August 2002
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The birthday countdown begins
01 August, 2002 at 09:16 AM by Ren | Permalink
My birthday is in 31 days.
I am starting a countdown, so you guys don't forget. I'll post every few days reminding you, that indeed, my birthday is coming up.
Tentative plans exist already: 31 August Freaky and I will be hosting a "Ren's Birthday Eve" fandango at The Executive Surf Club. Blue October will be performing. And if I've had enough to drink, very possibly, I will be performing as well. Tips are encouraged and appreciated.
Presents are also encouraged. Some things I need include: a new wallet (I killed mine in the laundry, and its currently dying a slow death), a new watch, some Swiss Army cologne cuz I love that stuff, and um, one-hundred billion dollars!
I'm just kidding about the money. Though, if you have money to give me, I would greatly appreciate it. Anyway, I dont' know what I'll be doing on the 1st of September since the 31st I will be fucking filthy drunk (likely). But someone taking me to dinner would be nice. I won't even ask to supersize it. And I'll put out! It's my birthday and I should be allowed to have sex then, right?
Well, I need to go now and get some work done at work, and not be playing around on my personal site. +50 to anyone who comments about this nonsensical post. Unless I'm mad at you, in which case you only get +25. But you'll get a gold star for posting. Right. Off I go!
Yay! new pictures!
01 August, 2002 at 01:47 PM by Ren | Permalink
Yay! Pictures from the Blue October show on 7/20/02. Check them out here!
If you don't feel like going through all that trouble, just go and see this picture: In an alternate universe, this man makes love to me through his bass guitar. *swoon*
enjoy!
Starfleet Uniforms
03 August, 2002 at 07:57 PM by Ren | Permalink
I was watching the new TNN (also known as the Star Trek Network) last night and they were showing their usual Friday night 'Bonus Treks.' Now, I love Star Trek: The Next Generation and I can tolerate Voyager, and the episodes of Deep Space Nine that I've watched are oK. The technology is fantastic, the starships--top notch. But one thing that really gets my goat on those shows: the uniforms.
Now lets think about this here (we're dealing first and second season TNG first). Spandex? Who thought this was a good idea? It clearly wasn't one of the Admirals in Starfleet. Those guys had to wear special uniforms that hid their (still) clearly apparent bellies (obviously too much time behind the proverbial desk). And to a degree, I can understand why when they're on the starship they might want to wear spandex. The bridge crew (and most of the other assorted officers and crewmen) didn't seem to be doing a whole lot more than pushing buttons and generally asking for Tea, Earl Grey, Hot from the replicators (those things were everywhere on a starship) while on duty. In these cases, nice looking, form fitting, color coded uniforms would probably be a good idea. But what about when they go on an away mission? Where are they going to keep all the cool stuff they'll find? Those damn things don't have pockets! Where are the fucking pockets? Where do they keep their ID!? That annoys me. And what about all those yellow shirt guys...the poor engineers! Where do they get to keep their tools? I mean, granted, from what I've seen, it doesn't appear that a 24th century starship has ANY moving parts, but damn...you probably need to keep a sonic screwdriver handy at some point, right?
What else always made me laugh was how their tunics (after the third season) zipped up IN THE BACK! Who's the brain behind this one? Clearly Starfleet doesn't seem concerned with ergonomics or even getting dressed quickly. Can you imagine trying to put on a tunic that zipped up in the back when you've got five minutes before you have to be on the bridge for you duty shift at Science II? I sure couldn't.
The best part about these zip in the back uniforms was that the zipper magically moves to the front on several occasions. I remember one episode where Ensign Ro Laren visits some Bajoran refugee camp and unzips her tunic from the front and gives it to some little kid refugee. WTF?! Luckily, she had a shirt on underneath her form fitting spandex. And Starfleet female officers wore slightly altered uniforms. But They were ONE PIECE! Suddenly her one piece uniform splits into two and zips in the front. Unless they have miraculous smart spandex in the future I don't think this is possible. But still, couldn't it be smart enough to put some pockets up in that ho'?
