Still Not There

It was really odd last night. About one hour after I posted, I wanted to write more. There was something on my mind, but now I can't remember. I should have written a draft...

The weather was phenomenal today. The high was barely in the 60s. There was a north wind coming in at 15 mph. It felt like a warm winter day. We get plenty of those here in Austin.

I do remember one thing I wanted to write down. At work yesterday, the "cute chic" gave me a long stare. Well, longer than what I would expect. And with a smile. She was coming in through the store entrance, and the sun was shining through. If I were a movie director, it would have been a nice shot. But I'm not a director, so it didn't hold the same significance. Still, she's cute. So there's that...

I don't know. I can't remember much else. I just did some 'research,' and I'm surprised with what I found out. It's too bad that MySpace isn't cooperating with me on deleting my account. Maybe I should just add everyone back? Or just the people I want back?

And at some point, this blog is going to have some downtime. I want to put a new design up. I've been working on some templates, and it's a project to pass some time.

I Hate U2

So, that kind sucked. I worked 'til close last night, and then I had to be in for opening today. I ate lightly last night, but I woke up in the middle of the night feeling hungry. I drank some water and went back to sleep for another hour. It was a quick hour.

Showed up on time. Went through the usual morning routine. Clean things, turn on computers and monitors, and then wait for customers. It was busy at first, because there's always a handful of people waiting for the doors to open. After that initial rush, it gets very quiet. I killed time by checking items to see if we were out, or if there were some in storage.

The people that work with the new technology now get fancy leather binders. Or folders. I'm not sure, but they are leather. It has a bunch of notes, prices, and tips on what products go well with computers, or whatever. Feels weird to carry it around, but it also sets us apart from the other departments. I don't mind it. I use the tip sheets as scratch paper anyway.

About 10 minutes before I was supposed to punch out, some people I recognized from the other day walked in. They were trying to decide on what to get. After talking it out, and giving my personal opinion, they got 2 computers. But after completing checkout, it was 30 minutes past my scheduled end time. I was missing the Cowboys game. But I decided to put in some more hours and stick around. Well, I put in one more hour, not "hours."

After work, I walked over to some Smoothie place. I decided to get a peanut butter cup smoothie, and it was awesome. That was my breakfast/lunch. I'm still having a hard time eating before I go in for a morning shift. And I don't work a long enough shift to take a lunch break.

I picked up some Wendy's for dinner. Unfortunately, on the way back, I noticed that the sushi bar I've been waiting on finally opened. If I had known that, I would have picked up some Philly Rolls. But I'll just wait until lunch tomorrow. It's better if I try a new sushi place on my day off, just in case it doesn't work out with my stomach.

I'm off today, and I'm going to sleep in. Maybe 9 hours of sleep? I don't know. The latest I can sleep is about 11AM now. If I go to bed immediately, I'll get nearly 11 hours of sleep. That's way too much. Plus, a cold front is coming through tonight. When I wake up, I'm not going to want to get out of bed. Then again, it will be amazing outside. I might want to get out of bed once I realize that in the morning.

Observation #1

There's something I just have to say. I don't care if I hurt anyone's feelings. When I know the truth, I have to let others know.

There's a show on MTV called "A Shot at Love." The star is Tila Tequila, some chic who is only famous for being a MySpace whore. (Not in that she sleeps around, although I can't provide proof that she doesn't. She just has too many 'friends.')

She isn't hot. She isn't cute. She isn't attractive by any standard I use.

I could understand a show like this one if the woman in question were insanely hot. Or if she were amazingly beautiful. But they chose a dog-faced non-celebrity. She's too short, too thin, and her voice sucks. I wouldn't touch her even if someone paid me too.

By the way, I hear that Rachel McAdams is single now. I'd totally watch a show that had her as a star. Have you seen "Wedding Crashers?" She looked good. Real good.

I did OK today. I didn't make a fool out of myself or anything. Didn't do much talking. Just stood around. Apparently people don't shop on Friday nights. Well, they get another shot at me tomorrow night. Although, I am supposed to get some computer repair experience under my belt fairly soon. Can't wait until I'm called up to the big leagues.

