What Now?

Mood: extremely disappointed

So after a long, exhausting day at work (I clocked out at 12:37AM), I parked in my driveway and grabbed the mail. I thumbed through it as I walked to the house. Not three steps from my car, I noticed an important-looking letter from the United States Postal Service. I jumped back to the car, threw the rest of the mail on the trunk, and tore open the letter. My eyes quickly scanned for, then zoomed in on the score: 76.50. Ouch. In school, that would be a solid C. In school, I would have been happy with a C. But now, I saw my future go black. Or, some might say, bleak. It is highly likely I won't be getting a call from the United States Postal Service with a job offer any time soon.

Perhaps I wouldn't have been quite so disappointed if I hadn't heard from my brother-in-law that he scored in the low 70's and hadn't heard anything from them in over a year. My chances aren't much better. Damn.

Damn, damn, damn.

So, what now? Do I throw myself completely and utterly into Prints Plus, hoping I get a Manager position sooner rather than later? Or, do I (re)start the search for other opportunities. If I didn't have a quickly-approaching wedding, I would reconsider starting a business. But a steady income is highly necessary right now.

I need to play some hockey. (I found NHL 2003 for the Gamecube for just $3.99 at Game Stop and snatched it up quicker than a millipede tap dances. Believe it or not, I prefer the older versions of this wonderful hockey series by EA Sports. I tried 2005 and the feel was all wrong. NHL 2003 appears to be the last good one.)

I better get some play time in quick here. I need to do a little more Christmas shopping for Bella in the morning before work at noon. There's just one more thing I need to get....

Down with the Sickness

Mood: frustrated with Linux

Bella was treated by yours truly to a fine dinner at Disneyland's Blue Bayou for her birthday. Not only that, but I purchased two Southern California annual passes. Needless to say, she was very happy. We had a blast, but we both came home sick with the flu. That may or may not have to do with the fact that it was a little drizzly the whole time we were there.

So I've been down with the sickness (ooh-ah-ah-ah-ah) and haven't posted in a while. But that stops... here.

I've been working off and on at trying to get upgraded from SuSE Linux 9.3 to 10. There has been a lot of frustration as the cheap-o version I bought didn't have all the software necessary packaged with it. I've had to struggle getting my sound card to work, adding MP3 support, and now trying to play MPG videos. That last one has me really stumped and there is no answer readily available. Fortunately, I belong to a SuSE forum, so I posted my problem there. They came through for me before, so I hope they are equally as helpful this time.

I've been in a real bah-humbug mood lately. Not because I've been sick or struggling with Linux, though they played their part, I'm sure. No, it's working in retail. The hours suck in retail during the holidays, and for no good reason other than to say, "We have extended holiday hours!" But do you know how many people make use of those extended holiday hours? Not enough to warrant opening earlier or closing later. That's for damn sure!

I've had my Sirius satellite radios constantly tuned to the Sirius Holiday channel in the hopes that continuous Christmas music will get me in the mood. It's helped. Putting up the little Christmas tree with Bella helped, as well. We had to put it up on Bella's dresser at her house instead of here on my desk, because we know what Bertram would do with Bella's valuable mini-ornament collection, not to mention the tree itself. So the music is the only sign of Christmas at my house. Sad.

Anyway, I'm going to see what other damage I can do to my Linux before I have to get ready for work.

Why Ask Why? Why Not!

Mood: sick and tired
Weight: lighter than I was before I got this flu bug
Today's Plan: GO TO SLEEP, ALREADY!

Why has it been so gosh-darn long since I last posted? Why is it I am up at 4AM playing around with Akregator and RSS feeds? Why do I have to feel so damn crappy for so damn long? Why am I bothering with this uninformative blog entry? Why don't you throw another bisquit on the baking sheet?

The Inevitable Return of Lucky Tourist

Mood: thrilled
Today's Plan: work out with Bella [complete]

I am thrilled for two reasons:

1. I got to work out with Bella today, and


2. after a long musical hiatus, I am making music again!

Yes, it's true. The other night I composed a song on my Alesis QS6 and Alesis MMT-8. The two work nicely for computerless composing, though the MMT-8 is better known for its live performance capabilities.

