Empty streets....

I've had a rough couple of weeks on different levels from major to minor.   Of course, there is that little matter of FF and I.  We need to resolve some issues on our next date.  So, having a need to simply take a chance to relax and let myself decompress.

One of the great things about my job is that I simply stop what I'm doing, leave and take a bit to compose myself if I'm having a rough day (night, whatever).

Going into downtown, I pull over and take a walk for a few blocks.  I always try to have a camera with me, so I'd thought sharing what I see at night would be an interesting to see how see the world.

While I'm in a heavily populated city, it empties out after most businesses and bars close and the night shift is well underway.

This is what it's like in the middle of the night while most everyone is deep in slumber. 
I always recommend to people that they need to visit their own city late at night.   After walking a few blocks, the local security guards, occasional cop, and garbage worker and I exchange nods.   People always associate walking around downtown after dark is tantamount to asking to be mugged or worse.  Generally speaking, in this town, downtown is about as safe as walking around your own suburban neighborhood.  The thing is, to me the empty streets are simply another form of beauty.

Either way, it was a walk well needed.
You guys should try it sometime.

As you can see, it really looks different.
Enjoy the pictures.

I want my cartoon network!

You know, I've had a rough couple of days and needing some laughs, I tune into the cartoon network for some Family guy, Robot Chicken, and Metalocalypse (my newest addictions).
I'm greeted with an image that chills my heart:

Effective Sept. 22, 2009

Comcast Customers

will need to have a digital converter box in order to

receive Cartoon Network

Call 1-800Blahblahblah

My heart sank. 
No big deal.  I'll just call them later, upgrade my service a tad, get Cable Cards (to bypass the lousy box) and everything will be right in the world.

When I woke up, first thing I did was call them.*  I cheerfully asked for an upgrade and a couple of media cards.**

"Okay sir, no problem."

"Great. Didn't know how dependent I was on the Cartoon Network until it went away."

"Umm....sir? You still need the box."

"What?"

"You need to have the box if you still want that network."

He went on to give me Techno-babble about the reasoning behind it, basically saying that it's no longer broadcast on the analog, just digital.

"Cool.  Upgrade me to that package, and get me the cards."  What's an extra 10-15 bucks a month, eh?

"Sir, you still need the converter box for it."

"What? I have to get the HD Package to get it?" Fuck. Okay. My old TV is dying, been waiting to get a new HD one.***  I immediately start my inner debate between Plasma and LCD.  39-42 inches should do. Oh yeah!  Plus, Blu-ray!  Hmm...I wonder what Blu-Ray porn would look like on that screen?

"Sorry Sir, you will still need to get the Box."  He said it with THAT tone that one uses when speaking to an exceptionally slow child, of which I'm sure I was starting to sound at this point.

He continued to explain for a bit.

A cable box.  I don't WANT a cable box!  I have a clean looking system!

"Okay. Let me get this straight. If I got the ultra-high end package with HD, and just use the cable card right into my TiVO; I can get ALL the channels, right?"

"Correct, sir.  Except for the Cartoon Network."

How BADLY do I want this damned Network?

"Okay. Cool.  I'll decide later and I appreciate your help.   But can I talk to a Tech person, I'm trying to wrap my head around this. Nothing personal, I'm just not getting it."

"No problem, Sir. Quite a few people don't."

Lovely.

After a few moments on hold, I get a tech and she explains to me the same techno-babble the sales guy did.

"REALLY?"

"Yes, Sir. No matter what package you have, to you HAVE to have that cable box.  The media cards won't do it. There is no additional cost to get a box."

"That's not really the point, I don't WANT a box!"

"Sorry, Sir!"

I thank her, and out of politeness I wished her a good day and hung up. I was enraged.

Fuck.  I guess I'll go get a cable box, but I still better be able to record two programs at once, damnit!

I swear, it's a conspiracy by the Cable box industry!

Now I'm depressed again.