Also, a guy came in and showed me the Sony Ericsson W580i. It's awesome. He played a song and showed me the Shake Control system. I don't know if that's the phone I'll get, or if I'll get a newer Sony Ericsson phone. There are some new ones coming out later this month and early next month. I can probably wait until then.

Off and On

Had my day off. I didn't do anything special though. Woke up near 11AM, did the usual routine, and watched TV. I saw the last half of "The Last Kiss." Definitely not into that movie. I do like how they used the f-bomb, but the last 20 minutes were just terrible.

I then switched to "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind." That's still one of my favorite movies. I like the idea of having memories erased. But I also think if that service existed, I still wouldn't use it. It interests me more because I would be curious to see who erased me.

When I can't think of anything to write about, I just check what I was doing a year ago. Last year, on this day, a cold front passed through. I thought it was interesting because a cold front just passed through today as well. I don't know anything about weather patterns. Maybe it's a coincidence, or it could be something that just happens every year, no matter what.

Around this time in 2003, I went to a wedding. I remember a few things, but mostly that it was a nice hotel, and I went out to eat afterwards. I do remember 2 other details though. I should mention that most of the people in attendence at that wedding were people I knew from church. Yes, a long, long time ago, I went to church. It was every Sunday, Monday, and Wednesday. When I turned 12 or so, it was just every Sunday and Wednesday. By the time I was 14, it was just on Sunday. I don't remmeber exactly when I stopped going, but I didn't miss it. It was on repeat mode, and I don't need anyone telling me what's good and bad.

Either way, there were 2 chics there. I had known one since I was 7, and the other since I was 10 or so. I'm just guessing on the age. The first came up to me and wanted to talk for a bit. So we found a table and went over our pasts. I don't remember much about what was said, but she did seem interested. After our conversation ran its course, her friend showed up at our table. So we started talking about what we were planning to do with our lives. She was going to become a nurse, and I was still in Electrical Engineering at that point. She was interested as well.

I think that they wanted to keep in touch. They understood that I called Austin home, but it's almost as if they were hoping I would be back in Dallas at some point. I mean, at the time it was my best option. Since that night, I haven't talked to either.

I'm working from 4PM to close tomorrow. The day goes by fast, so I don't think I'll suffer or anything. Honestly, it's really easy. But I have to watch some DVDs or something about training. It's going to suck. But at least I'm paid to do it. That's all that matters right now.

For the first time in a long time, I'm going to sign onto AIM. Of course I'll change my status to away, but I'll get to see how many people still get on.

Eh, still boring. They moved one of my shows to an hour later. I don't feel like killing 2 hours when I could go to sleep now. It could be worse. I could eat junk food when I'm bored.

Do What?

I sat down in front of my computer right after listening to some new music. Usually, this is the time when my creativity peaks and I can just 'go.'

For some reason, it's all blocked out. My mind is completely blank. Everything is off. But I feel fine. I don't think anything is missing. I'm not forgetting anything.

We were able to open windows today. The weather people said the high was going to be in the mid-80s, but it barely made it to the mid-70s. I took advantage and went to The Domain. It's basically a community of stores with apartments stacked on top. I think it's amazing. And I'm not talking about cheap stores, either. I ventured into the Sony Style store, the Apple store, and the Lucky Brand Jeans store. For the ladies, there is a Tiffany & Co, Louis Vitton, and Juicy Couture. I didn't recognize some of the names though. But I picked up some info on the apartments and the monthly rates for those. If I were to get a 1-bed, 1-bath, I would be paying over $900 a month. Once I get that real job, it's a place I'm going to consider.

I've been trying to delete my MySpace account for at least a week now. I hit the button, confirm, confirm again, and then wait for an email. But the email never shows up. Just another reason I don't like MySpace.

Something good is bound to happen. Just gotta keep my eyes open.

A Week Ago

Another fun day. I had 2 medium sales, and that's not bad for 5 hours of work. I guess I really shouldn't call them 'sales' since I'm not commissioned. I'll say that I did a good job of providing information to customers and they went with what I advised.

Was a little weird though. One of the guys that works in the section next to mine started asking me about where I came from and stuff. And I don't mind telling the basics. However, one of his questions was, "So, did you get a lot of [tail] in high school?" He didn't say 'tail.' I nervously looked around to make sure a supervisor didn't hear him. But honestly, I wasn't offended or anything. I was just caught off guard. Was funny though.

