Dante's Villa

Daddy, what's the red stuff coming out of Kitty's ears?

Mon, 31 Jul 2006 02:05:18 GMT

http://member.wayn.com/DantePhoenix

Okay the link should work now. You can see "recent" locations. (And enter your own locations after registering) Although all of the five recent locations have not even occurred yet since I've put so many potential future trips in there.

I work at O'Charley's now and the people are nice and I'm also reading "Rich Dad Poor Dad". It's about personal finance. I am also drinking a pink lemonade out of a styrofoam cup.

a day of success

Wed, 12 Jul 2006 19:53:18 GMT

There were many errands to run yesterday.

A few weeks ago I bought a couple boxes of dental floss. I got a coupon to save one dollar on my next purchse of anything at Giant! It had since expired so I threw it out but thought I might give it a try so I took the receipt that was soaked in garbage juice to buy two gatorades. One for me, one for roommate/landlord (she lives there but her parents bought the house as an investment). They took my expired coupon! Success!

On my way out to Harrisonburg I stopped by the bank and deposited $40. Nothing out of the ordinary.

I parked at the Health Center to give them an updated record - what they need when their existing health record is more than five years old. It was simple and quick. I decided to kill a few nagging questions I'd had for a while too, regarding finances. I requested an invoice for fall tuition so I could know how much in the hole I was. They were sending out invoices in a couple weeks but they calculated with my credit hours it would be in the 3000 range. Man, that was more than I had so I walked 10 feet to the left to talk with Financial Aid. There was a very helpful man who walked me through the whole process and all the options. I walked out thinking that I would have to add another 3 grand onto my already bloated student loan. Went back to my car, held my breath, but it didn't help. I had a damn parking ticket! I was gone for maybe a half hour! But for some reason they decided to print a ticket that had a zero dollar fee attached. Why waste the paper? Who knows. A zero fee is better than twenty! Success!

The big chore of the day was to meet with the associate dean of the college of business to "chat" about a graduate assistant position that had opened up. So I changed into my "business casual" attire and prepared to answer silly questions about my strengths and weaknesses. But apparently she had already settled on me since I applied when there were no more openings, but I was first in line when this ONE spot became available. So it was more of a paper-signing meeting than anything. My work includes admin tasks like grading, filing, computering, and perhaps test-proctologing. My tuition is now taken care of (including the spring semester if I choose to stay) along with a small stipend, which is a word I've never heard used outside of Showker Hall! Success!

I talked to Duke Club who is now located in the offices of the Bridgeforth Stadium (ROTC moved to the old Harrisonburg High School). They said they did indeed have a bus trip planned for the Appalachian State football game in Boone, NC. I'd guess about $50 which includes bus, ticket and some sort of drink. Count me in verbally! Success!

I drank one of the gatorades and it was berrylicious! Success!

Talked to someone in the office of admissions about being a summer tour guide. Right when I was about to leave they emerged from the back. They said they could use someone for August. Not thrilled about working any sort of job for $5 an hour, but it's just still my GA thing starts. But one of the tour women kept shuffling closer to me as we talked, even as I shuffled to give us our personal space. Uhhh....good enough!

Cara the Landlord still was not back from work and I could not stay too long as I had a Duke Club No.Va. chapter meeting at 7 back in Fairfax County. To kill some more time I filled out a half-page application for O'Charley's. Their menu is not as high priced as Champps' so the check average - meaning TIPS - will be lower but it looks like a decent place where I can put in few hours, take in a few dollars and have a few sandwiches. When I walk out I am ready to drive off but I check my messages and Cara had called and is back at the house. What timing! Success!

I get the lease and measure my room (13 by 10 which can only fit a twin bed) and I am moving in this weekend. As expected!

On the drive up I tell my Dad about the GA position and the small room. He says I can take the extra "guest" bed that is in his basement. Whoa, free bed! Success!

I had not eaten lunch so by the time I get to the Duke Club (JMU sports scholarship fundraising) meeting at this fellow's giant house I might as well be drunk and delirious. My vision is spotty and it becomes very difficult to say the phrase "environmental volunteering". But what is there? Papa Johns Pizza for all!!!! Miniature American flags for others! Success! Although the meeting's topics were way over my head.

Therefore, July Eleventh is now Day of Success! It was mostly topped off by the GA thing, but so many other little things went my way. Hope yours was a ripper.

Laughter is coming for you, three's company too!

Thu, 29 Jun 2006 02:04:48 GMT

So five days before the lease at the duplex on Ott St. would have started, they email me and say they've found another roommate. Another place I was looking at on Mt View found a place. Either way looks like a lease will start in August. I put in my two weeks' quitting notice based on this lease starting! Gahhhhhh

In other news next week I'm flying out to L.A. to retrieve the silver Jetta that's in my name but don't particularly have any attachment to. So I'm driving back cross country with the Oreo dog in the car and my collection of old moldy CDs. Putting aside the waste of money on gas and crappy highway food, I get to stop in Phoenix and see Deek teach young minds for a day. Definitely will be a different experience from the east-to-west trip with my dad and Matt in late August to drop Matt at Long Beach State.

