Where's my Fox Trot?!

Is it true that Fox Trot is going to Sundays only? No!

The announcement here.

UPDATE 12/30/2006:
Thank you Bill Amend.

See this comic at goComics or Foxtrot.com

Saddam and the Death Penalty

From the news reports, it looks like Saddam Hussein will be meeting his maker soon. I’m not holding my breath but if the new Iraqi government truly has some balls, then he’ll be a gonner. As I was reading the reports, I took some notice to the European perspective. Did I get this correctly? They don’t want him dead?

I am a supporter of capital punishment… except when it comes to my state. It sounds weird, I know, but let me go on. Personally, I do not approve of capital punishment. I don’t believe that killing a killer is necessary for justice to be served. The possibility of killing an innocent person is also too great to ignore. Plus, why get rid of someone who could be useful? While I do not approve of the death penalty, I am more than comfortable leaving a society or other states to decide for itself if the death penalty is appropriate. If Texans decide that they want to use the capital punishment, it’s okay by me. When it comes to Michiganders and this state however, then I will throw my voice into the debate.

If memory serves, the State of Michigan has never had the death penalty. Capital Punishment was abolished when the first state constitution was ratified. To my knowledge, that ban has appeared in every one of our constitutions up until the present. Michigan, I believe, was also the first state in the Union to refuse capital punishment. It’s something that I look on with a little pride. Numerous attempts to bring in capital punishment have failed. The last one being a couple years ago. I have said that if a proposal was made, I would vote it down and keep Michigan death penalty free.

When it comes to Saddam, I’m not going to cheer on a hanging. In my mind, he has done far worse than many of those already executed in the United States—maybe all of them. If the Iraqis want him dead then it’s no concern of mine. I say let the mob have their flesh.

Another Holiday Down

Ah, now I can finally unwind! Merry Christmas everyone. I hope that you all had a great holiday with the people you love. I wish I could say that with the retailing going back down to normal, I will be posting more often. Unfortunately, thing may be radically changing. I honestly don’t know where I’ll be in the next few weeks. Some life-adjusting decisions are going to be made soon. I ask that you keep me in your thoughts and send some good karma my way.

All I want for Christmas is...

…Optimus Prime.

When I was around five or six, I desperately wanted Transformer toys. Transformers were one of my favorite cartoon shows. Unlike most of the other cartoons I watched, the toys made for this show were actually interesting. My parents managed to get me a few of the lesser known characters as they were cheaper but I wanted the big daddy of them all. I wanted Optimus Prime.

My earliest “evil” thought that I can remember deals with this toy. Sigsbee Elementary was behind my house and across a canal that I had to cross via a foot bridge. Although there were two parks at either end of my block, the school had the best equipment. So when I could, I went over there. I remember this kid who was playing with Optimus Prime along the wooden railway. It was in truck mode and he was making it go back and forth on his wheels. He had to be a kindergartener, which was a year younger than I. I watched him carefully making note that occasionally, he would leave Optimus behind for a few minutes to go run to his mom for whatever reason. I had decided that if the opportunity presented itself, I was going to steal his toy. It didn’t happen. That kid probably didn’t realize how fortunate he was.

Once I got a job and could actually afford an Optimus Prime toy, they had moved on to Beast Wars. Sorry, but only First Generation Transformers were the only ones acceptable. Never saw any until the other day when I went with Season to Toys R Us. I hadn’t been there in years but I separated myself from her to see if they had any Star Trek models. Instead I ran into Optimus Prime and practically pissed my pants with excitement. Then I nearly cried when I saw the price tag: $90. Three times more expensive than when I wanted it when I was a kid and definitely out of my budget.

One of these days…

Long Ass Movie Meme

I got the following from facebook and it reminded me of PJS. I'm sure he would be as disappointed as I am about the lack of real movies on the list. Of course if they were on there, there'd be less marks from me. :-P

There's no expectation to see this on any of your sites. It's incredibly long but through it you might find something more about me. It's all about me here, you know.

SUPPOSEDLY if you've seen over 85 movies, you have no life. Mark the ones you've seen. There are 239 movies on this list. Copy this list, go to your own facebook account, paste this as a note. Then, put x's next to the movies you've seen, add them up, change the header adding your number, and click post at the bottom. Have fun!

