Rafting down the Nantahala.

23. Are you in love?
Nope

24. Do you have any single friends?
Yes

25. Last play you saw?
An Edward Albee play at McCarter Theater. Don't remember the name...

26. Have you been to New York?
Yeah

27. What are you plans for tonight?
Not quite sure yet.

28. Last concert you went to?
Paul McCartney. I got to see a Beatle!!

29. Next trip you are going to take?
Southern California, for a drive up the PCH. Then Lake Tahoe.

30. Ever gone to camp?
I worked at one in North Georgia. Camp Blue Ridge.

31. Were you an honor roll student in school?
Yes I was!

32. What is your current GPA?
Really don't remember.

33. Are you wearing any perfume or cologne?
Nope

34. Are you hungry?
I just had breakfast, so not really.

35. Where is your favorite sibling located?
I'm not gonna play favorites! My brother is in Clinton, NJ; My sisters are in Knoxville, TN; Bangor, ME; and Geneva, Switzerland.

36. Do you own a cowboy hat?
Nope. I knew I forgot to pick something up at Target last night!

37. Do you have a tan?
Yeah. Swiss people are usually aggresively white, but I suppose we tan very easily.

38. How old do you want to be when you have kids?
When I have kids, then that's how old I want to be.

39. Do you collect anything?
I did collect model cars.

40. Is this quiz annoying?
There are worse

41. Been to Mexico for Spring Break?
No, have not.

42. Do you like hot sauce?
Not the ones that make you cry, but ones that add a bit of kick.

43. Last time you had sex?
Dude! No comment.

44. Do you need to do laundry?
Yeah, I do

45. Are you someones best friend?
I believe so.

46. Are you rich?
I'm so rich I hired someone else to answer this survey for me.

47. When was your last paycheck?
Wednesday

48. Is there anything more mind-numbing than a Presidential Press Conference?
Yes. The president.

49. Who is the cutest dog on the entire planet?
My old dog Guapo

50. If there is one thing that you MUST do today, what is it?
Thankfully, I don't really have to do anything, which is nice.

Late in the Evening

Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it is too dark to read.
Groucho Marx
Don't know why I felt the need to add that, but I like that quote.
The Gators won and are on their way to the Elite 8. If they win or lose, they have had one hell of a season. Of couse, I'd want them to win the whole thing, but I'm not gonna hold up too much hope for that.
I was kind of bummed that CBS chose to show the UConn-Washington game, but that was a 1 seed vs. a 5 seed, so I can see the logic.

Recall

My lil' Mazda has a recall that needs to get fixed, so today, I drove over to the Mazda dealership to set an appointment. I don't even know what the problem is, but I think it involves a doohickey that connects to a whatchamacallit that controls the Zoom Zoom.
Actually, I think it has something to do with the emmissions system. I don't think it'll do anything for the performance of the car, but it'll make sure less crap gets up into the sky. An interesting side note to that...they give me a loaner car for the day, so hopefully it's something cool. The last time we ever had to get a loaner car, it was in the 80s, and we got a Renault, when they were actually still being sold in the states. My God, was that car a piece of shit.
Also, I just saw that Duke lost. NICE! I like it when underdogs win, and I like it when underdogs beat Duke. For some reason or another, I really don't like Duke. I think that has something to do with the fact that I was a UNC Tarheel fan from when I can remember (superceded now only by the Gators, of course).
It's been another fairly quiet week, so I haven't had too much to add here. Blah.

Phil Spector

Yahoo! News Photo
He's never met an electrical socket he didn't like. The very picture of sanity.

The 50s

I hear that tonight's theme on American Idol is 50s music. That works for me! If anyone does a Buddy Holly song, they automatically get my vote.
I am trying to start planning my vacation for this summer. Last year, I went to NC, and this year, I was thinking about heading over to Lake Tahoe and Southern California. However, the flights are so annoyingly expensive that I might reconsider and possibly stay on the east coast. So, what to do? I don't feel like sitting on a beach for a week, and since I went to Nantahala last summer, I don't necessarily want to spend another week there, even though it was way cool.
I shouldn't complain about it too much, as vacation is vacation.
UPDATE: OK. We've had two Buddy Holly songs on American Idol, and both performances were underwhelming. Bummer.

Wine and popcorn

The dinner of champions. I went across the street to buy myself a bottle of red wine, yet I was too lazy to actually cook anything for dinner...hence the popcorn. My Gawd, I feel like a hero.

