Sep
30
Metaphorically speaking in some cases.
I’ve noticed over the past couple of months that I really hate going to bed on Sunday nights, and I think it’d because I know I have to be a responsible adult every Monday morning. Apparently I’m not a fan.
Or maybe I’m just not tired, because I didn’t go to bed until 6 a.m. (don’t ask) and didn’t wake up until 1 p.m.
Sep
30
And 10 minutes after I posted this? Never mind. I fixed it. But I still hate Vista.
Preface: I know everyone’s first answer to this is going to be “Get a Mac”, but that’s not an option.
Six months ago (or so), I got a new computer and it came with Windows Vista. Yes, Vista is pretty, but it sucks ass. There’s not one thing I like about it. At all.
I haven’t played Sims 2 at all, because I’m scared to install it with the fear of it making other things not work like they’re supposed to work. I also can’t find all my expansion packs, and you’re crazy if you think I’m playing without having a perfect pet for my Sims characters.
Anyway, I just found out this weekend that I can’t burn CDs through iTunes. iTunes flashes this neat message that says “Disc burner or software not found”. Okay, thanks. I can burn data CDs, so clearly there’s a disc burner and software somewhere, ya jackasses.
Through the power of the Internet, I read about running a diagnostic test through iTunes, because apparently iTunes and Windows Vista? They’re not friends at all. I did this little diagnostic test, and I got this neat message:
Failed while scanning for CD / DVD drives, error 2510.
Virtual drives can sometimes interfere with reading and writing CDs in iTunes. If this is a virtual drive and you are having problems with other drives, try uninstalling the virtual CD application.E: Unsupported CD or DVD drive.
Virtual drives can sometimes interfere with reading and writing CDs in iTunes. If this is a virtual drive and you are having problems with other drives, try uninstalling the virtual CD application
Too. Many. Words. I know what it means; I’m just frustrated by it.
I’m also frustrated that when I start iTunes, it looks like this for a good ten minutes:
I won’t even get started on how every single program crashed all the freaking time, because that’d turn into a four billion page novel.
Sep
27
Jenni’s challenging herself to post every day for a whole month, so I, of course, have to take her up on the challenge. I just wanted to warn you why you were getting 30 straight days of posts, in case you weren’t prepared for it.
My hair? It’s getting weird. It’s starting to actually lay down on its own instead of sticking up all over the place, and it’s also beginning to grown down over my ears. I noticed this weekend that it’s long enough to get hat visor hair, too. But it’s definitely not long enough to style in any fashion, at least not one I can think of.
Sep
25
So, camping! Man.
Cindi, Riley, and I ended up leaving town about 6:30pm, which wasn’t terribly late. I don’t even remember how long it took us to get there, because it went really fast. There was some construction on the interstate, so we took a detour through Menomonie, where we stopped for gas, Red Bull, and firewood. We stopped again in, um, a place I don’t recall to get more specific directions, and again in Cadott (HOT!) to buy ice and inquire about obtaining a fishing license. Turns out I couldn’t get a fishin’ license there, but I could go up the hill or go down the street and ask for Stanley at the truck stop. I decided to wait until the next day.
The rest of the posse had been there for hours, had set up Cindi’s tent for us, and had everything up and ready to rock and roll for us. We didn’t even get a chance to unpack my car before we had burgers shoved in our hands. I didn’t think it could get much better than that.
We sat around for a few hours, and once Riley realized he wasn’t scared of everyone, it was an enjoyable evening by the fire. At one point, Jenni was resting her cup on Riley and said to me, “Don’t drink your drink while I’m resting my cup on your dog”. It didn’t make sense then, it doesn’t make sense now, but it’s just sums up the level of our humor and actions on this particular Friday night around the fire.
Sep
25
You know how they say it takes all kinds to make the world go ’round and all that jazz? Well, I kinda like how they now make personal ad sites for all those kinds. My latest find and personal favorite for the time being? Well, the one for tattoo lovers, of course!
While I didn’t check the site out as extensively as I would have liked to (hey, I’m at work!), I can only hope that users have the capability to search by tattoo type, location, and quantity.
Turn-ons: Tattoo sleeves, Old English script, memorial pieces, and Sailor Jerry Tattoos.
Turn-offs: portraits of any member of a 1980s hair band on any part of their body, Comic Sans font, and the names of previous partners.
I should probably add on some more tattoos before I get too far into the world of tattoo dating. Good thing I already have an idea for my 3rd and 4th ones.
Sep
23
I’m super tired from camping this weekend, but I know if I go to bed now, I’ll end up waking up at 3 a.m. and not being able to go back to sleep. Forcing myself to stay awake? Not as easy as I’d hoped.
I decided I wanted a new ringtone for my phone, but the only one I like is James Brown’s “Say it Loud, I’m Black and I’m Proud”, and for some reason, I don’t think the workplace would find it appropriate. I guess, in the grand scheme of things, it’s probably not more offensive than my current ringtones that go between Amy Winehouse’s “Rehab” or Buckcherry’s “Crazy Bitch”.
