Return from Phoenix

I'm back. Yep.. back from Phoenix and preparation for my deployment. Oh well. Since this is not the first time I have done this it was rather uneventful. However, the hotel we stayed at .. was.. lets say.. rather un-uneventful.. or in other words.. full of some wierd mo-fos.. but more to come on that in the next blog. For I happen to be at work.. and this is a no no to be doing at work.. and I like money.. so I shall sign off for now.. more to follow!

The Review and the end of Internet at work.

Well, Folks.. it has been a long week at work. The big event was the rumor that our raises would be announced this week. Sure enough on Wednesday I was called into the boss' office for my raise "talk".. But before I get ahead of myself, I have recently talked about podcasts and how they have helped me through work. I have developed an addiction to several podcasts. Among them are the following Daily Source Code, The Bitterest Pill, Tres Jefes, Pacific Coast Hellway, In Over Your Head, Tartan Podcast, Accident Hash and others just to name a few. I had installed I tunes and set it up to check every hour or so for new podcasts and put my headphones on and went to work.. Of course, I downloaded most of the back shows for the podcasts I really liked. The amount of time I spent on this task was minimal. Probably equal to a smoke break a day. The rest of the time I was busy busy busy on the projects I have been assigned. However, my boss called me in to inform me that I was one of the larger users of internet in the company. They only track website hits. So, every time I tunes checked for a new podcast it counted as a hit. And everytime there was a new podcast they tracked that download. All of this was occuring while I was working on other stuff. But the crappy computer nazi program that my work has, has no way to tell the difference, so to them, I must have been checking 40 sites every minute or something ridiculous like that. So, I had to explain the whole thing to my boss and to prevent it from happening again, I have moved all my subcriptions to my computers at home. Does it matter really in my job??? I am given projects and a time limit. As long as I meet or exceed the expectations in completion of the projects does it matter if Im on the computer 8 hours a day?
Ahh.. oh well, I guess their the boss, they own the computer, they pay for the internet service in the first place. but still, kinda of crappy. they should have a counter for those workers who spend the whole day talking or smoking or take 1.5 hour lunches every day.

The Establishment - Lazy Americans

One thing blogging has brought me to a closer realization of is this: The majority of us here in the US are spoon fed almost everything. EVERYTHING. Newspapers, TV News, Radio - aka whatever Clear Channel wants you to hear. Honestly, since I started listening to Podcasts at work, I burn them on to a CD (B/C I'm still w/o an IPOD) and listen to them in the car. Everyonce in a while I listen to NPR, but that's about it. So here it is.. WAKE UP AMERICA. There is so much more out there than the same 20 songs played over and over again with commercials for the local car dealership in between. Its basically a bunch of crap. .crappy mccrapelstein crap.

SO, if your reading this and you say, "Nick, where can I go to check out some tunes that are not mainstream?" I would say - "Dude, go to the Podsafe Music Network, and send me some beer" (That didn't work, oh well.. it was worth a try) Then, check out any of the many many podshows centered around this great resource.

So, In summation
radio bad
podsafe music network good
send me beer
the end



Tres Jefes! Send me my shirt fools!

Just Two Questions

1. Why do I have an office at work.. But no door? Does that even make sense?
2. Would it be frowned upon to install a pony keg refrigerator under my desk?

This has been, "Just Two Questions".

Pat Robertson has the same mindset of an Islamic Fundementalist

Folks.. whether you like him or not you cannot dispute that the leader of Israel, Ariel Sharon, is a WORLD leader. And, unless you have been under a rock or drunk for the past week.. (some of my friends might apply to this - JAKE) you realize that Sharon is not long for this world. So, here comes Pat Robertson making another one of his far far far right wing comments. In fact, here is the start of the story from CNN.COM (CNN) -- Television evangelist Pat Robertson suggested Thursday that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's stroke was divine retribution for the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, which Robertson opposed.

Honestly, Pat youre a complete idiot. What a dumb thing to say.. Let me guess.. you went back to your house, picked up the phone and called up God to ask him what he thought about Sharon. You know what, Pat, youre insulting to everyone who has a brain and doesnt mindlessly follow a crack like you. You fit in with the Westboro baptist church crazies who think that God is planting IEDs in Iraq to kill soldiers because there are gay people in the US.

On the way home I took this, I was happy to see that someone agreed with me.
See Im not the only one 

Podcast of Interest and a pain in my ***

If you know me, I spend a lot of time trying to figure out what I can do to make my work bearable. Its not that my work sucks.. Besides the fact that it is work.. but it is just not me. A desk 10 hours a day kinda sucks after a while. But alas, a savior has come.. that savior isnt actually one person.. but 3 and. in reality.. they are probably not much of a positive influence at all.. hmmm.. The savior is the TRES JEFES (Not a link for everyone). Basically, since I discovered this podcast a week ago, I ve been listening to all the shows I can get my hands on.. and strangely Ive been thinking about beer more as well.. COINCEDENCE??? hmmm.. maybe? Nah..

Now to the pain in my ***.. I try to run about 4 miles 3 times a week and my knees hurt today.. I mean hurt.. Im going to start taking some joint vitiams.. But .. does anyone have any other ideas? I dont want to be a hypochondriac.. but I hate it when my knees hurt.

Oh yeah.. I suck at picking winners of bowl games this year.. I think I should give up gambling and spend that money on beer.

Most importantly: Happy Birthday Tori!! I love you kiddo!