Fine Fools

I was writing again, and wrote a new song. I've titled it "Fine Fools." It's a funny story about the title: I was sitting the car outside a gas station, and looked to my right at a nearby bar. On the wall of the bar was this neon sign that was supposed to read "fine foods," but part of the "D" was out, so it read, "Fine Fools." I had to go with that.

The choruses - I think - are really catchy. Kenny hates it already. I showed it to him, and he said it was "too pop-py." I see it as a commentary on people knowing things are screwed up but don't do anything about it. Will show it to the band at the next practice.

Five Years

So, I guess I have been writing this blog for five years as of the 12th. Heh. Pretty cool.

I was beseiged by phone calls today, mostly work. Classes started again today. I began my fifth course in the master's program, but, at least, this class looks like it will be fun. We're going to watch James Burke, after all! That makes everything better.

Miscellaneous Detritus

Had band practice tonight, and things are really starting to come together. Just a few more weeks, and I think we can get this CD recorded and be on our way.

My neck goes through good hours and bad hours. It really fluctuates that much. Playing guitar tonight really hurt. My guitar weighs 14 pounds, so that stands to reason. When I wake up in the mornings, my neck is really stiff and hurts a lot. An ice pack on it for 15 minutes followed by a warm shower or a warm towel kinda works. Working makes the back of my neck all tingly. I am trying really hard to sit up straighter and not sit on my leg and not sleep on my stomach, but I tend to do it anyways. School starts on Tuesday. That should be fun. (Not.)

Arg

The pain in my neck is better (the ice helps), but working is still a pain, pun intended. I will be going to the chiropractor in a little over an hour. Hopefully, I will feel better afterward.

I Went To The Chiropractor...

...and, as it turns out, my chosen profession is attributing to a case of torticollis. The muscles are huge surrounding the spot, and all this is most likely been brought on by using a mouse. Sheesh. Who knew web design could be debilitating?

Apparently, this all got started in 1996 when I was in two rear-end accidents in Spokane within the span of 5 months. The first one wasn't that big of a deal, but the second one was a pretty bad accident, as the car got pushed probably 25-30 feet into the intersection.

What's interesting, though, is that, according to that Wikipedia article up there, this kind of injury can be brought on by an ear infection. I had an ear infection not too long ago, but it was in my left ear, and this pain is on the right side of my neck. Anyway, working continues to hurt, and I have way too much to do for this crap to be going on. I am supposed to go back on Friday to see if he can put my vertabrae at the top of my spine in once the swelling goes down in the muscles around it.

Oh, For Criminey's Sake...

I couldn't get anything done today. I was fine when I woke up, but, within minutes of getting out of bed, I had a pain in my neck that would not quit. I thought I was going to throw up from the pain of it. I had a friend adjust me, but there is still a problem. And painkillers won't even touch it. I may have to go see a chiropractor, and soon.

Band Stuff

We had band practice tonight, and the band actually sounded really awesome. We are so close to being ready to go into the studio. I absolutely cannot WAIT for this record. It is going to be the best thing we've ever done. And the studio I've chosen is WAY AWESOME.

Happy 2009!

Let's hope this year proves to be better than the last!

I spent my New Years at home. Usually, we're playing somewhere, or, at the very least, we go out, but not this year. No, I have an ear infection, so it was probably better that I stay lest I infect someone else.

Nothing much is going on here, and not much has been planned to go on. My school starts up again on January 13th. Hopefully, I'll get some money soon after, as I need to buy books again.

Anyway, here's hoping all of you have a safe and happy new year's celebration, and that the next 365 days are all happiness and prosperity.

Moonshine Valentine Inspiration

I don't remember if I mentioned it, but my song, Moonshine Valentine (the title track of the band's next album, incidentally), was inspired by a silent movie from 1911 called The Revenue Man and the Girl. Well, guess what? I found a copy of that video!! It was on Google video... must have been uploaded recently because I didn't see it before when I was looking for it.

Anyway, here's a link: The Revenue Man and the Girl

Merry Christmas!!

Another Project Finished

Just finished copyediting a manuscript for an author. I feel accomplished. :)

Oh Noes!

Paper due... kids have stomach flu... work piling up...

Send relief personnel immediately!

Haven't Had Much To Say...

And I haven't had the time, either. Between work and school and trying to stay on a day schedule, I've been focusing on other things besides updating this blog.

My body HATES being on a day schedule. It hates it SOOOO much that it wants to make me fall asleep in the middle of the afternoon or in the early evening just so that I will be awake around 2AM. It sucks. And even when I fight off the sleepy spells, I find that I am not tired by the time 11:30PM-midnight rolls around. My body REALLY wants to be on a night schedule.

And the sleep I get when I force myself to go to bed at 11PM-midnight is fitful at best, with lots of short, disturbing dreams that I can't remember (save for the disturbing feeling) once I'm awake.

And my heartburn is worse than ever. I feel like I am eating Rolaids every fifteen minutes, and, if I don't, this surge of burning acid causes pain from my collarbone to my pubic bone, and makes me feel like my throat might catch on fire any minute. Blech.