I banged out a new tune called "Root of All Rhythms". It will most likely be the title track for my next CD and perfectly describes the new sound by which I am inspired. It is a much more percussion-based sound, as I am fascinated by the musical possibilities of drums and other percussion devices.

Well, I will definitely be writing more about this later. Right now, I think I have to take Bella to an appointment.

Oh, and as just a teaser, I will be creating a MySpace.com page for the rebirth of Lucky Tourist. I understand they have some music-related features on their web site. So watch for the official announcement in the coming days.

Embarrassed, Indeed

Mood: embarrassed
Weight: 172
Today's Plan: walk for at least 15 minutes on my lunch break

I'm in a hurry to get to work, so I can't detail my new diet/exercise plan. But it's not much of a plan yet, anyway. I just know I need to lose 27 pounds! Ouch....

My Diet

From my September 30, 2003, blog entry:

Last night Bella came over for dinner. She said my diet is inspiring her to do better on her diet. It truly is easier if both of us are on a diet. That's how I picture our relationship down the road: eating together sensibly with little effort. It will be our lifestyle. We've talked about how, one day when we are married, we will have a kitchen full of good, healthy food. No evil temptations. That's a big problem for both of us right now. We both live in houses full of sweets.

In the last two-plus years since I made that post, Bella has done well on her diet. I, on the other hand, have not. I need to use Bella as my inspiration to get back on track with my diet and exercise. She worries a lot about my health, and I want to be the last person to cause her worries.

I have been gradually getting back into some sort of exercise routine. But I need to force myself more.

And my diet? Well, it needs serious help. Maybe if I start posting my weight with each entry again, it will embarrass me into behaving. We'll see.

New Name, New Look, Same Blog

I felt it was about time to update the look of my blog. I was tempted to switch to MySpace.com, but I'm perfectly happy with Blogger, so why change?

Bella and I had a nice picnic. That's about it. What more could one want from a lazy Sunday?

Ask and Ye Shall Receive... Plenty

Mood: confused

Last night, Bella and I decided to buy two cookies at Mrs. Fields. Well, the young fellow working there talked us (i.e. me) into buying a few more. "They're on sale five for $5 right now," he informed us. Sure, why not, I thought. So I paid my five bucks and we were somehow presented with a bag of not five--not even ten--but fifteen cookies! Needless to say, Bella and I were both really confused, but we took our cookies and ran. Mall security is still looking for us.

It's gradually dawning on us that because of the late hour (it was nearly closing time), the lad was trying to get rid of his cookies. Well, we made off with nearly his whole collection and they are now residing in Tupperware with a piece of bread to keep them moist.

I'm going to consume two of them while watching Todd Sweeney: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street which I purchased on a double-feature DVD at Target for 25¢ in their Halloween clearance One Spot. (Pre-Halloween it was selling for a buck.) I love cheap DVD's, and have amassed perhaps forty or fifty of them... at least.

Well, as I'm writing this wordy post, my cup of milk is getting warm. Warm milk and stale cookies: now that's what I call a nightcap!

It's True

Okay, so I like Hanson.

Post Exam Blues

Mood: disappointed

First of all, as I mentioned in my post exam audio entry, I feel pretty good about how I did on the test. And yet I can't help feeling like I wasted my time. I know just the opposite is true, but the idea of sitting around for three months not even knowing how I did isn't sitting well with me.

I guess I had built up this fantasy that the Postal Service would save me from a hellish Christmas season at Prints Plus. Now I know there's not even a shadow of a hope for that. Hell, I'll be lucky to get an interview by March!

I'm really disappointed it's going to take so long--can't ya tell?--but I'm just going to have to forget I even took the test. Then, if and when I hear something, it will be a pleasant surprise.

In the meantime, I will be looking at other opportunities. I can't place all my bets on getting a job with the USPS. At least, not any time soon.

Speaking of bets, I bet ya a year passes before I'm ever hired. But back to my optimistic self, I will get a job with the United States Postal Service. Time--perhaps quite a lot of it--will prove me right.

