Wow, talk about trial by fire, running before you walk and all those other cliches about doing things before you really know how to or are ready to. First, the dancing banana, which I'm still laughing about every time I see it. Now I just figured out how to put the most recent image posted on my Moblog on the site. Of course the code was sitting right there at my Text America page, but hey, I'm a slow learner sometimes. The picture quality sucks, but thats the camera in my cell phone's fault. So I think I'm getting the hang of this web site & html stuff. Who knows what the future has in store for this space. Although I have the feeling this is probably it for awhile.

OK, I have to admit I'm swiping this one from someone, but I'm sure they swiped it from someone else, and it looks like it was made to be swiped, so its all good. Anyway, I first saw the Peter Butter Jelly Time about two years ago and it had my brother, his friend Jason and I cracking up for an entire weekend. We even revisited it along with Weeeee! (Gonads and Strife) last Fourth of July, and had a good laugh again.

So I found this little thing on someone else's site and since it ties in with the Department of Homeland Security (where my cousin Lauren interns) I thought I'd throw it up there for everyone's entertainment. Look to the right under the links. When the terror threat level changes color, so will the color of the dancing banana. Might as well be informative here, you know? Now these are the types of sweeping and important changes I want to make to my site. Enjoy and swipe if you want to!

I think fate or some greater force out there is trying to tell me something. I think they're trying to tell me that I'm in the wrong field and that I need to make a career change.

Just for a little history, I work in the IT department of a major Long Island law firm as a Network Administrator/Engineer. Although my Bachelor's Degree that I received in May of 2001 reads Cinema and Cultural Studies (Film Theory) I work with computers, as there isn't much of a demand for film theorists in this world.

Now at work, in my cubicle, my phone has a direct line, which basically means you can reach me directly without having to call a main number or switchboard and ask for me or punch in my extension. All the signs first started coming to me months ago. Every few weeks I would get a call from someone looking for a doctor's office. I'd say, sorry, wrong number, you reached a law firm. But I kept getting the calls, and eventually the people calling me would ask if this was the OB-GYN, or the gynecologists office. Very weird, but I would politely tell them, you have the wrong number, this is a law firm. I still get these calls every few weeks and now I just laugh at them after I hang up.

This morning something really weird happens. Our computer systems are setup so that most everyone also has a direct fax line. Not that everyone has their own fax machine. Someone sends a fax to my fax number, our system converts the fax into an Adobe PDF and the system e-mails the fax to me directly to my Inbox. I got one such fax today and I was a little surprised as I don't get many faxes. I open the PDF and what do I see before me, but some strange woman's Prenatal Record, and she's due any day now.

How? I have no idea. I tried calling the hospital that faxed it to me, but once they transferred me to the right department the phone just rang 50 times before disconnecting me. I had a less embarrassed female co-worker actually call the patient whose information was on the fax, but she wasn't home, so she just left a message explaining the mixup.

Is this just a coincedence or something greater? Its sure one hell of a coincidence if it is. My fax number and direct line are in no way similar. The first three digits are different, although the last four are somewhat similar, but still? Is something out there telling me my talents are wasted in working with computers? Should I give it all up and try to go to medical school?

I think not considering I couldn't even disect a frog in junior high with out getting squeamish. But it was worth a good laugh.

Since there is nothing on TV on Monday nights that I regularly try and watch I'm back to trying to find a movie for the evenings entertainment. I know I should just read a book or do something else thats productive, I just don't want to. Plus my eyes hurt from wearing glasses all day. I still have "Amores Perros" out from Netflix, the only movie I have from them at the moment as I sent my other two back, and Seth highly recommended it. But after looking at the sleeve, the movie is about two and a half hours long, in Spanish, with english subtitles. I'm sorry, thats just too much work to put into watching a movie on a Monday night after a full day of work.

So what do I decide to watch instead? "Road Trip". I'm keeping with the "Old School" and "Office Space" theme from the weekend. If this keeps up, I'll have to make it an evening of the American Pie trilogy. Who ever thought "American Pie" would hit trilogy status? Oh well, off on a Road Trip! Enjoy!

So I left my house this morning for work, got in my car and started driving down the street. I got almost to the end when I realized things didn't look too clearly, everything was blurry. For a second there I thought, my windshield can't be that dirty, even though I haven't had my car washed since about, oh, mid-December (my idea of a car wash these days is parking my car on the roof of my office buildings parking garage when it rains). It took a moment for it to hit me that I forgot to put in my contact lenses before I left. In the ultimate act of laziness, instead of turning around and going back up the street, into my house and putting them in, I said forget it, reached into my bag for my glasses, out them on and drove on.

Now I don't really like wearing glasses too much. One I've never liked the way I looked in them, even though most people at work said I looked good in them today, and between the glasses and the hair cut I looked skinnier, which is always nice. I finally got a somewhat fashionable frame for my glasses, as opposed to my old ones that were made for an old man, complete with the brown tinting in the lenses (I didn't ask for that, Lenscrafters just threw it in anyway).

The other reason that I don't like wearing glasses is that I'm not used to wearing them. Since about the summer of 2000 I've been strictly a contact lens kind of guy. So when I needed to get my eyes checked back in January because I was almost out of contacts, I got a prescription for new glasses, and got them filled because you never know when you'll leave the house without your contacts and need your glasses to see for the day. As a result, since my eyes have gotten worse and I have an astigmatism in one eye (whatever that is) whenever I wear glasses it really hurts my eyes and my head after awhile. Right now my head is killing me.

What's worse is that every time I took the glasses off to give my eyes and head a rest, I realized just how bad my eyesight has gotten. Things were very blurry. I don't know exact numbers, but I know my eyes are progressively getting worse, which means I'm getting old, which I don't like. Whatever. I'm just glad I'm home now and I can take the glasses off because I don't really need to see around the house. I could probably make my way around this place blindfolded, I'm just that used to it. I'm like Daredevil, without Jennifer Garner as my girlfriend (although I hear she's single again, broke up with her Alias co-star, so sad).

So to sum it up, tomorrow I'll be putting my contacts back in, because I don't like glasses, even though everyone else seems to prefer them on me, including Elena.

Had an interesting talk with Elena this afternoon. Its complicated, but even though by talking to her I got a lot of my feelings off my chest, here is just as good a place as any to get it out even further. Catharsis is nice. I'll try to explain as best I can and make some sense of it.

I was talking to her yesterday, about her birthday, her mom and aunt visiting her and about this big performance showcase thing she has coming up. Now the showcase is a big deal. To sum it up, she's in London studying to get her graduate degree in musical theatre. This showcase is for all the students in her program to perform in front of potential agents. Those agents then decide which students they want to sign to help them find onstage work. So its a big deal, and I understand that. At the same time, I believe me coming to visit her in less than two weeks and taking her to Paris for her birthday and our one year anniversary is a big deal too. But she gave me a line, a line I've heard before and didn't like then, and a line I like even less now, now that I know what I know. She said, "I'm too busy to get excited about it."