Anyway, I caught up in my school work over this last weekend. This morning, I woke up at 4AM and went about loading the dishwasher, starting a fire, and then worked on the database for the last 6 hours. I have to put together a CSS layout for the LA lawyer I am working for, since I already received and cashed his check. Tomorrow, more of the same.

My Hands Hurt...

...from copying and pasting options and code into the eCommerce database. These cymbal sections are driving me bonkers. Teeny-tiny, little-bitty differences... most of it, I have no idea what it is... made one item have more than 50 SKUs because of all the different sizes and options. Yeesh.

I e-mailed my academic advisor yesterday, and got a call from some dude today who is NOT my academic advisor. He tells me that which I already know and informs me that he is my new contact for my degree, and then doesn't have any answers to my questions about thesis option versus project option for my capstone course.

Been Awake A While...

I got most of the options entered into the database, did readings for school this week, got some more items entered into the database, and watched a TV program on the network web site 'cause I couldn't watch it or tape it. All this activity ended at 6:30 this morning.

So, I haven't slept. Well, I did take an hour nap this afternoon, but got up when Dad came over. He brought me my mail and we talked about politics and religion and the band and such. Since then, I have watched a TV show with Kenny and finished most of my postings for the week in school. I also e-mailed my advisor since the telephone numbers for such people are National Secrets OMG.

My friend, David, offered to help me gather images for the eCommerce site, but, in the end, he was unable to help. It turns out that the PDF files online are really crappy, although they do have some hi-res pictures available that could be edited, but I would have to cross-reference with the catalogue unless I can find a way to download all the images at once. But that would still mean sorting through everything. I'm going to look into it as it would save me lots of time in the scanning of the catalogue pages, cropping images, and then re-sizing and saving them.

Finally!

Kenny went and got me an awesome new fridge!! It wasn't the one I wanted, but it is much nicer than the one I had, with an actual freezer, and room in the door for a gallon of milk, and THE LIGHT COMES ON!!! OMG!!!Anyway, all work, no play, that was my day for today.

I worked a LOT today. Put in almost another 100 items. My leg hurts from sitting on it.

So...

I put in about 100 items into the eCommerce database tonight, and did some school work, though not much of the latter. I am just not feeling this class. Somehow, I always get put in the groups that don't say much. The group I am in has just over 30 posts total, so there's not much to reply to. The other group is nearing 200 posts in a week and half. Blech. I am not sure whether I should feel happy that I am the most talkative (and verbose and tangential) in my group or sad that I can't hide away amid the chatter in the more talkative group.

Still no fridge. I am considering going on a Housework Strike.

Busy Me... Still

have to read two chapters in my textbooks tonight (maybe not... might be able to skim... we'll see), post some crap on the class forum, and then work, work, work. I have ideas for two songs, but haven't had the time to explore them.

Back to work with me.

Update

The show went well, even though we were late. We made up for it by playing later than scheduled. Dad stayed over at my place last night and Mom came and picked him up today. I was super tired today. I went to bed at about 2:30-ish, I think, and got up at 9:30 AM, but I was so tired I fell asleep at about 1:30 PM and napped until about 4:30. I still feel tired.

The pellet stove blew some kind of microchip, so it is not working at the moment. Oddly enough, I am actually overheated right now. Go figure.

Life is lonely here. I have tons to do, but nobody talks to me.

I want to buy a new refigerator. The one I have is probably as old as my Dad, and I am sick and tired of having to defrost it. I am probably not going to get a new one, though, 'cause I can't haul it and no one will get it for me. So, I will probably defrost this one that I have tomorrow. It's not like I have anything else to do.

Except that I do. I have to post replies to the school forum for my class, I have two chapters to read for that class and a 6-page paper due on the 9th. I have to finish that eCommerce site ASAP, and then, I have tons of regular work to do. Oh, well.

Anyway, my feet still hurt from playing. More later.

Arg

So, band practice has been cancelled for today, so, NOW, the plan is to practice TOMORROW at 6PM. Arg, arg, arg.

Must go work.

A Very Busy Day...

...but a productive one, as well.I got up early, at 8 AM, and got my day started. Dressed, coffee, fire started...WORK! I edited the band's pick 'em league stuff, then called my professor and got the skinny on publishing my research. Next, I wrote checks and made out envelopes for those, and then wrote a proposal and analysis for my lawyer client on his site and its statistics for the last year as well as suggestions for improvement and a price quote.

After that, I downloaded the syllabus for the class that started today and made sure I had the right books and stuff. And then the mail arrived, and the pocket paperback of Night Cries had arrived, so I ogled those for a while, all pleased with myself. Then, I put in a few items into the eCommerce database, and then cooked dinner. After dinner, I watched three shows that we'd taped, and then caught the highlights from Monday Night Football.

After that, I wrote some stuff for the class that started today, and then put a few more items into the eCommerce site. However, if I am going to be worth a damn tomorrow, I had better stop being so productive and go take a shower and hit the hay. We have band practice at 2 PM tomorrow, so I have to get cracking.