So when we got to DS9, the TNG movies and Voyager they had these cool little outer space jumpsuit-overall thingies (that zipped up in the front, thank God). Those made a little more sense. I mean, for the engineering types, they could roll up their sleeves and get to the nitty-gritty of reparing something with no moving parts. But still, NO FUCKING POCKETS! That annoys me. Where's the functionality in that? If I were in Starfleet, or in the Federation for that matter, I'd want fucking pockets on my clothing. And less spandex. I don't need to advertise my genetalia to everyone.
So, I propose to these Starfleet Corps of Uniform Designers: ADD POCKETS! Put a hammer loop on those pants or some cargo pockets...Georgi and all the engineers will thank you. They'll have somewhere to put their sonic screwdrivers and their phase modulators. And then their stupid uniforms will be a little more functional.
I'd still put one of those damn things on if it meant I got to wander around with a tricorder or a PADD through the corridors of a Federation starship, though. *sigh*
More TV ramblings
04 August, 2002 at 07:49 PM by Ren | Permalink
This is what I get for having too much time to watch TV on the weekend. As I was doing my laundry, I was watching the reruns of Six Feet Under, one of my favorite shows. It was in one scene where David (the gay son) is at a club with some guy he's dating and they're having this grand old conversation (at the club, mind you) with thumping house music in the background.
Now I don't know about you, but any club I've ever been at is just not the place to have a conversation. It's too damn loud by the bar or the dancefloor. You have to get pretty far back to have a decent conversation. But of course, on TV you can still be looking at the dancefloor and have a grand old conversation on the meaning of life. All at the club. But only on TV. Where the volume is controlled.
I really need to go out and do something productive.
oh. my. god.
05 August, 2002 at 08:31 AM by Ren | Permalink
I swear, the japanese can make unbelievably cute characters out of anything.
I want a tissue-san!
Old Friends
05 August, 2002 at 08:28 PM by Ren | Permalink
I had intended to write about this earlier in the day, but events at work precluded it. I was actually doing work...believe it or not and didn't get a chance to really post about anything else (besides, the tissue-san).
Anyway, yesterday I had the opportunity to reconnect with an old friend. My bestest friend in the whole, wide world, Vernisha (heretofore referred to as the Ebony Enchantress...or just Ebony). We were best friends from the end of our junior year in high school through college. I even got to be in her wedding. It was a bitch shaving my legs to put on that dress though...
KIDDING! I'm just kidding. I was a groomsman. Turns out I'm one of her husband's good friends, too.
Her wedding was the last time I've laid eyes on her.
Back to the point. It's been a year or so since I've talked to her. This weekend I got ahold of her number and gave the Ebony Enchantress a ring-a-ding-ding. We talked for an hour. I've missed her so much. I used to confide so many secrets and desires and dreams to her. And while I didn't give her anything earth shattering yesterday (I've done that enough), we talked like we hadn't skipped a year in our lives.
It's really cool when you know you have a friend for life. I know she's going to be there with me at the old folks home. We'll be the two senile old people laughing about God only knows, and trying desperately to remember the dance sequence between Michael and Janet Jackson in "Scream."
At least I don't have to look forward to my bleak existence as a cat lady.
Ebony, I've missed you sooooooo much. I heart you to no end. I'm glad you're happy, and I'm glad we can still talk like we're goofy 16 year olds.
Sorry this one is so late...
07 August, 2002 at 09:59 PM by Ren | Permalink
So yesterday I went to see 'Signs.' Really good movie. It's 'War of the Worlds' but retold in a modern setting and with a spiritual tilt to it. No real religious connotation, but more of a just general spiritual streak in it.
Very creepy too. M. Night Sayican'tspellyourlastname is an awesome director. He's definitely got some style all his own. And the man can totally work suspense. In the hands of another director, that movie would have been plodding and slow, but he manages to keep you just interested enough to continue watching.
All in all, a very good movie. I give it a gold star. I give everything good a gold star, so it's not like I'm knocking the movie. It's a good movie. Highly recommended.
In other news, I get to call the United Kingdom tomorrow to check on a reference for our University's advertising agency. I'm so looking forward to it. A real live Brit on the phone with me! I'm gonna be so hellapissed though if I dont' get some serious limey accent action going on. I'll be all "Fookin Yank! Get me some cockney up in this ho' STAT." I'd actually prefer a refined accent, but cockney will do. I just like British accents.