That hurt, a lot. It made me feel like she's not thinking about me and it made me feel like what I'm doing isn't important to her. It makes me feel that this and everything else I do (tape her favorite American TV shows on the computer and send them to her on DVD every week, act as a go between between her and her mom when she needs to speak to her, lugging her stuff across the ocean on numerous occasions and get charged $270 for overweight luggage the last time) is taken for granted and that I'm being taken advantage of. Now, I know that I'm the proverbial nice guy, so its only natural that I'll be taken advantage of sooner or later, and I know I have been. But she tells me that she appreciates all I do for her, she just has a funny way of showing sometimes.

Now last time we saw each other was Valentine's Day weekend and lets just say it was the exact opposite of what you'd picture a Valentine's Day together for two people in a very long distance relationship. I'm not going to go into specifics, but if you read some of the archives from February before and after I went, you can get the gist of it, and infer your own conclusions. You'll probably be correct. Whatever went down that weekend we're trying to move on from it and put it behind us and not let it ruin our relationship. Its not easy, but I'm trying my best here. So I look at my next trip to see her as a great opportunity for a period of healing in our relationship. I think we were getting to a place like that the day or two before I left in February. So in short, I'm really really looking forward to going to Paris with her. Plus its Paris!!! Who wouldn't be excited about that.

Apparently she doesn't have the time to get excited about it, and I told her today how much that hurts for her to say something like that. We talked about it, but for some reason whenever we have serious conversations like that, they always end up a blur and I can never remember them too clearly. Basically she said she was sorry if she made me feel that way, she didn't mean too, and that yes, she is very excited about seeing me and going to Paris. But she also reiterated just how important this showcase thing is to her. I said I understand that completely, and she said that due to the nature of the career she's pursuing, there are going to be other times that I'm going to feel neglected by it. I never said I wanted her full attention 24/7, and that I'm sure there are going to be times when my work keeps me from focusing my energy on her. I mean, everyone needs some bit of independence, right?

I'm glad I talked to her about it, because she said she's going to be really busy this week with rehearsals and she's not going to have the time to talk to me. Plus they do their daylight savings time early over there (England is a weird country) and they started it today, whereas we normal people in the US have it next weekend. So on top of the long rehearsals, there's not a 6 hour time difference between us. So I think we ended our conversation on a good note. She was glad I got my feelings out in the open and not let them stew, since last time I did that I did something that really pissed her off and set off all the Valentine's Day stuff.

Its just so damn complicated sometimes. Why can't relationships be simpler? I wish I knew. In the meantime its Sunday night and there's a full week of work ahead, so its time to call it a night and ponder these thoughts another night. Any words of advice would be greatly appreciated. Good night!

Current music - Coldplay "A Rush Of Blood To The Head"

I guess I can't have every weekend chock full of great films to watch. Whereas last weekend I saw "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind", "21 Grams", "American Splendor", and "Heavenly Creatures" this weekend I chose to watch the crap that is "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" and "The Order." Hell, I didn't even finish "The Order," I hit stop after about 45 minutes of nonsense.

LXG was stupid. Your typical action movie. Some of the characters, which were all more or less, based on literary characters from the turn of the century were interesting, like Dorian Gray, who stayed immortal while a portrait of himself aged to show him as he truly was. He would stay forever youthful unless he saw the portrait. He turned out to be a villain in the movie, and wonder how he died at the end? You guessed it. I was debating picking up the book written by Oscar Wilde, but I have so many books on my shelf that I need to read that it isn't funny. Don't need to be adding to the pile now. It'll never go down.

I did watch "Adaptation" and it was OK. Kind of stupid and pointless if you ask me. After seeing "Eternal Sunshine" and "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind" last week, those were definitely my favorite Charlie Kaufman written movies. In order to get entertainment last night and again tonight, I'm having to resort to the good old standby's. Great classic comedies. Last night it was "Old School" and tonight, before The Sopranos its going to be "Office Space" which I just love because it so represents the average office worker perfectly. When I hated my old job, that and "Fight Club" made me so want to do something bad to my boss or to other people. Of course I never did though.

Anyone seen anything good lately? I'm desperate for something above mediocre.

My older brother was going out after work and my little brother is back up at school upstate, so it left just me and my parents for dinner tonight. My mom was knee deep in her annual baking extravaganza she does for my dad's office towards the end of tax season so that just left me and my dad to go get some dinner. We headed to John Harvard's for a quick bite to eat and of course, the excellent microbrewed beer. Had me two 22 oz's of the darkest stuff that had. Usually I go middle of the line between dark and light beers, but I figured it was time to try something new. Seth always gets the darkest they have, so maybe there was something to it.

It was good to go out with just me and my dad. The last we did that, was back in February of 2003 while my older brother and mom were in Florida for a wedding. It was good to just talk to my dad one on one for a change, even though we talked mostly about work stuff and computers, although there was a little talk of my next trip to London/Paris and whatnot. All in all, a good dinner.

Now how to spend the rest of the night? I have no idea. I have "Amores Perros" from Netflix (I watched Adaptation this afternoon, decent movie), but I'm in no mood to watch something with subtitles on a Saturday night. I don't need to think, I need to shut my brain off for a change. I'll need all the thinking I can muster at work tomorrow morning. Work on a Sunday, not fun, but the overtime is nice.

I'm sure I can find some kid of mindless flick amongst my family's collection of 350+ DVD's. I used to just buy DVD's when I wanted to see something. Being the film theory major/geek that I was I thought it was cool to have a kick ass collection, and it is, but its kind of like cable TV, 300 channels and nothing to watch. Now I just rent them and save my money. Netflix rocks.

Off to find a title. Any suggestions for some cool new movies anyone has seen recently on DVD would be greatly appreciated.

Current music - Soul Asylum "Misery"

My worst nightmare was just realized a little while ago, but thankfully for only about 7 minutes: Keyser got out of the house and we couldn't find him.

Keyser is strictly an inside dog. He rarely ever goes outside without a leash firmly attached to his collar. This is just the way it has always been and always will be because I don't trust him off of a leash. He's a dachshund and he's got an excellent sense of smell so I'm afraid that he'll get a whiff of something he wants to check out and just bolt.

I'm not exactly sure what happened, since it was my parents fault that he got out. They were closing the garage door and left the doors inside the kitchen and laundry room open so Keyser got in there. Just as the door was closing he snuck under it, triggering the sensor and causing the door to rise. Due to the delay they couldn't really tell which direction he bolted to. Add in the fact that it was dark out and its not a pretty situation. We were searching all over the lawn for him, calling his name, shaking boxes of treats... had to even break out flashlights because it was so dark. Couldn't find him.

Now don't misconstrue anything I've written about how much of a pain in the ass my dog can be sometimes. Yes, he's loud and barks a lot, especially when people are eating food and he wants it. Yes, he wakes me up way too early in the morning, but I love the little guy. The thought of him being out there and possibly never coming back was one of the worst feelings I've ever had. I can't even begin to describe the feeling of dread, despair and sadness in the pit of my stomach.

I realize he's a dog and that yes, eventually he is going to die, one day, but that day is going to be a long time from now. He only turns three in July and he's very healthy. He could stand to drop a pound or two (couldn't we all?) for the sake of his back, but other than that, he's a happy and healthy dog. When the day comes that he needs to be put to sleep or whatever, at least I'll be able to prepare myself for it. If he ran away and never came back, I think I'd always wonder what happened to him, and although the house would be a lot quieter, I'd miss him terribly.

