Bring me some snow.

Yeah, that's right. I said it. Bring me some snow. I figure if it is going to be cold, it should look cold out there. Plus, I like a good snow. It is pretty, I can play in it...and it means there is ice on the rinks. Oh BOY! I can't wait to get out there and skate around. I love playing me some hockey, but can never get myself to pay for ice time to go play around with people. I wish I could, but I just never have. This will be the time of year that I really miss my friend Than because we would go and skate around outside together. I have a some particularly fond memories of skating outside with him. One of them was the first time I went out to skate on the rink in Apple Valley. It was the evening after we had gotten off of work and by the time we made it to the rink, there weren't many people around. We had a whole rink all to ourselves and we began skating around. Snow fell lightly from the sky and the lights shown down on us from the lights around the rink. We skated and skated, (we took lots of breaks too) as the snow continued to fall. It was beautiful. I remember laying down in the middle of the rink, on the ice, watching the snow fall in my face. It was a perfect night filled with laughing and skating and trying to figure out how to skate AND hold a hockey stick AND shoot the puck. When we had arrived at the rink, the ice was perfect, pristine...shining without a mark on it. By the time we left there wasn't a spot on the ice that hadn't been cut by our blades.

The other great memory I have took place in Red Wing, where Than and his wife and two kids (at the time. now he has three! congrats friend) lived. We drove out to kind of the middle of this large open area to the edge of the woods. There was a rink, lit up and surrounded by trees on two sides. It was stunning. I would make the trip there JUST to go skate on the ice again, even if Than doesn't live there anymore (they all moved to Iowa). Than's brother-in-law, Kevin, was there as well and, while later we would be very displeased with him, at the time we were both pretty alright with him. He is a good guy, but has some problems in his life that he needs to deal with. Anyway, the three of skated around in the lights, played HORSE on the ice, and tried to show off. Kevin was very good at skating and shooting in general because, well, he didn't really have a job so he spent a lot of his days just skating around. He needed to grow a beard because I am sure his face got cold with all that outdoor skating. I usually grow a beard every winter and it is GREAT. So helpful. I always tell girls that if they could grow a beard, they would.

It is memories like those and many more that make me even MORE eager for some good old fashioned snow...and ice.

Wide open spaces.

I can't pee when someone is standing next to me at the next urinal. As soon as that toilet flushes though, I am golden...literally...well, usually clear but that is just cause I drink a lot of water. Yes, I am pee shy. I haven't really figured out why, but here is one possibility:

I just remembered that they didn't have stall doors on any of the toilets while I was in school in Hampton, IA. This means that every time that you had to sit down to do the big job in the bathroom, you were left exposed. No wonder no one liked to go to the bathroom in a public place, that experience will give you a complex. Yes, there were still stall walls, but no door, and for some reason, that seemed like a pretty important missing element to the whole bathroom experience...privacy. Also, they didn't have partitions between the urinals.

I thought, for a moment, that maybe this would have been helpful with my disability to use the restroom while in public. Like, it would have built up my immunity to being pee shy. I was wrong because, in my case, it just intimidated me enough to make it harder to use the restroom.

--------

"Nice haircut." A lady at work keeps telling me this. I know she has said it to me at least once since last week when she told me before. The thing is...I haven't gotten a haircut in a reeeeeally loooong time. I think the lady is crazy. Someone...please rescue me.

Brain = Jello

I am so bored today I can't remember the clever thing I was going to write about. I have been staring too much at this computer.

Why won't anyone hire me? I mean, is it really that bad in the job market that I can't get a job at Target or Best Buy? I feel like they are probably missing out on something here...but that is coming from me.

Oh well, at least I am getting paid.

-teej

4 people + 1,000 zombies =

Left 4 Dead. This game is supposed to be the best, newest multi-player game on the the Xbox 360 and PC. I downloaded the demo for the game on Xbox Live and my friend has purchased it for his PC. I think we both agree that this game is at its best when played with a friend (or three). It makes all the situations that much more intense and fun and scary, and you just can't beat hearing everyone scream all at once when a horde of zombies comes your way. When my friend and room mate sat down to play through a bit of the demo she whispered, "I have never seen anything like that. The zombies are so...agile!". This is completely true. The game shows zombies running...no...SPRINTING towards you, climbing over fences, and vaulting from rooftop to rooftop in pursuit of the main characters. I don't know the whole story behind the game since I have only played the demo, but some of the zombies have completely mutated and have developed some 'extra powers'. Basically this makes for a variety of zombies, but the majority of them are still your regular 'ol brain crave'n ladies and gentlemen.