Postal Exam Eve

Mood: confident

I am going to wake up at 4:30AM to leave the house at 5:30AM to take the postal exam at 7:30AM. Then, four hours of testing. And after that, to celebrate, I will lunch with Bella. It's very likely I will do an audio post before and after the exam.

I was nervous earlier today, but now I feel quite confident. I do need some sleep, though. So I better stop blogging and start sleeping!

Bertram Pics

Bertram is the latest member of TrashDigger.org, joining founding member Percy, Bella's Pomeranian.

Bertram has full control of the remote. He just lets me use it.

Perhaps Bertram is a size 10?

Sometimes fur isn't enough.

Bertram loves Tom & Jerry...

... and hates being caught in the act of watching it.

Tom & Jerry & Bertram

Mood: still recovering from the last two days

Bertram apparently likes Tom & Jerry. He sat on top of his scratching post for a while, watching intently.

John M. "Chet" Acosta

Mood: sad

I don't think I've really mentioned Bella's dad much in here, but below I am reprinting a tribute I left in the Guest Book for his obituary page at PE.com:

I met Chet in 2002. I came over as his daughter's friend. Christina wasn't home yet, so I sat in the kitchen with him. He started talking to me like he had known me for years. I could barely get a word in edgewise, and when I finally did I realized that I hadn't introduced myself. "I'm Greg, by the way," I managed. "Yeah," he replied. In his very next breath, he was back on yet another subject. It felt more like he was trying to catch up with an old friend than make small talk with the stranger that I was. I have never felt more welcome in anyone else's home. Chet did that.

Now, I am engaged to his daughter! When I asked him permission to marry Christina, he said, "She's the one that has to live with you." I thought that was the perfect tension-breaker, and we both chuckled. Then, kidding aside, he said yes. He offered advice from his own experience. And that was that. Yet again, he managed to put me at ease. It takes a sensitive, intuitive person to be able to do that.

I spent almost every Sunday morning before church sitting and chatting with Chet. He'd offer me coffee. "You'll have to warm it up," he'd explain. Man, he could brew a good cup of coffee. Even if it was a day or two old.

He is and always will be my role model for daily living. I admire him greatly. His life, though far too short for those he left behind, was a full and successful one.

I will miss him more than I can express.

Siriusly

Mood: greedy

Sirius Satellite Radio has become a sort of guilty pleasure. I bought a second receiver, so I can have one at home and one in the car. It has become one of my favorite forms of entertainment. I highly recommend it.

The new receiver is much better than my old one. The controls are better placed for use in the car, and the display will be easier to read at a glance. Also, it has six more presets, for a total of 36, so I don't have to be quite so selective. (It's funny, but I just discovered that my old receiver has 30 presets, not just 25. Now I get to add a few more presets for here at home, too!)

Of course, this guilty pleasure must come with a sacrifice so I won't feel too guilty. So I am going to cancel a website I was holding onto. (I had intended to do something with it, but at this point, I just don't have the time or energy to dedicate to it, anyway.)

Oh, this morning I had a scare with the remote for my old receiver. I had the remote in one hand and a cup of orange juice (I'm battling the flu) in the other. I was in midstep when Bertram attacked my raised foot. In trying to pull away from him as well as keep myself from falling while not stepping on Bertram, I managed to drop the remote and slosh the orange juice. Well, remotes and orange juice were never meant to be used in conjunction, so I thought I killed my remote when it went haywire for about an hour. After cleaning it up and letting it sit battery-less for a half-hour or so, I decided to check it one last time. I put the battery in and what do you know? It worked. I was very happy, since a replacement remote costs nearly as much as a complete system!

Well, off I go to add some presets to my radio. Fun times, even at this hour.

Where's a Camera When You Need One?

Mood: charmed

So I came into the livingroom to find Bertram sitting calmly--sleepily--on the futon with the blanket pulled over his body. I cursed myself for not putting the recharged batteries back into the camera. I kind of wonder how he managed to get the blanket so neatly over himself. Right now, he's passed out on his back--his favorite sleeping position.

I will update with some pics soon. I just need to find the time to resize them for the web.

Now, I'm off to find a band called Hockey Night on AllOfMP3.com.