I'll let you know how the phone calls go. : )
Oldskool
08 August, 2002 at 07:57 PM by Ren | Permalink
Gidget is totally going to kill me for this one, but dammit, I'm reliving my party days and playing "We Like To Party" by the Vengaboys. This was so my jam back in 1999. *sigh* I am such a drunk, whenever I remember a song, it's always got some kind of alcohol induced memory behind it seems.
It's not true actually. I have plenty of memories that don't involve me being copiously drunk; just the more recent ones are lined in an alcohol induced haze. It's lovely, actually.
Anyway, the Vengaboys. Dude, this is so Palladium and Diva...and Spring Break 99. Wow. This song takes me back to the days when The Beast and I used to go clubbing every weekend...with like $30 between us. Back in the days when I could drink 6 long island iced teas and somehow manage to get home. And of dirty times on the dance floor. Hehehe...in a way it was fun. But now I look back on it and wouldn't dare do some of it again.
Good times, good times.
Well, good drinks anyway.
hmmm
10 August, 2002 at 11:36 PM by Ren | Permalink
I went out last night. I had fun. Well, most of the night was fun. The end was kind of a fucked up little episode, but I'm not going to go there.
It's weird how you can stay away from a place for months at a time, go back and see exactly the same people doing exactly the same things they were doing the last time you were there. It's like I had never been gone. Most of the same people were at bar and the club drinking their lives away and complaining about their lives. It's odd.
It's also something I don't want to fall into.
I think I've outgrown that whole scene. I just didn't feel like it was something I wanted to be part of anymore. I mean, I dont' mind going out to party once in a while, but I don't think that going to the door and then to velvet is something I want to reintroduce as a habit in my life. I just dont' belong there anymore. Besides, I dont' want to be one of those old men at the bar who sits in his corner drinking and drinking. I want better than that, I think.
Also, people. When you're at the club, and you're dancing; I know it gets hot on the dance floor. And I know you're drunk. But please, DON'T TAKE OFF YOUR SHIRT. You do not have a stripper's body. It's just tacky. It's something my drunk ass doesn't need to see, either. I guess I shouldn't bitch though. But really...taking off your shirt? I'm scarred for life.
Long day
12 August, 2002 at 08:39 PM by Ren | Permalink
So today, Cheryl (one of my co-workers, and the asst. director of our office) called in sick. It was up to me to take up the slack, because as full-time webboy I do whatever my boss tells me to. That often involves last minute things and just generally being a go-to guy. I don't mind most times. It's pretty fun; I get to see a lot of the inner workings of the world of public relations and event planning, and the seedy underbelly of higher education.
Today, Cheryl called in sick (yes, I know I said it earlier) so it was up to me to take her place on the evaluation committee for our advertising agency. Both agencies had really good strong points and one of them had kick ass ideas about what we can do for branding, and marketing to ourselves. I think hitting on that idea is a really good way to bring our own constituients into believing that our university isn't just some second-rate school, but really something to be proud of.
It was a pretty interesting look into the whole selection process, and to see how exactly advertising agencies work and all that. I'm really excited to see who wins out on the contract, but I have my own favorite already.
That took up most of my day.
Tomorrow I get to go in late because I have to go deliver this publication to our printer. We'll call it "the tabloid from hell" because that's basically where it came from. I scanned (among my other duties, I do scanning, cuz i'm so hellaciously good at it) so, so many of those pictures for that damn thing. I'll be glad to see it go. The cool part of this whole project is that I get to drop it off at 'my former employer' so I have an opportunity to see a lot of people I used to work with. It's been over a year, so it should be good to see some of them after so long.
I apologize for posting this so late, but I was in meetings all day. I had all my calls held, and someone had to go pick up my dry cleaning. Which is a crock of shit; no one ever calls me, and I rarely have any dry cleaning. : D
No point, really
13 August, 2002 at 06:06 PM by Ren | Permalink
I know I usually try to get this done in the morning, but today just wasn't conducive. I didn't get in 'til nearly 10:30 because I was in Corpus dropping off a bunch of stuff for a publication. You know, the Tabloid From Hell. I got that done, and then jumped right into a bunch of crazy stuff all day. I scanned slides, I have about 20 pictures to scan for a photo gallery, and I've got about 4 websites to create sometime before September 1.
Really intense pressure here.
