Blog Posting

I had originally planned to post as often as I could. Thinking that I would have so many posts that I would be set for life. I am laughing at myself now for having such hope that I would have 1-3 post's written per day.

1-3 per day. Why or how I came up with number I'm not sure but holy cow is it insane. Assuming I planned to write 345 days of the year, at that rate I would  be writing 345 - 1,035 posts per year. Right now I have about 23 posted/stored here. It is better then only one a month, but not by much.

Ah, but it was nice to think that I wanted to post so much.

I think I am going to take a few of my post's from an old blog and re-post them here. I'll mark them as such to make life easier for me. I think I have a few old customer sucks and some interesting links. It might work.

Happy Holidays!

And Merry Christmas!

Social taboos aside I have been insanely busy this holiday season. I have no idea why or how I was so busy, just that I was. I am so tired right now. :-(

Also I will never ever go into a supermarket, let alone a liquore store, on December 24th again.

A Liquore store sales guy that must hate their job. Why else would he ask me if i had questions and leave before I could say yes? Then when I hunt him down 10 min later he looked at me then walked away? He had been talking to another sales guy that answered my question for me. I left that store and will probably not go there again.

The second one had what I was looking for, a non-sweet mead, and while busy they waited for me to look at what they showed me to see if i had a question. This place is a part of the shopping center of parking doom, but they have a bigger selection then my little local place that I usaly go to.

The supermarket was a mob scene. I swear to god if my parents wait until the last minuet again I am not running out. We didn't even cook the things they needed me to get.

I know that we are not ready for New Years eve. I'm a sucker so I'll probably be running out tonight for them.

More on Customer of Fail

Dear Customer of Doom,

It was wonderful to hear from you about how complicated your move has become. I am sorry that the owner tried to get you the best price possible back in January when you and your daughter needed to move right away. I am also sorry that you did not make a decision regarding the estimate until April. The first sales agent you dealt with dropped you like a hot coal and the agent that ended helping you out now has a minor nervous tick when your name is mentioned or your number shows on his phone.

Because you and your daughter were living in the same house you two said you would have everything marked so there would be little to know confusion. We were extremely relived that only two of your daughters items ended up going with your items and shipped them to her as soon as we could.

We are also sorry that you rejected the three move dates that would have guaranteed all your items to be on one truck. Instead your items were only half picked up with the rest going to our warehouse to be stored until we had another truck going that way. This was an epic scheduling failure on the part of the larger company that we are an agent of which is why we were willing to help you out as much as we could. Unfortunately we will not pay for your flight that you claim to be scheduled for the day of your move because you refused the other move dates. I am also sorry that you managed to alienate every employee but the owner, in the office that day due to screaming at them. We came to terms with this and now share our survival stories with much laughter.

But please sir, do not call in screaming and ranting about UPS not showing up to pick up the box that we are paying to have shipped to your daughter. We can understand that you were upset but screaming/yelling loud enough that my co-workers two desks down could hear you was not the best thing for my ears. The HR manager was also there at that time.

I do apologize for the small 'coffing fit'. My HR manager had been trying to encourage me to hang up on you and talking of how he could not believe that continuing to try and calm you down to help you. The 'coffing fit' occurred because he realized that the conversation was being recorded and he was giddy to hear it played later.

Again, I am very, very sorry that you were hired to deal the black jack game at the owners batchlor party back in the day and that you managed to use it to strong arm him into moving you agenst all better judgment.

For your records you will be charged storage starting on the first of the year. If you contact us so we can finish delivering your items or give us the address of your new location, we would be more then willing to work out a deal with you. And yes you will still have to pay us the $2,000 you still owe us for your original move.

If we could, sir, we would make ring tones of your ranting and sell them on the internet. We would probably be able to retire on all the profits.

Much love,
The moving company that is an agent for a larger company.













We really don't want to move this guy again. We should not have moved him from the start. But we did and now we are stuck with him. Corporate really didn't help because when he finally decided to move there were no other move going in that direction. There have been so few long distance moves lately it's scary. I personaly think that he refused the other half of his shipment to get us to move him the second time. And the poor girl that was setitng up the UPS pick-up. And the poor UPS people that had to deal with him. :(

Bye November

Holy crap, what happened to November?

I had so much to do for a bead show, that was almost a flop, that I didn't have time to write anything. I don't even think I had anything to write. Which is sad.

