Weekend recap

Finished Catch-22. Don't think it ends up in my top 5 but it's really good. I understand a little better the comparisons to The Catcher in the Rye. The whole Holden-Yossarian fight, escape from, rebellion against authority. Especially the escape from part. When I first read Catcher, it made me want to run away from junior high. Now I want to run away from work.

Now reading A Fine Balance. Randomly picked it up at the library. My review so far is that it has to do with India.

Bought a new couch (two living room house = two couches). Also some new pots and pans. I was hoping they would cook the meal automatically but so far no luck.

At the mall, saw a co-worker. I knew her name but don't know anything else about her. It's weird seeing someone from work outside work. I thought my co-workers just stayed in their cubes, to be there whenever I come in in the morning.

when will the slurs against illiterate cave dwellers stop?

Funny story in the Seattle P-I. If you can't call potential jurors "illiterate cave dwellers" (especially when they are in Kentucky) what can you call them? I don't guess any illiterate cave dwellers will complain about being compared to people in Kentucky.

Everyone hoping for a Cubs-Red Sox series and we get the damn Yankees again. Go Fish!

My knees hurt from running and lifting and climbing stairs and I want to go home.

another day

Another undignified death.

I hate doing dishes. I wish I could post a picture of the sink. Not a pretty sight. I have a dishwasher. It's not like I have to take the dishes down to the river and pound them on rocks to get them clean.

Catch-22 is becoming one of my new favorite books.

Favorite books:
1. The Sun Also Rises
2. Catcher in the Rye
3. The Shining
4. Their Eyes Were Watching God
5. Who Moved My Cheese?

Glad I didn't vote

How do people like Cheney keep getting jobs? Kind of makes you ill when you realize Bush/Cheney is just a front for oil companies and defense contractors.

On the other hand, you could have voted for Gore/Lieberman. I actually think a campaign based on just really simplistic answers would probably do very well. I don't know if it would win the Presidency, but it could do better than Nader did.

Every leaf in my neighborhood ended up in my pool this morning. I don't even have a tree in my backyard. Anyone need mulch?

Reading Catch-22. Kind of ashamed that I hadn't read it before. I've laughed out loud several times. Interesting that Amazon.com suggests The Catcher in the Rye to go with it. I've read Catcher several times and so far wouldn't put them together. Maybe that's me.

I'm feeling quite overwhelmed at work. Too many projects with too many meetings. Yuck!

Interesting article at Salon.com (subscription or day pass required to see the whole thing--go for the day pass, it's cheap!). Excerpts from Enron employees' emails. Quite entertaining! Also shows Rep. Tom DeLay in a negative light. (Warning: link may contain propaganda-type substance) .

Lazy and good for nothing...

So, I don't update on weekends. I'm lazy, so what. This weekend was a pretty typical lay around the house type of weekend. Did install a new light for over the kitchen table. I hate electricity. I should be Amish. Probably would except for the booze and motorcycles and computers.

UT pissed me off. What else is new?

Do the crime, do the time or...

Funny story in the Chronicle. There's probably a level of Hell reserved for me and my laughing at unfortunate death. I can't help it.

Stop feeling sorry for yourself

Sometime ago I wrote about not liking sick people. Pet peeve #2: People who feel sorry for themselves. We all do it at times but I don't want to be around somebody else when they are in that mood. My instincts just want to shake them, and tell them to snap the hell out of it. You big baby!

So Annoying!

My socks were all wrinkled up in my shoe. Nothing like taking your shoes off at work to straighten out your socks.

I tried increasing the intensity of my run this morning but I am such a wuss that I gave up right at the end. So I ran an 8 minute mile at a 1% incline for 25 minutes. Then I tried to increase it to a 7 1/2 m. mile for the last five minutes. I lasted 2. So sad. Next Tuesday I will start at the 7 1/2 m. mile. NO STOPPING!!!

Why don't they ban 18wheelers from the roads during rush hour. Say from 7-8:30 am and then from 5-6:30 pm? Seems like a good idea to me.

Still reading The Dark Bride. It's a fictional account of a journalist researching the story of a Columbian prostitute and her village. So far (chapter 31 right now), it seems like there is so much that one can take away from the stories that each person tells in the book. I'm trying to take in as much as I can. Once i've finished i'll decide what i want from it.

Heard on the radio this morning on the way back from the gym, that Larry Flynt got over 6000 votes in the CA recall election. The announcer said 6669, but that seems like a made up number.