I'm not going to get much done tomorrow either, because I totally remembered today that I signed up for some retarded training session and that will tie up most of my day. Frick. I'm just too busy for my own good. I mean, I could do work here from home, but I just don't feel that motivated. I'm not that dedicated to completing everything on time. I do know, though, that somehow I'll get everything done by the time it needs to be done. I hope.
Right now, I got home about 10 minutes ago; I put my bedsheets in the laundry cuz they need a cleaning. They're still relatively new and therefore, still a little stiff. I need that soft shit goin on in my bed. It should happen soon. If it takes me an entire box of Snuggle to do it, it'll happen. I know this is all Earth shattering and exciting, but this is my life. It's not all glamour and web design. There's a lot of boring, tedious shit to it too.
I'm hoping that I don't freak out tonight like I had been doing at random times all day. I had too much caffiene; I have been cutting back on the coke/dr. pepper bit and had like 3 of them today. At the mere mention of odd things like a person's name, I would go into a near panic-attack frenzy. Heart racing, palms sweaty, the whole bit. It was pretty weird. I think I'm coming off that caffiene rush though. I'm feeling pretty worn out. Hopefully this will translate into me going to bed early again.
Hopefully.
Well, as the headline said, there's no point to this post, really. It's just the dull things that make up a typical day in my life. Toodles!
More later
14 August, 2002 at 10:26 PM by Ren | Permalink
I have a lot to say, but it's late so i'll save it for later.
Three things though:
Happy birthday to Friend! I heart you!
+5 to the Oracle for having a guy kiss her. : )
I forgot what the third thing was. TTYL!
I'm back, baby!
21 August, 2002 at 02:33 PM by Ren | Permalink
Sorry about the last few days. I forgot to re-register my domain (oops.) so I had to re-register, and then point the DNS to the right place. : ) I solved it on my own tho. I rock like slayer.
More later! I promise!!!
I hate you Rey from Best Buy!
21 August, 2002 at 09:10 PM by Ren | Permalink
So, today, I was all looking forward to the end of the day. I spent the better part of the day researching all this stuff so I could get a digicam and a CD-RW (external) for my computer at work. We have some end of the year money that I get to spend. And dammit, I was gonna spend it!
So I call Best Buy, and get them to verify that they take purchase orders. They do. I call in the stuff I need, and they have it. They were going to hold it for me. Cool beans.
I get to Best Buy and I pick up the CD-RW no problem. I go to get the digicam; problems arise. Apparently no one saved the digicam I wanted, and they're all sold out now. No problem, I think. I can come back on Friday, when they restock.
I go to customer service to check out with my damn CD-RW. I scratch out the stuff on my PO that I'm not taking. As soon as I finish that, my customer service guy, Rey, says "I need to see your tax exempt certificate" thinking he could one up me or something. So, BAM! I flip the PO over a few pages and reveal that I indeed have a Tax Exempt Certificate...which clearly says at the top "Tax Exempt Certificate." He says "no, i need a certificate" very rudely. So of course, Ren being the bitch he can sometimes be (when people push his buttons like that) says "are you reading the same paper I'm showing you, because it clearly says 'Tax Exempt Certificate' at the top."
So then he backs up with "We don't accept that."
I retort, "You have before."
Evil Rey: We don't anymore.
Ren: You guys said you accept purchase orders
Evil Rey: Well, if your'e one of our clients, we would have sent you a card that verifies your tax exempt status. We can't accept that certificate or that purchase order.
Ren: Whatever, It's my hot purchase order, I'll do what I want.
Well, I didn't really say that last line, but it was pretty close. It was more like "whatever I'm done here then." and I left. I didn't ask for a manager, but I realize that I should have, but I got so flustered with Evil Rey from Best Buy that I just had to leave before I caused a scene. There were no film crews nearby, so I realized I would waste a perfectly good Oscar(tm) caliber performance at Evil Rey from Best Buy's expense. I had to go. I went home. Very mad that I had neither a CD-RW or a new digital camera. *sniff*
Untitled
22 August, 2002 at 08:31 PM by Ren | Permalink
Right about now (no, not the funk soul brother) I've got a lot going through my head. I've got something like 6 websites that I have to crank out sometime between tomorrow and next Friday or else . . . well I'm not sure what will happen, but I'm not all sure its good.