Work was stressful and slow.

RIAA Shuts Down LimeWire

It has finally happened.

YaHoo! News: Court shuts down LimeWire music-sharing service

I can't say that I am all that surprised that LimeWire was finally shut down. Considering all the viresse that your computer could catch and the fact that the RIAA is batshitcrazy this really isn't a shock.

I do still find it shocking that the RIAA insist's that people exchanging music led to the collapse of the music industry and not the fact they they were charging people $25 for a domestic CD. Of course the greed didn't effect things at all! I'm surprised that they didn't go after the companies that produced blank CDs because with out them people would never have know cheep it actually was to produce CDs.

I know I have not purchased as many CDs as I did in the past. 1998 was when I saw the $25 CD and refused to buy them. I couldn't afford it. Hearing about kids getting their CD collections stolen and having to re-buy them all was painful to listen to. When Sony had their 15 minuets in the news with a bad program on their CDs, that was the final nail in the coffin.

I did buy one new CD this year, sadly it was Lady GaGa. The price was a more reasionable $15. But still too much in my mind. I definatly need to look into buying from iTunes or the like.

If you are wondering what I listened to during this lull of purchasing, I was listing to the radio and what free songs I could find on my iPod.

Shingles The Aftermath

Shingles The Aftermath: Why I am so Paranoid.

This is pretty much how I think of things. I have had Shingles, it was not fun. And by 'not fun' I in turn mean that stabbing myself in the side would have been prefferd.

My experiance with it was the infection traveled down the length of one nerve from my spine. The infection took on the form of bumps very much like chickenpox. In fact I belive Shingles is a part of the Chickenpox virus. The same cures for the itching chickenpox can help ease the itching in Shingles. But there is a very good reasion that doctors prescribe painkillers...

It hurts.

It hurts so badly that just about a week before my Shingles showed my side felt like the mussels were being slashed. The pain was so intense that I set an appointment with a doctor. The day before I went was when the spots showed and a coworker said that I probably had Shingles.

Fortunately there is a prescription that prevents most of the spreading. This was good because I didn't have to miss any work. Unfortunately I was an idiot and passed on the offered painkillers. If I leaned too far forward my shirt would touch my back and I would wince and cringe. This also happened every time I breathed and basically life sucked for two months.

Now for why I am paranoid.

My Shingles were triggered by some mad crazy stress. The kind of stress that you are left shaking from for two days. Now when Iver I am stressed I get just a little worried if I am going to trigger the Shingles again. Why? Because Shingles never totally goes away. It is always there and could come back.

So please take my word and if you get Shingles take the offered painkillers.

Bwah?

I would love to know why 48 people in the United kingdom swung by here on the 8th of October.

Heck, I didn't even make a post that day. Not that I post all that much. But! The confusion it brings into my itty bitty little world is astounding in and of itself. It also totaly threw off my views per month ratio. Oh well.

I would also like to know why my mouse is trying to make my computer implode and for the love of god why can't I make that weird noise to go away. I have a very bad feeling that it is a virus. Some times I just hate the internet. :-(

ZOMG Stress!

I just love it when my at work stress leeches it's way into my dreams. The fact that they are customer service and hostage-esq make it just that much better. Also they really suck at building confidence.

Dream 1:
Monday nights dream i was shopping with my mom. She was paying for her purchase and a girl was attempting to push a head. I mentioned i was next and thought nothing of it. Then the cashier skipped over me and was insulting and so was the girl. The manager brushed me off then the woman walked away when she was done. it made me feel awful.

Dream 2:
Then last night i went to a circus and was being kidnapped by them. I was trying to run away and had a plastic fork in hand and there was something tied around my ankle. It was try and get that off or ignore it and run. then the two guys after me said they got a new bull whip and that should teach me. I panicked and very briefly considered killing them all with the fork.

This was all in the end of the dreams. The beginning was actually nice and interesting. Is it too much to ask to get to sleep when I'm asleep?

Lend Me Your Ear!

This is, sadly, less about Mel Brooks and more about the fact that I cornered my dad and got him to listen to me rant about blogging.

Now let me point out that my dad is a saint in situations like this. He will ask all the right questions. It's insane. He has sat through my yakking about EverQuest for several hours on a car trip before. For that alone earned him sainthood in my books.

So, while he was trapped with me at Denny's we got onto the topic of blogs.

