Quick Update About My Silence

Wow, yesterday was a busy day! I kept trying to get on here to jot down some thoughts for the blog, but between meetings, paperwork, and GenCon prep, it totally got lost in the shuffle. However, I HAVE put up some of my Must See items at the Geeking in Indiana blog on what I’m doing this weekend, so you might want to pop over there and check it out.

In fact, that’s where I’m going to be the most active this weekend. I’m going to be heading downtown Friday and Saturday, immersing myself in the convention, trying games, meeting people, doing social media events, and just generally having fun and losing myself in the geekdom.

And Sunday will be the day of rest, laundry, and figuring out what to do with everything in my head from GenCon. Mostly everything will end up on Geeking, but I’m definitely going to put some highlights up on here on Monday.

Well, because of a short day today, and a lot going on, this’ll be it for this week. You guys are awesome, and I appreciate everybody visiting my little sliver of the internet.

High fives all around!
Tony

So Many Posts, So Many Views, So Much Anxiety

Sometimes, you start doing something just to see if you can do it. For some people, this is running a marathon, or trying to climb Mount Everest. For me, it was starting this blog.

In case you can’t tell, I’m not a writer. I was never good at writing papers in school, I have no concept of sentence structure, I forget the difference between a noun and a verb, and yet here I am, still at my keyboard at work, putting, well, I want to say words on paper, but not quite that. Text on Microsoft Word 2007, perhaps. Either way, I’m still doing it.

Why?

I guess I’m enjoying it. I mean, since I started the blog with the first post on September 25, 2011, I’ve written 185 posts (this will be 186.) I’ve been viewed 4191 times, with an average day pulling in about 25-30 views.

This. Blows. My. Frakkin’. MIND!

Honestly, I sit down at my computer at work in the morning, get my morning job duties done, pull up my “Blog Postings” file, and just start typing thoughts down until I think I’ve put down enough, then I copy and paste it into Blogger, perhaps attach some tags, give it a title, then post it, tweet it, and forget about it. I don’t care about SEO, ABC, CBS, or whatever acronym the social media/blogging “experts” like throwing around. I just write whatever simmers to the surface of my brain, tweet it, and forget it. And somehow, I have people that read this.

Not only do I have this, but I also have a blog for my family on Wordpress, and a local Geek Blog also hosted on Blogger. Those blogs also get a few hits, but the Family Blog is kind of on hiatus since, well, I currently have no family, and the Geek Blog will probably get a small influx of people due to GenCon this week, and then will probably calm back down.

This blog, though, seems to be consistent. I find this weird, since it’s more of a “train of thought” blog than one focusing on one single subject. It’s more of a journal, either describing my day, or going off on a tangent or subject that’s on my mind. My top posts talk about the lack of a Comic Con in Indianapolis and issues with neighbors while living in apartments, but I still get more readers on posts concerning my daily activities than I have members of my family that have an internet connection and/or this blog address.

Having some actual readers gives me a small sense of anxiety. Have I already written about this before? Is what I’m putting down making sense? Is it easy to find old postings, if someone wants to refer back to something? Is the posting too long? How about too short? These are the thoughts that go through my head.

And then I get distracted by something flashy on the TV, and consider the post done.

See you tomorrow.
Tony

Monday Mess

And it’s the beginning of another week, and it’s starting out REALLY busy.

At work, I’ve got a new training class, I’ve got a reporting meeting all morning, I’ve got a position that I’m putting a resume in for a different position at the old Place That Pays The Bills, so hopefully it will be able to pay ALL the bills. If not, then I’m going to have to search for someplace that WILL pay all the bills!

After work, I believe we’re having our first face to face planning meeting for Pie Wars 2012, so I’m heading down to that. After the meeting, it’s grocery shopping time, as I am COMPLETELY out of groceries. I’m so completely out of groceries, I’m living off coffee and water today at work. Anyway, once that is done, then it’s dinner time, and then hopefully I’ll be able to get some walking in. Of course, I always say that, but maybe for once, I’ll be able to do it.

Oh, and for those who were curious, I won’t be hitting Dig Indiana 2012. Heck, I haven’t even received the tickets for GenCon yet, so who knows about that? Oh well, I’m still thinking that I’m going. I trust the person who said they were sending them.

Apartment/rental home hunting is still in effect. I’ve found a couple that I might be interested in, that are in my price range, but they are asking 3X the rent in TAKE HOME. In other words, it doesn’t matter how much I MAKE, if after taxes and insurance I’m not bringing home $1800 a month, then I’m not even considered. Now, I understand that they are a PRIVATE party, and they need to do what they can to keep from getting ripped off by their tenants, but seriously? If I’m walking in from an apartment with higher rent that I’ve had, in good standing, for over two years, to someplace with lower rent, what makes them think I’m going to not be able to pay? I just… wow. I just don’t know. It just makes me glad that I have a few months to look, as opposed to a few weeks.