Passed my ground school test, next step is to study up some more and pay the fee and do the "lasertron" FAA exam. After I pass that and get a simple medical exam....I am a certified student pilot!

Decided to sell the TV to Henry a co worker for 900.

Jim Palmer seems like such a pompous ass on his Orioles' announcing but damned if he doesn't produce some quality color commentary.

http://member.wayn.com/DantePhoenix Where Are You Now? (WAYN) is a nifty little network showing past and future travel trips plus the ubiquitous "profile" page.

Travel Channel gives me the high hard one (yes it's a repeat title but it just rolls off the tongue)

Mon, 26 Jun 2006 02:10:23 GMT

Regarding the tv watching marathon in my last entry, I won the TV, and so did the two other contestants with me. We all made it to 50 hours! We all got the max $5000 to our charities and a big TV. We watched a couple World Cup games on it in High Def service then I promptly unhooked the HD service and put the TV up on craigslist to sell it. Asking price is 1500 (sold new at Best Buy and Crutchfield for 1700) but highest offer now is 1200.

Put a couple things on Ebay too. An ESPNU backpack (the only search result when you enter ESPNU), a Miguel Tejada bobblehead, a boombox and a copy of Poker Without Cards. I got one bid on the bobblehead, that's it so far.

Trying the move in the start of July, but the two girls in the duplex are still "conducting interviews" so what I thought was a sure thing is up in the air. I'm sure they'll take me though. I would be best for them, you know, keep them in line. Also would like to start working at the Shenandoah Airport once I get there. Aviation employment experience for when I apply to the Southwest and American Airlines internship in September (for the spring 2007, in Dallas).

Also still looking to enter the Red Bull Flugtag in late October in Baltimore's Inner Harburrrrr. www.redbullflugtagbaltimore.com
The machine will just be your average pterodactyl glider and we'll all be cavemen!

contest for losers

Thu, 18 May 2006 19:38:10 GMT

I am participating in the "Verizon Memorial Day Weekend TV Marathon" on next Saturday and Sunday. It's in the Springfield Mall in Northern Virginia. Two other contestants join me. Whoever watches the most consecutive hours of TV (up to 50) wins a flat screen television plus Verizon donates $100 to charity for every hour you watch. Every hour you get a 5 minute break and every 8 hours you get a fifteen minute break. Originally I was not chosen and then forgot about it but they called back saying a finalist dropped out and I was an alternate.
I don't need another TV and as far as charity, making the 50 hour maximum is a no brainer...who could not stay up only 2 days straight? So basically I'm ready to enjoy myself in a nutty contest to be stared at and maybe filmed for local news!
Come by and keep me awake at night. It's like David Blaine only instead of not breathing, I'm not not watching television.

She champions folate for the money, so hard for it honey

Fri, 12 May 2006 18:59:45 GMT

Georgia State and James Madison both sent me an affirmative reply to graduate school. Johns Hopkins sent me a negatory, good buddy.

I chose James Madison to start earning my MBA.

Even otherwise, life is good right now.

Advanced Australia Fair

Tue, 25 Apr 2006 04:46:54 GMT

Just like last time, it took WELL over a month for me to put up my entry about my Australia trip. This entry will be much tighter than the last one, but it will still have pictures, and I shift my focus from the tourism feel of the last one.

Follow along at home!! For you visually oriented hobos, click here for the 88 photos, this time in chronological order:
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/lifestyleshouse/album?.dir=fdce&.src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//photos.yahoo.com/ph//my_photos

I put 10 days of travel under my belt before my feet even touched the other hemisphere's soil. Stopping in London to see Candi and Newcastle and Glasgow to see Katie, both of whom I worked with in Canberra CVA last year. They are both first year uni students now, Candi at Portsmouth in the south and Katie at Glasgow School of Art in the City of Clyde Navigators. It was odd being a 23 year old in a freshman dorm but I didn't take advantage of the situation, yes, in that way. Katie's dorm stank and it was butt ass cold in Scotland but By God there were people outside!! Nice to see that. We also saw Brokeback Mountain in the world's tallest movie theater - six stories I belive it was. Boy howdy whut a huuge cinnamun.

Okay on to the Oz, the entry shorthens when my soul needs sleep...mmmm piping hot pizza.

