Last 20 estrip Journals

Libertad - Suze Orman

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 19:49:21 -0500

Suze you are my hero. You used to live in a van and now you are rich and famous and wear designer space outfits. I am on page 207 of your book for the Young Fabulous and Broke and I just love you for helping people in humanistic terms. As you always say Suze, people first, then money, then things.

Thanks (mike) for the book. I love it! BTW, I like to say her name in a Spanish accent as demonstrated below.

+++Image Removed+++

Jim - Bacon Cups

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 18:08:17 -0500

Bacon cups: http://www.notmartha.org/archives/2008/02/27/bacon-cups/

Hey, maybe there is a God after all!

Theli - Andnowforsomethingcompletelydifferent...

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 16:48:17 -0500

[link=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/7784366.stm]Damn you RomComs!!![/link]

Jenks - I am ridiculous. Seriously.

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 16:26:55 -0500

Macworld is today. Apple's last. And sans Steve Jobs. The announcements don't look all that exciting to far, except as (fing) mentioned, Picasa for OS X. Oh, and that the songs from the itunes music store are now going to be available DRM free (for a price), which is kind of huge news.

What else...

Have to admit I'm a little hurt that I wasn't invited to Timika's Pearl street dinner, particularly after being her secret santa and asking several times to get together. Just throwing that out there.

And while I'm being a cranky bitch...

the new boy seems to be seeing someone new. And I am furious with myself b/c I find this makes me upset. I think I am a serious emotional cripple. I mean really... it's irrational and unfair for me to tell him that I don't want to see him anymore, and then be upset if he goes out with someone else. PARTICULARLY since I realized that despite what I might think, I have not been sitting home pining for him, and have been putting myself out there too, with varying degrees of success.

And the most awesome news of all....

Was in the OR yesterday.... doing a dumb little case that was "below me"- i.e. not a "Chief level" case, but something that would usually be delegated to the interns... But, I didn't have anything better to do, and felt like operating, so... I went in.

Enjoyed the case.

Until the end, when I stuck myself with a needle. No big deal, happens more often than it should. I was wearing two pairs of gloves (which I don't usually do). Didn't even think it went through the gloves. But at the end of the case I took my gloves off and inspected my finger, and there was a tiny drop of blood.

The kicker...

The guy has HIV and Hep C.

The chance of me catching anything is miniscule. But, it's not zero.

So... I am on a lovely anti-retroviral cocktail (complete with prophylactic anti-nausea meds) for 28 days. Have to have blood drawn to check my liver functions every two weeks (to make sure the meds don't put me into liver failure), and have to be tested for HIV/HepC at 2wk, 4wk, 6wk, 2mo, 4mo, 6mo and 1 year or something crazy like that.

What fun. And I thought the 9months of TB meds I took last year was bad enough. Stupid occupational hazards. :( I already had a skin cancer scare and a pap smear scare last year (that were negative, for the record), but I don't feel like having to worry about this.

But, better to be safe than sorry.

It was a low-risk incident (tiny scratch with a tiny needle), and he's a (relatively) low risk patient (his HIV and Hep C viral loads are undetectable), but... he's still positive and they now recommend the meds for just about everyone, even if the source patient tests negative, so...

I figure I'll sleep better at night.

Assuming I'm not up all night puking.

(but hell, maybe a month of GI distress will help me lose some weight. Silver lining, right?)

fun fun fun...

(and for the record, I think it's kind of huge that I am putting this out there, but I thought it was a good story. I still may take it down. But please do not take this the wrong way. I am not HIV+. You do not have to fear me and talk shit about me. K? I promise.) (not that anyone should/would fear or talk shit about people with HIV, but you know what i mean... don't want the rumor mill to go crazy here.)

Imk2 - Wegman's giving away free antibiotics

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 14:28:56 -0500

[hilite]Wegmans offering free antibiotics[/hilite]
-Sharon Linstedt

Just in time for "cough and cold" season, Wegmans Food Markets will offer free antibiotics throughout its 72-store chain.

