And then I will be in London. Actually, I'll be there two weeks from today, spending my one and only full day there, Sunday. I don't care, as long as I get to see Elena and spend some time with her. I miss her like crazy and just want to see my girlfriend. The price for the plane ticket was right too, so you can't complain. I'm psyched about going and can't wait for it to get here. I've never been over the Atlantic and this is definitely the furthest east I've ever been in the world. Never been to Europe, so I'm psyched about seeing London, even though from everything Elena says it sounds like they're whacko's.

For some reason I want to go and taunt David Blaine while I'm there too. He should be still doing his stupid stunt of locking himself in that box over the Thames river. I should go and try to waft up the smell of food or something like the rest of London. Poor stupid guy. Oh well, his fault.

Had family over for the Jewish New Year last night, and that was fun. A lot of people that I hadn't seen in a little while and they all complemented me on the weight I've lost, which is a good feeling. I mean, I can tell I've lost weight, just by looking at my face and the rest of me, and especially by the clothes that used to fit me, but I guess its really more apparent when someone sees me for the first time in a few months. So its a good feeling. I'm curious what Elena is going to say when she sees me. By the time I get over there I'll be 20 pounds lighter than when she left.

Thats about it for now. I gotta hop in the shower and go call Elena. I haven't really spoken to her for other than a few seconds since Thursday, and Sunday is a good day to sit and talk. I got a really sweet postcard from her with Finding Nemo on it, we saw it together and I gave her a stuffed Nemo, but we call him Sharkbait, his nickname from the movie. Anyway, enjoy your Sunday, maybe the Jets can actually win a game. It would be nice if they did. Adios!

Current music - Dashboard Confessional "The Best Deceptions" (Unplugged)

P.S. - Still loving the DC. Gave Elena a copy of it with "Hands Down" on it and told her to listen to it while reading along with the lyrics. She liked the song and said it did remind her of us. I'm good at using other people's poetry to let someone know how I'm feeling a la High Fidelity (Great flick).

It sure isn't easy, especially when you can't breath through your nose like you normally would. I felt better this morning, I could actually breath, but as the day wore on it got worse, so the drugs had to come into play a little more prominently, nothing bad, just some Afrin to clear me up so I could resume breathing. But damn, does the snot just come pouring out of you then. I didn't know that the human body was capable of producing so much mucus and phlegm and other assorted goodies.

In other news, work is good. I finally got Exchange 2000 to install in my little test environment and got it to work. I was pretty psyched about that after about three previously failed attempts to do so. I'm hoping it just works the same and actually installs without a problem when it comes time to do it for real. Lets pray.

On the personal front, Elena found out that her flight would probably be cheaper to come home for Christmas if she left before Dec. 15th, and wouldn't you know it, she was right. Its like $400 bucks cheaper, so now this means that she'll be home for almost 4 weeks, which is so awesome you have no idea. And then hopefully I'll be able to go for Valentine's Day/President's Day weekend, and then again for an extended period in the spring for most of my vacation so we can see Europe. The longer we're apart the better feeling I have for the chances of us staying together through it all. We both really miss each other and can't wait to see each other and I really think that absence makes the heart grow fonder. Only time will tell and I can't force it. But I think its all good. No worries.

Well, I'm still sick and would like to get a decent night's sleep. Night.

Current music - Remy Zero "Save Me" (I've been watching the first season of Smallville on DVD, so the song is stuck with me, can't help it)

I was sick all weekend long and I was a miserable bastard. I hate getting sick. It sucks real bad. I get so miserable over simple things like not being able to breath through your nose that I'm not the nicest person to be around. Usually, I try to just go lay down and sleep it off, if I can. I'm slowly starting to feel better, but who knows. It could just be the drugs talking. Lets hope I start getting over it because the last thing I want is to be feeling like crap for weeks.

In other news, Underworld pretty much sucked. It was really really stupid and had almost no redeeming value. The only one was Kate Beckinsale in a wannabe Trinity outfit for most of the movie. It was mildly entertaining at best, I suggest you pass on it at all costs.

In happier developments, I found out yesterday the days in which Elena plans on coming home for Christmas and its almost three weeks she plans on spending at home, which is awesome! I can't wait. Even more I can't wait until three weeks are up and I get to see her. I really can't Its going to be awesome, even if we just chill out at her flat for the weekend, I don't care, as long as I get to spend time with her.

Thats all thats going on. Back to work. Adios.

