Today I was in my office and I heard a fire truck coming down the road... it turned into a nursing home across the street. As I saw the firetruck pull into the parking lot, there was a white pickup truck that just stopped in front of the building... the driver put his truck in park just the firetruck was in his rear view mirror. He took his foot off the break as the bright yellow fire lane curb reflected off the side of his truck and the bumper of the stopped fire truck behind him. He was parked along the bright-enough-to-be-seen-in-space yellow fire lane curb filled with no parking and stopping signs. The driver looked back at the truck, which still had its blaring sirens and blinding lights on... what did the driver do? Did he pull out of the way so the fire truck can do its honorable duty? Did the driver pull into the nearest parking space not 20 feet away to make room for the truck? Did the driver say, "Eureka, there is an emergency truck behind me that needs to be exactly where I am parked right now to save someone's poor old grandma?" NO... he got out of his truck non-chalantly as if the truck didn't exist. I am open-minded and I know there could have been a number of reasons why he didn't acknowledge that mammoth, shiny, strobe-light blinking, piercing sirens playing the mambo on the ear-drum emergency vehicle. But come-on, show some respect! The guy waltzed around the back of his truck as the enormous, monstrous lunchbox of metal was stopped not even 15 feet away trying to get this gentleman's attention. A fireman within that NOISY, BLINKY hunk of metal told that guy to move the truck. Which he finally did. I am sorry, but what the heck was that guy thinking?
That is not the first time I have seen people recklessly disregarding emergency situations for selfish reasons. I encountered another discombobulating incident a few years ago, when I was supervising a weight room. As I stroll back to 1999, when the fire alarm goes off, the lights went off as well (except for the emergency lights, which is only one light in a large room cramped room with no windows). My job was to get people out of the building quickly as possible without anyone getting hurt then get myself out of the building for my own safety. So what happens? Some not-so-bright guys insisted to finish their workout! I mean come on, I know you want to feel the burn, but that is not the kind of burn you want to feel! After studying kinesiological sciences I know that one workout is not going to make or break a physique. I know that missing a set will not magically turn you into a competitor of the World's Strongest Man Competition. In fact, I am willing to bet the odds are in their favor if they get the heck out of the building. They continued to do another set of benching and squatting in the dark hoping that they had the right amount of weight one each side of the bar and hoping they could see whether or not they are going to smack each other with the 225 lbs worth of weight on their shoulders.... can anyone explain this to me? Okay, I will give them credit for not smelling smoke so it was most likely (and it was) a false alarm, but what if there was some other reason for the alarm to go off?
Can anyone explain this to me??
Saturday, January 14, 2006
Friday, January 13, 2006
Why my cat is a dog in disguise
I adore my cat... he is unique, he is a neat and he thinks he is a dog. Maybe it is because I have wanted my own dog and deep down inside he wanted to please me. Or maybe he is just a transex...I mean transanimal. But that is our little secret.... I don't want him to appear on Jerry Springer. Jerry can easily has fun with him, especially if he has been neutered, so he is actually not a "he" nor is he a "she". Anyways, I am going to keep him a secret... I have been trying to raise him as a pacifist so I don't want any potential for a fight between him and that pregnant teenage prostitute who is love with their girlfriend's boyfriend's third cousin's gay cross-dressing three-legged Egyptian Minx. That is what I would call a catfight. Okay, that is beside the point. Here are several reasons I believe he is a dog in a cat's disguise:
· He plays fetch. No I am not talking about me throwing it and he watches me like the moron I am to retrieve it... I mean, he actually plays fetch. I throw a toy, he chases it and comes back and drops it waiting for me to throw it again! It is not fluke, he will do it till the cows come home!
· He plays hide and seek. Okay, that might actually be more above and beyond a dog's brain-power, so maybe he is actually a very hairy baby... or perhaps a very miniature bigfoot in disguise. But he will play that game with me. I would hide as he sits there and counts to...umm... never figured how high he counts... but after I am in my hiding spot, he would look for me. He would meow this weirdest noise as he tries to lure me out of my spot... but noooo, I am too smart for that. I want to play hide and seek, not Marco Polo!