The Rochester-based supermarket chain announced today it will give away free 14-day supplies of nine categories of oral antibiotics starting tomorrow through March 31.

Wegmans CEO Danny Wegman said the free antibiotics program will help customers with health and economic issues.

"We understand the economic pressure families are facing, including the rising cost of health care, which is something I'm especially concerned about," Wegman said in a statement.

The drug program is expected to save consumers approximately $1 million in out-of-pocket medicine expenses.

Participants in the Wegmans program must have a new or existing prescription for the antibiotic and a Shopper's Club card. There is no limit to the number of prescriptions that can be filled.

The list of free drugs includes Amoxicillin, Cephalexin, Sulfamethoxazole/Trimethoprim, Ciprofloxacin, Penicillin VK, Ampicillin, Tetracycline, Erythromycin Sterate/Ethysuccinate and Doxycycline.

Late last month Ahold-owned supermarket chains Stop & Shop and Giant Foods announced similar goodwill programs that began Jan. 2 and run through March 31.

http://www.buffalonews.com/258/story/541380.html

James - Uncle Talk

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 13:05:08 -0500

If you recall a dream I wrote about INLINK about a talk show called Uncle Talk. Last night I had a fourth Uncle Talk dream and it is worth journaling about.

The premise of the show is that a bunch of uncles sit around and talk about issues affecting uncles. This week very special guest Michael Cera was on. He was George Michael on Arrested Development and was in the movie Superbad among others. He was on promoting a new movie in which he goes to an exclusive high school for child prodigies. The school is across the country however and he must move in with his single uncle. Even though he is a child prodigy, he can't seem to see that his uncle is obviously a dirty uncle. A discussion about the film and the unfair treatment of uncles in films ensues.

Very pleased with my subconscious.

Fing - Today is a good day...

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 12:04:57 -0500

I know this is very geeky but today my hopes have been answered. I have been a huge Picasa fan for years now. What is Picasa you ask? It is a picture management application developed by Google. It does everything I want it to and more. Since switching to OS X I was very disappointed in iPhoto. Not because of features but because of the folder structure. iPhoto makes many copies and thumbnails of the same image where Picasa leaves the folder structure in place. That means you can have a folder called NewYears 2009 and it does not touch it. It makes backing up and organizing so much easier. So today Google announced in Beta....Picasa for OS X.

http://picasa.google.com/mac/

Get it!!

Janelle - Job Openings

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 09:32:13 -0500

The FBI is hiring for 2100 support positions in a wide variety of areas ... financial/accounting/human resources/administrative/the whole range of physical and social sciences/counselors/computer science, etc... In addition they're hiring for 850 FBI officers.

I'm not clear on how many of the positions are available in field offices, but surely the local field office is fairly large. Anyway, here's the link if you're interested. Must apply by January 16th.

I think I'm going to go for it!

Go to: www.fbijobs.gov

Changeisgood - Do we deserve what we get?

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 09:21:35 -0500

Please tell me Byran Brown is not running for Mayor again. Please tell me that Buffaloians cannot be so foolish as to reelect him...please...*much gnashing of teeth*

Kathryn - Quest for Teapot Day #2

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 08:05:59 -0500

Thanks so much for the advice! I think those beehouse ones are soooo adorable! I am going to see what I can get in town but I will definately buy one in the future!

I am going to check out Peir 1 and that Cafe on Elmwood. Thanks so much!

Zobar - a terrifying glimpse into the future

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 01:27:43 -0500

Don't ask me how, but we somehow started getting the geezer-est catalog in America http://carolwrightgifts.com I'm not the kind of dude who worries much about getting older but holy crap these products are giving me mad anxieties about gettin' on in years.