Past that, I’m hoping to have a good week. My GOAL is to hit a treadmill, or just the streets, to walk 5K a couple nights every week. I figure, I need to give myself a tangible goal. I’m sure C25K is great, but it’s just not working for me, especially the whole “running” thing. So, I’m going to walk, I’m going to lose weight, I’m going to walk faster, I’m going to get in better shape, then I’m going to start to jog. The thing is, with these knees that I’ve written about before, I need to drop some weight before I really stress them out, or else this is all going to end before it’s even begun. However, even with the little I’ve done the last few weeks, between that and watching what I eat when I DO eat, I’m finally below 260 lbs again.

Every little bit.

I’ll see you tomorrow, when I can hopefully put some coherent thoughts together.
Tony

Let Me Be A Gastronaut!

Have you heard of Dig Indiana at White River State Park? It’s a taste of local goodies! It has food and drink, fellowship and music, not to mention education about local food and pairing food and drink. It’s being held in a few weeks, on Sunday, August  26^th from Noon to 5PM, and I really want to go.

Oh ho! I don’t just want to go, though! I want to tell everybody about the experience! Dig Indiana is having a contest to allow two lucky people to get VIP Tickets, Dig Indiana gear, and a chance to cover the event as a Gastronaut! I really think that this looks to be a lot of fun! Now, what does a Gastronaut DO, you might ask? Well, according to the contest site, the responsibilities of a Gastronaut are:

• Tweet (#DigIN12) about your experience at Dig IN.
• Help share blog posts about Dig IN with your friends and followers leading up to the event.
• Help share info about giveaways for tickets, Dig IN gear, Dig IN pint and wine glasses and other great stuff.

All right, that’s good stuff! I could do this. Seriously, let’s take a look at the list:

·         Tweet about the experience? Heck, I can tweet, post photos, check in to FourSquare, even tell my Circles on Google +. Plus, I can go all day, since my Evo has a replaceable battery, and I always carry fully charged spares with me! It’ll be the same way I cover GenCon for Geeking In Indiana!

·         Blog posts? More than happy to! If I’m willing to post on my blog about how I want to be a Gastronaut, I’m MORE than willing to do blog posts talking up the event! I’m sure my 25 hits a day would, well, never mind how many hits I get! I’ll do it!

·         Giveaways? I LOVE giveaways! I love doing giveaways! I wish I had stuff to give away for my blogs! This I can do!

Frankly, I really want to do this because it looks like a lot of fun, and I’m really starting to pay closer attention to what’s going on locally. I like being able to share fun things, too.

I’m not sure this blog post will even be read, I’m just hoping that they are willing to give me a chance!

Wish me luck!
@tokarrai

Trick Knees

I am sore this morning. Sadly, it’s not from any workout or physical activity.

Yeah, I hurt myself doing laundry.

I have trick knees. The tendon that is supposed to be growing down the middle of the kneecap is actually growing down the outside edge of the kneecap. It came from a growth spurt when I was younger, and the muscles on the outside of the knee were stronger than the muscles on the inside of the knee, so they pulled the tendons outward.

At least, this is what I recall from the doctor back around 1989. I was in middle school and in a lot of pain at the time, so my “facts” could be a little skewed. You see, the problem with these tendons being in the wrong place is, well, essentially my kneecap doesn’t stay in place. It gets pulled to the side, and the bones go out of whack, and essential parts rip, and I hear a loud cracking sound, and I’m going to shut up now because just thinking about it is making the knee throb. In fact, I was going to Google up some more precise information, but just looking at the pictures in the search results made me cringe.

Anyway, the first time this happened was playing dodgeball in middle school. I heard a loud pop/snap, my left knee was in pain, didn’t hold weight, and I went down. Being a wimpy dork who never really was big on gym class in the first place, the substitutes for the class just had me sit and not worry about it. Luckily, the NEXT time it happened, a few months later during Volleyball “Bumping” tests, the actual gym teacher/wrestling coach/trained physical therapist was there, and knew exactly what happened. That’s when I was pulled out of class, had my parents called, and brought to the doctor for X-Rays and what not.

There was no real surgery or anything, just exercises. At the time, I was told that surgery MIGHT fix the problem, but the odds were just as good that it wouldn’t, and could be worse, so we didn’t worry about it. I would just be careful, wear a brace on the left knee, and live with it.

I had minor problems through school, including some pretty bad incidents like having it pop out while running down a steep hill, but one of the worst was when I found out BOTH knees had the problem. It was the first official day of track practice my senior year, and we were running a hard 100 to cool down. I had to run with two distance runners, which was a joke since I did shotput and discus, and even those I didn’t do very well. I mainly did it to get into shape for summer camp. Anyway, I was actually almost beating one of the distance runners when I crossed the finish line, started trying to stop using my “good” leg, and CRACK! The snap was heard by the coach 10 feet away, I slid down the track, and I learned my right knee was also giving me a world of hurt. It was swollen to twice its size for a few weeks, wouldn’t hold any weight for a month, and my track experience came to a quick, painful end.