· He likes to dig. You know how a dog wants to bury his bone... well, my cat wants to bury his food too, when he is done... not only that, he wants to bury his crap, his reflection in the mirror. I never could figure out why he tries to bury the mirror... he would jump up on top of the bathroom sink, get on his back paws to stretch up to the mirror and scratch at it. Perhaps, he is just curious to why I look in the mirror all the time. Before you even think about thinking about why I do it myself, I shave! Gosh, some people have the trashiest imagination. Anyways, I would get out of the shower and he would wait for me at the sink... as I put on the shaving cream (on me, not him!) he would be fascinated with the mirror and scratch at it. Weird!
· He is a peeping tom. Just like dogs, where they will stick their noses in the most awkward of places, he does that too. Just like he did for the 43525435432 time this morning, he was spying on me in the shower! I am okay with that... as a good "parent" should be, I will support him for whatever he prefers. But I will say, that hot female cat in the apartment below me will be disappointed. So he is a curious cat peeping on my pee-pee in the shower.
· He waits for me by the door when I leave and when I come home. Umm... I feel so special to have someone to greet me at the door. He has the intuition to know when I am getting ready to leave; he would go by the door and sit there... I know what you are thinking, he is indeed pulling that guilt trip on me... looking at me with his sad green eyes and make me late for work each day! He must know my footsteps because he always knows it is me when I open the door...otherwise he is under the bed enjoying his dog days of the summ...winter.
· He likes road trips. Okay, I think he is getting tired of the road trips now, but I always take him to my parent's house when I go do my laundry... oops... I mean when I go home to see them. He would sit on my lap and look out the window; sometimes he would jump to the back seat and ask in this ever so soft annoying voice..."Meuuuuuew? Meeuuuuew?" For those of you who have not studied the language... that translate to: "Are we there yet? Are we there yet?”
· He scares the hell outta big dogs and partners up with medium sized dogs. Ok, my parents have two dogs, both the same breed but two different sizes… the medium sized dog is the eldest and gets along well with my cat… hey, she even gives my cat a kiss when he walks in…. the larger dog is terrified of my cat. I mean she cowards behind my dad and searches on MapQuest for the longest route to avoid my cat. I gotta tell you, I am awfully proud of my cat *wipes the tear out of my eye* for dispelling the myth: Go pick on someone your own size… he refuses to and picks on someone twice his size.
As you can see, from the cold hard facts presented to you today, he is a dream come true to this dog-lover trapped in an apartment with too unpredictable a schedule to have a dog. I tell ya, I am awfully proud of my lil panther!
· He plays fetch. No I am not talking about me throwing it and he watches me like the moron I am to retrieve it... I mean, he actually plays fetch. I throw a toy, he chases it and comes back and drops it waiting for me to throw it again! It is not fluke, he will do it till the cows come home!
· He plays hide and seek. Okay, that might actually be more above and beyond a dog's brain-power, so maybe he is actually a very hairy baby... or perhaps a very miniature bigfoot in disguise. But he will play that game with me. I would hide as he sits there and counts to...umm... never figured how high he counts... but after I am in my hiding spot, he would look for me. He would meow this weirdest noise as he tries to lure me out of my spot... but noooo, I am too smart for that. I want to play hide and seek, not Marco Polo!
· He likes to dig. You know how a dog wants to bury his bone... well, my cat wants to bury his food too, when he is done... not only that, he wants to bury his crap, his reflection in the mirror. I never could figure out why he tries to bury the mirror... he would jump up on top of the bathroom sink, get on his back paws to stretch up to the mirror and scratch at it. Perhaps, he is just curious to why I look in the mirror all the time. Before you even think about thinking about why I do it myself, I shave! Gosh, some people have the trashiest imagination. Anyways, I would get out of the shower and he would wait for me at the sink... as I put on the shaving cream (on me, not him!) he would be fascinated with the mirror and scratch at it. Weird!
· He is a peeping tom. Just like dogs, where they will stick their noses in the most awkward of places, he does that too. Just like he did for the 43525435432 time this morning, he was spying on me in the shower! I am okay with that... as a good "parent" should be, I will support him for whatever he prefers. But I will say, that hot female cat in the apartment below me will be disappointed. So he is a curious cat peeping on my pee-pee in the shower.
