The Heyday Of Blogger

I think the Heyday of Blogger has come and gone. At least for me and for the group of friends I made via blogging. I find it harder and harder to post anymore. Not that I don't have interesting, fun stuff to write about. It's just that I have become totally unmotivated.

I looked back at the past yesterday. Past posting habits. I saw where I'd post several times a day. Then the comments would come. I'd answer. A lot of times there would end up being a back and forth conversation via comments. Not anymore. It looks like its that way for a lot of the people I've known over the years. Maybe we are all burned out? Or burning out?

Maybe we became too familiar and now we are afraid to post honestly. Thats a big part for me. Its why I have the VOX blog now. I keep out the people I don't want in. Somehow that makes me feel good. :)

But there are things there I don't want my 'blogger friends' to know. More forthcoming since I feel a little braver there all the time. But I think I'd offend a lot of this crowd. In a few cases, like Meritt in particular, I value thier friendship too much now to tempt the offense. So I don't do it here.

Thats where we end up, isn't it? Maybe too familiar.

I remember how not too long ago Blogger was the thing. People really became friends. Met each other. Had parties. Fell in and out of love (a few times), traveled a few thousand miles for weddings, exchanged music, candy, had contests with prizes. These days only a handful of the original friends remain. The most consistent are the ones who are either sad and have nothing else to do or are badgered into sticking around because we'd miss them. (I've badgered too.)

Then there are the very few that actually have no other identity than the blog. The ones who beg for comments and therefor affirmation that they are popular & interesting. They know who they are but can't quit. They need the blog. Don't have any other way to interact with the living. Those are the ones I became tired of long ago.

I'm just thinking out loud here (sort of). Bear with me.

Or not.

The thing is, the blog is supposed to be a diary of sorts. Isn't it? Or did it change somewhere along the line and I didn't take notice? I know I allowed mine to change from diary to something else. Thats when it became something less interesting to me. I can be a dope sometimes so I guess I shouldn't be surprised.

I started this simply because I am a Yankee. I wanted to write all about the team and my exploits being a Yankee in enemy territory. I did that for a while. Now I don't. Shame on me.

The only person (that I know well and keep up with) who has truly been consistent with their blog is Karen. She is always there, always a Yankee, always interesting and doesn't change for any reason. She hasn't allowed anyone or anything to change her style. She is a true blogger. I think her diary is probably just as consistent. She was my influence for starting a blog on my own anyway. I'm just not like her it seems.

I'm still anxious to read a published KB book Cap'n. :)

Anyway, I don't know where I'm going with this. Maybe just an explanation for why I don't post here so much anymore. (That and the fact that I hate my template but don't feel like going through all the work to fix it.) Sorry if I disappoint any of the few faithful readers I have left. I don't mean to but I've never been one to be able to be a fake anything.

Huh. I think I feel like a fake here. Thats got to be a big part of it. See what thinking out loud (sort of) gets ya?

Anyway, I'm not deleting this blog. I will also post here still. Sometimes every day. Sometimes not. But I do believe that the Heyday of Blogger has come and gone.

Gettin Stoned At Work

I feel stoned. Yes, I am at work. But I think I got a contact buzz from this guy that just left. He is a vendor that wants to sell me some very expensive equipment. He was a stoner for sure.

I knew it right away. I got within a few feet of him and the smell was amazing. He must have blew one just before entering the lobby. That guy reeked of Pot.

Cannabis Sativa, Herb, Pot, Marijuana, Ganja, Ace, Giggle Weed, or just plain old Weed. Doesn't matter what you want to call it, that dude had sucked down a lot of it before visiting me.

He wasn't a typical stoner either. He was just a few years away from retirement. He looked professional and all. But he was turned on baby.

His attention sapan was tiny. He laughed at eveything. He cussed a little. He interrupted my sentences. He also was in an awful big hurry to leave. My guess is he had a bowl waiting in the parking lot.

When he was gone the Receptionish saw me watch him leave and shake my head. She giggled a little and said, "He was a little different." I agreed and mentioned that he smelled a little. She said, "Yeah, he smelled like Pot!"

It wasn't just me then.

My A to Z List

I bummed this from Peachy. It looked like fun.





Available or Taken : Taken. Married actually. But I could be persuaded......

Best friend: Lisa. We are so much alike that it's scary. It's also a wonder we can get along so well.

Cake or pie: Pie, by far.

Drink of choice: Governor's White Wine, from the Williamsburg Winery. Yum!

Essential item I use everyday: Deodorant and Toothpaste (Me too Peachy. But isn't that 2 things?)

Favorite Color: Orange

Gummy bears or worms: Gummy worms. I don't like bears. Not even teddy bears.

