I've been busy trying to catch up with everything at work. Things seemed to take more time to do this week than they have in past, so now I'm running a bit behind. I'm sure I'll be all up-to-date by next week, but it's made for a busy week with lots of late nights.

I was trading emails with someone at work today and I mentioned I might go to Bumbershoot music fest this weekend and she said that she was going with her wife and some friends -- so she asked me to join them! Woohoo! I get to do something fun with fun people! I'm very excited. We're going to go see Ani Difranco and then see what else we can find. I'm tempted to see Lou Reed or Concrete Blonde later in the evening. There are a number of other bands I'd like to see. Most of the ones I'd really like to check out are on Monday (Richard Thompson, Jewel, Wilco, and Michelle Shocked) but there are a couple on Sunday (Sonic Youth, Everclear, and maybe John Wesley Harding). I don't think I can spend all weekend there, though, so tomorrow may be all I do. I'm pretty excited about it.

I finished watching the cockatiel earlier this week, and yesterday I finished my two days of catsitting for a couple at work, and starting today I have to do some catsitting for another couple at work. Luckily, this time, their apartment is on my way to and from work, so it's really quick and easy. I go to do that now!

I'll let you know how the weekend goes.

I just went out and lunch and picked up Devo: The Essentials. So when I returned to work I did some snooping and found this cartoon by Mark Mothersbaugh. It doesn't get really funny until about page 11 after he's been poisoned by the stingrays.

Heh, heh, heh.

This site broke the 2,000 visitors mark today. Woohoo! (Okay, so it's probably only interesting to me.)

I have to go take care of some friends' cats, so this is just a quick update to say things are good.

Aren't these guys cute?

See you tomorrow. Remind me to tell you about Bumbershoot.

As I thought I might do, I did, in fact, go buy a new CD walkman. It's a Sony S2. About $100 at Circuit City. I hate to give them money because they're so damn annoying, but the Best Buy in town hasn't opened yet. I took a little side trip on Sunday and found where the new store will be -- right on my way to/from work. Woohoo! It looks about ready to open. I'm very excited.

I also hooked up the T.V. I'm borrowing and started watching UHF. For some reason the sound isn't coming through in stereo. I have to figure that out. It's annoying to have sound only coming from half of the speakers.

Over the weekend I did more birdsitting, went to the gym, and played Champions with some friends. As soon as I'm done updating the blog I'm headed to the gym for the 400th time since June 27th of 2000. Wow. I don't think I ever beleived I'd go to the gym that many times in my life if you'd have asked me a few years ago. I can't say I'm unhappy about it, but that certainly seems like a large number.

Thinking about it, I probably shouldn't mention these milestones. They're good for me to recognize and celebrate, but they're probably daunting to people who read this and say, "Y'know, I should really go to the gym." But, really, I started out going once and it built from there. Like sheets of paper, grains of sand, or molecules; you get enough of them together in one place and they seem larger than their individual parts. Lao Tzu; the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. I've been thinking about how little things add up over the past year and I try to remember that every little bit counts. It's a good motivator for me, whether I'm thinking about skipping a day at the gym or snacking on some little chocolate bars -- or whatever -- I remind myself that everything, so matter how small, has an effect on my life. It helps keep me honest with myself.

I have to go to the gym now.

I really like nectarines and I have my mom and Kim to thank for it. When I was back in Wisconsin my mom picked up some nectarines for me, but I didn't eat them (and nearly forgot to take them when I went to Madison). One day Kim asked if she could have one and I didn't care -- but then she gave me a bite and damn was it tasty! Anyway, I picked up a couple this week from the store and have been enjoying them a lot. Yum! Thanks guys!

Sometimes the crap I write about here amazes me. Oh, well.

This google search that hit my site was pretty funny. I'd ask, "Why would you search for such a thing?" but then I'd have to face the fact that my site was one of the ones that this seach keyed in on and I'm not sure I'm ready for that.

I have tons of reference material for work now that my mom sent out all the books I'd pulled out of my collection. I'm very pleased about that and I'm sure they'll come in very handy...they already have, actually.