I am very careful these days, but it will just randomly give me issues. It caused me to miss Further Fest and most of Horde Fest in the summer of 1998. Almost every time I move apartments, I have it either slightly pop out, or drastically pop out of socket. That time it happened when I was stepping off the tailgate to my old Dodge Dakota was the worst. Wow.

So, this is always my major fear when I’m on a treadmill, walking, or doing leg exercises. Plus, it’s a constant worry when I’m playing with the Geekling. What if it goes out when I’m carrying her on my shoulders? No, I don’t let these worries STOP me from playing with her, but it does go through my head.

Which leads us to last night. I was home, I was fed, and I was starting some laundry before getting ready to go outside for a walk/shuffling jog. I picked up the laundry basket, turned from the bed to the bedroom door, and POP! I’m down. That kinda put a damper on my evening.

So if you ever see me tweeting about my knees bending the wrong way, or anything like that, now you know what’s going on.

Til tomorrow,
Tony

Apartment Hunting Time

I woke up this morning, did my morning routine, checked my bow tie, and walked out the door. Taped to the door was a note from my apartment complex telling me that, if I choose to renew my lease, it will be a $50 increase for 12 months, $44 increase for 13 months, $40 increase for 15 months, and $154 increase if I go month to month. This is on top of the increase I paid when I extended my lease back in 2011, which was another $30-$40. Oh, and watch out! This offer EXPIRES on 10/27/2012, just mere days before my lease is up October 31^st. I wasn’t really planning on extending my lease, but this just cements it.

One issue that comes up while apartment hunting, though, is my proximity to my workplace. My office is currently located at Keystone Crossing, that office complex behind the Fashion Mall. However, they are moving in a few months, and they have YET to tell us where they are moving to. I have a feeling they’re looking to the North West corner of 465, but I have yet to get any confirmation.

I have raised this subject up on The Twitter today, mentioning that I’m looking for someplace new to live. And, once again, The Indy Twitter People are jumping in on this. What side of town am I looking at? How many bedrooms? What price? Is the Geekling in school?

Indy Twitter People are awesome.

Anyway, here’s what I’m looking for.

·         Price: $600 or less

·         Side of Town: Not really anything below I-70.

·         House or apartment? Yes

·         Safe neighborhood, family and specifically child friendly.

·         At least 2 bed/2 bath. More bedrooms = more money, so I can live without an extra guest room/office.

·         Oh, my credit is lousy while my rental history is stellar.

Anything on top of that is icing on the cake.

Before I wrap up this wish list, I would like to thank @BenRisinger, @that_girl_lola, @AWishin and @matthew_conroy for jumping in with advice and information on houses and apartments in their areas. Plus a shout out to @slicklaroo and @Cantplaypiano for being cheerleaders for the East Side and the North Side, respectively. And that’s just the people who jumped in this morning.

You guys are great,
Tony

Another Fun Day, That's Monday!

Good day, everybody! How are you all, today? I know I’ve got a shaved head, a shaved face, a new bow tie, and I’ve had to hit the ground running this morning, so I’m doing okay.

Except for that whole hit the ground running while wearing Chuck Taylors. I don’t know how David Tennant did it.

So, Saturday morning I did Day One of Couch to 5K, a program designed to get yer arse off the couch and moving. When I say I did it, what I mean to say is I did a good job on the walking parts, but the running was a slow, plodding shuffle that, even in 60 second stretches, kicked my arse. Even with the limited amount of running/jogging they had you do, I still couldn’t do all the sections, so this evening, I’ll be repeating Day One. However, I will not be doing it in my Chuck Taylors.

I was doing this, and some bike riding, out at my parent’s house near the Henry/Hancock County line. The roads on the Henry County side are horrible. I have ridden on trails, and walked on Boy Scout Camp roads that are in better shape. My bike just couldn’t handle the cracks and potholes, and I had to turn around after only ¾ of a mile. Then, when I went to do the walk/run, I almost turned an ankle a couple of times on the uneven pavement. Needless to say, from now on, if I’m house sitting for them, I’m going to stick to swimming.

Either that, or I’m going to buy them a treadmill and stationary bike.

I need to do some major time budgeting this week to start getting everything done. I NEED to get content posted and the Geeking In Indiana site up by this coming weekend, as GenCon is next week. Thanks to the Doing Indy blog, I have a pair of 1 Day passes to the party. If Shannon can make it back by then, and we can find a sitter for The Geekling, then we’ll hit Saturday. If not, I’ll be hitting Saturday and Sunday covering it completely for the blog. I’ll be trying to get some video for the YouTube channel, and some actual audio clips, along with a lot of pics for the album. I figure it’ll be a nice BANG to get the site back up and running.