Vic-balls is the smallest Oz state save for Taz-balls. I landed at 4-something AM, going throw Singapore Changi airport. Someday will return to Asia, perhaps summer of 2007 to South Korea and Japan, perhaps throw in China and Mongolia for good measure. Didn't feel like navigating the bus system at that hour so after I got off the $15 airport shuttle to downtown, walked several blocks bleary eyed to the Flinders Street Station to get the tram to South Melbourne Beach/Port Melbourne. Melbone only has a billion beach suburbs and they are all categorized as the "City of Port Phillip". I registered to get a library card there so it's like I'm a true citizen. Got to the Melbone CVA office a mite early but eventually Mazzy the office lady showed up but there were no showers so I was pigging in my filth for the next few hours. One by one a wide eyed stew of international recruits showed up to gumbo up my taste buds and delectable....what was I talking about again>>?
There was this hot German chick whose voice was as deep as schwarzenegger's which was off putting but I didn't get set up in the same house anyway. I was to go to Geelong, second=largest city in Victoria known for its marine heritage. In fact our CVA house was right behind the Maritime Museum which I would have explored but it cost 5 bucks that I'd rather spend on a milkshake. Along with a half dozen Koreans we took the train down about an hour and found Simon from UK and Jen from UK for our first week. However Simon was comandeered for whatever reason and we never worked at the same site with him. My interest in learning Korean bounced off the Koreans' interest in teaching me but they would not tell me how to say "scratch my ass".
The backyard was huge flat and had an amazing view of Corio Bay...too bad Geelong does not sell half decent frisbees. Could not find a frisbee as good as the JMU flying helfish one the ENTIRE trip. As for the house, the couches were numerous but they had no butt supporting springs, and the rabbit eared TV had nothing auxiliary about it. The stereo in the dining room was okay and was on all the time. Yeah triple J!! The independent rock station run by granola eating speedo monkeys. The view was the best part of the house....the FIFTY MINUTE walk to town was not acceptable but we had no choice but to accept it. Keep in mind these Jeff Head "house ratings" are in comparison to each other, and that they all had their weak points and strong points - but as I told Claire in Geelong, Sometimes it's fun to complain. Could've sworn I gave Gee House a One rating in hearth, since the walls were so bare and the one time I tried to spice it up by adding word bubbles to the CVA promo posters on the wall, the regional manager came by and told me to take them down. I guess it was saved by the Jan. 26 Australia Day bbq we had in the front yard. Damn it SHOULDVE been a one because I hung my USA and OZZY flags in the back porch but one day the USA flag was swiped...and it was fabric, a gift, and real big! Man those ruffians...

GROUNDS means the house upkeep and the immediate environment
AMENITIES means what the house got in terms of VCR, DVD, stereo, whether or not we have to pay for laundry, etc.
CITYNESS means how close it is to shops, services, foodies
HEARTH means the overall ambience. Is it a home away from home? Do you feel welcome?

Bendigo house looked like the builder planned one room at a time. It was weird like that but big, and the first CVA house I found to have futons (three!) in the living room. Plus DVD player and stereo and free laundry. The porch was a semi-wraparound and was hidden from the main street by being back on the lot and having lots of trees - hammock trees! It was literally on the main street of Bendigo, you could hear the romantic buzz of boy racers on Friday nights having their mechanical cock measuring contests. Vrooom vrooom mate. Graeme the team leader bought us Dominos with the extra budget money and apparently it was a weekly feat for him. Huzzah to him. He knows the best advertising is word of mouth, and the best word of mouth for a volunteer is to say that they had fun. His motto was "take it easy; enjoy yourself". I still say that to this day because of him and he is a big reason Bendy gets 5 jeff heads for Hearth.

Melbourne House used to be a type of community center building...there was just something institutional about it. The floor to ceiling cabinets and the kitchen that was absorbed into the rest of the house. This place also had futons, but you always remember your first - that being B-Go house. It was dumpy around the house, but had beautiful parks behind it and across the street. It was a 45 minute walk or 10 minute tram to Melbone city center or St Kilda but there were enough pubs and shops on nearby Bay Street to fill in the gaps. Melbourne House gets no jef heads for hearth. Apparently the week before a couple of Korean kids overstayed their volunteer time in the house. Not only was their travel gear all over the rooms and beds when the new kids came, but they ate out the house's food that weekend too. This happened a week before I got there but CVA office was on edge for the next little while about people mooching off other people's supplies that they didn't even pay for. So we were chillin in the house one Friday night and some office schmuck comes in - without knocking or announcing his presence - and asks if anyone from his list is still in the house. We say no and he tells us to alert him if they haven't left yet. So we are left to play police and evict the Korean kids and give them this experience in what might be their only visit to Australia? Right. There were way too many employees at the Melbone office and they all thought they were the boss and it ended up convoluting the volunteers experiences. They wanted the glory without the responsibility. And of course they all weren't like that, happy???

I threw in ratings for the CVA houses from my first visit too. Read em and weep boys!

Until next time, try something new
Love
Dan

Leap and the bridge will appear

Tue, 11 Apr 2006 03:47:37 GMT

Last week I sent in my applications for grad school. I applied to JMU for an MBA and Georgia State and Johns Hopkins for a Masters of Science in Marketing (MSM). MSMs are a rare program around the country, I think it will help me stand out more in the recruiting field plus it will be more fun to earn it. 6-8 weeks I will hear back from them.

I got my Australia photos online and soon my big fat entry about the trip will be up too! Here they are:

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/lifestyleshouse/album?.dir=/fdce&.src=ph

Last year's Australia photos plus all photos from college are up on the "lifestyleshouse" profile as well.

Uphoria...demo video!

