Channelling My Inner Wink

With my prospects work looking rather slim, I've come to the point where I'll try for just about anything. I've actually applied to be a dog groom, I'm a week or two from apply to a carny post on craigslist.

Not all post on craigslist are as bad as the recent carny find. I saw a post asking for a trivia host. If you do not know what this is; it's basically a game show in a bar, the contestant are the patrons. I'd be the one asking questions, keeping track of the score and making sure everyone is having fun. I'd get $40 a night plus $20 in food and drink.

Everyone who I've talked to about this keeps telling me that I would be great at this. Of course, I will have to do a guest host/try out and I am scared to death about it. I know it's only a $40 gig, but we need every cent and I kind of really want this to work. I'd get to ask a fool in front of people and get paid. Then there's that little bit of me that thinks maybe someone will see me and I can be the next host of Tic Tac Dough or Card Sharks. I know that will never happen, but a little bit of me can hope for something like that.

Sexy People

I have to thank former co-worker Chris for this new addiction... sexy people. The entire blog is old photographs that at one point in time were "in style" but now are... I have no idea what they are except AWESOME! I keep going further and further back and the pictures just keep getting better. The picture to the left is not the best, but it gives you an understanding of what you are going to get. Oh sexy people, how have I ever lived without you?

Tedious and Monotonous Week

Ever since my trip with Dante to the lower bowels of hell I have been plagued with tedious and boring tasks that takes up hours of my life. What have I done to deserve this? Will this be part of my future and God is prepping me for a life of data entry?

Friday was a good day till I opened up iTunes and noticed a few exclamation points next to song titles. This is iTunes way of telling you there is something wrong. For some reason, the original file was missing and I had to reconnect it. I connect a couple and remembered that a few other songs had this same problem. after a little digging around I found out that over 500 songs where not connected. The only way to reconnect them was. Click on the song, find the proper band, the proper album and then click the song. The problem occurs with bands with multiple albums and on top of that I have the same song on multiple albums. Barenaked Ladies' Brian Wilson is on 4 albums and three were missing. I lost 4 hours fixing this problem.

Next is the new editing software, I love being able to now edit from the house, but I have to learn the terminology of this system. Of course Sony, Grass Valley, Avid and Apple can't use the same terms, no they have to make it hard. Example; to control the speed of a clip in Sony's Vegas Pro 8 you have to use velocity. Come on Sony, you could not call it speed? There are other such randomness that I am dealing with so I get a little bit of a project done and then I sit for an hour sifting through the manual trying to find a tool then trying to figure out what Sony would call it. I can't wait for the day that I can sit down and "Bang out" a project at normal speed. I'm guessing that will be in a month.

To help make some money down the road and to learn the editing software I am making a video for The Wife. I'm cheap and Valentine's Day is around the corner. The problem is I'm using a lot of pictures and most of the ones I need are from the wedding. If you don't remember we lost almost everything with the great computer fry of aught 7 and I never got around to rescanning all of the wedding pictures. Now I am 40 pictures out 200 that I am scanning. Oh it doesn't stop with the wedding, I have honeymoon pictures and other random fun picts that need to find there way onto the hard drive (Then to be backed up on the external drive and finally onto a flash drive).

I'm hoping this week will have something different, maybe some ninjas or a pirate ghost ship. Who knows something wacky. Who am I kidding, it's going to be script writing for the church with a side of editing frustration. I can't wait till I have to figure out how to crop something... and no the answer is not a ninja sword.

Pain, Frustration and a Five Minute Meeting

I have seen the seventh level of hell, nor shall I ever want to see if again. It's the straight and narrow from here after. I have found this level not on the ethereal plains, but right here on Earth. It has a sidious name... the unemployment office.

I woke up early and got to the closest office and made it there within 10 minutes of the doors opening. I thought to myself that the line couldn't be that long. What I found in side was a mass of humanity that filled the waiting room and at least one other conference room. I was 100th in line, I know I exaggerate at times, but I was literally the 100th person. I thought it was going to be a long wait, but never did I believe that it would take six hours.

The mass of people there was far ranging from the people you would thing would be at the unemployment office, to people in dress clothes to construction guys that all they needed to hear was "you two, come with me I have a mess of dry wall to put up." I was a hybrid in my jeans and a nice pullover. Then there were the extremely strange people, one guy thought it was a great idea to wear a coat that only said one word "Smokers." Not that bad, it I saw the back with a giant blunt on it. Then he was called into an office for an interview. Another guy had skulls with knives through them all over a jacket.