This weekend I'm watching the bird of one of the women at work. She's at a wedding and I'll be going to her place in the evenings to keep the little whistler happy. I think he's a small cockatiel. Very cute. He likes to sing.

I still haven't hooked up the T.V. I'm borrowing from a couple of the people from work, but it's sitting in my living room. I just have to find the time to take my old one out and put this one in. I may go pick up a new CD walkman with my birthday money. My old one is acting up and it's ticking me off -- especially at the gym.

I've lept/leapt/leaped (?) right back into going to the gym. I went Monday and Wednesday and I'll be going again in a little while tonight. That's very good considering I hadn't gone for over two weeks. That's the longest break since the two weeks before I moved here and the two weeks after I moved here. I'm glad I've cultivated that habit.

I was thinking the other day at the gym and realized that life is equal parts pursuing what you want and accepting what you need. You can't really get anywhere satisfying without both of them working properly together.

That's about all for now, but I'm pretty excited to play Champions tomorrow with some friends. I love that game.

Two weeks and one day since I last updated. Time flies.

I had a great time at GenCon and during vacation. I won't run through the specifics since most of the people that read this were probably with me at some point over the last couple of weeks. I spent a lot of time with friends in Madison and wish I'd been able to spend more time with everyone. It's amazing how fast time goes. I also had a great time visiting with my parents, my grandma, my sisters and their families. I really miss seeing everyone on a regular basis and it was a lot of fun to have time to vist with them all. We spent part of the week camping -- not something I do very often -- and it was fun.

Anyway, I had surprisingly little to do when I returned to work because I was pretty up-to-date before I left. And one of the guys here did a great job of covering for me. That was a very good thing.

One of the people at work is lending me a television set to replace my set. I'm very happy about that because now I can set some money aside to get a new T.V. I'll even have time to do a little research and see exactly what I'd like to get.

Tonight I'm going to see what DVDs I need (yes, need) to pick up with birthday money. I'm sure the Simpson's Season II is on the list, but I don't know what else. Other purchases may include a living room table, maybe even this one. I'm also still looking forward to getting a PS2, but since I have to get a T.V. at some point that may have dropped down a bit on the list.

Oh! Apparenly they're opening a Best Buy in Bellevue. Woohoo! I'm pretty excited about that. I love that store.

I'm done now. I think I'm heading to the gym.

I've been busy getting ready to go to GenCon for the next 5 days and then taking a week's vacation, so I haven't had time to post or do much else. Right now I'm finishing up some work then heading home to do laundry, pack, and get a good night's sleep before I catch my plane in the morning. Unless I get a chance to update when I'm in Wisconsin you probably won't see much here for the next week and a half.

That's about all for now. See ya.

I've been busy with Chris in town, so I haven't been able to update in the evenings like I usually do. Luckily, I can take a few minutes during the day to do it.

It's my birthday and some friends took me out for lunch, then we had root beer floats for my birthday treat at work, and after work a lot of us are headed to Chili's to hang out and have fun. It should be a good time. I may even have a couple drinks.

Over the last few days I've been doing things with Chris; Wednesday night we just went to a local restaurant/bar and talked for a couple hours. Late last night we decided to head down to the Pike Place area. He's a big beer fan, so we went to the Pike Pub & Brewery where we had a couple drinks and talked to Allison the bartender. She was cool. Odd thing: the bar closes every night at midnight because they have an agreement with the apartment buildings in the area that they'll close then. Weird, but cool. After we left there we went to the Alibi Room, seemed cool, but very relaxed (it was Thursday, so that's forgiveable). Walking back to the car we went throught Post Alley and saw some interesting places, but the best thing (in this case "best" means the opposite of best) was when the two homeless people fired up a crack pipe as we walked past. Nice. Then Chris went home, but he's supposed to meet me here at work for a bit, then over for birthday fun.

Work is going well. Lots of figures to write up -- and I like doing that, so it's all good.

Next week is GenCon, then home! Woohoo!