Guilt v. Boredom

Not to ruin the big stand-off for you, but boredom won. Obviously. Why obviously? because I'm posting. So the boredom at work won. But is guilt just giving up and playing dead?



Well . . . have you ever known guilt to just give up? Has guilt ever stopped fighting a losing battle? Eventually, yes guilt does stop fighting. But it hasn't given up on me yet. "It's just a flesh wound", it keeps yelling, flopping around on the ground on it's stumps.

Actually, I give in a lot of the time because of guilt. It's a very strong motivator for me. However, the absolute lack of things to do this week (I finished every conceivable project I have been saving up for boring days two days ago), I find myself reading a lot of blogs, writing blogs (obviously) and organizing things that don't need to be organized. Hey, I never said I stopped being OCD just because I was bored.

So, looks like you can look forward to posts, yes actually honest-to-goodness posts on my blog for the next few days (hopefully not weeks, please, please, not weeks I'm pulling out eyebrow hairs for crying out loud!). I guess there's good news for someone in all this . . .

Goodbye Sun, I guess I never saw you that much anyway

All opposed to the switch from Daylight Savings Time, please say "aye".

I can't tell you how messed up my body feels now. I wake up and feel like I've overslept and like I should be somewhere already because it's so light outside. And in my personal opinion, there are few things worse in this world than when you wake up late. That initial panic, that feeling of stupidity, the horrible knot in your stomach that says there is absolutely nothing you can do about it now, and the overwhelming desire for a time machine to get back those 2-60 minutes that would make all the difference. There is nothing to compare. So fighting off that feeling every morning is a little much.

Then, there's the sunset. I am all about sunsets, I just like them to happen after I get home from work. I feel like it's so late when I leave and it's completely dark outside. Like somehow I've been punished and had to work late for whatever reason. But no, it's really the right time to leave. I just get to feel punished by the sun. And then I get home and feel like I can't do anything because it's too late. I don't want to start a project and not be able to get through it before I have to go to bed. It cuts down on my productivity considerably.

So goodbye Sun. I'll miss you. I wish I saw you more, but I guess it wouldn't matter because you're too weak for me to enjoy any warmth from you anyway. I never really saw you as it was. But that doesn't mean we didn't have a good relationship. I'll call you sometime . . .

What is Tripod

I got a few comments about my last post, and by a few I mean one ("hi Tea and Ryan"!). But hey, when you only have like 5 readers, 20% of readers leaving comments counts as a few.

So for those of you whom I haven't introduced Tripod to, let me just say sorry in advance since, obviously they are pulling all of their videos and so you won't get the full experience. But, go here , here (not as good as the live version, sorry) and here then tell me what you think. There are also some credits from the ABC show they did on YouTube so look at the related links and get them while they are still around. I think they are hilarious, and also very musical and slightly funny looking, which adds to their funniness. Anyway, enjoy. (But only partially since they don't have as many videos now.) Oh and go here to listen to the song that was stuck in my head. Though it doesn't make as much sense without hearing "Lingering Dad" first.

Tripod videos

Where have the Tripod videos gone? All I can find is lots and lots of their song "Make You Happy", which granted is a fabulous song and the reason I fell in love with them in the first place, but doesn't really help me when all I want to hear is "Lingering Dad". I guess I shouldn't say 'hear' because as with most comedy, 'seeing' is an important part of any comedic act. And though I found the audio for the part I was looking for on their MySpace page, it just wasn't the same.



This upset me so much that I dreamed about it last night. I had a shopping dream, which frequently happens to me. They are never fun shopping dreams, because I am never able to find what I'm looking for. Either the stores have nothing cute or nothing in my size or are closed or something to prevent me to find what I'm looking for. Which is normally dresses. Or fabric. I think this dream might mirror my conscious frustration with shopping where I have similar problems. Normally only the first two though, stores aren't normally closed. Well, in this version of the shopping dream, I was with my sister and we were looking for dresses and we found some to try on but the dressing room didn't exist and to hunt for it we were sent into the creepy basement of the store. Anyway, she got dresses and I didn't because I was unwilling to stay in the basement. And sometime during the dream, I related to her my frustration about the removal of all the Tripod videos.



It makes me very sad. No more YouTube, no Google Video, no Yahoo, not even ABC australia which is where some of them originally aired. And the even sadder part is that even if I order a DVD from them, it has to ship from Australia and won't arrive forever.


Wo is me.

Diploma Story

Morgan's blog has inspired me to share my own diploma story.



