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23

I hate Continental Airlines. I really dislike using that word... but it's true. I am so frustrated with their complete lack of customer service. I hate to go into the latest saga, but basically they are up to the same no good. One humorous tidbit: they offered me a "customer care kit" that was expired... thus void. Then they didn't have any replacement kits that had valid dates on them, so they directed me to their 1-800 number and basically said "good luck". ICSBs... all of them. Anyhoo, I am not feeling well and want to curl up into a little ball and go to sleep. There is a trend going on here that is not positive. I can't wait until this is over.

24

Another long day. Oi! I would tell you about it, but it would just sound like bitching. I'm leaving the office. Yippie! Go have a drink. I'll beat ya there...

"http://terrytate.reebok.com/index.asp?etf=104 ">You kill da joe, you make some mo!"

Bitch.

Life is filled with irony. If your shirts are wrinkled, ironing too. I am quite chatty this morning after a lesson in "why clayton is not a morning person" this aye emm. Ahem. I woke to that terrible alarm clock sound around 5:15 for a 6:30 arrival at the office. Not having the will power to lift myself from the bed, I reset the alarm clock for 5:40-ish-something, snuggled next to the angel that peacefully lay next to me, and wished and prayed and hoped that the whole alarm thing was just a bad dream. Speaking of, I did have a bad dream last night. I didn't know the people in the dream, but they were all disappearing in some tunnel. I didn't disappear though... odd. Anyhoo, when the real alarm went off again, I managed to drag myself to the shower and clumsily dress in the dark. I desperately wanted coffee, but I didn't want to wake EL with the bean grinder filling the apartment with unnecessary decibels, so I grabbed a Diet Coke and headed for the office. Traffic was light because it was early. I made it to work at 6:20... time to spare. I realized just as I approached the parking lot that I didn't have my proximity badge to access the office. Just after that, I also realized that I didn't have it because it was in my laptop bag... which was in our bedroom. Sonofabitch. I drive on to retake the freeway and head back to the apartment. Traffic is much worse. I get there, grab the bag as quietly as possible so as to not disturb her sleep, and check the time as I hit the base of the stairs. No time. Out of time. I had a deadline that would be missed if I tried to make it back to the office now. So I dialed in. Working from dialup is a lot like sticking a screwdriver in your eye I would imagine... especially when you are dialed into a network and then telneted or ssh'd into another part of the network. Press a key. Wait. Press a key. Wait. Wish you could scream, but realize that would wake up the most wonderful woman in the world. Don't scream. Press a key. Wait. So, once my task was complete and verified working well, I drove back in again. I get to the office about 8:00-ish and commence the coffeefest. So anyhoo, back to the irony bit... I'm in the mood to type today and today just happens to look as though it will be too full of commitment at work to type. Blog denial is a terrible thing... especially when I typed nothing but crap yesterday. Wait. I type nothing but crap most days. Okay, I feel better about it all now. So anyhoo, I talked to Greg on the way into the office (the second time). I'm so proud of him... venturing out and dipping his toes into Linux waters. On another note, I'm pseudo-shopping for a new cell phone provider. I've had Nextel for about two years and have never really had any complaints with the service. I think it's just time for a change. The phones aren't really as feature rich as some you can get now days and I don't use the direct connect feature enough to justify keeping them just for that feature. Shopping. Shopping. I don't think I want to work anymore.

25

Bah humbug.

Yeah. I'm still at work. Microsoft sucks. Meetings suck. Politics suck. I have to pee. I'm hungry. My neck hurts. I miss my girlfriend. There. Was that enough whining for ya? Ok.

pee ess... work just extended my stay... again... ;-)

I had a fun last night with EL and Sarah, but didn't really get much sleep. I'm not feeling so great right now. I have had a busy morning with a lot of issues seamlessly carrying my time for one to the next like a technological relay race. I am so fortunate to have a wonderful and caring girlfriend like EL. I went home at lunch to see her and my day was instantly better. I really could use a nap though... anyhoo, back to the daily grind.






I have a bad feeling about this afternoon.

26

I gotsta go.

I really don't feel good. It has nothing to do with lunch. Lunch was great. EL and I went to MacKenzie's and shared the blackened salmon and pepper encrusted filet mignon. When we were in Denver last week, we discovered this drink where you take a champagne flute and fill the bottom third or so with a nice port then top off the glass with champagne, so a few of those were in order along the ride. We had fresh strawberry garnished tiramisu and crème brulee before some much needed coffee. We managed to squeeze out of there just as our two hour parking meter was about to expire. A wonderful lunch filled with hand holding and intimate conversation was just the break I needed in my day. No, lunch was great. It's not that I feel bad... I just don't feel good. It's like I need to get warm, but I can't. I need to close my eyes and rest them for a minute, but I can't. This could all be remedied by a nap... or better yet, a steaming hot shower and a nap. Yes. A nap.

My day just took at turn for the worse unknown. I just found out that my boss's boss is being replaced with another guy that I don't really know well. I can only hope for the best. Everyone gets the benefit of the doubt with me... I hope he is a good Director and our professional relationship is producive. I just liked the guy that's leaving. I'm sorry to seem him move to another position.

How ya like my fake smile? Work is soooo fun. Not. So anyhoo, I watched part of the SuperBowl with EL... not because I dig sports on television (because I don't), but because she is a big football fan and I'm trying to involve myself in things she likes that I don't necessarily. It's important to share your interests, I think. I am actually going to learn to enjoy watching football. There. I said it. Umm... speaking of the SuperBowl, Micah won $100 in some pool and half of it has my name on it. I like those football pools that pay. It's sooooooo cold in here. I'm close to being able to see my own breath. My fingers have that feeling like they are frozen on the inside. My toes are like ice cubes. What's wrong with these people!? I wish I had some Frito Pie. EL made salsa last night that was excellent. I really liked it... spicy spicy spicy. I am crazy about extremely spicy food. Some people have a sweet tooth. I have a spice tooth. That sounded ridiculous. It's true though... yumm.