New Dog

My fiance and I got a new dog. The dog was her mother's, the only problem was that her mother's 4 other dogs were beating him up. He's cute, he's skittish, and he's the devil. Jack peed on me last night!! The little rat, I was gonna toss him across the backyard. I didn't but I wanted to. He isn't fixed....yet, so he marks everything. help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows (revisited)

After two days of reflection I have come up with the following:

JK Rowling rushed the end, whether for deadline reasons, or she was getting tired of the story.

Point 1-The death's of Lupin and Tonks were completely unnecessary, but if they had to die it should have been written. This book wasn't the longest, so it could have had a few more pages. If not more pages, some of the glut in the middle should have been cut.
Point 2-She could have had a chapter about the aftermath of the battle.
Point 3-The Epilogue should have touched on some other characters that so many have come to love.

Hopefully at some point JK Rowling will revisit this tale and fill in some of the gaps, explain some of the deaths.

Harry Potter

I have finished the final installment of Rowling's Harry Potter series. I must say I am disappointed. I think that she wanted to kill Harry and she couldn't because the fans would have rebelled and threw fits. My girlfriend threatened to have a bonfire with the books if any of the three died. So my theory is that Rowling caved, and she didn't kill Harry. But she must have been angry and went on a rampage killing every other major character. It started with Sirius and Dumbledore and ended with Snape, George, Lupin, and Tonks. This was unnecessary, way to much death for a children's book.

I think she over compensated for her unwillingness/inability to kill Harry. She made this book much to dark. These characters were supposed to be the best of the best, The Order of the Phoenix.

As a fan of the fantasy genre in general I was disappointed. I saw more death of major characters in this children's series than I have seen in uncountable adult fantasy series.

I for one hope that she decides to go back to this series and right some wrongs.

Get me out of this place!!

Please get me out of here, I can't take my job anymore. This place is driving me batty!!!

Why my job sucks

For the nearly 2 years I have been here, we worked our asses off on a conversion project. While I didn't work nearly as many hours as some of my colleagues, I busted my ass during the hours that I was here. We spent the last few weeks in the last throws of data scrubbing, reconciling the new system with the old system, etc. Then, last week, just as Xenos is about to go live, we were ready, we couldn't have been more ready, they cancelled the project. This was such a dissappointment, after all our hard work, upper management spit on it and tossed it aside. They "may" reconsider the decision in September. This is corporate speak for we have decided it's too expensive, but we don't want to completely tear you guys down. I am so frustrated and bored with this job. Up until now I have kept busy with spreadsheets, data cleanup, etc, now I have nothing!

Work

For quite some time now, I have been very unhappy with my job. It's funny, I convinced myself that this job was a 'Real' job and that my last one wasn't. I worked in an operations department for a large bank. My manager was really good, he would let us take long lunches, relax, leave early if we were slow. Days off were no problem as long as we had coverage. If you had to take care of something, he let you.

My new job which I have been at for almost 2 years has been a lot different. It's a lot more strict and controlled. The final straw was last week when I was forced to take a Vacation day for a funeral. This wasn't a random funeral, it was my mother's sister. I was told "she isn't immediate family", well that's bullshit. In my old company, my boss would have simply put me in for a sick day, or not reported it at all. He was very good and it made it enjoyable to work there. I honestly think my current direct supervisor would be a great person to work for, if our director wasn't sitting across from her breathing down her neck. But then again, my old director sat across the office from us and never interferred in day to day operations as long as there were no problems.
Not for nothing, but my current company does not pay overtime, which we are expected to work. My old company paid overtime, but if they couldn't they would give us Comp days. No such policy here, we don't give comp days, nor do we give any slack in the sick days.

George Bush has betrayed us

Most pundits and pollsters indicate that America is unhappy with the George Bush Presidency. I agree, however, I disagree that this is due to unpopularity over the war. I believe that most people who were in favor of the war in 2003 are still in favor of it.

George Bush has betrayed his base on every front with the exceptions of the War and Abortion. He has betrayed us on Tax Reform, Border Security, Immigration Reform, and Social Security Reform. He continues to spit on the very people who elected him to office. He spits on us every day.

2007 (cont'd)

Well the year isn't a total wash. My girlfriend (fiance) has told her mother and grandmother about our engagement and hopefully we will be able to start planning soon. I want us to start fresh somewhere, but it seems like we can't find the right place. She currently lives in Brooklyn (spending most of her time with me In Jersey), I live in Jersey, which she hates, both of us work in the NY area (she is in Brooklyn, I am in Manhattan) so that means PA is too far of a commute.

We both like Pennsylvania, it's very affordable, but it is a long commute.

Somebody help!!!

2007 (cont'd again)

Although good things have happened in 2007, more often than not bad things are what seem to always be there. I know that's not true, but..

On Friday one of my favorite aunts was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. As she was leaving the hospital she got a call saying that her sister had been found dead in her bed.


My Aunt Janet passed away. I was never close to Aunt Janet, probably because my mother was never close to her. I liked her, I thought she was a little odd, but she was my aunt. My mother is very sad about this, I think her sadness is amplified by the fact that her other sister is very sick.

