Coming Up for Air

A quick moment stolen to make a blog entry: I am at BOA, into the third day of a coding marathon in advance of a new product roll-out. Of course, the code that I thought had been done has once again reared its ugly head. God, do I hate backtracking, but it looks like that is the m.o. around the corporate office.

This is a synopsis of the activity this week, since I truly have done the same thing every day since Monday, the bright spots being sitting on buses for hours on Wednesday to get to my group session and bonding with Rosemary.


About that: I may have a chance to get this process done on time (ie next week) instead of two weeks from now. The coordinator wants to reschedule the missed class for another day next week. So I may be done next Thursday and my life will be back on a normal course. What a joy it will be to drive again! I will be able to shop craigslist again because I can drive to Philly to pick stuff up. The first place that I go will be to Ikea to replace the horrible pillow shams on the white couch. Ugh. I am REALLY sick of those things.

Regarding Rosemary: She and I bonded over Project Runway today. We were both pissed that the tattooed guy won Season Three and were thrilled that casting has begun for Season Four. Perhaps I will take a page from the futurejunkie blog and come up with a scoring sheet like his for America's Next Top Model. I must say that it was pointed out by David Spade that none of the people who have won ANTM have actually become top models. But as they say, that's a whole 'nother show...

I had to talk Bob off of a ledge again. It seems that if I don't pop out of my box when he turns the crank four or five times, then it is a panic and he puts an APB out on me. How insulting. He tells me that is is out of concern, but it is about control.

Which is a perfect segue to my next Big Thing. Not only will next week be a rush to get my taxes done from 2005 AND 2006, but I also will be incorporating in the state of Delaware and shortly after that, I will get someone with experience to write a business plan for me. I just don't have the time to do it myself. Who decides that this Saturday will be the day I write a business plan? I am going after a lo-loan for $250k and try to make this work. If I play it right, that money will last for 2 years and give me a chance to get some serious clients. It's time to stop fucking around. I will put an ad on craig's list an begin the search for the person that can put all of my dreams on paper with income projections.

Been missing The Boy since his auto exploded. I think my car jinx is contagious. Anyway, I hope to have my car back next week and maybe I will let him drive it until I get approval to put the interlock device in it. And maybe, just maybe, if things go well with Maribeth, there could be a Range Rover HSE in my future.

Tony Snow is an Asshole and thank God that Joan Cusack is making movies again

So, I am having Sauvingnon Blanc spritzers and watching Friends With Money starring Joan Cusack, I mean Jennifer Aniston. Such a delightful movie, and you don't see many ensemble casts work as well as these giants do. I think Timothy Dalton or a reasonable facsimile is in this movie, too. Joan Cusack is a goddess, and I have a new respect for Aniston as an actress. It is a movie that is not overacted and makes me feel like a fly on the wall. Perfect.

So about Tony Snow: He is representing the Bush Administration quite well with the snide, demeaning and downright mean-spirited way that he is treating the press. There is a clip going around ( I saw it on The Daily Show) where he is facing the press trying to defend the "generous" and "reasonable" proposal made by the Bushies on this whole US Attorneys flap. Why more Americans aren't saying "Hey! No transcripts? No oath? Could you make more apparent your plans to lie?" boggles my mind. Where do these people get off?!? This appointing US Attorneys without Senate Oversight was something that was shoved into the Patriot Act and now the Bushes are playing it to the hilt. There apparently is no time to allow the Senate to validate their appointments, and when they have outlives their usefulness, they are thrown overboard. It would seem that the Bushies are trying to avoid a Scooter; wherein someone breaks the law in trying to defend something that is merely shameful.

I hope that the next president allocates billions so that 300 million Americans can take a fucking shower after The Abominadminstration says their farewells. I have been pretty reverent of the office of the President, and while I retain that resverence for the office, I cannot think of when I have hated my president so much. He has dragged this great nation into the mud and it will take years to get our of it. These people who are destroying what makes this nation great challenge my patriotism for believing the facts that prove them to be lying, greedy, incompetent and callous.