Bye-Bye Gray

Mood: renewed

There's not much point in posting a pic, but Bella and I both colored our hair. Hers a slightly lighter brown, and mine a much more slightly lighter blond. I'd almost say this is my natural hair color, minus the gray. In the past as people have asked "What color hair is that?", I think they will now more easily be able to identify it as dark blond. But yes, the difference is subtle and probably wouldn't be visible in a photo, even if I had remembered to take a Before shot.

In other news, I am almost embarrassed that I voted Arnold for Governor. He's proving himself to be worthy of the legacy called Politician: serving no one but his own interests.

Just now Bertram is being a little prick. Lately he has been better about biting and attacking feet, but I think he is jealous of the computer. So I better sign off before I feel the wrath of Bertram again....

Let There Be Rock

Mood: wishing it wasn't so late

I am rediscovering the love for AC/DC I had in my youth. I was big into AC/DC in the Brian Johnson years, particularly 1986. That was the year I managed to save up enough allowance to buy Who Made Who on cassette. Recently, I bought the Family Jewels two-DVD set for an incredibly low price of $9.99 at Best Buy. Now I am realizing that the band's best years--no offense to Mr. Johnson, as he's pretty damn cool himself--were with their original lead singer, Bon Scott. Between him and my everyone's favorite band member, Angus Young, they put on quite a show. Man I wish I could have seen them perform live. It must have been a riot!

Between Bertram and Day of Reckoning 2, I am feeling pretty frustrated. I'm having a tough time getting past the Fatal Four Way Cage Match, partly because it's IMPOSSIBLE, but mainly because Bertram is jealous of the controller. He attacks the cord at the most inconvenient times. Last night when I was about to win the match, he ran--not over or under, but THROUGH the cord, knocking over the GameCube, thereby bringing a screeching halt to the game and my hopes of getting past this dreaded cage match. I was... not happy. Yeah.

Anyway, more pics are on the way... stay tuned!

Building a Better Door

Mood: relieved

I think I failed to mention that Bertram was being kept in the living room by a number of cardboard boxes, flattened and taped to the doorway. Well, that got old really quickly. Last night, after dinner with Bella at Panda Express, we stopped by Lowe's to "look" at doors. Well, shortly thereafter, we were driving away at 20MPH with a door tied to the roof of her car. We didn't think it could be done, but thanks to the rope her dad stowed in her trunk, we made it happen.

The trick with the door, you see, is it was 80 inches high. Well, the doorway is only 76 inches. After being told that you can't cut four inches off of the cheapy (i.e. hollow) doors by the "door specialist", we found a nice guy in the lumber department who did just that. Of course, we were warned that doing so would void the warranty on the door, but who needs a warranty for a $20 door?!?

I am apparently installing the door in three phases:

1. hang the door, minus the doorknob


2. make adjustments to the doorway to allow the door to close properly (like everything in this house, the doorway isn't quite straight), and


3. add the doorknob

Right now, the door is serving its purposes: keeping lil Bertram out of trouble and allowing me easy access to the rest of the house. (Do I really want to go out the front door, around the house, and in the backdoor to get to the bathroom to pee at 5:30AM?)

Oh, by the way, as I was hanging the door, Bertram thought it was the biggest... toy... ever! Gotta love him!

Bertram is actually sleeping right now, so maybe this would be a good time for me to rest a bit, as well. Not hearing a frantic patter of playful feet on carpet is actually kind of eerie....

Browsing After Hours

Mood: annoyed

One of my pet peeves--no, this has nothing to do with kitty Bertram going wild on me last night--is late customers. If you've worked in retail, you know the ones: people who come in a few minutes before closing and start browsing. It really annoys me. But tonight was the worst. This teeny-bopper couple came in right before closing, proceeded to browse with no intent of buying anything, and ignored not only my hint of partially closing the gate but also my "Okay folks, we're closed." So I completely closed the gate on them. They still didn't get the picture, so I went ahead and closed the register. Then, the girl has the gall to ask me some dumb question that had an obvious answer. I answered her question abruptly, then said, "You know what? We're closed." They finally got the idea that I was kicking them out. The boy half-heartedly apologized, which I ignored, then he took the final jab at me by adding, "Enjoy the rest of your night." I forced myself to be good and reply "You, too," but what I really wanted to say was "Fuck you, you little prick."

