Happy New Years

Just wanted to wish everyone a Happy Years. I will be ringing in the new year over at my buddy's house for some drinking. Rock Band will be played as well on his new HDtv. Pretty excited to see this thing.

How everyone has a great night. Stay safe!

Birthday

Well today is my birthday. I took off work from today til after New Years just to have some nice R&R.

For me?! You shouldn't have!

Sometimes there is seriously nothing better than doing absolutely nothing. That's the plan for today. Well not exactly nothing since I'll be playing WoW, watching some anime, maybe a movie or 2, that kinda stuff. I just went out to go the the grocery store and picked up a delicious Subway sandwich. I don't plan on leaving the house again today except to walk the dog.

Ahhh so relaxing...

"YOU ARE A GAS STATION!"

So last night my friends threw me a nice little birthday party dealy. Nothing big and crazy, as I requested, but super awesome. One of my friends got me the Marvel Comics Encyclopedia which is fucking huge and my other buddy got me a how to draw manga kit complete with miniature posable mannequin. I've wanted one of these mannequins for the longest time so that really made me happy. The rest of the night consisted of Smash Bros on the N64 (of course) and beer pong. My friend and I actually had an EPIC comeback in pong that was so fucking awesome. It was a sight to behold.

This morning though sucked ass. After having such a great time last night of course something had to go wrong today. I was obviously hungover as hell and all I wanted to do was get back home and relax. My car was parked several blocks away so it wasn't a fun walk considering my backpack was stuffed and I was carrying my manga kit and cinderblock of an Encyclopedia. Once I reach my car I get in and try to start it. The engine runs but as soon as I touch the pedal the damn thing dies. WTF?! Being that I'm on a steep hill it's hard enough trying to get out of that parking space. If there is a car in front of me, like there was this time, you have to start the car and quickly put it in reverse so you don't hit the car. I was apparently lucky today because there was a patch of snow blocking my front tires. So in my hungover state of mind I for whatever reason think that I can't get my car moving because of this patch of snow, which is completely idiotic considering the car just turned off and that's why it couldn't move. So I called my "friend" and I use that term loosely (just kidding bra!), to come help and push my car out. Obviously that wasn't the problem and so I showed him how I can start the car but as soon as I put my foot on the gas pedal it dies. His first instinct was to call Triple A (AAA), which I don't have, but I have emergency call service with Geico. I told him, dude, I think it's actually the gas. I was almost positive I had a quarter of a tank left when I parked there last night and now my gauge is telling me it's empty. Something is amiss...

So my buddy gets his car and we drive to the nearby gas station. There are about 12 of them on this road so we figured we could go in and get a gas canister to fill up and take it back to my car. We stop at the first station, the Getty, and I go in and ask. The guy gives me this look and says "Sorry man, we don't have that"

"................."

"YOU ARE A GAS STATION! You don't have a gas canister?? "

"No sorry, u might want to try the Sunoco next door, they've gotta have one!"

"Yeah, because they are a REAL gas station"

So I get back in my friends car and tell him the bad news. We then go over to the Sunoco and I go in. I ask if the have any gas canisters. He gives me that awkward look and inhales through clenched teeth. "Don't think we have that..."

"YOU ARE A GAS STATION!"

"Hold on, let me check in the back room"

He goes to the "back room" which from what I can see just looks like a cellar. I see him looking around and finally his eyes fall to the floor and he pick up and dirty ass red canister. Thank the fucking maker! So he gives it to me and charges me $2.72 on my Visa Check card because it's a gallon sized jug. Then he tells me there is a $7 deposit on the jug. I say "OK" and then we stare at each other awkwardly for awhile until he says "So do you have $7?" and I say "Dude, ur holding my Visa in ur hands. Swipe it again, I don't care" and he says "Deposits are only cash"

FML.....

So we come to an agreement. He will hold my Visa hostage until I come back. FINE! Good! Just let me take the damn gas to my car already. So I go outside and starting filling this tiny plastic jug with gas. It's such a strange feeling filling something that isn't ur gas tank. It should also be noted that he didn't have a cap for it. So I get into my friends car with an open container of gasoline.

He says "Just please god don't spill that in my car.... and why the fuck didn't they give u a cap??"

I told him they didn't have one. And then as we are driving away it hits me...

How the fuck am I supposed to pour this in my tank without a nozzle? This thing was so awkwardly shaped that it would be impossible to pour it in the tank. So we turn around and go BACK to the gas station. The guy is standing outside when we pull up so I put the window down and ask..

"U didn't give me a cap but is there something u can give me to actually pour this in my gas tank?"