Anyway, back to Tony. So the reporter asks something to the effect that what would be the harm in having a transcript for the "interviews" that would be conducted of Rove and Meirs (two emphatically evil people if you ask me...and Bush wanted to make one of them a Supreme?!?...COME THE FUCK ON) The reported points out that there is a transcript of the Press Briefing so that Tony's words could be accurately reported. Tony sneers back, "Do you want me to make a transcript of the conversation we had over there yesterday?" What a shitty, offensive thing to do, but it is patently Bush: avoid the issue and smear the person who raised it. He did it to McCain, Valerie Plame, and now it is looking like Colin Powell may be next on the slab. This president will risk everything to keep Karl Rove from testifying. They threw out the words "show trials" and "spectacles" as if that would stop Democrats. Hopefully we have grown some pairs since November. The polls show that most Americans do not want to get bogged down in investigations. but I say that it is the very fact that we did not have those investigations that got us here in the first place.

Bill Maher was ON FIRE last night. He had as one of his video guests Zbigniew Brezinski, former NSA to Jimmy Carter, and one of the foremost thinkers on international relations that this country has had. Among the guests was a guy from the American Enterprise Institute, one of the the sulphur-billowing reactionary think tanks that got us into this mess. When asked what is the best plan for Iraq, he stumbled and did not answer the question. THEY DON'T KNOW!!! AFTER 4 F*CKING YEARS, THEY STILL DON'T KNOW. It was painful to watch. Is the Bush Administration the leading edge of an alien invasion? I am beside myself. Maher's take on the Valerie Plame situation was devastating, and in my eyes, brought Bill back from that shrillnes oblivion that I was ready to sentence him to just a week ago. Rock on, Bill!

I saw Chris today..I think that I will start calling him Christopher. Anyway, he came by early today after not showing up last night. He called me on something...he fell asleep and the called me around 8, an hour after he was supposed to show up here. He asked why didn't I call, and the only thing that I could say was the truth: it was easier for me to be pissed than to call him. So, that will change. I would rather be with him than be pissed that I am not. So if that takes a phone call to kick him in the ass, then so be it. That's just the cost of doing business. We had a lovely day, marred only by his car going through his death throes. We got all of my errands done, and then after a little smoochy here at the Parkview, the car finally gave up the ghost while he was on his way home....WHEW!!! Earlier, he called a relative to see if he could get a ride home from her mother and the dialogue went something like this:

C: OMG...is your mother working tonight? I think that I need a ride home.

R(elative): No, she's not working, but what's wrong?

C: The car is making this horrible knocking sound and I think it is about to die!

R: OMG...that's awful! What are you doing now?

C: Um...we're going to lunch.

Boy after my own heart. He's hot and he has a lot of potential. I think that I will keep him.

They may be spritzers, but I make 'em heavy and I have had a number of them, so forgive any rambling.

BIll Shatner is 76 years old

Jay Leno had a great joke on The Tonight Show tonight: The first movie was shown in public on this date in 1895. The title: Rocky III. Funny stuff. While I am on the subject, and I am no expert on the Rocky series, but does Rocky only fight black people? I mean there was Apollo Creed, Mr. T, the guy in the new movie...it seems like the only white guy he fought was from Mars (Dolph). Is there some Birth of a Nation undercurrent going on here?

Work today was pretty lax. Josh was out today and he was the only person that I needed to interface with today. I have become something of the "super consultant" since now the security detail allows me to go up to the offices without an escort. I feel so special. I have to say that one of "The Girls", Rosemary is so wonderful. Yesterday I was in need of an umbrella to go to the group session. When I got into the office today, there was an umbrella on my desk from her. What a sweet thoughtful thing to do. Since my meeting was cancelled, I chatted with her, and Nancy about our favorite Tilapia recipes. A fun day.

So more client drama, and I think that I may have made a professional mistake by venting to my teammate on this B-Wine project. Not that I don't trust her (even though she has given me no reason to), but I think that in some "helpful" way she is going to make the client aware of my frustration, which will not be a good thing.

Tomorrow I incorporate and get a company tax ID number! Yay! Now all I need are some f*cking clients. At some point soon, I will need to open a bank account for M19 Media and get a DE Business License for 2007. That way I will be 100% legal and I can stop all of this fooling around and keep my personal stuff separate from the corporate.

May will begin the Summer I Block, where I will be teaching at Wilmington College. More about that later.

