Why do these things happen to me? I try my best to stay away from our corporate president and all of Thursday and Friday he had me sit in with him and some others to brainstorm for a new division. And from what he has said, he wants me to head it up. Which is the last thing I want to do. He changes his mind constantly, when he actually makes a decision, is hypercritical, and never fully explains what his expectations are. So anyone who takes a position directly under his control, especially that he has a keen interest in....those people always end up being draggd over hot coals, boiled in oil and subjected to his inane and pompous rants. Oh and after going through all that they are usually screwed over by him in some way. I have once before rejected one of these offers. And this will come with a bigger salary, so I may just have to walk the plank and hope for the best.

Time really has gone by so quickly the past few months. Summer is right around the corner. I am looking forward to it. I plan on spending more time going away on the weekends and taking mini-vacations. As well as going on a good 5 day vacation twice a year.

Surprisingly, my absence of recent blogs means that I have been busy and having some type of social life. That and what time I spend on the computer lately has been about burning CD's and listening to music more. Though I should also be doing some filing and cleaning. My desk is a mess. I would love to have a nice two bedroom apartment, then I could have an office where I could be more organized and have everything I need in one place. Which reminds me, I need to clean out some things in the garage. I can't find some audio tapes, and I want to convert some of them to WAV or MP3 format, before the tapes fall apart. Mostly music from old friends when I used to hang out with musicians and arty types. Seems like every weekend one of our friends' would be playing somewhere. As soon as I got into a steady relationship I skipped that scene and allowed my life to follow someone elses schedule and patterns. Something which I regret to a degree. But it was one of life's lessons, and I have always been pretty good about learning from them. I plan on spending this weekend getting more organized. That way I can really goof off more on the weekdays after work. Its so nice to come home from work and its still sunny out. Makes me want to go out after work, ooooh like happy hour....mmmmm beer.

Well, this week is over. Another short one too. I had a good time with my family over the Easter weekend. And had a productive work week too. Although I can't figure out what is going on in the world. SARS---Big deal. It hasnt killed that many people, and the media has everyone running around with masks on. Then we have Sen Rick Santorum....ugh where to begin? It's just gotten out of hand. The man obviously doesnt approve of homosexuals, yet he has to pussyfoot around and say he doesnt have a problem with homosexuals, just with homosexual acts. Hell man, just come out and say it. If you believe it, then say it. Just say, you don't like gays. Like I am going to say..."I have no problem with Republicans...just the way they act"...Hell, I dont like Republicans...Of course I don't much like these liberal Democratic nut-jobs calling for Santorums blood. The man was talking about the legal ramifications (no pun intended) of the sweeping protection privacy laws would allow. And when he was saying that allowing homosexual acts would also mean allowing bigamy or polygamy, adultery, or even incest, he meant that these are "traditionally" considered wrong, much as homosexuality is, and that socially they confilict with a society's norms that tend to promote and protect monogamous child-bearing marriages. And you know what? I say fine, who cares, if a man or woman wants to marry multiple partners, and everyone consents, go for it. I say if we are talking about situations involving consenting adults who know what is going on, have at it. And keep the government out of it. I have a feeling society is already falling apart and if that is the direction we wish to go, then so be it, bring on the Morlocks.

It's amazing that such a short week, turned out to feel longer. Got back from Mexico Monday, took half of Wednesday off and I have this Monday after Easter off too. Though I will likely be in touch with work as we open a new office in Atlanta Tuesday, and I am sure I'll be getting calls all day about what else they need. I am looking forward to spending time with family this weekend. Though I sure as hell would love to go back to Mexico. Still can't believe how much fun I had. Ahhhh memories. Well I could go on about that weekend. But I wont. Suffice it to say it was great. Now I have to plan going to Las Vegas this summer.

It's amazing that such a short week, turned out to feel longer. Got back from Mexico Monday, took half of Wednesday off and I have this Monday after Easter off too. Though I will likely be in touch with work as we open a new office in Atlanta Tuesday, and I am sure I'll be getting calls all day about what else they need. I am looking forward to spending time with family this weekend. Though I sure as hell would love to go back to Mexico. Still can't believe how much fun I had. Ahhhh memories. Well I could go on about that weekend. But I wont. Suffice it to say it was great. Now I have to plan going to Las Vegas this summer.