· He waits for me by the door when I leave and when I come home. Umm... I feel so special to have someone to greet me at the door. He has the intuition to know when I am getting ready to leave; he would go by the door and sit there... I know what you are thinking, he is indeed pulling that guilt trip on me... looking at me with his sad green eyes and make me late for work each day! He must know my footsteps because he always knows it is me when I open the door...otherwise he is under the bed enjoying his dog days of the summ...winter.
· He likes road trips. Okay, I think he is getting tired of the road trips now, but I always take him to my parent's house when I go do my laundry... oops... I mean when I go home to see them. He would sit on my lap and look out the window; sometimes he would jump to the back seat and ask in this ever so soft annoying voice..."Meuuuuuew? Meeuuuuew?" For those of you who have not studied the language... that translate to: "Are we there yet? Are we there yet?”
· He scares the hell outta big dogs and partners up with medium sized dogs. Ok, my parents have two dogs, both the same breed but two different sizes… the medium sized dog is the eldest and gets along well with my cat… hey, she even gives my cat a kiss when he walks in…. the larger dog is terrified of my cat. I mean she cowards behind my dad and searches on MapQuest for the longest route to avoid my cat. I gotta tell you, I am awfully proud of my cat *wipes the tear out of my eye* for dispelling the myth: Go pick on someone your own size… he refuses to and picks on someone twice his size.
As you can see, from the cold hard facts presented to you today, he is a dream come true to this dog-lover trapped in an apartment with too unpredictable a schedule to have a dog. I tell ya, I am awfully proud of my lil panther!
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
Productivity
Alright, I was determined, no matter what side of the bed I woke up, to be productive today. For the most part it was... as productive as trimming my fingernails with play-dough scissors... okay, it was more productive than that... I did to talk to some people and gave them some answered they didn't want to hear... but deal with it not everyone can get their way.
I got some terrible news that one of the best people I work with is stepping down from a major program. She has been very responsive and a pleasure to work with... plus she always called me "sweetie" when I talked with her. She was the program's liasion to my office... she has social skills and understands to relate with people, unlike some others. Since the program is one of the major ones, also a program with a history of more turmoil than Baltimore City Police's "Flex Squad", I am worried about having to deal with someone new. The fact that she stepped down because a "mutiny", does little to quell my fear. It is not my choice nor do I have a say in who the replacement will be. The program is filled with overly-passionately people in it who do not look at the whole picture... they tend to focus on the immediate surroundings not the whole picture. Being over-passionate is not always a bad thing, but when it gets out of hand, rules are broken and the point to be a good role model for the kids and people in the community is forgotten, then I have a huge problem with it. Think Mike Tyson determined to have a piece of candy and the only candy around is in a baby's hand. The parent would be more worried about finding a good plastic surgeon to repair the the bite marks on the baby than anything else. Ok, not the best analogy.
The council meeting tonight was long... but productive. Some people would not see it as a good meeting, but I did. I tend to look at the bigger picture, that picture is the issues and the concerns that have been arising lately are forcing the council to rethink their ways... becoming more active and more responsible for what they set out to do. The issues help educate them to become better at what they do. Hopefully, more would see what is happening and get more involved. New fresh blood would be a positive thing in this council. So all in all, it was a productive day.
I got some terrible news that one of the best people I work with is stepping down from a major program. She has been very responsive and a pleasure to work with... plus she always called me "sweetie" when I talked with her. She was the program's liasion to my office... she has social skills and understands to relate with people, unlike some others. Since the program is one of the major ones, also a program with a history of more turmoil than Baltimore City Police's "Flex Squad", I am worried about having to deal with someone new. The fact that she stepped down because a "mutiny", does little to quell my fear. It is not my choice nor do I have a say in who the replacement will be. The program is filled with overly-passionately people in it who do not look at the whole picture... they tend to focus on the immediate surroundings not the whole picture. Being over-passionate is not always a bad thing, but when it gets out of hand, rules are broken and the point to be a good role model for the kids and people in the community is forgotten, then I have a huge problem with it. Think Mike Tyson determined to have a piece of candy and the only candy around is in a baby's hand. The parent would be more worried about finding a good plastic surgeon to repair the the bite marks on the baby than anything else. Ok, not the best analogy.