I broke down and texted Chris tonight. I told him that I was disappointed that we were not in touch this week. He said that he thought that I was busy. I told him that I would make time for him, but he needs to reach out for it if that is what he wants. I am not going to chase him down to spend time with me. I think that he understood. I told him that I enjoy waking up next to him and he seconded the emotion. We'll see how that plays out tomorrow when he stops by (IF he stops by) for berry tea. Maybe I am being played.

Of course the locksmith is nowhere to be found. I swear, you would think that he didn't want the money. Let's hope that he shows up tomorrow. I really don't like not being able to lock the door when I am here.

Eh, that's all I have tonight. Maybe something will hit me later. Going to play Vicki now.

That Sucking Sound

I think I am starting to get behind on my blogging here...so i will try to catch up on this entry. I have to admit that I have rediscovered a game of mine from WAY back...Victoria. Essentially you start as the ruler of a nation (any nation in the world) c. 1836 and work your way through World War I. Some scenarios allow you to actually fight that war, while others allow you to fight the US Civil War, etc. etc....it is a fascinating game. Most engrossing is the economic management component of the game...it can really suck you in.

Speaking of sucking, I saw our president on TV yesterday afternoon. It was sad. I am starting to feel sorry for this dumb son of a bitch. His press statement (which he read, poorly) was garbled and seemed hastily prepared. It was painfully apparent when he stopped reading the prepared statement and began speaking ad lib. Night and day. It was as if he was struggling to make a presentation in a language that he had learned on the flight to the meeting. Then, he took questions. Even worse. He bungled his answers, and then forgot who he was talking to.

Later last night, I watched Bill Maher. I read an article about how Ann Coulter used to be in demand, but as she and other commentators have to be more and more outrageous to keep the ever-oscillating spotlight fixed on them, she has crossed the line and is now persona non grata among the mainstream networks. The article went on to say that Bill Maher is close to that point. He redeemed himself to a degree with a very civilized, noticeably expletive-free Real Time on Friday. It was painful to watch Dan Rather and Martha Raddatz compete for the Know-It-All-Journalist title, but other than that it was a subdued and even-keeled discussion. So I guess Bill knows how to pull back from the brink.

For some reason I am reminded of a video on AFV where a kangaroo snuck up behind a guy and kicked him, sending him flying into a pond. I had to watch it three times. My guilty pleasure, along with Nanny 911. Shhhh...don't tell anyone.

So now I sit at The Bank waiting for the 26 Bus to take me to my group session. The bus I need is at 5:15, so I have about 15minutes before I have to leave the building. Last week the sneaky bus driver (how can a BUS sneak past you?) left without me, causing me to be a half-hour late to my session. I can't afford any more delays since classes at WilmColl begin the beginning of May and I need to be road-ready by then. I will sit through the pedantic discussion and hopefully the clowns will keep their mouths shut.

Pissed at Chris. I still haven't heard from him; it's bloody Wednesday.

I should pack up. Second entry when I get home.

Weekend Update

Okay, I know that I am long overdue for an entry, and I thought sure that I would have time to make entries while I was down in Rehoboth. I didn't. So here is a recap of the weekend's events:
FRIDAY: Was awakened VERY early to get transport down to the beach with a woman that I had never met. I was under the impression that Paul was going to pick up a participating author at the Wilmington Amtrak station, but the author became ill and had to cancel. That eliminated the need for Paul to come up, so arrangements were hastily made for me to rendezvous with another conferee, Barbara picked me up on time and we headed out in the pouring rain to the beach.

We had a lovely conversation, mainly about marketing, design and culture. We found ourselves in agreement on most things, and the time passed pretty quickly. Before I knew it, we were pulling up to the Sands Hotel. Not a minute too soon, because I had a liter of water in me and not much breakfast to slow its progress. After checking in, I bolted for my room.

Since the cocktail party was not for a few hours, I settled in for a much-needed snack and a nap. I set up my laptop so that I could stay connected (to whom?) and I am so glad that I did. An old flame, Marcin from Poland IMmed me from MSN Messenger. It turns out that he is headed back to Poland for three weeks to visit family. We chatted a bit about the celebrities that he has met at the hotel where he works and their bad behavior. He mentioned that he was finding new interest in photography and I promised to review his work once he got back to the States and perhaps even create an online gallery for him to display his talent. When he and I were dating, I remember that he had many shots of NYC on his walls, and I commented on his eye. I think he was more interested in drinking and screwing than aesthetic critique.