( ) Rocky Horror Picture Show
(x) Grease
(x) Pirates of the Caribbean
(x) Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man's Chest
( ) Boondock Saints
( ) Fight Club
( ) Starsky and Hutch
(x) Neverending Story
( ) Blazing Saddles
(x) Airplane
Total: 5

( ) The Princess Bride
(x) AnchorMan
( ) Napoleon Dynamite
(x) Labyrinth
( ) Saw
( ) Saw II
( ) White Noise
( ) White Oleander
(x) Anger Management
( ) 50 First Dates
(x) The Princess Diaries
(x) The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement
Total so far: 10

(x) Scream
( ) Scream 2
( ) Scream 3
(x) Scary Movie
( ) Scary Movie 2
( ) Scary Movie 3
(x) Scary Movie 4
(x) American Pie
(x) American Pie 2
(x) American Wedding
( ) American Pie Band Camp
Total so far: 16

(x) Harry Potter 1
(x) Harry Potter 2
(x) Harry Potter 3
(x) Harry Potter 4
(x) Resident Evil 1
( ) Resident Evil 2
(x) The Wedding Singer
( ) Little Black Book
( ) The Village
(x) Lilo & Stitch
Total so far: 23

(x) Finding Nemo
( ) Finding Neverland
(x) Signs
( ) The Grinch
( ) Texas Chainsaw Massacre
( ) Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning
( ) White Chicks
( ) Butterfly Effect
( ) 13 Going on 30
( ) I, Robot
(x) Robots
Total so far: 26

( ) Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
( ) Universal Soldier
( ) Lemony Snickt: A Series Of Unfortunate Events
( ) Along Came Polly
(x) Deep Impact
( ) KingPin
(x) Never Been Kissed
(x) Meet The Parents
(x) Meet the Fockers
( ) Eight Crazy Nights
( ) Joe Dirt
( ) KING KONG
Total so far: 30

( ) A Cinderella Story
( ) The Terminal
( ) The Lizzie McGuire Movie
( ) Passport to Paris
( ) Dumb & Dumber
( ) Dumber & Dumberer
( ) Final Destination
( ) Final Destination 2
( ) Final Destination 3
(x) Halloween
( ) The Ring
( ) The Ring 2
( ) Surviving X-MAS
( ) Flubber
Total so far: 31

(x) Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle
( ) Practical Magic
( ) Chicago
( ) Ghost Ship
( ) From Hell
( ) Hellboy
( ) Secret Window
( ) I Am Sam
( ) The Whole Nine Yards
( ) The Whole Ten Yards
Total so far: 32

(x) The Day After Tomorrow
( ) Child's Play
( ) Seed of Chucky
(x) Bride of Chucky
( ) Ten Things I Hate About You
( ) Just Married
( ) Gothika
(x) Nightmare on Elm Street
(x) Sixteen Candles
(x) Remember the Titans
( ) Coach Carter
( ) The Grudge
( ) The Grudge 2
(x) The Mask
( ) Son Of The Mask
Total so far: 38

( ) Bad Boys
( ) Bad Boys 2
( ) Joy Ride
( ) Lucky Number Sleven
( ) Ocean's Eleven
( ) Ocean's Twelve
( ) Bourne Identity
( ) Bourne Supremecy
( ) Lone Star
(x) Bedazzled
(x) Predator I
(x) Predator II
( ) The Fog
(x) Ice Age
( ) Ice Age 2: The Meltdown
( ) Curious George
Total so far: 42

(x) Independence Day
( ) Cujo
( ) A Bronx Tale
( ) Darkness Falls
( ) Christine
(x) ET
( ) Children of the Corn
( ) My Bosses Daughter
( ) Maid in Manhattan
(x) War of the Worlds (The Original One. Not the crappy Cruise one.)
( ) Rush Hour
( ) Rush Hour 2
Total so far: 45

( ) Best Bet
( ) How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
(x) She's All That
( ) Calendar Girls
( ) Sideways
(x) Mars Attacks
(x) Event Horizon
(x) Ever After
(x) Wizard of Oz
(x) Forrest Gump
( ) Big Trouble in Little China
(x) The Terminator
(x) The Terminator 2
(x) The Terminator 3
Total so far: 54

(x) X-Men
( ) X2
(x) X-3
(x) Spider-Man
(x) Spider-Man 2
( ) Sky High
(x) Jeepers Creepers
( ) Jeepers Creepers 2
( ) Catch Me If You Can
(x) The Little Mermaid
( ) Freaky Friday
( ) Reign of Fire
(x) The Skulls
(x) Cruel Intentions
( ) Cruel Intentions 2
( ) The Hot Chick
(x) Shrek
(x) Shrek 2
Total so far: 64

( ) Swimfan
( ) Miracle on 34th street
( ) Old School
( ) The Notebook
(x) K-Pax
( ) Krippendorf's Tribe
( ) A Walk to Remember
( ) Ice Castles
( ) Boogeyman
( ) The 40-year-old-virgin
Total so far: 65