The council meeting tonight was long... but productive. Some people would not see it as a good meeting, but I did. I tend to look at the bigger picture, that picture is the issues and the concerns that have been arising lately are forcing the council to rethink their ways... becoming more active and more responsible for what they set out to do. The issues help educate them to become better at what they do. Hopefully, more would see what is happening and get more involved. New fresh blood would be a positive thing in this council. So all in all, it was a productive day.
Gotta have fun
Today's theme was "gotta have fun". At work, my Office Assistant's (OA) daughter dropped by. When that happens, you can kiss productivity goodbye. My OA alone and I can have the oddest and most off the wall conversations, but when the DOA (Daughter of OA) you can expect nothing serious to come out of it. The two of them together is enough to make Andrew Dice Clay jealous. It was a lot of laughs, especially at the expense of each other.
Since it is (*looking at the clock*)...eh...was... Tuesday, it was also bowling night for me. I was simply pathetic up there. Even my best game was below my 197 average. It was probably the worst night of bowling since "Punky Brewster" was considered my hero. I ended up bowling a 195, 162, 147... for a total of 504. Despite the choking and the despicable scores, my team won three out of four... and most important, we had fun. I was in a wacky mood and talkative, I was able to enjoy the sport I have grown to make part of my life once a week for the past decade (on and off). I didn't take the ball's fear of knocking the pins down seriously. I even resisted the incredible urge to get the bumpers put up in the gutters to see how many times I can get the ball to bounce from one gutter to the next to even beat the scores I bowled tonight. It was fun tonight to kid around with my teammates and opponents for the goobers we are... even my teammate, Mr Whine-whine-whine-with-crackers-and-cheese was a bit more pleasant because of that little three letter "F" word. You gotta have fun. I just wish I could have that fun-loving feeling more often. I sometimes just cannot help myself from taking my life so seriously. Gotta go to bed, I have a council meeting tomorrow night... never the most fun-thing for me.
Since it is (*looking at the clock*)...eh...was... Tuesday, it was also bowling night for me. I was simply pathetic up there. Even my best game was below my 197 average. It was probably the worst night of bowling since "Punky Brewster" was considered my hero. I ended up bowling a 195, 162, 147... for a total of 504. Despite the choking and the despicable scores, my team won three out of four... and most important, we had fun. I was in a wacky mood and talkative, I was able to enjoy the sport I have grown to make part of my life once a week for the past decade (on and off). I didn't take the ball's fear of knocking the pins down seriously. I even resisted the incredible urge to get the bumpers put up in the gutters to see how many times I can get the ball to bounce from one gutter to the next to even beat the scores I bowled tonight. It was fun tonight to kid around with my teammates and opponents for the goobers we are... even my teammate, Mr Whine-whine-whine-with-crackers-and-cheese was a bit more pleasant because of that little three letter "F" word. You gotta have fun. I just wish I could have that fun-loving feeling more often. I sometimes just cannot help myself from taking my life so seriously. Gotta go to bed, I have a council meeting tomorrow night... never the most fun-thing for me.
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
*No clever title here* but comments welcome.
As I read other blogs posted today... I ponder the direction I want to take with my relatively new addiction. Today there has been a lot of "controversy" about Lurking and de-lurking... whatever that revolution may be. As far as I am concerned, the only Lurk or Lurge (or however it is said) I want to be concerned with is the one from the Adam's Family. You know that big ol' quiet guy who looks up the the superior linguist skills of the apes in a zoo.
Yes, I admit I very much welcome comments from the peanut gallery and I will share my peanut shells with others. Yes, I like attention as much as the next person. Yes, it would be nice to be able to make a friend or two or three or four or fifty by means of blogging (especially since my social life is DOA. Yes, I would love to be able to be able to keep a pair of gloves for longer than a month without losing one. Yes, I would like to own a pair of sunglasses longer than it takes for 99% of NewYears Revolutionist to jump off the bandwagon. But the point is, it is what it is. Sometimes I feel like a nut, sometimes I don't. *Gawd, what is it lately with my nuts?* I want to write about my thoughts and feelings... the mood I am in mainly dictates the kind of blog I will write. I hope it will be entertaining enough to put a smile on someone else's face or even mine down the road if I re-read it. I would hope that I can put a positive spin to the content to help me feel more optimistic about my life. I would want it to be reflective of who I am and what I like and what is going on with me. I like to make a difference in someone else's lives (no matter how so insignificant that difference may be), something I don't feel I have been doing as much (and as often)lately. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside like a old moldy piece of fruit... ok, bad example. I tend to feel better about myself and more comfortable about myself when I feel like I have helped someone else or put a smile on another's face, as corny as it may sound. Something as simple as saying hi to a stranger walking down the street.... but that is as far as I go, the wizard has not given me courage to go beyond that yellow brick road. Blogs have been an avenue for me to convey my thoughts when I have not been able to do in person, behind the mask of gooberman. I put my blog on "Blogtimore, Hon" so I can get someone to read it, that is what it is designed to do, get your blog exposed to a larger population. That is my two cents.