So I walked early for my graduation. I didn't finish my classes until August, but I walked in April because I wanted the hoopla. What can I say, I'm a middle child. And it was sad because my name isn't even in the program. *sniff*



Anyway, I knew I wouldn't get my diploma until after August, but having never graduated from college before, I didn't know when to expect that. Then I got engaged and so did my sister so I had other things to worry about. Finally, in September I start thinking, hmm, I should probably have my diploma some time around now. So I checked my college website and find out that my diploma hadn't been shipped because there was a fine on my account. Well I looked at my account and sure enough, there was a $17 charge in there.



Now I can understand if I hadn't paid a parking ticket or had library fines or had missed some graduation fee or something, but that would have been the extent of the fines I would have accrued. But the account profile on the website divided charges into categories and parking tickets and the like had a separate category, whereas this charge was listed under 'Miscellaneous'. Confusing to me, to say the least. So I called the college and found out that the answer to the mystery was an answer to another mystery.



I worked for the college my senior year and one of my last pay checks was more than I thought it was supposed to be. I wasn't sure what to make of it, but deposited it in my account, like always. Turns out, they over paid me, by $17 and some change. So I had to pay them for their mistake in my favor in order to get my diploma. Which, by the way, still took them more than a month to get to me.

But on a happy note, looking online to find out why I hadn't received my diploma is how I found out that I graduated Cum Laude. You miss these things when you walk early and your name isn't on the program.

Season Premiers

I thought in honor of Season Premier week, I would start a series I like to call "Shows that Should Not be on the Air". Or "Shows that Should have Cut and Run Seasons Ago". Take your pick.

The first show that comes to mind is "ER". Before I start into my schpeal, I would to state for the record that I just barely did research on this on IMDB and am not a viewer. At least I haven't been in at least 5 years.

"ER" started in 1994. 1994 people!! It has been going on for 13 years. I was appalled that it has really been that long. Enough is enough people. Their cast is dropping like flies. I don't know the real turnaround rate for e.r. doctors, but if the show is anything to go by, it's not that long. The only cast member who has even come close to sticking around is Maura Tierney and she's only been on since 1999. Still a long time, but the point being all of the original cast members have cut and run and some are doing much better things with their time. Maybe Maura is scared that there is nothing out there waiting, but really, if you never quit, you'll never know, right? And the longer you stay there, the more people will type cast you from your roll on "ER".

NBC keeps pushing and pushing "ER" with big, silly promotions. They put in on Thursdays after their big comedy line up, probably hoping that someone somewhere will just be too lazy to turn the channel to something more popular, like "Grey's Anatomy".

I personally have had enough of the nighttime-hospital-soaps. And I would really like to know, is anyone out there still watching "ER"? And why does the network keep picking it up?

Top 10 for Driving

I drive a lot for work, so I've had a bit of experience in the last year with a few good drivers and a whole lot of bad drivers. And here's what I see as the worst driving faults. Bare in mind that I am inherently polite, so most of my pet peeves involve rudeness. However, I could rant about this topic for awhile, so if you would like to add to this list, feel free.

10- Not watching for Pedestrians.
I'm frequently a pedestrian for work as well, and nothing is sadder than almost getting hit by a car turning left or right and not watching for pedestrians. Because believe it or not, a pedestrian would not win in an accident. And hearing about pedestrian/car accidents makes me really sad, and very cautious as a driver and a walker. Also, for those who don't think this should make the list, I once got rear ended by a jerk in a truck because I was stopping for a pedestrian who had the right of way. (Then the guy had the nerve to ask me if I was on my cell phone!! I didn't even own one at the time. Poop face!)

9- Causing Gridlock.
I know the light says green and you've been waiting so long to get through this intersection, but PLEASE for the love of all that is holy, wait and make sure your giant SUV is going to actually fit through the intersection. That way, and this is a hard concept to grasp I'm sure, the perpendicular traffic will be able to get through so they won't block the intersection, then more people who have been waiting in the same line as you will be able to get through on the next light.

8- Talking on your Cell Phone while Driving.
As much of a poop face as that truck driver who rear ended me was, cell phone driving is actually a problem. Here's a thumb rule: if you can signal for all of your turns and keep up with traffic, then you can talk on your phone while you drive. If not, don't talk. Honestly, few conversations can't wait until your drive is over. And if it couldn't wait, it won't be very long. It's not worth your life or someone else's, is it?