I have developed a little quip for what will inevitably be the next late browser: "Where do you work? I guess you won't mind my going there and making you stay late then." Or, in the case of the teeny-boppers: "Do you enjoy detention? Neither do I. I'm going home. Get out."

On the positive side, I'm here at Bella's. She's doing some work for her (early) morning class right now, so I thought I would take the time to post more than just a few pictures. It's been a while since I actually SAID much in here.

Oh, and maybe I'll make another audio post soon, as well. Just for fun.

One Day I Will Rule the World

Today the scratching post, tomorrow... the world!

Photo Update

Bertram has his favorite spot: a pile of blankets and pillows by the window.

Not to be outdone by Bertram, Stella makes this funny face to regain my attentions.

Not to be outdone by either Bertram or Stella, my Godson, Evan, is looking ultra-cute in his wedding attire.

Bella and I recently attended the wedding of our Godson's aunt. Hmmm.... Maybe I will post a pic of that later.

Bertram Joins the Family

Mood: elated

All the way from New York comes the latest member of the Acosta-Short family: Bertram the cat. He had a long, long trip, with many delays, but he's finally home. I will write more about his wacky adventure coming all the way to California later. But now, he wants to play!

Snickers

Mood: envious

I really want this cat. Snickers lives on Bella's street. Snickers wants to live with me.

Okay, really, Snickers has an owner. I can't bear to snatch Snickers up. Her owner would worry.

I will settle for the occassional chat with Snickers, as she recognizes my car and comes over talking endlessly.

But, man, I want that cat!

Lucky Tourist's Return?

Mood: excited

Thanks to my newly reacquired Alesis MMT-8, I am making music again. Maybe this is the return of Lucky Tourist? Or, maybe something new....

Workin' 'n' Workin'

Mood: fine

I haven't posted in a while because I had a week of training in the Cerritos Prints Plus. Nice store, crappy drive. Now I'm back in Riverside. Unfortunately, the Riverside store is not a nice store, but the drive is wonderfully brief.

I've been depressed lately as my new schedule means a lot less Bella. But we'll see each other when we can.

I don't think I've mentioned the health problems of Bella's dad. I think it all started over a week ago, resulting in her dad being hospitalized. They will be installing a new sort of pacemaker, I think tomorrow. Please keep him, Bella and their family in your thoughts and/or prayers.

New Job Dread

Mood: sick with dread

I have this feeling of dread to the point where I actually feel a bit physically ill. I really hate the whole process of learning a new job, and that is only magnified by the fact that I am going from a ridiculously easy job to a challenging one. That's good, I know, but it makes this feeling far worse.

I'm not afraid of failing. That's not it. I just hate not knowing what I am doing. And I know I have a long, steep learning curve ahead of me.

I keep trying to picture myself working at Prints Plus for more than a couple of years, and I can't. Of course, my future-vision is clouded by these newbie blues.

I'm almost ashamed to post this entry, but I need to vent. And really, that's the whole point of a blog, isn't it? If all was peaches-n-cream, it would make for bland reading.

So enjoy!

I Remember DOCTOR WHO

Mood: delighted

Having switched from Blockbuster to Netflix for my DVD rentals, I can now rent some 30-odd episodes of DOCTOR WHO. First up was "Earthshock", one of my all-time favorite episodes, and perhaps the saddest. The DVD is fantastic, with some of the best extras I've seen on any DVD. It is definitely on my must-buy list.

Now if I could only get this on a t-shirt:

"Brave heart, Tegan."

Rice (Ummm...) Pudding

Mood: confused

So the rice pudding didn't quite turn into pudding. It was more like raw rice in condensed milk. Strange, but the rice didn't absorb the milk at all.

Maybe next time I should use a recipe?

Time Off for Good Behavior

Mood: lazy

I worked out my schedules at Crown Books and Prints Plus so that I could have a couple of days off. I've been very lazy today, not doing much more than fixing lunch and playing video games. I've even been too lazy to go rent a movie. (I watched CURSED last night; was it supposed to be scary? I just found it funny.) I'll go visit Joey probably around 5PM or so.

