Time Flies When You're Busy as Hell

Is Hell in fact busy? Also something I need to know. . . (and yes that's me mocking my own use of profanity - - I have to stay consistent)

I apologize deeply and soul-wrenchingly for not blogging since Saturday. However, (and this is a huge however) I have noticed a severe lack of commenting, making me believe that no one is even reading this here blog. I shall complain some more. . . It's not hard folks. Just give me a "What's up" or a "Hey you're funny sometimes" or even a "I'm commenting to get you to stop complaining about not getting comments". All you do is go to the bottom of the blog (and if you read it, you're already there when you finish!) and click on "0 Comments" (cuz that's what it will probably say). You will view the lack of comments on the left and on the right, you will see a box to post your comment. Comment away and then decide how you will be catergorized (by name or anonymous - if anonymous, please put your name :D ) and then type in the password Ticketmaster-style. Thanks in advance for the overwhelming response to this. I appreciate it greatly :D . . .

So, in light of the great absence from the blogging, I will give you recaps from the last 5 days and 6 nights (Saturday night is included) in 3 areas: SCHOOL, WORK, and PLAY. Got it? Good. . .

SCHOOL:
- I had school on Tuesday and today this week, and I was busy with schoolwork throughout the week. In History, I had a test on Tuesday and got a 97 on it, despite not studying a whole lot again. I am glad that I'm a good test-taker. Plus, Jaffe's tests are arranged well and I have taken to his tests like, well, someone who gets an "A" on every test. If only every class was like this one. . . Philosophy is fun during class, but I realize more and more that I'm not completely sure what is going on and what is going to be expected of us. Dr. Zhu assigned us our big research paper (due April 27) so I am actually gonna start that early - no, seriously, stop laughing - and try to do well on it. I can't tell what else is gonna be graded in that class so that paper as a good grade is imperative for my success in that class. Communications (live, not online) is evil. I got a 74 on my group project because my group members said I was only partially participating, when in fact, we all did the same amount of work. Our midterm was today (I did pretty well I think, considering I didn't study - -) and a Journal containing eight 2-3 page entries was due today as well. I got it done about a half hour before class began. That's how close I was cutting it today. Astronomy is ok. It's really boring, but that should be expected. Come on, we're talking about stars! I got a high "B" on the last test and we have another one next Thursday. My online class is getting rolling pretty well. I'm doing the Discussion Boards fully and I'm doing well on the quizzes. We have a Film Critique (much like the one I wrote on JAWS for my Film class last semester) and I have chosen Francis Ford Coppola's APOCALYPSE NOW, based on Joseph Conrad's book Heart of Darkness, which I have (sort of) read. I own it, so I may pick it back up and skim it to add to the paper. Good stuff all around. Today marked the halfway point of the semester! Two more months! 16 more school days! And no, I'm not counting down. . .

WORK:
- I have only worked 3 shifts since I spoke to you last. I worked til midnight on Saturday night, (I made $100 though!) til 2230 on Sunday ($60) and then I hosted til close on Tuesday night. I really really really (did I mention really?) didn't wanna work tonight so I had someone cover my host shift. Tonight I got a call from one of my fellow TTs, asking me to pick up his morning shift tomorrow. I agreed before remembering that I TT tomorrow night. I called Tim and he told me that it would be no problem. I'll go in at 1000, clock out around 1500, and then come back at 1600 for my night shift. There will just be no TT during that hour. JC is dead during that time anyway, so it'll be ok. I won't be far if they need me, even if it got busy. Some way cool news from work came to me on Saturday night. I was talking to Tim and he told me a bunch of his stories from his past occupations. He said that he began (yes, began) Greenhouse Cafe and invented the Cajun Chicken Salad that they offer. He has done consulting work for Macaroni Grill, Baja Fresh, and more places like that. He has owned restaurants, received awards, and taken buildings from nothing and turned them into almost-million-dollar-buildings. He also mentioned that he has been getting the itch to begin another restaurant. I told him that it would suck if he left, seeing that I really like him as a manager. He said that people could surely follow him. . . so I asked him if he would be staying local. When he answered affirmatively, I told him I was in, as long as he liked me working for him, which he also affirmed. We'll see if (or when) that happens and how it all goes down. Sounds good to me though. . . I'm working a double shift tomorrow of TT (1000-1500? and then 1600-2200) so I'll be muy busy. Fun shtuff all around!