A looooong nap with a TV blaring (don't get no better) and I woke about 4:30 ready to go. I called David, the bartender at La La Land to see if he wanted to get together for drinks after the cocktail party. He was already loaded when I called, so no David that night.

The cocktail party went well, although it was rainy and freezing outside and the good people at Browseabout Books cranked the heat for the few patrons they had that day, but forgot to turn it down when the place started to fill. Me, being the sweat factory that I am, immediately stared schvitzing all over the place, especially after I had my first (or was it third) plastic cup of cheap Aussie wine. I was digging into some BBQ chicken when Maribeth's father found me and told me that I needed to get to the "stage" pronto because she was going to introduce me. I licked my fingers clean and headed up.

The introduction was sincere and touching. I was asked if I wanted to say a few words, and I mumbled something about being glad to help them add to our culture. The entire time, I am thinking, not only am I the only black person in the building (probably in town that weekend), but I am sweating like I am on trial. Probably not a great image to portray. My 15 minutes were up, and I tried to retreat to a cooler part of the store, but one of the authors on the "dais" gestured to me to sit next to her. So here I was, sweating like a linebacker, trying to listen to a reading. I felt so inelegant.

Once the event started to break up and everyone began their separate treks to dinner, several people thanked me personally for the work that I did. I took their compliments modestly and smiled. A gentleman named Bob who is connected with some non-profits in the area gave me his card. Non-profits NEVER have any money, but they do have connections, and I have a client roster to build and therefore need connections. Those that received one of my business cards were impressed by their design and I hope that translates intp hits on the site.

Off to the Cultured Pearl to see the gang. Everyone was there. Susie, Rob, Nick, Johnny, Fluffy, Sharon, Roma, and Oba were all on hand to chat and entertain. I began my slide into drunkenness with the Otokoyoma and Kirin Light that I nursed at the bar. I talked to Susie about the new restaurant, and talked to her about branding the hell out of the place once the demo is created. So far, they have put more than $1 million into the new place. I look forward to getting in there and doing some really cool stuff.

After Sean Sean got off work, he and I headed to Shannon's for wine and conversation. Of course it turned into a discussion of race relations, and boy can THAT ever get boring. I played along until I was tired of talking about it. Sean and I went to The Rehoboth Diner for breakfast and general mayhem. Somehow I got them to give me a deck of cards and a slice of cake for free. He and I drank bourbon and beer into dawn. I truly did not want that day to ever end.

SATURDAY:
I spent the day in bed, moaning. Watched SNL and passed out to an X Play marathon on G4 TV.


SUNDAY:
Packed and headed home with a friend of Irene's, Todd. It turns out that he teaches as well, so we had something to talk about other than sex (you know how us queers are). A quick trip home and I was in my living room laying on the couch. Caught up with the Sunday shows and chilled for most of the day. Took a nap and then put the new Brandywine Technology site together. Was ready to send that to the testing server about 3 this morning.

TODAY:
BOAmerica day; a new project is coming up that will take up most of my time. Josh wants me to work another day in the office, so now I will be in on Wednesdays as well. Fine by me, because now I am pushing my hours to 40/week. That is an extra $500/month gross, which is hey, great. Mostly work to do for Bob tonight, coming up with a site map for this web project that he has working with the Delaware Sports League. If there is anything to add later I will do so.

Pythagoras Thought That Farting Allowed Your Soul To Escape

Okay, it is late, and I am just going to jot a couple of thoughts before I toddle off to bed. Hump Day has turned more into Grump Day with little going the way that I had planned. It started of well enough: a log jam with a client has broken, and now I am driving the schedule. Sweet! Of course, the timing is a little dicey, seeing as I will be away all weekend, starting Friday morning. Oh well, they made ME wait...

Talked to Chris, thought that it would be a night that we spent together. He has a new toy, an old Nissan Z that reminds him of the Mach 5 (he sang the theme song) that he would like to repair and paint to resemble our second-favorite cartoon car (Speed Buggy, anyone?) And if any one of you stoners mentions the Mystery Van, why I'll... Anyway, he said that he needed to get some gas and change the tire and do something else and that he would call after he was done. That was oh, 4 hours ago.

