Unlike last evening, I'm not spending the night at work. I certainly hope the changes I started to a document last evening get completed whilest I'm doing the whole training thing this week. CMMI. I know it sounds as bland as could be, but during the afternoon things came together in my mind and actually moved quickly.

After work I quickly pulled some weeds so I could get them into the pile of garbage and carved out a path for water if we get as much rain tomorrow as I'm expecting. I really should wrap up my pre-semester efforts, but I'm just too tired to even think about it this evening.

Tease.

Women tease men with the potential for sex, or at least so I understand *smile*. Men, some of them out there tease hockey chics with bitchin jerseys. While I only have one grail jersey that continues to elude me there is another jersey or two that I'd love to get my paws on. It is one of these which I inadvertantly electronically met someone in possession of. Not for sale but that's not the point, at least I know they exist in the trade. A pseudo-bright spot in the midst of an otherwise dull day.

I have so many things I really should be working on or doing, but instead I have been slacking quite proficiently today. What is on the slate of should do? I completed one poster yesterday for the poster committee - but I really wanted to have a second done before the next fan club meeting. I have to get the fan club website updated from my first draft, completed over a year ago, to something more timely. Then there is the assignment I'm to complete before my class starts next week and the six chapters I need to read in the CMMI book before my training this week at work.

Instead I made the first catalog order of Christmas gifts for 2005. I need to update my amazon wish list too so everyone can get me the things I put off buying for myself. Sounds greedy I'm sure, but it makes life easier w/ some family members if I can point them to a list.

I also received some word on a few guys we are still holding the rights to that piqued my interest. I wonder what we'll end up with instead.

Finally, I noted the very first changed leaf on the tree in my back yard. It just glows out there, all pale reddish yellow amongst the rich green leaves. Summer of Beff? Autumn of Judy!

My workday went quickly as I was busy with documents gallore and the first pass of "testing" on the tool my project is developing. It's fabulous to see this come together. I'll always marvel at how little clumps of code can do so much. Pretty bad that I marvel at the low level code - yes, I was completely clueless as to where to start on things some of the more hardcore developers I know wrote on a daily basis.

After work it was time to haul across town for dinner with the Laws. A little too much crab cake later and we headed back so I could see my favorite doberman, Ripley, and Lizzy as well as to listen to some tunes. It's always too long between the common availabilities by which I get to see the Laws. After a quick discussion about tattoos and one on NHL Center Ice I have too many ideas floating in my delicate brain.

Speaking of hockey - TJ Reynolds signs with the Predators. *much laughter* Reynolds... Reeeynolds... you (still) suck. The Chiefs have been mighty quiet lately. I have to wonder if we're waiting to see what plans Tampa Bay has for us. And... what is up with Bates? Hello. Sign sweetheart. You're killing me here.

Vegas baby (... and San Diego)! Trip on!

Every now and again I get a reminder that, yes, I do have a little geek in me. I'll never be l33t, but I'm okay with that. Yesterday afternoon I tried to get the executable for the project I'm pmting to work on my machine. Error. Well hell. But alas, I actually dug back to my memories of actually doing database work and knew what the lovely microsoft error code was so eloquently trying to tell me. I snagged the right driver, installed it, and created a DSN and POW. I know, pathetic. But I felt like I ruled for a very short moment.

So after all of the afternoon's excitement it was time to go get myself sore again. Did I start going to the gym you may ask? Yes, the gym of Beff. I believe their slogan is "get buff by moving beff". Two loads later and another dinner way later than any human should eat dinner and it was time to crash out. Again, fabulously cool evenings to sleep in. I had a nice autumn/halloween moment while carrying things in the dark from the car to Beth's house. All I can say is her neighborhood would be perfect to be a kid in at halloween. So many leaves to run through and lots of big porches just calling out to be decorated.

"Leave her behind if you want to show me. -Garbage"

I had a rather strange epiphany today. You know how you remember the stupid things, or seemingly stupid things, that people from your distant past said to you. Maybe you don't even know why those things stick in your mind so clearly. I think it's because it's a piece of wisdom you'll need someday.

My father died when I was 12 years old, so he didn't have time impart too terribly much wisdom to my budding mind. He did share this one thing with me however that stuck. He told me to find a man with soft hands. I'm sure this stems from him having to work with his hands as a welder to earn a living. Thus, he believed that "soft hands" = "makes money with his mind", whereas his rough hands were an indicator of his "class". While intelligence is a definite necessity in my selection, I'm learning more and more as I get older that he missed the mark in his advice. Right now I'd love to find someone who knows how to fix things and whatnot - someone handy, or at least willing to try.