Other than that, the goal is to exercise more this week than I did last week, which was two days. However, I am down 6 pounds just by watching what I’m eating, so I guess I’ve got that going for me.

I’ll bug you all tomorrow. Have a great day!
Tony

Friday Wrap-Up

Good morning, peoples! It’s Friday! Friday!

Yeah, I know there’s probably some really weak sauce YouTube song floating around in there somewhere, but I never listen to it or watched the video.

It’s been another week of bachelorhood. Exercise, diet, working on putting articles back on Geeking in Indiana, those have been the things keeping me busy. I’m down 4 lbs this week, so I’ve got that going for me, too. No celebratory donuts, please.

I have a new goal with my Library Card/eReader, and that is to go through the Library of Congress list of the 88 Books That Shaped America. This was brought to my attention by my friend, world record bell ringer, and sometimes marathon finisher Leilan McNally, who posted the list on his Hyper Monkey Media blog. This has given me a goal to check out these books, even if I’ve read them before. The ONE exception might be “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald, since I just read that last fall. Check that, two exceptions, as I read “The Cat in the Hat” to the Geekling fairly regularly.

Personally, I feel “Hop on Pop” is a book that’s shaped America better than “Cat in the Hat” but I’m not a scholar with the Library of Congress, I’m just a sub-par blogger.

So anyway, before I wish you all a good weekend, I’d like to express some disappointment. As of 9:55AM on this Friday the 3^rd of August, my post griping about apartment neighbors has had 52 views, my post griping about customer entitlement has garnered 31 views, and yet my post talking about some GOOD neighbor experiences in apartments has only garnered 13 views.

Internet: STOP REWARDING NEGATIVITY!

You know, says the guy who put it out there in the first place.

Have a great weekend, everybody. I’ll see you Monday.

Tony

Apartment Living, Something Decent

The last couple of days, I’ve had some real ranting postings, so I wanted to switch it over a bit.

Apartment living isn’t totally bad. Sometimes you end up with some really awesome neighbors, a great office staff, and people who care about the community.

There was once an apartment we spent a few years in, actually renewing the lease a few times before we got the aforementioned spoiled brat that played “Scarface” at full blast late at night, all through the night, right below our bedroom. Oh, and I can confirm he was a spoiled brat from his attitude when trying to deal with him, and confirmed by one of Shannon’s co-workers who had gone to school with him. He was a son of a local car dealer, one of those with the really annoying commercials, and his parents paid for EVERYTHING, including his rent. Anyway.

Up until that point, we had some great neighbors there, though. People who would trust us with their apartment key while they were gone to go feed their fish. People that we would loan tools to, and help out with problems, and talk with, and just be communal with. If the music was a little loud, we worked with each other to find the good volume. If Shannon was at work, and I was asleep in the middle of the day (I worked thirds at the time) and someone slight bass was going through the wall, I just slept right through it. If one of us was having a lot of friends over, we’d warn the others, not just because of the noise, but the parking. We tried to watch out for each other as much as we could.

Unfortunately, this was just one small experience in many years of renting. It could have ended up totally different if we had a communal laundry area, too, but I doubt it. They were just some decent people. However, in any apartment, people come, and people go, and thus we went.

And thus I go.
Tony

Customer Entitlement, The Customer Is Not Always Right

As many of you know, I used to work retail. I have worked a lot of retail. I have worked in positions ranging from overnight to early morning stocking, to sales floor, to register, to management. I have known the madhouse that is Black Friday from the salesperson standpoint. I have known the wrath of a customer who is upset because they can’t return their DVD or CD after they ripped a copy and tried coming up with an excuse that the flawless disc can’t play in their player and wants a refund, even though every retailer out there will only do an exchange for the same title.

Yes, I am used to the customer attitude that they are a precious, unique snowflake, and they are not bound by the rules and policies that apply to any situation but theirs.

You see, people blindly believe in the saying that “The customer is always right.” I have NEVER worked at a retailer that has that slogan, and I have never worked with a retailer that has that slogan posted anywhere. In fact, I have had to blatantly inform customers that they are, in fact, wrong.

You see, when a customer comes in with a simple request or a simple problem, most retailers will do what they can to work with you. They will replace your product, occasionally offer a discount on another product, or generally just try to work with you to solve your problem.

However, if you come in with something completely insane, or if you come in looking to pick a fight, your request is going to be rightfully ignored, and you do, in fact, stand the chance of being mocked by your fellow customers.

I couldn't make this example up if I tried.

If you come into a store with a game system that is covered in dirt that looks like an animal has chewed through the cables, in a water-stained (at least, I hope it was water) box and no receipt, acting all offended that we sold you this system last week, don’t act insulted when I look you in the eye and politely tell you you’re full of bull. Especially don’t act offended when it’s a game system we haven’t sold in the years I’d been at the store, let alone in the last week, and if I had any boxes that looked like that, they would have been written off as a loss long before it made it to the sales floor.

