Ramblings of a Cluttered and Unordered Mind

Don't judge a book by it's cover

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 04:30:34 GMT

Over 10 million views in less than a week and embedding is disabled by YouTube so some or most of you have seen this - those that haven't, you are in for a treat. Simon Cowell is actually shocked.

Susan Boyle on Britain's got talent.

Threes

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 05:06:26 GMT

Tagged by azbearchaser79

It's been a while since I posted so I guess this is as good as anything -

THREES:

THREE NAMES I GO BY
Kitty
Daddy
Bossman

THREE JOBS I HAVE HAD IN MY LIFE
Gardner
Amex Card Rep
Development Director

THREE PLACES I HAVE LIVED
Pacifica, CA
Austin, TX
Phoenix, AZ

THREE TV SHOWS THAT I WATCH
CSI (any)
Law & Order (any)
Star Trek (any)

THREE PLACES I HAVE BEEN
Mexico
The Bahamas
Newland, North Carolina

THREE PLACES I WANT TO GO
Ireland
Australia
Brazil

THREE OF MY FAVORITE FOODS
Pizza
Chicken Mole
Chicken Vindaloo

THINGS I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO
Getting a real job
Getting my PM certification
Settling unfinished business

THREE PETS THAT YOU HAVE OWNED
Samantha and Darren (Hamsters)
Dixie (Dog)
Logan (Dog)

THREE FRIENDS WHO WILL REPLY (for sure now)</a></b></a>avebeno
sabin
thepup

THREE FAVORITE BANDS / RECORDING ARTISTS
Barry Manilow
Duran Duran
Abba

THREE FAVORITE THINGS TO WATCH
Waves crashing on the beach
Wind and Rain in a storm
Sunset in the ocean

THREE FAVORITE DRINKS
Iced Tea
Ice cold beer
Bushmills Whiskey

Writer's Block: AKA

Sun, 01 Mar 2009 14:12:29 GMT

What's the story behind your username?

View 503 Answers

Not much of a story actually - I used to IRC back in the day and I initially picked Tazz as my handle, but soon found out there were other Tazz'es out there and one was a dick and an admin and if he got kicked because another Tazz logged on then he use his authority to kick you off and make your experience a pain in the ass. So, after more losses than victories in this battle, I added 602 for the area code and have used Tazz602 for some online personas.

Family - Rememberance

Fri, 20 Feb 2009 05:07:03 GMT

I found out this week that my Uncle Gayle passed away on Monday, he was married to my father's sister, my Aunt Jeanne.

We were never close to my father's side of the family, that was mainly due to my mother which is another story I won't go into. For the last 18 months of my father's life when he was battling cancer I did make a concerted effort to make a connection again with my aunts and uncles that I never really knew growing up except for a couple trips when I was very young. Fortunately I was old enough to at least have some memories of his family and our cadre of cousins.

During that time we found out they were wintering in Yuma, they were snowbirds, and after my father's passing I made a few trips out to their desert house during the winter just to visit and spend time. It was always a good visit, they are awesome people. I only wish I had known them better growing up, the family up in Spokane is very close, small town kind of thing and everyone knows and helps each other. I wish I had known at least part of my life like that.

Due to time constraints and money and other issues I will not be going up for the service but I did send a very large and fabulous arrangement from all of the family down here.

Your in God's hands now Uncle Gayle, keep an eye out for us still walking the earth.

Fri, 20 Feb 2009 04:03:00 GMT

I'm wondering if "You Know Who" (stpbear ) got another Bag of Crap from the Woot-Off that was going on yesterday and today. I missed it by minutes.

But I got the usb talking Stewie - yeah!!!!!

Writer's Block: Rare Condition

Fri, 13 Feb 2009 19:04:34 GMT

Do you suffer from paraskevidekatriaphobia or know anyone who does?

View 500 Answers

Actually exactly the opposite - I am kinda manic today and in an awesome mood!!

Writer's Block: Dream Job

Fri, 13 Feb 2009 02:28:14 GMT

If you could have any job in the world, what would it be?

View 501 Answers

Retired lottery winner.

Writer's Block: Early Birds, Night Owls

Tue, 10 Feb 2009 23:48:47 GMT

Would you rather get up early or stay up late? Does your schedule fit your preference?