PLAY:
- Monday and Wednesday were my Playdays. I left for THE LB on Monday around 1500 as Heather's last class ended at 1700. I figured that would give me plenty of time. I thought wrong. This was the day that God decided to ring out all of his wet towels up there. It rained a ridiculous amount, I swear I was ready to get the supplies for a freakin' ark! So with the insane amount of rain (hey that rhymed!) and an orgy of cars driving the 405, it took me (brace yourself) 3.5 hours to get to her apartment! My left knee was throbbing from all of the shifting back and forth. So, I picked her up (still raining) and took her to our favorite California Pizza Kitchen and got our Margherita Pizza to share. After that (still raining) we got a Hot Fudge Sundae that was pretty kick-donkey and then drove back to her apartment (yep, still raining). She had to get up at 0430 (yes, you read that right) to be at PETCO so she jumped in the shower so she wouldn't have to take one in the morning. While she did that, I studied for the above History test (this was my studying time). After she was all done getting ready for bed, we watched (still raining) BEDAZZLED, a movie that is fun to watch from time to time. After the movie was my favorite part of the night: the cuddling :) I absolutely love sitting next to her and just talking about nothing in particular. It's truly straight out of the movies. I've even done the "Hey, your hands fit perfectly in mine" thing. It's true. Love, my friends, is cool. Catch it before it's gone! . . I then had to head home because she needed to get to sleep. An almost-two-hour trip home (still raining) got me home around 0145 and I was in bed (and way asleep) by 0200. I spent more time on the road than I did with Heather. Was it worth it, one might ask? I would say, and very quickly, "Every Second".
- Wednesday was almost busier than a school/work day and it was my OFF DAY. I went to lunch at JC (because I just don't spend enough time there) with my dad, Caleb, and my grandparents. My grandma had been with my dad and I this past weekend because my mom and Aimee were in Anaheim for some dance competition of Aimee's. When my dad and I both went to work, no one would be here to watch Caleb. Thus, Mom-Mom. It was great for her to come over and the small amount of time that I spent around her was a lot of fun. Pop-Pop (or just Pop for short) came over on Tuesday night to pick up Mom-mom and take her home on Wednesday. First, we went to lunch (like I said) and then they left for Arizona. After that, my dad, Caleb, and I went to BEST BUY so that I could buy WALK THE LINE (the incredible Johnny Cash biopic starring Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon) and the Original Soundtrack to the film (which features the songs by Phoenix and Witherspoon, not the Cashes). We headed home and I played MARIO KART with Caleb for a bit before I began my homework. I called Cy to see what he was doing at night and if he wanted to hang out with me and Justin. He said he couldn't (church thing) but asked if I could do him a favor and follow him to Palmdale. He had to take his Saturn Vue to the Saturn dealer, and needed a ride back. Well, it turned out that we needed to stay in Palmdale for 1.5 hours while the car was detailed or whatever. We hung out at the Mall and ate some snack-type food at RED ROBIN (Bottomless Fries!). After that, I headed to the CINGULAR store, where I met my mom. It was time to upgrade my prehistoric cell phone (finally!) and we also had to transition our plan from AT& T to CINGULAR. This whole process took over an hour, as the cashier girl was going a bit nutty, the place got really busy, and it was destined for that to happen. Either way, it took A LONG TIME! But we left with new phones for me and my dad. We got him the 2006 version of the phone we used to have (for less confusion) and I bought myself the ever-trendy Motorola Razor phone. I am having fun learning the ins and outs of this new toy of mine. Justin did come over and we chatted and stuff and watched some of AN EVENING WITH KEVIN SMITH on my TIVO. He left around 0015 and then I had to do homework. It was a long day, but a fun day. And of course, good stuff all around!

I do believe that is plenty. I'm tired and I need to head to bed because of that double shift awaiting me tomorrow. This weekend is the OSCARS and, as promised, there will be a prediction blog coming before the OSCARS go on the air.

Hope all is well with all y'all - -

- - - "What, do you think I was born 56?"
- - - Dr. Jaffe, in class today, after our laughter to his comment that "Teenagers liked automobiles because they could get away from their parents and go in the backseat and do stuff."; Highlight of the semester thus far!

Goodnight folks everywheres,

THE RAMBLER