And yes, this person tried dropping “The customer is always right” on me during his tirade against me, after which I told him he was not a customer, as he did not purchase the item from us, and he was just trying to take money from us instead. Further on, he was welcome to contact the district manager, but unless I heard from him, he was not allowed back in our store. At that point, when the person realized I wasn’t losing my temper, and I was actually grinning and trying hard not to laugh, he packed up his gear and left.

People like this always just made me shake my head, and then laugh about them with the next customer in line.

Another person that always throws me off are those demanding discounts. Sure, I’ve worked places that provide discounts for people who are seniors, or active duty military, or members of AAA, but not everyplace does that. Yet, for example, I have seen people demand a senior discount at places that very clearly state they don’t offer such a thing, and then act hurt that they don’t get one. I’ve also seen the same from active duty military, except they will get even more indignant and drop the phrases “patriotism” and “for your country.”

Yeah, you know what? I’m glad that you’ve lived to be an old coot, but that doesn’t mean you get a discount. And if you enlisted so you could get a few cents off your order, then buddy, I’m not rewarding you for your messed up priorities. If you don’t like it? Write in to corporate. Write a blog post, start up a Facebook, and stage a boycott. We all know how well THOSE work, right? Perhaps on online petition will help. Who knows? Either way, the poor register jockey isn’t able to change the policy. Chances are, especially if you’re being a giant bag of douche about it, the manager won’t bend the policy. So just chill out about the entitlement discounts, okay?

Remember, folks: Don’t be a dick, especially to your service workers. Unless they are being a total dick to you, then have at it!

Tony

Apartment Living, The Social Contract

About the only time it's peaceful around here. 6:40AM this morning.

How many people have lived in an apartment complex before? How about a condo, dormitory, or any matter of shared, communal space? If you read my blog, it probably means that you try to be a courteous person, because I think only my friends read this, and they’re all courteous, kind, nifty-types of people.

You believe in the unwritten social contract stating that “You know what? We all have to share this place together. None of us wants to live in a noisy, stinky, filth-ridden cesspool, so we’re going to pick up after our dogs, we’re not going to throw lit cigarettes off our balcony, we’re not going to go stomping around at all hours of the night. If our bed creaks when we’re having “relations” then we’re going to tighten it up. We’re not going to smoke pot in our apartment, so the smoke drifts down to yours into your daughter’s room.” You believe in that fine art of treating others as you yourself want to be treated.

However, we’ve all had those neighbors, haven’t we? Normally young, just out of their parent’s house, first taste of freedom, at least that’s been my general experience. Not always, but normally. They’re the ones who have no issue playing LMFAO extremely loud at 2AM, because hell, they don’t have class until noon. They will stomp around above you, or play “Scarface” at top volume right below your bedroom at all hours of the day. They have no issues talking loudly with their friend’s right outside your door at 3AM, and when you politely ask them to hold it down, then YOU’RE the jerk and pervert.

Okay, so I should have had pants on, but it was 3AM and they woke me up.

However, it’s not just the kids. I had a thug that moved in here right after I did that would smoke pot, all hours of the day, right above the Geekling’s room. It would actually drift down her vents and you would get a contact high. He ignored us when we asked him to stop, and after some complaints to not only the apartment complex, but also the IMPD, he got enough strikes against him that he got evicted.

My current upstairs neighbors frustrate the heck outta me, but with only a few months left on the lease, it’s just not a war I’m interested in waging. However, let’s be honest, here. If someone has told you that your music is so loud that you can’t hear your own TV, and you act shocked, apologize, and turn it down, what makes you think a few nights later that it’s okay to play it at that volume again? Yes, you have a big old dumb beagle. I don’t blame it for the occasional barking, or running around the apartment. Heck, I have a 3 year old. I know she’s not quiet either, no matter how hard we try. However, getting your pooch wound up and running rampant around the apartment at midnight isn’t cool. I don’t give the Geekling a Monster and her toy drum at midnight, and isn’t that pretty much the same thing?

Seriously, people. We’re all in this together. Could we at least TRY to make it where we don’t want to strangle each other? Seriously, I know exactly where your feet are falling. Be lucky I’m not a wack job with a shotgun, or else that next solid footstep could be your last.

At least, that’s what went through my head in old apartments. I completely admit to having had some issues at my first apartment, where I didn’t realize how loud a TV was, or I didn’t know how heavy I was stepping. However, our downstairs neighbors were cool, knocked on the door to let us know, and we made sure to both stop, and also make sure we wouldn't do it again.

This is not very hard, it just takes some thinking and come courtesy.

Don’t be a dick, people. Don’t be a dick.

