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02.02.03 :: 16:53
I haven't blogged in a few days and there's a lot of ground to cover, so here we go. First, an update on the skater who died that I mentioned in my last entry. A couple more things have come to light since then. (Unsurprising in a way) The guy had a rap sheet of misdemeanors as long as your arm; breaking into cars, robbery, etc. When he decided to go over the side of the building he tossed his board over first, then lowered himself so that he was hanging from the second story railing. When he let go to drop to the ground his foot caught on the railing on the first story and it flipped him around so that he hit head first on the cement sidewalk. That's what did him in.
The QRT (Quick Response Team - the guys who clean roadkill off the road and clean up graffiti) cleaned up the parking garage. As soon as they were gone a person came by to repaint the graffiti and an awaiting cop snagged him. Since then patrols of that area have increased, but the graffiti is still done =/ There was a small protest (about 40 people) there the other day. (What they were protesting I'm not entirely sure. I think it was something about how the skater was a good kid and the cops harass the skaters in this town even though the cops had absolutely nothing to do with him jumping off the parking garage in the first place). Anyhow, have yet to see if any lawsuits result from this all, but it wouldn't surprise me if one was filed...
Next bit of local gossip. A while ago a few National Guardsmen were returned to the valley from their deployment in Egypt because they were mentally unstable. (I suspect they may part of the group the Brian escorted back, but I'm not sure). Anyhow, three of them were white supremacists and they got it in their heads to "clean up" our town. They started by beating up homeless men (one's still in the hospital). Then they went on to beat up the manager/owner of one of the local inns 'cause they thought he was Arabian. (He's not. His family is from India. I do the tech support for them ^^; ) Anyhow, one of the guests hear thumping in the office and called 911. That set off an alarm in the office and two of them froze and were arrested by police, the third ran away.
A couple blocks from the inn is a restaurant that my parents are fond of. They're acquaintances with one of the servers, who happened to be working that night. He was outside around 3:30am on a break and he saw the guy. The server was an acquaintance of the white supremacist (he knew the server's ex-wife). The server had a few words with him and then went back inside. A few minutes later the white supremacist shot himself and the cops originally thought that the server did it. The wall where the guy shot himself is covered in graffiti just like the parking garage is. (Ever get the feeling that this town is too small and everyone knows everyone else?)
Anyhow, I've been pretty quiet lately 'cause I haven't been feeling well. I thought on Friday that I might have another stomach flu like I had during the holidays, but now I think it's just a touch of a head cold. I'm sniffling and sneezing and tired, but it's not killing me. And my attention span is about that of a gnat right now. Can't stay focused on anything and I'm taking an awful lot of naps. What a waste of a perfectly good 3-day weekend --; (I get Monday off and I'm afraid I'll be spending it in bed sleeping).
I woke up early yesterday morning and flipped on the news. (Even on days I have off I wake up early. I may roll over again and go back to sleep, but I do get up and let Pepper out first). That's when I saw the Columbia news =| I snatched up the phone and gave my dad a ring. He rattled me out of bed at 6:30 when the WTC was hit, it was fair play to get him up for this. Spent a fair amount of time glued to the TV yesterday. When I wasn't glued to the TV, I was asleep or I was on my quest.