I wasn't scheduled to have many hours this week. I was only going to have 13. But before I left, the supervisor pulled me aside and asked if I wanted more time. He said he's been impressed with how fast I'm catching on, so he wants me to work the floor more. Of course, I understand that more hours is a good thing. So instead of 4 days off this week, I'll have 2 days off. I think I'm getting 10 more hours. So it's good. The week after is going to be the most though, at least from what I remember. I think I go in every day that week. But, depending on who is coming down when, I'll have to get some days off.

The day I had training, I only got 5 hours and 40 minutes of sleep. But I felt finei n the morning. Last night, I got 7 hours and 40 minutes of sleep. And I felt terrible this morning. It doesn't make too much sense to me. I know it has to do with the 'sleep cycle.' Each person has one, and it's a different time length for everyone. If we wake up at the right time in the cycle, we feel fine. Eh, I'll have to Google it to get better information. I think mine is based on 1 hour 15 minute cycles. Or not. I can't remember.

I'm checking out the new Radiohead CD finally. It's nice so far, but I'm only 4 tracks in and there's 10 total. They finally have an album version of "Nude." It was called "Big Ideas" originally, and it's a great song. However, the live version from Salamanca is the best I've heard. I don't think I have it anymore, but I'll find it again.

I go in for the night shift tomorrow. Late afternoon to close. Less than 5 hours. But it is the busiest time, so things should move by quickly. But it also means I don't have to wake up so early. I like that.

By the way, remind me to do a post on why I think the platypus is the best animal ever.

Two-A-Days

Yesterday went fairly well. I had a 7-hour shift, so I was supposed to have a lunch break, but I really didn't think about it. 4 hours went by, and I was still feeling ok. After another hour, I still felt ok. So, I never did take my 30 minute break. Needless to say, I was famished when I did get home.

There was one good thing that happened on my shift, but there was also one bad thing. First, the bad. Right before I punched out, my supervisor informed me that there was going to be a meeting in the morning. 6:30AM...in the morning. It was going to be a morning filled with sleep.

As I mentioned, there was something good. I moved two computer packages, but only one was under my name. I didn't have a login for the register when I did the first. Luckily, the bigger package was in the afternoon, after I got a password.

So I got almost 6 hours of sleep before I got ready for the meeting. A weird thing happened, and it was nothing anyone could predict. Here, I'll give you a chance to guess...

...

A store from my old hometown was shown as an example. One chic said, "Woo!" Some guy next to her said, "You're the only person I know from there." I quietly raised me hand and said that I was from there as well.

Turns out we went to the same high school.

And graduated in the same year.

I didn't know her during that time. I was the quiet type, so I barely knew 20% of my class. Was weird, but eh.

And of course, at the meeting the supervisor called me out in front of the group and mentioned my sale. I just smiled and looked down.

Battery going low on the laptop. Gotta sleep soon anyway.

Keep Going

I know, I just posted about 5 hours ago. But there's some stuff I left out because I was really out of it.

My brain screwed me over this morning. While I was being dropped off at work, I went to close the car door. Unfortunately, I had my hand in the wrong place. I messed up my left index finger. So yea, I've been re-typing almost everything today. It's green on one side, and there's a red line on the other. I don't think it's broken, so I'm not worried. If it falls off, I'll put it on some ice and see a doctor.

On the ride back home, we left the windows down. It's starting to get cooler, and the wind feels amazing. I've mentioned how I associate memories with music. But there are some memories that I associate with temperatures. But it isn't the type where I think, "Oh, that was cool, and it's exactly 78 degrees." I don't concentrate on the events, and I don't focus on the weather. It's involuntary. And I also think that my memory of temperature is incredibly precise.

I can't wait until December. Just a rainy day in December. It's all I want right now.

But a poker tournament would be nice too.

"If beauty were a donkey with a keg, I'd tap that ass."

Numero Dos

It was another interesting day. I got more time with the ear piece and walkie-talkie. I was even left alone in the computer section for a while. Helped with a few sales, learned a bit more about the store, and met more people.

