September 2002
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Birthday Weekend Extravaganza! Part II
01 September, 2002 at 01:16 AM by Ren | Permalink
Just got back home from the Blue October show. Holy crap, it fucking rocked! They played every song I wanted to hear and we were right up in front so I could admire my bass player. *dreamysigh*
The show was kickass except for the end. Justin, the lead singer decided to play the three most depressing songs he knew. It really dampened the whole mood. It was still a great show.
I've been told not to make any plans for tomorrow, well, now today as the Oracle and Krysdol have something planned for me. I'm curious to see what it is.
Unrelated: I miss you a lot. You know who you are.
Ugh, oK, so it was a little related. Damn Blue October for playing all this depressing music. I'm tired. I'm going to bed now. Happy Birthday to me.
Birthday Weekend Extravaganza! Part III
01 September, 2002 at 10:16 PM by Ren | Permalink
Tonight I went to dinner at the Crazy Cajun with Krysdol and the Oracle. It was fun.
I'd be lying if I said tonight was all peaches and cream though. I did get pretty bummed at the end of the night. When I got home and there were no messages or missed calls. It kind of sucked. I had prepared myself to see someone whom I haven't seen in like, a month or so, and it was kind of a letdown when he didn't show. I guess its all rather hypocritical of me though. I mean, I'm the one who said no more, but still. Oh well.
When my aunt and my grandma called, it got a little better. But now hwere it is, about 10:15 and I'm at my house, alone, on my birthday. When did I get so pathetic? Ick. Being lonely sucks.
I'll recap the whole weekend later. Maybe tomorrow. I don't know.
The reports of my death are greatly exaggerrated
03 September, 2002 at 08:55 PM by Ren | Permalink
So, today.
It was a dandy day at work. I got lots done. Got tons of stuff done. Gravy.
I'm going home around 5:30 or so. I had a wreck. Don't worry. I'm fine. Nothing is wrong with me. I'm alive. I do feel I should say that I'm a bit peeved that none of my friends were home to give me a ride from the middle of nowhere to home in Corpus. I had to get a ride with a very very nice man who only spoke spanish. I'm alive though. And safe at home.
This does put some crimps in plans I was making for later this month. Oh well, I will survive. I'm just shaken up at this point. But I am still in my factory shipped skin. One piece too. Pretty good, if you ask me. I may post more about this later. I'm just too wigged right now to say any more.
So yeah, the last few
05 September, 2002 at 09:59 PM by Ren | Permalink
So yeah, the last few days have been crazy. I know I've been lax about posting, but cut me some slack. I nearly died 4 days ago. Still, I managed to come out unscathed, but I'm a little shaken by the whole experience. Not to mention I now have to figure out how to get to work for the next two weeks or so.
So, the body shop tells me Ronessa (that's my car in case you didn't know) needs about two weeks worth of work. I don't know the final damages, but for two weeks of work, I'm pretty sure it'll be over my $500 deductible. Bam. There's that. Then I also have to get a car to rent for that time. I'm thinking this is going to be one hard, hard month. It's a little stressful, but I keep telling myself this: at least you'll lose weight from all the food you won't be able to eat.
Seriously though, I'm not all that worried. I know I'll figure something out. I'm working from home tomorrow, and returning to work sometime Monday. Hopefully I'll have a car rented by that time and I can stop wallowing alone in my house. It's really annoying to not have a car and be able to drive wherever you want whenever you want, but it's something I'm learning to deal with.
Besides, a walk never hurt anyone.
Hi
06 September, 2002 at 03:51 PM by Ren | Permalink
Hi, my name is Ren.
recently I was involved in a car accident. It will destroy me financially. Well not really, but close. I don't think I'll go out at all this month. I'm starting to wonder how I'm going to afford food this month.
