Stan.....you are the Man

Stan.....I see you living
and you're not home right now.

Taking it to the max
In a club that's cranked with sound

Just a few more hours
And I'll be there with you.

Your lust for life is unparalled.
I wanna do it too.

You say the night is your chance
To do all you can

I want to live just like you.
Show me what you can.

Stan you are the Man
You are the MAN.

I want to be just like you.

STAN.....

You are the Man,

You are the Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan!!!!

The preceding was a paid advertisement that got stuck in my head because I'm up way too God Damned late and I can't sleep.

Smashing Pumpkins

Well, I did my research for a week and narrowed down all the choices on the DDR metal pad I want. I've searched all these different sites and game forums and it turns out there are probably 10 different manufacturers of these things out there and of those ten, only 2 or 3 seem to be widely hailed as really good. Then there was the Cobalt Flux which EVERY site I went to said was the best. Every site had some horror story of someone paying 200 bucks for a pad and then breaking it in the first week, but not this particular one. So, I'm going to go with the recommendations and buy to this one:

If I had any doubts, they were taken away when I got to try it live and in person. On Monday someone from work responded to my request for opinions on the best controller for the game and invited me over to his house so I could give it a try. I was sold after about 20 seconds.

He actually had one of the competitors as well and it wasn't even close. The Red Octane pad feels like a sheet metal platform with some plexiglass arrows whereas the Cobalt Flux feels like one solid, unbreakable slab. It doesn't feel the same as the arcade, it feels BETTER. It weighs about 45 pounds, and I don't see any way I'll break it any time soon. They've got videos running it over with 3 or 4 cars on the website and it still working afterwards. I know at most, I'll only run it over with ONE car, so I'm probably set. So now I just have to actually order it and then wait three weeks for them to send it (I guess they build them to order). And who knows, someday if I get really ambitious....maybe I'll buy a second one so I can hook them together and play doubles. Anyway, Ultramix 2 comes out on the 16th, so I need to hurry up and get at least one of these bad boys ordered so I can have it ready to go.

I'm documenting this because I think a year from now it will be funny to come back and see if I have decided to stick with it, or if it's just another overpriced toy sitting in the basement.

So, tonight I'm making some pumpkin pies for Heather's Halloween party, because she signed me up to make them. I make really good pumpkin pies. You are jealous that you can't have any of them.

24 hours later....

We started around 11am and finished at 11pm!
Granted, there was one lunch break (for Burger King and watching a little TV) but otherwise, it took the rest of the day. Just about 12 hours of work, but it's definitely the best feeling to FINALLY be done with this.

THE FINAL TALLY
3 trips to 3 different hardware stores.
A pickup truck's worth of stuff (squashed into Heather's Saturn)

2 injuries
3 walls with three different layouts
Over 50 brackets
twice as many holes drilled
and hundreds of dollars later......
THE SHELVES ARE DONE!
It was a project I've wanted to do every weekend for the entire 6 months I've lived in the new house, but I've finally filled the spare bedroom and it's closets entirely with shelves so I can eventually turn it into a room for all my collections. This day shall go down in history as a Saturday of Success.

Since this entry is for posterity for ages to come, I must thank all the contributors:

Badger: I'm sure at least some of the musical selections today were your choices.
Greg, for refusing to let the "armor party" die. If you hadn't been so eager to come over even if no one else would....I may have spent this Saturday doing something fun instead of actually working downstairs like I should have every weekend leading up to this one. You also lifted a bookcase or two, so kudos to you!

John: For arriving in the AM after staying out drinking until 2 the night before, for making sure each shelf, bracket, and railing were level. For going to the hardware store each and every time, helping to get the shelves down from their high perches when no one else at the hardware store would. For spending your only Saturday off toiling instead of sleeping in.....and for somehow fitting yourself into the passenger seat of the car with all that particle board. Seeing as how there is no way I would have finished this today if you hadn't been doing the tedious measuring and leveling with me.....This Bud's for you.

Last but not least, Heather, for starting the work with me in the early morning, and being just as motivated as I was to finally finish this. From doing most of the hard stuff in the cleaning process (finding a spot for all those boxes that we needed moved), to taking measurements via my phone calls no less than 3 separate times while I was at the hardware store, to helping to make sure the whole thing was going to be as pleasing to the eyes as it is going to be functional. Even after 11pm when you wanted to go to bed, you were still measuring for the curtains you're making for that pesky window....so, I salute you. That's two nights in a row you've stayed up late for me.
Thanks again everyone! After six months, spending 12 hours to finally do this made it worth the wait.