I’m uploading photos now and promise I have awesome camping stories to share about this weekend, but it’s hard for me to string together two sentences right now. I need more than two sentences to tell you about my fishing escapades, why we’ve changed Bill’s name from Willis to Calvin, Cindi’s butt and 50 Cent, Matt’s incredible bartending skills, and how Jenni and I don’t understand why shimmying up a tree is so hard.
Sep
21
You guys know I have this dog I love a lot, right? I think I’ve mentioned him once or twice in passing.
We went to the vet last night to get some routine vaccinations, which turned into all of the people at the vet’s office stopping into our exam room to give him some love. And it’s a good thing, because you know he doesn’t get that at home.
I have the best vet in the world, and when she came in, Riley recognized her right away and as soon as she knelt down to pet him, he just buried his head right into her. Considering he hadn’t seen her since the end of May, he almost acted like he missed her. This is the lady that sticks him with needles and shoves a thermometer in his butt, so for him to love her that much anyway, it’s insanely adorable.
Riley has allergies which cause him to lick his paws a lot, and it turns his white fur a shade of dirty brown. His allergies also cause infections to build in his ears if I don’t clean them more often then I clean my own. Every time we’re at the vet, I always get nervous that he’s going to need some type of extra medication than the occasional Benadryl because of this. When we get good reports, I get very happy.
They always hassle him, because over the 1.5 years he’s been going to this vet, he always has his typical wrinkled forehead, concerned look on his face. The vet always talks about getting bitten by different dogs and how they’re scared of her, and here’s my big ol’ dog just as friendly as can be. It makes me pretty happy.
He weighs 77 lbs now, which means he gained 6 pounds in the last four months. He still looks handsome as ever, so it’s no big deal. I switched him to a different food that he actually likes and that actually stays in his system, which is something that’s never really happened in the past.
Last night, the doctor was laughing, because she remembered when he first came into her office, which was when he and I moved into our current apartment. He had to be locked in kennel with zip ties and locks when I was at work, had scratches all over him from fighting too rough, and patches of his fur were missing all over the place.
She said that by looking at he and I now, you never would have guessed that I was a first-time dog owner and that not everyone would have had the patience to deal with the things that have come up with him just since she’s known us.
It makes me feel like I did a damn good job with my handsome boy. It may have taken me a month to decide that I was ready for a puppy, but I can’t imagine him having gone to anyone else.
Sep
20
During football season and in Minnesota, there are parties full of purple all the time. Or at least there used to be before the Vikings started
sucking even more than before. But this Purple Party is the only one you’d find me at anytime soon.
I’ve never actually known anyone with Alzheimer’s, but before I started doing The 3 Day, I never knew anyone with breast cancer either. With both cases, I’d just heard stories about people suffering from the disease, but that was all I needed to hear. Just because you haven’t been directly influenced by a horrible disease doesn’t mean you can’t help raise awareness for it. Knowledge is power, remember? And these purple parties will do just that.
September 21st is World Alzheimer’s Day – bet you didn’t know that existed, huh? I know I didn’t.
You know we do all sorts of fundraisers about 10 months out of the year, and I beg and plead for your donations so I can do ridiculous things like shave my head or, you know, walk 60 miles. But this is kind of a different idea.
Plan a party like this. Make it purple themed. Your guests will have an awesome time when they know they’re donating towards a cause that will help over 5 million Americans that have currently been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. You could whip up a dinner party (I know, easier said than done!) or a garage sale or even some sports-related event to get the manly dudes involved in such a great cause.
Do something for charity sometime. A donation is terrific and generous and amazing. But doing something, even as simple as throwing a house party and collecting donations throughout the night? It puts you in a whole different place.
Sep
20
I’ve done all but one of these things today, and I’d like to challenge all of you to pick which one.
Sep
19
I had a letter waiting for me when I got home today from my apartment complex. No, it wasn’t an apology letter for my lock getting changed without anyone telling me, because that’d be ridiculous. It was a reminder that my lease expires on 2/29/08, and an offer to renew my lease for either 6 months or (wait for it) 17 months. Ideally, I’ll find a new place closer to Minneapolis (or even in Minneapolis) when it’s moving time, but it not, it’s good to know I can renew this lease, since according to the paperwork this particular management company “strives to create well maintained affordable housing”.
It took a total of four people to help me paint my living room, dining room, and bedroom, and if I’m going to be moving, I should probably get started now. I know it’s going to take me a hell of a lot more time to cover these greens and blues in a beautiful white shade, and with my mastered skill of procrastinating, it means I’ll be painting the night before I move out. At least when I started painting, I either A) hadn’t purchased any furniture or B) had it all at my previous homestead. Either way, piling all of my current living room furniture in the middle of the room while I do some painting does not sound fun to me. At all.
In fact, now that I think about it, I’m certain there’s light green paint on my carpet in more than one spot. Painting drop cloths? Not for me, I guess!
I’ll be renting again, because I have no bidness at all being responsible for my own home repairs. Since knowledge is power and all that jazz, I’m sure it’d be easier once I learned how to do things like install a ceiling fan (because I love them), but in the meantime, I’m on the hunt for an awesome apartment for an awesome price somewhere in the 612 area code. Unless, of course, one of you want to sell your home in exchange for knowing you’ll have done a great service to Riley and I.