Had my first group session with the Pathways Rehab people. Sitting in a room with a bunch of vacant-eyed drunks was NOT my idea of fun. I did learn that the US is 33rd in per capita alcohol consumption. The moderator asked what we thought a reason for that might be. I said crystal meth, but got few laughs. Tough room, I tell ya!

Nothing new on the news front seeing that I got home at 8:30 after being away for 4 hours in what should have been a 2 hour trip. And yes, I will keep whining about that until I am driving again.

I pick up the business cards tomorrow morning, and the site is ready to go for the most part. It is up on the testing server here. There are some that are looking forward to it, so here is the sneaky peeky. Comments are welcome, just remember that I only have a day to make changes.

As for the title, Pythagoras had it half right. Farting is a release, but it augments the soul when done right. A blast in the morning to signify your solitude is a statement of innocent, juvenile luxury; anyone who farts in public and doesn't giggle should be checked to see if a soul remains. And anyone who can fart on command should be given at least a People's Choice. That is talent worth recognizing if you ask me.

Tomorrow is the final approach...later.

F*ck The State

THIS is gonna be a shitty week, I can already tell. I suppose that it is the general anxiety surrounding the conference this weekend, and that all of the work that I have done FOR FREE may just get me a pat on the back and a thank you. Good, to be sure, but dammit, I am looking to start a business here.

Speaking of which, the business card design has been sent off and they will be ready by Thursday morning. I had to go with a 100lb. dull cover stock, not the super-thick 160 lb. stock that Ivan and I were drooling over this past weekend. Right now, I need something to put in people's hands, and to do it at a bargain. I did manage to keep the branding element on the back side, so they will still make a nice impression. I am sure that Dan will produce something wonderful; he usually does. Suit is in the cleaner's and will be ready to go tomorrow after 2. So just a couple more outfits to pack and I will be ready for this show.

The images for the site have been created, refined, sliced and diced. All I need to do now is to copy the copy from the original site prototype, polish it and we're ready for posting. A link to the new site will appear in a special entry once it is up.

Chuck, as predicted, sidelined our project. It is this "hurry up and wait" process that gets me so frustrated. Nothing from Joel, either, and that project was supposed to be done a month and a half ago. People. One of these days...

I spent 3.5 hours in a salon today while Amy got her hair did. I read the entire Vanity Fair Oscar Edition (it's largest magazine EVER) and half of this month's W Magazine with a surprisingly polished Ellen DeGeneres. W said that she was an unlikely It Girl. I would have to concur, even though I love Ellen to death. Lunch at Jone's around the corner from Salon Thalia near Washington Square. It reminded me of the ski lodge in North By Northwest where Cary Grant gets shot. I meant to take a picture and post it, but those deviled eggs were so good they drove me to distraction. Amy picked up the check, so that blunted any negative feelings and helped my bottom line. Check the link and take the tour...

So onto the reason for this title: The state of Delaware is a nightmare. With less than 1 million people within its borders, its bureaucracy acts as though it is serving a much greater population. In other words, THEY SUCK. Without getting into it, I broke the law and and trying to get my life (and driving privileges) back in order. These bozos at the DMV are making my life a lot harder than it has to be...so much so that I am in a full-fledged funk about it. After having a conversation with an administrator, I now have to tack on an extra month without driving privileges. So, folks it will be May before you see me on the roads again. MAY.

Second reason for this title: The Bush Administration is unraveling before our very eyes. Daily reports of agencies, grasping at straws and letting the Iraqi version of Huggy Bear tell them what they want to hear so they can go to war...The Justice Department firing District Attorneys because they are not prosecuting Democrats fast enough. An article in Vanity Fair that claims that an attack on Iran may be a foregone conclusion; the very same handwriting is on the wall. Pick up that VF and read the White House article. I think it is called "And Now, From the People Who Brought You Iraq..."

I am honestly afraid of what will happen to us in the next two years. There should be a warning label on W's forehead. This president is LETHAL.

Day 2 of the Chris Watch: No word from him and I didn't try to contact him, either. Either he will call or he won't. I will wait until Thursday to call him to see if he would like to get together before I head downstate for the weekend. Perhaps a good-luck schtupping may be in the works? I don't know what I am expecting...I hate it when I get this way about a boy. It makes me so vulnerable and out of control, but I suffer in silence (well, until now) because I know this is all in my head and I am just taking myself to dark places.

Boy, I feel better already...these blogs are SO cathartic.