He's really the first pet I've ever had, besides some fish, and it took me moving out of my house and then moving back in for my parents to accept a dog in the house. I always wanted one growing up, but my mom always said no. Her excuse was that she already had a husband and three sons, she didn't need any more animals to take care of. So the second I was living on my own with my ex-girlfriend we got Keyser (it was a few months after we started living together, but whatever).

When I decided to move back home the dog had to come with me and my parents didn't care, they just wanted me back home (I live in Long Island, NY, and was living outside New Orleans at the time). Now I can't believe that they've taken to having a dog in the house so well. I think my whole family would miss him if anything happened to him and we were all out there looking for him, making it a family affair.

After about seven excruciatingly painful minutes where he was nowhere to be seen, my dad thankfully found him around the neighbor's pool, near the fence. He probably smelled their dog. My dad chased him out of there and Keyser ran to my brother and then he bolted towards the house (he's very funny looking when he runs, and the sound it makes on the wood floors and carpet is hilarious coupled with his look), into the garage and into the house and then the kitchen. Then he sat there expecting to get one of the treats we were using to lure him close to us. I gave him a small one and told him never to do that again.

7 or so minutes of sheer terror. Wouldn't want to go through it again.

So on a happier note, now that I've reminisced and have my dog back in the house safe and sound, here's a picture of Keyser when I first got him. He was only 8 weeks old, very small, wrinkly and cute!

I left work at like 2:30 and got home around 3:30. There was some kind of massive accident on the Northern State Parkway that made traffic pretty bad for most of the ride. Of course, in typical New York/Long Island driver fashion, once they all got a good look at the carnage they hit the gas pedal with a passion. Then I flew home.

Don't have much on tap for tonight, or this weekend for that matter. I have some Netflix movies to watch. "Amores Perros," by the same guy that did "21 Grams", and "Adaptation", written by the same guy that wrote "Eternal Sunshine", "Being John Malkovich" and "Confessions of A Dangerous Mind", which I watched last night. Of course I have to watch "Wonderfalls" tonight as well. Its a good new show on Fox, Fridays at 9 PM. Its probably doomed to be cancelled because of the time slot of death, which is a shame because its a decent show. Better than most of the reality TV crap thats out there. I can't stand reality TV and I try to watch as little of it as possible.

Let see, I also need to get a haircut tomorrow as its been about 4 weeks since my last one and its just getting out of control. I usually go every 3 weeks, since thats when it starts getting out of control, but if I went last weekend then the 3 week mark would've been the weekend I was in Paris. This way, I'll be at the 2 week mark in Paris and it'll be all good. I know that sounds pathetic, a guy worrying about his hair, but hey, I do. When it gets too long, which isn't very long at all, it gets very puffy, frizzy and unmanageable. When its short I barely have to brush it, just run my fingers through it a little.

Sunday morning I have to head into work to take care of some system maintenance stuff. Should be fun and hopefully I won't blow anything up, because in the immortal words of Egon, "It would be bad." I'm doing it all on my own, which I think is a huge responsibility, but I'm up to the task. I'm not worried at all. I'm confident in my skill as a computer geek. I'm also glad that geek is actually, slowly becoming a good term to label people when it comes to computers. It means you're knowledgeable, but cool, whereas nerd means you know everything and you're a nerd.

I was going to weigh myself at my moms office tomorrow, but she's not going into work. Instead she's baking, so I'll just weigh myself next weekend, or before I go to Paris so I can have a comparison for when I come home from Paris fatter after eating all the good stuff. Must avoid the British candy though, even though I know I'll be bringing some of that home. I could kill for some Maltesers and Fruit Pastilles right about now. I was joking with Elena that if the candy in Britain kicks American candy's ass, think about how good the French stuff must be. I said we needed to find some Maltesers (just say it in your best French accent for the joke) in France, because they were sure to be even better.

Right now the dog and I are relaxing on the couch and I don't feel like getting up to do anything. I'm testing out my iPod mini's battery. I haven't had the chance to just let it play and then drain it, so thats what I'm doing now. Sort of calibrating the battery. I'm happy with my purchase of the mini over a full size iPod, because with the amount of music I have it would've had to be the 40 gig, and thats just too much. I got the money for my mini from the sale of my old one, and thats an even trade if you ask me.

Alright I'm out. Nap time on the couch hopefully. Me and this couch are good like that. Adios.

Current music - Jet "Are You Gonna Be My Girl" (Ironically the song that plays over some iPod commercials. Another coincidence, I swear)

Waking up early yesterday and today have totally fried me, and even though I had to do work related stuff, its still all Keyser's fault. My boss would have done the stuff Thursday morning, since he wakes up at 5 AM anyway, but Keyser had me up at 4, so I just did it. Today, he woke up at 2 AM, having to go to the bathroom and I had my alarm set for 3:30 so I could do my work stuff and call Elena. I was up, I took at a look at the thing I needed to work on and it was good to start, so I did, didn't fall back asleep until after 4, and then Keyser woke me up at 5:30 anyway, the pain in the ass.

I wish I could break him of this habit. I hope that its just that he hears my dad getting up in the morning, smells the food and wants some. Thankfully tax season is over in about three weeks or so, and then my dad will wake up at a normal time, and not be out of the house before 5 AM.

At least the story has a good ending. I'm leaving work at about 2:30. I figure I'm owed the two and half hours for all the work I've put in during the pre-dawn hours. So I'll head home early, give Elena a call because I only got to wish her a quick happy birthday this morning at 3:30 AM, and go home and get some rest.

So I bought a new .css file to give my blog a new look. What do you think? I got sick of looking at one of Movable Type's default style sheets and went with one by blogstyles.com. I like it. I have the old style backed up in the event I want to go back to it. I'd design my own, but I have no idea how, so $10 bucks wasn't bad for a new look.

Current music - Pearl Jam "I Am a Patriot" (Live from Nassau Coliseum 4/30/03)

I'm actually counting on Keyser waking me up early tomorrow morning, just like I counted on him waking me up early this morning. I need to get up at like 3:30 AM tomorrow for two reasons. One, its Elena's birthday and I want to catch her and wish her a happy birthday before she goes to school. School starts I'm guessing around 9 AM, so if I want to catch her before she heads out the door, I have to call around 8:30 or so, so thats 3:30 NY time once you account for the 5 hour time difference. I would just call her later but I'm not sure what her after school plans are for her birthday with her mom in town and all. Plus I'm sure she'll do something with her roommate and school friends. Who knows? I didn't ask last time we spoke. I was too jealous of the fact that she took a tour of the London Hard Rock Cafe's memorabilia vault and held a guitar that belonged to Eddie Vedder. I'm so jealous. Her mom took a picture of it, I can't wait to see it.

Second reason I have to get up at the ass crack of dawn is to do some more work related stuff from home. Fun stuff. I also have to work for a few hours Sunday morning, but thats OK. The overtime will be nice to have after I get paid for it, which will be after I get back from Paris. Can't wait for that. Haven't I said that already.