Damn you, Robot Chicken and Metalocalypse! Why must you be so...entertaining!

*God, Maybe I AM depressed!

** I heart my TIVO. Really. Buy one.  All you have to do is plug the buggers in and voila! No need for a box!

*** I said I took a hit, but I'm not destitute!

"There but by the grace of God go I"

The well known utterance by John Bradford, who actually said; ""There but for the grace of God, goes John Bradford."
Anyway.
There has been a number of fellow bloggers who appear that their worlds have been shaken by some personal calamity of some nature, whether its financial, emotional, or marital.  Being keenly aware of what seems to be a chain of drama, I was wondering when it was going to hit someone I knew.
Little did I realize how true my prediction would be, but I didn't think it was going to be ME!
I'm continuously aware of how one's fortune is incredibly tenuous at times. More-so than most people actually believe, really.  It's not merely those that are very poor that can go down a slide, but those of the super rich as well.
Madoff and Stanford are those that decided that the wealthy need a blow to their egos and get ripped off.  The ones that have been on the news after such issues just seem to be in a major state of shock when they find themselves, quite literally penniless overnight.

Whenever I see someone who is less fortunate or going through some trial in life, I always say a small prayer giving thanks, that I am not in their position and strive hard to not to be in the same situation.

Without getting into too much details, I can say I had my own Madoff, but on a VERY smaller scale.
Basically, most of my liquid assets were totally wiped out.
Not to say I'm broke, I still have other savings, but some things need to be pushed back a bit.  Needless to say I was more than a little peeved about the whole thing.
After talking to Starfish, Football Fan, and some other friends about it (and in slightly greater detail) they were amazed on how calm I was.
I wasn't screaming, crying, throwing tantrums, or cursing.
Well, maybe I was cursing a little.
To me, it just simply seemed like a waste of energy and I needed to take stock and form a plan of action.
I took a day off to recover and drown my sorrows in pasta, eventually coming to the realization that I am going to survive, that I can recover from this, that nothing has changed.
I mean, aside from being a little lighter in the pockets and my waistline took a massive hit, there was little or no damage.

My only major concern was some immediate expenses that needed to be looked after and a trip that I am planning.*  

Well, maybe one more concern.

After I hung up the phone in a slight case of depression and a prolonged Texting convo with FF, I asked her the following:

"So does this change things?"
"What does?" she eventually responded.
"My being broke."  She doesn't know the extent of my finances, not that they are THAT extensive.
"Why do you say that?"
"Well, you seemed fairly concerned about it and asked. Remember?" I wondered if she genuinely forgot.
"Did I sound that shallow to you when I asked that question? Really am sorry if I did.  I don't care, I like you for who you are."
"Thanks."
"We will just have cheap dates for a bit.  Maybe more smooching and fewer movies."

That set my mind at ease, she went on to apologize again for a bit longer and eventually told her that I wanted to be alone and sulk.

My time of my pity party is over, though. 
Time to pick myself up and move on and get to work.
Still, it was a perfectly good waste of an excuse to get totally wasted on Vodka, but I can't afford it right now.  I'll make an appointment to be depressed around April, I should be able to afford another good bender by then.



*Yes. I'm still throwing that party, but it's now an act of defiance.  I'll stick to that story.

Ironing the main wrinkles

My distaste for texting a potential girlfriend rises and falls like a wave.  It all depends on the conversation in which it is HOPED that the context isn't overthought out or minimized.

She's walking around behind her kids while they shop around for clothes:

FF: Hey!
Me: HEY!
FF: Working?
Me: No. Just out of shower. I'm squeaky.
FF: Can you make me squeaky?
Me: depends on what you're talking about, but I have made you squeal a few times.
FF: That's what I was meaning.

