Amputation, Rain, Dim Sum, Laughs, and more Rain and Sickness

This Friday, which should have been a day off, was a day spent covering for my boss. Her mom is in the hospital because she needs to have both of her feet amputated. Diabetes sucks ass. I felt like an ass, what with my griping abotu coming in to work on my day off. My mom is alive and has feet, after all. I should be happy with that and shut the hell up. I guess my only true and valid complaint is that there are only two of us to cover this store. At all times one of us must be here. This makes life challenging from time to time. This past week was one of those times. She had been out most of the week as is, so the extra day nearly killed me, or at the very least helped along another anxiety attack. Those aren’t fun, by the way.

Her mom’s blood wasn’t thick enough to do the procedure Friday, so it was postponed to today. This being the case, my boss came in Saturday. This rainy day was spent inside playing video games and doing laundry. I almost have all of the stages unlocked in Super Smash Bros. Melee. It’s mighty frustrating getting some of the last ones unlocked. It will all be made worth while in the end, I suppose.

Yesterday I went and had my last fitting for my suit. It is looking totally awesome. I have never had anything custom tailored for me, so this whole experience has been really cool. The suit itself is totally awesome. It’s loosely based on a picture of a southern gentleman from the mid 1800’s, but isn’t too gawdy or costume-like. I’d go into more detail, but there’s an off chance that Milca may read this, and we’re keeping everything secret concerning our outfits.

After the fitting Milca, her mom, and I went to Chinatown to get some decorations for the wedding, Milca got her shoes for the wedding, and we went and had some Dim-Sum at CBS Seafood. I had never had Dim-Sum, and now I’m totally sold on it. This place is just up the street on the same block as Philippe’s sandwich place in downtown. I stuffed myself silly, and it was hella cheap. There needs to be a field trip soon.

When we got home Milca and I started a puzzle that will be the end of us. It’s a picture of a baby dressed up as a bee, lying down on a flower in fron of a yellow background. We finished the baby and the flower, but have yet to finish the all yellow background. There’s still roughly 150 pieces left, all of them solid yellow. I’m just about ready to kill someone.

Max, Phil and I went to the Ice House last night, and had a good old time. Several folks that were supposed to come along (Milca included) couldn’t make it, or opted out because of the weather (or the season premiere of 24). Their loss, as the show was really funny. The first guy was really good, even if his set was half as long as the 2nd guy or the closing woman. The 2nd guy was pretty funny, but lagged here and there. Both of these guys were gay, so there was a lot of homo-humor, which kinda got stale after the first hour or so.

The only thing I can see that is even remotely positive from all this rain is the fact that all this rain means it’s liess likely to rain on my wedding. As selfish as that may be, it’s the silver lining that I am choosing to look at, and it happens to be a particular shiny silver lining.

The wedding is getting closer and closer, and it’s kinda making me edgy. We are meeting with the woman who we have slated to marry us. She has been hella sick of late, so she may not be able to do it after all. We’re not sure whether she’ll be healthy on the day of, but we do have some alternate plans. One is a Buddhist priest that she recommended to us. Apparently he is a Kennedy(yes, one of those Kennedys), which would be totally appropriate. We are also considering one of our friends who has gone through the painstaking and time consuming process of becoming an ordained minister by the Universal Life Church. We are not sure who we are going to ask, but that’s an option that we are willing to consider.

So passes another weekend. Play nice.

Eliminate the Middle Man

For a long time I’d been given a fair amount of shit because I kept trying to be Switzerland, which is to say that I tried not to take sides on particular squabbles or spats between folks. Trying to stay out of it has not always been effective, and in those cases it is was typically because I should have taken a stance. In other situations staying out of it was the best choice. Time has taught me to know the difference between the two a little better.

So, when one of your good friends and a family member of yours are having some sort of problem with their friendship, and this problem is somehow related to an event that revolves completely around you, all you can do is let them settle it on their own time.

The fact of the matter is that sometimes you are friends with someone, and other times you are not. I’ve had good friends that became bitter enemies, and vice versa. I’ve had some that have gone one way, then the other again. Life changes. People change. Sometimes friends have fights. Don’t let these fights affect those around you. You’ll probably clear all of this up with time, even though that may not seem even remotely possible.

And on a sidenote, did you know that Kirk Cameron is on one of those Jesus channels telling people to worship Jesus, and to repent, and that drugs are bad, mkay?

Resolved

Resolutions are like promises to do something in the future, like a goal. And like a goal it carries responsibility. That’s all fine and dandy, but if you have goals, you could have let downs. I know, because I tried to quit smoking several years on New Year’s Eve and found a pack in my pocket and a smoke in my mouth no more than 48 hours later. My resolution shouldn’t be a promise to do or be something different, I should merely be resolved. I guess it’s kinda zen, but being the change is more effective than promising to do it eventually. At least that’s the case for me.

So, rather than making a to do list, or saying what I’m going to do, I’m merely going to be the person that I would like to be. I will not wait for January 1st to make these observations and changes, they will simply happen continuosly and constantly as I live. The first change for the New Year came to me this weekend while camping.

I don’t feel the party anymore. I go to the party, and I love the people at the party, but I am simply not feeling the party itself anymore. I’m not saying I won’t go to “parties,” I guess it’s just that party animal that used to dwell within me is no more. He’s not dead, he merely doesn’t exist anymore. Changed. New. This is me, and I feel good. I see others that have that wild heart, and I envy it sometimes. Until now I would then start thinking, not how good I felt, but how good I could be feeling. It was only recently that I started looking at how happy I truly was that I realized that my wild side wasn’t happy at all. Others do find some happiness in their wild sides, and that’s awesome. I’m just not one of those people anymore.