Thu, 30 Mar 2006 20:20:58 GMT

My last entry started by talking about how the "Uphoria" campus tour video was rejected by Travel Channel. Finally it got on the web, my brother found google video. So here it is, we filmed and edited it in December 2005.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4244829256045280731&q=uphoria&pl=true

Travel Channel gives me the high hard one

Thu, 19 Jan 2006 07:19:17 GMT

Travel Channel sent me a polite email saying they had no choice but to decline my television idea. You know, the "Uphoria" show where we tour college campuses in the U.S. (and perhaps abroad, for theme weeks). It didn't fit their programming needs/budget/production requirements. Well, I'm sure someone there recognized it as a feasible idea.

Right now I am in a library in the city of Geelong, Australia. It's on the south side near Melbourne, and our volunteer house overlooks Corio Bay. We can see the water and boats while we sit at the dining table. But it is a 45-minute walk from our place to the downtown Geelong area. To sound knowledgable, you've gotta pronouce it 'jill-long'. I want to see some Australian Open tennis while I'm here.

YARRRR! I'M GEELONG JOHN SILVER! WHO BE PLUNDERIN' ME BOOTY?

For my 10 day stopover in the U.K. I spent three days (which was way too many) wandering the town alone, then finally relief came in the form of local Candi Cumming, who I met on my first trip to Oz. We did the same sightseeing junk but together. I bussed up to Newcastle in the north to stay with Katie (also met in Australia) at her parents' for a night then accompanied her up to the Glasgow School of Art where she attends as a first year. I've never been that far north on the globe before (except for an airport layover in Iceland in 2000) and the sun was up for maybe 5 hours a day. It never got higher then right in your face. Weather-wise it was a depressing place...and an art school? That was not an upper, either. We had tea.
You know when a bunch of dudes are playing videogames and a girl or two come in and they try to keep up but they end up getting ignored and they just slink out of the room? That's what it felt like when I was ....erggh...it's difficult even to say...having tea with the girls. Yak yak yak yak yak yak musk ox. Read in a newspaper here that Brokeback Mountain only is making $30 million in the U.S. which is surprising. We saw it in Glasgow and I enjoyed it. The Anne Hathaway tits helped.

Don't want to go on too much, saving a full length journal update for when I get back in March. Then I move to Chicago which I am 100% ready for.

Mellon Irina

Tue, 20 Dec 2005 04:53:50 GMT

Suppose I should follow up on that entry a while back.
Apparently some people including Spencer thought my 'arrest' profiled succinctly online was a joke. As if I tell jokes...

Judge Friendly ruled two years' probation plus anger management classes for getting into a fight with my younger brother Matt. Sure my Dad and him probably should not have called the police to resolve a situation like this...but they did and you can't change any of that, so no need to rehash past events. So I have been going to weekly one-on-one counseling sessions at The Counseling Center of Fairfax, just going over what "anger" is and how to control your emotions or reroute them. Oddly enough, my unrelated leisure reading has brought me, at this time, to the works of Larry Winget, Tony Robbins, Wayne Dyer, etc. which work along these lines (passion, spirit, meditation, decision, thought power). I feel that these classes are useless to help me "overcome" this "incident" since it was not about Matt at all. We have hung out multiple times since then. In fact I am going to his school tomorrow to edit a college travel video (more on that later). I have no problem now getting over the past and I find myself now actively enjoying everyday things. It still sucks dog ass however to walk in the windy bitter cold with chapped facial lips.

My last counseling session is this Wednesday afternoon. Then on December 29th I meet with Probation Officer Friendly to update each other on what is now to happen. Last time he told me that I need to make my case when I return in March for moving to Chicago. I don't know about anyone else, but being told I have to "make my case" to move from city to city in the "land of the free" on nothing more than a whim is quite stifling. He told me that I would have to come up with better reasons than "my friends are there". Damn. But I'm not worrying about it. My classes will be crossed off this legal to-do list and everything should be well on its way to better than normal.

Last week my Mom and I spent a few days in San Diego. Originally she had a job interview there, and she bought plane tickets on a two-fer-one deal. But the job interview didn't go through and I silently saw it as a way for us to spend time together before I finally "leave". Yeah it only took 23 years for that.

On the flight back I was watching JetBlue's Premium DirecTV InFlight Service. Things like Travel Channel, Animal Planet, Steve Irwin, Jeff Corwin (who came to JMU last year). I thought about how I like to travel to college campuses, and have been to make 20-30, only a small fraction. I then thought about a show on the Travel Channel with that concept, with the show being a tour guide to prospective students and traveling sports fans, and a pride point for alumni, faculty and current students. I was ready to get home and write a letter and send my resume when I started wishing I could send in a short demo film as well. What? WHAT??? A lightning bolt of an idea!!!! My younger brother Matt is going into film in college and has access to high end video equipment through his high school. So I call him up, set up a time, pick a campus that is convenient to visit (George Mason), set up a couple of interviews (university spokesman and student body president), script some questions, edit, and hand-deliver to parent company Discovery Channel in Silver Spring MD. Campus was surprisingly active for a bitter cold finals week. Everything is done except the editing, which we will do tomorrow and Thursday. Sandwiched in between is footage we will get at the GMU-Hampton men's basketball game on Wednesday. The demo will be short, 5 minutess, with narration and music, and hopefully, ENTERTAINMENT VALUE! i.e. jokes. My breath was literally coming up short when I thought of the possibility of getting the call from Travel Channel offering a contract. No doubt I'll update home-crackahs.