He seemed mildly interested in it. I gave him what answers I could on how it works and where I promoted and such. He made some good points about things I was probably doing wrong. I mentioned my fashion-esta sister should start one. Manly so I can snoop but she always has fantastic stories.

I'm hoping my dad starts one. If only to give him something to do after he retires. But all in all I had a wonderful time.

Sketchers Review Part Two

So, remember that little warning that I basicaly totally disregarded? The 'start wareing your shoes a little at a time to get used to them'? Yeah, that one...

While my legs didn't feel like they were hurting, they made it very clear that they were not happy with me.

I have almost twisted my ankle twice when jumping. It wasn't anything for the record books but it did catch me off guard. I haven't noticed any extra flexibility or weight loss. What I have noticed is better circulation. Which is nice, I guess.

Right now I don't see myself getting anther set of shape-ups right now. Possably next summer but for the winter I will not.

Friedeggs.com

I have only been using the site for a little bit but it has already proven it's self to me.

First and foremost it lets you expand upon your little blurb. This is exceedingly useful when posting blog updates or in jokes. It also has a separate section to post your link so that it doesn't take up your blurb limit. You can also upload a pick from the same window.

It almost reminds me of a blog post but smaller.

I couldn't help but wonder why Twitter never did it until I remembered about how much traffic they get compared to FriedEggs which is repetitively new.

But here is a nice review of the site that is so much better then mine.
http://www.flacksrevenge.com/2010/04/fried-eggs-asks-whats-cracking-giving-pr-something-to-crow-about-and-with.html

Free Money Blogging What?

 Blogging for money. It's wonderful! It's easy! It's a total P.I.T.A. and a long term commitment not unlike getting a mortgage with bad credit.

Anyone that has tried it & dropped it in short order can tell you that. They will also, more than likely, give you a list of reasons why they believe it's a load of pleasantries. Possibly even that it was just too much work.
Chances are what they haven't said was how long they attempted this. What they decided to write about. How often they posted. How much they spent on advertising. Or how much they invested into their 'free money through blogging' attempt. Because heaven for bid someone has to work for their money right?
While understanding that this whole topic can be seen as taboo, it's actually fairly interesting once you can get past the 'get rich quick' mentality.

Prior to even looking into the how-to you need to think if it would really be worth your time. Writing takes a fair amount of time depending on the person and on the subject. At some point you will find your self revisiting ideas. It could be that you might have wanted to expand upon some but didn't have the chance to. Also at some point you will start to find yourself wondering what to write about next. This is when the time factor comes into play and you hear the phrase 'time is money'.

Assuming you can handle putting out the time to write, you then get to start spending time figuring out how to get started.

If you Google for help you should be weary in what you search for. There are and will always be sites that would like you to pay for their help. If you skip them and keep looking you can and will find free help. Free, keep this in mind because this is also the time when money starts to enter into this whole deal.
An excellent article to help someone get started is How to make money with a blog 'How to make money with a blog' by Bob. Pretty much this advice article that has almost every bit of information that someone starting out could want. After which the more technical articles that can be found about the internet will start to make more sense to people who are just starting out.

If after you read everything you can, and have started investing your time, you might start to think about all the cost's involved with this. Spending money to make money as the saying goes. This is were learning the in&out to networking can and will be your godsend. Because if you already have a presence or persona on the internet and you have no problem with them being connected to you blog then you are good to go. Networking is the fabled goose that lays the golden egg.

It takes time, energy and research for the portion of us not lucky enough to come by the skill naturally. Yet if you can find that one person that can open many doors for you with out actually meaning to? Then your goose has found you.

But if you are someone who want's to keep your blogging separate from the rest of your internet life or normal job then this might not be the thing for you. Everything on the internet is remembered forever and once you post something it's too late to take it back. The stories about jobs looking at Facebook pages are reason enough to be weary of what you share.

Alternatively, if this all rolls off you like water off a ducks back? Then you may have found a niche for your skills. Anything can pay off if you put enough time into it. If you think or treat blogging as a small business then remember that the first year is going to be your hardest. Once you get past that? The sky is the limit.

Skechers Shape-ups

I broke down and ordered a pair of Skechers Shape-ups.

Why? Because the sweet siren song of easy weight loss was very loud. Secondly I have a very sedentary job and every little bit of exercise I can eek out is a good thing.