See, Adam got me Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance for Christmas. Nifty game; I suck rocks at it ^^; But it makes a lot of references to MGS and I've never played that game. (Well, except for the demo). I trekked to the game store to see if I could find a copy so that I could play that before I dove too deeply into MGS2. I went to Software Etc., Kay*Bees, Sam Goody, Toys 'R Us, 2 different Fred Meyers, Target, Wal*Mart, Costco, Circuit City, Game Exchange, and Blockbuster, and *none* of them had Metal Gear Solid o.O; I was disappointed ._. But then I spoke with Vera and she said she could hook me up with a copy, so it's all good ^^ Going to trade her a copy of Metropolismania for MGS. (I'm not sure what's up with Metropolismania. It's one of those new game flops that's already swimming in the bottom of the discount bin, but Vera likes crappy games.. hehe ^^; )
When I went out to Wal*Mart today to pick up the game I saw that they were having a sale on DVDs ($5 each! *_*) I picked up Drop Dead Gorgeous and Falling Down for my parents. When over to the apartment and watched Drop Dead Gorgeous with dad while he was trying to do the print shop's books ^^; (I don't think he posted 5 invoices while I was there ;P [laughs]) I also went to the game store this afternoon and the manager was nice to me ^^ I was buying a couple strategy guides and he gave me one of them 'cause it was flagged in the computer to be marked down to 'get-rid-of-it-now' price. (It was already discounted to $7). Wai ^^
My parents were in an accident yesterday. They'd gone up into the mountains to look at the snow (they like to just hop in the car and go places ^^; ) They were on a twisty incline when a truck came sliding down and ran into them head-on. No one was hurt and the damage to the vehicles wasn't too bad. (I looked at it this afternoon. The headlights are out of alignment, as it the bumper, but it could have been a lot worse). And the guy is *very* lucky my parents were there to run into. There was no guardrail on the stretch of road he was sliding down and he was on his way towards going over a cliff =/ It all worked out and no one was hurt, so we'll call that good too.
02.03.03 :: 20:31
Today was a complete waste of time. I slept until 11am ('cause I'd stayed up 'til 4am.. ^^; ) and then ran errands. The post office took forever and a day. I was mailing a package to Canada and there was a problem with the customs form. I *know* I filled out the right one. The post man behind the counter confirmed that I'd done it right, but the computer wouldn't take it --; He slapped the computer into taking it, but now I'm nervous that the package will be sent back or something. I hope not...
My brain came up with a new way to think of menstrual cramps that seems all too appropriate. Y'know how periods are when the body cleans out the uterus... Well, it feels like the inside is being scraped out with a spoon like you'd do to a pumpkin that's going to be carved. Disgusting thought, but strangely accurate IMO.
Bertha the Hippo moved out of my Animal Crossing village and Zoe moved in. I have yet to meet Zoe (only saw his/her name on the map) so I don't know what animal it is yet. Yesterday, Mr. Resetti predicted 6 more weeks of winter. Damn groundhogs. In EverQuest, I made it up to level 10 tonight. (And I have already had to go find my corpse so I can get my stuff back once).
02.04.03 :: 14:51
I've slept too much. I went to bed at 9:30pm last night... Woke up around midnight, went to the bathroom, and found a large hole in the seat of my jammies. Changed jammies and went back to bed. Had weird dreams all night and I kept waking up covered in sweat =/ Called into work this morning and went back to bed. Kept having weird and sweaty dreams. Got up at 2:30pm. In most of the dreams I was being chased, I remember that, but not much else.
02.10.03 :: 22:34
I have a new wallpaper for work: Super Smash Bros Melee. I'm starting to play it again ^^ While Zelda is my favorite character, I've discovered that I'm pretty good with using the Ice Climbers ^^;; You'd figure they'd suck, but for some reason I just keep on winning with them, and getting further along than I do with any other character when I use 'em.
02.13.03 :: 21:41
Where did this week go? Tomorrow's Friday! o.O I invited (coaxed) my parents into going to see Daredevil with me tomorrow. I told them that I'd buy the tickets. I thought myself so clever, I'd go online and order the tickets. Haha, it worked great except that I bought them for the wrong day ^^;;; (Must be smarter than the machine, 'Manda). The tickets were non-refundable and I really wanted to go tomorrow, so I bought the right tickets and gave the wrong ones to a co-worker :)
This weekend's going to be pretty busy for me. Daredevil tomorrow after work, then I promised tomorrow (at least the first half of the day) to my Aunt. I'm going to show her how to use e-mail again. [shakes head] I feel bad about how frustrated she's been getting at the computer, and I'm giving her all the encouragement I can. I know she'll get the hang of it! (Heck, a couple weekends ago she looked up movie times online. It took me *years* to teach my mom that trick ^^; ) Sunday is the Daytona 500. Dad and I are going to bond by watching the first NASCAR race of the season ^^ (We've been looking forward to this for months now).