I get the feeling that the supervisors are preparing me for something better. I got a few compliments, and talks of 'potential.' From the group of people that came in with me, they are giving me the most opportunity in terms of experience with sales, and getting certified in more areas. But I am the oldest, so it makes sense.

Whenever I go somewhere new, I make note of the chics. I figure out which are the hottest, who is the cutest, and so on. Well, I figured all of that out on my first day. But I'm a shy one, so I didn't walk up and initiate anything. Instead, she came up to me and introduced herself. I don't know what the policies are, but I am interested. I know, I know. It's the same rule I had in the dorm. "Don't mess with anyone you'll be seeing on a daily basis. Things get awkward." So I'll just take it easy for now.

When I'm on my way to work, I get the same feeling from when I would go back to school. During my sophomore year, I would get nervous on the first morning back from summer or winter vacation. My stomach would start hurting, and I would start shaking. I wouldn't be able to eat either. But once I get there, I feel fine and comfortable. I step through those doors, and everything is alright. I don't know what the cause is, but it's weird.

Eh, it'll fix itself. Things are smooth right now, and that's all I can ask for.

By the way, I remember approving Reese's Fastbreak candy bar. Well, I noticed a Reese's Whipped at Walgreens the other day. They are awesome. I recommend them as well.

Workforce

Today was just the first day. Walking around, learning the ins and outs, and dealing with customers. The first part of the day was spent shadowing someone with experience. Then the supervisor showed up, and we shadowed him.

We went on break around noon. Just a quick 15 minutes. Afterwards, he started us on some exercises that certify you as an expert in a specific field. I passed the tests necessary to be computer-certified. (Just as a reference, I was told that my supervisor hasn't been certified yet.)

I was also contacted by the group of employees that deal with computer repairs and such. One of the supervisors pulled me aside. He mentioned that when he has free time, he'll get me some experience with computer repairs. He mentioned that as soon as something opens up in his section, he's going to let me know. And honestly, that's where I want to be. I want to be at the counter, asking people what's wrong, and diagnosing. (For those that watch "House," that is how I am with computers. Well, electronics in general. I study, I plot it out, and then I fix it. But the problem has to be in front of me. I suck at fixing things over the phone.)

I'm fairly happy. It was 6 hours, but it went by fast. I go in for another 6 hours tomorrow. I'll need to do a better job of eating before I go in. I wasn't able to eat before I went in today, and it started affecting me about 3 hours in. Luckily I had some gum, and I drank plenty of water. When I got home, I immediately ate dinner.

But I'll wake up earlier tomorrow, and I know I'll be hungry at the right time.

Starter

First day went ok. Just some training. Of course that meant bad videos and a tour of the store. Yea, because I've never been to that store. And I have no idea what respect is. Oh well, I was able to turn my brain off for a while.

I was the oldest 'recruit.' It was a little awkward, but I know I didn't make any enemies. One chic is definitely going to be there temporarily. She kept mentioning her old job, and she hated that we paid for our shirts. Come on, it was mentioned in the first interview. I'll give her a couple of weeks. The other two seem like normal kids. Or teens. Or adults. Whichever.

But I know the manager is already keeping an eye on me. Not in, "Oh, he's about to steal something!" More like, "This guy knows what he's doing." I know about the difference between 1080i and 1080p. I know about the difference between regular digital cameras and digital SLRs. I know which mp3 players are overrated. And if you put a computer in front of me, I'll tell you why you need it. I'll be fine.

My first day is Tuesday. I go in for 6 hours. Wednesday is another 6 hours. Friday is 7 hours. Once I get through it, I know I'll be fine. Especially since I'm working during the hours that have the least amount of customers. No on is going to be there on a weekday before 3PM. So that leaves 6 hours that might be real busy. But that's just for this week.

It's a start, but I'm still looking for that real job. A career. I know I'll find one eventually. Or I'll build a product that sells. I don't know. For the longest time, I've had a feeling that I'll eventually do something great. Maybe it involves poker, or some really cool software. I could improve an algorithm by 5% and get a job anywhere I want afterwards. I don't know what it is that I'll do, but I'll do it.

I'll bet on poker.

West Coast Foolery

I've been saying it all along. USC is overrated.

They just lost to Stanford. Before today, Stanford was 1 - 3.