Catch you tomorrow,
Tony

Generic Monday Blog Post

Don’t you hate it when your elbow is sore, and then you crack your funny bone against something? Wow, I did that about an hour and a half ago and my elbow is still throbbing. So with that out of the way…

How was your weekend? Was it good? Was it fun? Did you hit a concert? Did you try to go downtown, and realize that the ridiculous “Event Parking” fees were in effect, so what should have been a free movie at Circle Center Mall with perhaps $3 parking turned into $20 parking IF you were lucky enough to find a spot?

Yeah, I’m kinda glad that I didn’t try to hit that now.

Other than finding out that information, it was a good, uneventful weekend. I was able to get some gas in my car last night, so it should be enough for me to drive around and do some stuff this week. When I say “stuff” I mean grocery shopping for healthy food, dropping off and picking up books at the library, hitting Tour De Thursday in Carmel, and driving to the fitness center at Keystone Crossing. If I can keep that up, I’m going to start doing the Friday Wrap Up posts again, with what I’ve done over the last week.

You know, since posting on Nike Plus, Fitocracy, Runkeeper, Spark People, and MyUHC isn’t enough.

However, I’ve been saying that for months, so let’s see if it actually happens now.

Anyway, during the weekend, I got hit with some ideas for blog posts, so I’ll be putting up some more “General Topic” posts this week about minor quirks and thoughts. I’m doing what I can to build a buffer as well, so when I hit those days where I’m just too slammed at work, I’ll still have some content for people to take a look at.

Meanwhile, today will be full of work, then grocery shopping, then cooking dinner, with some gym time thrown in there. So far, my most favorite thing about the workout center is the fact that I NEVER see anyone in there, except perhaps for the times when I meet people from work there. When you’re meeting people, you aren’t self conscious, since you know each other and you were planning on it. However, trying to get used to lifting weights, or plodding along on a treadmill for the first time in months? Yeah, if you’re like me, you get kinda discouraged when there is someone who is used to this stuff and seriously getting more done. Also, you get those cocky types who will do one set, then strut in front of the mirrors for ten minutes, and then I have to keep my mouth shut because I don’t want to get in a fight and be banned from the center.

Anyway, I’ll see you all tomorrow! Always remember, you can comment at any time if you have any questions for me.

Tony

I Love The Library

So if yesterday was Christmas in July, is today Boxing Day in July up in Canada? Is that a thing up there? Anyway.

I know before I talked about this, but I want to write on it again: I love the library. I love the online hold system. I love how they will ship books to my local branch. I love my free downloads from Sony Music. It takes a while, at 3 a week, but I’ve slowly been getting some albums that I haven’t been able to find on Zune, or Amazon, or at local stores for quite some time.

Because of my card, I have been able to read some of the books out there on Social Media, which bored the living snot outta me. I caught the first season of Star Wars: Clone Wars, which also bored the living snot outta me. The latest Sherlock Holmes film put me to sleep. I checked out some financial books, but I’m looking for ways to save money, not preaching and scripture. I found a book called “Extreme Brewing” that is now on my Amazon Wish List, which has some good beginner info on Homebrewing, plus some excellent recipes. I was able to read Patton Oswalt’s book, “Zombie Spaceship Wasteland.” Short, but funny, like the author. I now know that I need “The Nerdist Way” by Chris Hardwick in my library, because it has good advice and things that I want to read over and over.

Plus, they have comic books. Graphic Novels, to be precise. I’ve been reading the Scott Pilgrim books to see if they’re like the movie. I’ve just typed in “Batman” and gone through, adding to the list, since I haven’t read any of the Death and Return books. "Superman: Earth One" is on its way, and I’m on the list for the recent reboot graphic novels. Finally read the Walking Dead compendium, realized I’m just not that interested.  I’m also slowly getting caught up on my Ultimate books from Marvel.

When you’re broke, the library is your best friend. I can’t wait until the girls get back, and I’m able to bring the Geekling over for the kid’s stuff, and Shannon can get stuff for herself as well.

I love you, Indianapolis Marion County Public Library.

Please carry Blu-Ray soon.

Tony

I Don't Know

Merry Christmas in July! I’m celebrating by testing my theory that no one can tell that you’re not wearing any pants at the Front Desk.

I just need to remember not to stand up.

Anyway, we’re halfway through the week, and I have a bow tie on again. I have to wear the bow tie at least once a week around here, or else people start worrying about me. The issue is, only having one self-tie available is making that single tie wear out very quickly.

Speaking of wearing out quickly, this coffee had better kick in fairly quick. Seriously, it’s office coffee. It has ONE job, and it’s obviously not to taste good. I KNOW it’s not decaf, because I’m the one who makes it, so it needs to get its job done.

So I was wondering, why the heck do you need a bachelor’s degree to work Tier 1 Tech Support? Seriously, I was looking at some job listings last night that has simple, entry level positions that require a college degree. I guess that’s too bad for me, since when I attended college, I did everything but my classes. I was on hall council, I was active with volunteer organizations, I worked in the computer labs and at the radio station, and I was pretty much all over the place. I was known by many, but not because I had classes with them. Hey, we’ve all made decisions that we aren’t proud of, but sometimes you have to own them and not brush them under the rug, so you don’t repeat the mistake.