Ugh. Just checked my work email to discover more reasons to hate work. They are getting out of hand with their whole timeclock issues. It's sad. I asked my direct boss, the operations director for half day today to go to my best friend's graduation from the police academy and it was approved. Now I read some lame-ass email from our finance manager (a person who by the way uses the term "irregardless") telling everyone that verbally asking for half day doesnt do it. WTF, dont tell me, tell him. Get your freekin policies straight then move forward. People really piss me off. After watching my best friend begin a new career and take up serving the public interest, I really am motivated to get back to doing something more meaningful for work. Money just doesnt make up for making a difference.

ahhhh Mexico. Got back home late Monday night. Finally feel rested and recovered. Had a hell of a lot of fun. Drinking, dancing, walking around, getting some sun and well having fun ;) I really needed to relax and enjoy a few days of fun and distraction.

Oh, in case you thought I forgot about the War, I didnt. Reading through the latest issue of TIME, I see a picture that symbolizes exactly what (most) protestors were taking to the streets for...a picture of a 12 year-old Iraqi boy with no arms, and severe burns on his body. Its right there in TIME and no matter how "evil" Saddam was or how many thousands of innocent Iraqis he may have tortured or killed if we didnt stop him...It doesnt matter, because my taxes paid for the bomb that maimed this boy and killed his entire family. And looking online for a link to this picture, I see a picture of a coffin with an American flag on it, the first one I have seen yet, my taxes paid to put that young Marine in that coffin also. So for all the celebrating being done today, I think of the price of it all, and what we still have to accomplish to ensure it was worth it.

What a nice day. One of our vendors same by today with sandwhiches for the office, and on his way out, gave me some gift certificates to California Pizza Kitchen...mmmmm pizza. Nothing makes me happier than free stuff from vendors. It really makes it all worthwhile. Ok not everything, but it sure makes the day more tolerable and me less likely to leave work early. Although, I do plan on skipping work Monday for the Mexico trip this weekend. I am watching the Simpsons right now, its the one where Lisa ruins Homer's BBQ...well she sends the roast pig flying and I just realized the episode where Lisa decides to live in a tree to keep it from being cut down, at the end of that one the tree/log goes into the sea and just keeps going much like the pig does at the end of this episode. I dunno, I just find that interesting, and now I want to find out if there are other episodes where objects just keep going at the end...Ok so I have too much time on my hands. Excise me if my brain just works that way.

Oh happy news....ok well Im a jerk for being happy about it, but Jennifer Garner is breaking up with her husband. Ah how sad, yah. But it's really for the best. After all....blah blah. Ok, so I still have no chance with her, and I probably wouldnt like her personally anyway, but its just nice to know the option is there...Listen I can choose to believe its an option if I want to. So lets not rain on my parade just now, and I wont burst whatever bubbles keep you waking up each morning. Deal?

Who the hell are these journalists who are complaining and acting indignant about journalists dying in this War? Thousands of Iraqi soldiers dead, thousands of Iraqi civilians wounded, over a hundred US/UK troops killed....and a handful of journalists killed creates this massive outcry of criticism...Is this still Earth? Like the US military is going to take deliberate aim at journalists with the inent to kill them? At least the Iraqi civilians live there, the soldiers on both sides are following orders...these damn journalists CHOOSE to be in the middle of a war zone. An Australian journalist is killed in a suicide bombing and you dont hear any huge outcry by Al-Jezeera about it...nooo. Not til one of their journalists are dead, then they cry foul. I wish I could just go live in a bunker somewhere and never come out to hear about this crazy place and screwed up priorities.

Went to Office Depot today, and got a good deal on blank CD's, Buy 100pk get 100pk free plus 2 25pk of slim jewel cases free. So I really have to burn more music. Not that I would ever violate a copyright.... uhm, anyhoo...So the War is progressing rather well. Looks like the major fighting should be over in the next week or so. I am glad that I have been hearing from the polls that most Americans think the real tough part is ahead. Just sucks that the Bush Admin, doesnt want to play nice with the UN. Whatever conservatives may think about the UN, I hope they have brains enough to realize we need the UN's involvement to help legitimize what we do there. ..And who decided to make a series of Tremors? I really need to get into the entertainment bizniz.