You can pick who you like, but you can't pick whom you love. My mother may not have been close to her sister, but that doesn't mean she didn't love her.

Dell Hell

I hate Dell. I miss my laptop. About a month and a half ago my dell died after less than a year. I hate them, they want 500 dollars to replace the motherboard. I sent it to them for a monitor problem! I hate Dell and regret that I bought from them, it will not happen again.

2007

I apologize for the somber posting, but I post about things in my life, and at the moment they are all somber. I think I'll go down to Hoboken tonight and get some Cold Stone Creamery.

Life Sucks!

I learned over the weekend that my aunt/godmother went into the hospital. She can't move her right arm and they gave her some tests and now they say she has a mass in her lungs and lesions on her brain. She is a heavy smoker and needless to say they think it's cancer. If anyone out there reads this blog please pray for her and my cousins.

Minorities think different

Good Afternoon

The below video has been circling around my office and the reaction is almost universal. Minorities believe the cop was abusing his power and the rest of the people thought the lady got what she deserved. Leave a comment and let me know what you think.


Cop Knocks Out 70 Year Old Lady - Watch more free videos

Moving on

The past 3 months have been the hardest I have ever gone through. I wish I could explain to someone how important my grandparents were to me, how big a hole I feel when i think of them. When my grandmother died, I through myself into taking care of my grandfather, so it wasn't so bad. Now I don't have either of them. Five years ago I moved in with them to try and keep an eye on them. Now they are both gone, and I miss them more than I can ever say. It feels like everything is changing.

My grandmother's house is being sold, I have no doubt it will be torn down and destroyed. A little background, this house was purchased by my greatgrandmother about 100 years ago. It's horribly sad for me to see it go. Twenty-eight years of of my life were spent either looking forward to go to grandma's or I was living there.

I've accepted that it has to go, but I don't know where I am going. I am so confused. I always thought of myself as a decisive person, I make decision and get things done. I can't seem to get this done.

Still trying

to put my thoughts into words. This has been the hardest week of my life. I can't explain to anyone how sad I feel at the passing of my grandfather. I hope this gets better.

My grandfather passed away

My grumpy grandfather passed away at 11:56 Thursday evening. It has affected me more than I could ever have thought. In my life I have lost three people close to me and this is by far the worst.

My great grandmother passed away 12 years ago, she was so wonderful and loving and I loved her a great deal. She was 89 and had lived a full full life, 6 children, 22 grandchildren, 24 great grandchildren and even a few great grandchildren. It was hard, but I accepted it.

Two years ago this month my grandmother passed away, it was sudden, unexpected and a punch in the gut. It was the hardest thing I have had to endure. Until this week. Back then I knew that I had my grandfather to hold on to, to take care of. My grandfather was so special to me. I will post more on this later.

Hilarious

The Simpsons

Still funny, still going

Now Reading

A book by Stephen Coonts' called Stephen Coonts' Deep Black: Jihad (Deep Black). It is quite good, I bought it on the way to the hospital to visit my grandfather and in my haste I did not realize it was part of a series. However, it is a stand a lone novel. I certainly plan to look for the rest of Stephen Coonts' novels. For any fans of novels about terrorism, I recommend this author.

Classic Snake

My girlfriend

is upset and not at me, but I have to deal with it. I don't mind dealing with it, I just don't know how to.

My boss is a prick Part II

My girlfriend and I went out on Friday with my co-workers. One of my co-workers, who is kind of like a point man on the new system declared, "I don't know why they are bringing you guys in, this conversion has nothing to do with your department."

Lo and behold, Saturday rolls around and guess what, there's nothing of me to do!!!

I hate my boss.

My boss is a prick

On Wednesday my boss sends this email.
"Team,

We may need some people in the office this weekend. I don't have any details yet. I will advise as soon as I know something definitive."

Now it's Friday and he now sends this one to me and one other member of my group.

"*****/Rich,

We will need you both in the office tomorrow to assist us with cleaning up items in the Exception Queues. ******* and I will walk through the process with you as I know you are not familiar with the handling of these items. We should be here between 8:30-9 to get started and hopefully finish as early as possible."

Is it just me or was this short notice? 1 day?

What really made me see red. Actually it was more like white hot anger was the fact that the ass did not even come and ask me if I had plans, if I could change them, he just ordered.

Now my original impulse was to tell him to go f*&^ off and I began composing an email that began like this

"****
You are an f***ing asshole and you can f*** youself tomorrow on you desk for all I care, because I will not be here. You are the rudest motherf****er I have ever had the pleasure of meeting"


Needless to say I called my girlfriend and after a few minutes of talking to her I got up and left my desk to go cool off.

I had to go back and pick up my badge because they won't let me back into the office without it.

My supervisor (not the prick who sent the email) calls and asks me if I am okay and I tell her no, and I left.

In the elevator I elbowed the wall and if it was any harder either my arm or the wall would have broken.

I circled the building about five times in an effort to make my anger subside. Needless to say it didn't work. I called my girlfriend again and somehow she made me slightly less angry, it's not so white hot now.....more of a red seething anger. If I come in tomorrow and I sit here with nothing to do, I might lose it. If I do, would that qualify as an insanity plea?

