2008 is already here somewhere out there. . .Here it is still 2007 for a few more hours. It was a decent year, nothing spectacular, but at the same time nothing crapactular either. It wasn’t a 1986 nor was it a 2005. It is what it is.
Meh. I ain’t got much more to say on it now. Back to playing GTA.
I figured I “blog” during the game ~ well, at least writing down my thoughts during it.
8:28: Giants have scored first, on the opening drive. The big play was a huge 52 yard catch by Burress. My heart is still racing, a bit worried ’bout the defense, but I don’t think Manning will let us down.
8:30: With his first catch Wes Welker goes to 102 receptions in this season, beating Troy Brown’s 101 receptions.
8:32: 4th and 2. . .and a first down with a throw to Randy Moss. ::whew:: But then the Giants D stopped the Pats on 3rd and 8 with an incomplete pass into the end zone so the Pats get a field goal instead. Grrr. 7 to 3.
8:42: Pats D held the Giants on 3 and 11. And a punt returned to mid field by Welker. ::whew::
8:47: 3rd and 14 for the Pats. . .Brady sacked. . .and a penalty down field, illegal defensive contact giving the Pats a 1st down. ::whew!::
8:51: Randy Moss is down on the field. . .crap. But now jogging off the field. So prolly just a good hard hit knocked the wind out of him.
8:55: Randy Moss caught a TD! Records tied and records broken! w00t! Oh goodness. Randy and Tom tie records, most TDs caught in one season and most TDs thrown in one season respectively, and the Pats now have scored the most ever in a season! Just after Randy appeared hurt.
8:59: Giants return a kick off for a TD. Why don’t I really care? Why do I think the Pats just want to get their offense back out on the field?
9:07: Giants hold the Pats on a 3rd and 11, and the Pats kick a field goal, making it 14 (Giants) to 13 (Pats). Grr!
9:13: Harrison almost intercepted a pass! Gah! So close. . .but at least it holds the Giants on 3rd down.
9:17: Looks like the Pats running game just needed to slowly build up. Or something. As now they are running the ball.
9:23: Ohh, good lord. The Pats were held on another 3rd down conversion so the Pats score another field goal. Grr! I hope the offense starts clicking better soon, as I want some Patriots’ TDs! Now its 16 to 14 with less then 2 minutes to go in the first half.
9:35: Jebus. Patriots got a penalty and now the Giants have a first down at the Patriots 13 yard line, they still have a time out and an extra second. We need an interception. . .what the hell. Manning just ran for first down? At he three yard line? Come on defense, you should be able to rattle him! 2 and 10 now, with an incomplete pass. . .Pats time out. . .crap, Manning just got a TD. 21 to 16 now. . .
Ahh, halftime. I really hate these late games. 9:43pm, almost bed time and still a full half to go! Gah! But the Patriots. . .I just don’t know. The offense is stalling close to the redzone, and our defense is on again off again. . .I get the feeling of a cat playing with a moth that it has caught, released, caught, released, caught. . .ad nauseum. Just eat the goddamn moth cat!
9:56: Half time is over, and Tom and the rest of the starters are back on the field. No surprise there. But the Pats are held by the Giant’s D on 3rd down. . .::sigh::
10:06: GAH! How the hell did Eli just march his team up the field and score another TD? Why the hell is our defense sitting back on their hind quarters letting him do this? Now it is28 to 16? Our offense better get it in gear. . .
10:13: The parts were 1 of 6 for 3rd down conversion, but luckily just got another. . .And then a big first down for Welker. . .and another caught pass by Welker. . .finally the offense is getting going.
10:17: Brady went for Moss in the endzone, incomplete pass but pass interference call on the Giants. So the ball is on the 1 yard line, 1st down.
10:19: Now Maroney has run one in? I don’t want running TDs! I want passing TDs! Bah. But hey, a TD is a TD, so now it is only 28 to 23. . .I hope that our defense can make a stand against the Giants.