There is a young Russian woman at work named Irina, pronounced arena. Mellon Arena is where the Pittsburgh Penguins play hockey. Another girl at work is from Pittsburgh. Nothing really funny, but the first "arena" I tried to come up with was Mellon Irina. By the way Irina is stacked. The song Brick House was written for her.

2-door ford probation

Fri, 18 Nov 2005 06:23:56 GMT

On November 11, 2005, two internationally-renowned institutions were put on two years' probation:

1. The Georgia Institute of Technology

2. Me

some purple ideas

Sun, 13 Nov 2005 05:13:44 GMT

prop plane flyovers
get pilot's license. rent or buy prop plane. equip with trailing jmu banner. fly over football, baseball, soccer or other outdoor events on or off campus. later use plane for personal use.
similar ideas: those planes on the beach who get you to go against your common sense and look into the sun
conceived: today
timeline: several years. no set deadline or starting date.

jmu: a worldwide obsession
fabric banners that say the above phrase, given out and/or sold to globe-, continent- or street-hoppers. photos are taken of them or others or just the banner itself near notable and not-so-notable locations and added to an online photo community.
similar ideas: luigi's pizza t shirt deal, fuh2.com
conceived: within the last few days
timeline: several weeks. optimally begins now, during spring break trip signups.

crunching royal dukes
jmu breakfast cereal, release coinciding with jmu centennial in 2008. contained in large clear plastic jugs instead of box or bag. cereal design undetermined. name tentative. focus on duke dog as mascot of cereal although the connection to jmu will be implied. sales locations in the valley, virginia, mid-atlantic. planned donation of proceeds portion to jmu foundation/duke club.
similar ideas: hokie toasties, flutie flakes, pretty much everything ever branded
conceived: two years ago
timeline: two years. research, correspondence already begun.

Max Smiles

Fri, 11 Nov 2005 15:54:42 GMT

Does anybody know Spencer's brother Max's mailing address? I have a postcard from VCU and I desperately want to mail it to him. It's a sick otaku about sending people souvenirs from where they already are. (Yes I know he dropped out)

WHO IS RUNNING TREADSTONE?

Thu, 10 Nov 2005 18:32:09 GMT

My plan budget-wise is going well, though I am looking forward to the end of this 8 weeks. Just got an email saying that all the British kids that were at the CVA last summer are having a reunion at Hyde Park (London) on Dec. 20, which makes me think. There is so much to do but you can't do it all. Plus if you find a fare to Australia under $2000 you are lucky. I even checked statravel.com and all those discount/student sites.
Went down to Williamsburg to see JMU-W&M football where we (JMU) won on a last second field goal and we erupted and it was all great. Going to the Villanova football game in Harrisonburg this Saturday.
Since volleyball - if they make the playoffs - will be playoff bound in Hempstead, NY (home of Hofstra) I am going to catch one more game this year. Friday night they play at Towson outside of Baltimore.
Man the first half of this year was fantastic, the second half was just trudgery drudgery. The cold is picking up and I'm not digging that.
I wanted to work in Boston, Glasgow, and Iceland into my itinerary, but those stops just to make it to the UK is 2000 alone. All this high price tag is doing is making me question myself, as any big purchase would do. Is it worth it to throw the money away? Does the high price put pressure on me to have fun. Wow....this is a lot of party-pooper thinking.
So now four Russians work at Champps. Irina is from Voronezh, Dina is from Kazan, and Max and Katie are from Ilyanovsk. Max and Katie came over because at my one day of training at American Tap Room she was there and I told her that at Champps there were already two Russian kids. So many workers whose first language was not English! Mostly Spanish and Russian luckily I speak Spanish.

Learn Russian:

Priv yet
"Hello."

Kahk dee lah
"How are you?"

Khah rah sho
"Good."

Guh floog en my gin miven Jason Bourne ee Moskva
"Jason Bourne is in a high speed car chase in Moscow!!!"

new and improv'd invading my life

Mon, 24 Oct 2005 02:02:53 GMT

I scanned this girl's credit card at work and out came the name WINGERD DENISE and I seemed to recognize it. I realized it had something to do with New and Improv'd but had never met her. So I brought her card out and asked if she went to JMU.
Yes.
And if she was in New and Improv'd.
Yes, a little more surprised tone.
So I explained that I never saw her perform but must have recognized her name from a yearbook or something. It must have been something like this:

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://orgs.jmu.edu/improv/images/fans/buffalo_sauce.jpg&imgrefurl=http://orgs.jmu.edu/improv/fans/&h=480&w=640&sz=65&tbnid=o6yH0UhPe5gJ:&tbnh=101&tbnw=135&hl=en&start=1&prev=/images%3Fq%3Ddan%2Bjensen%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D