Now that this is done, the fun can begin. Setting everything up. In all my years of collecting, I have NEVER had all of my stuff opened and on display. Now....I shall.

Here's a sneak peek.....the next pictures won't be until all the shelves on all the walls are full.

Friday night and all is well

It's 1:21Am, but at 11am.....I have a plan.
That plan is to build shelves tomorrow.

Read it, remember it, write it down....because I just made it official. I'm always talking about it, I've wanted it done since April, but I'm FINALLY working on my shelves tomorrow.

I even have help coming.

By tomorrow night at this time dammit, I want to have shelves up!

Everyone cross your fingers.

Bed time.

The Empire Strikes Back

Tomorrow night, 7pm at the Paul Allen Science Ficiton Experience Experiment Project at the Seattle Center.

Be there, or be....somewhere else.


Say, I have a question. Is DDR lame? I always thought so until I had to learn to play it for the Penny Arcade thing and now I kind of like it. I'm even considering buying one of those really expensive metal controllers for it because the plastic ones suck ass.
If I had something like this in my house, would that be lame and scary?

My vote is up for sale

So, I decided who I wanted to vote for a long time ago. I know, it's suprising....but somehow I figured it out all by myself.

However, every few days, one of my friends decides it's their moral and civic duty to try and continue to influence my vote somehow. Some of my friends even go as far as to send out emails telling me exactly who I should vote for in every election in my county with the header "Election Cheat Sheet" as if I'm some stupid teenager flunking algebra and need their help with the answers to the test.

I won't name names....but they know who they are.

Anyway.....I've decided that since my friends, other people I know and all those other folks out there I DON'T know seem so God Damned determined to campaign for MY vote....I'm going to make them put their money where their mouth is.

I'm putting my vote up for auction on Ebay. I think I figured out a way to do it legally that doesn't violate Ebay or any other laws. The listing goes up tomorrow. So all you jackasses that think MY vote is your business, stop trying to convince me and go bid on it instead.

Enjoy.

I am selling a C3PO Bust UP figure , brand new in it's plastic
see through package. I got this thing along with my Gentle Giant Storm Trooper
Bust, and since I already had one, I don't need it. It is in good condition and
has never been opened or played with.

Additionally, when the winner of the auction has paid for the
Bust Up and actual shipping costs to their home, I will
be happy to vote for whichever candidate for the November Elections they
recommend for me.

That's right, I'm a registered voter in the state of
Washington (a swing state), so if you feel that this election is just a little
too close this year and are looking for friends to vote the way you will be
voting, you'll have a new friend in me. I want to be clear, I am not offering my
vote for sale....I am offering the C3PO Bust-Up. However, I like making new
friends, and I always do what my new friends tell me to do. So buy my bust up,
become my friend.....and then give me your advice about who to vote for this
year. For the record, I always listen to my new friend's advice. Especially new
friends I meet on Ebay.

Hopefully that's clear enough, and a nice rich political activist will bid
early and bid often on this wonderful item. I don't believe that you can put a
price on such a wonderful thing....so I'm starting the bidding at 1 dollar.

OR

????????????????

I stole the list

I stole this list from Badger. I figured it would keep me busy for a few minutes while I was waiting for my delicious banana bread I baked with some overly-ripe bananas to come out of the oven.

Sure enough, the bread is done now, and so is this list.

The Answers!