10:26: Once again the Giants are marching down field. The Patriots need to stop them hard. . .ahh! The Patriots first sack! Too bad Manning didn’t fumble it, now it is 3rd and 22. Hopefully the Patriots can hold them. . .Yes! Giants forced to punt. Finally. I never thought the Giants offense would give us trouble. . .
10:32: Jebus. Another 3rd and 9 already for the Patriots? ::whew!:: Faulk got a reception and got the first down. . .ohh, joy. Another 3rd down and now 10 yards. . .::sigh::
10:37: 4th down for the Patriots. . .and they’re punting with 12:59 left to go in the 4th quarter. I hope the defense can stop the Giant’s offense again so we can get the ball back with decent field position.
10:41: 3rd and 11 for the Giants. . .and yes! The Patriots defense holds them, so they are forced to punt.
10:46: Randy dropped a pass at the 15 yard line of the Giants! So now it is 3rd and 10. . .jebus. . .Next play: TD to Moss! TD TO MOSS! With a two point conversion: 32 to 28! Brady breaks Manning’s record and Moss breaks Rice’s record on the same TD pass.
10:56: Finally! An interception! Ellis Hobbes with his first interception for the year! Finally the Manning we know. 1st and 10 for the Pats at the 48 yard line with 9:53 to go in the 4th.
10:59: Faulk with another first down! He is making those must get plays.
11:02: Maroney just got another rushing TD to make it 38 to 28. ::whew:: But my heart is still racing. . .4:36 left to go.
11:07: 3rd and 1 for the Giants at Pats 37 yard line. . .and the Giants get the first down. . .clock still ticking. Patriots 27 yard line. . . the next play is an incomplete pass which stops clock with 2:36 to go. . .
11:09: 2 minute warning and the Giants have a first down at the Patriots 16 yard line. Thankfully they are down by 10 points, but still. . .my heart is racing.
11:13: With 1:16 left to go and all starters are in for both teams. I wonder if this will hurt the Giants next week. The Patriots have the bye, but not so with the Giants. With their starting center out, they haven’t shown any weakness there, but still ~ the guys will be tired and beat from playing the full game tonight.
11:17: Giants get a TD for a 38 to 35 with 1:04 left on the clock. Giants have one time out, the Patriots have none. . .So the Giants will prolly try an on side kick. . .And Mike Vrabel gets it at the Giant 42 yard line! ::whew::
11:20: Brady takes a knee, Giants burn their final time out, but still – Brady can still take a knee for the final couple of seconds. . .
And the Patriots are 16 and 0! Unbelievable.
So Dave Sim has revealed what his “secret project #2″ is entitled: Glamour Puss. The new website, www.glamourpuss.com, has along with art for the new comic, several other interesting ideas:
From what I can gather about the comic thus far from the site, is that it is a photorealism style comic, has beautiful art and a sense of humor, or should I say humour?
I know I’m looking forward to this comic. Should be a great read.
This month marks Cerebus big three-ohh. Yup, the little gray is thirty this month. The first issue of Cerebus was published back in December 1977. Kinda scary I know engineers at work that are not as old as Cerebus. . .heh.
Though, I was barely cognizant myself back then: I was only six years old. Old enough to have read some comic books, but only those I found in the barbershop where I went with my Dad when he got his hair cut. It wasn’t until March 1986 that I started collected comic books. And not until fall of 1988 that I started reading Cerebus.
Ten years and so many months after Dave had started the comic, 114 issues, and I finally picked up an issue.
So just imagine this if you are just starting off on your own comic book creation: some people might not pick up your book for over 10 years.
But that is when Dave and Gerhard got rolling. When Dave started out, the press run was 2,000 and most of that was brought by three guys (different distributors) with the rest sitting in Dave’s apartment. And then 100 some issues later his circulation is over 35,000 and he is his own boss giving nothing to a comic book company such as Marvel or DC.
So here is to the 300 issues of Cerebus, the art and stories contained therein, the Truths and “truths” that Dave shined a flashlight on in the darkness of the void (ha!). Some may not like what he had to say, but he always made me think, even if it was about subjects hard to . . .swallow.