When USC and Texas met in the Rose Bowl, every college football analyst was saying that USC was the best team of all time. ESPN had many different polls, and even a show that ranked the best teams. They didn't give Texas a chance to win, and Vince Young proved them wrong.

Starting at the beginning of the season, Corso and his lover Herbstreit talked about how USC's defense might be the best ever. They were returning 10 of 11 starters. It was supposed to be faster and stronger than ever.

I'm tired of Pete Carroll. He got lucky and recruited 2 Heisman winners. (Well, Bush's shouldn't count since the West Coast bias took Vince out of it.) His system doesn't work. His running backs leave. And the rest of the PAC-10 has caught up.

That's 1 loss for USC this season. There's still 2 more to go.

Jobby Job

I made links a bit more visible. Most people use an underline, but that's lame. I'll go with the overline. Besides, it looks like a halo, so I like it.

I went and got a part-time job while I'm looking for a real job. I can't sit around and wait for companies to come to me. So, I applied with [Electronics Store.] (I'm not going to say which because I don't know how they feel about bloggers. I can only say that they are everywhere, and it's 'better' than saying "good bye.") I did my online application early Thursday morning, heard back from them about 6 hours later, and went in for an interview that Friday. I had my second interview on Wednesday, and he offered me the job. It's simple stuff, and it's part-time. If they have me working during the evenings, I'll be happy for now.

Orientation is Sunday at noon. I have no idea how long it's going to take, but at least it's not early in the morning. Hopefully it just involves watching some video, doing some roleplay, and going home. 2 hours? 4 hours? I dunno.

It's really good timing though. There's a rumor floating around about a new PS3 at a lower price. I'll have easy access to it when it comes out. I'll also have easy access to Guitar Hero 3, and Rock Band.

But after 2 or 3 months, I'll send out my resume again. But at least I'll have some more work experience this time. And hopefully a big company will bite.

"If beauty were a napkin, I'd wipe my mouth with her."

Quick Sports Note

Bob Sturm is one of the hosts from BaD Radio, which is a show on 1310AM The Ticket. He has a blog that mostly links to other articles. Every now and then, he offers his personal opinion and some stats. A few posts ago, I mentioned how Tom Brady was overrated, and Brett Favre was more deserving of an MVP nod.

Well, today he brought up a stat about the 4 remaining undefeated teams.

Patriots Opponents Record: 4-12
Packers Opponents Record: 5-11
Colts Opponents Record: 6-8
Cowboys Opponents Record: 3-13

So far, the Packers have faced a tougher schedule than the Patriots. These stats back up my assessment. However, it also makes me realize that Peyton Manning is just as deserving. The only thing I can offer is that Peyton has 2 pro-bowl caliber wide receivers, and a good tight end. Favre only has 1 wide receiver.

My MVP list goes:

Brett Favre
Peyton Manning
Tony Romo

Brady blows.

Nearly Full Day

How about something that isn't sports-related?

It's been a very interesting day. I woke up at 11:30AM, and it was totally on purpose. I did the usual wake-up routine. Stop iTunes, brush teeth, shower, dress, check NetVibes, turn off computer, and get something to drink. I laid around for an hour while watching TV. I can't remember what exactly I watched in the beginning. But I ended up on "Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind" around 2PM. Watched that for a little bit, and then headed out.

Eventually got to my parents' house. I didn't eat breakfast, so I was already hungry by this point. Now, I know that I don't eat the healthiest things, but I'm fortunate to have an inhuman metabolism. I can lose weight by eating ice cream and downing soda. It doesn't make sense. So, I ate 3 Dulce de Leche cookies as a snack. Those things are awesome. But I still got hungry an hour later. By this time, we had already decided that we were going to DoubleDave's. Tonight is one of the 3 nights a week that the have a buffet. I loaded up on Pepperoni Rolls.

Everyone remembers things differently. Some people remember better if they write it down. Others are blessed with a photographic memory. Well, my memory is attached to two other senses. I have an easy time remembering things that I hear, and things that I smell. While I was at DoubleDave's, a woman walked by me. But whatever lotion or perfume she was wearing smelled very familiar. I remembered it form middle school. I can't think of a good way to descibe the smell, but I'll try. It's full, soft, and sweet. Almost like a combination of vanilla, milk, and honey. It starts at the tip of your nose, and then spreads throughout. It isn't subtle, but it doesn't make you flinch. After one moment, it makes you wish everything smelled that good.