So! The first thing that happened in my adventure was I looked at the styles available on the internet. This was also my first mistake. I fell for a pair of sandals that had ankle support. After searching several different stores at the mall I found that my favored style must only be available online.

I swear I must have taken the longest route in the mall.

The next day I placed my order online, joined their free club for free shipping and lo! You have to sign for the shoes when they are delivered. An easy fix and they would be at my office in around two weeks. Woot.

Today they showed up. Today I have been wearing them since I opened the box. :3

I can feel the difference in how my mussels are stretched. I have no idea if I am going to be stiff tomorrow or not. Nor am I aware of how many blisters I have earned. With luck I will continue to love them and grab a pair of sneakers for the winter.

Tag Lines

Please for the love of god tell me that 'Shuttle Drops a Nut' was done on purpose and with the intent that everyone with the sense of humor of a 12 year old would catch the joke.

Asian Carp

 Asian Carp, Flying Carp... Prior generations have labeled the name carp as not being good to eat. Yet a New York Times article 'Invaders, Yes. But Perhaps Quite Tasty' seem to say other wise. Because if it really does taste like cross between scallops and crabmeat? Sign me up.

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife is looking into a name change. Silverfin sounds like something that would make great sushi.

Personal I don't see the problem with changing the name of a currently invasive species. Frankly the US needs the income. If it's over fished in the locally invaded areas? Even better. It could even start a new farming option for people. Heck, a koi farm like Blackwater Creek can be successful and they don't eat them.

As for re-naming fish, TreeHugger has an article of the effects of a name change and the American pallet called Slimehead Anyone? I find some of the original names funny and very dated. Whore's egg for Sea Urchin? That's just a tad painful to think about.

Now I'm hungry.

Black Tea

Ceylon Kenilworth is my favorite tea ever.

I can let it steep/brew for different times and it will give it whole new flavors. from rich and earthy to light like a fall breeze. If it's not brewed long enough it can sometimes be bitter, likewise if it's brewed too long it can be quite bad. If you forget about it for a few hours and us water that is far too hot you will get hot leaf juice. I don't recommend drinking hot leaf juice, stick with tea.

I don't drink it with spicy foods. I did that once. It was as if it added to the burn. My parents and I had a good laugh at it. I did find out that a green tea worked really well at cutting the burn. :3 Shame I didn't know it sooner.

Lip Ring the new Tramp Stamp?

I'm not just talking about the 'Emo Loop' that some people have, thoughs can be tasteful on the right person. I'm talking about the stupid studs on the too long ring/bar that sticks out like a little handle.

The Lip Ring as a Tramp Stamp.

I saw a girl (not the one pictured) with one and part of me wanted to rip it out. she probably should remove it because i should not have been able to see through the hole in her lip. It looked like she didn't pay attention to the care instructions when she got it. My lip hurts just thinking about it.

I am so happy that, when compared, my generation  looks normal.

Time Travel!

Yes, Time Travel! Oh's and Aw's abound as this marvel of marvels comes to light! Why, for just Elevinty Billion Dollars you too can experience this wonderful offer!
Rules and restrictions apply. Lost and found items are not subject to re-embustment regardless of what condition, time or era they are re-discovered in.

This is what I thought when I first heard about a Swiss Watch Found In 400-Year-Old Ming Dynasty Tomb. But it would make sense. Because if someone could afford to travel back in time, they damn well could afford a historical reproduction of a ring watch.

Plus the fact that it is already a part of our history would mean that nothing would change when they get back. Because essentially we are already in the area of effect.

It might even be worse for the time travelers. If they bring an old, or extinct, virus back to their time... Who knows if it could become merged with a resistant strain of a weaker virus and cause a pandemic? Fun times.

Not that I'm saying this is the case, but it makes for interesting story ideas.

Inception?

I have yet to see this movie. Mostly because I have no one to see movies with anymore but also because I don't think the price of the ticket is worth it anymore. Last I checked, near me it's about $8.75 for a normal movie. While I would love to see it in the theater I just don't think I would be able to get that into it.

Plus I really don't need to have half a city fall on my head during a dream. :-(

So last night I dreamed about nothing but random crap which would have a 'ah-ha' moment with text about how awesome this is and how it makes inception work. Or just big bold letters screaming random crap about Inception and the number 15. I did my best to remember why the number 15 was so important but it just didn't stick. This is what I get for not righting it down when I actually remember to wright things down.