Why I Haven’t Blogged in a Week

Well, first there’s this:

 

which was fun, but then there’s this during the day…

Yep, that’s seven inches of dead trees which comprise the work that has come to me since Monday.

Now, according to a recent statistic I made up, 92% of my blog entries are posted at work in the morning before I get started.  So just for fun (and in the interest of productivity) I’m going to start “home blogging”.

The theory here is that at home my attitude will be different and thus affect my writing.  The other theory is that when I’m not at work and if I’m not out doing other things, I’m probably in my papasan chair watching stand-up and not really inclined to move (much less create coherent sentences).  So making a habit of this may require a slight adjustment in my blogational fortitude. 

Come to think of it, my list of personal adjustments I want to make in life makes that pile of paper up there look like one of the players in the picture above it.  I need to get to the gym more often, I need to bring lunch instead of buying it, I need to put more in savings, I need to keep up with friends, and the list goes on.  It’s an aggravating list and I bet we all have one.  I guess I’m just a basics kind of guy.  Because I’ve got those covered – food, shelter, clothes.  After that, everything else sort of congeals into some kind of adult bachelor meets 6 year old existence.  ”I’ll pass on laundry tonight because there’s a new episode of House.  Or perhaps I could go jogging. Oh wait, I could play Guitar Hero.  Let’s see…  Jogging = running and sweating.  Guitar Hero = standing still and feeling like a rock star.”  Not a tough decision, really.

Anywho, life is what it is and I’m enjoying most of it.  I live in the greatest city in the world, I have amazing friends and family and, overall, God has been entirely too good to me.

Have a good’n,

- J

Build-a-Blog

Unless you’re one of those really well known websites, tapping the readers for stuff is usually hit or miss.  Having said that, we’ll see what happens…

Call it writer’s block, call it lack of inspiration, call it laziness.  Either way, my blogger’s broken.  I need ideas! 

Not knowing where else to turn, I am officially accepting suggestions for blog topics.  Anything in particular you’d like to hear me sarcastically opine on?  Any question you’ve just been dying to ask me or the world at large?  I’ll speak on humanities behalf, if you like.  (It wouldn’t be the first time.)

Get specific.  Challenge me.  Want your topic blogged in poetry form?  Bring it, foo.  Want it in iambic pentameter?  Fine.  I have no idea what that means, but if you can explain it to me I’ll iambicly pentam the hell out of it.

Want to ask deep, serious, probing questions about my life?  Ask away and I promise you I MIGHT answer them. 

Point is, have fun and help keep the ol’ blogosphere a-rollin’.  Can’t wait to see what y’all come up with.

- J (is a little scared…)

The Post-Christmas Post

Howdy everyone.  A little holiday recap for you all…

Christmas was great.  I enjoyed some downtime, reasonable weather and a lot of quality time with the family types.

And now, some abstract math:  AirTran + Bad Weather = the movie Cloverfield.  I was supposed to be home at 4:00 Saturday afternoon.  Finally touched down in LGA at 7:00PM Sunday.  Wasn’t all bad though.  Got to spend an extra night with my parents. 

Upon getting back to my apartment, I was a little more than miffed to find the cable and internet on the fritz.  The customer service representative was unable to figure out what the problem was, so they are sending someone out to the apartment.  On FRIDAY.  So I get to spend a few days without internet or cable television.  It’s an inconvenience, but then again this could be a good thing.  Sort of an unintentional fast.  Besides, compared to the problems I could be having, in the grand scheme of things missing House really isn’t the end of the world.

I finished reading Angels and Demons by Dan Brown on the way home yesterday.  Really great book.  I hope the movie does it justice.  I’ll start on The Da Vinci  Code pretty soon.

I’m also about 3/4 through the original Watchmen graphic novel.  Interesting is the shortest way I can describe it so far.  Again, I’m looking forward to the movie and hope it lives up to the hype.

This will be my first New Year’s in the city and I’m really excited.  I’ll be welcoming 2009 at a party with some friends (because short of a date with Megan Fox, nothing on earth could get me in Time Square at midnight).  I’ve been told they’ll have some of those little pull-string popper thingys.  That’s pretty much my main reason for going lol.