(x) Lord of the Rings Fellowship of the Ring
(x) Lord of the Rings The Two Towers
(x) Lord of the Rings Return Of the King
(x) Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
(x) Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
(x) Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Total so far: 71

( ) Baseketball
( ) Hostel
( ) Waiting for Guffman
( ) House of 1000 Corpses
( ) Devils Rejects
( ) Elf
( ) Highlander
( ) Mothman Prophecies
( ) American History X
( ) Three
Total so Far: 71

( ) The Jacket
( ) Kung Fu Hustle
( ) Shaolin Soccer
( ) Night Watch
( ) Monsters Inc.
(x) Titanic
(x) Monty Python and the Holy Grail
( ) Shaun Of the Dead
( ) Willard (Wait. Are you sure this isn't suppose to be "Willow?")
Total so far: 73

( ) High Tension
( ) Club Dread
( ) Hulk
( ) Dawn Of the Dead
(x) Hook
(x) Chronicle Of Narnia The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe
( ) 28 days later
(x) Orgazmo
( ) Phantasm
(x) Waterworld
Total so far: 77

( ) Kill Bill vol 1
( ) Kill Bill vol 2
( ) Mortal Kombat
( ) Wolf Creek
( ) Kingdom of Heaven
( ) the Hills Have Eyes
( ) I Spit on Your Grave aka the Day of the Woman
( ) The Last House on the Left
( ) Re-Animator
( ) Army of Darkness
Total so far: 77

(x) Star Wars Ep. I The Phantom Menace
(x) Star Wars Ep. II Attack of the Clones
(x) Star Wars Ep. III Revenge of the Sith
(x) Star Wars Ep. IV A New Hope
(x) Star Wars Ep. V The Empire Strikes Back
(x) Star Wars Ep. VI Return of the Jedi
(x) Ewoks Caravan Of Courage
(x) Ewoks The Battle For Endor
Total so far: 85

( ) The Matrix
( ) The Matrix Reloaded
( ) The Matrix Revolutions
( ) Animatrix
( ) Evil Dead
( ) Evil Dead 2
(x) Team America: World Police
( ) Red Dragon
(x) Silence of the Lambs
(x) Hannibal
Total so far: 88


Now Add them up and... I'm glad that I haven't seen most of the movies on this list.

put "I've seen X out of 239 movies" in the subject line and repost it" in the subject line and repost it

This could be a good thing.

For a while, I’ve shied away from talking about work. You never know when a future employer may google your name. But I have to say that in a few weeks I’ll probably be either unemployed or a store manager. My boss says she’s leaving. I’m the natural candidate to replace her. Trouble is, I don’t want to be a store manager of a candy store. I’m destined for something else. I just know it.

Anyone need some wood?

One of our trees in the front yard was cut down a couple days ago. Dad asked if he could keep the wood. Great. As if we don’t have enough crap lying around the place already!

A Distrubing Txt

Late yesterday afternoon I got a text message from my high school friend, Chris. I rarely get messages from him. It contained the following:

If a fat guy grabs you and stuffs you in a bag, don't be scared. I asked Santa for a cock sucker this Christmas!

I stood there stunned, stupefied. My mind would not properly process the information. Was this a joke? I've heard similar remarks from him but never directed towards me. I'm a mess of emotions and none of them positive. It's like I've been kicked in the gut. I'm not quite sure how to handle this. Part of me wants to go burn down his house. All over a txt.


UPDATE 15 DEC 2006:

I talked about this to Sara, a mutual friend. Turns out that she got the same text and as you may have noticed in the comments, Season did as well. Glad that I was a victim of my own paranoia. Kinda feeling a little humiliated over it. It makes me wonder though, if I owe most of the people that I know an actual sit down and formal coming out speech.

Hers was Dec. 8th.

Nothing further to report on Nanay’s funeral arraignments.

Since today is the anniversary of Pearl Harbor, I wanted to share a short little piece of history that was passed on to me about my grandmother.

As the relationship between the United States and Japan deteriorated, this country felt that an attack by Japan would be committed against their installations in the far east and not in the mid Pacific. That is probably why the bases in the Philippines had the only Japanese decoder outside of Washington. (Well, the British had a couple too.) Pearl Harbor was dealt the first strike but the Philippines was hit shortly after, eventually becoming occupied by the Japanese.