Without my car, I've been pretty lonely in my house. See, I haven't gone to work (no car to get me to kingsville) and no rides to speak of. Anyway, this is really starting to infringe on my social butterfly tendencies. I haven't seen other live people whom I consider my friends in days. I even missed a little soiree for a friend's birthday yesterday because of said lack of car.
It really sort of sucks. So yeah, my name is Ren, and I'm having a little pity party of one right now. Excuse me. : ) I'll be better soon.
Some thoughts
08 September, 2002 at 01:30 AM by Ren | Permalink
Anyway, seeing as how I'm paying to get Ronessa fixed and to get a rental, I was broke. Krysdol paid for the movie and then took me out to dinner. Alright, it was Denny's, but damn, I make way more than her and she took me out to eat. It was sweet. I heart that girl more than she'll ever know. +35,000 to her.
After that we didn't feel like going home, since it was just like, 10 or so. So I took Krysdol to the talking park. We talked for like two hours about all kinds of stuff, and shared deep dark secrets. It was cool. I haven't gotten to talk to her like that in a long time. It was good to get it all out.
See here's one of the things about me: I don't usually let people know what's going on in my head. To most, I appear pretty uncomplicated. I'm really not. I'm way more complex than I let on. I also rarely tell people what's on my mind. It's a good thing and a bad thing. Good because most people don't need to know the horrors that are my thoughts. Bad because well, I don't tell people the horrors that are my thoughts. I told her all kinds of things tonight. She didn't judge any of them. That was cool. I appreciate that. Though sometimes it would be good to have some feedback. But the fact that I let her know so much about what's been on my mind lately was good.
Anyway, my point is that I need to let people in more. I got used to not having to say anything. I have this tendency to get moody from time to time. Right now is one of those times. Most of the people who I used to hang out with knew how to deal with me in this kind of situation. They're not around as much anymore. My new close group of friends don't really understand the whole moody ren thing. Most of them are just realizing that there's a lot more to me than the bubbly, cheery exterior I often portray to the outside world. They got some schoolin' to do still. So I have to make a point of letting them know how to deal with me : ) I'm trying y'all. Eventually they'll figure out how to best deal with me when I get into one of my moods. But for now, I have to edumacate 'em. I promise I'll be better about this in the future.
So yeah, I'm still stressing about money and my car (I miss you so much Ronessa!), but my life isn't all ashambles. It's just a little askew. It'll get better.
11 September
11 September, 2002 at 01:13 AM by Ren | Permalink
It's barely the 11th of September and I can't sleep. Not that I'm really troubled about all the crazy things that could occur today, but for my own, more selfish and personal reasons.
Anyway, this is just a quick post to let everyone know I'm alive, and to hope that the rest of today finds you all well and safe and out of harm's way. (Was that apostrophe correct?) I may post more later today depending on how my day goes. I've got lots of plans so Al-Qaeda better not fuck it up.
Yes, I'm looking at you Osama (or his ghost, it doesn't really matter). Don't steal my sunshine.
I almost had to pull over
11 September, 2002 at 08:56 AM by Ren | Permalink
This morning on the way to work, I nearly had to pull over.
It was strange. I was listening to the radio like I normally do on the way to work and the stations all did a moment of silence remembering the time when the first tower was hit by a plane. Nothing special there, right? Well the station I was listening to at that particular moment decided to play Amazing Grace immediately after.
It was particularly moving to me for some reason. Perhaps it was because it was on the bagpipes (I dunno man, Scotty playing the bagpipes at Spock's funeral still brings a tear to my eye), maybe its because I was in a car alone driving to work and thinking what a tragedy occurred last 11 September. It could have been a lot of things. The only thing I clearly remember going through my head at that time was "Don't cry now you idiot; you're barrelling down the road and tears are gonna make it hard to see where you're going!"
So then, after I composed myself and continued making my way to work, I thought about where I was last 11 September. I remember very clearly how that day went. I was proud of myself because I made it into my office about 10 minutes before 8. Which, if you know me, is an accomplishment in itself. I was actually there before most of the office staff. It was Julie who came into the office and said "Check the web, I think something just hit the World Trade Center" because she had heard sketchy reports of the attack coming over the radio right before she got there.