7- Running Red Lights.
Contrary to popular belief, yellow lights do not mean speed up so the three cars behind you can sneak their way through this light, too. There are really few excuses for people now because of the nifty crosswalk signs that are being installed in more and more places. They have the little countdown for how long you have left to cross the street. Well, what do you think those are counting down? How long the green light will last. So if you just look at the crosswalk sign, you can see how much time you have to make it through the intersection. And I know that yellow lights are safety nets when there's just not enough room to slow down in time, but you can prep for them. And yes, the car behind you might get mad and pass you at the next opportunity, but it's not your fault that they are ungrateful to you for keeping them safe. Also, red lights are sometimes the only time for the poor cars who turn left without a green arrow to make it through, so if seven cars run the red, then those left-turners have to wait until it's been green for opposing traffic for awhile before they can turn. And that just slows everyone down. So don't run red lights.

6- Speeding.
I know that 5 over is acceptable and most cops won't pull you over for it and that's fine. But I just want everyone to know that speed limits aren't just arbitrary. There's a good reason for that 25 mph or 35 mph for that matter. And there's a huge difference between going 10 over in those areas and 10 over on the freeway. So if you are going to speed, speed on the highways. That's fine. But once you get off the freeway, you better not fly at 55 down my 35mph street (which a lot of people do). And don't get mad at me when I am going the speed limit. Like I said, there's a reason it is what it is.

5- Not Using Turning Signals.
That nob off you steering wheel isn't just for show. And I know there are jerks out there that won't let you in if you signal, but I will. And plenty of other nice people will, too. And if you are planning on making a turn that is not with the layout of the road, or intuitive to other drivers (yes, this includes inside parking lots), then you need to signal. I don't know about you, but I try to avoid accidents whenever I can, and this is really simple and easy way to do it, so why not? Let's stop trying to make people mad.

4- Tailgating.
This is mostly a problem due to #6, but tailgating can be bad even in bad traffic. Here's another thumb rule: if a dog darted out in front of the car in front of you, would you be able to stop in time? There are sudden stops even on the freeway, on occasion, so please maintain the proper and safe distance. Especially since I'm not the only driver who has been rear ended multiple times for no fault of there own (like the pedestrian story) and is slightly paranoid about the drivers behind me.

3- Ignoring Road Signs.
This goes for anything from "no left turns" to "no parking until after 9 AM", both of which I see violated frequently. And also on the carpool lanes, the "don't cross the double white lines" signs posted every 2 miles are not there for their own amusement. I know the slammin' music in your car is distracting, but don't forget what you are really doing, and you need to be able to read to get a license so use that skill, for crying out loud. And if you read a sign, follow it.

2- 4-way Stops.
Let me explain the 4-way stop philosophy since so many of you obviously don't understand. Let's say for example, a light goes out on a busy three lane road, thus turning this intersection into a 4-way stop. Let's say that the intersecting road has two lanes and all roads have a left-turn lane. Thus when all traffic stops we have 14 cars at the intersection. The cars who reached the intersection first go first in a normal 4-way, but in these situations, normally the biggest road goes first, so the six cars from the 3 lane street would go (that's one car per lane) and one right turner if that applies, then one left turner. Then the four cars from the 2 lane street would go (again ONE from each lane) then the left turns. And so one. Now if these rules are followed and only ONE car goes at a time, 4-way stops can actually go pretty fast. If you have questions about 4-way stops, please ask. If not me, someone with driving experience. And don't try to sneak in as a 2nd car, I don't care how long you've been waiting.

1- Merging.
Despite the fact that merging is not nearly as complicated as 4-way stops, it is the biggest problem I've seen on the road. Mostly I think this is because people are rude and selfish. Now, the ideal merging, of course, is the same as an ideally choreographed diagonal crossing of people. When the two lines meet, a person from the right line ends up between two people from the left line. So no person from the left line is standing behind another person from the left line when the whole process is done. So in a driving situation, every car would let in one car and then everyone would merge. Now this only works when the people who have to merge don't zoom up to the very point where their lane ends and then wait for the cars who have stopped to make room for them. If you see that your lane is ending, you should signal as soon as possible while there's room and patience to let you in. Don't make merging difficult. I will go out of my way to not let you in if you have left the long line cars accommodating the merging lane, and sped off to the point where the lane ends just to get ahead a few cars. If you do that, you are a jerk, and you should wait until your original spot in line has passed before you can get in. And I hope that no one lets you in and makes you and the other jerks wait just because you didn't think you had to. Because you're special. Like a little snowflake. Just like the rest of us.


So, as you see, it all comes down to politeness. I know in our society, thinking about other people is a rare and often frightening occurrence, but it we all did it, life would be better, if for no other reason than driving would be better. And yes, I'm a hypocrite because sometimes I get frustrated in traffic and do the things that make me mad. However, I never violate #1, 2, and 3 on principle.