Alright, planning a nice relaxing night. Going to try to watch some Netflix movies, maybe Will & Grace if it doesn't suck, which it probably will. Out for now.

Current music - Pearl Jam "Corduroy" (Live from Nassau Coliseum 4/30/03, the concert I took Elena to!)

I've still got "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" on the brain, and I guess thats a good thing. If a film can make you continue thinking about it days after you saw it, its a great film and the people responsible for making it did their jobs wonderfully. Also, as my one year anniversary of dating Elena is fast approaching (it can't get here fast enough so I can get to London and Paris already so I can be with her again) I've been thinking a lot about our relationship and music has an amazing power to evoke so many emotions and feelings in memories in people.

In all the time we've been together, there haven't really been too many negative memories or things I'd rather forget. Most of Valentine's Day weekend this year I'd like to repress, having to say goodbye to her at the airport when she originally left for London in August was pretty harsh too, but other than a few days that I don't remember too fondly there's a whole year of stuff that I love thinking about.

Music has an amazing power to conjure up those memories for me. And since my iTunes library currently has about 4800 songs in it, I have a lot to listen to. I hadn't even heard of Dashboard Confessional when we first started going out, but the second I heard "Hands Down" two weeks or so after she left for London it had an immediate impact on me and brought tons of memories about our first, and especially second date to mind. The lyric, "My hopes are so high that your kiss might kill me, so won't you kill me, so I die happy" basically summed up my feelings on our second date. I surprised myself by actually giving her a goodnight kiss, or three, on our first date, and all I wanted to do was kiss her again, and more, the next time we went out. Every time I hear that song I think of her and that night, and it brings a smile to my face.

The first time she had dinner at my house, after we watched a flick on the couch we went in my room and closed the door. Enough said, but the first song that came on my pre-meditated, ready and waiting for that moment "Mellow" playlist (and she just loves telling the story of how I had the make out music ready to go) was Jimmy Eat World's "My Sundown." I can't hear that song without thinking about that night. Even right now, I have on Alanis Morissette's "That I Would Be Good," and the lyric "That I would be loved even when I'm not myself" reminds of a few days before Elena left for London and she was crazy, about everything. Before stopping by her house I got her a nice bouquet of flowers and wrote out the card saying that I loved her, even though she was nuts at the moment. She had basically yelled at me earlier in the day over the phone, and I got her flowers for yelling at me. I'm a sucker.

Let's see, I've really gotten into Jeff Buckley at the moment, and I love his song "Lover, You Should Have Come Over" and although it doesn't invoke any strong memory, it does a lot of emotion. I love the verse that goes:

It's never over, my kingdom for a kiss upon her shoulder
It's never over, all my riches for her smiles when I slept so soft against her...
It's never over, all my blood for the sweetness of her laughter
It's never over, she's the tear that hangs inside my soul forever
Oh, but maybe I'm just too young to keep good love from going wrong
Oh... lover you should've come over...

Good stuff. Highly recommend anyone who has not listened to Jeff Buckley to do so, you won't regret. Back on topic, if its possible. I can't even listen to the official bootleg of the Pearl Jam show we went to without thinking of her, especially the nice slow tune "Thumbing My Way." I gave Elena the good old hug from behind and we did the slow rocking back and forth to the tune while I sang along (she didn't know too many of the words, except to the popular songs).

I'm highly curious to see what songs are going to stick with me after we see each other again and experience Paris together. Should be interesting and I can't wait! Only a little more than two weeks to go. It can't get here quick enough, thats for sure!

Alright, I'm out. Enough babbling for tonight. Going to unwind with a movie and pass out, since I know the pooch will wake me up early. I'm actually counting on it because there is some work stuff I need to do remotely from home in the wee hours of the morning before people get to the office. Lets just hope I don't blow up the company's e-mail system. That would be bad.

Current music - Pearl Jam "Thumbing My Way" (Speak of the devil. I had iTunes on random, I swear!)

Keyser was up and ready to go at 4:15 this morning. After refusing to go back to sleep I put him in his cage until 4:45, when the whining and whimpers became too much. I let him out of his confinement and he bolted downstairs. I fed him and went back to bed and he joined me sometime later. I slept until about 6:00 and got up to get ready for work.

I took him for a nice long walk last night, about 20 minutes or so and his little dachshund legs were moving pretty fast to keep up, so I know I tired him out. My mom and I have a theory and a possible resolution. I think Keyser is hearing and smelling my dad get up at that ungodly hour. My dad's an accountant and its tax season, so he's out of the house by 5:00 every morning. At least until April 15th. So I think Keyser hears him getting up and moving about, and definitely smells his breakfast in the morning, so he's ready to see whats going on and try to scam some toast.

My mom thinks that we should just let the dog and my dad sleep in my older brother's room since he's never home during the week, he's out in Jersey at a client during the week. My mom says my dad's snoring is unbearable, and I've heard the buzzsaw sometimes at night while I get up to walk the dog. So she thinks that would kill two birds with one stone, her and I get to sleep and him and the dog get to wake up together. I don't think that one is going to go over so well with my dad though.

I'll try the walk again tonight, because at least we both got some much needed exercise.

So as far as I'm concerned, my little Keyser Soze is on thin ice when it comes to sleeping in my bed. He was up again this morning at 4:30 and wouldn't go back to bed. I finally let him out of my room and fed him at 5:00 and at 5:30 he came back to my bed and let me sleep until I woke up at 6:00. The bastard.

So I'm thinking he may have to go to sleeping in his crate. My only problem with that is he's going to whine, and louder than normal if he needs to or wants to go out. Plus, he's just so damn cute when he sleeps.

We'll see. If the sun stays out, the weather stays above freezing (it's been in the 30's and 40's all week, and its supposed to be Spring, damn Long Island weather) and my energy holds up I just may take him for a nice long walk when I get home. We both could use it, and I'm anxious to give my iPod mini a spin in the exercise lane. Hopefully he's up for a walk. He may poop out on me and then I'll have to resort to making him run around the house all night. Don't get me wrong, I love my dog, a lot, but I love my sleep too.

Found a pretty cool article on the actual science behind memories and erasing them relating to "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind." Check it out here.

After the debacle that was Saturday morning in which he woke the entire house up with his barking and scratching at my little brother's door at 5 AM, he was much better Sunday morning and this morning. I kept him up late Saturday night when Seth and his girlfriend came over. Seth loves Keyser, and Keyser loves Seth. So basically Seth wore him out and when the pup finally passed out while we played Scene It I kept waking him up. Mean? Maybe. But he slept until about 6:30 or 7 AM on Sunday morning, much better than he's been recently.

Sunday he was his usual lazy self and crawled into bed with me at about 8 PM and was out cold by the time The Sopranos came on. He woke up twice in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom. The first I don't even remember, but the second was at 4:30 and I thought I was going to have to kill him again, because I had a strong feeling that he wasn't going to go back to bed. But, thankfully, he proved me wrong and he let me sleep a good hour more. I usually wake up at around 6 AM anyway to get ready for work, so 5:30 isn't so bad as compared to the 4:30 last week.