See, I didn't hear anything on my way to work because at the time I was still driving Janet. Janet (though I loved this car dearly) didn't have air conditioning or a radio, so most days I'd drive in bitter silence over the fact that I was sweating like a pig.
Anyway, I got online and tried to check MSNBC.com. No dice. I knew that moment that something was up. Granted, our network's bandwidth is choked because of the incredible amount of users trying to use the same connections to the internet, but still. Big sites like MSNBC don't just sputter out like that. I checked CNN.com. Again, nothing. I checked every news website I could find and then went back to MSNBC and I saw it. That first horrific picture of the WTC on fire. Smoke everywhere. Debris falling out of the gaping holes in the sides of the buildings.
I couldn't believe what was happening. It was insane. We tried to turn on the TV in our office, but at the time the cable was disconnected. It took the better part of the morning to get it back. Luckily, even though our bandwidth was limited because apparently everyone on campus was trying to figure out what was going on, I was connected via my instant messenger programs. I IMmed the first person I saw online, Annabuggs. I asked her if she knew what was going on. She didn't. She checked. She was horrified. She was able to find out things that I wasn't able to. We managed to get enough reception on our TV to see grainy pictures of the devastation going on in downtown New York and then the Pentagon. Annabuggs heard about the plane flying over Pennsylvania and how there were fighter jets scrambled to shoot it down.
I wondered to myself what the world had come to that we were going to shoot down a plane with civilians in it.
Finally, after what seemed like forever, we got our cable fixed and we saw one of the most gripping things I've ever seen on television: we saw the towers fall. Up to this point we were relying on my friends via IM and whatever I could gather (although spotty and slow) over the internet. I remember how quiet it was in our office that day. That's something to note. Most people on campus know that the Office of Public Affairs is a pretty gregarious, noisy bunch. So for us to shut up and be speechless by the 11 September attacks says a lot, at least I think.
It was strange to see what was happening on TV. It all played out like a bad Jerry Bruckheimer movie, only this was real. It was actually happening. The day progressed, more things were revealed. We found out where the President was. We learned that the final hijacked plane crashed in Pennsylvania.
On the way home I noticed how odd the sky looked because there were absolutely no airplanes in the sky. Everyone was grounded. I got to a convenience store and got some gas, walked inside and saw the special extra edition of the Caller-Times newspaper. I bought a copy and remembered thinking to myself that it was almost comical that the paper's masthead was supplanted by a gigantic red EXTRA on top. I never thought I'd actually see a newspaper that said EXTRA like that because that's something you only see in WWII movies.
The whole day plays in my mind as this surreal experience. It's strange how clearly I can remember it all. It doesn't help that I spent the rest of the night staring into my TV trying to fathom who would do such a despicable act and why. It's also strange to see how our world has changed in so many little ways, and how we seem to be moving on, business-as-usual. Or how callous we are whenever the Federal Government warns us about 'unspecified terroristic threats.' It's a scary time, but we seem to go about our day not even really noticing. Scary times indeed.
Monday morning
16 September, 2002 at 09:29 AM by Ren | Permalink
It's going to be one of those crazy days at work I think. I dont' even want to think about it. Oh well.
I'm really posting to say that I'm sorry I haven't been so good about posting lately; I've been inordinately busy as of late and coming up with semi-cohesive stories for my website hasn't been at the top of my list. Anyway, things are well with me, if just a bit busy and I think they will settle down sometime next year. *sigh*
I have another post that I started working on Saturday night/Sunday morning that I haven't completed yet. It's not turning out the way I anticipated it would, but as soon as I get it into something recognizable, I'll put it on the site.
In other news: I'm wearing my shirt tucked *in* today. It's an occasion. I also fit into a pair of pants I haven't been able to fit into for like a year. Anorexia by virtue of necessity is starting to pay off.
