Nother update, I guess. Truck is dead, and I broke down and took it to the shop. On the way, I could tell that something is really wrong … felt like I was driving on 1 cylinder. so … it’s probably dead dead, which means it’s almost time to start car hunting. Um … other than that, not much is going on. I’m really tired all the time, and it is not fun. I don’t sleep really well, because I’m all stressed because of truck/work1/work2/home-situation. It’s all piling up … thinking of a way I can get away for a little without having it all go to hell in a handbasket. Oh, another thing. HPI is no longer paying for my cell phone as of Feb 28. Should I stick with Voicestream, go to another provider, or say fuck it all and cancel the phone? I use ~ 500 minutes of peak time every month, about 60 mins of LD every month and a shitload (600+) mins of offpeak time. I travel seldom, and if I do, it is to large cities, usually in the Western USA. If someone wants to track down the best plan for me, I’d be much appreciative 🙂 [b]Update[/b] A [L=http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3502796730]beatiful example[/L] of humanity’s vast progression.

Okay, so we’re starting a CyberCafe. We have a URL and a logo picked and made, as well as a very large, very detailed business plan. But we are lacking one thing, and that is the approach to the whole thing: Should it be a computer gaming place + loungey/coffee-esque thing [b]OR[/b] Computer gaming place + pool + arcade games + small lounge? Any input on this topic is of great importance, and will most definitely impact what we choose to do. I’m having a hell of a time finding a cruiser (motorcycle) that is > 250cc and < 750cc. They just don't exist unless you want an early 90s model. And I don't want to get stuck with a tiny little bike that I'll want to sell in 2 months, and I don't want a monster that I'll be afraid to ride. Suck. At least I've got mad bank right now. heh. After some more thought, have decided that the Becky thing is a lost cause. 'nuff said. Went out w/ Christine for coffee last night and had a good time, although I wouldn't wish her situation upon anybody. It made me realize, primarily, that everybody has family issues -- *nobody* is exempt. Secondly, it really hit home that Family is the one thing that we can't get rid of, ever. I'm not sure if that's good or bad, though. Props to Craigalito on landing a job at an ISP ... you're in for a ride ... hope things are as well run there as they are here 😉 Oh, and yesterday was the 3 year ... oh, forget it already. I'm such an idiot.

I’m sitting in my office drinking beer and eating cake. How’s that for a cush job? Went and looked at motorcycles today. Mmmm, motorcycles. They really have a catch-22 on these bad boys. You can’t ride a motorcycle without a Motorcycle License. You can’t get a Motorcycle License without having a bike and knowing how to ride it. You can’t test-drive a motorcycle unless you have a Motorcycle License. So do you buy a motorcycle on blind faith, ride it home illegally, and then attempt to get the license? Or … spend $150 and take a class. Tough situation. And another thing. The Discover Channel, err … the “Science Channel”, in all of it’s wonderous incarnations is amazing. They’ve got planes, and travelling, and nuclear stuff, and how things just work, and animals and everything. Simply incredible. I can literally watch that set of stations for 6 hours, with absolutely no problem. So interesting. Kevin D. Mitnick’s [i]The Art of Deception[/i] is rather good. I was expecting an almost manual-esque romp through how to secure your organization. Instead, I was pleasured to read real-life and fictional situations, how they worked and how to avoid these things. More of a “what if … and how” thing instead of a dry technical analysis. Although extremely unsettling, it is very good.

Went out and saw a movie last night and tonight, and then went to the perk after tonight’s movie. We were there, and saw [L=http://simla.colostate.edu/~aare/public_html/index.html]Anna-Lisa and Holly[/L], and then met some of their friends, Tyler, Tom and Phil. They were pretty cool. We also saw Beth2, but she was pretty icey. And that was that. Saw The Recruit and Dare Devil recently. Recruit was pretty good, but it seemd like it was a rehashed plot, with new people (Collin Farrell & Al Pacino). Still and enjoyable movie … I especially liked … what’s her name … I don’t know, the hot chick. Dare Devil was also good (Afleck, Garner, Duncan and Farrell), but more in an action-packed-comic-book movie way. I’d recommend seeing both — especially if you can bring a woman along. On that note, I have found out that I am hopeless when it comes to girls. Maybe I’m just a huge dork. Or Mothra. And Tony is Godzilla, what with knocking down buildings and stumbling back into the sea (inside joke). Yes, back to Mothra. You know, attracted to flame, then I blow it, and flit away, nursing my little burnt wing tips. Damn those sensitive wings! Now that I have successfully derailed that train, I would like it to be known that although I think a girl is great *sigh*, there is, once again, no chance. I got the curb drop off the other night, which is a sure sign of “just friends pal, hit the road.” Hrmph. [b]Update[/b] – Forgot to mention that I picked up Kevin Mitnick’s “Art of Deception” today from Borders up north … Didn’t see him, but amazingly, Burnz still works there! I guess he knows how to do one thing right. There was a chick named Beth there, and OMG, hottt. Oh, and I picked up a slew of networking materials so I can take some cert tests and maybe get a pay raise? Oh, and the networking for the new job … hahaha, what a joke. Those guys from back east don’t know jack. …