About a third of the catalog is housecoats http://www.carolwrightgifts.com/Womens-Apparel/Loungewear/Striped-Zip-Front-Lounger/66969.cfm nightgowns http://www.carolwrightgifts.com/Womens-Apparel/Sleepwear/Lace-Trimmed-Tricot-Gowns/54969.cfm muumuus http://www.carolwrightgifts.com/Womens-Apparel/Loungewear/Wide-Sweep-Caftan/48300.cfm and comfort-fit undergarments http://www.carolwrightgifts.com/Mens-Apparel/Menswear/Mens-Comfort-Briefs/62103.cfm which are to be expected and don't really warrant further discussion. However, due to the way the catalog is organized [it isn't], they're on pretty much every page, just kind of scattered through the catalog. It makes for some weird juxtapositions, though, like: Rooster Lamp http://www.carolwrightgifts.com/Home-Furnishings/Lamps-Lighting/Rooster-Lamp/18436.cfm , Pie Crust Shield http://www.carolwrightgifts.com/Kitchen-Dining/Cook-Bakeware/Pie-Crust-Shield/48785.cfm ... compression socks http://www.carolwrightgifts.com/Personal-Care/Support-Mobility/Support-Knee-Highs-Thigh-Highs/50363.cfm !!

The inside front cover advertises the Barack Obama Gold Coin Set http://www.carolwrightgifts.com/Leisure-Travel/Collectibles/Barack-Obama-Gold-Coin-Set/14951.cfm which appears to be a Sacajawea with a sticker on it. I'm not going to say something snarky about how hokey it is, or why their website says it's related to 'Leather Cushion.' What I will say is that a couple weeks ago we received a notice in the mail, to our address [but not our names] thanking us for ordering our set. (dragonlady7) said she thought it was a lie but I think it's forealz. Stay tuned, (strippers)!

There's a whole lot of incontinence aids in here, and it makes me wonder if maybe some people take incontinence beyond 'unfortunate occurrence' to 'hobby,' say, or 'job.' I mean, this catalog is like the Brookstone of pissing yourself. You got the waterproof mattress pads http://www.carolwrightgifts.com/Personal-Care/Health-Products/Waterproof-Bed-Pads/22867.cfm fair enough, and sponge shorts that range from 'woops' http://www.carolwrightgifts.com/Personal-Care/Health-Products/Incontinence-Briefs/52043.cfm to 'god damn!' http://www.carolwrightgifts.com/Personal-Care/Health-Products/Snap-On-Incontinence-Pants/56261.cfm and I'm ok with that. These http://www.carolwrightgifts.com/Personal-Care/Health-Products/Waterproof-Pants/59535.cfm are kind of on the edge as long as you don't think too much about how to get them off when they're full. They try to make this jug http://www.carolwrightgifts.com/Personal-Care/Health-Products/Instant-Relief/28527.cfm seem like a normal thing to have, but do you really want to be the guy who brings this on the bus with you? And then there's this item pictured below http://www.carolwrightgifts.com/Personal-Care/Health-Products/Sheath-Urinal/64782.cfm which looks like it came out of some German porn I downloaded by accident last week.

But then i saw, sandwiched between the Hair Cutting Umbrella http://www.carolwrightgifts.com/Personal-Care/Hair-Nail-Care/Hair-Cutting-Umbrella/97918.cfm and the Sonic Molechaser http://www.carolwrightgifts.com/Outdoor-Garden/Pest-Control/Sonic-Molechaser/19863.cfm -- the sex toy department! I know we all got needs, and you're not really going to use that 9 1/2" massager on your neck http://www.carolwrightgifts.com/Personal-Care/Sexual-Aids/Massagers/21790.cfm -- but I still don't want these products three pages from the incontinence aids. I gotta admit I'm oddly intrigued by the 'Totally Nude Aerobics, Yoga, and Tai Chi' videos http://www.carolwrightgifts.com/Personal-Care/Diet-Exercise/Totally-Nude-Dvds-Aerobics-And-Yoga-Tai-Chi/10694.cfm . The cover of the aerobics video says 'Both the nude and clothed versions,' and my inner fourteen-year-old wonders if maybe you could push a button to switch between them. There's also this web-exclusive device http://www.carolwrightgifts.com/Personal-Care/Sexual-Aids/Rejoyn/28217.cfm that lets you have sex without all the bother of getting an erection. Half of me is weeping, half of me is wishing I'd thought of it first, and half of me is wondering how the Hell you're supposed to hook that thing on your junk.

