Today is worlds AIDS awareness day think and link and I'm not really sure if anyone is really listening. The world has had so many problems it seems that most are forgotten about in the winds of time. I have no personal stories to tell but I know that each day thousands of people are lost to this condition. The resources available to mankind are formidable but the wisdom to use them are scarce. So many bright lights are lost to our sight, may peace be with them.

On a suggestion from a friend I spent tonight watching Junkyard Wars on the Learning Channel. Tonight happened to be the two hour Mega World Championship pitting three national teams in semi-serious mechanical competition. Team Raptor from the US was comprised of a group of Lockheed/Martin combat aircraft engineers from their sorta secret Skunk works. Team Bulldog was made up some British army engineers and team Bear seemed to be manned by some mechanically inclined Russians plus a rouge German. Each team had free reign to pick from a huge junkyard and 16 hours to create a vehicle that would win a straight up sand flats race, a rocky rough terrain race, and mile long water race. The Americans were able to pull off a solid victory with little drama( they had to paddle through much of the water race). The show was fairly amusing and I'd probably watch it again.

I really think the big headed blue alien Walkman commercials are brilliant and very funny.

It took two days but I think I've recovered from the Saturday night house warming party. Well attended by punk and metal boyz and grrlls and the rest of us less exciting folk. Furious billiards and pinball in the metal basement as much license was taken in the games of 8-ball. Hip hop first floor meant serious booze and food while dodging the darts masters. I continue my eating rampage that started last Thursday, there is no turning back. The allure of the T-angle bar battleship hoagie at 1:30 a.m. is undeniable. All through the night I watched the pocket Etch A Sketch make its rounds on both floors as the official toy of the evening. At about 2:30 I'm cornered by the man of the house for a few shots of JD, he's really gone. I don't drink but I go through with it for male bonding sake and at least it good whiskey. The carpool leaves at around 4:00 as we drag Dom from his Nintendo baseball game.

Tough going getting up after last nights thang...sleep friendly cool rainy weather doesn't help either..zombie lurch to the HOT sprinkly water chamber...feeling good. Grande Kenyan and cran muf to go as I rapidly advance to work. I think this will be a good day.

Surprise visit at work today by long ago acquaintance. Almost didn't recognize him because he looked like hell. Uncharacteristically long unkempt hair, loss of about 40 or so pounds, wild look in the eyes. Curiosity and concern made me ask if he wanted to step out for a quick coffee to yak to which he agreed. Moving from DC to the west coast two years ago for work apparently sucked the life out of him. As I sipped at my Grande Columbian blend I felt a few gears had broken off and some melded as he rambled on. It was not good to see someone who had it altogether seem so weird in a depressing way. Hopefully he'll be able to turn it around.
Playfully mocked by fellow co-workers for having real "stone fingers" on the keyboard. I never really noticed this before, because it never crossed my mind that I had weighty digital action. I guess I'm just not the delicate type..ho..ho.

Thanksgiving went off without a hitch at the folks house yesterday. Each year some element of the meal is suspect by mom who cooked it. This time the gravy was too runny and the stuffing not seasoned right. I thought the gravy and stuffing were fine and I told her so, that's usually how it goes. Asked Dad for a roll and he playfully tosses it across the table in violation of all table manners. We laugh because after all no one is around but us. After dinner I'm drafted into a game of NASCAR Monopoly by the racing fans of the family, four hours later I gain a taxing victory over my youngest nephew who bet heavily on the NASCAR equivalant of Boardwalk and Parkplace, the little guy had me sweating bullets each time I went around the board till he started to land more on my tracks(properties). Sometimes staying safely in Monopoly jail while collecting rentals is a good thing. Later, near perfect pumpkin pie with coffee makes it all worthwhile. Same nephew who went the distance in monopoly wants to play some two player UNO, which we do for a bit before he leaves. Traditional late night turkey snacking with Mom while Dad again defies leftover convention with a hard salami sandwich and a beer.