At one point during out adventure, BT and I were creeping through a house trying not to make too much noise (the zombies will hear you and attack suddenly). I saw a door over to the left of us and asked BT to please close that door so the zombies wouldn't sneak up behind us, which she did. I then continued on as BT followed a little behind me. Suddenly, from behind us, our two other members (AI controlled characters) start screaming and yelling and gunshots are heard echoing down the hallway. We both quickly turn around to run towards them only to run into the door being broken down, a la The Shining, by a horde of zombies. We start to shoot through the hole in the door and suddenly another horde of undead bodies piles towards us from another area. We are surrounded and shooting wildly. Luckily we are playing on easy because I am pretty sure I nailed BT in the head a few times with the shotgun in an effort to stop the zombies from taking her down. All this happens as we both are yelling and screaming about zombies and how many there are and how we need help and we are going to die. *pant, pant, pant* (Look around. No more zombies...for now.) And that was about the 10-15 minutes of game time that we had before we had to go to rehearsal. ummm...will the rest of the game be this awesome? I think so. I haven't even gotten into the fact that you can play as one of the zombies! How cool is that!? Imagine playing with your friends...four zombie players vs four human players. I am not sure how this all works out since I haven't been able to try it, but I imagine it has to be pretty darn awesome.

Stand up guy?

I was listening to the radio on my way to work today and someone on there was talking about someone guy that was a "stand up guy. He gives money to a charity..." then silence. Nothing more. Just "He gives money to a charity". That's it? That's all it takes? It was a celebrity they were talking about, but no one worth noting. The sad thing here is that seems to be what these celebrity folks think. That they can do whatever they want, whenever they want, to whomever they want as long as at the end of each month their name is mentioned as a charitable donor. This is not a blast at giving to charities at all, I think it is great and every little bit will hopefully help. However, I refuse to believe that it will INSTANTLY make you a better person. It is gonna take more than that you yuppie. I am not the be all end all of 'stand up guy guides', but i am don't think I am alone on this one. You have got to have a bit more on your resume than some random charity donations. It just really bothers me that these folks just throw some money at a problem then turn around and ignore the problem. Basically it just lets them live with themselves and their ridiculously lavish lifestyles.

On a different note: I like Saturday Night Live again. I used to dream of doing that show. That was my big goal. I should do more sketch writing, huh? And by more, I mean some.

wow

This has been an usual day.

I hope my friends are ok. I am thinking about them.

On a lighter note:

Christmas Carole Finale is going very well. Every night it seems to get better and better. It is exciting. I hope that you all can imagine what it will be like if you can't come.

Oh, and Mr. Bolan...if you are reading this...I would like you to come and visit.



That is all.

todd

fall'n behind...again.

poop. i be busy.

i apologize. will try to write more tomorrow.

heart,

todd

Look!

It's Saturday. I am not at work, so I don't want to spend much time on the internet or at a computer. Sadly, that means, this is all you get for today. Pretty exciting, huh? Later.

PS I raked a lot of leaves today.

Exploding eyes.

My eyes. They feel like they are going to 'splode....out my head.

What just happened?

I just went out to my car for lunch because I firmly believe it is important to get away from the workplace on your breaks. I finished a comic I needed to read by tomorrow so that I can return it to the library and had set my alarm on the phone so I would know when I was done with my break. I suddenly found myself curled up, reclined in my front seat.

I slept. Hard. When I woke up I felt like it was 6:45pm. I was out of it. I had no idea how long I had been out, where I was, what I needed to do...just that I wanted to go back to sleep till tomorrow.

It was not 6:45pm. It was 1:45pm and time for me to go back inside to sit here and stare at a computer screen, do nothing, and try and figure out what happened to me in the last 45 minutes.