She said my interrrogation made her feel like a celebrity, and she said she was just down at JMU. She said "JMU" like it was any other location. I didn't get the hint and asked excitedly, "Oh you still go down there?" Go down there as in a regular occurence. She said her company does a lot of college recruiting down there and I felt slightly stupid for thinking someone over the age of 21 goes down to some college for a weekend just for fun. We're beyond that obviously. :)

Anyway after I invited them to the JMU-Delaware football viewing party (which went nicely, 40 of us) Denise's friend asked if I would be there. I said yes of course because I'm organizing it! And she seemed to dig me but my scripts ran out at that point. Didn't expect to see anyone at the viewing party besides hardcore fans anyway due to the crap weather.

Rooting for the White Sox!!! It looks butt cold up there on the southside on the t. v.

"Now don't go bein' a smartass cuz it's only gonna get tougher"

Mon, 24 Oct 2005 01:38:40 GMT

Several weeks ago, around the time of the JMU-Hofstra viewing party, I had planned to quit and then take my time moving to Chicago since nothing careerically was forming here. "Planning" was used in the loosest sense - no semblance of a plan had ever materialized. A coworker of mine even told me she didn't like my plan to sit around my a few months until something happened. This last half-year I've been fortunate to have my split parents' houses to spend time at rent-free. However with no effort comes no satisfaction and I have decided 23 will be the oldest I can spend living in either parents' basement. Logically sound enough...but let's string together what I just said a little more solidly.

Why Chicago?
I had a great time there that one weekend in September, numerous JMU friends have moved there in seperate shifts, an aunt and uncle live in nearby Skokie in case my place burns down, and the train system. This was the most convenient and efficient public transportation system I have ridden, so I don't have to have a car. That's a plus money-wise and health-wise but not so much social-wise. I figure I don't need it if the city is going to sustain me for a year or so while I build up automotive capital. At the present moment I would like to work at U.-Illinois-Chicago (UIC) in their Athletic Ticket Department although Rand McNally and Quaker Oats/Pepsico are always options. Heck it doesn't even need to a be a consumer-product company but working with Quaker could help me launch the Crunching Royal Dukes breakfast cereal (in time to coincide with JMU's 2008 Centennial).

How did you come up with the schedule?
This is six month plan. October, November and December are solid work times at Champps. Yes I quit Champps but started working at Kevyn's same American Tap Room but did one day of training, realized I didn't want to learn a whole set of stupid rules, and went back to Champps. I already owned the uniform too. (Champps insider note: Our old GM was allegedly fired for pocketing cash entrance fees when we hosted the Jones-Tarver boxing match) I plan to save $2000 per month, $500 per week, $100 per day. Money to cover bills, finally pay off the Australian Debt, cover the next trip, and savings. It works out when I pick up an extra shift or when Virginia Tech has a midweek football game! Tech = $$$$ but I still hate them. Any time my feet start to ache I think about the few hours left in the shift and more importantly the few weeks left in the hemisphere.

Other hemisphere?
Yes I plan to return visit Australia. Same program: CVA, same time length, two months (less if I fall short of goals) but different time of year and cities. I wrote two of my friends over there to see what they suggest - waiting on response - but my initial leanings are southern Melbourne and western Perth. Brisbane was highly recommended by Jee while I was there but it will be butt hot there then. Last time I planned for 8 weeks in Sydney but ended up spending 3 days there. Plans change, dogs evolve, roll with it. And already I am wondering about taking some of that time in New Zealand just to see one more place.

Then after I come back I will have bypassed the killer Chicago winter and move in during March. Right before I wrote this I realized these might be my last few months for a LONG time in Reston/No.Va./DC area and don't resent them but enjoy them so I WILL join my coworkers for a drink at our Champps bar after work, although the notion of spending MORE time at a place you practically live at seems odd.

Been reading a lot of books. Poker Without Cards was not as groundbreaking as I thought it was supposed to be, Radical Careering was interesting, Shut Up Stop Whining And Get A Life was kickass, Mind Wide Open was like oatmeal, Y: The Descent Of Men is condescending and offensive, and I'm currently reading The Game by Neil Strauss which is the funniest stuff I've read since So You Want To Be Canadian. It's brand new so check it out at Brains and Mogul, it's black like a bible with gilded pages.

In miscellaneous news, I got another filling, this one the incisor.
I was arrested for assault because I got into a fight with Matt and he called the police. The officer needed to talk to me later and I guess leaving three messages wasn't enough so I was taken cuffed fingerprinted mugshot and released on the street. It has influenced my decision to be a member of the chain gang for Halloween this Friday, maybe even Ulysses Everett McGill. By the way I made that Which Clooney Are You quiz up.

The journal title quote is what I was told by an officer at the adult detention center in Fairfax.

Wed, 19 Oct 2005 19:54:28 GMT

JMU Volleyball vs. George Mason
This Friday October 21 at 7pm
Physical Education Building
George Mason Campus, Fairfax VA etc.