Also, even though my so called life has dissapeared into nothingness, and I spend most nights in my apartment alone and talking to people online and on the phone, it would appear that there is stress in the group of friends I once considered the 'core group.' In a way, I'm glad I'm not involved, and yet I sort of am, having been the first to voluntarily leave the group for personal reasons and whatnot. But it appears as though there are serious frays in the whole group. Good thing Krysdol is so up front about it all. She'll keep it all together. But it requires effort on the part of others to make it happen. Don't let Krysdol down.
As for me. I'm just tired from work. I'm totally exhausted by the time I get home. I have no energy left to do just about anything. This weekend won't be much better. I'm going to my mom's house to see my brother (the 7 year old, not the crack addict) since his birthday was Tuesday. I gotta give him his birthday present. I'll be totally worn out by the time I get back. I need a vacation.
Actually, I need a lot of things. However, when you go looking, you seldom find. So I'll just chill out and let life happen. I've fully decided that if things go my way, cool beans; if they don't, oh well. Sometimes that's just life. People will treat you shitty sometimes, and other times they'll be the most wonderful people on the Earth. It all just depends on what mood they're in or something. I don't know. I'm tired...I know that for sure, and I'm not making much sense otherwise. I think I'm going to go to bed early, and contemplate another long day at work. *sigh*
Did I make a point? I don't think so. Like I said, I've got a lot running through my head right now. Also, everyone I know should stop lying to eachother right now and start telling the fucking truth. It's just easier that way.
Wow
23 August, 2002 at 10:57 AM by Ren | Permalink
It's only 11:00 a.m. and I have already cranked out the electronic newsletter that I send out every Friday AND done a mockup for our September 11 website. I returned all my phone calls (oK, so they were from yesterday, but I returned them dammit!) and I'm about to take an early lunch and mail off my car payment (early!) AND get the oil changed in Ronessa (my car). How about them apples? Talk about productive.
I should be shit tired when I get home tonight.
This afternoon, I'm going to finish the Javelina Highlights website, and the Family Day website. If I have time, I'll try and clean up Homecoming 2002 website too. I'm being ambitious. I should drink coffee in the morning more often : )
And the toil continues...
23 August, 2002 at 02:43 PM by Ren | Permalink
So far today: Family Weekend 2002 is complete. So is Javelina Highlights (I know it looks like shit, but I didn't design it. Blame Malice (that would be our graphic designer). I Just finished the September 11, 2002 website too. That's three in one day. I realize they're one or two pagers for the most part...but it is concept to finish in pretty much one day. I rock like Slayer.
Damn, I'm on a roll.
Just as a side note...that corny flash movie on the 9/11 site wasn't my idea. That's too cheeseball for me. I just thought I'd say that. I mean, really, would I use Enya music ANYWHERE in a flash movie?
Final Tally
23 August, 2002 at 04:17 PM by Ren | Permalink
It's just past 4:15 in the afternoon here in superhot Kingsville, TX.
My final score: 4 websites.
I finished a Homecoming website too. Damn. My wrist hurts from all that typing and stuff. And I'm ready to go home and sleep for days.
And days and days and days.
I was super productive today. No interruptions. No stupid shit to interfere. Now, I'm going home. I'm freaking tired.
Fun Weekend
25 August, 2002 at 09:48 PM by Ren | Permalink
This weekend that is fast coming to a close has got to have been one of the best weekends I've had in a long, long time.
Friday night: I call up La Aaron to see if we were going to the Door for a drink or 4. We were. I had a blast hanging out with him and Huey drinking and chilling out and just laughing my ass off. I have fun with La Aaron, but damn, Friday night we had people staring at us we were laughing to hard. And all because of some stupid ass joke about a road that makes a "Y."
Saturday, I drive my punk ass to San Antonio to visit my mom and brothers. First off, I must say, my brother Daniel (the former crack addict. It wasn't really crack, but some other drugs, its just more fun to say 'crack addict.') looks rather thuggish right now. He's got this terrible mustache/goattee thing going; it looks all wispy and mexican. It doesn't help that he shaved all his hair off. Just ghe-TOE thug. He's pretty calm though, and appears balanced. He needs a job though. Bad.