But I digress. I never quite correlated things until today but it made me giggle. You know, the phrase "soft hands" in hockey is ALSO a good thing. Probably the LAST thing my father had in mind. *laugh*

"Everything's not lost. -Coldplay"

My bed whined a little when I got up this morning. Alright, it was probably me whining, but the two of us did not want to part. I love crawling into a big pile of blankets on a cold night with the windows flung open but I am fairly well against getting out of that nice warm bundle come morning.

The past two evenings I've been watching a special on September 11th on the National Geographic Channel. It's amazing how those scenes are still so moving and fresh. I can't imagine what it was like to have lost someone there. I remember how terrified I was while in NC to hear the first news reports of flight 93 landing "somewhere near Johnstown Pennsylvania" with a map showing that had Johnstown somewhere in the very middle of PA. Needless to say, the larger incidents dominated the news and what I wanted to hear about, where 93 REALLY went down was not a high priority for the news stations.

Either way, very good special. It really details how much information the US really had and didn't manage to corrolate in time. Everyone rags on the US saying how could they miss this, how did they not realize what was about to happen? Do you really think that all of the pieces in the puzzle were laying right beside one another without other "noise" floating around them that made it hard to put things together? Funny how the idiots slinging burgers and handing out smiley face stickers at Walmart think they could have done better. I think if anything we should be upset that airtraffic controlers couldn't even direct the fighters that were put up in the right direction and that they lost track of the planes. The fighters headed towards the Atlantic Ocean instead of towards flight 77, that's just scary.

I slept a little late, got a little exercise (moving more of Beth's crap and wandering the mall), found a pretty nice dress perfect for our cruise, and sipped a few today. Ask me if I got around to cleaning, the peer review document I need to do, or the supply chain course I need to review?

On other notes... the top floor of the old folks home? You've got to be kidding. *haha* Very classy. As to other things, if the things I hear are true it's just sad. Another case where a person is very lucky to have the person they are dating and they don't realize it... so they use and take advantage of them, probably ruining them for future relationships in some ways. Just sad. It should be interesting to see how much is true and how many games continue into the fall.

The bs of distance being an issue in a relationship is just that, bs. Can't you just say "I'm not that into you... and I want to still have you hanging by a thread should I feel the need to suck you back in if I am feeling the need to have someone?"

This has been the longest week ever. Ok, probably not but it sure seemed like it. Hopefully the weekend will also move slowly. So I've had this little rant brewing periodically from the first time I saw this one commercial and I've forgotten at all the appropriate blogging times, but here goes.

So I'm watching TV and those things that I typically can ignore, called commercials, come on. It's for all the stupid ringtones you can sign up for... "get Crazy Frog today!" "the hottest new hit in Europe"... wha wha what? Hottest? NEW?? Ok, first, the song is called Axel F. It's from way back when I was in 7th grade. It's called Axel F for "Detective Axel Foley" a character played by Eddie Murphy in the movie Beverly Hills Cop II. You can't slap in some idiot saying "bing bing ba bing" in a weird voice and call it new. Seriously.

I guess this just goes to prove that all that is old is new once again and styles come back in. Damnit, I knew I should have hung on to those bitchin high top purple LA Gears sneakers. When are they going to start reopening roller skating rinks? Now there's a good time damnit - "shag skating" around the corners and all.

As to my lovely friday evening it was wonderful to be surrounded by buds acting like old times, even w/ new friends. The Orchard wings, which are hit and miss lately, were fabulous, and the woodchuck cider was yummy. There are definitely times I miss having a keg fridge easily accessible.

Speaking of old times, I was clicking through channels last evening and came upon someone talking on one of those TLC or Discovery shows I dig. I am watching for a while and I realize, this guy had a repeating phrase. You know how once you notice a phrase someone uses a lot you can't NOT notice it. I about died when I realized... his phrase was "and that". I had to laugh hardily at this as it was a big joke in my house for an extended period of time as a loved relative of past used this phrase in the sweetest way, and that.

I'm still alive - just drowning in documents this week, so the appeal of writing more words has finally escaped me. I was pretty exhaused and actually passed out shortly after work this evening taking to a 4 hour nap. So much for sleeping this evening, eh?

Before falling asleep I did catch an ad for a new Tim Burton movie coming out September 23rd. Corpse Bride looks to be in the same style as the Nightmare Before Christmas but with a unique plot and story, and something that my wimpy friends can't even argue about going to see!

My weekend was absolutely not long enough, although, to make it longer would prolong sitting in the heat. It was, undoubtably, the hottest weekend in Jtown this summer. The heat sure makes hockey season seem forever away.