He gives this kinda weird eye roll of confusion and walks into the store. I didn't budge from the car. I thought I would wait for him to bring me nothing. I mean, if he had just randomly found a gas container for me with no lid then obviously the poor soul had no idea where the spout would be. Next thing ya know my friend is telling me that the dude is signaling me. He's in the store waving to get attention from us because he has used the metal sliding tray that they normally use after hours, to give me a funnel! Wow a funnel! That's actually very useful and will definitely help! But here's the kicker. It's not a real funnel.

It's a fucking paper cone cup with the tip cut off....

I "thank" the guy and I leave, still concerned that my Visa is being locked in a tower guarded by a dragon until my return. So my friend takes me back to my car and I have to use the damn snowcone cup to pur gas in my car. It, of course, goes everyone when I start out and I get gas all over my left hand. Perfect. Luckily though, it was a gas problem so I didn't have to call Geico, and I was able to drive back home.

Well that was a long one. Hope u enjoyed my misery. And a note to all people who work at a gas station. If you don't carry gas canisters u are fucking retarded!!

Merry Christmas

Want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas! Kenobi and I are spending it indoors hanging out watching movies and playing video games. Well at least I am, Kenobi is enjoying the bone he got for Christmas. Will be ordering Chinese food and watching movies later. I have definitely become more Jewish during the holidays these past few years. Heh

Enjoy a Haruhi Christmas...

This is my mouse pad. lol

Christmas Eve

Wanted to throw out a Merry Christmas Eve post tonight to everyone out there.

Lucky Star gang with video games = My Christmas

I'll also make another quick post tomorrow for Christmas Day, complete with Haruhi picture.

Hope everyone has a great day...

The Disappearance....

Yeah...

I've been wondering how they were going to do this arc...

There had been many rumors about it but I didn't get too excited...

The animation looks fucking gorgeous...

Can't wait...

It's actually happening....



Can't wait...

Star Wars: The manga

I've decided to get back into some reading. My back has been bothering me more lately and sometimes it's just relaxing to sit in my chair and read. Also very peaceful compared to the noise I'm used to (anime, WoW, video games). So today I decided to pick up an old classic Star Wars book called Heir to the Empire. It's the first in a trilogy and it introduces new characters that become HUGE in the Star Wars expanded universe like Mara Jade and Grand Admiral Thrawn. The sad thing though is that even though I've never even picked up one of these books I already know about all these characters because as a Star Wars geek it's just common knowledge. Still excited to read the books though.

So while I was looking through my bookshelf to see what other books I might have that I haven't read yet I stumbled upon my Star Wars manga. Yes, it does exist. They started coming out in 1997 right before the re-release of the movies. Now at this stage in my life I was not the anime/manga freak that I am today. The only anime I had watched at this point were Ninja Scroll, Akira, Street Fighter 2 the movie, and a few others here and there that my cousin got me into. I also referred to it as "Japanimation. As for manga I was just getting into it at the time when a friend at school let me borrow a few Ranma books. It was a lot harder to come by at this time. So when I went to the comic book store near my dad's house and found a Star Wars manga I thought it was probably the coolest thing ever! After seeing things like Akira and Ninja Scroll I could tell the Japanese knew how to do action so I couldn't wait to see how they would interpret Star Wars.

And boy was I impressed...

Fact: Han Solo is a fucking PIMP

Not only was the artwork amazing, it also felt totally natural. Mixing manga and Star Wars can seem a bit strange at first but once you get into it something just felt right. I loved it when I first read it 12 years ago, and I just read it again and love it on a completely different level now that I am obsessed with anime/manga. Even the death of Obi-Wan kinda got to me. They handle it so well in this book...

Vader looks so bad ass in the manga..

Another cool thing was that they added scenes that we're deleted from the movie into this story. So it was kind of like reading a Special Edition before they actually existed. This was a big deal for me cuz back then Star Wars was only on VHS. There were no DVD's, deleted scenes, or bonus features. Crazy huh? I had only read transcripts of deleted scenes in my Star Wars Insider magazine. So to actually see it drawn out was pretty damn rad. Sadly though, the comic book store stopped carrying it. I had got all 4 books of A New Hope and the first Empire Strikes Back book. That was it. When I asked the store clerk when the next ones were coming in he said they weren't. Like I said earlier, back then manga was not that big and for a small hole in the wall comic book store to keep carrying something that doesn't sell much, well, you get the idea.

But that has all now changed. After finding these books again today and very bitter that I never got to see the rest of them I turned to my friend the computer. Sure enough, there they are on Amazon! God bless the Internets. Most of them are going for $4 or less used, thank god. A NEW copy of book 2 of A New Hope is going for $75!! Sweet Jesus.

I just love knowing that you can almost find anything you want on the internet these days. I had given up years ago that I was never going to get the rest of these books and then it just slipped from my mind. So glad I checked that bookshelf today. lulz...

Irony...