And for those of you geezers who are still kids at heart, you can order a Matchbox hearse http://www.carolwrightgifts.com/Leisure-Travel/Collectibles/1920-Coroner-Car-and-1938-Cadillac-Hearse/10363.cfm with a trunk that opens and a casket inside. The casket also opens, prompting (dragonlady7) to ask me what's supposed to be inside. It doesn't say - maybe your stash?

- Z

Johnallen - Elmwood

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 01:21:58 -0500

I stumbled across these on youtube. Perhaps you've seen them before, but they're good. [youtube]xuWO2VRdan0&feature[/youtube]

Paul - I know this will make people mad but...

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 23:07:42 -0500

I would be happy to see israel blown off the face of earth. I just don't see what good it is supporting them. Imagine how different our relationship with the Arabs would be of we gave up on Israel.

Not only that but if the whole thing was blown away no one would fight over all the bullshit religious monuments. I think the only way to move on is to start with rubble.

Drew - 10 Things I like about 2008

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 22:54:24 -0500

1. New friends--both in the church and out.

2. Some great parties (at our house and at others).

3. Growth in my culinary skill (pizza and sushi in particular)

4. A great season for the Steelers.

5. A new, orange kitchen, with buffalo shelves and a dishwasher.

6. A trip to Boston and Maine with my beloved wife.

7. Good times with my family (even the funeral was an amazing celebration of a great guy who loved life but didn't fear death).

8. The beginning of my use of twitter, a fun and useful addiction, a good update of elmwoodjesus.org, and a fuller use of facebook.

9. Some great estrip discussions on my favorite topics (especially religion/faith)

10. It was my first full year in Buffalo, with Lafayette, and with (strip)!

Theecarey - Humidity Levels- Shocking!

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 22:51:57 -0500

ack, my apartment is so dry that I am constantly zapping myself and my poor kitties. They come up to me for a rub down, and they get shocked instead. Upper 20% to mid 30% is the best I can do without taking some action.

I have a humidifier but I somehow lost a part, so I'll be looking to buy another one if only just for my bedroom - likely a warm air vaporizer this time. I had a larger cool mist one, but I brought it over to my bf's recently and I'm likely going to keep it there. Thought I'd make everywhere I hang out comfortable!

Other ideas include placing bowls of water around the house to allow evaporation. My felines will enjoy having several water choices. Also, boiling a pot of water on the stove then turning it way down and allow the steam to fill the air is another. Some people hang up their fresh washed clothes around the room to dry hence adding moisture to the air. Not sure if I am that motivated or patient enough to look at the clutter. My laundry area is in the basement and although I often hang stuff up to dry, it is visually out of the way. I'd have to bring the load upstairs and find somewhere to hang everything. Looking at it might drive me crazy, yet for a sizable boost on my hydrometer read out, it may well be worth it.

Was else? What more ideas are there to boost the humidity levels in a house? Keep shower water in bathtub for awhile? I'm really curious about new and creative ways to boost humidity levels- to feel more comfortable and to help the house. Not only does this help the area feel warmer it is important for the health of your furniture and house structure. Keeps wood healthy.

alright.. off to figure all this out. Stay warm! :)

Vincent - New Years Res & the plan

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 22:01:49 -0500

I had a very good 2008 and to be honest there is a part of me that is afraid that this year won't stand up to last year. I don't know what motivates women, but for guys the negative is more of a motivator that positive reassurance. I guess it comes down to sports and the "I'll show your ass" mentality that we learn early on in life when the other team runs smack or someone criticizes you. Just look at the NFL playoffs the top 4 top awarded people are out golfing & the two most badgered are playing next weekend. Heck I think of the bowl games only UB didn't cover the spread as an underdog or win outright.

Anyway I have a ton of work to do this year. As I was looking back the only things that would have made a great year into a stellar year would have been me getting married &/or having a kid.