That’ll do for now.  I hope the holidays have been good to everyone else too.  Have a fun and safe New Year’s Eve.

God Bless!!

Back in the Saddle

Please forgive the hiatus in posting, dear readers.  I’ve been on vacation and decided that should include a vacation from the internet as well.  You should try it some time.  When it’s of your own volition and not forced, it’s quite rewarding.

I spent a week or so back in Texas filled with family, friends, fishing, food and fireworks.  An effing good time, you might say*.  It was a much needed break from the havoc of the city, but I was glad to return to “normal” life.  Whatever that is.  Perhaps I’ll expound more on my trip later.

At the moment, I need to share some excitement.  Last night after work I trotted on down to my local GameStop and picked up Guitar Hero: Aerosmith.  Yes, this is a complete copy of Guitar Hero 3 only with Aerosmith characters and songs.  Why people see a problem with this is beyond me.  I am, I admit, totally biased in my opinion.  In case you weren’t aware, Aerosmith is pretty much my favorite band.  Ever.  If you are not an Aerosmith fan, you should seek professional help then this game is not for you and you should just stick to GH3.

That will do for now, I suppose.  Love you guys.

- J(oe Perry rocks)

 

* See what I did there?

I Went to Jersey. Wii!!

Howdy Everyone!Had a pretty great weekend, hope you all did as well.  I hit 4 out of the 5 burrows and New Jersey this weekend.  

I went to a halloween festival type thing out in Flemmington NJ with some friends from Bklyn.  I was pleasantly shocked by south Jersey, I really was.  Back roads, trees, stars, country music and RANDOM legit southern accents from the locals.  It was a pretty neat little event.  There was a 45 minute hayride (ha!) that took us out through the woods and people would jump out and (try to) scare people.  A few people were REALLY into it and screaming like crazy.  Much enjoyment for people like me who don’t spook very easily.  After the hayride they drop you off at the south end of a cornfield (at night, mind you) with a maze cut out into it.  It’s not really a maze of course, just a winding path back to the main festival.  There were people set up in there as well.  Man, I want that job.  A couple of the more convincing spooks had chainsaw motors with fake pointy ends on them.  Sounded darn convincing though.  I have to admit one of those guys got me pretty good.  He waited for us to walk past and then cranked it up from behind.  Had he not been the size of three of me he might have been in trouble.  Exiting the cornfield opens you up to the line for the haunted house.  I was underwhelmed with that as it was very predictable where everyone was going to be.  I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the Resident Evil video game series for desensitizing me and teaching me how to check my surroundings for zombies.

Also this weekend I broke down and got

Metroid Prime 3 and Excite Truck for the Wii.  My life is a little more complete now.  As a result, you may not hear from me for a week or two lol.  Be sure and check out the video for Excite Truck and note how you steer.  Wonderful use of the Wii technology.I suppose that’s it for now.  I’m ready to finish up October and get on with November (So I can get on with December and go see my family).

Y’all be good!

J

 

A Simple Thank You

One year ago this Sunday I stepped off an airplane in NYC with 3 suitcases, no definite place to live and that odd mixture of terror and excitement that comes from a major life change.  I’m amazed at just how little of that person is still here.

 

Thanks to all my friends and family for their prayers and support this past year.

 

God bless,

 

J

Home, Health and Happiness

My last few literary adventures have been a bit sarcastic.  For that I apologize.  Occasionally the political banter and crazy people up here get on my nerves and rub off on me a bit.  I think it’s time for just a plain ol’ update on my life instead of a rant.