View 500 Answers

Always been an early riser - I like to get a start on the day and get things done.

Writer's Block: Heart to Heart

Tue, 10 Feb 2009 23:32:54 GMT

Valentine's Day: love it or hate it?

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Both - Love it because it is my birthday - but hate it because it is my birthday and I can never have a party or celebration on that day because everyone else is with their spouse/sig other.

Senior Year Meme

Sun, 08 Feb 2009 17:34:43 GMT

Seen this on a couple people - doing mine now -

Fill this out about your SENIOR year of high school! The longer ago it was, the more fun the answers will be!! Thought you all who knew me back then might get a laugh out of some memories! Share yours!

1. Did you date someone from your school?
No - I knew I was gay but deeply closeted - I had a huge crush on the older brother of a classmate

2. Did you marry someone from your high school?
Nope.

3. Did you car pool to school?
ummmm - No - hoofed it

4. What kind of car did you have?
First car my senior year was a 1963 Rambler station wagon

5. What kind of car do you have now?
Ford Escape Hybrid

6. It's Friday night back then...where are you?
I was a boring kid - at home with the brothers and sisters watching TV downstairs.

7. It is Friday night now...where are you?
At the bowling alley.

8. What kind of job did you have in high school?
Groundskeeper for a local church. McDonald's in my Senior year.

9. What kind of job do you do now?
Software and Database developer

10. Were you a party animal?
Hardly - partying in my town was smoking pot and drinking in the hills.

11. Were you considered a flirt?
Hell no - didn't know the first thing about flirting.

12. Were you in band, orchestra, or choir?
Did the choir one year.

13. Were you a nerd?
I will admit it - yes.

14. Did you get suspended or expelled?
Hell no - my mother would have killed me, I was the "good" son

15. Can you sing the fight song?
No

16. Who was/were your favorite teacher(s)?
Mrs. Potter (English) - she was tough in a subject I hated, but she challenged you and I liked that

17. Where did you sit during lunch?
Usually with friends outside of the cafeteria.

18. What was your school's full name?
Terra Nova High School

19. When did you graduate?
June, 1981

20. What was your school mascot?
The Tiger

21. If you could go back and do it again, would you?
ONLY if I could give myself some sage advice - relax, be yourself, enjoy the friends you do have and stay in touch, and have FUN!!

22. Did you have fun at Prom?
Didn't go - sold my ticket.

23. Do you still talk to the person you went to Prom with?
n/a

24. Are you planning on going to your next reunion?
Not sure - next one will be 30 years - but it will be back near San Francisco - hmmmmmmm
The 20 year reunion was the weekend after 9/11 - so you can imagine that was a bit of a bust.

25. Do you still talk to people from school?
Well - one is now a contact in Facebook - that's about it.

Final notes -
I had to pull out my annual for the answer to a couple things - wow - as much as my memory of High School is so bad - reading some of the comments from the people that wrote in it, well, there are definitely a few people I would LOVE to find again and see what they are doing, I did find one on Facebook and he is doing now exactly what he said he wanted to do then, play in a band and make music.

And in looking at some of the staff of the school - DAMN - we had a few hotties, I know where some of my tastes come from.

I Wonder

Sat, 07 Feb 2009 01:13:02 GMT

An LJ thread in a new contact's journal (GordReece) got me thinking. Why are people so quick to vilify something that isn't there? Case in point, a picture was posted of an 18 yo with braces in a porn movie. People all of a sudden asked if he was sure he wanted to post something that LOOKED like child porn, and then the discussion erupted and went into several tangents.

So my question is this, have we become so uptight and scared of any shadow that looks like something people can attack that we are now finding ourselves forced to distance ourselves from it? Are we unable to see it for what it is and say "ok, so what"?

I can't help but wonder if this mentality is part of a general misguided "righteousness" and "political correctness" that gets an elementary school kid kicked out of school for kissing a girl and called harrassment, teenage kids shoing their privates on cellphones to each other are branded sex offenders, a teacher gets in trouble for touching a childs shoulder in encouragement and it's impossible for well meaning teachers, counselors and priests to counsel anyone behind closed doors just because a few have misused their trust.