Yes, I admit I very much welcome comments from the peanut gallery and I will share my peanut shells with others. Yes, I like attention as much as the next person. Yes, it would be nice to be able to make a friend or two or three or four or fifty by means of blogging (especially since my social life is DOA. Yes, I would love to be able to be able to keep a pair of gloves for longer than a month without losing one. Yes, I would like to own a pair of sunglasses longer than it takes for 99% of NewYears Revolutionist to jump off the bandwagon. But the point is, it is what it is. Sometimes I feel like a nut, sometimes I don't. *Gawd, what is it lately with my nuts?* I want to write about my thoughts and feelings... the mood I am in mainly dictates the kind of blog I will write. I hope it will be entertaining enough to put a smile on someone else's face or even mine down the road if I re-read it. I would hope that I can put a positive spin to the content to help me feel more optimistic about my life. I would want it to be reflective of who I am and what I like and what is going on with me. I like to make a difference in someone else's lives (no matter how so insignificant that difference may be), something I don't feel I have been doing as much (and as often)lately. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside like a old moldy piece of fruit... ok, bad example. I tend to feel better about myself and more comfortable about myself when I feel like I have helped someone else or put a smile on another's face, as corny as it may sound. Something as simple as saying hi to a stranger walking down the street.... but that is as far as I go, the wizard has not given me courage to go beyond that yellow brick road. Blogs have been an avenue for me to convey my thoughts when I have not been able to do in person, behind the mask of gooberman. I put my blog on "Blogtimore, Hon" so I can get someone to read it, that is what it is designed to do, get your blog exposed to a larger population. That is my two cents.
Monday, January 09, 2006
Moving right along now...
Today was just another day... not a productive at work... uneventful, except finding out that there is an event this weekend that is bigger than I anticipated. The program is asking for more than what is available. Since it is only monday and I have a full head of hair to pull out, I think I will be fine. I will be shopping for a temporary toupee or looking for rogaine after the week is up. Anyways, I am tired and uninspired... going to go read the book I have been reading since before Thanksgiving. It is a really good book, but I just have not been devoting a lot of time to reading lately.
Sunday, January 08, 2006
The blues
Before reading this, arm yourself with some cheese... there is going to be a lot of whining.
Today was the day for singing the blues... I am not talking about the La-la-lala-la-la Smurfs tune. I am talking the sad, woke up on the wrong side of the bed blues. I simply wasn't feeling to happy today.. I was lonely and bored. Took naps on the couch with my cat on my chest (he tends to do that every now and then, so I enjoy it when I can). It is like a heating pad and vibrator rolled in in. Okay, that sounded very bad; But when he purrs it can be very soothing and comforting. I wish I had a girlfriend to take that soothing comforting role. It dawn upon me that even though I have a lot to offer someone else, I am not always a conversationalist would want out of a guy. I just don't understand. Maybe I am just thinking too much... if I could stop thinking too much and worry that the wrong thing will be coming out of my mouth, everything would alright. It is kinda like the three stooges... all three try to get through the door at the same time and their attempt to cross the treshold ends up miserably. On the right day with the right people, I can be outgoing guy who the spotlight can shine on. But other times it is like I am a bump on the log.. no, a bump a bump on the log would only hope to be to be considered a worthy bump.