We go on for a few minutes with some semi-innocent banter for a few minutes and then:

FF: I don't like this. Just frustrated by how much I think of you already.
Me: Oh. Hate it when that happens.  Do you need a break?
FF: DON'T YOU DARE! Don't even think about leaving my brain.
Me: LOL. Ok. I seem to remember you saying you wanted to ate other men so you don't make the same mistake.
FF: I'm trying to find guys to date...not working out yet.
Me:  I hear ya'. Dating can suck.
FF:   I don't think I made mistakes last time.
Me: Oh? I think you alluded to the fact that you picked the wrong guy.*
FF:  No.  I don't think I choose wrong. Made bad decision to go back to him.
Me: That I can understand and appreciate.

With that, she disappeared failing to complete the conversation.
I'm getting used to this, so I just close the phone and then in frustration I yank my cats tail as a means to vent.**



* During our first meeting, she explained that her husband had cheated on her once before.
**Don't worry, she likes that and a good spanking.   No kitties were harmed in the making of this conversation or blog.

Texting promises, concerns, AND a prank...

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Sushi and Eating out

Rushing to my where we were supposed to meet for a meal, as I entered the lot for her chosen Mexican restaurant I saw that the place was packed. As I got closer, the line seemed to snake out the door.which I figured to be an hour long at least.
Oh, hell no!
Spotting her grabbing a parking spot, I suggested finding another establishment nearby.  As we pulled into a sushi place just a bit further down.
Settling into our table, we finally got deeper into our kid(s), jobs, Ex's, etc... and we got pretty deep into it.
I think it was one of our best conversations yet with much more substance.  Our meal was inhaled and we were both hungry* and continued to the Hibachi side and split a meal. 
After finish THAT meal, I offered to take her bowling across the street, but then she sprang a surprise:  She had to go back home by 10:15 for her kids.**
Of course, I was rather disappointed, but not really since I wanted to us to behave on a date for once.
Really!
Looking at the time, we had an hour to kill, but didn't really want the date to end.
"How about some smooching for a bit?"
Her left eyebrow shot up.
"Just smooching!"
"Okay."
We continued our semi-serious conversation on what we wanted out of a potential relationship and we both seemed to agree quite a bit with each other on a variety of subjects.
Jumping into the backseat, I drove us to a more secluded part of the parking lot, adjusted the seats and we snuggled together.
We were good.
We kissed and smooched quite a bit, but I needed to make an adjustment.
She planted her arm to support herself VERY close to my erection and she kept hitting it as we moved around a bit.
"Oh, I'm sorry, am I hurting it?"
"Uh...no, I'm fine."
She bumped it again, causing me to mutter an slight obscenity.
"Did it hurt then?"
"Yah!"
"Let me kiss it and make it feel better," and it was down her throat a heartbeat later.
"I thought we were going to be good?"
"You be good, I'll be better."
After a couple of more minutes, she said something that totally threw me off:
"You know, If you want, you can take a picture of me doing this to you, as long as my face isn't shown."
"What?"  I couldn't believe what I just heard.
She repeated herself and related how she loved being photographed, as long as her face isn't in the frame.***
The rest was basically a replay of our last two dates, so I won't bore you with the details again.

Once again, it was another good date and it seems quite promising!



*You know, you don't get much for your money in sushi, but damn it's good! Note to self:  Brazilian Steakhouse next...an orgy O' Meat!
**Drama with the Ex. Too extensive to type about but I agreed that it had to be done.
***Put them on here? Umm.....maybe, I'll think about it.

Rainy days blues....not so much.

The weather here sucks, and I decided work could wait tonight as I was just too antsy to do anything productive.
Several hours ago, I sent Football Fan a Text to see if she was up for a dinner/date thing and finally returned a msg a bit ago.

We were on.  Since I was going to her part of town, I suggested a good mexican place and maybe a movie.  I asked her if she wanted to hit a bar afterwards;
"You know I don't have to drink to put out."
Those were words I wasn't expecting, but I did a little jumping for joy inside my head.
There's plenty of room for that.
Really.
"Two hours?"
"You're on."
I dash off to the shower, shave and just waiting for some "emergency laundry" to be done.


See ya!