Whheeeeee well I just made reservations for a weekend in Mexico, Rosorito Beach to be exact...going with a couple friends from work. Should be a lot of fun. I am going as the voice of wisdom and reason...basically to keep them out of a Mexican jail. Course with my luck they will just goad me into acting more like they do, and then the trouble will really begin. Really looking forward to it though, havent had a nice getaway since New York last June. All part of my new way of living. Enjoy life.

Ah Sunday night, new episodes of some of my favorite shows. Its a great way to end a nice day. Did my usual laundry and lunch, plus banking and a few other errands. I probably should have gotten my hair cut. After really thinking about it, I dont want to grow it out. But I will keep it longish. It's supposed to get cooler this week, which will be welcome after this warm weekend. It was nice, but it made me wish I had summers off again so I could just sit at the beach all day. Oh well, maybe next year if all goes well. So as much as I love Alias, its starting to get old with the disobeying orders and going on unauthorized missions sorta thing. Which really surprises me because the writing is usually pretty good. But now I think they are usuing tried and true formulas which change from tried to tired. But the suspense and action do compensate. Oh and of course Jennifer Garner.

It was a very hot day today. In the high 80's. It wasnt too bad at home, nice ocean breeze to cool things down, but I went inland a bit to go to the movies, and I swear it felt like the middle of summer more than the beginning of spring. I wasnt much surprised by the suicide bombing in Iraq today at a checkpoint. Its the occupation that will be tough. When people talk of a "new Marshall Plan" or compare rebuilding Iraq to Japan and Germany after WWII....they tend to forget that the people of Japan and Germany had been at war for over 5 years, and by the time the Allies/US occupied them, they had enough. As I said before, we can look forward to the kind of problems the Israelis face. The whole idea that just because the people hate Saddam means they will embrace us is insane. Its funny because for so many years the Republicans have screamed against 'nation building' and 'policing the world'. And yet here we are......Ah well, I will watch South Park and feel much better. Jimmy and Timmy join the Crips, thinking its for handicap people....funny stuff. Was thinking the other how much fun it would be to give Crank Yankers our corporate presidents phone number. The other day he had a sandwich and left it out, it stayed out in the kitchen for two days, so I put it on his desk. It felt so good. I heard from someone that he wasnt happy about it when he actually had to throw it away himself. The lazy bastard. I have seen him do this before. It gets old. And its worse when he makes coffee, god what a mess he makes. Then always leaves his dirty dishes around. I have already thought about what to do on Tuesday...April 1st. Ah how I love a good April Fools Day joke......

I am voting for General Wesley Clark if he runs...I wish he would anchor the latenight CNN news and not Aaron Brown...I feel so bad for these people who lose family in the War and have some dip-shit anchor asking them lame questions. Obviously the family agrees to an interview to honor the memory of the ones lost and to keep that memory alive and to share it with others. But why the hell cant the anchors stop being so damned stupid?....Ok enough of that.....Feel tired today, weather is getting warmer, we are supposed to have Santa Ana winds tomorrow and Saturday....ugh. Always dry and hot, and makes me sneeze, not a lot of fun. Normally we get ocean breezes from west to east, but the Santa Ana winds blow from the south up against the Santa Ana mountains and then blows east to west....I am looking forward to this weekend, its been one of those weeks.

