daysleeper’s blog

doctor and donna

nobody@vox.com(daysleeper) — Sat, 10 May 2008 18:06:01 -0500

On a much lighter note from the other day, I have to say that I am slowly warming up to the new companion on Doctor Who. Both Rose and Martha were strong characters that complimented David Tennant's Timelord quite nicely. Donna is more of a humorous approach and that takes some adjustment on my part. I can understand that the writers wanted to avoid another possible romantic entanglement, so they needed to set some distance between The Doctor and his latest companion, but why not go with a male companion then?

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ramshackle day parade

nobody@vox.com(daysleeper) — Fri, 09 May 2008 09:48:18 -0500

A nagging thought in the back of my mind. Unfinished business. Something that I can not escape. A monkey on my back. The elephant in the room. How can I properly describe how I feel about having to pay two mortgages, because my old condo will not sell? I do not think that any of those phrases quite capture how often I think about this problem. I am not physically suffering, but the financial burden is having a psychological effect on me that I do not enjoy. People tell me that the housing market is bad. My real estate people tell me that the market is bad. My family tells me that the market is bad. The news constantly tells me that the market is bad. Knowing this to be true makes me feel only a little better. I still do not like this feeling of helplessness.

Suddenly I have become the prisoner of strangers. Their whims and opinions affect my life. What they say has some importance to me. Will someone decide to purchase what I once called home? When? Why is it taking so long? Should I lower the price? Should I become a landlord and rent it out? If I chose the rent option, then at least someone else would be paying the mortgage for me. Decisions to make and options to explore. Will I be able to enjoy the summer with these thoughts in my head?

Having this burden is an anchor that drags the rest of my life to a crawl and I want it to go away as soon as possible. That is my wish. That is my desire. That is my hope. That is my plea.

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sixteen new songs

nobody@vox.com(daysleeper) — Wed, 07 May 2008 10:03:51 -0500

Yesterday, I managed to obtain an interesting cross-section of songs to add to my collection. They ranged from Tori Amos to Snow Patrol with some Michelle Branch and Oasis also in the mix. I like both Tori and Snow Patrol, but did not get their most recent releases so I was happy to get these songs that had been out for a while. This is not unusual for me at all. I tend to linger when it comes to new music purchases. If I remember correctly, the last album that I purchased immediately upon release was Magic by Bruce Springsteen. I am not sure if I would call myself a completist, but I do own at least six of his discs so I guessed that I would like at least half of the songs on it. That was my hope when I bought it. Overall, I have to say that it is not his best effort, but I am not angry about buying it and know that I listen to it from time to time. In fact, at this moment it is in my car along with Girlfriend by Matthew Sweet, The Delays' Faded Seaside Glamour and the debut album Finally Woken by Jem. I try to rotate through my music collection as often as I can. I have not made the jump to an iPod and any other form of mp3 player for my car, but I like to keep a small handful of music discs inside my car at all times.

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prairie rose reservation

nobody@vox.com(daysleeper) — Tue, 06 May 2008 10:37:51 -0500

Jason Aaron with his writing on the Vertigo title Scalped has filled the void left by Y The Last Man as a must read for me every month. Of the eight issues that I own, I have yet to read a bad issue. Each and every installment of the story of life on an Indian reservation leaves me wanting more so I end up going to online auctions to complete the current run. I love the characters, I love the art and hope that it lasts as long as Y did or at least another couple of years.

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fourteen from thirty

nobody@vox.com(daysleeper) — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:12:11 -0500

For the second Wednesday in a row, I have had the pleasure of riding my bicycle on a new trail by my house and it feels good to be spending that much time outside again. This time I headed east instead of west and thanks to that change in direction, I have rode the entire length now. Knowing what to expect should decrease my time going forward each time I ride. Plus I am eager to see the trail get more green as we enter the month of May. At the moment the trees are just starting to bud so there is little shade and everything still looks very gray and dead. Three weeks from now I am certain that all of that will change.

I managed to exercise in some form fourteen days this month and I am pleased with that total. If I can increase my cycling to twice a week that will augment the three days a week that I spend on the elliptical machine at work to a total of five days a week where I am doing something physical. Between the two forms of exercise, I should have a solid regimen.

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chunky monkey desire

nobody@vox.com(daysleeper) — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 20:31:06 -0500

For a while I have had this running joke with my wife. Whenever she asks me if I want to eat some ice cream, I loudly reply in my best cartoon voice that I want some Chunky Monkey. This usually annoys her for a number of reasons. First of all, we do not have any Chunky Monkey ice cream in our freezer. Secondly, I have never even tasted Chunky Monkey flavor ice cream. I just like shouting the name to get a rise out of her. Now all of that has changed, because she bought me a small container of Chunky Monkey ice cream and I love it. This does not surprise me, because when I was young my menu item of choice at a local custard stand was a banana split. So ice cream that tastes like banana with chunks of fudge and walnuts mixed inside it is a sure win with me.