So I woke up to what I thought was the sound of rain against my window. I got up and looked outside to see this:
Untouched snow. It wasn’t that much, only an inch or so, but it was still coming down hard. After a couple more inches, it turned to a sleet / snow mixture about 11am or so. The plows had come and once again piled snow behind our cars. I was prepared this time with a shovel I had purchased the night before at the local grocery store.
***
Oh my gawd.
They must be stupid. Well, okay, maybe not stupid, but just ignorant of the fact that there are other people living in this apartment building with them.
Of course I’m talking about my upstairs neighbors. The straight couple that moved in after “Jen” left. She had her loud moments, but she usually contained them to waking hours. These jackasses sounded like they were moving furniture at 10:30pm. The racket died down a bit, and I thought I could get to sleep.
I was awaken after I had fallen asleep by more furniture moving right over my head. I always assumed that their apartment, being right over mine, is laid out the same so the bedrooms were right over each other. So what were they doing moving bedroom furniture at lord knows what time? Unless they were having some strange straight sex. . .ewww.
These people are just rude beyond belief. If it wasn’t the furniture moving super late at night, it is the creaky floorboards late at night. I have a couple creaky floorboards in my bedroom, right by my door – so I know to avoid them if at all possible as I don’t want to make too much racket to the guy living behind me.
Not the couple above me: it seems like they stand on top of the squeaky spot just above my head and roll back and forth on top of it. Boy do they make a lot of noise. Rude asses.
The only good thing? They’re straight and engaged. Hopefully they’ll have a kid and move out to a bigger place.
***
Patriots! Wow. 14 and 0. Lets hope they can break the record next week for most consecutive wins in one season with a win over Miami for a 15 and 0 record. What an incredible season they are having. Between all the records that they are breaking, and the ones that hopefully they’ll break, and the 14 and 0 record. . .it just blows my mind. And a first round bye and home field advantage through out the playoffs? manohman! What an exciting time to be a Patriots fan!
So if you’re wonder why I was complaining about not having a shovel last night, here is a picture of my neighbors’ car:
My car was parked to the right of their car, where the SUV is now parked. Not an outrageous amount of snow, but when you’re trying to dig it all out from around you car after knocking it all off the top of your car, and using only a ice scraper / brush combo along with my feet? Not that easy, nor fun.
But luckily something I didn’t have to worry about this morning.
Our first real snowstorm of the year. It started ’bout noon today, and as of now (almost 8pm) there must be 5″ on the ground. . .at least from what I can see from my window. I should go out and get the snow off the car, so it won’t be such a chore tomorrow morning. . .but nah. Here is a view from the area this afternoon:
***
Okay, so i went out to shovel out the car, move it to an area of the parking lot that was plowed so I’d be ready for the morning. When I head outside, there is no shovel at its usual spot by the big barrel of sand and three guys all with their own shovel standing around one car and some girl just aimlessly walking around with a shovel. . .
umm. So I grab the long ice scraper / brush from my car and start kicking the snow away from my car. Luckily for me, the snow is light, even if there is a good 6″ of it on the ground (and still coming down, but not that hard) and there was no car parked to the other side of me. So I spend about 45 minutes pushing snow out of my way and using the brush to knock it off my car. . .
. . .the whole time one of the three guys knocked the snow of his car while the other two stood around laughing and joking and the girl just aimlessly walked around with the other shovel. You’d think they see me trying to dig out my car with my feet.
I didn’t want their help, I just wanted to borrow their shovel. Just one of the three that they weren’t using. Assholes.
But I did manage to get my car kinda dug out, and I was rocking it back and forth to get it to clearer ground, when the guys with the white car finally finished cleaning off their car. They all got inside and drove up towards my car. As I was rocking it back and forth, I was about halfway out into the road. They honked at me and went around me, turned around and drove back down the road. Thanks assholes. All I wanted was to borrow your shovel for like 5 minutes to shovel out my car. Nice fucking neighbors.
I still think that girl is walking around aimlessly carrying that shovel.