I played about an hour into .hack this evening. So far I'm digging it, though I haven't done a whole lot. I like how you can choose to have the voices in English or Japanese. It may be terribly biased of me, but on average, Japanese voice actors are just better overall IMO. I may not understand every word they say, but the emotions behind those words say a lot (plus the subtitles don't hurt ;) .hack reminds me of a cross between Front Mission 3's Net interface and (I want to say EverQuest, but I'm not sure how accurate that is) um.. EverQuest I guess. That's the only online game I've played so that's the only reference point I have.
I finished Echoes of Honor, yay. Ashes of Victory is a zillion times better so far. (It's not a depressing ^^; ) Plus it has genuine humor in it. It's a nice change of pace :)
02.14.03 :: 22:07
Ah, Valentine's day... I'm definitely on the side of the fence that thinks Cupid should be shot. Why do we need a special day to tell people how much we care for 'em? [shrugs] I'm a cynic, go me ^^; The best part of Valentine's day is the day after and discounted chocolates :)~~ The heart-shaped boxes of candy are among my favorites (chocolatey variety, yum ^^ )
Work was a lot busier than Friday's usually are. It didn't help when first thing in the morning I got roped into resolving an internal tech issue (not my department, and there is an internal tech department) that took about 2 hours. Meanwhile we were short staffed and constantly five lines deep. (In other words, a lot of people were on hold waiting x.x )
I liked Daredevil, though I can see a lot of people *not* liking it. It's all a matter of expectations. I went to see the fighting and I wasn't disappointed. Other people might expect little things like plot and faithfulness to the comic (you're never going to please *everyone* on that score). Don't set your hopes too high and then you're not disappointed.
02.15.03 :: 23:07
Today was unbelievably busy [shakes head] I knew I was going to spend the morning / early afternoon with my Aunt tutoring her. I didn't plan on the panicked phone calls from my mom about her computer choking, nor working on dad's computer, nor my bro calling me to ask questions, nor the game store calling me to say that the Zelda bonus disc was in. At one point I had Chaos on the phone on my home's landline, my Aunt on my cell phone, and Dave on call waiting x.X; Too much phone usage today. [faints]
I played EQ for, oh, 5 or 6 hours this evening. It was nice, but a long stint like that only reinforces my self-set rule of not playing unless I know I have the time to indulge in it. I seriously can't see myself only playing for an hour or two in a sitting; I'd feel like I never got anything done! As it was, in the time I played tonight I only gained 2 levels =/ (And died twice, which is an improvement ^^; )
I wasn't able to snag any discounted Valentine's candies at the store. They were all out by the time I got there! =/ Oh well, I didn't need the chocolate anyways ^^; I seriously need to clean my room. Maybe I'll do that tomorrow during / after the Daytona 500.
02.16.03 :: 20:51
Dad came over this morning to watch the Daytona 500 :) He got us hot chocolates and donuts, and we just flopped on the couch and enjoyed the race (what there was of it). Calling the race, gyah --; They should have delayed and finished racing tomorrow. Daytona is the Super Bowl of the race season. You don't call the Super Bowl 'cause of snow, why call the Daytona 'cause of rain? =|
The heater was really rattling when I turned it on. (Just because I leave it off for me doesn't mean I would freeze my guests by doing so ^^; ) The hour long rain delay during the race was nice; that's when dad worked on the heater ^^; He did a kind of band-aid fix. I'm not sure how permanent it is, but it should be good enough to get me through the winter I figure (hope ^^; )
.hack is pretty cool. I've been *itching* for a good RPG to play. Though I want to smack some of the other 'players', like Mistral. Mistral keeps begging for items. I wish there was a /silence or /ignore that I could put on my own party members :P
02.17.03 :: 21:47
I worked the evening shift tonight. As soon as I got home I let Pepper outside and she was *gone*. I hate when she runs off --; Stupid black dog on a dark night. She does it to tie my tail in a knot, I just know it. I've got morning shift tomorrow. And night shift the following day. Then morning shift the day after that. Yeah, I'm going to be a bit messed up in the sleeping department ^^; (Mornings will be the hardest part). And on that note, I go to bed now.