My grandmother’s family was well off during the American Imperial period. From what I was told, they were wealthy land owners. When the Japanese came, the local population fled into the mountains. Two of three of my Nanay’s sisters were killed. Their lands were taken away. At the end of the war, there wasn’t much left. She married eventually and started a large family. So large, that I’m only aware of two aunts, two uncles, and three cousins. I’m sure there’s tons more but I won’t even attempt a count.


A military installation, Wallace Air Station, sat on a peninsula near San Fernando, La Union where Nanay lived. My father was stationed there and that is where he met my mother. Years later, he would be stationed there again. That time, though, we lost her. My mom is buried in a cemetery that overlooks the South China Sea. I wonder if my grandmother will be buried there as well. I hope so.

I don't know what I feel.

<<--See Also: I Feel Nothing

We got a phone call a few hours ago from my Aunt Lolita. My Nanay (maternal grandmother) died. I was hoping for a few more years. I wanted to go back there for my first vacation on my own. Now I won’t go back and see her. My last living link that keeps a part of my heart in that country is now gone. To be quite frank, the only family that I have left from my mother’s side is my Aunt Connie and her two kids who live in Illinois and my Aunt Lolita who lives in Arkansas.

I’m not sure what exactly I am feeling right now. I feel some sorrow over it but I’m not surprised or anything. She was an old lady and I knew her time was getting short. The last time I saw her, I made sure to remember as much as I could because it may have been the last time I saw her alive. It turned out true.

Other than Nanay’s death, I don’t know much else. My Aunt Connie won’t be able to make the trip back and I’m not sure about my Aunt Lolita. Dad asked me if I would be interested in going to represent the family. Yes. No hesitation. Although, I would feel guilty about leaving the store in the middle of Christmas season. Travel time is a minimum five days. Two days to get there. One day for the funeral. Two days back. When the funeral would be, I don’t know either. Could be two weeks from now for all I know. It depends on how long the other relatives there choose to keep the body.

San Fernando, La Union

This is the house and neighborhood where I spent some time growing up. Nanay lived in that brick house.

Sorry to cut this short but when I'm more in the mood, I'll try to do a better post.

I know. I've been slacking.

Sorry for the lack of quality posting. --Not that they were ever of quality in the first place. :-P Things have picked up and I haven’t had the energy in trying to put out some posts. You all can forgive me, right?

Work has picked up naturally. Strangely enough, it hasn’t been as stressful as I thought it would be. In comparison to working at K-mart and Wal-mart, this has been a walk in the park. The juniors are doing a lot better but getting them to interact with customers is still difficult. One of them quit in the middle of last week and it threw the holiday schedule out of whack. So I have been picking up some of the slack. To hopefully fix the situation, there was an on the spot hire two days ago. The new guy has impressed me with how much he picked up in one day. Now, if I can only get him to speak.

The other night I went out for Justin’s birthday. It was a good time. Him, his wife, Erin and I went to Hana Yori’s for dinner. It was my first time going to the Japanese restaurant. I forget the name for it but it’s the kind where they cook the food right at your table and give you a show while doing it. The tricks were pretty neat but I was still expecting a little more show. Have you ever heard of yolk sauce? Blech. Still it was a good time. We got seated with a blitzed blonde and her boyfriend. Now she was a hoot.

After the dinner, we went for some bowling. Now, I can count the number of times I’ve been bowling on one hand. About half of those times, I was under 10. So, any guesses as to what I bowl? Aside from this particular night, the last time I bowled was up at State and I ended up with a 70 something if my memory serves me right. The goal this night was to pass 100. Ended up with my max score being 109. When I told my Dad, he looked at me like I was trying to bite my shoulder. Whatever, I’m proud of myself.

Every other year, we head down to Disney World for Christmas vacation. Mom and Dad own a timeshare down there for the week before Christmas. We aren’t going down there this year and apparently my parents don’t want to go down there next year so they want to rent it out. So if anyone wants it for 2007, email me. My guess is that they would ask for $400 or so for the week. 1 bedroom unit at Westgate Resorts on the southern edge of the WDW property on W. Irlo Bronson Memorial Parkway (US 192).

I’m joining the YMCA today. The indoor track and swimming pool call me away from the freezing St. Joe and the River Park trail.

A personnel company called for me while I was at work Friday. I’ll be making a return call and hopefully something interesting will come up. Cross your fingers for me.

I’ve started considering jobs within Chicago. I’ve always avoided the city because I figured that any job that I could get there wouldn’t pay enough for me to live there. But since nothing seems to be popping up around here, it can’t hurt to broaden the search area. Plus living in Chicago would be way too cool.

I’ve figured out my MP3 player. My happy dance lasted about 3 minutes.

Got fifty?

