Stuff

Just bought this.

Really waaaannnnnt this.

Old Friends Are Worth Their Weight in Inkjet Cartridges

Spent an hour or so on the phone with Bridget last night. Now, I've known Bridget most of my life - ever since I was in 11th grade, and she was in 8th. Back then, she was a friend of my sister's, but the two of us got along well. One summer things some chemistry changed, and she became the first girl I kissed (more than once), the first girl I fell in love with, the first pretty much everything. It eventually came to an end, and that was painful for a while, but after time I realized things had run their course and she was right to break it off. But we kept in touch, off and on, over the years. And we're both very different people now then we were then, but that's okay. We still care about each other, and find each other interesting, and can be relaxed with each other.

So like I sad, we talked for about an hour. About my marriage, my daughter, my plans. About how I felt like Brett and I used two completely different sets of logic. How I was feeling scared and excited and sad and relieved all at the same time. How I've tried for so long to just be a decent guy, who wants everyone's needs to be met. And it felt good to just let go and say what I felt and not feel a need to remain unbiased and impartial and uncritical. I find it very hard to be that way with my friends; the instinct to stay above the fray, even if it means holding back on what I feel. I'm working on that, and with people I've met through blogging, who don't know Brett, it's easier. But with Bridget, it was really easy. Maybe because we'd been so close before I'd gotten to know Brett.

So thanks Bridget. It helped a lot.

Oh, and one more thing. She totally gets how strong on-line friendships can be, and how important they can be. So stick that in yer ear, Miss "you don't have many real friends" Wife-o-mine.

The heck???

My new microwave oven has a number of pre-sets. I've never liked these, since I never had any trouble figuring out that "This needs to be cooked about 1 minute on high, and if it ain't quite done give it another 20 seconds." But apparently there's some demand for this feature, 'cause pretty much every model has them now. "popcorn" and "slice of pizza" and "hard-boiled egg" and so on. But this one really caught my eye.

"Ice cream"

Ummm.... who the heck puts ice cream in the microwave. And then trusts a pre-programmed setting to soften it just enough without meliting the shnoggers out of it????!?

New Bed

I spent a good chunk of last night assembling the bed I bought at Ikea. Lots and lots of exotic screws and fasteners holding together pine boards. It occurred to me that this was the first piece of furniture I'd ever bought by myself. Everything else I've ever owned has been hand-me-downs from family or friends, things we picked out jointly, and stuff Brett brought with her or scrounged somewhere. But this was something I'd picked out just for me, with no consideration of what Brett would want. It's low to the ground, uses springy slats instead of a box spring, and a plain headboard. She'd hate it.

And then this other thing that occurred to me. For the past few years, I've pretty much not been having sex with my wife. But now, I'm going to have the freedom and opportunity to not have sex with whomover I want. That's right. Movie stars! Olympic athletes! Wives of friends! Women with attractive voices on Vent! The possibilities are endless.

None of This Makes Much Sense

Just got an e-mail today from my dad, telling me he's proud of me. Proud??? WTF is up with that?

Well, Huh

The closer I get to moving out, the more Brett and I seem comfortable with each other. Not all the time - we're still capable of really aggravating each other. But I know from my perspective at least, a lot of it just doesn't seem to matter as much. And that makes it easier to relax around each other. I think that speaks well for us staying close, no matter what happens in the months to come.

I've always been afraid of not having Brett in my life. But now that I've decided on moving out, that fear seems to be fading. Part of it is that the Rubicon is crossed, the die is cast (something jactum est - the Latin is fading away...), and it just wasn't that bad. But the pther part, I think, is that it looks like we're going to be able to still be friends, maybe more so than we have in a long time. Assuming, you know, it doesn't all blow up suddenly. Which probably will always remain a possibility.

Blegh

Puppy woke me up at 4 am again. I thought we had this worked out!

Organizing Some Plans

After a year and a half of blogging as Ratshag, I'm gonna try going back to blogging as me for a bit. Here's where I can say things about WoW guild politics, my marriage and the impending collapse thereof, my dog, my family, and whatever the hell else I feel like saying. What I don't want to do is let this turn into a site for grumpy rants, 'cause that's not a lot of fun. There will be silly stuff from time to time; I just don't want to feel like I need to be upbeat all the time, the way Ratshag is.

Don't know if anyone'll read this or not. For at least a while I'm not going try to advertise this. No links from Need More Rage or anything. I'll probably let a few friends know it exists, and they can read it or not, as they choose. Not gonna install site meter or even e-mail comments to myself. Get plenty of attention on NMR - far more than I ever expected, or even wanted. No need for more here.

Been wanting to do this for a while. Fun as the orc is, he can be rather confining. Here, I'll talk about how I really feel, and I'll see where that takes me. If anywhere.

Frustration

I want to take bold decisive steps. But I don't know what they are.

I need NetBeans installed on my work computer, but I can't figure out how, and the local IT guy is out of the country.

I want to move into my apartment TODAY, but I don't have a bed yet.

I want to make love to a wonderful woman, but I have no idea who she is, or why she'd want anything to do with me.

So, Is This Wrong?

I don't think so. 'Cause there's nothing to it. I don't think. But, there are no rules written down anywhere, I don't think. So I muddle along in confusion.


Edit: So, I told her about sometimes fantasizing about her. Not that it's what I'm after, just that my imagination takes these very pleasant trips sometimes. And she was totally cool about it. And I feel a lot better not feeling like I'm hiding something from my friend.

Waiting for the new blogger

Finally going to get tags, plus a bunch of other stuff I don't really understand. Yippeee!

The Move From Hell

It was awful, but we made it through. Except for the cat. But now the new home is wonderful, the school is good, the cars are still operating, and the movers unloaded everything this morning. Now will be the time to relax!

Technorati Tags: home

I Still Can't Stand Him

Now he's coveting my 3-hole punch. That things been with me since freshman year, for cryin' out loud!


Update:But now I'm in my new office, and it's all good. At least until I get a new officemate.

Anything That Can Go Wrong...

We are abandoning the frigid north for the warm south. Battlewagons do much better when the water doesn't freeze up, after all. Simultaneous buying and selling of houses has proven to be a real challenge, in spite of best efforts to plan everything out ahead of time. Examples include the buyers from hell (whom we eventually fired), the 401k Loan of Chaos ("I said I wanted you to FedEx the check to me!""No you didn't.""Yes I did!""Oh. Right. You did.") and the $7000 accounting error (not in our favor). To top it all of this week we had a biblical Plague of Flies in the house.

Six days to go. I don't want to think of what else can hapen.

Technorati Tags: Moving

Test 4

This is a test posting by the AofD. You are all freaking idiots, and I hope the earth swallows you whole. Then I shall laugh. Bwa-ha-ha-ha!

Test 3

This is test posting by Bulldog Lafitte.
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x xx x x x x x x x x x x xx x x x xx x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

Technorati Tags: [TAGNAME]

Test 2

This is another test.

Emigrant Direct

The new EmigrantDirect login procedure really sucks. I feel like Tim is asking me "What is your favorite color?"

Technorati Tags: Banking, Monty Python

New Links

I've edited the links column to include warship museums which I've visited. I'm also testing out technorati Tags with this post.

Technorati Tags: Battleships, History, Museums

Old Ironsides

Saw the USS Constitution this July 4. Every year she gets towed out to Castle Island at the entrance to Boston harbor and she fires a 21-gun salute to the nation. It was one of the most stirring sights I've ever seen.

Her sides are truly made of iron.