Monday, September 27, 2004

Bad Year 2002 comes to a close.

Bad Year 2002 is finally coming to a close. Having extended its reign to a truly phenominal 39 months, we were afraid it would last forever. But a recent string of good days, counting 10 or more, depending on the reckoning, has shown the Streak is over. While 2004 will most likely still show in the red, there is significant improvement in the beginning of quarter 4. Experts believe the oncoming Carolina Renaissance Festival, bolstered with a good foundation of summer Mountains of Meat, Copious Beer, and Excellent Music, is a strong impetus for the sudden rise in mood. Stay tuned for futher updates.

Wednesday, September 22, 2004

I found me some work!

So John's parents gave the green light for their new computer, which means I just found me some work. It's not much, but the pay's decent, even if I am giving them a $200 discount. Pay is pay, and it's enough to keep me afloat for another week or two if I can't find anything else.

Tuesday, September 21, 2004

Happy Birthday Jerod!

My younger brother, Jerod, turns 21 today! So happy birthday to him! Check out his blog, A Little Place for My Thoughts.

A Lesson in Bash and Respond

John Scalzi recently posted an entry in his blog "Whatever" about his opinions on the nature of slamming and response on the internet. Check it out here. Essentially, he believes that if you're going to write an entry bashing someone or their beliefs or ideas, you should allow for that person to respond to you directly. Or else he will write many words about his frustration and they will be not kind and well written. Which is one of the things I like about Scalzi's work is even his angry stuff is intelligent and thoughful. And generally lacking in low language and swearing, which is important. I've always thought that excessive cussing showed a decided lack of vocabulary and thinking.

Monday, September 20, 2004

Weapons of Mass Distraction

So this weekend was amazingly fun! It started Friday night. I saw Sky Captain and thw World of Tomorrow. It was everything I hoped it would be. It captured the look and feel of the serial sci-fi films of the 30's and 40's, and added to them modern fi;m sophistication. The entire cast gave entertaining performances, lending sympathy and caring for the characters they portrayed. It had action, but was light-hearted. Good stuff. And then He rested, and it was the First Day.

And then it was Saturday. We had a Royal Court meeting for the Carolina Renaissance Festival (our last Royal Court meeting before the season starts next weekend. YAY!) which is always fun. Because we're all wacky silly people and love to hang out with each other. So the meeting is done and since we're all at Phil's Bunker, well, we slid right on into party/cookout mode! Phil's parties are something of the legnedary ilk. There were tasty steaks and sides for all, plus ridiculous amounts of tasty alcohol. While getting drunk wasn't the goal, (we drink because the drinks are tasty), some of us were inebriated.



Somewhere betweent he alcohol and the double-apple tobacco in the hooka, we had the brilliantest of ideas. Make a trebuchet. So we planned to do that the next day. Towards the end of the evening, somehow we managed to start watching Univision and Sabado Gigante (Big Saturday) with hoochie makeovers, dancing twats, and lots and lots of really strange things in spanish that we couldn't understand, but was fun to watch. And the commercials for a night-time soap called Rubi. This is important remember it later. And there was hooka and hot tub. And it was good. And it was the evening of the second day, and He rested.

Sunday! Sunday! Sunday! Breakfast consisted of thick sliced Guiness bacon, Guiness bacon eggs with shredded extra shapr vermont cheddar, grands and crescent rolls, and much tastiness. And so we built a trebuchet. In the space of an afternoon. And we named her Rubi, after our favorite commercial from the night before. And it was good. And we celebrated with all you can eat chinese after a few test fires.


(left to right: back row - Doug, Jeremy, Craig, Chris, Derek. front row - Phil, me)

Friday, September 17, 2004

The Types of Jobs.

Near as I can reckon, there are three types of jobs in this world.

1) Retarded entry level trained ape jobs that pay you a pittance, not a wage.

2) Good paying jobs in fields I have no compatibility with, be it because I've never worked anything nearly like it and/or they require experience in the field and/or they require some sort of degree in that field.

3) Jobs that pay decent that I would be able to succeed in if it weren't for the fact that the particular job I'm looking at is already filled.

There is a theoretical fourth kind, involving good pay, compatability, and an opening, but I've never seen this job with my own eyes, so I am inclined to disbelieve.

Still here.