Thanks to Daimon at Pam’s House Blend, I found out about House Resolution 847. Which basically is a blow job for all christians out there, and a big sloppy wet kiss to christmas. The text of the bill from the government’s site:
H. Res. 847
In the House of Representatives, U. S.,
December 11, 2007. Whereas Christmas, a holiday of great significance to Americans and many other cultures and nationalities, is celebrated annually by Christians throughout the United States and the world;
Whereas there are approximately 225,000,000 Christians in the United States, making Christianity the religion of over three-fourths of the American population;
Whereas there are approximately 2,000,000,000 Christians throughout the world, making Christianity the largest religion in the world and the religion of about one-third of the world population;
Whereas Christians and Christianity have contributed greatly to the development of western civilization;
Whereas the United States, being founded as a constitutional republic in the traditions of western civilization, finds much in its history that points observers back to its Judeo-Christian roots;
Whereas on December 25 of each calendar year, American Christians observe Christmas, the holiday celebrating the birth of their savior, Jesus Christ;
Whereas for Christians, Christmas is celebrated as a recognition of God’s redemption, mercy, and Grace; and
Whereas many Christians and non-Christians throughout the United States and the rest of the world, celebrate Christmas as a time to serve others: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives–
- (1) recognizes the Christian faith as one of the great religions of the world;
- (2) expresses continued support for Christians in the United States and worldwide;
- (3) acknowledges the international religious and historical importance of Christmas and the Christian faith;
- (4) acknowledges and supports the role played by Christians and Christianity in the founding of the United States and in the formation of the western civilization;
- (5) rejects bigotry and persecution directed against Christians, both in the United States and worldwide; and
- (6) expresses its deepest respect to American Christians and Christians throughout the world.
If you want to know if your Rep voted for it, you can check here with the Office of the Clerk. At first I thought this was in direct contradiction to the 1st Amendment’s “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” ‘Specially the “make no law respecting an establishment of religion” part. . .but that is where my constitutional law is weak. . .
What they passed was a resolution, basically a big flag waving pride parade. No laws, so it is all warm and fuzzy constitutionally. So part of me is disgusted: this feels like a slap on the face of all non-christians out there. Then I think. . .what about gay pride parades. . .a big flag of pride of someone’s identity. . .just like this resolution was a big flag of pride of their christian identity. Now I wonder how many non-christians voted for this resolution. . .I’d take the roll call above and cross link it to a list of Rep’s religious beliefs (all I could find is the one atheist, Stark, voted against the resolution). . .but I don’t have the time right now.
So my feelings on this stupid resolution, of a big glove slap to the face. . .is this what straight people feel when they watch a gay pride parade? Maybe not all straight people, but those that dislike gay people like I dislike those religious people who are in my face and force their laws down my throat and on my body?
But I will still feel indigent, as it is a bit different when some leather queens and biker dykes in San Fran parade their queerness in front of some religious fanatic from Kansas and when 372 Representatives from the United States House of Representatives flaunt their Christianity in the US Capital building.
Time for a road time to Washington, DC. . .where are my chaps?
I can’t believe it is already Sunday. This week was crazy at work. Big projects. Visiting employees from other facilities. Employee evaluations. It was Monday and the next thing I know it was the Thursday morning and I was turning in some paperwork to the boss. And she gave me a compliment. A couple sentences, that I can’t remember now, but I remember the grist of it. And it is nice to get verbal reassurance, a little positive reenforcement.
***
On another note, I ordered a couple books from Blurb. One is a 7″ X 7″ 78 page perfect bound hardcover entitled “Time in Haiti” about the four months I spent in Haiti. The other is an 8″ X 10″ 208 page hardcover entitled “CFG Blog: 2004 to 2006“. It collects my blog entries during that time frame.
I was very happy with the books themselves:
The bindings were tight and have held up, the pages are of decent paper stock, and the pictures in the one book that has them look good. My only wish is that they would print the title and author’s name on the spine and front of the actual book: as when you remove the dust jacket, there is no way to tell what the book is.
I mainly did them so I could have a hardcover copy of my blog entires and of my time in Haiti recollections. Of course I could print both out and put them in a three ring binder, but that looks really cheesy. The rest of the journals I keep are hardcover books, so these will look nice beside them.