The problem that I have with the mistakes, though, is in trying to remember them so I don’t repeat them, I also dwell on them. I really do have a tough time letting things go. The problem is, this gets in the way of moving forward, but I’m working on that.

Stay positive, do it for my family, I have to keep telling myself these things.

Stay positive, do it for my family. Do it for my girls.

Tony

Zombies and Podcasting

Good morning, peoples!

Yesterday, it seems that it wasn’t just the library and the black bean quesadillas that had to wait. By the time I was done at my friend’s place, playing zombie board games, having a beer, and eating birthday cake, it was time to haul my arse to IHOP for The Pony Hour podcast. By the time THAT was finished, it was almost 10:30, and I was hungry and tired, so I went home, devoured a burrito, and crashed.

That’s not to say I didn’t have fun, or that I regret anything. When I went over to Wayne’s, we played a 3-Player version of “Last Night on Earth.” I have written on this game before, but this time we had a scenario we were playing, and I was the zombies. I lost this time, on the final turn. If I had understood what was going on better, I probably would have been more aggressive and moved some of my zombie horde differently, but I really can’t complain, because it was fun, and that’s what really counts. However, the game took us until 7PM, and I had to be at the IHOP on 96^th and I-69 at 8PM, so I really didn’t have a chance to go, work out, get showered, and be able to go be in public.

So I pulled in at 7:45 at Ye Old Purveyor of Pancakes, parked beside Kahuna One, and headed in to see Josh and the Kahuna. I love meeting with these guys, even when they’re not recording. When they are recording? I am glad that they’re willing to let me play with them. They’re funny, they’re easy going, and I can make a geek joke or reference, and one of them will get it. They are goofy, they are weird, they have good life tales, and occasionally they let me speak. I hope to one day have a podcast where I can have them as guests.

Oh, and yes, one day, I will have podcasting happening. Audio, video, I’m going to have my own channel and everything. It will happen, this I vow.

Someday.

Tony

Manic Monday

Wow, what a crazy morning up here! Who knew that the switchboard would have so much to do this morning?

So it was a decent weekend, after the elbow throbbing went down. Relaxed a lot at home, didn’t do much online except trying out the Guild Wars 2 Beta, which just showed me that I just don’t “get” MMORPG’s.  I did catch The Dark Knight Rises, a midnight showing at the AMC in Castleton on Saturday night/Sunday morning thanks to friends who aren’t really into public social media, so I shall refer to them as C&D. I put my thoughts up on the Geeking site if you really care to look.

Due to me being VERY busy this morning, I have not had a chance to write much of anything. I actually had brainstormed some topics that, at least I thought were decent, but I haven’t had the time to put the thoughts to paper. I will probably be doing that this evening, after I’m done grabbing a beer and playing games with a friend, and then hitting the fitness center. I’ve gotta do something other than play Fallout 3. That dang game is an addiction. So, I need to see if I can get addicted to the treadmill again or something.

I hate how I’ve been stuck on using the apartment complex fitness center for so long. That place is falling apart, and a lot of people use it as a babysitter while they stand on the elliptical machine and talk. The fitness center at work, on the other hand, is very clean, has multiple treadmills with more options, bikes, recumbent bikes, elliptical machines, and weights both of the free weight variety and the machine variety. Plus, the machines are very specific, working on specific muscle groups with clear instructions. Very much a “For Dummies” approach that I, honestly, really need. The issue is the gas being used to get there. I don’t hit right after work, but later in the evening, so it’s like I’m driving to work twice as much.

So anyway, after I have the gaming, and then the workout, then it looks like I have another podcast to crash. Yes, this just came up recently on The Book of Face and The Twitter. Then, after THAT, it will be dinner time.

It looks like the library and the Black Bean Quesadillas will have to wait until tomorrow.

Tony

Elbow Down!

Good day, everybody. It’s Friday, I’m in a world of pain, let’s begin.

See, a few days ago, I decided to lay down on the couch and play Fallout 3 to unwind. Well, I guess I had to unwind a LOT, because the next thing I knew, I’d been laying there for about 3 hours, with my right elbow bent and up in the air as I was holding the controller. That elbow has been extremely sore since that evening, but I’ve been stretching it out and it seemed to be doing better.

Yesterday, after the Tweet Up Events, I was doing work on the PC, downloading the Guild Wars 2 beta and just putzing around. Since things were taking a while, I decided to do some pushups in between tweets, and on the third one my right elbow made a POP sound, and down I went.

So, I am now in a boatload of pain. It hurts to type, which is why this is so short, and I will be avoiding much of social media for the foreseeable future, as it involves, well, typing. Sleeping last night wasn’t in the cards, as every time I rolled over it felt like someone was slicing into my elbow with a dull knife.