Group tickets have been reserved for any JMU fans and are one buck instead of the normal five. Come in a cheer the Dukes to a victory over pathetic Mason!!

*******

JMU Football vs. Delaware Viewing Party
This Saturday October 22 at 12 Noon
Champps Americana
11694 Plaza America Drive, Reston VA 20191

We have space reserved under the big screens this time as opposed to last time, for those of you who came. Blue Moon has been taken off tap and replaced with Shiner Bock. Bring anyone, everyone!
PURPLE OUT

Map, directions:
http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?countrycode=250&country=US&address=11694+Plaza+America+Dr.&city=Reston&state=va&zipcode=&addtohistory=&submit.x=72&submit.y=20

Fri, 14 Oct 2005 17:29:25 GMT

YOU ARE ULYSSES EVERETT MCGILL.

Durn it all, you know deep down in yer heart that you were this charming, mischieveous paterfamilias. You find yourself in sticky situations that purely of your own mind, and got into them willingly, knowing that getting out of them is what gets you going. You enjoy playing out life in yer mind, but it pales in comparison to making hard copies of yer ideas, ideally with good buddies. Life is one big chase for someone like you who has the capacity for abstract thought.

What Clooney are you??

brought to you by Quizilla

****dude I am so totally ulysses everett whozit

Wed, 28 Sep 2005 04:14:26 GMT

Dos dias mas. Sweet sweet ending ahead. And with things you don't want, the last remnants go by exceedingly slow. But I'll know my last two days at work will be done in a snap. Then Friday I have the day to prep for the Hofstra Viewing Party this Saturday. Oh, here's the mass email:

Attention Northern Virginia,
If you want to watch the JMU-Hofstra football game surrounded by other Dukes' fans, you have two choices: head to Hempstead, New York or Reston, Virginia! For anyone that wants to catch all the action on Saturday October 1st, the JMU Duke Club and Champps Americana are hosting a viewing party at 3:30pm. We have the indoor patio reserved especially for JMU fans, family and friends with multiple flatscreen and bigscreen TVs with video and audio for the entire runtime of the game. Anyone can set up camp at the bar or be seated in the dining room if you prefer. It is a wide-open restaurant with good TV views wherever you sit. For those of you who have never been to Champps, it is an upscale "sports theme restaurant" with a huge bar featuring over 10 beers on tap. Big menu, big portions, kids welcome. Get there early take advantage of the JMU party's FREE appetizer buffet (free food is limited, unfortunately).
For any more information please contact Dan Jensen ('04) at 703-862-2802 or jensendm@gmail.com.
Hope to see everyone there!
GO DUKES!

Saturday October 1st, 3:30 PM
Champps Americana
11694 Plaza America Drive, Reston VA 20190
Champps phone: 703-318-7600
Take Dulles Toll Road to exit 12, head north on Reston Pkwy, take an immediate right onto Sunset Hills Rd and Plaza America Center is on your right.

Map and Directions:
http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?countrycode=250&country=US&address=11694+Plaza+America+Dr.&city=Reston&state=va&zipcode=&addtohistory=&submit.x=72&submit.y=20

To support everyone displaced and disadvantaged by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, there will be a collection to benefit the American Red Cross National Disaster Relief Fund.

GM Craig has given me his word to pay for my personal tab (hello four horsemen!) and lay out some complimentary appetizer trays because of the size of the group I am bringing in. My original reservation was for 50 but then got moved up to 70. But it looks like even more people than that will be showing up. One guy emailed 40 friends about this!! Who cares if you're not wearing purple; it should be a good time.

This lady I was serving said she wanted her Double Chocolate Lava Cake to overflow "like Mount Heccla". I bit and asked what's Mt. Hecklah? Turns out the two ladies had been to Iceland 3 times and were planning for a fourth. And the part that tied it all up in a nice little package was this fact they relayed to me: Schoolchildren in Iceland are taught three languages: Icelandic, English and DANISH!! So that's one more country that I can traverse taking my Danish language knowledge to. Or I can speak English there. Whichever. Fun fact: Danish does not have an exact translation for the word "please". They just use the word "lige" (I think that's it) as if to say "Would you such and such" to which you respond How dare you ask that of me, you don't even know my name!! That could be one explanation their reputation is for being cold, hateful people. I can't wait to visit!!

Unless George Mason U. comes through with the sports info. position, I will be looking to move soon. Place TBD. But here are some places I am looking to visit within the next 12 months:

Two corrections

Fri, 23 Sep 2005 02:47:02 GMT

-I will not be in Norfolk next weekend as I am working an extra day than I thought and also I am hosting a JMU-Hofstra football viewing party at Champps Saturday at 3:30. Anyone around the area should stop by. Free appetizer buffet while supplies last!! G O D U K E S !!!
-Dog did not completely destroy my bag, just rip some stuffing out. Nothing a trip to Michael's or a local crafts store around here, of which I know none.