Is it bad that I can't remember the last time I used a comb or an iron?

Why no subway?and I don't mean sandwich shops: Big debate in Houston about Metro, light rail and building more highways. I think building more highways will fail. Look how crowded Beltway 8 is now. A few years ago it was wide open. Now it's as bad as 610. Why is Dallas the only city in Texas with mass transit that involves more than buses or an HOV lane?

Last night just watched baseball and football. Living on the west coast was so nice for watching sports. Monday Night Football games were over by 10. I've only watched one complete MNF game since moving to Texas.

Working out is getting a habit. I think you have to do something for 6 weeks for it to be a habit (maybe it's 2 weeks). I keep getting better at lifting and running longer/faster. I can hear the scientists talking about how they can build me "Better, Stronger, Faster".

Finished Angela's Ashes. Now am reading The Dark Bride. I think by reading Affluenza, Angela's Ashes, and now The Dark Bride, I will fully understand and appreciate how blessed I am. And maybe even take steps to reduce my lifestyle and realize I don't need the latest gadgets or the most expensive this or that to be happy. Maybe.

Never tried an Irish Car Bomb (and don't really like the name) but I think it's my new favorite drink.

Early review of Angela's Ashes: So far, heartbreaking. However, I wish I had the opportunity to walk down to the pub and get a pint of Guinness whenever I want.

Top 5 beers that i've had:
1. Guinness
2. Pyramid Apricot Ale
3. Rogue Beer Dead Guy Ale
4. Redhook Nut Brown Ale
5. Bass Pale Ale
5a. Black and Tan (Bass + Guinness)

Why don't they sue the shark?This family (and their lawyer) just moved lawyers back to the top of the list for worst profession.

Interesting article in Slate that relates to my thoughts on Affluenza. Why would I buy something because I'm lonely? Wouldn't I be less lonely if I met somebody or talked to my family? Marketers are evil geniuses. I used to think lawyers were the worst profession. Now I think they are second to marketers.

Houston is a great city. So many wonderful and interesting, intelligent people. Read about 2 of them here.

now i'm reading Angela's Ashes. I guess by "reading" means I have it and will begin reading it later today at lunch. So no early analysis or review.

I did finish Affluenza. The ending of the book got a little too preachy. Almost the entire book is preachy, but the ending was more so. However, the book really made me think about what's important in my life and maybe how I can change things.

I don't read the magazine but the Men's Fitness website is pretty cool. Only 3 years of lifting at the gym for 5 hours a day and you can look like the guys in the mag. I was looking for some help with my gym routine.

And now for something completely different...I haven't seen the t.v. show Paradise Hotel, but there is a cool article on Salon.com about one of the members. Makes it seem interesting. (note: you have to watch the stupid ads at Salon in order to get the premium day pass to read the whole article.)

Right. Going to the gym has become routine. The gym is Powerhouse Gym. They have a really crappy website. You probably shouldn't go to it. The gym itself is ok. Nothing big or fancy, but at 5am it's pretty empty. In Seattle I went to PRO Sports. Awesome club. About 5 times as expensive as Powerhouse, but it had everything in spades. If you're in Seattle (technically Bellevue) I recommend Pro Sports.

Still reading Affluenza. Thinking about my life too. No decisions yet.

The word "plantation" has a negative connotation to me. Is that a "me thing" or a "society thing"?

Ok, ok. I slacked off this weekend (blog-wise that is). I actually spent the weekend refinishing a china cabinet. Inhaled too much paint stripper, sawdust, and paint fumes this weekend.

Now reading Affluenza.
Basically it talks about how Americans made (make, are making) a choice to have more things rather than more time or relationships. The book describes how at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, social scientists predicted that people would work only 3 hours a day and still have all their needs met. Until the 1960's, social scientists were predicting the same thing. (I think they've given up by now). The reason we are not all working 3 hours a day is because we would rather have 3000 square foot houses, Air Jordans, Happy Meals and a new SUV every 2 years. Television is to blame. We cannot resist it's non-stop advertising.

In the Army, I was making less than $20,000 a year. I wasn't thrilled with my standard of living but all my needs were being met. I had clothes, food, a house (rental, but still) a car (ford escort, but still) and still was able to go to the movies or out to eat once in a while. Now I make over $50K. I'm still not thrilled with my standard of living. I want the newest, most expensive Harley. I want a digital camera, scanner and high-speed wireless internet. I want a new guitar. If I got those things, I would want something else I know. Depressing. I'm re-evaluating my life.