Mom looks as fabulous as always. Eric is still a blast, but that little bugger is spoiled. We played the game I got him for his birthday, Experiment 626. Freaking hard. It's fun though. And his party was fun, at Chuck E. Cheese. I was pissed that there was no Dance Dance Revolution, but that was made up for in the fact that I played Skee-Ball all afternoon. Personal best: 290,000 points. And something like 50 tickets.
I guess that's it for tonight. I've got some other things mulling in my head that I'm going to organize and post on here. But not tonight. It's a good night, and I need to get some rest before tomorrow : )
Need to lay off the Chuck E. Cheese Pizza
26 August, 2002 at 02:36 AM by Ren | Permalink
Not that you can really call the shit they serve there pizza, but still. I just had the most unusual dream. I was fighting over what way a thunderstorm was going to develop with Rollermog. We couldn't agree on whether the worst was approching from the east or west based on the satellite imagery. Which is strange because most storms in South Texas happen north or south from us. Then suddenly, we started watching this really weird cross between MacGyver (it was starring Richard Dean Anderson, yo. And yes, the TV show in my dream had credits.) and Miami Vice.
What's it all mean? Hell if I know. But what it does mean in the immediate: no more Chuck E. Cheese pizza for me.
Oh mah goodness
26 August, 2002 at 11:40 AM by Ren | Permalink
What a busy day today. It's the first day of classes on campus, so I dont' have much time to talk. We're also decorating our office because its spirit day. We want the fucking spirit stick goddammit!
Also, it's lunchtime. I'll put my big long drawn out post up later. When I have time. Or when I feel like it. Whatever.
Remember how...
26 August, 2002 at 01:39 PM by Ren | Permalink
Remember how I said that playing skee-ball all yesterday afternoon was fun? It sure was. But now, because i'm not 19 anymore, my back hurts from being crouched over for two hours. Oww.
Go me.
When exactly did my body start to fail me like this? Curse you flesh!
Anyway, our decorations are done. I'm just finishing up my lunch and preparing to go pass out as soon as we win first place cuz our "hog heaven" theme is kicking some serious ass.
I'm about to do a new picture of our hip new logo. Whee! I'll be back later.
Tired like your ugly mug
27 August, 2002 at 10:49 AM by Ren | Permalink
I'm very tired today. I just have no energy left. I'm also sort of hungry, but mostly just have an upset stomach (but not a bad one). I'm just an old man or something.
I finished doing some updates to the ever evolving band website. It's pretty. I like it.
I'm playing with the university's brand new javelina dealie. He's cool. I love him. : )
I'm out of things to say at this point. I'm going to go. I'll try and post something before I go to San Antonio this evening.
H20
29 August, 2002 at 09:59 AM by Ren | Permalink
dammit.
I was all set to go to work this morning when I discovered this: THERE IS NO WATER IN MY APARTMENT. Still. They said it would be back this morning. No dice. No Water.
I'm not about to go to work if I can't take a shower. That's just gross.
I'll write about my trip to San Antonio when I take a shower. Fricken hell.
VMAs
29 August, 2002 at 07:31 PM by Ren | Permalink
So I got water about 4:30 pm. I took a shower and went to the caller-times to go pick up overruns of the tabloid we printed. Except they had already shut down the loading dock. So now I have to wait til tomorrow to do it. suck.
It's oK though, I picked up Krysdol and took her to dinner at Landry's. I love that place. I had tilapia in ponchartrain sauce. It was hellagood.
Now I'm at home watching the VMAs. Yeah. Shut up. Britney looked like a whore and Michael Jackson looked like an alien. It was scary. I'll post about my trip later. I left all the notes for it in my car. TTYL
Birthday Weekend Extravaganza! Part I
31 August, 2002 at 02:06 PM by Ren | Permalink
So, last night me and La Aaron went to the door for some drinks and stuff. I wasn't planning on going to the club, but after a few drinks at the door, anything is possible. We got to the club and had una good time!
I have no idea what all i drank, except that I was loaded. SO terribly fucked up. It was GRAND I tell you, just GRAND. I got tons of birthday shots, and danced and stuff and was just basically horribly, messy drunk. Good times. Good times.
And of course, after I left the club I went to Whataburger to have a BOB. You can't finish a night of drinking without one. It's like, the law.
Tonight, Blue October. Hopefully Part II will be as memorable as Part I.