Oh, and doctor? What’s that? Yeah, I have insurance, but because of insurance costs, I can’t afford the co-pay to go see anyone.

So I’ll just be over here in the corner if you need me, finding some way to hold my arm that doesn’t hurt, and then not moving.

Have a good weekend,
Tony

You Mean I Have to be SOCIAL?

Aw, yeah.

Busy, busy, BUSY day today!

Popped into the office at 7AM this morning to pick up an hour and do some extra work before ditching out at 10:30AM. I’m leaving early so I can go hit a Tweetup at Hubbard & Cravens at the Carmel City Town Center thingy that I’m not very familiar with at 11. What can I say? I never really go to Carmel. I barely have the money or the gas to drive around Castleton and Keystone, where I live.

So, I’ll be hanging around Carmel for about an hour, hoping they don’t smell the poverty on me and ride me out on a rail, and then I’m heading back to my comfort zone at 96^th and Masters to hit a hot dog joint with some more Twitter folks. Processed meat by-products in tube form shall be consumed, and good times will be had, and then it’s time to head to the library.

At the library, I have a LOT of CD’s that I need to pick up, because I’ve been in the mood to listen to some Patton Oswalt, Gaelic Storm, and Flogging Molly. Yeah, I know, I’ve got some weird musical cravings. Plus, I have the next book in the Scott Pilgrim series to pick up, since I’m curious as to how it runs when compared to the movie, which I really enjoy. Once I’m done bombing around the library, it’s homeward bound.

At home, I’ll be doing some writing and some mturking, perhaps some surveys, actually doing some work until 6PM, when I’m packing up the bicycle and heading BACK into Carmel to the SoHo Café for a ride with Carmel Pedals. Then, it’s back home to continue moving photos from Photobucket to Picassa, and then off to blissful slumber until I’m back at work tomorrow.

And then tomorrow, I write about it.

Unless I think of something better.

Oh, and a little FYI: Tonight at midnight is the premier of The Dark Knight Rises. I am not going to be seeing this film until next weekend at the EARLIEST. Spoilers for a film are a real dick move, I try to limit my friendship and following of dicks, so if you do ANYTHING to spoil this film for me, you will be gone. Unfollowed, unfriended, blocked, nuked from orbit, because it’s the only way to be sure.

Until tomorrow,
Tony

Photobucket Fail

So, today I’ve typed up and have ready to post more blogs for both The Troxell Pack and Geeking In Indiana, yet I haven’t been able to post them up.

Why?

Because I have pictures that I want to attach. Since I really can’t send the photos to my work machine, I uploaded them using my Photobucket app to Photobucket’s website last night.

This morning, around 9AM eastern time, I went to log in and grab the photos to insert into the blog posts, and I was told it was under a period of “short maintenance.”

It is now almost 3PM, and I still do not have access to my photos.

This website has one job. ONE. JOB. And the time I need it to do that job, it fails.

So, this is short today, as I’m looking to set up a different online photo host, and add integrating a gallery onto my website plans.

Have a good one,
Tony

EDIT: At 3:48PM eastern, I was finally able to access my photos. I am starting the process this evening of finding a different host for them, and then either deactivating my account, or just setting the password to gibberish, putting in a different email addy, and leaving it to rot, whichever option I'm given.

More Switchboard Tales

This has been one heck of a weekend, which leaked into Monday, but that’s behind us now, and we shall move on.

Saturday was a good day, but that’ll be a blog post for tomorrow. Sunday and Monday we are just not going to talk about. So that brings us to today. For today, is a new day. A bright, shining new day full of wonder, excitement, and people calling the switchboard with a fake sense of urgency trying to get our IT Department on the phone so they can sell them stuff.

I guess this kind of throws me into another Tales from the Switchboard sort of post. Most of the calls I get here are salespeople, and they will do whatever they can to get through to someone. Many times, that’s acting like it’s an emergency. I actually had one person say to me that someone told him “… and I quote, find her no matter what.” to which I responded that I was told by her “And I quote: I’ve never told anyone that.”

Another thing they like to do is ask for a first or last name only. “Hey, is NAME around?” They act real familiar, like our CEO or CIO or CFO is their drinking or golfing buddy. The problem is, they all have pretty common first or last names, and in a company with as many people as we have in the directory, that could be any number of people. I really love it when they act offended and frustrated when I ask for the person’s full name, and then have to remind them that we have a LOT of people in the company, and at least 8 of the name they are looking for in the system.

Seriously, if you’re going to be an impatient jerk, I could just say “He’s no longer with us” and hang up. No one would blame me at all.

Now, this is the exception, not the rule. Most of the people are really cool, telling me exactly who they’re looking for, letting me transfer them, and then not continually calling back every 20 minutes asking for the same person.

Make sure you’re the rule here, not the exception.

Tony