Maybe I'm too far in left field, but as even Freud said, sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.

I dunno, have we become a paranoid society? Are we unable to relax and therefore must raise a "red flag" at every little thing that appears like it has the potential to be bad?

Thoughts?

Favorite Superbowl Comercial

Mon, 02 Feb 2009 04:13:38 GMT

This was my favorite Superbowl Commercial - if only because it's how I feel sometimes these days and the Koala getting punched caused D to fall to the floor in laughter.

My vote for hottest cub and future bear - Ben Rothlisburger

Hottest man I want to ravish me in a dark alley - Larry Fitzgerald.

It's ALIVE!!! or Adventures in Craigslist

Sun, 01 Feb 2009 02:17:30 GMT

OK - for those that know my G1 took a dive into some water (ummmm, yeah - that water) D tried to give me his but I wouldn't deprive him. He uses the text and internet alot and it would definitely not be easy for him. So I was back on my Blackberry Curve, updated the OS, got a few extra things I didn't have before and thought that was OK.

After a few weeks I wasn't sure if I could live with slow EDGE and a small screen again, but I was NOT going to pay another $400.00 for the friggin phone, my mistake, I'll live with it.

After some net trolling and coming to realize TMobile was not going to get the Blackberry Bold and Verizon had an exclusive lock on the Blackberry Storm - I started wondering what I could do. I was locked out of any other 3G phone I felt was viable for what I wanted.

I turned to Craigslist.

Now I had gone into CL before - but to be honest - it was fun (and sometimes tragic) to browse the personal ads with pics, you might see something good to ogle. And yes, it was really funny to take a look at the "Erotic Services" and in there find a person here or there that I know (should I tell the guy he used to date??)

I did a search and sure enough there were local people unloading their G1s.

My suspiciously over 40 yo mind immediatly goes to "How do I know they are telling the truth when they say 'Mint Condition' or that the phone was not stolen?" Well, last night while eating dinner I sent an email to one that sounded appropriately sincere, she emailed me back and by the time I got home I had a date to pick up her little used G1 that she got as a gift but was moving to an area that didn't have 3G.

So how do we coordinate this? I'm sure she doesn't want some stranger coming to her house, if she does, I should be wary. So I suggested a public place, the sandwich shop in Tempe owned by my brother in law. She, thinking like me, suggested Tempe Marketplace in front of Best Buy. I said yes.

The exchange was to go down at 9AM - I was running late after getting D and I some coffee from Dunkin. I had my cash and thinking, "I should have had D come with me, just to be sure" I pulled into the parking lot - she was there with a guy (her boyfriend? - I could take him if I had to I guess, or get a shot in) - the store wasn't open yet. There were two workers out front talking and a big Mall Security SUV in the middle of the parking lot. I walk up, she let me see the phone, I take it out of the box, turn it on and inspect it, I say it's good and hand her the money, she counted it. We said "Good-bye" and she and her boyfriend went one way and I walked back to my car. I was well aware that the Best Buy workers were watching me walk back to my car, probably wondering what just went down. The Mall security van stayed there while I sat in my SUV getting the phone set up with my sim card and memory. I realized I better not raise anymore suspicions and drove out of the lot and went home.

I'm not sure how these things off CL are usually done, but that was kinda fun in that in a way it felt illicit and yet it wasn't. I think next time, if there is one, and it's in Tempe again, I will use the sandwich shop. The reason? - he know LOTS of Tempe police and at least one is usually there.

Oh well, that was the highlight of my day - after that it was several hours getting the apps installed to the phone, setting things up the way I had them. I'm missing one app that I loved that is no longer in the Marketplace. Oh well. But I'm back on 3G, I have a full browser and net at work so I don't have to worry about the internet monitoring which is going into full force soon.

Have a good weekend all - and oh - for those in Arizona - GO STEELERS!!!!!!!!!!!

Sirius OutQ 109 on XM 98

Sun, 01 Feb 2009 01:46:15 GMT

Please forgive me if this counts as SPAM - but I love OutQ and it's my favorite channel on Sirius - especially when they get twisted and demented.