The most bizarre sleep-related experience I have had (and I have had a lot since I used to sleep walk and talk a LOT) happened while I was living at home still. I was woken up by my mother asking me what I was doing. I answered, "Taking a shower", a little annoyed and surprised that she didn't know. At that point she asked me why I was taking a shower at 2:30am. I had walked to the shower, started it, gotten in and showered...all while being asleep. Had she not woken me up I probably would have gotten completely ready for the morning before realizing what time it was....and still being asleep.

Weird sleep stories anyone?

Wow.

One of my good friends from college just moved back here from Minnesota. She was nice enough to bring along her wonderful husband, and my new friend of about a year, along with her. I really can't express how excited I am about this. I treasure these people so much, no matter where they are at geographically, but it is certainly nice to be able to just call one or both of them up and say, "Hey, let's hang out tomorrow" and then we do. The unfortunate thing is this...I am so busy right now with getting Christmas Carol Finale up and ready for the December opening of the musical, that I really don't get to do as much with them as I would like. I understand that a large part of this has to do with the fact that I am just super excited to be able to hang out with them for more than just a few hours every couple of months, but there is still a big part of me that just wants to do everything with them that I have been wanting to do for...well...as long as they have been in CA.

One comforting fact: at least I know that I will get to see them eventually, and sooner rather than much later.

Sometimes

I just want to eat everything with my hands like I live in the jungle.

Imagine that...spaghetti in the jungle. Delicious.

Last one...

and then I am officially caught up.

Tea vs Coffee

Who wins?
-
When I am not doing any work at work, couldn't I just read instead? I mean, I would start working as soon as I got some work.
-
My eye has been twitching all day...almost all day yesterday. I have heard that means I am tired. Is this true? If so, how are those two things connected?
-
I have had a picture of some cats with snails shells on their backs, drawn my my friend Jake, on my desk since I started here two years ago. How come no one asks me about this drawing? Are there really snail cats somewhere and am I the only one who doesn't know about them?
-
Who is your favorite superhero?
-
Can I get a what-what?


~t bagel

What has happened to me?

I used to think that the majority of people were good and nice and kind. Suddenly, I get this job, in this office, at this computer, and talking on this phone...and I really think that most people I speak to and get emails from are just plain horrible. (this means, JUST the people that are work related, not you lovely people who contact me during the day at work and keep me sane)

I don't like my job, but I could survive that if it weren't for how it is changing me. I am ultimately afraid of turning into a grumpy person because of this job. I am not a grump, but I find myself in a COMPLETELY sour mood every day because of this place.

There are so many things that I would do rather than work here. I have applied at the lowest paying jobs that I have applied for since high school. I want desperately to sell my car so that I can take a different job. Ideally I would just like it to blow up someday (while it is very far away from everyone) so that I can just get some money. I don't know how that works, but it could happen. Also, on that day, it will rain gumdrops and lollipops. Don't worry, I have a song prepared for that day and if you ask me to sing it to you the next time I see you, I will.

See? That's the kind of world I want to believe in. Right now, I just have to listen to cranky people talk about air filters and motors that suck or don't suck and how these people suck because they don't suck. Trust me, it is just as confusing and frustrating to me...heck, even more so probably.

Anyway, that was me venting a bit there. Come back later, I told you, I am making up for a weekend with no writing.

I lost.

I didn't write anything this weekend. Excuses:

I couldn't get on the internet.

There was someone in the room that has the computer in it. The whole weekend.

I am afraid of laptops.

I was rehearsing.

I forgot.

I am really not that interesting.

I will make up for it today.



I am so sorry. I lost.

I have to pee.

So this will be short.

Tonight I have an improv show. For those of you reading this blog and you doing the blog challenge...come and check it out. Even if you live...not here. Just hope on a jet and get here. If you can't come this Friday then you will have to be here in February because I think you would like to see some funny things on stage...err...in a coffeehouse.

I haven't had much time today to do anything fun, which is odd because usually I do have too much time.

For example, the last two days I have been keeping track of the amount of time I spend doing NOTHING at work. The 1st day it was 6 hours 10 minutes. The second day it was 6 hours even. Can someone please help me with getting a new job? Seriously, I am an excellent worker!

Take care.

Aftermath

I think everyone can be stubborn from time to time. I have tried to reduce the amount of time that I spend clashing with people just because. I really think that is the right thing to do. It makes our lives less stressful and I just might learn something if I just listen to someone instead of sticking to my guns just because I think my guns are shinier than yours.