02.18.03 :: 18:07
Here's how today went for me: augh! i just said "technical support. amanda spank-er speaking" [dies of embarrassment] And I'd almost lived down spelling out the curse words for the old lady too... [shakes head at self]
02.25.03 :: 19:49
Is it the 25th already? o.O; I need to write more entries here, and archive them ^^;
Well, I indulged myself today and ordered a new computer. Ever since college I've always had hand-me-down computers or ones I've cobbled together bit by bit. (Not a bad thing, mind you. I don't require much computer-wise). But, I've decided that I need a new computer. (I don't want to say need since I don't *need* it... Want? Yes, but it's more than that. Deserve? As much as someone can deserve a computer.. I've taken care of every other member in my family getting a new computer within the last couple years. It's *my* turn now).
Okay, so I'm spoiling myself, that's what it boils down to. I ordered a Dell (I've been very happy with how they've kept up with my family.. and I don't feel like building my own machine. I'm fully capable of it, but.. [sigh] anyhow..) It has a P4 2.6G processor with a 533mhz bus, 512MB of RAM, 40x/10x/40x CD-RW, 16x DVD, 120G hard drive, 64MB GeForce 4 MX, Soundblaster Live, speakers with the subwoofer, USB optic mouse, WinXP Pro, 56k modem & network card, 64MB Memory Key (that'll make getting stuff to and from work *a lot* easier!), 17" monitor that probably won't even leave the box 'cause I have a 19" already, and ye olde keyboard =) I got all that plus free shipping & handling for $1299. W00T!
This machine will be replacing my current 400mhz, 128MB, 24x CD-RW (which rocks, btw), DVD (don't know what speed it is), 20G hard drive, GeForce 3, Soundblaster Live, crackling speakers and subwoofer, USB optic mouse, Win98, 56k modem & network card, no Memory Key, 19" monitor (that I'm keeping ^^ ), and ye sticky olde keyboard. Quite an improvement, wouldn't you say? ^^;
I don't know what to name the new computer yet, but I'll have at least a week to think about it. This new toy is what my tax return is paying for this year, though I put it on my credit card to order it tonight. (Even if I keep it on the card for a while, it beats the 19.99% interest Dell was going to charge to finance x.X; ) I ran the idea by my parents first (what I usually do when I'm about to spend a large (for me) wad of money... Dad sometimes has better ideas on how to finance things). They asked me what I had. I told them. Asked me what I wanted to get and how much. I told them... And then their jaws hit the table and told me to get the machine already ^^; Happy computer dreams tonight ^^
02.28.03 :: 21:43
Raugh! [snarls at EQ] My co-workers and I meet on Friday nights to play EQ and it was most disagreeable tonight. First my machine was lagging to all hell (mouse jumping all over the place, other players jumping all over the place, very aggravating). Then I'm killed. I'm on my way back to retrieve my body when the server disconnects me. Then I couldn't get back on! --; Dave was very nice and went and got my body back for me, but that was enough frustration for one night for me --; I know Hollie's been looking forward to playing all day too =( She kept ICQing me at home asking me if I was going to be on tonight. This just isn't my night, I don't think.
I was very good at doing nothing today. I slept an awful lot (not a bad thing, mind you). Played some Xenosaga (I've got 8 hours in and feel like I've done nothing yet). I watched the first Noir DVD. I was supposed to work at the print shop today, but I bailed on them. Bad bean, I know. I needed my day off...
Still trying to think of a good name for the new computer. The current candidates are "Tek-tek", (favored by Lincoln and Hollie because it sounds like 'tech' but is something entirely different. Lincoln also thinks it's hilarious, sicko :P ) "Baku", (Helen's choice. It's somewhat fitting considering the type of dreams I have) and "Kappa" (I've always had a soft spot for kappa). If anyone wants to cast a vote or give a suggestion, just drop me an email or ICQ. If you haven't guessed the theme yet, it has to be a creature / object from mythology / urban legend. (Like how my current computer is Yggy, or Yggdrasil (the World Tree in Norse mythology)). The current three I have are Japanese myths, but that's because that's all I've looked into so far ^^; It doesn't have to be a Japanese myth.
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