Got some jobs lined up for the fall, a couple of computer building jobs. Simple work, and it's for friends, so the profit's not great, but I'm not going to not give friends a discount. That's what friends are for, the hook up. They lead people to me, I give them discounts. It's the way it goes. John was kind enough to post flyers all about Catawba College's campus for me, and I'll be giving flyers to other folk, so soon it should start picking up. Which is good. The sooner I can support myself building computers the happier I'll be.

Monday, September 13, 2004

ne obliviscaris redux

My previous entry down there had some Latin in the title maybe not all of you recognize. It means "Never Forget." It's also the Clan Campbell motto. By virtue of my mother being a Thomas, I am a member of Clan Campbell. Fate? Coincidence?

A Little Place for My (Brother's) Thoughts

So Jerod changed his blog around on me. It's now called A Little Place for My Thoughts. You may check it out again all over again.

Sunday, September 12, 2004

ne obliviscaris

I made a post on Fireflyfans.net about September 11th, thought I'd put it here.

I remember wishing that I could go to class and learn that day. But they cancelled classes. I remember going to see my girlfriend for lunch at her school (She was 17, I was 19) and everyone was terrified.

I remember being annoyed at the stupidity of the public. People living in rural North Carolina, at least an hour from any major financial or urban area going home from school or work in fear.

I remember being outraged at our own citizens lashing out at innocent muslims who had nothing to do with the attacks. I remember wishing death on the flag burning muslims laughing at our tragedy.

I remember feeling nothing as the second plane hit the towers. I remember sitting there watching the towers fall with the same boredom and disinterest as I do when watching the news any other day. This wasn't shock, this was a lack of feeling. Death has never bothered me, nor tragedy.

I remember, but what I remember, no one else seems to recall.

Mercenary Tactics

Found work today. Not much, simple transport job. Girl wanted to see a guy. Guy's hung up on his ex, but fools around with the girl. I was at John's doing some maintenance on his machine when she pops in, asked John for a ride. John will have nothing to do with the whole soap opera. She asks me. I ask if she's got money. She asks how much. I say twenty bucks. Twenty minutes later, she's stabbing herself in the proverbial stupid and I'm $20 richer. Bein' a merc's not always easy, but pay is pay.

Friday, September 10, 2004

Die Unicru!!!

For those of you who have ever done an online application, you probably know what I'm talking about. Unicru makes/runs/provides online applications/software. These applications have the usual personal information and work history, but then asks you OVER 100 QUESTIONS!!! Most of the repeats and rewords of things like "Are you a leader?" "Are you pleasant?" Over and over and over. The actual application takes maybe 15 minutes. The questions, anywhere from 26-37 pages of 4 or 5 questions, take 30-40 minutes to do. It's pointless. And is stupid. Liars get interviews, honest people don't get looked at because they answer honestly as opposed to the set criteria the software is looking for. I, however, am a master at giving the answers these things want. But it's still a pain in the ass. Just let me give you my information and then, if you think I might be good for the job TALK TO ME for Pete's sake. Use your judgement. Don't let some piece of software tell you who would make a good employee. Aiyah...

Thursday, September 09, 2004

Greedo Doesn't Shoot First

It seems that the on going petitions and lobbying from Star Wars fans upset about Greedo shooting first in the cantina scene of the special edition of A New Hope did some good. Lucas has tweaked that scene, again, and some others, cleaning up some of the details. You can check out the article here. I had planned on buying the trilogy set anyway, but now even more so. That Greedo scene was the only one I didn't like from the Original Trilogy, but now even that's been fixed! Yay!

Wednesday, September 08, 2004

My Younger Brother!

Captain's Blog - Supplemental

That's my brother's blog. Not much there, but it's there.

Tuesday, September 07, 2004

T3h John, Elder Rummage Son

So my friend has taken an idea from me and started his own blog titled Meet My Winged Cat. He's not your normal kinda guy, but his ramblings are usually quite amusing. Give it a read.

Thursday, September 02, 2004

Honest Work for an Honest Merc

Work's run dry once again here in Salisbury for me. So, if there's any ships out there what needs a good muscle man, I'm for hire. I come pretty cheap, just my fair share of any take, room, board and the like. I can fight, do computer work. I can be trusted under fire. I'm able to lift heavy things, plus I have an IQ of 143. Many talents and skills. Have weapons, will travel.

Wednesday, September 01, 2004

FIREFLYFANS.NET and JedSoft Computers

A special thanks to FIREFLYFANS.NET for the space in their marketplace. It's a really awesome board, too.