The one compliant I have with the Blurb publishing is the software. Ohh, don’t get me wrong: it is very easy to use, and I had no problems figuring out what it could do. The problem is what it can’t do. I can’t have my book already formatted with pictures and expect them to be copied into the book. I have to manually insert every single one. Any place that I had a link in the blog entry, the software didn’t recognize it and removed that text. There is an option to get your blog entries and put them into the book format. I’ve used several blogging “platforms” from Blogger to pLog and now WordPress, and the only one of those three that the Blurb software would work with was Blogger. When they did put the blog entires into a book, each entry had a page no matter what the size of the entry, and the pictures were pushed to the edge of the page as a small 2″ x 2″ picture along the page edge. Not what I was looking for with regards to formatting. Plus the software is a memory hog and everything slows down to a crawl when I’m using it.
With the blog book I didn’t correct any spelling errors or take the time to insert my pictures as I should have. I wanted to see the quality of the book. Which was great. So with the Time in Haiti book, I made some minor tweaks. When I went to upload a new edition, the Blurb website couldn’t handle that. It told me I had to delete the first edition and upload the new edition. No problemo, but when I do that, it sees the book as a new book and requires me to buy a copy before the book can be “public”. I brought a couple copies anyways for family, but it just seems . . .cheesy that they didn’t have a button for “upload new edition” which would 1. delete the previous edition and 2. upload the new edition in one easy step.
I’m going to get the CFG Blog: 2006 to 2007 book together and see how long it takes me to get the formatting with the pictures and all.
***
The first snow was this pass week. As I stepped outside Thursday night after work, it was snowing and a light coat of it covered my car and the roads. As I went further inland the roads became snow packed and I ended up in a line of cars following behind some car with a christmas tree on top. The car was going about 20 miles per hour, well underneath the 40 to 45 mph speed limit.
Yes, one of the things I do in a snow shower such as this is to slow down a bit. But this was just dangerously slow. The cars behind him kept doing the speed up, get too close, hit the brakes, back off a distance and then speed up again circle. So the first few cars behind this slowass kept hitting their brakes which had a ripple effect through out the parade of cars. I kept at least three car lengths distance between me and the car ahead of me. That way when the braking starting rippling through the parade, I didn’t have to hit the brakes myself.
One thing I’ve learned while riding the motorcycle in inclement weather is that any change of speed, either slowing down or speeding up, over a slippery surface is an easy way to lose control. One constant speed is usually what is required. Though finding that speed means you have to know your vehicle. You don’t want to go so fast that you lose control around a corner, but you don’t want to go so slow as to be the idiot at the head of the parade I was in. If the driver was that afraid of losing control, they should’ve pulled over into a parking lot and let the long line of cars go around them.
I’ll admit it. I loved it when the Patriots blew out their opponents. Those 50 something to single digit scores. My heart, my gut, my fingernails: they can take those kind of wins.
The past two weeks? The nail biters? The gut churners? The heart pounders? I can’t take those. I can’t stand them. When the Pats were on that final drive and the pass was just short on 4th and something, but we got the first down due to a Ravens penalty? I swear a tear escaped my eye. And then on the TD, the Pats radio announcer couldn’t see the TD and he thought it had just gone out of bounds. I think my heart skipped a beat until he shouted “No, TD!”
Good lordy. I can’t take that. All our dropped passes. Out bad run defense. . .though if you really can’t stop the run, do you get to call it defense? We played like crap. Of course, the Ravens had their share of penalties, which is what did them in the end. Along with the Ravens’ coach calling a time out on that fourth and one when Tom was right in the middle of getting pushed back in a quarterback sneak.
So many things just happened to go our way, which is the only reason we won that game.
Please, please, please, New England Patriots: I want the blow outs. Don’t listen to those people that say they rather have “a game”. No, I rather not: I prefer it when you are running on all cylinders and just firing left and right, everything going right. Please do that next week against the Steelers. My heart, gut and fingernails thank you in advance.