Saturday was spent sweating up a storm helping Beff get a good bit of gear moved to the new house. Things are really coming along in her move, but there is always obstacles with a new house. Welcome to home ownership *grin* Sunday was nice, but also a scorcher. Davey T headed over later in the afternoon to do some grilling. I think that is the largest meal cooked at my house in six months easy. But it was delish. An evening by the fan watching a movie and it was time to crash out. I don't seem to get enough sleep lately.

This morning was 67 degrees, but felt chilly in comparison to the weekend. It's definitely a good feel. I'm pretty sure it will be heating up however... I am almost happy to be stuck in "this place" all day.

Friday night - perfect! But it gets better. Since I had to run home over lunch I didn't need to head straight home from work to tend to the dogs. So my girls and I headed to eat at Rizzos and then the Slipster and I took part in some desert while Beff got back to work at the house.

So I'm home now and I flip on the TV. It was already on VH1, the "Celebrity Fit Club" show. Ok, not my thing - I'm ready to change the channnel and then - oh SNAP! Is that really? Wow. The lead singer from Warrant looks like hell now. We drooled over this man when I was in Jr. High. WOW.

In hockey news - now clicking from that channel - the Chiefs are slated for a pre-season game (and only one preseason game) on the 13th of October in Greensburg against Wheeling.

On a bright note I got my grades for the summer semester and I still have my 4.0!

Wiping away the early morning pissy mood I made it through my afternoon and into my evening. I headed up to Vanessa's for some good dead cow chow made at Casey's hands and hung with some seamingly reasonable people *they were talking hockey, but they did foolishly claim the glory of Lemieux over Gretzky*. But I couldn't hang late as I had to get back to the house to get Satin to PetCo for her birthday celebration.

She pranced quickly through the store finding the basket of pigs ears and selecting the one she wanted. After picking up filled bones for both Vixen and her for a later this week treat I cooerced her towards the front of the store. Man can that dog whine when you won't let her stop to chew but instead make her move with the goodie in her mouth. I can't believe this dog is nine years old.

Oh wait, the day doesn't end with that. Upon arrival at Vanessa's the Slipster presented me with a delightful little gift noting that we could watch it later this week. Wait? Are you kidding me? So after all of the other daily tasks were done I plopped down to watch my very own copy of Raising Canes. I keep getting myself so incredibly pumped for the new hockey season.

It's midway through the morning and I'm just getting to work after waiting for the plumber to wrap up his efforts.

Total cost for this week's expenditures?
$285 New hot water tank
$235 Labor which covered installing the new tank, getting rid of the old, and tending to my furnaces.
$115 Repairing the oven in the apartment.
----
$635

Racheal Ray would be quite displeased - $40 a day this is not! I again ask how the hell people can live on minimum wage or other low salaries, particularly those raising families. I'm not knocking people here, rather giving them major kudos for getting by when there are idiots out there like me who get feelings of desperation.

I did find a new sliding door which would run me around $550 without labor. I have a hard time justifying this right now as a new door never seems necessary - but it would be nice to have more than the foot lock and a combo lock to keep people from coming through the back door. Never mind the fog that's been in there since buying the place which tells me that the seal was broken and it's probably not keeping heat from escaping in the winter.

I'll be over here planning my next mental unhinging if you need me.

"The story never lies. -Winger"

I here by alter the name of my blog "1001 Reasons to Not Buy a House." So this morning, Monday none the less, I'm getting ready for work and it's raining - again. Yes, once again the Johnstown rainy season. I'm a little concerned and peeking out the front window but the river doesn't look too bad, yet. Before leaving for work I head to the basement to inspect and so far so good in the garage - excellent. Unfortunately, there is instead a nice puddle from the hot water tank.

SO, today, for lunch I went to home depot and picked up a new hot water tank. Frell. Gratefully, I reached a plumbing and heating guy who can come tomorrow morning so I can get this swapped out and I figured while he's here he can check the two furnaces and get them ready for winter. Several hundred dollars swallowed by my own personal money pit. Yum, does that taste good house? (Keep in mind I also have ppl coming tomorrow to check the stove in the apartment as well.)

So I come home today and yep, as I feared, water in the basement again. I was lucky this time as the water lines on the garage door are only about 5-6 inches up. That was plenty sufficient to soak the entire garage. I didn't get a full fledged lashing in the main part of the basement, but some water definitely got in there as well. I'm not certain if this was water that got through the sand bags and under the door or if it came up from ground water.

What a convenient time as the township bi-weekly meeting is this evening. Needless to say I was, once again, in attendance to get an update on what their beloved engineers had to say. They've cleaned up some roadside drains as part of their short term solution. Bzzt. Doesn't help me. So I guess my next option is to spend WAY too much freaking money to close up my garage. I can't really use it as a garage anyhow as it's pretty tight. What a mess.