To everyone that has XM - Sirius OutQ 109 will be also on XM 98 starting Monday!! Start your morning with the Morning Jolt with Larry Flick, kill some brain cells with Frank Decaro, then get them back with Michaelangelo Signorile and then end the day with a BANG with Derek and
Romaine - (Do I sound like an advertisement?)

G1 back in da house

Sat, 31 Jan 2009 19:36:01 GMT

Got my G1 back, well, not mine, found a little used one on Craigslist from someone that was moving to a non 3G area. Lot less than $400 for a new one.

I knew CL could be good for something other than getting off on the personal ad pictures, LOL

Writer's Block: Opposites Attract

Fri, 30 Jan 2009 04:39:25 GMT

What celebrity would you consider changing your sexual identity for?

View 503 Answers

If I'm gonna switch then I'm going for the gold, Angelina Jolie, Move over Brad - or you can just join in!!!!

Slightly Dorky Nerd King

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 05:51:38 GMT

Update

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 05:22:39 GMT

Well, it's 2009 - long overdue for an update.

This is kinda long - and may be boring - read at your own risk.

2007 ended and 2008 started with job turmoil. An early victim of the current economic situation, I found refuge as a contract developer with an AZ State agency. It's a far cry from management, project management and being in the position to influence IT and development direction, but hey, especially now, you take what you can. Fortunately this position does include some responsibility and they do listen to my input, to a point (I am just a contractor after all) - BUT - unfortunately the current CIO is stuck in Visual Basic 6, an almost obsolete programming language and what I'm doing will not translate to anyone, anywhere. Any other shop is in .NET. Even when we had to go back to the drawing board on several projects, it would have been the perfect time to upgrade the development software planned but she would not hear of it. That is why former developers who become managers should learn lesson number one, you are no longer a developer and it is NOT your code. A lesson I did have to learn myself, maybe this is payback for my doing the same thing in my early management years.

So - looking forward I am working to get my Project Management Certification, which should put some formal credentials to my 13 years of development and project management experience. I have all but finished the first class, the second class is next then the certification exam. I know this current position would love to hire me perm (or so they say) but given the current budget mess and hiring freeze for the last two years, that isn't happening anytime soon.

2008 ended with a glimmer of hope, I had two interviews for a decent fulltime position with one of the community colleges managing their IT development. I never got past the second interview, but at least it got me thinking and on the course towards the certification.

I started 2008 on path to go to the gym regularly and lose weight. I was successful for the most part. I didn't lose as much as I wanted to, working 4x10s doesn't help, and the last few months I have slacked. I need to get back and stop going out for lunch with my co-workers. We don't have a cafeteria anymore, but that doesn't mean I have to spend the money or eat more than I need to while at work.

My relationship hit 14 years. No detail on that here except that we are still together, I still love him and cannot imagine my life without him in it.

My gaming obsession was stuck in Unreal Tournament 2004, I played on a server that had been modified to play faster with guns in two hands. I tried Unreal Tournament III, it was pretty cool, but you got tired of the same limited maps. I tried my first MMO, Eve Online, but like when I first tried World of Warcraft when it first came out, I got disconnected from the quest chain and got bored. Then, everyone around me got hooked on World of Warcraft, I resisted for a while until my partner started playing all the time. It got to a point where I had to play if I wanted to see him, so I did. I was quickly immersed in it, It fed my OCD and with friends and co-workers playing it I became mildly obsessed and surpassed most of my friends in my quest to level 80. HELP!! LOL

One great thing about this year - Bush and Dick are gone, and we have real hope in a new leader.

Things I want to accomplish in 2009 (not to be confused with resolutions)
1. Get back into a regular gym/excercise schedule and back to my better eating habits.
2. Post more - let my creative side peak out.
3. Open up that "book" I started writing and make progress on it.
4. Get a regular fulltime job with benefits again.(yeah, I know)
5. Find some other creative outlets.
6. Be more open to meeting and making friends

Well, that's enough for now - bored you enough - now go read another more exciting blog.

Thoughts on an Inauguration

Wed, 21 Jan 2009 00:22:12 GMT

Why haven't I updated in a while, not much to say really.

But today, I guess I should say something. I waited for this day for so long as did many Americans.

We waited for the day when our country would be returned back to the people.

