Friday, March 28, 2008

Can I get a side of Billy Ray Cyrus with that?

J: Wow. Your hair is at the bottom of your neck.
Me: Way to rub in the fact that I'm slowly sprouting the sweetest mullet this side of the Mississipp.
J: I didn't mean it that way, but now that you mention it...
Me: Shaddup. I've heard enough out of you.

Thursday, March 27, 2008

"Under my umbrella..."

Damn you Rihanna. Damn you and that damned Umbrella song of yours. Damn this earworm in my head. Damn it if I not-so-secretly secretly like it.

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Anti

I am anti-Facebook. Don't ask me why. I certainly couldn't give you a concrete answer. I've been contemplating my aversion to this particular social networking site to no avail. Is it because I am too lazy to set up an account? No. Is it because I don't want people to find me? No. If that were the case, I wouldn't blog under my real name. Is it because of the very few horror stories I've heard and read about regarding the site? Possibly. I'm thinking it is more along the lines of me fearing that if I do sign up, I will succumb to yet another time sucking vortex. These time sucking vortices are what I am trying to minimize in my life. So maybe I am subconsciously telling myself that I cannot sign up because the addictive aspect of Facebook would be far too great for me to "just say no" to in the reality of my life. And that would be bad.

I am sure there are more thoughts to come regarding this avoidant behavior I have regarding this site. You know, after I mull it over all ciderlike in my head. Thend.

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Miscellany

For those people who want to know what has and hasn't actually been going on in my life recently, here's an update on life buildup:

-- Last Monday (Happy Friggin' St. Patrick's Day!) I had my second oral surgery and root canal of the year. Completed after yet another jaw infection and abscessed tooth. Bone loss included. We are hopeful this one will take and a new porcelain crown will join the dregs of my slowly recovering eating disordered mouth in the next couple weeks. My mouth is a moneypit.

-- Travel to Argentina is scheduled for April 14. This is a 4-5 week trip. I'm hoping for five.

-- Since the travel to Argentina is occurring much later than anticipated, the Cleveland Half-Marathon is going to be a no-go this year. I will achieve my goal of running a half this year, just not in Cleveland. Right now we are looking to travel somewhere to run in July or August. My vote is for the Rock and Roll Marathon and Half in Virginia Beach over Labor Day weekend, but we shall see. But there is also the Roadrunner and USAF right here in Ohio, so who knows?

-- Also along the lines of switching up my 2008 goals, I think I am going to join CrossFit instead of starting a beginner Pilates class...at least for now. Since moving back up here, I've been itching to get myself into a hardcore fitness program to burnBURNburn as well as to meet likeminded people, but have been lacking in the "go get'em" attitude to do so. I'm tired of not getting the desired results from the solo workouts I do and after much research, I've officially decided CrossFit is the type of thing I'm looking for in regards to exercise regimens and muscle building. Check it: Cleveland CrossFit Now the question is, "Do I start ASAP or after I get back from Argentina?" Not sure yet.

-- I'm still seriously contemplating hair extensions.

-- I am scheduled to get more work done on my left forearm next Wednesday, April 2. I will be driving down to Pittsburgh to have Joe Bruce ink me up at Stay Gold Tattoo. He's awesome. A fantastic artist. I will post pictures after the session.

-- I've recently been in contact with one of my really great friends from my undergrad days at the U of A. He found me on LinkedIn and is actually featured in my x365 posts which have stalled yet again; But will have back up and running as soon as things settle down in my life. I should call it my x365 in x730 days. I think it is going to take that long for me to get it done. But you know what? Slow and steady wins the mystery race, right? Ha! Anyways, my buddy is a fellow writer and the correspondence has been nothing short of great. I'm stoked that he found me and that I can once again call him my friend.

-- I've been diligent in my learning the ins and outs of CSS for my personal website which will be: The Stubborn Swede, but I'm almost tempted to just plug my blogger into the site versus actuallly building. Temptation is hard to resist. For now, I am resisting. Largely because me having knowledge equals power over what I am doing in regards to current career change. But that's the future domain. FYIJSYK.

-- Speaking of tecchie things, I need to relearn PhotoShop. Last time I used it was like seven years ago maybe? Six? A long time ago. I also need to find the Sony DSC-H2 as it is boxed up from my last move. I would also like to learn the Nikon D80 that has been gathering dust in the hall closet...maybe I'll get a chance down in Bargentina. And spring is coming which means I can use the awesome list of places in ClevelandOH to go shoot photos Kill Basa sent me a few months ago. I'm looking forward to that.

-- Going on a ghosthunt to the West Virginia State Penitentiary with a paranormal group during July. Confirmation came via email yesterday, so it's a go. Supercool, eh? Moundsville is spoooooky.

Overall, life for me has been a series of far ups and far downs since coming back north. What I can say is that I am sticking to my plans and am asking for help when I need it. I have a wonderful support system and I am truly blessed to be able to lean on those people in my life.

Recovery is difficult. But worth it.

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Zapped

I am not sure what's worse: Having things to actually write about but no inspiration to compose, or, Having nothing to write about with oodles of inspiration. After writing it out, I think the worse of the two would be the former. Yes. The former. Yes. I am still going through my malaise. I blame it on the weather.

And while I hate placing blame on something as banal as the weather, I have to say that Mother Nature has certainly played a fair role in my mindset. I mean, it obviously hasn't been enough for her to dump multiple feet of snow, ice, sleet, and the goshdarned wintry mix down for months now, then decide to warm-up to say FIFTY degrees where all the snow is melting quite nicely, turning into slushy piles of Maybe Spring Really Is On Its Way. No, all this hasn't been enough because last night, you took it upon yourself to dump another four or five inches of snow on us?!?!

Talk about a kick in the nads. Mother Nature, you are STILL on notice.

-- Oh and don't let me forget to write about the Great Wal-Mart Spill of 2008 over the next few days. --

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Funktronic

I am so over the weather up here. I am melting down to a funktronic state unlike any other funk-state I've experienced in the past. This is not good. This would account for my recent silence. I'll be back soon. But for now silence is okay, and I've put the weather gods on notice. ;)

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Oh The Dramz

Did you hear? I'm sure you have seeing as how it's been all-over the entertainment news since this morning, but being that I haven't posted about my ultimate favorite reality show recently, I thought I would post this little tidbit.

David Hernandez, a current contestant on American Idol, was a stripper in Phoenix, AZ. He danced for three years in an all-male revue at a club with a largely gay male clientele. An all-naked, all-male revue at that. Suh-weet.

What good is another season of American Idol without a scandal?

Something I Don't Like

Waking up super-early, like so early it's still dark outside early, so I can get adequate cardio-exercise before the workday.

Twelve weeks until the Cleveland Marathon, Half-Marathon, & 10K. Me and Hal Higdon's Half-Marathon training plan are fast becoming friends.

Sunday, March 2, 2008

Books Read - February 2008

February was a month of new reads, with the exception of Wasted which I have read so many times I stopped counting at a billionty times twenty. This time I managed to read it during an exceptionally awesome workout session on the bike and elliptical.

Cynthia Buchanan, Maiden
Ken Follett, The Pillars of the Earth
Marya Hornbacher, Wasted
Fred Leebron, Six Figures
Elizabeth McCracken, The Giant's House
Joyce Carol Oates, Black Water
Joyce Carol Oates, Man Crazy
Ruth Rendell, Adam and Eve and Pinch Me
Elisabeth Robinson, The True and Outstanding Adventures of the Hunt Sisters