Here is a list of things to do:

1. Get mentally healthy

2. Go to a chiropractor

3. Start being more assertive & take more risks in social situations

4. Go tanning at least once a week to keep my current color going.

5. Work some OT to continue building savings

6. Lose 10 pounds to get back to my "ideal" weight

7. Enter into a healthy relationship some some woman
Simple enough right? Well the OT is not guaranteed, I know you can't bank on something that is out of your control, but from the indication I got today, we may be in for a repeat of last year since I didn't get settled yet back into the job today when the question was popped!

Metalpeter - A week from Yesterday

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 20:13:16 -0500

[youtube] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GwLvBy8XKk[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyKlPORDP5E&feature=related[/youtube]

So last night They rebroadcast 24 Redemption on Fox for people who didn't see it, plus it is a good lead in to next weeks 2 hour premiere on Sunday and then another 2 hrs on Monday. I'm looking forward to this season it could be pretty good, we shall see.

Ajay - On the cusp of change...

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 16:35:45 -0500

The Obamas have posted a few pictures of their kids getting ready to go to school in DC: http://www.flickr.com/photos/changedotgov/3169915653/in/set-72157612143267559/

Setting aside all political angles: it does feel good that someone about to enter the WhiteHouse uses Flickr to update his/her friends.
What next? IM? Twitter? I can just imagine the possibilities...

[box]Livni> Wasssup O?
ObamaWH> LOL @ hamas
Livni> Popped a cap in there ass! LOL
Sarkozy> B sirius u2!
Livni> sup Sarko!
ObamaWH> Sarkozeeee's in da house.

Abbas> Fuck you all!
ObamaWH> Chill, Abby! v r doin' u a favor.
Abbas> yeah... but wife's bitchin about her bro.
Livno> Oops, sabbath. not sposed to b usin electrical stuph.. lol
ObamaWH> Gotta run... l8r, homies

[/box]

Enknot - A few more resolutions for you to add...

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 16:34:55 -0500

Paul Visco...just a man
[youtube]yoN6XfyQsr4[/youtube]

Joshua - Grlz R Stoopid - A Larson Tragedy

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 15:02:44 -0500

Today I found out that my ex-girlfriend got married, which is something that shouldn't bother me in the least, but for some reason I still feel sad about it. This is the girl that I've documented in the past in my journal, the one who pretty much ripped my heart out, cheated on me, etc. - really there should be no love lost but the news reminds me of how much of a colossal failure I really have been with ladies. Back then I was just "too nice" if that makes any sense. I let her walk all over me to an extent. Why I'm sharing one of the things I'm most ashamed of with you, I don't know, but I suppose this whole thing is an illustration of how mad at myself I am for letting someone get that far into me. This girl twisted me in knots! I'd rather jump out of a window than go through that again, but living is kind of sweet too, so what is a boy to do? This is the last girl I called my girlfriend and it's been about five years since I did anything other than "casual relations" so I suppose I've adjusted by just not letting anyone in at all.

If I'm being 100% stone cold honest with myself, despite all the stuff she put me through, I'd still be her friend and give her an ear if she needed it. I wish it weren't true and I hate myself for even having this sentiment, gotta tell you. The person singly responsible for the most pain I've ever dealt with, and I don't have it in me to hate her or never speak to her again. What the hell? I know that if I were listening to myself talk from the outside, I'd be saying "YOU ARE AN ASSHOLE FOR FEELING THAT WAY JOSH!" The guy she left me for was a real piece of work - locked her out of the house in the middle of winter, "allegedly" used his hands on her, etc. My spiteful side says that she deserves what she has - if that is what she wants then that is what she'll get. But I'm not living my life with spite - life is short and spite is poisonous.

In the end I think the reason why this news took me aback was because the whole episode reminds me of how for the first time in my life my judgment failed me, how I failed myself, that sometimes being wrong has deep personal consequences that aren't easily dealt with. At least I stopped asking myself silly introspective questions a few years ago. I accept part of the blame for the predicament I was in - I know both Ho sisters, had they been there, might have told me I was a pussy - and the bright side is that I learned what I don't want in a girl!