If he wasn't so damn cute, he'd have been looking for a new home a long time ago! Or if I was really being cruel, I'd have let my ex-girlfriend have him. I don't know who that would be more cruel to, her or Keyser.

So tell me know how do I feel? Actually, pretty good, so maybe the title isn't appropriate, I just couldn't think of anything else really. I guess the only bad thing about today is that I'm at work and the weekend had to end, but I can't really complain because all in all I had a pretty great weekend. Got my new iPod mini finally, saw an excellent flick Saturday night, had some good Mexican after movie, came back to my house with Seth and his girlfriend and we played Scene It, the DVD movie trivia game, and of course I kicked ass and won. After all, I did major in film in college, although a lot of good its done me other than winning Scene It.

Sunday I watched the rest of my Netflix movies, all of which were great in their own way. Also watched Heavenly Creatures which was crazy, but good. Watched The Sopranos which is starting to pick up nicely. And tonight, since there is nothing on TV that I watch on Mondays, I think I'm going to make it a CIA night, by watching my tape of Alias and then moving onto Confessions of A Dangerous Mind, another movie written by Charlie Kaufman, author of Eternal Sunshine and Being John Malkovich. I watched Confessions awhile back, but kind of stopped paying attention towards the end so I want to give it another shot. I would've watched Alias last night after The Sopranos, but my dad must've switched off my mom's computer when he went to bed so I couldn't grab the video file off her PC. I love those video capture cards. No more VHS tapes to buy and worry about if they're going to run out. Plus it makes it easy to send people shows. I already average a DVD full of video files to Elena a week, and now that my cousin has no TV, she's requested each weeks Alias.

I shouldn't complain though, my cousin and my aunt especially gave me some good travel advice yesterday for when I go to Paris. Turns out I got a really good hotel and its like a mile's walk from the Eiffel Tower, which is cool. My aunt advised me to try to speak a little French, I remember very little from high school, that way the locals know you're at least making an effort, before you make them speak English. I said I was just going to pretend that I was Canadian for the weekend, since they like Canadians. They did colonize Canada back in the day, before we forced them out. I'm not worried, and I can't wait to finally get there. Even though Elena kind of scammed her way out of not meeting me at the airport in London before we go. She's just going to meet me at the train station instead. Kind of ticks me off, but it made sense not having to make her come all the way to the airport to just go all the way back to Central London for the train. Not going to talk about it, because it'll probably start getting me pissed off. She made a valid point about it, so thats that.

In happier news, I just ordered tickets to go see Incubus at Madison Square Garden in June! This will be the fourth time I'll be seeing them in concert. First time was back in 1997 when they opened for 311 and Sugar Ray. Me, like the clumsy idiot I am fell while jumping around at the end of the song and screwed up my knee royally. Couldn't walk out of the theatre, so the EMT's had to load me up on a stretcher and take me to the hospital. As we were going out the back way, back stage Incubus was just sitting around. So I got to see them up close and personal. Of course this was before they made it big, so I had no idea who they were really. But I thought they put on a hell of a show back then, and now they're huge. So I've been a fan from the get go.

Other than that, nothing new to report. I should get back to work, even though I did so much of nothing over the weekend I can't get myself into a work mood. Eventually. Maybe after lunch I'll have some energy. In good news I pretty much stuck to my diet all weekend, which hasn't happened in forever. Gonna weigh myself at my moms office on Friday or Saturday, so we'll see where we are then. I'm hoping I'll drop below my all time low as I've behaved myself since the last weigh in, mostly.

That's about it. Adios.

Between seeing "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" and watching "21 Grams" on DVD this morning, I must say its been quite a good weekend for film viewing. I tried watching "American Splendor" earlier, but passed out, so I think I'm going to give it another shot real soon. Then after that, who knows. I just got "Heavenly Creatures" on DVD and am in the mood for another Kate Winslet movie after last night. I've loved her as an actress ever since "Titanic." I think she's gorgeous and beautiful and to top it off, without looking like every other emaciated actress out there.

For instance, just look at Brittany Murphy in "Clueless" and Brittany Murphy now, she looks nasty now, whereas a couple extra pounds didn't hurt her. I think she looks gross all skin and bones. She hosted SNL after "8 Mile" came out and she looked disgusting with like no meat on her bones. Her arms were all scrawny and nasty.

But Kate Winslet is a normal looking girl, and best of all, she isn't afraid of showing it all for the cameras. I'm sure she's been nude in more than half her films, and that takes guts. I know she's one of Elena's favorite actresses and I don't think there's anyone better to admire.

Speaking of weird bodies, Naomi Watts got nude for "21 Grams" and damn does she have the weirdest looking nipples. I can't explain it, nor do I want to, but the second I saw them I wasn't turned on, which is a shame, because she's also a very beautiful actress. But hey, that's Heath Ledger's problem.

Back to the movies! Enjoy the rest of your weekend while it lasts!

Current music - Foo Fighters "Low"

Was an amazing film, I can't even begin to heap on all the praise this movie deserves. It was so smart, quirky and yet so touching. It had a huge effect on me, considering all the stuff I've recently gone through with Elena. It made me think a lot, about memories and how they make us who we are. For anyone that hasn't read anything about the flick, here's a brief synopsis.

Joel and Clementine are going out, even though they are polar opposites of each other. She's outgoing, crazy, free spirited and her hair color changes with her mood. Kate Winslet must have had at least four or five different colors in the movie, all the way from green to blue to red to orange. Joel, played by Jim Carrey, is shy, quiet and boring. Kind of like me sometimes. They get into a huge fight and to get back at Joel, Clementine goes and has all memory of Joel erased from her mind. Joel goes to apologize to Clementine and she doesn't even remember him at all.

Once Joel finally figured out what happens, he decides to go and have the same thing done to him to get back at her. So the erasing people go to work and start from his most recent memory of Clementine and work their way back, kind of like Memento (another amazing film). At first Joel is happy as the bad memories fade, but soon her realizes they're taking every memory of Clementine away from him, the good along with the bad, and the movie, which takes place mostly in Joel's head as we watch his memories being erased, then focuses on Joel fighting to remember Clementine by stowing her away in some part of his brain where she doesn't belong.

By the end of the film we're at the beginning of their relationship, in more ways than one. I don't want to ruin anything, because you really should go and see it for yourself. You won't be disappointed. It's funny, smart, poignant, sweet and a whole lot of other positive adjectives, including nice (watch the movie and you'll get it).

So that brings me to how it affects me and my relationship with Elena. She was pissed that I was going to see this and its not even being advertised in the UK yet, because she's a huge Kate Winslet fan. I taped her appearance on Inside the Actors Studio the other day and sent it to her, very good stuff. Anyway, despite any bad things that have happened in the course of our relationship, whatever happened, happened, and it defines us as the couple we are now. i wouldn't want to erase any memory of her, bad or good, because its our memories and experience that define us as people. If we don't learn from our memories and mistakes, then we're just going to repeat them. See the end of the movie for my point exactly. You have to take the bad with the good, thats part of life. Whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger and a whole lot of other bad cliches.

