The color of infinity inside an empty glass

So, I was talking with the wife and we're looking at our numbers and we're thinking it might make sense to go back to Buffalo a little later than my birthday (since we're almost certainly going to use up all our PTO for the July Vacation in Chautauqua)

If we suggested instead hitting Darien Lake on August 29th, would people want to come along? *hopeful*

This post is open to anyone, but I'm especially looking at my friends in Buffalo and Rochester. :)

If you can read this, you're officially invited to join K and I for a Birthday Celebration in mid-August to go to Darien Lake Amusement Park in Western New York, about midway between Buffalo and Rochester.

Unlike in the past, I can not offer a place to stay for anyone.

I haven't picked a specific weekend yet, but it'll be either the weekend of the 8th or the weekend of the 15th. No specifics are planned just yet.. Saturday could be a good day to go. Then again, Friday could as well.

Are you interested in joining us, yes or no? And if so, what are your preferences?

Thing the First: Open Beta Party. I've got a place in mind that I personally think will be best for all of us, the Tastee Diner in Silver Spring. It's drivable, it's near a metro, it's got wi-fi, it's mandated by law to be wheelchair-accessible and they said they could EASILY handle a group of 15 or 20. No reservation needed.

I'm waiting to hear from Mayorga Coffee, also in Silver Spring. Numerous people have suggested it as a possibility, so.. I contacted them to go "O Hai, U Has Party That Day?"

I really want to get this finalized soon, though, so... I hope to hear from them real soon.

( Also.. more stuff and things )

Personal Day. Truth be told, I'm spending it with my wife. :D
Will be back in tomorrow.

Have been doing some thinking off and on this weekend. I try not to take for granted how wonderful my relationship with K is. I feel, sometimes, as though I'm reminded pretty strongly of just how awesome our relationship is.

My wife spent the weekend in West Virginia as part of an adult retreat. She didn't do much but hang out with people, but she had an awesome time. She played games, sat next to a campire, sang songs (Tried to lead others in "The Other Day I Met a Bear." - my wife, the dork little kid. ;D But then again, I'm sure I'd have done the same in front of a campire as well! ;D [ "On top of Spaghetti, all covered with Cheese, I lost my poor meatball, when somebody sneezed..."] )

Meanwhile, I had a great time at the Zoo with Kimba and Longwalker and two new people (Dee and Dawn). God, I forgot how much work it was walking around the zoo. I need to get more fit just so that next time, I can 0WN the Zoo instead of the Zoo 0wning me. We had lunch at Kallie's mediterranean place (the Hummus was as good as I remembered).

And then I came home and played a new game Civ IV Colonization, which I wanted to love, but... it wasn't as good as Civ IV. Too hard. :/  (But now I want to play Civ IV, so K and I may play that today. :D )

We both had a good time, and it wasn't TOO awkward being alone (I missed her, but it wasn't like "OMG, No K! What do I DO with myself?!?!", but K's homecoming was sweet.

There are some people who just don't understand the value of an actual life partner, someone who believes that, living together, life can be sweeter, better and altogether more worthwhile than it would be if you were on your own. I do. I understand the value of it because I know the ways that living with Kristen has encriched my life and made it easier.
Kristen isn't just a sexual partner (not JUST that), but she's a confidante, a friend, a playmate (By which I mean we play games together, you perverted friends o mine! ;p Like Civ IV!). She truly cares about me.
And that relationship makes her the most beautiful person in the world to me.

...

I probably have more, but I'll end it here.

Hey Local Folks, What's doing?

Anyone got anything interesting going on for New Year's Eve? K and I are looking for places to go/things to do. We did First Night: Alexandria last year and were slightly less than super-impressed.