This stubbornness is one of the reasons why I just don't understand the folks who lost this election. Didn't you listen to your candidates somewhat, at times, gracious speech? He admitted it. He lost. However, he didn't just admit he lost, he commented on how we need to rally AROUND our new president elect. Remember that? Remember how he said that? If not, go back and watch it again, cause he did. My advice to you: "Stop being so petty". You are gonna be with this president for awhile, at least four years if junior high social studies serves me correctly. And really, is there something that is REALLY bothering you about this guy? Are you pissed because you may have to pay more taxes? You know what, if it is going to make life better in the long run, I will pay more taxes. Yes, I do agree that a lot of money spent by the government is poorly used (see my previous post, Stimulate This) but that doesn't mean I don't think that some of it isn't used for good things. Anyway, back to what I was saying. I am tired ALREADY of these sore losers. Stop all this negativity. Stop it. Just stop it. Can't we be happy for once? Just take comfort in the fact that both candidates could form a sentence (some better than others). When it comes down to it, did you REALLY want to elect another incompetent person even CLOSE to the presidency, someone who would take over if the president should fall ill, someone who would stand directly beside each presidential decision? Really? Did you not listen to the debates? Did she even form a sentence, answer a question, or do/say anything she hadn't rehearsed for hours in front of a mirror?

I will say that I would have a bit disappointed had the election gone the other way because of that particular individual...not necessarily the candidate himself. However, I know that I am not stubborn enough to not support him, wish him the best, and pray for strength for him because he is the leader of our country.

For those folks acting like a five year old who isn't getting that Go-Bot that they really want...I will give you a few weeks...three at the most...but then I expect you to stand up beside your president elect, the United (UNITED) States of America, and the world to support the decision that has been made.

Cats

Why are cats so darn funny?

More writing to come later today, but this was funny enough to make me want to post it immediately.

~t

I live in a post-apocalyptic world and I am a post-apocalyptic girl.

It has taken me too long to get to this subject. Fallout 3. I purchased this game for the 360 the day it came out (actually I traded in some games and didn't pay anything for it thanks to the awesome clerk at the store) and then took that day off as a video game day. The last time I did this was the day that Crackdown came out, probably over a year ago. That day was awesome and filled with video games, pizza, and root beer in glass bottles. The thing about video game days is that it makes me feel like I am in middle school all over again, but just the awesome parts of middle school. Not the parts where I was picked on because of my home made Zoobas. The parts that I got to spend the night over at my best friend, Kyle's house, just playing Ducktales on NES or Twisted Metal on Playstation later on in our times together. Just taking the time to do nothing but rot my brain for an entire day with video games is just silly. And I love that. Sure I did some other stuff during this day, and, yes, I saw the sunlight a bunch that day, but for the most part I just dedicated my time to playing Fallout 3. This particular video game day's enjoyment was increased because I got to spend it with a good friend of mine. He was genius enough to pick up some gummy worms, DOTS, and chips along with the root beer in glass bottles that I had requested of him. High fives and thank yous to this gentleman. He rules. (Now, if I could just see him more often. *hint, hint* friend.)

So yeah, Fallout 3. Sadly, I have not gotten to play any of the previous Fallout games. However, I do remember seeing them and watching them and enjoying that quite a bit. (more enjoyable than watching Wolfenstein 3D as it didn't make me feel drunk) I do regret not ever playing these other Fallout games, but the only time I was allowed to play video games was at other peoples homes, so I never really had a chance to play anything for myself. Yes, I am making up for lost time with games now...still. In fact, the first thing I did when I moved out to go to college was to go and purchase a Playstaion. For the longest time I never had anything but the demo disc that came with it...but it was more than enough. I loved the freedom of being able to just play whatever whenever I wanted. Oddly enough, this is just what Fallout 3 AND video game day is all about. I get to do whatever I want in the game and on the day whenever I want. The choices you can make in this game are just endless. Of course, each choice you make will take away or present you with a new set of choices. There is no way of knowing what these choices will do, so don't bother. I don't even think that playing through the game more than once will help you determine the results of these choices as there are just thousands of options. Heck, some of the choices you make may not even be up to you. Things just happen in this game. One of my friends is playing through this game at about the same pace as me and there are more moments that we DON'T share than ones we HAVE shared in the game. It is incredible to think that we are playing the same game and both following the path of good, but not really seeing anything the same. Yes, that is something else. I am playing the game as a good guy, a person that will fight for the rights of zombies, robots, and humans alike. I haven't even experienced the game as a destructive force at ALL yet. Plus there is a way to just play down the middle on everything AND there is an ending to the game for ALL these scenarios. GAAAHH!!! Considering how large this game is right now, I should be playing this thing for the next 2 years of my life.