I should have my car by next week. I miss Ronessa and want her back. Mostly because I don't know how I lived so long without a CD player in my car. I need it back. NEED NEED NEED.
Finally, Happy Birthday to Krysdol, even though her birthday was Saturday (I mentioned it in that post I haven't posted yet) I thought I should say it now because well, I'm good like that. I think that covers it for this morning.
Oh, wait. One more thing. Would someone shut off the rain? I like the grey weather (which is weird, cuz I usually hate that) but really, it's starting to flood everywhere, and it looks like I drive through a rice patty on the way to work. So, keep the grey, lose the rain. Can someone do that for me?
Good News!
16 September, 2002 at 03:11 PM by Ren | Permalink
Apparently my car is going to get painted tomorrow. I should have Ronessa back by Friday just like they promised : )
yayayayayayayayayayayayay!
Web updates
16 September, 2002 at 10:11 PM by Ren | Permalink
Alright, quick note.
I updated the front page. This page has no tables doing any layout/formatting.
All the styles on the page (text, layout) are controlled by one style sheet. Isn't it awesome? It actually shaved off like 10K from the page size too.
Unfortunately, because of the way I laid out the page (I made a lot of design compromises to the page, including a left hand blue bar that appears about a pixel wide in 800x600 monitors) means it won't render well in anything under a screen size of 800x600. Of course, through the miracle of style sheets, I can rectify that. I can even render a version of the page safe for PDAs. Oh, this rocks.
One last thing: I'm trying to get the frontpage feature back on, but it looks like it may have to fit in the right hand nav bar. I'll also be re-adding the other things that show up in the nav bar soon. Just give me a few days to get it all running. : )
Dreamweaver MX and CSS. It's a winning combination. or something.
A few things
17 September, 2002 at 01:06 PM by Ren | Permalink
Right. So I just got back from lunch. I'm a little frustrated at work. I'll say more about it later. It doesn't have to do with my workload so much as i'm just bummed at the way certain things are going around here.
Anyway, that's not the point of this post. As I said last night, I updated the frontpage with a new stylesheet and a layout that requires the use of NOT A SINGLE TABLE. I'm very impressed with myself. *patonback* I'll be updating the rest of the site as my time permits.
I readded the stuff on the right hand side. I named those two sections "My favorite obsession" and "Multimedia corner" for lack of better names. If you have a suggestion, you know where to send it : ) Anyway, as I find new favorite obsessions, I'll post them there and likewise when I find a cool multimedia clip, i'll put it on my multimedia corner. I'll even archive for you people. yay.
Right, off I go.
Wow
18 September, 2002 at 06:15 PM by Ren | Permalink
Would you look at me?
I just learned how to float objects inside other CSS positioned elements. That's pretty freaking cool. I readded the frontpage feature; something that hasn't been around since early May 2002. So, enjoy.
Also, this page does not render properly in any version of Netscape (although N6-7 does a better job than N 4.x). I'm working on it. I'll have it figured out soon enough. Fuck you Netscape. I'm sorry you suck so hard. Well, at least that's the way I'm looking at it. I'm hoping IE 6 is the one that has it right : D. I'll check up on it later. Not now though. I need to go home.
Also, Blue October really fucking rocks. ROCK ROCK ROCK.
Big day tomorrow
19 September, 2002 at 09:11 PM by Ren | Permalink
As I'm listening to a new favorite Blue October song (Inner Glow, if you're curious), I'm here posting about my upcoming day. It's a big deal, yo.
I get my car back! I have to pay a $500 deductible, but fuck it man! Janet Ronessa Black is back in my posession! WOOHAH! (woohah!) I get to leave work early and everything, just so I'll get my ride back. I'm so excited. I hope she's oK! If she's not, well, we'll just have to take her to get fixed again. And not fixed in the way that she can't have little cute car babies, but fixed in the "I need a new alternator" sense.