So... who's doing what for New Year's Eve and is anyone looking for a tagalong or two? ;)

It's bloody cold out there.
Arctic blast, indeed!
*shivers*

So, it's monday now.. I just waved goodbye to Jen and Robby and sent them on their merry little way to Boston. I expect, as they left about 9:15, I expect Kar will post her version of this weekend at approximately 7 at night. (having gone through the 40 or 45 other friends posts between now and then, of course :) )
Not to suggest Kar is addicted to LJ...
which she is...
which she proved yesterday morning...
as I, being the addict I am, waited impatiently for her to finish so I could read too ;)

The concert was good. It's a real pity dawnstar and kolys didn't get to see it. It was just the two of them performing... good good stuff, most of it.
The opening band, the Cash Brothers, were okee too...
I find it... ironic... extremely extremely Ironic that, in the end, Dawn and Oliver couldn't make it up after having gotten them tickets, having gotten them a ride to and from Rochester, having watched Star and Phinnia fight and makeup (as Star screams we need a backup plan in case they don't) and having Star change the plans at the very last minute.
I'm not angry at all... mostly amused.
This goes as further proof that Lord Murphy rules supreme!
Mathematically speaking, the higher the number of ways for things to go wrong, the higher the probability that one of them will.
LITE's version of Murphy's Rule right there.
If you use, quote me ;)

So, here's how everything really happened yesterday.
Started off at about 10:00 in the morning once everyone was actually awake. Went downstairs after Kar checked LJ, checked my email and there was the email from Dawn "Kolys has the plague. We can't make it up." okee.
Tell Kar.
At, I'm guessing, approximately the same time TalPhinnia (one of the two) got the same message... and, somewhere along the way, got very fearful that the transportation system wouldn't even get them TO the mall and their car seat was broken.
So instead we made plans to hang out with them at their house.
We got there (having nearly got lost once. Yay for Jen because *I* would have probably have gotten lost on my own. It's tough enough driving where you don't know where you're going, but looking for signs that weren't there (get this...TalPhinnia's exit was only available via the 190 South.. NOT the 190 North. What the hey?) and reading the map so I know where I'm going? No way.
So we got there, hung around for about half an hour.. met the gang (Talphinnisean and two rather small white bears, i think... they were a bit large to be cats ;) )
I dunno... maybe it's a guy thing... I know I was more comfortable cuddling up to kitties than I was to get too near to Sean.
Odd that, I think.
Jen, on the other hand, cuddled up to everyone (kitties and babies alike)
and Robby cuddled up to Jen ;)
So, after TalPhinnia's we ran to the Galleria to meet Trillidork... were there 10 minutes late (which worked out in our favor because I got to scare the hell out of Trillian. She was turned away from us and watching the other side of the mall. So I "snuck up" and yelled "Boo!" and she nearly jumped five feet! >:D)
Which is further reason for her to call me SATAN, I guess >:D
Had another delicious dinner at Johnny Rocket's (only hampered by my own drippy nose that I had to keep excusing myself to blow because I didn't feel it was... cool.. to blow it whilst others were eating.)
We hung out with Trillian in the mall till 3:30 (i got myself a cute little zebra striped cow (named: Incowgnito and a book)
went to visit the Mac store (which must be pretty new, cause I don't remember it from when Trillian and I walked around the mall last summer) and to Sears to look for a Carseat/Carrier for Talphinnia.
Then we went back home for a couple hours.. watched most of Moulin Rouge, went off to Chang's Garden for dinner (I thought the food was OK but I recall the shrimp and walnuts being better than it was.. (not that it was bad, I just recall it being better, ya know?))
Then off to the concert which rocked, home, sleep and that was it.
That was yesterday.
Thrilling, yes?

Today... I dunno.
We may or may not meet Marc for dinner. It all depends on WHERE he wants to meet and if we can pick up Josh... here's the issue..
Grandma doesn't want to meet Marc for dinner (which is shocking in it's own right. That's a MAJOR thing in our family. My grandmother believes that family is everything... she invites him to her house for the high holidays and thanksgiving and such... but to not want to go out with him?)
Maybe it's just my perspective.. she was tickled pink when we invited her to my pre-commencement dinner to Daffodil's and she's tickled pink at going to see Josh perform next weekend.
Maybe that says it all.
Anyways, grandma doesn't want to have dinner with him. I certainly as hell don't. And mom doesn't want to go alone. And add to this, we need to be around to pick Josh up from practice.
So... I dunno.
My major plan is, after class, run to Wegman's and get some milk for my mother and myself and catch up on sleep (I like having guests over, especially good friends like Jen and Robby, I DON'T like losing sleep because I have to feed the baby and he eats faster than the other cats, so he gets bored and looks for trouble (including pouncing suspicious moving things under the covers) while I try to SLEEP! )