After listening to all of Bill Simmons podcast, I was three hours into my wait and everyone in the conference room started talking. Most of us came in around the same time and a few of the newer guys (I am in this group) wondered if this is normal. The pro in the group a former mechanic Mack was a hold over from the day before.

he room of people all had the same look, frustration, boredom and lack of hope. Except when someone would pick up a clip board and would start to say a name. All you can do is pray "please say J Dog, please say J Dog." Alas 99 times I was thrown down to the canvass and had to pull myself up. "Maybe next time."

Finally I was called and brought back to a little cubicle where I feared two things:

1. They couldn't help me and I wasted a day.
2. I forgot some paper work and had to come back tomorrow.

fortune smiled on this beleaguered soul and I got an answer. It appears that who ever told me that I could start filing my claims could not read a calender. It starts this weekend not last. There were some other clerical errors that were fixed and I turned in a direct deposit slip so the trip wasn't for not.

Hopefully I will not have to go back to that office. For my sake I hope I can stay away. I do have a plan. Get there round the same time, check in, wait 10 minutes, leave, eat something, sleep and come back three hours later.

Return to Being Lost

Since December 9th I've not had a lot to look forward to. I know the baby is a big thing and I can't wait for it, but there's a lot of worry and dread with that as well. Then you have the one thing I have been looking forward towards... Lost.


The most confusing yet most awesome show on TV has returned for a 5th year and all I have to say is, I have no idea what is happening but it's FREAKING AWESOME! The two things I have figured out is that part of the Oceanic 6 has realized that they have to return to the island... how... no one knows. Second is Hurley is the only honest and probably good thing in the show.


Let me start with that last statement, Hurly is good. The show is not bad, just everyone else in the show... even to a point the island. We find out that Hurley has always wanted to tell the truth about what happened. The innocence he has makes me wonder if he is the key to the island. Everyone has secrets, except Hurley. That's the key.


I thought it was interesting that all of the Oceanic 6 are now in LA. The island is calling yet will everyone pick up. The hardest problem Ben will have to get everyone back is two people Sun and Hurley. Hurley just turned himself over to the police but that won't be the hardest thing. How about the fact that Widmore and Sun are conspiring to kill Ben. This will make everything complicated.


I'm trying to figure out what is going on with the island. I guess it's not only changing locations it is also changing time. The first part I understood to a point. Then all of the sudden they are in WWII. I guess this explains the polar bear bones that were found in the dessert but besides that I have no idea what is going on.


Then at the end of the episode you have Ms Hawkings at a computer trying to find the island. If you do not remember Ms Hawkings, she's the lady from the Desmond episode where he is back in England after the hatch goes boom. So this means she's real and a computer whiz?


In the preview episode the producers kept talking about this season we will be seeing answers. Unless I've been so confused by Lost for so long I never saw an answer just more confusion. On to the randomness:


Favorite line: "Sayid has crazy ninja moves."


I never thought that a hot pocket could be used as a weapon. I guess Jim Gaffigan will have more material.


Charlotte is about to have her brain explode


I was worried that Desmond would not be on the show any more, but he is the constant.


Ummmm is Locke not dead?


Who doesn't heart Shis Tzus?

Where the hell did Vincent come from? I never saw him in the beginning of the show then all of the sudden there he is.

Lost law: If you start yelling during freak out and you are an ancillary character you will die in some ironic way... thank you Frogurt.

Wait a second how does Sawyer know about Frogurts?

What is This Stuff?

Are the gods angry? Why do they send white flecks from the sky? Do we need to sacrifice something? Wait a second... I lived in Ohio for most of my life, I think I've seen this before. I think they call it snall... no bwall... that's not right sn-ow? Yeah, snow!

The weather guys actually got the weather right for once and we currently have two to three inches of snow and to be honest, it feels strange. I moved here to get away from all this. Then again, I don't have to work in it... WOO HOO! So, The Wife and I are going to hang out and watch movies all day. For me that's not a lot of deviation, but for her it will be a nice change of pace.

One thing about the snow I was not foresure about was Lucy. How would she deal with it? She loves it, she has been outside for most of the morning. We keep bringing her in, but within minutes she is at the door wanting to go back out.

