the news.

Sometimes I forget the blogging exists. My computer wouldn't turn on. It was the strangest thing, and then one day, it just worked. There is no apparent explanation. I think maybe it is Talya's fault. It worked when I left Akron. When I got to Athens, it wouldn't work. Oh well.

Those of you who are vegetarians or the good kind of meat meat eaters, or the ones that wear only sweatshop free clothing, or eat only organics... how do you do it? I wish that I was a better person. I don't know how. I am a lot of talk, but when it means doing something besides talking... yeah, well. I am really frustrated with myself in this regard.

Last week, the plant manager was on vacation. So, I worked as acting plant manager. He gets payed the big bucks. I thought that since I was doing exactly the job that he does every day, I too should make the big bucks for the week. The boss didn't agree with me on this point. I made the little bucks. It was hard work and I don't know that my brain and Alcon Tool like abilities could have taken much more stretch. I can see now why he makes the big bucks. It left me wondering why it is if I am capable of doing his job so well, that I am still making the little bucks.

I am going to Motor City tomorrow, which for some reason is leaving me more uneasy than I would be if I were making the same trip to say, Columbus. Detroit just seems scary to me. Yes, I am going to see Death Cab for Cutie and Franz Ferdinand. It really is quite exciting. Wish me luck.

hurting myself.

I am prone to injury. I am not sure how this came to be. Maybe it is hereditary (my dad seems to have a similar problem). I did it again. I was in a bouldering competition on Saturday. Originally, I wasn't going to compete because I am still recovering from the sprained left ankle injury of three months ago. I started rope climbing again a month ago and have felt totally comfortable with the bouldering for just a couple of weeks. Since my climbing abilities are still lacking (compared to where they were before my injury), I wasn't going to climb on Saturday. Well, my friends thought that that was silly and urged me to climb. So, I did. It was good, I was doing far better than I had anticipated. Then, I did something stupid. I was working a problem without a crash pad, I came off the wall in a bad way and I landed in a worse way. This time it was the right ankle. The doctor on site was sure it was broken, so Ian took me to the ER. It isn't broken, just a sprain. I got a new set of crutches. It is swollen like a grapefruit.

Strange, when I did it, it hurt far worse than last time. It immediately swelled faster and fatter than last time. Now, three days later, it is still more swollen and the bruising is better too, but the pain is much less. I can't decide if it just doesn't feel as bad because I am used to this type of pain, or if it really hurts less. I went to my doctor yesterday and he said that I didn't have to use the crutches unless I wanted to (they won't really make my recovery any faster), so I deep-sixed them. I hate crutches.

So, I am pissed. I can't climb again, but give me a couple of weeks and I will be good to go. I placed 6th out of 13 in the comp. This may not seem so good, but considering this was my first comp and I was climbing on an injured ankle, it is quite good. I am quite proud of myself. Overall, it was a good time. The comp was swell. Ian and I had a great time in the ER. We went to the after party and then the after after party. I drank my sorrows and my pain away, and since have been amazingly upbeat.

Do you recall me ever talking about how sad the state of the ER at O'Bleness is? Well, the last two times I have gone to the ER was in Athens, and at the time, it was quite disappointing. Saturday, I went to the ER at Akron General, which I hadn't been to since high school. It was awful. Keep in mind, my doctor friend, Noah (who is an ER doc at Akron General), was at the comp. He called the ER before I went, told them that I was coming and pre-ordered x-rays. So, all of my issues were completely non-wait related. We were in and out in approx. 2 hours. This aspect of the experience was beautiful. But still, the overall visit was terrible! Give me O'Bleness any day, really.

Also, I saw Peter Ipnar. That was weird. He swears like a sailor now. I didn't ask him, but I think that all that I have heard is true. It kind of made me sad.

this is important.

Sorry, about the phone call. I really did forget you this time. It was weird.

I got tickets to a show in Detroit. At first it seemed like a good idea, then it didn't.

Myspace is a scary thing. I am a member for communication purposes. I think that some people really are addicted. It is bizarre. It frightens me when people flirt via internet. Seriously, this Joe Schmo doesn't know me from Adam and is making advances. What if I really look like his great aunt Franny?! It gives me the he-be-ge-bees.

license to drive

I got my lift truck drivers license last week. It was a little bit scary. It is really a sweet deal. I got a certificate and card saying that I am an authorized lift truck operator, legally this authorizes me to operate anywhere in the U.S. Such a deal... I know that you are jealous.

Yesterday, I spent about 6 hours on the thing and now I think I hate them. However, I am a pro. I feel like I should say that my machine is much more attractive then the one above. Sadly, the selection of pictures on the internet of the proper Yale lift truck is quite sparse.

Have you ever heard of mixing a wheat beer with raspberry puree? Seriously, it is the beer of the month at the Winking Lizard this month. I didn't try it; it frightened me. My logic is this, wheat beer is not so good (in my humble opinion... although, I don't think that I have ever met anyone who likes it), then you go and mix it with something as peculiar as raspberry puree, and well, that is too much. Lime is one thing, and I have even gone as far as an orange, but if it was meant to have raspberry puree in it, they would have included it in the bottled package. Really, what will those crazy kids think of next?

standards.

I used to have them. Standards, principles, and what not. Recently, it has occurred to me that I might have lost them somewhere along the way. Some of them are still there, but one in particular was there. I used to be very much against stealing music. Downloading off the internet was very taboo, and every once in a while I would burn a cd for a friends, but I usually felt really bad afterwards and always made sure that they understood that if I was to give them this cd, they could listen to it for one week. If they liked it they were to go out and purchase a copy of their own, or they were to throw it away if they did not like it. I felt good about having these standards.

They are gone. I think it happened when I moved into 1111 Jefferson Ave. I stopped caring about the right and wrongs of music downloading. First, I just burned it from other people. Now, I am taking it off of the internet. It is wrong. I am stealing. I know that I have to stop, but I don't know if I have the strength. You see, I feel like it is not only about stopping. I think that I should get rid of all the music I stole too.

Is this crazy? The fact of the matter is that I liked myself better when I didn't steal from these artists. I feel better as a person of principle. Other people thought I was being ridiculous, but I felt good about it. Now, I just feel like a bad person.