I mean really, you can't get a car spayed. They can't reproduce. duh.
I think I'll have a few new pictures to post tomorrow too. Family pictures and stuff. Excitng, right?
Gonna wake up strong, yeah we're all gonna wake up strong! (listen to the song I mentioned earlier)
One more thing!
19 September, 2002 at 09:20 PM by Ren | Permalink
I can't believe I forgot this: I learned what my last name means today.
Now if you know me, you know my last name is next to unpronouncable. It's Echavarri (pronounced just how it looks, see it's unpronouncable if you're of anglo-american origin, ok ok, a decent 'americanized' pronounciation would be eh-cha-varree), which is Basque. So, I'm of spanish origin, just from the Basque region of Spain.
Anyway, I was reading about the Basque language, and how odd it is that it's not related to any other languages around it and stuff. It started getting into some of the syntax and semantics of the language and even presented a few words of the language.
It said the word 'etxe' (pronounced eh-ch-eh) meant house or home. and the word 'berri' (pronounced like the word berry) meant new. SO, if you put those two together, you get etxeberri (eh-che-berry) and it means new house. Well, if you'll notice, its a pretty close pronounciation of my last name. I had heard before that my last name meant something-house, so clearly being the nerd I am I was excited to realize that my name means new house in Basque.
Kinda cool. Well oK, only if you're a nerd like me.
the Return of Ronessa
20 September, 2002 at 10:36 PM by Ren | Permalink
Miss Janet Ronessa Black, my lovely 2001 Nissan Sentra SE 2.0 is now back! I'm very happy she had a wonderful sabbatical getting her nose done and all that after the unfortunate incident with the burly cotton truck on County Road 70. She feels quite rested and feels about 10,000 miles younger. I should know, she told me so when I picked her up.
Ronessa: Ren, where have you been?
Ren: Oh, here, there, working...no where in particular...*shiftseyes*
Ronessa: Ren, don't hold out on me. You were driving another car weren't you?
Ren: *crying* Yes. Her name was Bonnie, but she looked like an egg and had a bad window tint job. I swear J. Ro, the whole time you were gone I was thinking of you. I only used her to get to work. I swear!
Ronessa: well as long as we have that straight, then I'll let you drive me again. Now lets go home. Those burly men who touched up my face were getting a little "touchy-feely" if you know what I mean. I don't like it when people try to unseal my chassis, you know. I mean, I'm not some cheap whore!
Ren: no shit Ronessa?
Ronessa: no shit Ren. But you better not think of that bitch Bonnie while you're driving or I'll wreck us both and we all know I can get fixed up to look like new. Lord knows you're beyond help. So lets get this settled: I'm the only car in your life, Mister.
Ren: yes ma'am *mutters*fuckingdivacar*mutters*
See, and everything went well until she realized what I said. Ronessa was driving like beautifulwonderfully and then all of a sudden I felt it: It was a thunk-thunk-thunk like when you're driving over a bridge and you can feel the segments of the road passing underneath you.
Shit. I thought to myself. She's not all well. Then Ronessa tried to play it off by saying "oh baby, you know how it is when you haven't been on ya feet in a while" but it wouldn't go away.
So I guess Monday I gotta call my insurance people and see what I should do next. The body shop guaranteed their work for as long as I own the car, and seeing as how I'm paying for it, I'll have Ronessa for quite some time and she needs to be in tip-top condition for a long, long time. Hopefully it's nothing serious and I can have it fixed pretty quick. Hopefuly.
I'm just happy to have J. Ro back. I'll take new pics of my girl on Monday when i get the digicam back.
You may go about your business. Move along. Move along.
Why didn't I get this memo???
22 September, 2002 at 01:11 AM by Ren | Permalink
The fucking Violent Femmes are playing Bayfest this coming Friday.
I'm so there two times already.
Dude, and LL Cool J? That's jammy jams times 50 I think.