It also occured to me that I live in a small town where almost everyone knows everyone else... everyone went to the same high school... but not me. It is not the town I grew up in. Even though people are relatively friendly, I feel like I am intruding on the town, especially since I am in a job with a lot of involvement with the community. I was asked to attend a meeting on Thursday... if things work out, then I might be in a bigger role dealing with the town's youth. Not a bad thing, especially since I prefer to be on the "front-lines" as opposed to behind the desk... how is that for an un0understandable mind? I like the front-lines, and do well (especially if I am guiding the way) but I am not a conversationalist.
When I was working for the gym... I loved to give the fitness orientations. I was on the front lines talking to people. People wanted me to personal train them because I worked well with them and I take a different approach, a more humorous yet realistic approach, but even though I am a certified personal trainer, it does not appeal to me. I don't want to have to wonder when my next client would be... I don't want to have to rely on commission, I want a steady paycheck, which I have. Besides, I prefer to give people tips for free. But that is beside the point for today.
I went to Hops today... I wanted to get out of the apt and I had a craving for seafood. It was a good meal and beer as I watched the bengals-steelers football game. I was hoping the bengals would continue their remarkable season. Oh well, the Redskins are still in... I have faith in Joe Gibbs. When I was at Hops, I don't small talk with the people next to me or the bartender... but I am cordial and say hello and smile to people, but that is as far as it goes. Not exactly intentional... I would love to get to know more people. Even if I did meet someone, would I even have the nerve to get their number? I just wish things were more simpler.
Well, I am a hopeless romantic, so what do I do? I pop in my favorite DVD, Love Actually. Each of the mini-stories within the movie are great. Makes me laugh each time I see it. Gotta watch the movie now.
Today was the day for singing the blues... I am not talking about the La-la-lala-la-la Smurfs tune. I am talking the sad, woke up on the wrong side of the bed blues. I simply wasn't feeling to happy today.. I was lonely and bored. Took naps on the couch with my cat on my chest (he tends to do that every now and then, so I enjoy it when I can). It is like a heating pad and vibrator rolled in in. Okay, that sounded very bad; But when he purrs it can be very soothing and comforting. I wish I had a girlfriend to take that soothing comforting role. It dawn upon me that even though I have a lot to offer someone else, I am not always a conversationalist would want out of a guy. I just don't understand. Maybe I am just thinking too much... if I could stop thinking too much and worry that the wrong thing will be coming out of my mouth, everything would alright. It is kinda like the three stooges... all three try to get through the door at the same time and their attempt to cross the treshold ends up miserably. On the right day with the right people, I can be outgoing guy who the spotlight can shine on. But other times it is like I am a bump on the log.. no, a bump a bump on the log would only hope to be to be considered a worthy bump.
It also occured to me that I live in a small town where almost everyone knows everyone else... everyone went to the same high school... but not me. It is not the town I grew up in. Even though people are relatively friendly, I feel like I am intruding on the town, especially since I am in a job with a lot of involvement with the community. I was asked to attend a meeting on Thursday... if things work out, then I might be in a bigger role dealing with the town's youth. Not a bad thing, especially since I prefer to be on the "front-lines" as opposed to behind the desk... how is that for an un0understandable mind? I like the front-lines, and do well (especially if I am guiding the way) but I am not a conversationalist.
When I was working for the gym... I loved to give the fitness orientations. I was on the front lines talking to people. People wanted me to personal train them because I worked well with them and I take a different approach, a more humorous yet realistic approach, but even though I am a certified personal trainer, it does not appeal to me. I don't want to have to wonder when my next client would be... I don't want to have to rely on commission, I want a steady paycheck, which I have. Besides, I prefer to give people tips for free. But that is beside the point for today.
I went to Hops today... I wanted to get out of the apt and I had a craving for seafood. It was a good meal and beer as I watched the bengals-steelers football game. I was hoping the bengals would continue their remarkable season. Oh well, the Redskins are still in... I have faith in Joe Gibbs. When I was at Hops, I don't small talk with the people next to me or the bartender... but I am cordial and say hello and smile to people, but that is as far as it goes. Not exactly intentional... I would love to get to know more people. Even if I did meet someone, would I even have the nerve to get their number? I just wish things were more simpler.
Well, I am a hopeless romantic, so what do I do? I pop in my favorite DVD, Love Actually. Each of the mini-stories within the movie are great. Makes me laugh each time I see it. Gotta watch the movie now.
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