La la, la la la, so good to me, or not. Maybe if you're the Mama's and the Papa's. I guess I shouldn't complain. Monday, today, hasn't been so bad so far. Traffic sucked this morning, had a somewhat busy day of work, which is good because it beats boredom and I can only hope that as the day is coming to a close that traffic going home doesn't suck.

The day's been ok. I'm looking forward to going home and watching some more Alias on DVD once I talk to Elena. Can't wait to go see her and its less than a month away. I leave October 10th, and its already the 15th, so not much more to go. I'm psyched, can't wait to see my girl.

Other than that, nothing new really. Same old same old. Had a boring weekend, watched a lot of Alias, so I can't complain. Nothing else really to say at the moment.

In case you've never heard of him, he's the author of Fight Club, among other amazing books. He just published a new one, called Diary. I'm in the middle of reading it as we speak. Haven't gotten as far as I'd like, but I've been busy, so I have my excuses.

Anyway, he was on tour promoting his new book and did a reading last night in NYC at the Barnes and Noble in Union Square, so Seth and I, both being big fans of his stuff went. The reading was cool. He read a new short story called "Guts" that was pretty funny and really really gross at the same time. At least one or two people passed out during it because it was so graphic. He said that so far 22 people before last night had passed out during his tour, so now its 24.

After the reading he did a ten or fifteen minute Q&A session, which was cool, and he gave a present to anyone who asked a question. Then he signed some more books. B&N was kind of cool about how they did the signings. Very orderly, you sat down, and you went up by rows. Very quick and orderly. Got three books signed. His two latest ones, Diary and Fugitives and Refugees, a travel guide for Portland, Oregon and my copy of Fight Club.

Then we went to get some Mexican food that was pretty crappy and then I headed home. A night well spent.

Current music - The Ataris "Boys of Summer"

Work has been kind of slow today, and as a result, I'm bored. So bored in fact, that this is the first time I'm being daring and venturing out to blog at work. Not like I'm scared of getting caught, considering I basically monitor the firewall for improper websites. Since mine's not blocked, I guess its not improper, which by default would mean that its proper.

So, I'm all booked up and ready to go to London, twice in the Fall. Once in October around Columbus Day weekend and again for Thanksgiving and my birthday, which just so happens to be the day after Thanksgiving this year. (It was actually on Thanksgiving last year, as its known to do, and it sucked, the whole weekend did, cause of the bitch Ex). Anyway, back on topic, I'm psyched and ready to go. Haven't seen Elena in a few weeks, and October 10th, my departure date is only 1 month away. I can make it. And although the trip will be short, just three days or so, it'll be well worth it for the quality time I get to spend with Elena. I love her so much and I can't wait to see her smiling face once again when I get off that jumbo jet.

I'm trying to convince her to come for home for Christmas. She has a month off for half of December into January. She was going to use the time to see Europe, but then she found out she had a summer term too. So she has another month off around April and May in between semesters. So me, like the genius I've been known to be, suggested to her mom when I saw her the other day, that maybe Elena should come home for Christmas, because honestly, who wants to see Europe in the dead of winter? It would be better to see it in the springtime (for Hitler? & Germany?) when the weather is beautiful. Her mom agreed with me and then said she'd even give Elena the ticket home as her Christmas present.

So now I'm trying to get a read on whether or not she's going to take it. I think she will. I told her I'd rather blow my whole vacation time in the spring and see Europe with her and that she should come home and spend the holidays with family, friends and loved ones (read= Me). We'll see what she says. I have a feeling it'll be yes. I even offered, since I work closer to it than her family, to take a half day off or something to pick her up at the airport, show her the tree that my office building puts up and whatnot. I honestly think she's just making me stew on purpose because she knows how much I want her to come home, although thats really mean the more I think about it. Who knows.

Now I have to figure out what to get her for Christmas. She made a comment last night that what she gets me will be more from the heart than the wallet, which I think means that she can't afford something expensive for me because she's a poor student now. Thats cool with me, I told her I just want her to come home for Christmas. Her mere presence will be present enough (damn, I'm good with the play on words). But then I was thinking, and thinking that maybe she meant that I would be more to give a gift from the wallet and not the heart. It's not like I've given her expensive gifts before. I was always broke when we first went out, only now that I have a full time job do I have money to burn. I think she meant it that she'd give from the heart, and I know I would, probably heart shaped jewelry of some sort, preferably with diamonds, but who knows.

Anyway, as I babble more and more the clock on my work day ticks down. It's Thursday, which means tomorrow is Friday and I'm going to see Chuck Palahniuk, author of Fight Club, read at Barnes and Noble. Should be fun. Can't wait.

