Guitar Hero...for reals, yo

So, I got my guitar this week (Monday, to be precise). Ever since, I've been playing around with it, trying out some tabs of my favorite songs just to see how far I have to go.

So, today after work, I decided to go get an actual tuner for the guitar. While at Guitar Center, I also picked up an effects pad, the DigiTech RP80. It's pretty sweet...lots of effects, and even some drum samples to keep beat with. The tuner also told me that my tuning was WAY off, so my guitar sounds much better now, so that was a wise $20 investment.

As far as my back is concerned, it's still hurting. It was doing better mid-week, and I thought I was close to being in the clear. Then, Thursday I wake up and can hardly move. Not good times...since then, it's gotten relatively better, but still hurting.

Anyway, that's been my week. I did buy Bioshock, and plan to get to it at some point over the weekend...but the guitar has taken all my free time.

Achy Breaky Back

So, another weekend, another hurt...this time physical.

I decided I wanted to move my living room around to make better use of what space I have. Now, I had been offered assistance in this endeavor, and in hindsight it would have been good to call up on that offer.

I awoke yesterday (Saturday) morning fairly early...I wanted to get up at 9 to buy my game ticket for the Jaguars season opener, as it was the last transaction I needed to finish in prep for my Florida trip in a few weeks. After purchasing my ticket, I decided to go do a couple errands.

One of those errands was to go purchase a pair of swim trunks, for next weekend's whitewater tubing ride for my friend's birthday. Not exactly my cup o' tea, but I was going to make the most of it. I even learned my first song on the guitar...Happy Birthday. Hopefully Warner won't sue me for that one.

Anyway, I get home and decide to go ahead and make a go at moving my furniture around. Well, my back had other thoughts, and neglected to let me in on them until it was far too late. I have a big box of movies in my living room, and wanted to move it out of the way. So, foolishly, I bend over to pick it up, attempt to stand straight and BOOM. Searing pain, wobbly legs and whole lotta yelling. Not good times.

So, this weekend has been a big pain...quite literally. I'm not looking forward to this coming week. I was able to take enough pain medication to get myself to CVS and purchase some Icy Hot and Thermacare back patches, so I can at least get to work.

Last time I had back pain like this, it stuck around for a few weeks. I'm hoping that's not the case this time around, but I'm not optimistic...

So, how was your weekend?

Sunday Gloomy Sunday

Let me preface this post by saying I don't usually talk about this kind of stuff openly. I'm just pretty upset right now, and thought this actually writing about it might help.

So, this weekend started off well enough on Saturday, then took a turn for the worse Sunday.

First, the good part...got some good gaming in with my best friend. Played some GRAW 2 co-op for the first time, which was nice, and got some time in with Mario Strikers on the Wii. That was fun, and good times were had by all.

Sunday started off innocently enough...I was planning on re-arranging my living room setup to better facilitate the home theater aspect. So, as I'm making preps for that, I get a call. It's from an old friend who had visited a few weeks back. Now, I wouldn't classify her as an old "girlfriend", but more as an old "friend with benefits"...but still, a good friend that I've known going on a decade.

Anyway, a few weeks back, she had come into town for some business (she currently lives in Buffalo), and we got together. We hadn't seen each other in a long time, and it was fun to get back together with her. Now, we went out to some place in Alexandria (I forget the name) and met up with another friend of hers whom she hadn't seen in awhile. This girl was a cutie too, but whatever...I digress. Anyway, drinks were had by all (yes, even me), and the night moved on.

So, at the end of the night, my friend and I wound up back at my place. She has a couple more beers, and, long story short (too late), we wind up making out...which was cool. She spends most of the night, but has to get up early the next morning to get back to the hotel she was staying at. So I give her a ride back, and everything seems to be cool. No awkwardness that could be expected. I think things just happened, and that was that.

So, to yesterday. I get a call from her mid-afternoon, and she seems upset about something. She tells me that she's in a serious relationship at home, and apparently was in it when she came down here (of which I had no idea). Seems the events of her visit came out to her current dude recently, and he was less then excited to hear it. So, in the end, she decided to call me up and say that she wants to make her relationship work, and what happened was a "mistake", and we should probably stop talking...pretty much forever.

So, in the end, seems I've lost (what I thought was) a pretty good friend. Also found out that she cheated on him with me, which I really don't like finding out. Not exactly a great way for a weekend to go...

The Trip: Planning Stage

So, I've decided to take a trip. Seeing as I am quite the Florida Gators/Jacksonville Jaguars fan, and given that their respective football seasons are set to start post haste, I am going down to American's Wang to catch a weekend of fun.

The big news of this trip is that I'm actually flying down there...me, flying. Yikes...but, I decided it was the best choice to get down there. So, if something happens, this is the post you can point to where my life took a turn for the worse.

I will be flying down 9/6, visiting with family 9/7, driving to Gainesville for Florida v. Troy 9/8, attending the Jaguars season opener against Tennessee 9/9, and flying back home 9/10.

So, now that you know my itinerary, if you happen to be in the area that weekend, look me up...unless you're stalking me. Which you must be, because why else would you be in the exact place I am? Leave me alone, before I have to get another restraining order. I mean it...screw Flanders.

Long time, no see...

Hey folks, what's new? Seeing as it's been a few weeks since my last update, I figured I'd pop out a little entry to catch people up.

About a two and a half weeks ago I got a call from a recruiter about some Linux admin job. I went and interviewed, to find out the job was with Amazon.com. Bad news, it's a shift position, with weekend hours. No thanks...Since then, I've gotten a couple calls and e-mails from other companies, but no real "must take" positions.

Today, though, my big boss, Joe, asked me to come see him in his office. He asked how I was doing, and whether I had any issues around the office or whatever. Turns out another contract within my company found my resume on Monster.com, and wants to talk to me about a position with them...so he wondered why I had recently updated my info on that site.

Anyway, I went over my one real issue (our contract runs out soon, and I have concern about the re-compete), and said that I had no other problems. I did, however, mention I would like to talk to these other people. I think I owe it to myself to at least hear out anyone who wants to speak with me, right? So, we'll see what happens with that...

So, what else...movies.

Since my last post, I've seen a couple big ones. First off, the new Harry Potter was pretty good. Started kinda slow for my taste, but really picked up in the middle and end, and made for good entertainment. I had one issue (invisible dragon cart creatures), which was helpfully explained to me by someone who had read the book, and knew the reasoning.

Last weekend, I went and saw The Simpsons Movie, which was plain hilarious. Anyone who has ever considered themselves a Simpsons fan absolutely has to watch this, even if you don't like the newer seasons. I don't, but I loved this movie. I can't say enough good things about it...go see it now. Then go see it again.

On the gaming front, I've picked up Guitar Hero 2 again on my 360. Some of those songs on hard are damn near impossible, and expert is actually impossible at the moment. I'll keep trying, though, and am determined to conquer that game. Which leads me to my next thought...

So, I've decided to take up the guitar. Partly because of the influence of GH2 and how much I can't resist that game, but mostly because I've wanted to learn it for a long time now. I ordered a nice Les Paul model from Guitar Center (pictured), and will get busy working with that whenever it gets delivered. If I ever get good enough to actually let other people hear me, I'll be sure to post MP3s in this space...perhaps BJ Music Co. will live again!!

I suppose that's it for now. I'd say I'll try and post more frequently, but...ya know, there's that whole slacker thing.

So, until next time, screw Flanders.