I've seen people here freak out over the threat of snow, I can only imagine what the roads and stores look like. I'm envisioning Mad Mad with a little bit of snow.

Ash-tastic

Musically I'm a little off of center, I'm not as diverse as friends like Gianluige or DJL, but my presets are not any of the local top 40 stations. With that said my favorite band is the Downpatrick, Ireland band Ash. Most of the people I know or 99 per cent of the US readers have never heard of Ash. They are one of those bands that when people hear them they generally like what they hear, but American radio won't play them. So I've given up on hopes that America will know the awesomeness of Ash.

Then I go to a Carolina Hurricanes game, and I started to think the PA guy stole my iPod. Then I was scared because I heard the opening riff of Burn Baby Burn. I squealed "That's Ash!" The guy I was with looked at me strange, but honestly I get that look a lot from him. I sing along and I am in a good mood even though the Canes choked the game away... TWICE!

Then today I'm wasting time away on the computer during the crapfest known as the NFC title game. I hear something from the TV, it looks like a NASCAR commercial with a song I know. It's World Domination off of the Free All Angels album.

Did I miss something? The band has been around for over 15 years and are now getting played in commercials? I don't know how to feel about this; I mean they finally are getting some recognition, but still it's a NASCAR commercial. Who knows, they still are my favorite band.

A Sign the Economy is Not Turning Around

Holy Crap, the town of Wake Forest is being sold!

Baby Names

While eating lunch today we were trying to come up with baby names. We have the girl named set, but we are having massive problems just trying to think of a good boy name. Nothing sounds right or The Wife just hates my names, so here is a few rejected/could reconsider names;

• Isaac
• Alex
• Gandolf
• Robert
• Lando
• Nieman
• Dillon
• Jim
• Awesome
• John
• Hambone McGee
• Gibbs
• Dwight
• Micheal

A decent list, but then I came up with a name that currently leads the pack Logan. To be honest it technically breaks one of my rules for a name, can't name a child after a place. I'll make an exception on this one. Then The Wife out smarted me and figured out where I got the name Logan, or should I say WOLVERINE!!!!! Still she is OK with it, till I came up with a middle name, Bruce.

At this moment I know Wilson just spewed Coke Zero all over his monitor and keyboard, because there is only one Bruce. Ole Bruce Campbell and yet The Wife kind of likes the name. I could be in geek heaven here. I even mentioned if it's a girl we could have the middle name be Ashley. She gave me a look of confusion, yet she could tell it was going somewhere. Ashley is Bruce Campbell's character name in Army of Darkness... get it Ash is really Ashley. That didn't fly over as well, but I think I can wear her out.

Then again I am asking for help, I have the feeling once the family reads this that those names will go out the window like Satchel. I am asking for names, leave them in the comments and if you can tell us where the name came from. Remember the front runners are currently Dillion and Logan.

Your Mom is Organic

The Wife and I went to Jason's Deli a nice little place to eat and I started to notice all the organic signs and then some signs that made me laugh. First was Vegetarian Vegetable Soup, I know it can be made with beef broth but that just made me laugh, you would never see carnivore steak salad. They had little symbols on the menu to denote vegitarian meals, why not just add that next to the soup instead. Then I saw the sign to the left; organic condiments, really organic mustard? I am getting tired of the green organic thing.

Back during the Adkins diet fad, I was walking down the condiment isle and I saw "no carbs" mustard. I thought to myself, "Mustard has Carbs?" I looked on the back and it said zero carbs. Then I grabbed the same brand that did not say no carbs. Guess what I found, NO CARBS! It cost you an extra fifty cents for no carbs label.

I know the hippies say organic taste soooo much better, granted it may but it's freaking mustard! how much better is it going to be? I don't feel like paying extra just to know that my mustard seeds were raised by hippies. I can't wait for this fad to die down, let me have my genetically enhanced mustard seeds with my toxic distilled vinegar.

Jane Get Me Off This Crazy Thing

I am tired of this roller coaster I have been on. The ups have not been that big and the downs are taking the wind out of me. Yesterday I got my COBRA packet from Benesyst and we are only going to have The Wife covered because we are not eligible for Medicaid. I call and find out how this works and to get a payment total. If we both get covered it's $810 just for medical yet if it's just The Wife the bill drops to $392. We can hopefully pay for that.

