Wednesday, February 23, 2005

I figured it out!

I saw an article on the USAToday site where the author claims that Thompson planned his suicide. This makes sense to me. I think HST thinks that he is Ernest Hemmingway. HST wrote of Hemmingway’s suicide with understanding and appreciation. In fact, looking at HST’s career, one can see the parallels. The trips through South America, the fearless way he went about gathering data for his writings, and the unconventional lifestyle all add up to a personality that is living in the fantasy that he is Ernest Hemmingway. Now that HST finds himself in a similar place…

Hemmingway is not a bad model. He was truly great American author. He was a real man’s man. I understand the affinity. That said, I still think killing oneself is a coward’s way out. I want to be kept alive as long as possible. Hook me up to any and every machine. If I do pass, freeze my ass and look for the cure to what took me out. I would love to be around 500 years from now.

However, if I am brought back things may have turned brown for human society. I may not like it. So, you had better pack a .45 and 1 bullet in case I need to take myself out when I get there.

Monday, February 21, 2005

Casino Review

It seems I have chosen about the worst day possible to review Las Vegas casinos. Dr Gonzo has left us to our own devices. I came late to the party on Thompson’s writing. I am just a little too young to have enjoyed the “hippie” culture and I am just a little too conservative to really buy the “government is evil” slant on life. Or perhaps I am just to sober to experience the paranoia necessary to fear all authority.

It is interesting that all the obit’s mentioned Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and said that HST had pioneered the Gonzo Journalism concept. Doesn’t it seem odd to anyone that not one journalist working today engages in the Gonzo style? Apparently event the copy writers on the obit desk don’t really care about HST. I read in a newspaper interview given in the early eighties that HST called F&L in Las Vegas the ultimate Gonzo failure. It proved that the style could not work. In the same article the author asked HST how his life had changed in the 10 years since F & L, Thompson’s reply was that he found it difficult to rent hotel rooms. Personally I find Hell’s Angels to be a great read and his collections of political writings, while misdirected, are very amusing.

His end, while sudden, is far from surprising. His last article on the ESPN site discusses a new sport he is (was) developing which involved golf and guns. I am disappointed that he will no longer make the national news for his random acts of violence or a paranoid freak out. On the upside, his assistant probably will never work for another writer that shoots her. The only thing left is to wait for Trudeau to write the final epitaph for Uncle Duke.

Sunday, February 20, 2005

The last days of summer

I finally got a job early last week. I start at the end of the month. So, in protest of the end of my freedom ("The Man" is gonna own my time again), I went to Vegas for a couple of days to shake my fist at the establishment one last time.

It feels just like that last week of freedom before the school year resumed when I was younger. Trying to squeeze in one last day of fishing, one more day of sleeping late, one last game of kickball in the neighborhood going on until just after the sun set until we couldn’t see the ball anymore. One last hurrah at the lake, a final afternoon of water skiing, one final time to just absolutely waste an entire day and not feel any guilt or pressure.

Only now as an adult, I go to Vegas. I called my college roommate, Beef, and we set up the plan. Travel cheap, stay cheap, get the Casino to buy all the food and beer necessary for a final end of summer like rage-fest. We need our money for gambling. We’re going to Vegas. We’re gonna gamble constantly, we’re gonna drink to excess, we’re gonna be rude and obnoxious and leer at the cocktail waitresses and talk loud and and and and…

Anyway, that was the plan. What I really learned was the madman who used to wreak all of that havoc not so very long ago, has been replaced. Instead of the beer fueled mayhem of fighting with the cabbies, shouting down the pit boss, drinking so much so fast that large chunks of the day are forgotten (you hope!), engaging in behavior that would embarrass Teddy Kennedy, I have become …. I don’t know.

We did stay cheap, we did travel cheap. The entire trip including gambling, room, and board was under $100. We did gamble. We did drink beer. But we also ate 3 meals a day (it couldn't be helped, we were hungry), slept an appropriate amount every night, and in general tried to avoid feeling crappy the next day.

Oddly enough, we still achieved that late summer feeling. We avoided any of the time pressure that people place on themselves. We relaxed and did what we wanted to do and when we wanted to do it. There was no timetable other than the flight home. The low-stress nature of the journey made it a worthwhile trip. 2-3 days of Vegas is still all that I can handle.

Tomorrow I will give my review of the hotels and casinos we patronized. Lucky you.

Tuesday, February 15, 2005

No Brain no Pain

This story has a GREAT line in it. Go Norwegian scientists!

I think my buddy Steve is familiar with this concept.

Job hunt Update:
I want a second offer before I make a decision. I wanna be in charge for once!