I think I'll make tomorrow more productive. I really need to get back into my exercise routine. I haven't been to Bally's in months! I need to work on cleaning the living room, too. It's a shambles....

For now, though, I'm just trying to make this time off as relaxing as possible. I don't want time to go too fast, either.

Woops! I better keep an eye on the rice pudding I'm cooking....

New Job

Mood: nervous / excited

Today, after I work at Crown Books, I will have my first day at my new job: Manager-in-Training at Prints Plus. It's an art / framing store in the Galleria at Tyler. Who knows? Maybe it will bring back the magic of my days at The Art Works! So far, the manager seems really cool; I think we'll make a great team. That is, until I get my own store in 6+ months. Tee hee....

I only wish I had some time between jobs. I'm feeling a little burned out. But I think the new job will rejuvenate me... once I am officially gone from Crown Books on August 4th. The last couple weeks have been draining, trying to get this new girl, Amber, trained before I leave. I did make some good progress with her yesterday, I think.

Well, I want to write more, but I really need to get to bed. It's going to be a long, long day.

Shucks!

Mood: embarassed

Once again, it's been too long since I last posted. Oh well.

First, let me tell you how much I love Sirius satelite radio. I truly think it is a music revolution! It is the greatest thing since cable TV. I highly recommend it.

In other news, the job search is ongoing. I have an excellent lead: Talking Book World. You may remember from a long time ago that I applied there before... and was not hired. Well, the times they are a-changin'! I have much more experience now, and they are considering me not for a sales position, but MANAGER. And this is not at all like the "supervisor" position at Crown Books. This is a bona fide MANAGER position with good pay. I am really excited, and it sounds like they are, as well. I have an interview first thing Monday morning. Send me those mumbo-jumbo vibes at about 9AM. I am... so... pumped... up! I'm gonna do this for Bella... and myself! We are going to be so happy!!!

Can you tell I'm excited?

I'll go now.

Missing Her

Mood: melancholy

It's silly, I know. How can I miss Bella when I've only just seen her yesterday? Well, yesterday is not today. I need her today. I need her arms wrapped around me, holding me up. I need her hand to fill the space in mine, the void only she can fill. I need her eyes reassuring me that everything is going to be okay. I need her cheek pressed lightly against my lips. I need my name on her breath. I need the gleam of our future on her finger. I need to know she still loves me.

But, of course, that's silly too. I know she loves me. There is no doubt in my mind. But somehow that's not enough. In her absence, do I really forget that I am loved? How could I? And yet, it's no surprise. I was alone for so long. Every time we're apart, it's a reminder of what I was before her. And I don't like who I was before her. I was a mere shadow dissolving in the coming darkness. With her, I am the light making the shadow.

Does this make sense? Does anything at all ever make sense? Or are we just pretending to understand, nodding our heads in the ritual of false enlightenment?

I don't know.

Where in the World is Gregory the Egg-o?

Mood: perplexed

I'm a bit perplexed as to why I have not posted in... umm... months? Oh well. Here I am again.

There is so much to cover from the last few months, I just can't possibly do it right now. So shall I just start anew? Sure, why not!

I am still working at Crown Books. Sales have consistently gone down--and down--since after Christmas. I just can't believe it's a seasonal thing. (Sales are bad!) It all comes down to the fact that the owner has not done any advertising for our store. (If you ask the higher-ups, they'll tell you we need to make changes in the store and constantly put out more books. But that's not going to help if people aren't coming in the store.) It is getting very discouraging and I've lost almost all of my pride in running the store. That means it's time to move on.

I'm taking steps to get a job with the United States Postal Service, but it appears to be a slow process. I'm looking at other retail opportunities in the meantime. I came real close to getting a better position at another bargain bookstore, but Bella and I decided it was just too far for the ol' car (aka the White Whale nee Toyota Corolla circa 1993). I'm kind of regretting the decision now, with the current lack of opportunities....

Speaking of Bella... We are very near the one year mark until our wedding! Sheesh... it seems like such a long time already, and we still have a little over a year to go. But I'm glad we haven't rushed into it. We are totally just enjoying being engaged right now. Starting next month, we're going to have to buckle down and get things going again. (Reminder: we already have the church and reception building reserved.)