Correction
23 September, 2002 at 08:35 PM by Ren | Permalink
So, the Violent Femmes are playing Saturday. No bother. I'm still there twice.
Also, the reports of Janet Ronessa Black's triumphant return to touring South Texas may be premature. It seems there's something wrong with her. Something is wrong with the alignment or the tires or something. I'm taking her back tomorrow I think. I just hope she isnt' out for the count for another week. On the way home, our conversation went something like this.
Ren: Ro, girl. Drive straight.
Ronessa: Child, i'm tryin'! You know how hard it is in these stilletto steel belteds!
Ren: Ro. I'm not kidding, I've even given up singing along to keep this car going in a semi-straight line. I think I have to take you back. This bouncing and bad steering isn't working for me.
Ronessa: You think I like jigglin like this and not be making any money? Shit, Bitch. Don't make me slap you.
Ren: Fine. You're going to the doctor tomorrow. I can't have your fabulosity stifled by something so trivial as bad tires or a shoddy alignment.
Ronessa: mmmhmm. thasswhati'msayin'. *snap*
My car. She so has attitude. She's a saucy bitch.
Tomorrow
24 September, 2002 at 03:47 PM by Ren | Permalink
Tomorrow I'm taking my car to the shop to see what's wrong with her. I'll be taking tomorrow off. woo. But its not really a day off as I'm going to go fix my car.
In other news: I get my droid today! WOOOOOOO! So excited about that actually.
My very own droid. Rock balls. In other Star Wars related paraphernalia, they have combined my two favorite things: Star Wars merchandise and LEGO! Now I realize that Lego and Star Wars have a long history together...but this is like the ultimate Star Wars Lego Model.
Click this because its so goddamn amazing I'm cussing every other fucking word. That is beyond fucking cool. I have to figure out how to save my pennies so I can have one for my office. Holy crap. Must. Have.
Holy shit! THATS SOME AMAZING LEGO!!!
Doctor Visit
25 September, 2002 at 10:42 AM by Ren | Permalink
I took Ronessa to the body shop. The guy said she needs new tires and that would likely fix the klunking sound and the general nastiness I feel when I drive Ro.
See, here's the thing though. Miss Janet Ronessa Black is a classy car. She's high quality. She needs special tires. SPECIAL TIRES? Yeah, I just found that out today. I went to every tire place in Corpus Christi, and no one had tires for her. Figures. I would have to go and get a car that needs specially ordered tires because no one keeps them in stock. So I had another 'talk' with Ro.
Ren: Ronessa, why do you have to have special tires?
Ronessa: Child, do you really think I'd look good in some Payless Tire Source shit? Uh-uh boy. We all about the Prada tires.
Ren: Prada doesn't even make tires.
Ronessa: Prada should.
Ren: Dammit. I have to specially order your fucking tires.
Ronessa: Get over it Ren. Just get me the most fabulous tires ever and then we can be the queen we is.
Ren: You mean the Queen you are.
Ronessa: Oh yeah; whatever.
Ren: I don't like your attitude, Missy.
Ronessa: And I don't like your shoes. We even. Now go order my tires, bitch.
I love my car, I really do. But her attitude is getting to me. She'd better watch out. I may just get her Payless tires.
Another day
30 September, 2002 at 10:41 AM by Ren | Permalink
So, I could really go into all the reasons why this weekend basically sucked today, but I figure I've done enough bitching about that.
I'll just say this: If I say I'll call you when I get there, that doesn't mean TURN OFF YOUR CEL PHONE. Ok, I'm done.
Saw the Violent Femmes this weekend, AND Vince Neil. It was interesting.
I'm downloading some extensions for Dreamweaver this morning, to increase my productivity or something.
I saw "Life as a House" this weekend too. Not bad, but I wasn't too fond of the ending.
Alright, I'm done. That's my life up to this point. The original post was much longer but also much more angry. This one is less so. And without as many uses of the word "fuck" in it.
hee.