We waited for the day when the symbol of change we are holding up for all the world to see finally takes the reigns.

We waited for the day when we could say to the world, "Sorry for the last eight years. We hope this makes up for it."

We waited for the day when balance and civility were once again introduced into our Executive office, hoping that it becomes an infection that spreads to the Legislative branch as well.

Now we wait some more -

Will the seeds that have been planted bear fruit?

Will our hopes for a more intelligent and more compassionate leader come to pass?

Will we once again be able to hold our heads high when we travel abroad and say proudly "I am an American?"

Will our elected representatives finally get it?

History has been made today but the rest of the chapters are still to be written.

Let's turn the page together, shall we?

Why?

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 01:03:47 GMT

Why do I believe people are sincere when they are just dangling a carrot in front of my face?

Why am I disappointed when what I already knew in the back of my mind turns out to be true?

Why does it piss me off when people take advantage of my trusting nature?

New Years Resolution #1 - stop trusting and believing people I have no reason to trust and no foundation established for trust to be expected.

As happy as I was to see 2007 go, I think I will be just as happy to see 2008 go, at least no one I knew died this year so that is a step up.

Funny or too much?

Wed, 24 Dec 2008 17:31:23 GMT

It's Frozen Over!!

Wed, 24 Dec 2008 17:23:13 GMT

Hell must have officially frozen over and I was not informed. What else is going to happen?

Pat Robertson disses Bush, praises Obama.

Writer's Block: What Kind of Wonderful?

Sun, 21 Dec 2008 17:50:32 GMT

A lot of people love the film It's a Wonderful Life. Some people find it to be not so wonderful. Do you have a favorite holiday-themed movie? And if so, what is it?

View 500 Answers

I have to give a boring answer, two movies are at the top of my list due to my father, It's a Wonderful Life and Miracle on 34th Street - both original, uncut and UN-COLORIZED!!

Happy Holidays

Tue, 16 Dec 2008 14:16:43 GMT

Just a holiday wish to anyone that cares to stop on by - and yes I know I didn't say Merry Christmas.

If you're looking for a good blog to read, and couple responses to the idiots that demand that Christmas be called Christmas and that Jesus Christ is the center of it "as it is suppose to be" - well, here are a couple posts that give you a chuckle, some common sense information and a little ammunition. I wish I could be so eloquent and straight-forward. Margaret and Helen should be enshrined forever as National treasures, the other blog post giving the origins of the holiday season I have heard and read before and it spells it out so clearly.

Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah, Happy Kwanza, Happy Saturnalia, etc, etc, etc

And a Happy New Year!!

Thanks for reading:

Margaret and Helen - The reason for the season.
(Read the comments - you'll find a recipe for Key Lime pie with a nut crust)

A Rose, is a Rose, is a Rose - Dy's Minds Eye
The pagan origins of the holiday season and it's adoption by Christians and Jews into their own.

Day Without a Clue

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 20:41:21 GMT

I don't get it.

Today is "Day without a Gay" - and what I want to know is how many people did what was asked:
1. Call in Gay to work.
2. Do not get paid for taking the day off
3. Spend the day volunteering somewhere

I'll admit it, I didn't. For me and most people I know it was an ill conceived idea and plan. Yeah right, in this economy and especially in the State of Arizona where I can be fired for just being Gay (or straight or bi or anything someone doesn't like) I'm going to just call in "Gay" and not show up? I'm a contractor with no job protection in any way and I would be replaced in a heartbeat. Then I'll have no money to spend to support gay businesses, no job to call into, and the whole stupid idea would backfire on me and lots of other people if they actually tried to do it.

Did anyone reading this do it or do you know anyone who did? Did anyone that was involved in pushing this actually think this idea thru? The prior "Day without a Mexican" is not the same, unlike being Gay, an employer cannot fire someone for race, that is Federally protected (Remenber ENDA anyone??!!).

Who are our leaders in the GLBT community?

Who is coming up with these absurd ideas?

What world do they live in?

If this makes me one of the complacent lot that are unwilling to do something difficult to make an impact for our civil rights, then I have to admit I am. But come up with something that makes sense, that will make an impact and I'll consider it. Really, I will.

My Two Cents -

BBHTS