You may be asking, "How can I spend so much time with a game?". Easily it turns out. I find that when I sit down to play this game, I am getting really into it. The last time I felt this way about a game it was Bioshock. That was a beautiful game that had a great story and made it really easy to place yourself in the situations. However, Fallout 3 is just more realistic somehow. I mean, here I am wandering around a post-apocalyptic Washington DC and it just feels like something that really could happen. It feels gritty, dead, and very much like a wasteland. I mean, there are times when you see NOTHING for miles except burned out buildings and ruined statues. This makes the times you DO see something out there that much more intense. As you are walking around, suddenly you see a glowing light out across the night covered plains. You zoom in with your sniper scope (if you are lucky enough to have found one) and see it is a robot just wandering around. The next thing you see is probably some horribly deformed mutant with three long tongues flapping about and the only thing you can think is, "Oh crap. I have to get closer to see what exactly is happening there". Either that or you try and figure out a way to get around this confrontation without being seen. Really, the choice is yours.

The game is good at making you think like someone trapped in these circumstances. I have gotten in the mindset so much that, for some reason, I have been carrying around a metal pot and a metal pan because I feel like if I really WAS trying to survive in this sort of wasteland, that I would have these things with me at all times for cooking and such. What can I say? Being a boyscout rubs off even in my video game playing.

Like I said before, I didn't get the chance to experience any of the previous Fallout 3 games, so I can't say if this holds true to them. What I DO know is that I am just really enjoying the world that they have created here. Sure there are little things that will get to you, just like any game, but overall I can't help but spend a little time everyday thinking about this game. Even if I don't get to play (which I haven't really done lately) I am still thinking about what could happen or where I will adventure to next or what mission I should continue on or what sorts of monstrosities I will find next.

The possibilities are endless, and I can do whatever I want whenever I want...because I am a post-apocalyptic girl...

The Challenge

Well, the challenge has been laid down and I am accepting it. Write something everyday for the next three weeks. I was doing really well at writing daily, but it seems to have fallen behind for one reason or another.

1. Our servers at work have been just horrific. This means, as stated in previous blogs, that I can't do any work. What's so bad about that? I still have to sit here. What's worse than that? The fact that the internet can't be accessed during these times, so I am literally just sitting here...staring at a screen.
2. It has been somewhat busy for me at work because I am helping people with their computers. I seem to have a basic knowledge of how to create a folder on a desktop and suddenly I am the IT guy for our department or something. Whatever, at least I get to stand up and walk around once in awhile.
3. I have been spending most of my free time at work, when we actually have the internet, to try and find a new job. My friends keep sending me ideas and opportunities they see that may interest me and I immediately apply. It has gotten to the point where I hardly even read what the job is...I just apply. Thanks to those friends and please, continue this....heck, if you are reading this and would like to join the mission Get Todd A New Job....feel free. I would like it.
4. I haven't had much to say lately. I have been quiet in my life as of late. I guess I just don't have much to say. I hope that is OK.
5. I have a lot on my mind that isn't work related and I am starting to get busy with that stuff. "What stuff?" you may ask. Well, we started rehearsals for Christmas Carol Finale (CCF) and we have an improv show for Delusions of Grandeur on Friday night at 7pm (tell your friends and then show up with them!). So, I have been busy lately. However, I am still finding some time to read a LOT of comics. I haven't read so many comics since I worked at John's Total Entertainment. I have gotten my library card and am putting it to FULL use. I don't even know how many trade paperbacks I have been reading and I don't know how many I have checked out. I just know that I am loving it.

So yes. I will have to get past those things and just post something here every day for the next three weeks. Wish me luck and keep reading and commenting. It is really what keeps me coming back.

Have a good day.