Well that's pretty damn ironic. Shorty after posting my latest blog yesterday about how strange the weather is, I had found out that we were to be expecting a snowstorm of sorts this weekend! Now I'm not going to get excited until I actually see it with my own eyes but if it pans out like it's supposed to then we're supposed to get around 10-12 inches on snow. That would be the most snow we've had in about a decade.

I just found it pretty strange that the day I start bitching and moaning about not getting snow like we used to that I'm told we're going to get absolutely punished by it. So weird.

And you should see the way everyone was reacting today. My job was absolutely insane but I'm not going to get into that. The grocery store near me was an absolute madhouse! Barely any parking spaces, people were waiting for others to finish using their carts since there were none available. It was just insane. Lucky for me I did my shopping last night when I first got word of a potential blizzard.

I shall keep you all updated.

Crazy Weather

I'm not one of those guys that goes around spouting stuff about Global Warming or anything but you would have to be insane to not notice something is definitely going on here.

When I was a kid we would get out of school due to snow all the time! When winter came around you better believe there would be snow. There were a few years where we actually had blizzards that would keep us out of school for days! It was truly awesome. I don't think it ever snowed on Christmas here, which always disappointed me, but at least it snowed. These past few years I've just been disappointed by the lack of snow in general.

Rukia in Hoth Gear...

The past week or so has been a good example of what I'm talking about. Since I'm constantly walking outside at my job I get a feel for the weather and have to dress appropriately. Last Thursday and Friday was ass freezing. We had these incredibly strong winds too which made it almost unbearable to be outside. 2 days ago I was wearing a t-shirt outside! A t-shirt in December. That just has wrong written all over it. Then yesterday I was all bundled up again to walk my dog in the cold. I shouldn't be wearing a t-shirt one day and a hoodie and jacket the next. It's just not right.

Our biggest concern these days is ice. It will rain on a warm Dec/Jan day and then over night it drops 40 degrees and freezes over. So lame. As most of you know I love the cold. So you can understand my anger when it's 75 degrees out on a day in December. It's warm for more than half the year! Give me the few months I need of chilly weather so I too can be as happy as you normal people in the warmer months! It's all I ask.

My dog and I enjoy the cold weather...

My dog loves the snow but he never really gets to play in it as much as I would like him too. It sucks that we are pretty much destroying this planet, it really does. I've only seen part of An Inconvenient Truth but what I saw blew my mind. I hate to say it but I think Gore is onto something. lol.

That's enough ranting for now. Time to walk the dog. Haven't been outside yet so don't know if I should wear a shirt or hoodie. Guess I'll find out...

Wake Up Call

You know that incredibly confusing and awkward moment when you wake up and have no idea what time it is or even what day? I had another one of those experiences today which I'll get to in a sec.

Usually these work in my favor. As a night person I don't normally get much sleep. So when it is time to get up for work in the morning I'm tired as hell and the only thing on my mind is that if I have a short day at work then I know it will only be a few hours til I can come back home and take a nap. My nap time is when I am most pleased. Those are when I have the most vivid dreams. But as incredible as those dreams can be sometimes, it always comes with a price. When you wake up, be it alarm clock, phone ringing, or just being jolted awake by the dream itself, depending on what time it is you are going to be confused as hell.

When I was back in High School I would stay up til at least 1:30 in the morning (watching Conan O'Brien) and then would be woken up by my mom yelling ti get up around 6am. Later when I would get home I would end up taking a nap. I lived in the basement of my house so after turning off all the lights and covering the one small window I had it would look like night time. After napping for a few hours I would hear my mom screaming for me to wake up. Thinking it was the morning I would jump out of bed, start putting on my clothes, packing up my backpack, and run upstairs to find my mom was cooking dinner.

Dinner!

God dammit! The clock said 6, it was dark, I thought it was 6 in the morning. I'm sure everyone has been through this at some point. You wake up suddenly from sleep and you are completely disoriented. It's crazy. But while it usually works in my favor considering I would find out it WASN'T time for school/work and that I actually had the whole night ahead of me, today was a bit different.

I got to bed a little late last night because I couldn't stop watching my Firefly DVD's. I got a call at 7 in the morning from one of my fellow employee's. I was so completely out of it when he called. I had apparently been dreaming about being in the log cabin I stayed in last week, so when this guy called, he told me he was going to be late and he didn't know what to do. In my dazed state I had no idea what to tell him because 1) I thought it was Saturday morning, which I never work and 2) I thought I was at the cabin! He asked me if I could come in to cover for him and I told him I was out of state. He was panicking and so was I for a bit because we had no idea who was going to open the store. As we slowly moved through the conversation my eyes became more clear and adjusted to the dark I realized where I was. My house!

Me: Wait, what day is today?
Employee: Friday
Me:......FUCK It's me! You work with me today! Oh man sorry I've been half asleep this conversation.