My point, it was a great film, the best I've seen in a long time and everyone should check it out while they can. It made me think a lot about stuff, and it makes me feel better about any bad stuff that's gone down between Elena and myself. I wouldn't want to forget anything about her, including the bad stuff, because even in those painful moments, there's something positive worth remembering.

End of rant and review. Enjoy.

In other news, my aunt and cousin are coming over today. They've both been to Paris and France numerous times so they're going to give me some pointers, hopefully, about navigating and things to see and whatnot. Should be fun. I got some guidebooks and tour books with maps and such, now I actually have to look at them and perhaps even read some of the pages for them to be of any use to me. I'm sure I'll procrastinate to no end on those things and never get to them, but I'm trying to be optimistic here.

In bad news I dropped my iPod mini on the concrete outside the theatre last night and it took a little chunk out of the metal in the corner and dinged the other side slightly. I knew it was bound to happen eventually, but why on the first day I owned it? Oh well. At least now I won't be so anal about it and just let loose a little. I've dropped my cell phone a few times too, its a little dinged as well, along with my laptop. I dropped it on my night table and there's a dent right where the slot is for the CD/DVD drive. Bummer, but something was going to happen. I also have on dead red pixel all the way to the left of the screen. Sucks, but so is life. I know, I'm a nerd, but I love my technology, especially my Apple stuff.

Alright, I'm out to shower and buy Sunday morning bagels for the family, even though I have to be really good and not eat any of them today, except if its for my one meal today. I was really good yesterday, stuck to my diet for the first time on a Saturday in a long time. Probably weeks.

Enjoy your Sunday everyone. I'm going to.

Current music - John Mayer "1983"

I got my new iPod mini today! Although I had to pay full price for it, I don't care, because I now have an iPod again after a week of being iPod-less and depressed. I went to CompUSA today on a whim and they had two in stock, a silver one and a green one. I grabbed the silver one up in a heart beat and went home, called Apple and cancelled my pending order for a silver one with my little brother's educational discount. Small price to pay for instant gratification.

That's about its thats new. Thought I'd let everyone know I have an iPod mini. My work here is done. Peace.

Current music - All American Rejects "Swing Swing"

What a milestone. Well, at least to Movable Type this is post #200. Go me.

So anyway, going to try to do something productive today besides lay down in bed and watch DVD's. I think instead I'm going to lay down in bed with my laptop and try to write, or maybe I'll do it on the couch, or maybe even sitting upright at a desk or something. Who knows. Inspiration may not even strike me and I'll end up doing absolutely nothing. Thats the more likely scenario. Who cares.

Spoke to Elena for like 2 minutes this morning. At least I know she's still alive. Her mom and aunt just got to her flat so they were getting ready to go out, so I didn't want to keep her. I said I'd call back later tonight, but I'm not sure if I'm going to have the chance to. I'm going with Seth and his girlfriend and some friends of hers to see "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" and then dinner, so I'm not sure when I'll have the chance to call her. Maybe just tomorrow morning, or a quick one to tell her I'll call her tomorrow morning. We'll see. Who knows.

Still thinking of changing up the site a little. How, I have no idea, but if inspiration strikes, I'll do something. Again, its doubtful as this is me we're talking about. Lazy is my middle name on the weekends, and during the week too if you really want to know.

The dog is scratching at doors at 6:45 in the AM trying to get in and pissing everyone royally. Oh well. Sucks to be him, and me, because I have to listen to it. Going to really kill him one of these days. Or maybe now. Who knows.

Current music - Blues Traveller "Hook"

With too much snow. Its been snowing off and on all week and its getting annoying now. The commute in this morning was fine, but I'm just sick of having to clean my car off and just having to worry about traffic, and the roads and all the stuff associated with snow.

In other news, there really isn't. I'm wishing I could do more with my website recently, but I know nothing about making web pages and programming html or using Front Page or Dreamweaver, so I let it sit as is, boring and just there. One of these days. I know I need to do something to justify the 50 bucks I spent on it, even though technically it was free because they never charged my debit card. That I don't understand, but if they're not going to charge me, I'm not going to ask them to. Maybe this weekend amidst all my other procrastinating I can mess around with some stuff. Maybe just a new template for this, and maybe do something to actually get people to read it. Or maybe I'll just be lazy this weekend and not bother with anything.

Don't have anything big planned for the weekend. Probably going to hang out with Seth and his girlfriend on Saturday night. I really want to go see "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind." It looks really good and interesting and its gotten some great reviews and I haven't seen a new movie in the theaters since Eurotrip, so I think I'm due for a good and new cinematic experience.

Speaking of trips to Europe, mine is only three weeks away and I can't wait. Although I'm a little worried because I haven't spoken to Elena since Monday after my crappy day of work. I tried calling her last night but no answer. Then her mom called me to ask if I'd heard from her, a big nope from me, and then she called me back later saying she finally got through to her and woke her up. I'm going to try again later this afternoon because its been awhile since we talked and also her mom is going to London for a week and a half to visit and I'm sure Elena will be busy with that and won't have much time to chat.

Other than that nothing going on. A slow day at work, probably because of the snow. Still waiting on my iPod mini to come in, even though I check the status of the damn thing constantly. I just want it already, and I want it now! I guess I need to be patient. It'll get here.

I also have other stuff hanging heavy on my mind, but I don't want to turn this into a rant, so I'll save it for another day. I think I'm just in a funk because of the weather and the bad start to the week at work and that I haven't spoken to Elena in a few days and that she's 3500 miles away and I don't know when she'll be back. I think thats the source of my ennui. Who knows.

Mostly because Will & Grace just sucks recently. The show is hurting, seriously. Its not funny anymore and tries to use the excuse of celebrity cameos to get you to watch. Like I said, sucks. The other reason I feel like writing is because I love typing on my laptop. How lame is that? I don't care though. I do love typing on it though. The keys feel great when you hit them and the backlit keyboard just rocks, especially in the dark while relaxing in my bed. I can see what I'm hitting, and oh so clearly.

I'm thinking I should use my love of typing on this keyboard to do something else I love but haven't done in a long while, which is write. I know I write in this thing all the time, but I have other things that I would love to write about, I just don't have the motivation to do it. I have about 20-30 pages of my screenplay just sitting on my hard drive and I know I should finish it. The story has only been running around my head for almost 5 years and it needs to be finished. I think about the story all the time and where its going to head and what's going to happen to my characters. I know I should write, not just the screenplay but other things as well. Just to keep myself into something that I enjoy. I feel sometimes like I've let all my schooling and my major go to waste and that writing would at least let me feel like I'm still making use of it. Maybe this weekend, while I take a break from installing a new hard drive on my dad's PC.

Other than that, nothing else going on except the gentle tapping of the keys on my laptop and watching this stupid episode of Will and Grace and listening to the dog go nuts because my mom just got home. If Keyser can't sleep past 5 AM tonight, I'm going to kill his little dachshund butt. He's adorable, but even I have my limits.