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ichigo and rukia

nobody@vox.com(daysleeper) — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 10:04:31 -0500

Thanks to online streaming sites, I managed to see three more episodes of Bleach this morning and with each new episode that I see, I become more and more impressed with the series. With all of the character development, it is easy to see why the series has lasted for eight seasons. Another strength is the ability to have a whole episode where neither of the two key characters make an appearance.

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must see russia

nobody@vox.com(daysleeper) — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 19:38:37 -0500

Work welcomed me back last night with a quiet night and I used my down time to work on some personal projects. My primary goal was to do some serious research and planning on a trip to Russia. At this time I know that I want to see both Moscow and St. Petersburg and will probably due so with some kind of tour package, but any other details have yet to be determined.

From my casual reading, I have learned a few things that should make my journey a success. Foremost is that Russia is not nearly as dangerous as it is portrayed in the media. Yes, they have organized crime, but the Russian mafia will not be something that I have to fear when I am there. Most guides that I have read say that the average tourist will have no contact with said people and overall Russia is just as safe as most European countries.

Another detail that jumped out at me is the fact that I should not drink the water in Russia and once again I am comfortable with that statement. Purchasing and drinking bottled water is something that I do quite often when I am abroad. This is nothing out of the ordinary for me. As an ancillary, I have mentally prepared myself that the hotel accommodations might not be up to Western standards. This is something that I expected.

Finally, I am hoping to bring back some unique souvenirs from Russia. I want something that is distinctly Russian, be it an article of clothing or something written in Russian. For example, I am proud to own as many volumes of manga that I do that were purchased while I was there.

Speaking of things Japanese, I was able to watch the final two episodes of the anime series Full Metal Panic and I have to say that I liked it. I probably won't start watching the sequel, because I want to devote all of my viewing time to Bleach. With eight seasons, there is plenty of story for me to enjoy and I would rather not cloud the waters, but watching something else at the same time. To further my cause, I purchased about ten episode on eBay for my viewing pleasure. Even though all of the episodes can be streamed online, there are time when I prefer to see something in a larger format and at my leisure. I also enjoy the special features that come with the packaged discs.

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lost survivor brother

nobody@vox.com(daysleeper) — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 17:03:51 -0500

At four o'clock this morning, I was witness to what had to be the first spectacular thunderstorm of the year. The forecast had predicted strong storms, but so often that seems to be an exaggeration, but that was not the case this time. More than a few times there was an all encompassing flash quickly followed by ground shaking thunder. It was a serious storm that lingered over my house for at least an hour. Since sleep was out of the question and I couldn't seem to concentrate on what I wanted to read, I counted the lag between the flash and the thunder to pass the time. Sometimes simple rituals from childhood are the most comforting.

Lately I have been reading some of Marvel Comics efforts from the late 1970's and early 80's. For me this is when I started reading comics and because of that initial exposure feel more than a slight affection for this era. Yes, many of the characters and stories feel very dated today, but that doesn't stop me from enjoying them. There is no denying that both Luke Cage and Danny Rand were products of 70's fads. Luke came out of the blaxploitation films such as Shaft and Danny was a nod to the martial arts craze at the time. Pairing these two characters together in a detective for hire scenario made for some great reading. I can't say that I was an avid follower of the title Power Man and Iron Fist when it was fresh on the stands, but this gives me a wonderful vein of stories to tap today.

I may have been somewhat hostile to the anime series Bleach when I first saw it, but all of that has changed now. Having seen the first sixteen episodes and a handful from much later in the series, I have grown to love it more than other series I have seen. I might even put it in my top five list behind Ergo Proxy and RahXephon. Both of the main characters, Ichigo and Rukia, have well rounded personalities and their interaction is so fun to watch. Then there is the strong supporting cast that keeps growing and growing with each episode. I can see why the series has lasted for so many years and I like having something so elaborate to keep my interest.

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bicycle car stress

nobody@vox.com(daysleeper) — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 16:16:20 -0500

Yesterday was the best Wednesday that I have had in three weeks. Why? It was the first time in three weeks that I was not dealing with car problems. Sigh. I fully confess that I am not an automotive person by any means so I have to rely on what mechanics tell me. This is not unusual today for most people, but that does not make it any less frustrating. Being at the mercy of someone else is never a pleasant feeling. Plus when the car in question belongs to my wife and not me, the stress level is even greater. If I were stranded due to a car problem, I could probably accept it, but when it affects her, then the problem takes on a slightly different concern. Thankfully all of that seems to be in the past now.

To celebrate the return of my stress free Wednesday, I went for a two hour bike ride on a local trail that runs very near where I live. I had known about the trail ever since I moved here, but did not get a chance to try it out last year before it go too cold. Overall I have to say that it was a great ride. The weather was perfect with just the right amount of sun and wind. Neither of those two elements were too strong. Plus the trail itself had a gentle grade with just one slightly trying hill at one point. Now my plan is to add the trail to my weekly workout in addition to the time that I spend on the elliptical machine at work.

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