Sah-weet!

The Gators are into the Sweet Sixteen for the first time in 6 years. That tourney, they made it into the finals.
So, all I have to say is: Go Gators!!

Full glass

At work, we deal with personality tests, and every potential employee of the company takes one. Apparently, I'm very skeptical, which is kinda odd, as I am also quite gullible.
Anyway, given that fact, a co-worker asked me if I was pessimistic. Normally, I would answer "yes" without even thinking, but today, I thought about it some, and realized the answer quite as clear cut as I believed it to be.
When it comes down to it, I'm not all that pessimistic. On my better days, I view everything optimistically. I don't necessarily believe that everything will turn to shiite by the afternoon when I wake up in the morning. I'm not beaten or defeated. I see the glass as half full.
My favorite song is "Here Comes the Sun," which is all about optimism.
So I wonder where this idea I had of being pessimistic came from. I might want to explore that, but at the moment, I think I'll grab on to this idea of me being optimistic and run with it.
I think optimism gives off a better vibe anyway.

March Madness

I love the NCAA college basketball tourney, and I think the reason why is that anything can happen. While having a 16 seed beet a 1 seed is very rare, there is always the possibility, and I remember the Gators lose as a second seed in the first round, to the 15th seeded Manhattan. That one really sucked.
I also remember when we got to the Championship game in 2000. The Gators were almost eliminated in the first round, but they got a layup with about two seconds left. That was tense. I wasn't expecting them to win the championship game...I was just happy that they managed to get there.
The Gators won their first round game today, and they play the 11th seed on Saturday. The 11th seed upset the 6th seed today.
Go Gators!! They are predicting them to get into the Elite Eight. I'm only looking forward to the next game.

Not too much going on

It's amazing how uneventful the last few days have been. About the most exciting things was that I invented a new word:
Sarcast: (v) using sarcasm for humor; to be sarcastic.
Example: The way I try to show that I'm witty is for me to sarcast you.
OK, that's not the best example I could come up with, but oh well.
Now, I have my oldest friend telling me about relationship problems, so I've got to go. I may have gotten older, but to me, women are still incomprehensible. ERG.

On Saturday

They had this absolutely beautiful Jaguar XK120 by the Lotus dealership here in Hopewell. I couldn't imagine being able to drive a car like that around on a day like Saturday was. I'm not sure this sentence is grammatical, but oh well.
It was a perfect day yesterday...high 60s and a clear blue sky. So, I took the opportunity that the weather provided me to be outside. I wanted to do something a bit different, so I headed up north to Belvidere to revisit the town I drove through a few months ago in the rain. It made quite an impression on me that time, so I thought I'd walk around and take a few pictures and grab something to eat.
Didn't quite happen that way. It's a nice town, but there isn't anything there, really.
I drove on back down 46 past Hot Dog Johnny's, but the line was halfway down the parking lot, so I didn't stop.
At least I stayed outside for the whole day, so I made full use of the weather.

Your stomach is not a toy!

I ate too much tonight, but I don't regret it. I went to Mexican Village in Princeton for the first time, and it was mighty good. They do some dangerously tasty things with nachos.
We are expected to have relatively warm weather for the first time in a few months here in beautiful Central Jersey, but I'm not quite sure what I'll do to fill my time. I know I want to be outside so that I can soak up as much as the warmth as I can, as I sorely need it. Heh. Watch it rain. Blasted clouds!
Also, it's very nice to see the sun still up in the sky when I get out of my office at five in the afternoon, as opposed to it being already completly dark at that time. Combine that with the gray skies during the day, the cold weather, and the occassional rain and snow, the only thing that can keep you sane is the memory of spring and summer.
Thank God it's right around the corner!

Chaka

I'm not as interested in this season's American Idol as I was last season's. No one has really interested me. At least some of the performances aren't too bad.
I've discovered that I do have a problem with people attempting to sing songs made popular by Aretha Franklin, as Katherine McPhee did tonight with "Think."
It was a good performance with not a bad note to be heard. However, it just seemed to lack any soul. It was dull compared to what Aretha put down on tape.
I guess I would feel the same if a dude tried to do an Otis Redding song.
Now, Mandisa rocked. She totally owned that Chaka Khan song, to the point where I didn't think that Chaka Khan once did it. Also, the band wasn't able to drown her out. She had the complete attention of the audience.