Thats what time the pooch woke me up this morning ready to go. I was ready to kill him. I tried forcing him to stay in the bed with his leash, just letting him whine and bark, but that didn't work. At 5:30 I finally gave in and walked him again and he went to the bathroom again. At that point I just fed him and crawled back into bed for another half hour. This shit has got to stop. Somehow. If I have to make him sleep in his crate, its going to stop. I can't keep doing this. I need my sleep. I'll miss the little wiener and the heat his little body produces while I sleep, and of course when he's sleeping he's the cutest, but I need to sleep. We'll see what happens in the next few nights. Mark goes back to school Sunday, so I can throw him in his crate to sleep after that.

Other than that nothing new to report really. Have stuff to do at work but after everything bad that happened on Monday I haven't been too into diving into it all head first. I'm going to try to get into a better frame of mind about it all on Monday, when hopefully the weekend will refresh me. I think its Monday and all the snow and crappy weather we've been having here on Long Island, its not conducive to productivity, thats for sure.

Nothing else new really, I'm anxiously awaiting my iPod mini to finally come in. I've gone through 1 week of the 1 - 3 week wait and it sucks. I better get it before I leave for Paris, or I'll be pissed! Probably going to hang out with Seth this weekend and thats about it. Have some actual DVD movies to go through as well. Ran out of TV on DVD to watch. What a shame.

Thats about it people. Adios.

Said I would not understand... blah blah blah. Had a crappy day of work. Tried to do something this morning and screwed some stuff up. By the time I got it back to working condition it was about 1 PM, and of course some shit came down on me. Not like I meant to break it and have it not working all morning because thats what I always set out to do, break things and spend my day fixing them just so that I have something to do. Whatever, the day is over, and even though I'm probably about to pass out, I'm still ticked. Whatever. I think that the next time I go to do what I tried to do today it'll work just fine, so I'm not worried. Just don't like getting shit rained down on me for just trying to do my job. Whatever.

Spoke to Elena on my way home because I felt like shit after everything at work and it was nice, she helped me feel better. Good to know that she'll be there for me when I need her. God knows I'm always there for her, and then some. She did make me feel better, and for that I'm grateful. I'm still very much so looking forward to Paris. I think it'll be really good for us, like I haven't said that a billion times already. I also think it'll be a test for us to see if we've really gotten over everything that happened over Valentine's Day. I'm trying to move past it, and I hope she is too. Only time will tell and once we're together again we'll know for sure. We'll see, we'll see.

Other than that nothing to report. Gonna watch a Netflix movie so I can keep my queue moving. Its been stalled for about two weeks and thats not good. Watched Matchstick Men already tonight and it was good. Funky, but good. I enjoyed it. Now its Spun, don't know why I rented it, but it better be good. Adios.

I actually was able to get a decent nights sleep last night. Granted, I slept most of the afternoon away anyway, but the dog wouldn't stop whining at about 1 AM for Mark, who just got home last night, so I let him out and into Marks room and let Mark worry about him. Granted, the dog woke him up at 4 AM, but hey, I deserved a break from that, dammit.

So I got all of my lame errands done yesterday, so that means no more iPod for me. Its on its way to Colorado and I miss it. I would've used it yesterday, but its not mine anymore. I called the Apple Store in Huntington to see if they had any mini's in stock and the answer was a big nope. I could sign up for the waiting list, which could take 1 - 3 weeks, just like the one I ordered online. So I think I'm just going to have to wait until it ships to me. I also ordered what I hope is a cool FM transmitter for my car and charger all in one. Its made by Monster Cable and they know how to do audio right, so we'll see.

Had a great, long, and naughty, conversation with Elena yesterday, which is always good (I'll keep the naughty details to myself, thank you very much). I think things are really getting better between us and I really can't wait to go to Paris with her. I still think it sounds weird when I say I'll be in Paris in a month, but oh well, I'm going to be! Its been tough going through everything that happened over Valentine's weekend, but I'm dealing, and I feel better, and deal better everyday. What the hell else am I supposed to do? Hold a grudge forever and ever? Not my style.

So what's on tap for Sunday? Nothing much. In a gesture of good faith, and just because I have this desire to see it again, I offered to take my little brother to see Eurotrip. The show starts at 11 but since the dog woke him up so early, it may be too early for him. BS if you ask me, but whatever. If I don't go to the movies I'll just watch Firefly on DVD and try to stay awake. I mean, its a good show, but it seems like it constantly puts me to sleep. I think it may just be an odd coincidence that I'm really tired when I watch it, hence the sleeping.

And thats all there is to report on this end. Adios people.

Current music - The White Stripes "Fell In Love With A Girl"

Again, no big plans for the weekend. I eventually need to wake up and run an errand or four, but thats about it. The dog woke me up early again, but I think I have this procedure down to a science. Wake up, walk him, feed him, I go back to bed and let him run around the house barking and doing whatever he wants, because I don't give a crap and just want to go back to sleep. Eventually he tired himself out and goes back to sleep.

To Do list for today: Mail my iPod to the winner of the eBay auction. I'm so sad to see it go, but oh well, I have to. the guy paid me, so I have to fulfill my end of the bargain. I wouldn't be so hesitant to say goodbye except that the mini isn't due to ship to me until on or before March 31st. I go away a week later and all I can say is I better have it because I'm not enduring a flight to London without music, especially if by some odd coincidence my boss is on the same flight with his family. But my boss is cool, so that little tidbit should be interesting.

Second on my To Do list is to go to the bank for my mom and stop by her office to install something probably really stupid on her work computer. Not a problem. Then its back to the house to call Elena and see how some performance recital thing she had to do for class went and some new job she got.

Other than that, nothing else doing. Finished my Volume 3 of Futurama on DVD, and damn was it funny. Especially the Roswell episode where Fry and the crew go back in time and Fry ends up killing his grandfather and sleeping with his grandmother, thus becoming his own grandfather. I forgot how funny that episode was. I was dying.

And, last but not least, jump for joy, Mark comes home for Spring Break today. Lucky us. Hopefully we can end up not killing each other. I know its immature to fight with your younger brother like children, especially when I'm 25 and he's 19, but he's a moron and just doesn't see that so I feel like I have to show it to him every chance I have. But then again, he's already got a set of parents, and if he wants to screw up his life, thats his choice. I did it and learned from my mistakes, just trying to spare him the same, but I guess if he doesn't screw up he'll never learn.

Alright, time to hit the showers! I'm out.

Current music - Incubus "Redefine"

The winning bid was $280 which isn't bad at all. A lot more than I was hoping to get for the thing. So once I finally get the money from it I plan on running out and getting an iPod mini in its place. I've decided I don't need the 40 gig model, because although I know I filled up a 20 gig, there's no way I'll ever listen to all the music on it. I'd rather have the smaller size, and smaller price, especially after I use my little brother's educational discount. Hopefully we'll go this weekend to the Apple Store out here and pick it up.

Other than that, nothing new. Had a decent day at work. Been steadily busy these past few days at work, which is good, as it helps the time go by and puts cash in my pockets. Been hitting the diet hard and trying my best to behave and stick to the program. I think my only form of cheating in the past week and a half was that I ate Chinese food with my family Friday night after eating lunch at work and a few Saltines tonight, along with 1-3 Werthers caramels off my bosses desk every day at work. Not sure how all that affects me, but I'll weigh myself at my mom's office sometime this weekend and see where I am from the last time I checked.