Hometown: Waynesboro PA

Indulgence: Starbuck's Lattes (Notice the plural?)

January or February: Neither. Everything is dead.

Kid's names: How about Never and Non Existant?

Life is incomplete without: Laughing with friends.

Marriage: Don't care for much.

Number of siblings: Three (1 sister and 2 brothers)


Oranges or apples: Can I say neither here too? Don't really like either one.

Phobias or fears: Being permanently trapped, tied down... whatever.

Quote: "The secret to life is simple. Be happy, don't hurt other people and hope you fall in love." Mallory Keaton

Reason to smile: The Yankees

Season: Summer! The beach, Baseball Season, the sun, the heat, outdoor freedom.... all that stuff.

Unknown fact about me: I play World of Warcraft almost every night, even for a few minutes.

Veggie I don't like: Tomatoes! Bleech!


Worst Habit: Not returning calls or emails. Or maybe it's not giving a crap about other people enough.

Xrays: Only my teeth. (Me too.)


Your favorite food: SpaghettiOs! Filet Mignon done on the grill, medium rare is a very close second.

Zodiac: Gemini

Before & After

I just heard someone walking down the hallway singing and old song. I don't care for the song but the woman who sang it, well...... Oh yeah!



So I looked her up on Google to see what she was up to these days.

Yikes!




Get it?




It seems she has had too much of this....




....and this too....


Well, maybe in a different form but you get it. ;)

Remember the part of that song... "No matter what they take from me, They can't take away my dignity..."

I'm thinking she didn't have it taken away, eh? Sometimes we just give things away before we know what we're doing.


At any rate, I prefer to remember her like this.



Maybe I should avoid google searches?

F'n Monday Morning

After being sick all weekend, Friday included, I am here trying to catch up on important things. Blogs, emails... and a little work stuff. Then the big jerk who always stops by in the morning pops his head into my office and does his usual routine. "Get off the porno sites man!" Then he laughs; "Guh huh guh". He does the same material EVERY TIME HE WALKS PAST MY DOOR. Every day. He thinks he's hilarious.

Dipshit.

I'm not in the mood today so I ignore him. And he stands there repeating himself 3-4 times. I'm more annoyed all the time so I just pretend he's not there. Since I'm the only one in this office it's obvious that I am ignoring his retarded ass. Finally he is quiet for a few seconds and walks away.

Now I feel a little guilty. Things like being ignored can make your day start off bad. I think about maybe giving him a bad attitude with mine being bad. Then maybe he'll pass it on later. Then someone else will suffer because I couldn't take his retard routine this morning.

See the chain of events that can occur when some neanderthal idiot can't recognize when he is an annoying ass?

"Get some new material fuckstick."

Happy f'n Monday.

I Was Just Wondering.....

..... if the hat you are wearing all cock-eyed and sideways is still cool if it is a camouflaged hunters type hat. What is that... like Gangsta Redneck?

I wonder what the hip-hop people would think.




Anyone want me to ask the guy walking the halls wearing that hat about it? :)

Blogger

YB's Blog




Makes me sleepy too. :)

The Dead Pool

For a couple years now Mel has hosted The Dead Pool. Its a contest where you choose 3 famous (or semi-famous) people who you think will be dead when this year is over with. Then at the end of the year the person who guessed the most deadites wins.

Mel apparently isn't hosting it this year. The place that is isn't a place I prefer to visit these days so I thought I'd host the contest myself. So, with that being said, anyone who wants in on this years Dead Pool just pick 3 people you believe will be croaked this year and leave your list in my comments section. I'll publish the list and we'll keep it updated as the year passes. At the end of the year a fabulous prize will be rewarded to the person who was the best Reaper.

Make your choices by this Wednesday, January 17th ( I think its the 17th) and after that the contest will begin. I have some interesting contest prizes in mind for this one. ;)

And They Wonder Why I Avoid Them

Yesterday I was bored at work. I have almost all my projects moving along nicely and had some extra time so I decided to go and help out the production area. Big mistake.

Sometimes I forget that the area is all women. All they talk about is kids and stuff kid related. Plus there is one pregnant woman there (due next Monday), so obviously she was the main topic of ALL the conversations.

They talked about nasty stuff. The Doctor feeling the baby's head with his fingers. The 3 centimeter dialation of something down there. The water breaking (which sounds to me like a huge rush of goo all over the place without any warning). The way the head pops out all misshapen and how they reform it. The soft spot on the head. The saggy skin on the belly. Gah! It went on and on.