On the form, I owe from 12/22/08 and I needed a price for January and those last 9 days of December. I ask how much I owe and I was shocked. Even though medical was taken out of my last check in December I still have to pay the entire month for a lovely total of $784. How am I suppose to pay that and continue to pay bills? I kept asking why I had to pay a full month and all I got was silence and the statement "It's notning personal." No, it's just greed.

Sitting beneath all my Benesyst information is another packet... my 401K. I haven't opened it yet, but there has to be at least $8000 in my account. The smart move is to put it away and not deal with it because the penalties are going to kill us, then again, we need the money. That could pay a few months of insurance and payoff a few bills. I could even pay off both cars and we could save over $400 a month.

I keep hearing how we are heading towards simpler times, in my mind things have become more complex and will never be simpler. I know The Mother keeps telling me we will get through this and God will never put more on my plate than I can handle, but seriously I think the plate is full right now. So God put that ladle down and let me get through this batch before you plop down some more hurt.

Job Search

In the short term the ad agency I signed with is not working out... the long run it still could be good, but I need some cash flow. I went onto craigslist and started looking around for some work. From time to time they have some decent projects, other times crap or nothing. I've seen listings wanting people to shoot and edit a video for $100, oh yeah and use your own equipment, fat chance. While looking around I found a posting in Chapel Hill for production company needing a part time editor. I can edit, I know Final Cut to a point then I see something that makes me wonder.

Must be comfortable with Adult content.

Obviously you know where my mind went... knock knock, who's there? PORN! I know Wilson is probably going to call me and tell me to take it, but I don't know if I could work in the porn industry. In fact I know I couldn't (stupid moral upbringing and beliefs). Then again maybe adult content just means blood and gore with an occasional boob shot. I think I could do that, I've seen enough of that in movies. I did shoot them an email with a resume and asked them about the adult content. Still I'm not optimistic.... who am I kidding, it has to be porn.

Leather Coat

For some reason, my family loves leather coats... why I have no idea but we all have one. I have not worn mine since we moved to North Carolina. The reason is it's not that cold and when it is, it was easier just to grab my Columbia winter coat from the work truck.

Yesterday I had a meeting with a guy for some freelance work and I was dressed in a button down shirt and slacks. My Columbia jacket wasn't quit right so I broke out the leather jacket. I looked good and if felt good to wear it. To be honest it felt good not wearing the same pair of jeans for three straight days.

I'm going to keep the leather jacket out. We are having a cold spell (high of 30s) and I need to "bundle" up a little. Maybe I'll wear slacks every day... nah, I'll go back to the jeans.

Naked Baby Photos

Well, technically the baby is naked because I don't think Baby Gap has figured a way to make and market unborn baby clothes. We went in today for another check up and this time the little guy (I'm using the make pronouns for no real reason... still too early to tell the sex) and with the ultrasound we got to see him go all nimbly bimbly kicking and swinging his arms and legs. It was a pretty cool sight to see. He's only an inch and a half long, but he's starting to look like a baby.

OK I promise the next few post will not be baby related.

Bad and Good Day

I woke up today feeling pretty good, then 20 minutes later I was rushing The Wife to the doctor. She started bleeding and all of the sudden large blood clots started to come along. She was fearing a miscarriage and I went into freaked out control mode, everything was slowing down, but inside I was freaking out. I calmly get her ready as I got dressed.

I flew down the highway towards Raleigh as The Wife makes an appointment. We are fearing the worst and I have never prayed so much in my life. I finally got to the point where I was ready to be a father.

Then I started to think about the last 30 days and I don't think I could handle any more bad news. I was feeling like Job and I don't think I could handle much more.

We get back to the ultrasound room and the doctor starts doing her thing and she is showing us the water sack... we can't see anything and The Wife starts to cry. She starts moving around in there and the next thing you see is this little blip on the screen. She makes it larger and we are still having a baby. We even saw the heart beat. We both cried with joy and relief. You can see The Baby in the picture and we are so excited.

There is one problem though, The Wife is now high risk for a miscarriage and has to take it easy. For the next three days she has to have her feet above her heart and can't do anything. I'm not even allowing her to get up to change the DVD. We have three more weeks until we hit the second trimester and even then things could go wrong. Hey, it wouldn't be us if it was easy. I'll take the hard way as long as the baby is fine.