In 4/4 time

I seem to have fallen into the same pattern and rhythm I had in the summer. After work, I'm presented with a whole bunch of hours to fill. Sometimes, I have plans with friends, and other times I head off to the bookstore or I go into Princeton to the coffeeshop.
That's getting rather "comfortable," but "comfortable" is getting a bit old, so I think I want to switch some things around.
What to do?
I could take some classes, but I think I've missed that boat already for this semester. And, I'm not quite sure what I want to take anyway.
I could take up a new hobby, but I'm not quite sure what.
I suppose the first thing you have to figure out is that you want to make the change. I don't have to make the choice tonight of what that change will be.

My I don't have to run day

It's been a fun weekend, I must say. We had another party last night, and it was pretty cool. I'm happy that it was here at the house, as opposed to somewhere where my bed isn't, so that I could crash. I amazingly had the presence of mind to remember to take off my shoes. Heh.
This afternoon, I headed over to New Hope to try El Taco Loco, a Mexican place that I've wanted to try for a while. It was a bit pricey, but it was tasty. A friend from work told me that when she went, she didn't quite like it. However, my roommate told me that the band Ween wrote a song about the place, which is a good enough reason to give it a try.
I guess everywhere I go, I try to find a good Mexican place. It was El Indio in Gainesville, and Guayabitos in Bryson City, NC. I don't think El Taco Loco quite reaches that level, but I'll most likely go again. In all fairness, I remember those other places with a tinge of nostalgia, and we all know what nostalgia does to memories.
Now, I have the Oscars on in the background. Not quite that interested this year, but I want to see what Jon Stewart is going to do.

About the weather

This has been a long week. The days seemed to last forever...I'd look at the clock, and even though I felt I was at my desk for hours, it was only 10am.
Could be due to the fact that when I woke up these last few mornings, I had no energy and was completely unmotivated to do much of anything. All that could certainly make the days drag. At least today, I woke up with energy, and that made a world of difference. Nevertheless, it was quite quiet in my neck of cubes. Must be the weather.
I picked up a couple of good DVDs on an excursion I took away from the office this Wednesday - The Cure's Greatest Hits, and Ben Folds and WASO Live in Perth. Both were used copies, so if they suck, which I doubt, I didn't drop a bunch of cash on nothing.

Awake

This morning, I actually woke up with a bit of energy, as opposed to the last few days when I get out of completely unmotivated and lacking energy. I think it's that whatever cold thing I had is gone. It could also be that the weekend is right around the corner.
Whatever it is, I'll take it.
On Wednesday during lunch, some folks and I headed into Princeton for the Princeton Record Exchange. i found one thing I was actually looking for, and one other thing that was just a bonus. I picked up the Cure Greatest Hits DVD with their videos, and then I found a Ben Folds dvd, recorded last year when he played with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra. Haven't opened that one yet, but I'm sure it's cool, and for eight bucks, you can't go wrong.

On tape

This may be the straw that finally broke the camal's back:
Tape: Bush, Chertoff Warned Before Katrina

Some of the footage and transcripts from briefings Aug. 25-31 conflicts with the defenses that federal, state and local officials have made in trying to deflect blame and minimize the political fallout from the failed Katrina response:

_Homeland Security officials have said the "fog of war" blinded them early on to the magnitude of the disaster. But the video and transcripts show federal and local officials discussed threats clearly, reviewed long-made plans and understood Katrina would wreak devastation of historic proportions. "I'm sure it will be the top 10 or 15 when all is said and done,"
National Hurricane Center's Max Mayfield warned the day Katrina lashed the Gulf Coast.

"I don't buy the `fog of war' defense," Brown told the AP in an interview Wednesday. "It was a fog of bureaucracy."

_Bush declared four days after the storm, "I don't think anybody anticipated the breach of the levees" that gushed deadly flood waters into New Orleans. But the transcripts and video show there was plenty of talk about that possibility — and Bush was worried too.

White House deputy chief of staff Joe Hagin, Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco and Brown discussed fears of a levee breach the day the storm hit.

"I talked to the president twice today, once in Crawford and then again on Air Force One," Brown said. "He's obviously watching the television a lot, and he had some questions about the Dome, he's asking questions about reports of breaches."

Makes it look like Michael Brown was kind of used as a scapegoat.