Then they were talking about how the woman's body never really recovers. How the hips stay a little wider. How the weight is harder to lose after giving birth. Harder to lose and much easier to gain. How the, uhmmm, you know what, stays stretched out. Not as much fun to... well, you know. That really sucks.

If I didn't think so before I now am totally positive about it. There is nothing beautiful about giving birth. Nothing. Nothing glamourous. Nothing positive. Its gross. I'll never understand why anyone decides to do it.

The pregnant woman even is giving up her dogs. She's 'worried about having them around the baby'. One of them she's had for 11 years. Sick.

Then the thing that pops out doesn't even look human. Not for a few months. It looks like an alien. Not until about 2 years pass is the kid looking presentable.

That's where I come in. That point is the total opposite for me. When they are that age and older then it's playtime and I love having them around. They are like a totally unpredictable, mobile toy for those of us who never really know how to grow up.

But the whole process getting there sucks. I couldn't take the conversation too long so I left after about an hour and got something else going. At least I remember now why I avoid that area. I guess I needed the reminder.

Is This The Truth?

I think this may be the truth. I pretty much know it is with me. Although "Hate" is a bit too strong a word (most of the time).



I'm constantly torn between the two halves of Lucy's illustrated heart. I sometimes wonder why. But mostly I don't.

Anyone else feel like this hits home?

Congratulations

Congratulations to Cal Ripken Jr. and to Tony Gwynn for being elected to the Baseball Hall Of Fame. Two classy guys who deserve to be there. Not Yankees but still, I have to give them the respect they deserve. :)

Congrats Iron Man




Congrats Tony. Was there ever a sweeter swing?

Just Passin By

Did you ever notice that it is really hard to walk down the hallway at work and not look into the little windows on the doors as you pass? I think it is. Almost all the time I have this nagging urge to look inside.

Then sometimes someone is looking out when you do and you are sure they think you are a dork. Some of the looks I get are obvious.

Then there are the ones you have no choice but to look into. Especially when they move a favorite person to a new desk/workbench near that window. A person you just have to see at some point in the day. ;)

Then there are the ones where you have to press your nose right up against the glass and make faces until they see you. The ones where you know who will be looking. Those you can't resist no matter what. (Not that I ever do that.)

Does anyone else have the same feeling when they walk down the hall?

The Good News Is...

There has been some good news. The missing hunter was found. He got himself lost and then the big rains came and made it worse. But being the experienced outdoorsey type he knew how to stay safe and also knew what general direction he need to go. Once the worst of the storm wa sover he managed to walk out of the woods near a camp store. He is home safe and not too bad for the experience.

See what experience and a level head can do for you? You never know how you'll react in a circumstance like that.

Nicci's Dad isn't much better. Too bad too.

Otherwise, I've been trying to blog but I am totally unmotivated these days. Things occur to me but I never have the time at work (much time anyway) and later I forget about what I was thinking. Once I'm at home..... well.....

One good thing I know for sure is this, The Captain and The Chicken have started the countdown to Spring Training. That means the world will be a much better place soon. It's amazing the difference the beginning of the Baseball season makes with me. I feel like I'm alive again. 5 more weeks until pitchers and catchers report. C'mon 5 weeks! Get it moving.

I'll try to be back soon but I can make no promises anymore. Just grab a tissue and dab your eyes. I know waiting is hard. :)

When It Rains....

Thanks for all the well wishes for Nicci's Dad. He is still not doing great but he has been responsive to her Mom. That's good, I think.

I can't imagine what she's going through. Thye have been married over 50 years. The stress has to be tough.

On top of this issue Nicci's best friend called last night and told us how her brother is missing. He was hunting with friends and went off in a direction alone and never came back to camp. That was Thursday. There is now a massive man-hunt going on in central Pennsylvania trying to find him. Over 200 people looking and still they haven't found a trace. Weird.

Nicci's friend is beside herself worrying. Their whole family is too. After all this time and no trace... well, draw you own conclusions. The thing is he was an avid outdoorsman. If anyone could make it this long it would be him.

Keep the hunter and Nicci's Dad in your prayers. It is much appreciated. That's the best we can do for now.

Bummer

Nicci's Father is in serious condition in the hospital. He had another stroke. The poor guy has had a series of bad health problems the past 2 years. A quadruple bypass, several "minor" heart attacks, a couple "minor" strokes, one that left his left side 50% incapacitated, very serious trouble trying to control his blood pressure and a serious heart attack in early December. He has been in the hospital since the first week of December. It was the old story, he started getting better and then the stroke got him. I feel really bad for him.

It got me thinking about what I'd be like in his shoes. His left side doesn't work right. Now his right side is paralyzed. He has a pace-maker. His blood pressure is controlled by pills and lack of excitement. I think I'd sooner be dead.