Finally, before closing this post, let me post my weight for the week. Keep in mind, part of it might be due to lingering sickness (but I dun think so), my weight for the week is...
*drumroll please*
251!!
That means... *1* lb. away from 50 lbs. of WEIGHT LOSS :D
51 to go :D
*does a happy jig*
Actually, by my math.. if I lose approximately 5 more pounds, I can no longer be called medically obese, I'll simply be overweight instead. Trust me, that's a BIIG improvement on my health.
Even Jen noticed I'm not as poke-able as I was last summer.
Yay, me! Yay, weight-loss.. Yay, finally getting healthy (slowly but surely)
OK, time to post :D

First off, I went to go see "The Mothman Prophecies" last night. CREEPY CREEPY movie. Not bad, just creepy! All in all, it was an alright movie. Certainly not a new favorite, but it was okee. Just be ready to be scared a bit, especially if ghosts scare you.

In just under a week, I'll be with kareila, alierak, trillain, dawnstar, kolys, phinnia and tallin (assuming all goes well.) at the Galleria Mall, having lunch and having a good time. I'm really quite excited about it. All these people I haven't seen (and some favorite I have). More excited about the prospects of lunch with all these peoples then the actual concert (which I am looking forward to, but Indigo Girls isn't one of my favoite bands (not like the excitement I'd feel of going to see BnL or TMBG or Cake or something)
Still, I'm excited. It'll be cool to meet peoples.

Had a big fight with my littlest brother last night. Still a little bothered about it. It started out over typical things.. accusations that I'm not holding up my end of the household chores, but he's not holding up his end of the household chores (of course, they're getting done anwyays, so chances are.. we both are, even if it's late at times.), but it evolved into how I don't treat him like a grown up (which I can't say I fully understand his arguments about.)
As I understand it, here is one of the underlying problems. I am 8 years older than Josh.. I have a, in general, better relationship with my mom. We bicker alot, but we get on pretty well. On the other hand, Josh doesn't really relate to my mom in the same ways and ends up getting yelled at alot for stupid teenage stuff. We've tried to include him in our conversations, but he rarely has anything to say on the subjects we speak about. I think he's really jealous of our relationship, buit I can't say I think there's any sort of real answer here. We've tried to include him, but while we're downstairs watching TV together and arguing over politics or Boston Public, he's up in his room.
And then he thinks I'm a lousy brother because by the time night finally gets here, I'm edgy and grumpy and have found something else to be annoyed/angry about (a common occurance, I must admit.) Night is, if I can manage it, my cooldown period. I chill out, relax, play games or hang on Chaotic or whatever. Meanwhile, Josh gets home from work/practice/school and wants attention.
So let me reiterate... here I am, more often than not, grumpy over a hard day or something I felt someone's done to me, and here he is, looking for me to ask him how his day is, to be attentive etc.
I can SEE his point, but at the same time, he needs to see mine. I'm willing to work out some sort of compromise, but there are just going to be days I'm too busy or grumpy and he has to accept that. Period.
I'm not certain where this came from, but he needs to realize that, while not perfect, the family he's got now is certainly better than some of the alternative. We're not perfect, but we act pretty well as a family unit. Certainly better than we did with Marc around.
*sigh*
I dunno where he's getting his ideas from, but this is who we are and this is how we act as a family unit. It's not bad at all.

Actually, I'm frustrated over other matters. Talking to someone today who just...
I'm a cynic, but I feel like I understand people. People in general and people I know fairly well in specific. Hence, it amazes me sometimes when people are bloody STUPID. Example of bloody stupidity..
Sue is having a bad day, she's depressed and upset. So Mary takes that moment to pester her about something inconsequential right then and there instead of waiting a day.
Bloody stupid!
Listen, folks... you need to be aware of the people around you... yeah, yeah, I know.. Pot. Kettle. Black.. but, regardless, you need to look around you at the people you interact with. Before saying something ask yourself "How will this person ask if I say this? How would *I* feel if this was asked of me."
You would solve half the world's problems if you just THOUGHT a second.
Person A is sick, and hence, miserable. Person B is mad at something Person A did. If PErson B would WAIT until Person A was less miserable to confront him/her with whatever Person B is mad at, it would stop alot of arguing before it happened.
Just think a second, will ya?
Otherwise, you get called selfish, callous and unfeeling.

That's all I gotta say for now.
So I'll post this.
Hasta!