Coffee, muffin and the Times at the usual stop sitting at one corner. Behind me local tech suit and ties discuss the future of the city with big money numbers and words. Big money being offered for Bin Laden and the Afghan movie places are jamed. Unafiliated suit D shows up and is asked by suit A is he wants to meet the other players which I guess are suits B and C. They are pieces on a board that I don't care about. Off to work.

A much cooler temperature accompanied by a thick fog is tonights look here. I havn't seen a haze like this for awhile.. a little creepy. Speaking of creepy I saw David Lynch's new movie Mulholland Drive last night, I found myself laughing at alot at things that were just plain wrong. Preview of Brotherhood of Wolves looked awesome. The idea of werewolf intrigue in what looks like pre-revolutionary France could be a great movie. I believe it is a French production refitted for the American market. Sipping on Celestial Seasonings "Sleepytime" Herb Tea as I play on the net.

On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh mouth. Terms for the suspension of fighting between the Allies and Germany were signed at Marshal's Foch's headquarters, a railway carriage in the Forest of Compiegne,on November 11th, 1918. This Armistice concluded the "War the end all Wars".

On the way to get the second large coffee of the day my attention is drawn to a couple locked in a playful hong kong action duel. While so occupied I'm practically overrun by a quartet of well dressed, clean cut Mormon missionaries.

I must really like the Vandals because in the attempt to delete my "skrew" spelling invention I posted twice..fucking brilliant..and I can't seem to fix it..fuck it.
Took a trip to Kings with da boyz, something we have not done for awhile. The stares as we walk in are usually priceless. Good to see the war council of vets in the same place we left them a few months ago. Fun older waitress that keeps the coffee coming and convinces all of us to try the "Johan Moose Dropping" ice cream sundae. Disappointing people watching session tonight, Kings is usually crawling with archetypes. Downed our Moose Dropping and went home.

Last nights Chainmail game really fucked me up as I woke up with a resounding headache. The game was pretty good using lots of well painted minis and several sets of Master Maze, but after 7 hours of dungeon crawl action all the wandering monsters murderized us..we suck..Theseus had only one Minotaur to deal with.. I think we had the entire Minotaur local 978 and giant rats-r-us demanding attention. Grown men pushing little metal figures around a miniature labyrinth with tape meaures, heated rules debates, empassioned dice hurling and gamer locker room talk till 3:30 in the morning, not to mention I think we had the cd from the first Conan movie on continual loop. Can we geekout or what!
After some coffee and aspirin I trundled off to gym to hopfully do the body some good. I kicked off with some chest work for the first time in awhile since I pulled something two weeks ago, it went ok but my head was thumping so badly I couldn't really tell. Because of the nice weather their was alot of sleeveless ts and wife beaters being worn, I however went for a blue muti-layered, all covering, gulag sweats which is my standard. After tris and shoulders I did squats and leg presses and then my headache broke, just like I knew it would if I went to the gym. That is one of many reasons why the gym is a good thing. Large coffee from starbucks en route home completes the healing process.

According to this I'm either an elephant a bison or a mouse... I'm more confused than ever.....and speaking of animals, I'd give almost anything to see an old episode of Mutual of Omaha's "Wild Kingdom" with Marlin Perkins getting Jim in mucho animal danger in each show.

"Ph-nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn,"
"In his house at R'lyeh dead Cthulhu waits dreaming"
That is not dead which can eternal lie,
And with strange eons even death may die.
H.P. Lovecraft- The Call of Cthulhu

God in his pity made man beautiful and alluring, after his own image; but my form is a filthy type of yours, more horrid from its very resemblance.
Mary Shelly-Frankenstein

Ho Ho Ho, this was sorta fun an I sorta leaned to cut-n-paste. Good thing I'm sorta more punk than geek or goth...ha..ha..ha..boy I suck at all three of these classifications... I need another test.

I AM 29% GOTH.

Goth ny night, normal by day. Deep in my
heart I know I am evil, but not on the
company's time. I do need to eat.

Take the GOTH Test at Fuali.com!

I AM 24% GEEK.

I wanna be a geek. But I'm not. Why would
I even want to be one. Do I think it's fun?
I should try writting an online test application at 1
am in my underwear.

Take the GEEK Test at Fuali.com!