Things on my mind lately:

• I’m coming home to TX for a visit June 1 – 6 and can’t really express my excitement about that
• I officially joined a gym this week
• Everyone in my life has something awesome going on right now

I decided that I missed everyone more than I realized.  I’m not sure what it was.  I think it happened while telling stories about my friends and family to coworkers or perhaps it was the pictures of my niece that I stumbled upon.  Either way, I couldn’t make it till Christmas.  And hopefully I will never have to.  I had decided not to go home this year till Christmas because a little home is coming to me in July when my parents visit.  For those that know my family, you know this is a big deal.  And for the past 2 months I’ve been compiling lists of activities and obsessing about where to go what to do and all the other things you consider when trying to make a good impression.  But the more I thought about it the more I realized that my parents won’t care what we do.  They just want to see me.  And when it comes right down to it, I just want to see them too.  That and the thought of seeing my dad on the subway just makes me smile.  Now if I can just get my grandmother up here…

So I joined Crunch Monday.  I used a guest pass last week to check it out.  I took an aerobics class called “Cardio Sculpt” and my body has yet to forgive me.  But eventually I’ll work up to being able to actually benefit from the self inflicted torture that these classes provide.  The amenities are nice and there are some very friendly people working there.  I’m especially grateful to Ron who gave me my first month free when I told him I needed to wait to join so I could afford my plane ticket home.  Hopefully I’ll be able to update progress on here and make this a part of my weekly routine.  As of now, I’m planning on working out Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.  I’m meeting this Saturday with a personal trainer to figure out A) a good work out regiment for my personal goals I want to accomplish and B) how not to destroy my knees in the process.  This is all new to me, so I’m very excited.  Any words of encouragement are greatly appreciated.

Finally, everywhere I look around I’m greeted by the wonderful things happening in my friends lives.  My friends that started at King’s College the same time I did all graduated this past weekend.  My friends at Baylor graduated this past weekend, talk2tomt just got a new job after his big move back home. iremembernot got a new job, and new apartment  Another one of my best friends just got engaged.  One of my friends here in NY (after years of patience) finally got a room to herself and a chance to redecorate her own space.  Another still, despite much opposition, moved out of her parents house to strike it out on her own.  And speaking of moving, my brother and his family just moved into a gorgeous new home in the Hallsville school district where they plan to stay many many years and raise my beautiful niece.  Congratulations to all my friends and family for all their many wonderful accomplishments and promises of accomplishments to come.  I don’t get out of bed every morning so I can come make bills for a law firm.  I get out of bed because God has blessed my life with some amazing people that I love very much.

K I’m having trouble moving from all the Sap.  To sum up: I’m goin’ home, I’m gettin’ buff and I’m just really happy for everyone.

To my Texas peeps, see you soon!!

Y’all be good.

J

People rock.

My body is at work but my mind is 1500 miles away. My eyes are pointing at a computer screen with numbers and billing information, but they see my niece, my friends and all the food I’ll be eating in a weeks time.

I’m so ready to go home!!!!

I love this city, don’t get me wrong. I’m thrilled I moved here and I’m loving nearly every minute of it. But I’m still transitioning and really feeling how much I miss everyone back home. The holiday season has a lot to do with that.

But God bless my family and my friends. From way down there in TX they have managed to make my Christmas as wonderful for me as it would be if I were there.
My mother is so great. She sent me 2 huge boxes with wrapped Christmas presents with specific instructions not to open them till Christmas morning (except for the one I get to open on Christmas Eve) because, “No way I’m going to be alone on Christmas morning and not have anything to open.” I can’t decide what’s sweeter, her or her homemade fudge.
My friends Cassie and Kyleen conspired to make me have Christmas decorations whether I wanted them or not. My roommate went home for the holidays and so I have the place to myself. I’ve only been in my apartment for 3 months and just didn’t see the point. But Kyleen still shows up at my door with sacks full of Christmas decorations and decks my room out with lights, wrapping paper and the cutest little tree ever. Not many decorations for it though. But that’s alright cause a few days later what shows up in my mail?? A box full of homemade decorations for that tree. A bobble-head angel made out of a dr pepper can, 8 feet of garland made of fishing wire and beer bottle caps, and assorted ornaments to correspond with inside jokes. My room is amazing and so are my friends. I wasn’t excited about Christmas at all till I saw that tree light up. Now today I came to work with a business suit and a Santa hat.
So I go from just having a three day weekend ahead of me to feeling like a 10 year old on Christmas Eve unable to stand the wait to open my presents under my tree. Christmas is great, but having unexpected Christmas is so much cooler.

I hope you’ll all forgive my sappiness and that you all have an amazing Holiday season.

Ho ho ho etc etc etc

J