I had honest to god thought it was Saturday and I was in a cabin because that's what I was dreaming about. So it sucked big time because now I knew that not only was I working that day and that I needed to get out of bed in a few hours, but that I was going to be working all day! Curse you subconscious!! Leading me to believe I would be resting peacefully with friends in a cabin for the weekend only to be woken up from bliss to find I have to work all damn day. It's the exact opposite of what I would want to be doing!

Oh well, now it's time to really relax. I ended up having to work alone for 2 hours today which was really bad on my back. Resting tonight and then tomorrow I gotta go shopping for a gift. My friends and I are doing a Yankee Swap on Sunday which should be fun.

Later yinz...

Cabin Trip

So I'm back. I know it's been awhile. I spent last weekend up in a cabin with a few of my friends. I was a little worried about there not being a TV, computer, internet and the like but it turned out amazing.

This isn't our cabin but they all look the same

The first night there we didn't do too much considering how late it was and most of us were pretty tired. I was fine though and gung ho about doing anything. My one friend suggested going outside to make a fire at 11:00 at night, which I was all for. It took us a bit since it was cold and windy but we got that bad boy burning. After chilling by the fire for a while we all went inside. Everyone went to sleep except me. I chilled out in the living room laying on the couch resting my back and reading some Catcher in the Rye. Holy crap it was relaxing and just what I needed.

The next day I woke up early. To my surprise it was snowing! We had heard that it might happen but not until later in the day so it was really exciting. One of my friends was already up and asked me if I wanted to play a board game. We only had Rummikub which I had never played before (even though I remember the box sitting in my house my entire life). After being taught how to play I became addicted. All 5 of us ended up playing at some point off and on the entire day.

No TV and no internet make Sean something something....

Play Rummikub..?

Don't mind if I do!!

Right before I won the second game and the first beer of the day!

Strangely enough I got worse at the game the drunker I became throughout the day. Considering this game involves math, which I'm terrible at sober, this was bound to happen eventually and not at all surprising.

In the morning we ran up to the local store to buy burgers and such for the fire pit. For some ungodly reason these people not only didn't have the hamburgers they claimed that had but I also found that all their bags of hotdog buns were green and moldy. Keep up the good work guys!
We ended up just getting same bacon which we successfully cooked on the firepit! It was pretty awesome and tasted great.

Fire eventually went THROUGH our tinfoil. Didn't see that one coming...

Since it took us so long to get the fire started that morning and we knew we were going to use it later in the day to make hotdogs, my friend and I decided we would try our best to keep it going the entire day. The snow and wind made that a little tough but were able to keep it running for about 12 hours. Not too shabby. We ended the night with some smores outside by the fire and then turning in for more booze and a trivia game. All in all an awesome day. I really didn't want to leave. It was so relaxing there and not having the internet kinda made it nice. Not constantly checking Facebook or Twitter and all that stuff. In fact, I think I was the only one who didn't use my friends Blackberry to check things online. What control I have!

Time for me to "turn in" for the night. That basically means it's time for me to wind down and watch some Firefly on DVD and Conan O'Brien.

100!!

I have never really counted how many posts I have done. It only shows you after the login screen but on my main computer I always had everything already saved so it would go right to the blog. Well lucky for me this spare computer (which is sucking ass and I feel is going to crash at any moment) I haven't saved my passwords so when I signed into blogspot just now it said I had posted a total of 99 blogs.

So that makes this one, 100!

Kinda hard to believe. It says I joined blogspot in October of last year so it's taken me 13 months to make 100 posts. I don't think that's too bad for a n00b. I can't post everyday and I mentioned that towards the beginning, plus I have had several months of downtime due to computer problems. One has to wonder how far I would be had my computer not gimped out on me.

Next post I will have more to say, I just had to dedicate my 100th post to being my 100th post. But here are some things going on with me...

-I will soon be providing reviews for my friend's website. The website is called Openly Lewd Comics and it is your non stop shop for geek related stuff! I will be one of the contributors in the reviews section lending my "talents". I'll keep you updated when it happens.

-I totally fraked my back at work last week and have been a mess ever since. My job involves a lot of manual labor and my doctor said I need to take it easy but that was impossible since my boss was out of town and we were understaffed. Joy!

-I'm going to spend this coming weekend with a few friends in a cabin. I was hoping to get in some snowboarding in at a mountain nearby but I don't think my back is going to handle it. But I'm still excited cuz I think it's just going to be a nice peaceful weekend.

-I have played the fighting game BlazBlue on the PS3 and it's the kind of fighting game I have been waiting for for a long time. Awesome 2-d fighting! I'll get more into that later. Dragon Age comes first!

Well that's all for now. Happy 100th!