It's not that I only get my news from Comedy Central's Daily Show with John Stewart...it's just that I like the spin they put on it. And their coverage of the War in Iraq has been great. Its a less paranoid version of some of what Michael Moore would think. I certainly dont think this is some great conspiracy, but c'mon Haliburton, just got a contract to rebuild oil pipelines in Iraq. And while it doesnt have to result in some federal investigation, it is nice to see that some people at least raise a few eyebrows about it. Any....listen to the news and every attack by Iraqi's is not an attack its an "ambush". Like somehow they arent supposed to do that. Although the other dirty tricks they use, will only result in US forces showing less mercy and kindness. ....It still amazes me how the Media keeps saying that there are 'setbacks' and tougher resistance than expected. I cant imagine that the Pentagon didnt expect even more resistance. Invading and securing a country of 24 million people can't be easy and accomplished in a week or two. The fact that we, and yes I think of it as we.., the fact that we are so damn close to Baghdad is a testament to our well trained and well equipped armed forces. Before this started, it was my opinion that going to war and potentially sacrificing American lives to get Saddam was not worth it. It wouldnt have been my decision if I was the president....yet it's been decided by the president..fundamentalist-narrow-minded-cowboy that he is.....And now that we are there it would be nice if protestors would write themselves a reminder to VOTE during elections in the first place. And I know most of them didnt vote in 2000. How stupid can they be? Yah, I was against GOING to war...but once we have committed forces, and worse, lost American lives over it, Damn if we are going to sign a truce, and come back home for nothing. And cant't the media just shut up and stop reporting long enough to think. I HATE Aaron Brown on CNN. That schmuck is so freekin stupid. I cant stand him. Only thing worse on CNN is Larry King. That cadaver is even more annoying......
....Oh and as much as Bush#2 is anti-UN I hope he has the sense to allow the UN more of a role in rebuilding Iraq. That is the only way we can gain some credibility and more important....UN peacekeepers. Hopefully from Pakistan....Why? You ask....Because take a look at Palestine or worse, Lebanon in the 80's. The last thing we need is US soldiers occupying Iraq. We will have more suicide bombers trying to take out US positions and personnel. Pakistan is well known for its peacekeeping forces...and they are Muslim...albeit not Arabs...but they would not face the kind of violent opposition that US men and women would.That is where the real risks lie....Just think about it...it makes sense. More sense than HUGE tax cuts and increased spending while the government runs in the red.....damn cowboy.

Well I wish I didnt have to mention the War in Iraq, but its difficult to avoid thinking of it for more than a few hours. Although watching The Princess Bride on cable was quite a nice break from hearing about the war. That is one of my all-time favorite movies. Excellent book too. Though you get more of the emotional impact from the movie and the theme of true love...as mythical as that is. But I was able to not think about the war for a bit. Looks like there are protests in every country now. Its really sad, how Bush#2 has no concept of P.R., Sprite is full of shit, because Image does count. And right now we have a bad image to the eyes of the world. And blah blah all you want about Terror or Saddam, or protecting America...we have gone about it the wrong way. Sure sometimes you have to do the right thing no matter what others think...but we dont live in a vacuum. We live in a world where we have to deal with other nations and their people. And pissing them off to such an extent is just bad for our national interests. Oh and can they stop calling it a Coalition? The USA and the UK...DO NOT qualify as a coalition anymore than Ringo and Paul are the Beatles. With the coalition and Axis, I think that Bush#2 didnt do so well in school. He's always grabbing these terms to create some link to the past. What Bush#2 really needs is to get drunk, do a few lines and lighten up like he used to.

Ok, so we have begun the conquest of Iraq.....Now sure I think our motives....well not "ours" as in mine or maybe yours, but rather Bush #2's motives.....I think the motives really are based on revenge and hatred agasint Saddam, as well as making Daddy Bush #1 proud. I mean I know that a lot of my life has been guided by making my parents proud and to gain and keep their acceptance..as well as the inheritance...anyway.....So Bush#2's motives are also, a true desire to keep America safe...yah I dont like him, but I think he believes he is doing what is best for America, I dont doubt that, but we also have Oil. The fact that rebuilding Iraq contracts are going to be given to his contributors is obviously a factor......But my main point here is whatever I think about his motives, and the fact that I think we shouldnt be starting a war......I think that since the decision was made to take over Iraq last summer, and make no mistake, it was well decided and written in stone this would happen during the summer. Everything else has just been leading to this.......Anyway, its been decided, lets do it, do it right, and prevail. Im not so against it that I will march, and once the fighting starts I'll be damned if I want to see anything other than total victory with minimum loss of life...on both sides.
The rebuilding process will be long and tough. Especially when a year from now people grow weary and we dont completely instil in the Iraqi people the ideals of democracy. Afghanistan is a prime example...after the Soviets left the US should have done more to help them rebuild, instead we left the door open for the Taliban. I just dont want to see the same shit again, with the US putting in an unstable puppet, then walking away as reactionary and fundamentalists revolt and we end up with a regime worse than Saddam.
Well, I hope all goes well.