I'm going to help my mom watch the kids tomorrow, so I decided to spend the night at my parents' house. So I went by the apartment and picked up a change of clothes. (As my dad was pulling up, I noticed 3 attractive females in bathing suits. I had never seen them before, but I hope I see them again.) We watched some shows that my parents recorded, and everything was pretty quiet.

They went to bed at 10:30PM, and I've been searching the channels for a while now. Started with Family Guy, skipped over half of an hour, watched Bleach, and then started a poker game. Finished 1st. By that time, Red Eye had started, so I watched that. (Best quote from today's: "If beauty and brains were a briefcase, I'd put my business in her.")

And then I really lucked out. I don't know how many people know about Fuse, but they have a 30-minute show called "Loaded." It's just a block of music videos from a single artist. The first, which started at 2AM, was dedicated to Stone Temple Pilots. I was really hoping they would show the video for Sour Girl, just because it's probably my favorite song from them. They did play:

"Vasoline"
"Interstate Love Song"
"Sex Type Thing"
"Creep"
"Big Bang Baby"

And now, as I end this post, the next Loaded is dedicated to Red Hot Chili Peppers. So far, they've aired:

"Otherside"
"Breaking The Girl"
"Fortune Faded"
"Hump De Bump"
"Under The Bridge"

I really hope they show "Scar Tissue." That song reminds me of my last high school summer. My brother was a courier, and I would ride around with him downtown. At the time, Pat was a courier for the same company. Each driver had a radio for communication, and we would crack up.

While there isn't much left for me in Dallas, I will miss certain areas of North Dallas. Farmers Branch and Addison come to mind. I think of Farmers Bracnh because while I was on a run with my bro, we spotted a chic in a bikini. She must have been in her early 20s, but she was extremely hot. We purposely made a U-turn to get a better look. I think of Addison because there are some great restaurants there. Pastazio's Pizza was amazing.

And if you happen to be near Northpark Mall, I definitely recommend Piggy Pies. It isn't a very big place, and it only has a small TV for entertainment, but the food is excellent.

Nope, they didn't air "Scar Tissue."

Sports Kick

Ron Jaworski just said that Tom Brady is the MVP frontrunner right now.

Somebody better give him a drug test.

Tom Brady has 2 quality receivers, and 1 receiver that is top 3 in the league. He has an up-and-coming running back, and an offensive line that does the job right. In other words, Tom Brady has many, many tools to help him win games.

But I would suggest that Brett Favre is the MVP of the league so far. His team is undefeated, and he is playing very well. He may not have the QB rating that Brady has. But Brett Favre is doing just as well with less offensive weapons around him. Besides Donald Driver, who does Brett Favre really have?

Tom Brady is projected to have 117 pass attempts for the season at the end of tonight. Brett Favre has 170 pass attempts. Obviously, Brett Favre is the main man for Green Bay.

And for those who think that the MVP should go to the best player on the best team, there is no way to say that the Patriots are better than Green Bay. Sure, the AFC has been better than the NFC over the past few years, but it's a new year. San Diego has dropped to the bottom, Kansas City is a joke, and besides the obvious teams (Indy and New England), who really looks Super Bowl ready? As I write this, there are 2 undefeated teams in the AFC, and 2 undefeated teams in the NFC. After those teams, it's a toss-up for the next tier.

The best team that New England will have faced by the beginning of next week is the team they are playing right now. Cincinnati is their toughest opponent through week 4. However, the best overall defense they have faced is ranked 25th in the league, which was San Diego. The other defenses ranked 28th, 30th, and 32nd.

Green Bay has faced much tougher defenses. The 4 defenses that Green Bay has played against are ranked 7th, 16th, 18th, and 25th. So, Brett Favre has faced much tougher defenses than Tom Brady has.

Oh, but I should only consider pass defense rankings since we're talking about quarterbacks? Well, Brett Favre has faced 2 defenses that are ranked 20th or higher against the pass. Tom Brady has only faced 1 defense that is ranked above 25.

Brett Favre is better than Tom Brady. He deserves an MVP nod more than Brady.