GRHS BAG

Thu, 22 Sep 2005 19:35:56 GMT

Dog ate my quilt-like sleeping bag that I got for Christmas. It survived trips to Australia and Chicago but not the muzzle of a mangy chihuahua. RIP Duvet-Bag. GRHS.

Starring Sandra Bullock and Hugh Grant

Fri, 16 Sep 2005 19:43:47 GMT

I gave my two weeks' notice today at Champps.
Earlier in the morning I tried to call in sick but Craig said he really needed me to come in due to the large amounts of reservations. So I came in and then told him of my quitting in two weeks.
Two things he could work on as a manager: when someone tries to call in sick, don't urge them to come in. You give them the time off and build goodwill that way instead of having the employee resent you for making you come in with a cold. Secondly, when someone gives you your two week notice, don't screech "WHAT!!" and urge them to continue working weekends or odd times, just say Thanks for giving me the notice and that's too bad that you have to leave. So many employees just call in one day and say they're quitting, I actually gave the standard amount of time. Anyway the moral of the story is I will be in Norfolk in two weekends celebrating Deek's birthday. Let members of LifeStyles House know this. They should be there!!!!

Vote Jennings/Trebek in 2004

Mon, 12 Sep 2005 05:11:10 GMT

***The above was an actual bumper sticker, referring to the Jeopardy! host and the guy who won for like three consecutive months***

As is the style for the Jeopardy! game show I will give you the answers and you have to provide the questions. Unlike Jeopardy! it is multiple choice.

A. Eggos, pop-tarts and cheeze-its
B. Because my black polo and khakis are pretty much the only clothes I wear now. I can work up to 13 hours a day on a bad day and worked seven straight such days before my weekend in Chicago. Because it disallows me from seeing friends, including ones who live mere kilometers from my current residence and mere FEET from my place of work. Because it will lead to nothing and it hurts my nutrition, and also have no time for reading, full sleep, people-being-with, running with or without the dog, biking, general exercising, DRINKING BEER, coat-hanger sculpting, or cooking actual food that is not complete heron feces. And there are people who work with me who don't have multiple thousands of dollars of student debt. What I would like to do is begin work as the assistant sports information director at George Mason University, perhaps get a place in Fairfax, closer to the campus and begin work on a Master's (employee discount!). Go back to Australia and do CVA again in the spring-summer, this time to visit Perth, Melbourne, Brisbane, etc. maybe Port Macquarie again. Once CVA is over, remain in the other hemisphere for a few months on a work VISA doing piddly crap jobs like waiting tables. You see the difference is that I would PLAN to do that down there. Maybe work in a surf store or something. But once I got back from Chicago I knew I could only handle 1-2 more months of this. The money at Champps is decent but the work is strenuous.

1. Why do I not enjoy my job?
2. What foods does Matt solely subsist on?

What goes in must come out

Thu, 11 Aug 2005 05:51:28 GMT

FIRST ENTRY WAS ERASED. THIS ONE WILL BE SHORTER.
THIS ENTRY IS NOT ON REQUEST

Thomas Cahill
I read HTISC on a family trip to Hilton Head. Liked it, bought and brough HTISC to Australia to pass the time. Volleys in Port Macquarie were voracious readers. That readingness influenced me later.

Mentality
I made a stupid comment about Candi. Rachael said, "That's not the way to win friends and influence people". We got to talking about the book and Rachael recommended that I read it along with Emotional Intelligence. It wasn't a slam, she seemed to genuinely recommend it to me and anyone in earshot. So I checked them out when I got home.

I started reading The Godfather in Wagga out of the volunteer-abandoned-book-library but ran out of time and signed up for a library card when I got home and read the last few chapters.

Astrology
I read bits and pieces of dozens of things on astrology, especially the sun signs and especially Gemini, duh. As I told Spencer I don't believe in this stuff any more than any other religion, but they have cool mascots.

Danish
My last name is Danish and although none of my direct ancestors live there anymore (they'd be dead anyway) I would like to visit in a few years. What prevented me before? Language. So I took it upon myself. Speakdanish.dk has pronunciations and has helped muchly.

Environment
Asphalt Nation has been on my "to-read" list for a while. End of story on that one.

Mormonism
I started reading up on stuff when my cousin Chad's wedding date approached. ExMormon.org has horror stories which goes to show that bad apples exist on every religious tree but hey I knew that.

AWARDS!
FUNNIEST
So You Want To Be Canadian?
MOST INFORMATIVE
How The Irish Saved Civilization
MOST ENTHRALLING
The Godfather
LEAST RELEVANT TITULAR ANALOGY
Divorce Your Car!
BEST OVERALL
Coercion by Douglas Rushkoff
Talks about pyramid schemes, salesmen, advertising and Nazis but the chapter on cults floored me.
Rushkoff also hosted the Frontline episodes "The Persuaders" and "The Merchants of Cool" both of which you can see IN FULL at pbs.org.

As for my last entry, thanks to all who read any of it. I had fun screwing with the maps at least. None of those photos were mine. The ones I actually took with my own disposables and scanned are here:
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/lifestyleshouse/album?.dir=e76d&.src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/lifestyleshouse/my_photos