As it turns out, I have time to write a last entry for the year 2001.
Goodbye 2001. Tootles. Hasta. Sionarra.

So the family and I went to Eva Niles's funeral today. I didn't like it. I didn't like the rabbi. In general, I really dislike funerals. When my grandfather, Bobby, died a couple years ago, however, his ceremony was very poignant. The rabbis (there were two) and speakers reminded us not only of who Bobby was, but they didn't get all "O Lord whose fury is powerful, whose love is eternal and whose schlong is about the size of nebraska". It was poignant without being overreligious.
Much like Bobby himself.
Eva's... wasn't. I think I was turned off for sure near the end when the Rabbi spoke something akin to "and even though (son and daughter) have been made orphans in this world and her five grandchildren are all without their Nana..."
Eva will never die. She lives on.. in her son and daughter, in her grandchildren and in the many lives she touched. Death is sad... but to point out that, yes, Eva is gone.. that seems.. cruel. I might just be oversensitive, though.

I dunno. When I die, I've said.. I don't want a funeral, but a party to celebrate who I was. I'd want all my family and all my friends invited. And anyone else who felt I touched their life in some positive way.
That's how I'd like to go out. Funerals are depressing.
On the other hand, even if the service is depressing, it's always good to have the after-funeral lunch with the family to remember the deceased and to bond as a family. Because funerals aren't simply about remembering the deceased, but also about bonding as a family. I'm not completely sure why.. it might simply be a natural part of the cycle of life. Just as births are a time for family, so are deaths.

Back to the funeral, on the other hand of the experience was Dave who was openly crying. When we went up to say hello, he hugged hard and even as he left clutched my arm as if to say "I'm so glad you're here to lean on when I need it."
It touched me down the very core of my being.
I know he felt that way. He said so, even as I called him once or twice a day to make sure he was alright (and generally made a pest of myself.) but that touch spoke volumes more than the words ever did.
And so the New Year closes on a good day... because with that touch I know... I've done good.
Yay me :)
Actually, I think due to that (and some possible help from a very grateful Dave) I got a blast of instant Karma. Three things have happened...
1) My mom has three days of school off. What that means is that we can go and get Sherlock at 11:00 on wednesday when the SPCA opens. This gives him time to get used to us people before we take him to the vets at 6:30.
2) Just as I laid down to take a nappy, Al (my mechanic called). He's found the problem, replaced the part and though it cost a pretty penny, my car is HOME and appears to be working properly :D
3) It seemed for a while like my plans were to go out and watch a movie with my mother. What I WANTED to do was have a small party.. me, Dave, Carl, Carl's girlfriend and a few other small friends. I'll have to deal with Jeremy and the boyfriend, whom I don't like, but a small party is, indeed, on. This is yay :)
LITEY is happy :)
LITEY done good. :)

What a year!
What will next year bring? Hopefully nothing as horrific as 9/11. Hopefully a great year.
Then again, if I can live up to my New Years Resolution of (unsurprisingly) losing the other 59 lbs. (weight is 259, by n by) and being 200 and going to Darien Lake and riding the roller coasters and FITTING in them PROPERLY, it may very well be :)

Happy New Year to all of you.
May next year be better than this year.

2 1/2 days until two of my very best friends are here in Buffalo.
3 days till we're on the road off to Six Flags Darien Lake for a day of fun in the sun, water, bumper cards, laserlight show, games um.. OK, all of Darien Lake =)
*boingboingboingboingz all happy-like*

Gotta bring the car in to get the muffler changed today. That's my big evening plans. Well.. that and the big Neogenesis meeting for the week, since.. while I guess I may be here Friday night, my friends will be there soon after and I'll prolly be waaaay too excited :)

So the plans are to get my muffler fixed, go out to dinner, return my mother's defective external CD-Burner, come home.. RP online whilst doing laundry. Call Jen.. make sure plans are all set. Get tickets tommorow. Get the car gassed up, cleaned and check tires on Friday...

Full set of plans, huh? :)

Sure seems like it here. Plus, in the middle of it all, I work every day and have to keep the house clean.

Not much else going on here. I'm kinda stuck at work till I get to meet with the boss tommorow. Can't get any sensical answers out of this PEST program. Might be PEST. Might be SPLIT. Can't tell. That's pretty much it, tho.

Talk to y'all latahz!