1. Your name spelled backwards: Eman Ruoy
2. Where were your parents born? California
3. What is the last thing you downloaded onto your computer? A song from the Halo 2 soundtrack, legally I might add from MSNmusic.
4. What's your favorite restaurant? Charlie's in Orlando Florida, because they made the best steak I have ever eaten in my life. Followed closely by Pizza Duo in Chicago who made the best pizza I've ever eaten. HOWEVER...that's not a realistic answer because I've only been to each of these places twice and I have no plans to go again any time soon. Locally, I'll have to say the Brown Bag Cafe for breakfast, Dixies for lunch, and Daniel's Broiler for dinner.
5. Last time you swam in a pool? A good pool would be two months ago in Vegas, but I do laps at the Pro Club from time to time. I don't feel that should count, but the last time I did that was about two weeks ago.
6. Have you ever been in a school play? Yes. I played the lead (Santa Claus).
7. How many kids do you want? I'm still stuck on the whether or not to have them question.
8. Type of music you dislike most? Country Music.
9. Are you registered to vote? Yes.
10. Do you have a car? Yes.
11. Have you ever ridden on a moped? No, but I had a motorcycle for awhile.
12. Ever prank call anybody? Oh yes. Way too many times..
13. Ever get a parking ticket? Several
14. Would you go bungee jumping or skydiving? I really want to bungee jump, and I've already gone skydiving.
15. Furthest places you ever traveled? London
16. Do you have a garden? The old owners of my house left me with several. I think I've almost killed them all.
17. What's the size of your bed? King.
18. Do you really know all the words to your national anthem? But of course, I love baseball.
19. Bath or Shower, morning or night? Morning shower, sometimes night too.
20. Best movie you've seen in the past 4 months? I'm going to have to say Team America, but only because I haven't seen a lot of good movies lately and I can't remember a better one.
21. What's the next movie you want to see? I plan to go see the Empire Strikes Back on Friday
22. Chips or popcorn? Chips, but only because I can't eat popcorn for the next 2 years.
23. Have you ever broken any hearts? Unfortunately.
24. Premarital sex? Yes, please.
25. Are you a good cook? Yes, but I almost never do it.
26. Orange or Apple juice? Are these the only choices? Alright, apple.
27. Who was the last person you went out to dinner with and where did you dine? Heather and a couple of friends. We went to Chilis. The food was not satisfactory. Maybe I should have had the Baby Back Ribs.
28. Favorite drink? The Buck Rogers, my own concoction of Rum, Cherry Coke, Grenadine. It's a play on the "Roy Rogers".
29. Best thing in the world? Oh, now how can anyone ever answer that?
30. Have you ever broken a bone? 4 or 5 of my own, only one or two of someone elses and neither was intentional.
31. Have you ever won a trophy? I won a few of those cheesy Go-cart ones in the last few years, a baseball one back in the school days and some awards from work. Nothing worth displaying.
32. What is your favorite board game? Monopoly
33. What is your dream car? The 2002 final edition Dodge Viper GTS, followed closely by the RT-10 of the same year.
34. Ever order an article from an infomercial? Several times. I even bought Miracle Blades from the fair.
35. Coke or Pepsi? Coke. preferabbly cherry coke. (Badger's answer, I'll leave it alone)
36. Have you ever had to wear a uniform to work? Several unfortunately. At my Dad's place we had to wear train hats.
37. Last thing you bought at a pharmacy? Vicodin, but I never took any.
38. Who are you going to marry? Heather
39. Who would you like to meet? Hmmm. Kevin Smith?
40. Do you believe in love at first sight? There is no such thing, but I believe you can fall in love quickly.
41. What features do you find most attractive in the opposite sex? Physically, probably someone who looks athletic. Thin but not skinny. Long hair. Personality wise I probably prefer tomboys with a sense of humor.
42. Where would you go for a romantic evening? I answer all questions like these with: Vegas.
43. How many pairs of shoes do you own? More than a guy should, but only because I never throw them away and most of them are tennis shoes..
44. Last song stuck in your head? Friend like Me from Aladdin (I sang it all evening in Costco yesterday).
46. What's your all time favorite Saturday Night Live Character? Sean Connery on Jeopardy.
47. What is one thing you would like to learn to do? Graphic Design and web animation.
48. What do you do when you are bored? Watch TV or go online.
49. What is one thing you would want someone to appreciate about you? My ability not to answer a dumb question like this one. They can appreciate or dislike whatever they want to.
50. What is one thing you are grateful for today? Heather cooked me a really tasty steak for dinner.

It's been too long

Man. A lot has happened in a month. Why I haven't been doing entries lately, I have no idea.

I'm stuck at work "late" tonight, because we're supposed to have a morale event where we all go to a bar and have drinks. I appreciate the morale events that have something to do with food or adventure....but the ones at bars usually aren't very good. I'm not in the habit of getting drunk around my co-workers and management, so usually I just have a coke and a smile until it's time to go. I suppose I could get totally smashed, but then I'd probably blurt out something about hating my job and wishing that I could win the lottery so I could quit....or worse, I could make a politcally incorrect comment and get fired.  Gotta love those "morale" events.

Any way, after that, I'm headed down to see Super Deluxe at Neumos. I haven't seen them play in a year or two, so that should be a pretty darn good show. Speaking of shows.....last month I saw Weird Al a couple of times. I took a TON of pictures, and I have them at my website if anyone wants to check em out.

Here, Here and Here

Here's one of the cool ones from the Yakima show.