After pulling myself out of bed and heading to church I went back to bed with a headache brought on from the illness today's subject hit upon. I really loathe when the whole virtues of marriage equating to happiness are spouted about. No one is really happy. Seriously people.

After a couple hour sleep my headache had passed enough to get up and wrap up my final exam. Surprisingly I didn't run late into Sunday evening to get it done and was able to head out shortly after 6 to hang a bit before needing to return to work tomorrow. Work. Whoopie. At least I have a few weeks off now to catch up on some personal reading before my next class starts.

Ok, so Thompson can actually cook. Granted I was ready to toss a few cookies after dinner, but that was for a totally different reason. Let's have a round of applause for Vixen who caught her very first boonie this evening. (boonie = bunny) Her glory didn't last long as Satin and I both heard the sound of something bouncing off the fence. I got to the door quick enough to see her making the final kill and Satin went flying outside to snatch it from her proud little face. Vixen may have only had a scrap of flesh and fur left, but it was still a notch on her belt.

After prying the remains from Satin and chucking it, as well as the pile of entrails over the fence it was time to settle in for a movie. Entrails you say? How about Shaun of the Dead? Need I mention how incredibly squishy and nasty bunny guts are?

On to more pleasant thougts: a few more important hockey transactions today. Kariya to Nashville? Wow. Khabibulin goes to Chicago! *gasp* Still waiting for Bates to get his butt in gear.

Joe Ernst, the ref from hell was promoted to the head of refs last week only to "retire" this week. Again, I repeat, good riddance. Normally bad calls end up going both ways on the ice, so while it may be against you one call the next makes up for it... unless Mr. Ernst is working.

What an interesting day. Ever have one of those days where so very much goes on that you think, for a brief moment, it could not have possibly been only one day? That's today. My weekend should be here.

First there is that whole work thing, which seemed extra long since Beff was not in the office and I had no one to grab a cup of joe with. Today our final exam for my current course was posted - whee! Mix in reviewing documents and a few meetings including one that ran into lunch and poof your day is over. From there a quick run home to tend to the dogs and back out to a coworker's happy hour as he's leaving us. (Abandoning my project - despair despair - but I digress). At least I got to nibble some BigDawgz fried macaroni and cheese triangles. Yeah, I can see the puzzled look on your face if you've never experienced them but they're quite tasty. Trust me.

From there I thought I would treat myself to a DQ dipped cone, which I haven't had in quite a while. I'm there, I'm enjoying - and my tenant happens by (great minds think alike). So I come to find out that the oven is acting goofy over there - time to call Krisay's and pray that they have technicians that will come out. I head home ready to go check the oven and I find a reporter dancing about. A little bit of residual attention from the whole flooding issues being taken to the Township. You can read all about me in the Sunday Tribune. *laugh*

So here I am, it's darn near 9:30... and it's time to start working on my final exam. Two case studies and a few multiple choice questions. This should be sufficiently painful. When I come up for air this weekend I'll blog. But I'm "not quite dead yet"!

Because I _know_ all of my fan club member friends rushed home from the meeting to read what I had to say in my blog I figured I should post *grin* It was, of course, fan club meeting night. I love having a taste of hockey and planning for the season every month to look forward to.

Anyhow, planning for the welcome party has begun, a new venue should give us a little spark to start the new year. Speaking of venues - I guess the boys are getting their new living arrangements. Long over due for sure, but I would say from things I've come to understand that they best use caution who they decide to rent new places from. I know things. Go figure. My life is about being in the know!

Further the dates for the westie trip came out at the meeting (a reason to be in the fan club? You get advanced notice of important things!). On a bright note, they're leaving the day AFTER I come back from my planned vacation. On a dim note, how to convince the boss that being away from work for nearly two weeks is okay... further how to convince the mom that watching the dogs for that period of time is also a good thing. Maybe I could mitigate that whole ordeal with another "sitter" or two. *ponder - plot* I've not been to Vegas before, it would be nice to get out there if only for one night. Hell, maybe I could get some of my old crew that lives in Vegas to a game! That would rule, all the more reason to hope to go.

On to other topics... another action item delivered on time today *phew* Day went fast despite not having a TON of things on my plate. I'm sure things will be picking back up again here shortly. Time to go chase a dog around out back so they'll sleep well. It's hot during the day, but it's cooling off nicely at night. Before we know it - AUTUMN!

*Mid-Dog chasing addendum* My bat is back! I don't recall if I blogged about him, but I have a bat who likes my back yard. He circles endlessly capturing all of the buggy critters from above my tree tops. It's so cool to just watch him scoot around.