Have I grown out of it? No, that sounds too pretentious for me, like I’m somehow more mature, similar to a born again preacher. Been there, done that? No, there are places that I have in fact been to, and things that I have done, but that sounds too pretentious again. I guess you could simply say that I’m like Token in the Lord of the Rings episode of South Park. We’re still friends, but I don’t want to play that game anymore. I’m hoping the people that I camped with know what I’m talking about.

So, in then end, where stands the resolved Loop? Simple. Content. Simply content. Ain’t it grand?

Christmas

Christmas went well. It wasn’t too crazy, and nothing bad happened, so I’d say it was a success. There was food and gifts on Christmas Eve with Milca and her family, then Christmas morning she and I went to my aunt’s house for more food and presents.

Milca and I had a wonderful hike with the dogs. I would like to get a group to go hiking regularly. Milca and I like to take the dogs, and wouldn’t mind a bit of company, either.

Milca and I went to a friend’s to have breakfast yesterday. I made pancakes, and they were the bomb. We were able to get home and rest a bit, then we went out for sushi with Milca’s mom. From there we raced home so I could get to p’rick’s place to play some poker. I hadn’t seen p’rick’s brother in years, so this particular game was a treat in that I’d get to see him and his fiancé. I also got to see p’rick’s neighbor, who I also hadn’t seen in years.

The game itself went fairly well. I made a lot of dough early on, then slowly lost it bit by bit over the rest of the evening. I learned from last time, though, and was still able to come out ahead. I’m sure that I would have done a lot better if I had just not bought into as many lame hands.

With the passing of Christmas the impending wedding is more clear. I don’t know what word can describe the feeling that is flowing through my veins right now. Panic, anxiety, antici… pation, stress, joy, giddyness, fear, hope, and pride are filling me up to the point where I don’t know if I can handle just sitting here.

Hope that you all had a good one. Keep fighting the good fight.

Merry Fucking Christmas

I heard there is no Christmas
In the silly Middle East
No trees, no snow, no Santa Claus
They have different religious beliefs

They believe in Muhammad
And not in our holiday
And so every December
I go to the Middle East and say…

“Hey there Mr. Muslim
Merry fucking Christmas
Put down that book the Koran
And hear some holiday wishes.

“In case you haven’t noticed
It’s Jesus’s birthday.
So get off your heathen Muslim ass
and fucking celebrate.”

There is no holiday season in India I’ve heard
They don’t hang up their stockings
And that is just absurd!

They’ve never read a Christmas story.
They don’t know what Rudolph is about
And that is why in December
I’ll go to India and shout…

“Hey there Mr. Hinduist
Merry fucking Christmas
Drink eggnog and eat some beef
And pass it to the missus.

“In case you haven’t noticed
It’s Jesus’s birthday
So get off your heathen Hindu ass
and fucking celebrate!”

Now I heard that in Japan
Everyone just lives in sin
They pray to several gods
And put needles in their skin.

On December 25th
All they do is eat a cake
And that is why I go to Japan
And walk around and say…

“Hey there Mr. Shintoist
Merry fucking Christmas
God is going to kick your ass
You infidelic pagan scum.

“In case you haven’t noticed
There’s festive things to do
So lets all rejoice for Jesus
And Merry fucking Christmas to you.”

On Christmas day I travel `round the world and say,
Taoists, Krishnas, Buddhists, and all you atheists too,
Merry Fucking Christmas, To You!

(Clapping)

Thank you Mr. hat

-Mr. Garrison

Are you In The Loop?

What is The Loop

Personal favorites:

the loop is my favorite part
the loop is
the loop is expected to be heavily loaded
the loop is not entered
the loop is complete
the loop is very long
the loop is not available in north america

also…

your mom is on my porn site
your mom is the main course
your mom is so jewish
your mom is gonna be mad you looked at porn
your mom is born from the vagahaweenuses of guitarist jon hain

“…scar.”

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, AKA Harry Potter 6, AKA another 24 hour reading binge on my couch making my eyes bleed sweet tears of joy and ecstacy, will be arriving on my doorstep the 16th of July, the day of it’s release.

I’m hoping that where I happen to be working at the time will allow me to take the time off. They besta.

Yesterdays

I suppose the title for my blog and the title of this entry are very much related. I find that all of my yesterdays some back to find me later in life, and they do this in some sort of circular pattern. One might call it a loop.

A few loops came full circle a couple nights ago at Corey’s holiday extravaganza. I saw a good many folks I hadn’t seen in months, some I hadn’t seen in years, and some I hadn’t seen since high school.

It’s funny how time changes all. I feel different than my previous self. Not that this makes the interactions negative or positive, don’t get me wrong, seeing these folks made me all warm and fuzzy inside. I’ve somehow evolved. No better or worse than my previous self, merely changed to fit my current life. Everyone else seemed to have changed, some more than others.

Even after all the changes we all showed up to share memories of years long past, introduce those new special people to the old friends, and laugh the night away. We were all noticeably different people, but we keep crossing paths. Fate, old souls, karma, the universe, high school, mutual friends, whatever the force that brings these familiar, if not aged, faces back into view are very appreciated.

Talk to an old friend today.