Also spoke to Elena tonight on my way home from work and we had a good conversation. She had an audition for a show on the West End yesterday and she got a call back so she's so excited, and I'm so happy for her. Its for Jerry Springer the Opera, which is supposed to be really good. It won a lot of the British equivalent of Tony awards, so I really hope it goes her way. She said the thrill of singing and dancing on a real West End stage just couldn't be beat and every time she thinks about it it makes her happy. I also just sent her out a package of TV and a CD I made her, along with a letter getting out some of my more recent feelings. I told her to specifically listen to a track on the CD and really listen to the lyrics, Hoobastank, "The Reason", she said she listened to it and it made her cry. Not sure if that was my intention with telling her to listen to that one song, but it hit an emotional mark, so I guess mission accomplished. I know that sounds horrible, but its truth. I was hoping it would have an effect, and it did.

Alright, torn right now between watching American Idol, which I've honestly only been half watching and Volume 3 of Futurama, which I picked up today at Best Buy. It's almost 9, might as well finish the damn singing and then break back into the Futurama.

Enjoy the rest of your night. Adios.

Should be some good stuff and I can't wait. Miss that show dammit, and it takes them forever to get a new season on the air. In the meantime I'm watching reruns of the third season of Six Feet Under. Another great show. Have good memories of watching the last few episodes of season 3 with Elena, especially the season finale in Lake George with Elena the night before we left there. Good stuff, and good memories.

I'm really hoping that our weekend in Paris will result in some new good memories. I have a strong feeling that it will. I spoke to her today and she sounded good, a little stressed with school, recitals and getting ready for a West End open call audition. I hope everything works out for her, but I'm not going to worry too much for her, doesn't do me any good to obsess over what she's up to. I have my own stuff to worry about, and I can't harp on her. Don't get me wrong, I love her with all my heart, but I think I need to stop being so damn crazy about it all. I know I've said this before, and I think I'm getting better at it. I'm finding other outlets. Whatever that means.

Alright I'm going to stop rambling now. I know I'm making no sense, but whatever. Peace out people and enjoy The Sopranos. There's nothing better on TV dammit.

Current music - Coldplay "A Rush of Blood to the Head"

And their girlfriends. Should be fun, even though my significant other is 3500 miles away. But thats OK. I'm used to it. Even though I know I shouldn't be. Oh well. What you going to do? Nothing. Going out to John Harvard's for beer in about two hours, in the meantime I'm watching some Buffy Season 5 on DVD. Good stuff, not as good as Angel, which ever since its been on I've kind of preferred, but still good TV anyway.

In other news, there really isn't. Haven't done a damn thing today except watch Buffy. I'm pathetic, I know, so go F yourself. Found out that the next time I head over to London my boss and his family will be on my flight as they head over for a vacation. Should be interesting. Can't wait for Paris, thats for sure. Gonna book my hotel soon, now that I've finally decided on where we're staying. My aunt gave me some recommendations and after doing a little research into one of them it looks like its the clear choice. Had some good feedback about it on some travel websites. That has me convinced.

Elsewhere, my iPod finally has some bids on it on Ebay. Someone already bid the reserve price of $200, and there are still 3 days left on it, so it should only hopefully go up. Still not sure if I want a 40 gig iPod or the iPod mini, but we'll see. Probably the mini, don't need all the space and would rather save the cash, plus I like the mini's clickwheel more than the button placement and wheel on the new iPod's.

So thats it in a nutshell. Adios people.

The bastard little thing has a new annoying habit. Waking up at 4:30 in the morning, ready to start his day, bright eyed and bushy tailed. I need to break him of this habit, now. Its not so bad now, at 6:30, because he's worn out from running around for two hours and he's passed out again. He's done this all week long and I'm ready to kill him over it. Oh well, at least its Saturday and I can just sleep the whole day. Don't really have much on my plate for today. Gonna watch some movies or TV on DVD, run to the post office to mail Elena a package and then probably hang out with my friends later tonight. Nothing big.

So I'm all booked to go to London and then Elena and I have our train tickets to Paris. Now, all I need is to book a hotel in Paris for the weekend. My aunt, who's been to France a few times sent me some recommendations and I really like one thats on there. Its gotten some good ratings and reviews on the sites I've seen. The price isn't too bad, 200-230 a night, total should be like 700 for three nights. I think it'll be good, and fun, and as long as the hotel is nice, clean, comfortable and in a good neighborhood, I really don't care about too many luxuries. A comfortable bed is all I need. I think I'm going to book it soon, and then we're all set and all that needs to happen is for April to get here so we can go.

Other than that nothing new to report. Gonna call Elena later today, but thats about it. Enjoy your day. Peace.

Current music - Dashboard Confessional "The Sharp Hint of New Tears"

I've been having a nagging feeling for most of the day that there is something I should be doing. Its obviously not that important, otherwise I would remember just what it was, but its obviously something I should do, but I can't remember what. As a result I feel really weird, like I'm procrastinating and I know it and I know I shouldn't procrastinate, because thats bad, mkay? I don't know. I think I'm just not getting enough sleep, or being woken up too damn early by the dog or just need a nice, long relaxing weekend. One of those should take care of all my ills. I hope. Only time will tell.

Other than that, nothing really new to report. Gonna start booking the Paris trip soon. Better sooner than later as things are bound to get more expensive as time goes by. As it is it looks like it will be pretty pricey, but I think it'll be really good for Elena and I to get away together. I've only been to her new flat the one weekend, but already it doesn't have the best memories in the world. I think getting away will be really good for us, kind of like going to Lake George, except without my family, and without my dad there to pay for everything. Oh well, you're only young once and as long as I have my job I'll make money to pay for things. I'm looking forward to it. I miss Elena a lot and I just hope that our next time together will be a healing one, unlike our last one, which was quite damaging. I think we need this. I know I do!

18 more minutes and I can go home. Peace out.

Current music - Bush "Cold Contagious"

Nothing new to report. Just watched a painful hour of American Idol and damn were all eight people pretty bad. Maybe one girl was good enough to get through, and I'm sure she will, but everyone else stunk it up big time. In the meantime, before Scrubs, the best comedy on the airwaves comes on I'm watching Angel on DVD. Good stuff. I'm on the end of disc 4 of 6 at the moment and I'm liking it. Next up will probably be Buffy Season 5, then probably some Futurama when it comes out next week. I'm all about the TV on DVD, its my new obsession.

Other than that, nothing is new. Work has been busy the past couple of days with fun virus attacks and whatnot, server upgrades and updates and fun stuff like that. Need to work hard to make the big bucks to pay for what is looking to be an expensive weekend in Paris with Elena. I hope its worth it. If its not, I doubt I'll do it again, but I have the feeling it'll be well worth it. I got a very nice and thoughtful and beautiful card from Elena the other day and I think things are getting better. I think a weekend away form her city, her flat, her school and everything else, a weekend in Paris, the city of love will be very good for us. Healing, I hope.

Thats about it. Going to stop rambling now. Adios people. Watch Scrubs, because its funny as hell!!! I somehow don't think hell would be funny, but I don't believe in it, so it doesn't matter to me. Peace.