*sigh* I have no valentine. Happy Valentine’s Day, though, to all those wonderful people out there who also don’t have a valentine 😀 I’m tired today. I was up late writing code that mostly works (amazing) … it plots graphs and essentially logs all our traffic so we can tell how much bandwidth people are using. It’s pretty neat. Other than that, I’m irritated at “Directors” who don’t know how to do their jobs … the “IT Director” at the DoD place has been in for the past 3 days doing their thing trying to get it to work. Three days to setup a *software* firewall, a win2k AD Domain w/ 10 users, personal folders for each 10 users and a shared printer. What a fucking joke. And it’s not even trusted to the main company Forest, so the exchange passwords are separate from the local domain passwords. Guh. So … yea, that’s that. I need a (life | girlfriend | betterjob| workingcar | lot more money), but I’m too fucking tired/sissy to get any of them. I’m such a wimp. Guh at myself.

welp, went and did some numbers with Corey RE: our proposed cybercafe, and it looks like it will work. woot. Stayed home and cleaned for 3 hours today, did both bathrooms. Guh. It’s the worst part of cleaning, and I spared my roommates from such a horrible plight. Fucking nasty. And then I stayed home and drank hot cocoa and ate a cheese fajita thing (memories *sigh*) … Decided not to go to the underground because of the outrageous pricing … and then at like 2:30am, James and Mike came by … wtf? So they come by, and we found out there is a party at 430 N Weber! That’s across the street. So after a vicious jager-bomb (yeeaaa jager!), we set off across the street and partied … met some nice peeps, mostly rave people … dunno how I feel about that. Amanda, Steve, James, Mike, Keen and a shitload of other people … met trina and her friend stef, a stripper named Jen (drool), our across-the-street-neighbor Jeremy and all of his house-mates. Was a good time. w3rd. Got my Fed. Tax return. w3rd. Oh, Becky wasn’t there tonight. :-/ I think I like her … ahh well, no chance. Just gotta live it up when I get the chance, I guess. [b][u]UPdate[/u][/b] — Went to Hooters today and met a girl named Holly. Man, what a catch. She loathes working there (does it on the side to bring in extra cash), and gave us a nice dissertation on why it sucks. Very eloquently worded … she’s very smart, has high self-esteem, very witty, and hates the environment that Hooters brings in — on both the employee side and on the customer side. I fell in love with her while listening to her speak. Move over little asian hotty waitress Laura, cuz Holly’s got you beat.

I am back in town after going to Utah. (applause) Thank you, thank you. It was a pretty good trip. Had a nice and pleasant 9 1/2 hour drive with my Dad (who is awesome) on Friday, and then some yummy eating that night (enchiladas — which all came home and are in the freezer. yumm). Then Saturday came, and boy was it long. Went over to the church at 8:30am and saw my Uncle Eldred. Honestly, he was the best looking corpse I’ve seen, and I’ve seen a bunch. Then everyone else came in, and it was not pleasant. They had the final viewing at 11:30am, and up until that point I had been okay. But watching them getting ready to close the casket, I just broke and sobbed and sobbed. We all went to the chapel to hear the speakers and the musical things … the congregation all stood up to sing “I Believe In Christ,” which is a very powerful hymn, and I couldn’t sing it because it really touched … I just stood there and cried. The services ended, and we all drove 3 hours up to the grave site, where they had a short ceremony, a song and a prayer, and then we drove back to Salt Lake City. What a sad day. Sunday has not been so sad — more of a white-knuckle-don’t-want-to-die sort of day. Drove across Wyoming with Dad, and the whiteout snow + 70MPH winds made for a harrowing 12 hour trip (remember it took 9 1/2 to get there). I’m still shaking because it was so scary … can’t see anything, just hoping that we don’t run off the road. We must have seen 50 car wrecks. Easily. Everywhere people were off the road, either pulled off because they couldn’t drive in the weather, or because the flew off the road, or because they had wrecked. It was a terrible drive … still gives me the chills when I think that we drove through it. So I am back. It was a pretty decent psuedo-vacation; I didn’t use a computer or worry about work once while I was gone! This new week should start up a bunch of new things … hopefully none of them are like either of the events above 😉 I’ve decided that I’m actually going to get in shape. For real this time. In a handful of ways, now that I think about it. Feel like I’m missing some things in my life, and I’m not really sure what they are, but I have some ideas. I hope everybody had a great weekend.