OK, enough for now. Adios.

I ordered a crap load of new casual (non-work related) clothes from Eddie Bauer and the first load of stuff that was in stock just arrived at my house today. I eagerly tried it all on, being somewhat ready to be disappointed at how it all would fit. Usually mail order and clothes don't mix with me too well. But, thankfully, everything fit really, really well. I was quite happy, and it looked pretty damn good. But the best feeling? I was laying all the pants and stuff on the floor of my room, getting ready to put them away, and I was amazed at just how small the waist on the pants was, compared to some of the pants I wore a year ago (they were huge, I was actually disgusted looking at some of the jeans I wore when I first started dating Elena).

Good feeling, can't tell you enough.

That's enough for now. Thought I'd share. Tired after getting to work at 7:15 in the morning because my car was being serviced and had to get a ride to work from my dad, and he leaves at the crack of dawn. Not fun. Good night.

Current music - Bryan Adams "Please Forgive Me"

The weekend has progressed nicely so far and I must say I've kept sufficiently busy. Went to Best Buy last night and dropped way to much cash there picking up some stuff I needed and wanted. I needed a cable splitter and some cable wires to hook up this TV card to my computer so I can digitally tape TV shows for Elena and send them to her London. I wanted a bunch of other stuff that probably led to the $191 receipt. Oh well, I'm a working man now, I deserve to splurge on myself every so often.

The TV card works pretty good so far while I've been testing it out. I should be able to fit about 60 minutes worth of video on a CD, so basically, one episode each of her Must See TV shows like Friends and Will & Grace. Am I a good boyfriend or am I a good boyfriend? I think I'm both. I'm testing the thing out this weekend with Sex and The City. The cable came with an AUX in dongle with RCA and S-Video input jacks, so I just hooked that into my cable box, which has those outputs. So I should be able to get Sex & The City that way. Save me from having to download it or mess with hooking my VCR into the card. I'm anxious to see just how well it works. We shall see.

Other than that, nothing new doing. Elena should have her phone and Internet up and running soon which will be good. I just found out this week that when I call her cell phone it costs me a total of $0.30 a minute, as opposed to eight cents. So the phone calls were pricey. Thats because I was calling her cell phone. Once she gets a land line I'll get the eight cents a minute and the price will be more reasonable.

All in all, things are OK. I think I'm dealing with Elena's absence better and better as time goes on. Thats not to say I'm OK with it, far from it. I still miss her like crazy, I'm just less depressed about it, basically. Which is good.

So, I'm tired after just taking a nice long walk. Enjoy your evenings.

Current music - Pete Yorn "For Nancy"

Been having a busy, shortened work week. My main coworker is on vacation this week so I've been taking care of all the stuff we'd normally split between us, so I've been a little busier this week than I was the first two weeks I was there. So far I'm really enjoying the job, the people are great, I kind of work at my own pace, been spending a lot of time researching these upgrades we're doing, which is good and overall I'm just enjoying it. So far so good.

I've been able to talk to Elena every day since she left, which is good. Who knows what my phone bill will be like, but you gotta do what you gotta do. When she finally gets her phone and internet setup I won't need to call everyday as we can chat and e-mail and whatnot. But she's doing good over in the UK. She started school already and I guess since its the first week they're taking it easy and doing some boring stuff. At least she said what she did today was dumb. But what can you do?

I can't wait to go over there and see her, even if it is just for a few days. I don't care, I just miss her so much that I need to see her, bad. She misses me too, maybe more than I miss her. I've done the long distance thing before, for almost 3 years, so I know what its like and I guess I'm used to it too. Maybe she's not, but we'll be OK and get through it, because I have a strong feeling that we both want to be with each other for a long time to come. At least I know I do. I got the feeling that she does too, because she told me so =)~

Anyway, gonna head up to bed soon because this working every day of the week for a good 8 hours a day is pretty rough stuff, let me tell you. I hope I'm cut out for it in the long run. I'm sure I'll be OK. Enjoy!

Current music - Dashboard Confessional "Hands Down"

P.S. - Just discovered this band and I'm really digging them so far. I love this song, must've overplayed it a bit too much, but I don't care. I love the lyrics, it reminds me of Elena and I and our relationship. I love the lines:

"My hopes are so high that your kiss might kill me.
So won't you kill me? So I die happy.

My heart is yours to fill or burst, to break or bury, or wear as jewelry, whichever you prefer.

And you stood at your door, with your hands on
my waist, and you kissed me like you meant it,
and I knew that you meant it."

Good stuff. Adios for now!