Well, shortly Bella will be picking me up for our usual Wednesday night dinner. (Damn, I'm broke, though!) Gotta go!

I Been Down So Damn Long...

Mood: tired, but not exactly sleepy
Weight: 171.5

A couple of major things have happened since I last posted:

1. Thanks to Bella, I now have a car! She bought a new car and gave me her old one. I say old in the most endearing way possible, as I really love her former car, affectionately called the "white whale". (Her new car is adoringly referred to as the "grey whale".) Let me just say how incredibly useful it is having one's own car... not to mention expensive!


2. In addition to eating more deliberately, I have been working out at Bally's every weekday for the past two weeks. As a result, I've already lost about five pounds. Yes, I topped out at about 176.5. Scary, I know. Dieting alone wasn't working, and I just didn't feel safe riding a bike on the streets. Exercise was the answer. (I just had an amazingly difficult time spelling "exercise" correctly. Sheesh... time for bed!)

It's Official!

Due to it being WAY too late, this post is necessarily brief. But I just wanted to let everyone know that it's OFFICIAL:

1. I got my real, genuine driver's license. I was complaining about it taking too long to receive it, but Bella reminded me it's only been a couple of weeks. Needless to say, I was very happy when it arrived.


2. Bella and I reserved the California Citrus State Historical Park for our reception! Not the whole park, mind you. Just the necessary building.


3. I am nearly ready to announce my new business web site! I still need to do a little work on it before I do, but you should be hearing something very soon.

Here We Go Again

Mood: apprehensive

At 11AM, I will be taking my behind-the-wheel driving test... again! I decided I wasn't going to let that bastard tester delay me any longer, so I signed up for the next possible day: today. This time, I will come home with a driver's license in hand. To help the cause, send me all the mojo you can.

This is Where it All Ends... or Begins

Mood: anxious

Why do I feel like tomorrow's my hanging day? It's just a frickin' behind-the-wheel driving test! I should have taken the opportunity to take the test the next day, as I was offered. But no, I had to schedule it for a whole week away. I've spent this week with a gnawing feeling, an "inner nervousness", a dark forboding.

A part of me, a bigger part than I would have ever expected, is having doubts. I feel like there's going to be some little mistake that will prevent me from passing the test. But I try to bash the thoughts down, really knowing, and telling myself, that it's going to be easy. I caught on to this whole driving thing very quickly, and my comfort level while driving is very high.

I need to remind myself that some stupid little test is not going to get in the way of my promise to Bella. I will pass. I will make Bella proud.

I love her dearly. I want her to be proud of me. I want to be proud of myself.

W4 Woes

Mood: disgusted

After years of claiming 2 allowances on W4 forms, I finally found out that it causes underpayment, which explains why I never get a refund back! Bastards! In fact, according to the allowance calculator on the IRS web site (I'm too tired to look up the link, sorry), I will most likely owe $100. I need to change my allowances so that doesn't happen again next year....

I made a very special dinner for Bella for our 30-Month Anniversary (that's two and a half years). I'll describe it in greater detail when I have time. For now, let's just say that we were both very pleased!

Where Does Time Go?

Mood: pleasantly full
Weight: 175

I really need to start blogging on a regular basis again! I've posted maybe twice in the last month. But it seems like I only use my computer for music now, whether listening to it or downloading it (from the blessed Russians).

Well, as you can see, my weight has gotten out of hand. This is the most I've ever weighed. And the sad thing is I've been on my new diet since the 1st and I haven't lost any weight. Well, I did, but I gained it back. That late night PB & J didn't help, that's for sure. Well, I'll be more careful in the future.

I haven't gotten around to taking the behind-the-wheel driving test yet. I'm really not putting it off; I've just been distracted by other things. But I am going to probably schedule it for a week from Friday.

Bella and I had a very nice Christmas! She got me a GameCube!!! This girl rocks... she really loves me! And I think no other woman in the world can give me what she does. I love her brilliantly.

Well, I shall try to post more often again. Now that the distraction of the holidays is over, that should be much easier. But I still wonder where time goes. It seems like I have so little of it.