Seriously, I don't think I'd want to survive in that condition. No possibility of ever enjoying even simple things again. No possibility of getting better. Just the ability to sit around waiting for the next big problem.

Definitely 'd rather pass on and see what happens after this life is done. It would have to be better.

This time I really don't think he will be leaving the hospital. I can't think he will and if he does he will end up back there pretty quickly again. He was a smoker for decades. Back when smoking was considered cool and they had no idea about the health risks. *All you smokers out there take notes. It will ruin you eventually if not immediately. Nicci is having a hard time with it. Her Mom is too. I think the next few days will be rough for all of them. Mostly I feel for the Dad. He's the one with no future to speak of.

Bummer.

Wouldn't It Be Funny...?...

Wouldn't it be funny if everyone just said the first thing that popped into their heads? If everyone just told exactly what they were thinking during every circumstance? I think it would have it's crazy funnny moments but also some really bad ones.

For example, recently Engineer guy, Mechanic guy and myself were working on a project together. It was hard and Engineer guy kept getting in the way. It was obvious to me and Mechanic guy the he was pretty much a "book-smart" Engineer and had never done much 'hands-on' stuff. He was downright gawky with tools. Worse when it came to working as a team. He constantly walked into me and kept excusing himself for it.

There were several times when he would interfere with our progress and Mechanic guy would stand behind him with a really pissed look on his face, rolling his eyes. I started smiling, thinking about what his thoughts were. Once he even got behind Engineer guy and pretended to attack him with a screwdriver. Can you tell he was getting frustrated?

If we were a society that just said whatever they thought I would have had many one-liners too. I remember thinking "Where did you get your degree, The Larry, Moe & Curly School of Engineering"? I also kept thinking "Would you please just get out of the way so we can do this right"?

Then came the coup de grace. We were finishing up (after a one hour job became 3 hours) and Engineer guy was reinstalling a large sight glass. It was crooked when I noticed it. I started saying "Hey, that thing isn't in right...." when he tightened the first 2 bolts. I quickly stepped back as the glass exploded in a million tiny little shards. Glass everywhere. Like raining glass particles. I just stood and looked at him. He stood there and his shoulders visably slumped as he stared. Mechanic guy threw up his hands and walked away. In my mind I was thinking "Damn, you really are one of the Stooges reincarnated." Of course I didn't say that.

The point is, I wonder what would happen if we could have said whatever we thought? That project would have been completed much faster and without serious breakage. (That glass is on order and has delayed getting the machine back into service for over a week now.) But I think Engineer guy wouldn't have liked to hear what we were thinking. I like the guy well enough but he definitely needs to stay behind his desk.

It would be a different world if we could just be totally honest all the time. I'm not really sure it would be a better place though.

Too Much Seinfeld?

I just threw away all the Christmas cards from my desk. The ones I got at work. Then I noticed that they were visable in the can. If someone came in and looked down they would see I threw them away.

It reminded me of Seinfeld where he threw away the card his girlfriend sent and she flipped out.

So I covered them up with an old magazine. Now no one can see them in the trash. :)

Happy New Year?

Oh, OK, I guess it is a New Year. My weekend was quiet. Probably boring to a lot of folks. But I needed the peace and quiet. The past year was full of changes, beginnings, personal compromises, questions about me (by me), and other stuff. I was happy for the distraction of quiet.

We had plans with friends that got cancelled. Nicci was supposed to have her son and his girlfriend overnight. She wasn't about to go out and leave two 16 year olds alone for hours and hours. :) Then they decided to hang with her family at the last minute. So we were left alone with no plans. Not a problem.

It was a quiet evening at home for us then but I didn't mind. I sat and wondered for hours about some of the decisions I made last year and where I was headed this year. I guess we all do that sometimes. I sat with Nicci in front of the fire, sipping wine for a while. That was nice. I also managed to learn more of the game World Of Warcraft. I started paying that after Lisa kept asking me to play so she had a friend to play with. Turns out it is pretty cool. I kinda like it.

I came to the realization on New Years that have it pretty good these days. I shouldn't have any complaints. But I find complaints. I wonder what it is that drives people like me to want something different all the time? To always be looking past what is and to constantly want want what could be? "A bird in the hand... etc..." I guess we'll never really know, will we?

So, a New Years resolution? I never make them. Not seriously. (Right Meritt?) But I will this year. I think one thing sums it up. Be happy. I think I'll try and learn to be happy. With whatever I have. Whatever I don't have. Just happy. Don't take things for granted. Don't look past what's in my face. Just be happy.

I'll also try to have more Starbuck's this year. But that's not really much of a challenge, is it? :)