Nintendo Wii

I want one, they are impossible to get and it sucks.

Favorite Activities

My favorite activity is reading. I read on average two books a week. Mostly science fiction, but a smattering of other fiction and non fiction can be found in my library. I also reread books. It seems like I can always find something new in reading them. I get a lot of pleasure out of rereading books. I have never met anyone else like me. Anyone out there?

Right now I am rereading The Riftwar Sagaby Raymond E Feist. I highly recommend it.

Credit Card Companies

Debt, I have it and I hate it.

I went to Penn State. For those of you who have never been I will give a brief description. From NYC it's a 3 1/2 hour ride with nothing but trees and highway. Twenty minutes from the highway State College rises in the distance. There's nothing else around, but you really don't need much else.

State College is a town built for students. Bars, Food, Stores...the list goes on.

When I was in college a few years back, I had no money, no student aid, no scholarships, just student loans that covered my tuition and books. My parent's really couldn't help me much, they paid for car insurance and part of my car payment. I paid the rest.

I worked the midnight shift at a local convenience store, I worked the midnight shift because it got me a couple extra bucks, and I needed all the bucks I could get to pay for rent.

Every day I walked along college avenue, and sitting outside the bookstore were these people. These people were evil, and I knew it.

But I was hooked, I signed up, got a free t-shirt and a credit card.

I paid and still pay these cards to this day. I have never once had a late or missed payment. Now here I am, looking at these old balances and I never see them go down. My oldest card it from 1997, I have had it for 10 years. They charge me 31% interest rate. It is impossible for me pay this off. I don't know what to do, I am ready to give up.

Doctors

I hate doctors. I don't think I hate them for any specific reasons. My girlfriend would probably say that I hate them because I think my grandmother received poor care from her doctors before she passed away. I don't think so though. I seem to recall a long history of disliking the doctor.

It's only been reinforced by my grandfather's current stay in the hospital and rehab. But in this case I am mad at the doctor's for not yelling at him enough.

I think he should be threatened, not coddled. He has put himself in the hospital with his bullshit and now it should be time to pay.

Anyway, I am going to the doctor today because my girlfriend wants me checked out. I hate doctors.

My girlfriend's blog

Is somewhere on blogger. I really don't want to read it. She knows I don't want to read it.
Last night she was visiting me and she was reading/posting to her blog on my laptop. I am going to have to go home and delete the history before I fall for the temptation of reading it. I especially want to read it today as she is upset with me.

She does the same thing with her journals (she has written in journals for years), they are always sitting around (ok, sitting around inside her bag) and I can hear them calling "Read me!"

Aargh!!!!!

Girlfriend

I love my girlfriend so much and I try so hard to be considerate of her. She is a wonderful person and I love her dearly. I wish it were possible to always say the right thing and do the right thing to keep her happy, but I am on a roll this week, I have done one thing after another and I hope i can get myself back on track.

I sent her flowers, I hope they are received well.

My grandfather

is one of the most miserable people on the planet. I love him dearly, but he makes me want to strangle him.

After my grandmother passed away 2 years ago he took a serious downturn in both physical and mental health. He has never been the most physically healthy person, but it got worse.

The family has constantly fought with him to get out of bed and move around. He has been sleeping upwards of 15 hours a day. When he isn't sleeping, he is sitting at the dining room table smoking cigarette after cigarette (this is a man who has had a double bypass, pacemaker/defibilator, collapsed lung, emphysema, etc) Still smoking a pack a day.

Now he has gone into the hospital because his heart and kidney's are failing. His legs have about 30 lbs of extra water in them.

He called my father last night from the hospital, screaming that he needs someone with him all day. He expects us to take days off and sit in the hospital with him all day.

Needless to say, we cannot do that.

So he had his 91 year old sister (he is 77), go up there and she has been sitting there all day.

Now I spoke with him and he told me she is driving him insane.

I'm at the end of my rope with him, i try and be patient, but all i want to do is yell back at him. He put himself where he is, smoking and refusing to move his ass out of bed.

Fiance?

I hate the word. My girlfriend and I have been engaged since Thanksgiving. I have yet to refer to her as my fiance. To me it is a stupid word. It's really hard for me to incorporate it into my vocabulary when i refer to her. I don't mind people knowing that she is going to marry me, but I think it's a ridiculous notion to assign a specific word to her other than girlfriend. Is she not my girlfriend anymore? Did the girlfriend go away and fiance appear?

My girlfriend

has a blog. I am constantly tempted to read it and find out some inside scoop. However, to weigh the benefits of reading it, are the negative aspects. If I were to find something out on her blog that I didn't like how would I confront her with it. Additionally, if I were to read it, would she really post truly?

She says she wouldn't mind me reading it. She describes blogging as a cathartic event, she rants, raves, and pours all her emotions out. I like when she is calm, so I resist reading her blog all the time.

My New Other Blog

Good Morning

I have created a new blog. My other blog focuses on politics and current events. Lately however, I seem to be having a lot of additional issues that I want to right about. The original blog has evolved into political issues, so I will post everything else here.