Friday, February 11, 2005

Fer Cryin’ Out Loud…

… the man threw the baby out the window! At least that’s what my grandfather used to say. And now, it’s happened.

Also I see that Arthur Miller has passed away. Did he ever find out what happened to American cheese?

I had a near perfect day yesterday. I played in a poker tournament in a local card house and I won. 10 minutes after winning the tourney, I finally got a job offer. Then last night I participated in a play-test over at MSFT. It was almost perfect.

Thursday, February 10, 2005

Reading the News

Would someone please explain today’s Dilbert to me? I don’t get it.

I read where now there is some mini-controversy about where Johnny Carson actually died. My first thought was “Hmm, only 79 years old.” I am getting old.

I see also that Marcia Cross of Desperate Housewives fame is NOT GAY, not that there’s anything wrong with that.

Finally, Prince Charles is getting married again. So far that’s once every century.

Wednesday, February 09, 2005

Midwestern Fun

Check out the Rankin House. Thanks USA Today!

I have talked about the farm in Ohio before. The farm is about 4 miles from this place. I have taken the Rankin house tour. It was interesting. We also took the tobacco museum tour. I was unable to get my buddy Steve his tobacco leaf.

Tuesday, February 08, 2005

Signs of the Apocalypse

World coming to an end! Call out the National Guard! Governor Gregoire, please declare a state of emergency.

In conjunction with the re-release of the pornographic classic “Deep Throat”, we also have British scientists cloning human cells, and now the Pope may resign! So long as the Vatican isn’t panicking I guess.

These events cannot be just random chance.

Monday, February 07, 2005

Inconsistent

So apparently I can only go 1 day in a row posting to this blog.

For the second time in 2 years the super bowl was actually an interesting game. I can’t say it was a good game; there was too much sloppy play. 3 Interceptions!!!

I am getting busy interviewing again. Let’s hope for a little success in my near future.

Friday, February 04, 2005

Constancy

Constancy is one of Reverend Lovejoy’s favorite sermon topics. I am just trying to post for a solid week. So far, I’m perfect for February. I have also managed to jog 6 days in a row, counting today. Go man go!

I saw that “Dean Wormer” died. Is this really front page news on the CNN site? I suppose that this is the definition a slow news day. Perhaps we are in a post-State of the Nation hangover.

More news as events warrant.

Thursday, February 03, 2005

Reliable Mechanic

I had the car I bought for my kid serviced, actually my wife had the car semi-serviced at Sears a couple months back. The car has not run properly since. My wife was supposed to be getting the car a tune-up/check-up, but somehow she ended up at Sears having belts and hoses replaced. For big dollars I might add.

The next thing I know is that the battery is not charging and the car is overheating. Then there was the accident.

Lately the belts are squealing. I have owned cars for their lifetime and belts did not squeal like this. Naturally the belts snapped last night.

I have re-assumed control of the automobile issue. I took the car to the dealer’s service department. It cost me less than $200, but everything seems fine, finally. Sears and the other mechanics we saw along the line are scurrilous.

However, Professional Collision in Mukilteo does fabulous body work. I highly recommend them. Sears sux.

Wednesday, February 02, 2005

The Pope and Other Stuff

The pope is sick again. The Vatican says there is no reason to panic. Hmm, I wonder. The guy is 84 years old. He was at death’s door in late 2003. They rushed him to the hospital early this week. Sounds like the Vatican may be panicking.

I wouldn’t panic in any event. There is a well defined process in place to elect a new pope. I’m not a physician, so I couldn’t help regardless. (Irregardless for those readers in the Midwest) And finally, I’m not the guy who was interpreting the pope’s words when he was at death’s door in 2003.

That’s kinda funny when you think about it. God speaks to the pope, the pope mumbles god’s words to the appointed cardinal, and the appointed cardinal tells the rest of us. Is this the heavenly version of ‘telephone’? Is this the kind of brilliant entertainment I can expect in the afterlife? What do they play in hell? Trivial Pursuit?

I am truly excited about this news. I also read today that there is a video game based on the Godfather movies and novels. They apparently have Jimmy Caan and Bobby Duval as well as Brando’s likeness and the theme music from the movie. I’ll be first in line for this one.

Also, that fickle bitch Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow today. Just what we need, more winter.

Tuesday, February 01, 2005

Interviewing Woes

I interviewed, out of town, with one of those big software companies 2 weeks ago. You would know the name if I told you.

Anyway, they paid to fly me to the city where they are located, put me up in a hotel and flew me home.

Since then, the silence is deafening. Apparently the HR people I was dealing with are no longer with the company. The hiring manager is still there at least her voice mail is active. I got an apology over the telephone from the director of personnel. He told me they don’t treat candidates this way.

Wow.