I've seen this particular meme on four other sites that I view. Might as well jump on the bandwagon even though no one tagged me. (ahem)

1. When you looked at yourself in the mirror today, what was the first thing you thought?
I need a haircut. What time am I working on Tuesday? (Tuesday is when haircuts for men are $10 at the mall.)

2. How much cash do you have on you?
$11.65 (And it has to last until Thursday)

3. What’s a word that rhymes with “door?”
Whore. (Where’s my mind at you ask? Well, Cherry took the first word came to me. Whore was the second.)

4. Favorite planet?
Earth. The only one I’ve been on.

5. Who is the 4th person on your missed call list on your cell phone?
Ashley. An old co-worker. It was probably the night that she tried to get me to go to the strip club with her.

6. What is your favorite ring tone on your phone?
I don’t have any. Those frakkers cost too much. But… when I had Virgin Mobile, it was Fraggle Rock.

7. What shirt are you wearing?
Red rugby

8. Do you “label” yourself?
Shoot. I can give you three right off the top of my head.

9. Name the brand of the shoes you’re currently wearing?
Reebok

10. Bright or Dark Room?
Depends. Dark mostly.

11. What do you think about the person who took this survey before you?
I’ll just go with the blogger whose blog I first saw this on. I hate him for having a better sense of humor, living in Chicago, being employed, and having a boyfriend. Well, hate is probably too strong a word. Actually, I think he’s one cool cat.

12. What does your watch look like?
Normally, I don’t wear one. My cell phone serves that purpose. But the one that I do have is digital, big, with a green Velcro strap and with a compass on it.

13. What were you doing at midnight last night?
Snoring.

14. What did your last text message you received on your cell say?
“Lol” from Season. (She’s coming back home for Christmas. Yay!)

15. Where is your nearest 7-11?
I think that there is one on US20 going towards South Bend Regional Air Port. But the closest one that I know for sure is on Main St. in Mishawaka.

16. What's a word that you say a lot?
Damn.

17. Who told you he/she loved you last?
It’s been so long, I honestly can’t remember. (Don’t you want to break out a kleenix?)

18. Last furry thing you touched?
Sunshine. Carrie and Justin’s cat.

19. How many drugs have you done in the last three days?
None.

20. How many rolls of film do you need developed?
Film? I thought only professional photographers still used that. Umm…. Zero.

21. Favorite age you have been so far?
Nineteen. It was a great year.

22. Your worst enemy?
Myself. I’m not trying to be smart or anything but it’s true.

23. What is your current desktop picture?
Chicago skyline.

24. What was the last thing you said to someone?
Thank you.

25. If you had to choose between a million bucks or to be able to fly what would it be?
Fly. Like Cherry was on to, I’d make money off of that.

26. Do you like someone?
Sure. Unfortunately, it’s not gonna work.

27. The last song you listened to?
Some song that is about “smack that” and “tae bo”

28. What time of day were you born?
0532 Mountain Standard Time

29. What’s your favorite number?
Four

30. Where did you live in 1987?
Key West, Florida

31. Are you jealous of anyone?
To a certain extent. The grass is green on the other side and all that.

32. Is anyone jealous of you?
I think not.

33. Where were you when 9/11 happened?
Micro-Economics and then in my dorm room.

34. What do you do when vending machines steal your money?
Shake and tip them.

35. Do you consider yourself kind?
Yes.

36. If you had to get a tattoo, where would it be?
If I had to get one it would be on my upper left arm.

37. If you could be fluent in any other language, what would it be?
Mandarin.

38. Would you move for the person you loved?
Yes.

39. Are you touchy feely?
Not really but I could be.

40. What’s your life motto?
“Just get on with it.”

41. Name three things that you have on you at all times?
Keys, wallet, and cell phone.

42. What’s your favorite town/city?
Town: Niles, MI
City: Chicago, IL

43. What was the last thing you paid for with cash?
Washer fluid and shampoo.

44. When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone on paper and mailed it?
Last Spring and to Sara.

45. Can you change the oil on a car?
I know how to but I don’t.

46. Your first love: what is the last thing you heard about him/her?
He was back in Iowa for a wedding, I think. He also told me that he was straight.

47. How far back do you know about your ancestry?
Grandparents only. But I do know that my maternal family were wealthy landowners until the Japanese invasion. Family legend has us being descended from some royal family in Sweden, Norway, or some place around there.

48. The last time you dressed fancy, what did you wear and why did you dress fancy?
Black suit. Loan interview.

49. Does anything hurt on your body right now?
No.

50. Have you been burned by love?
I’m not sure. I’ve been crushed, I know that.

Dodged the Bullet

You call that a snowstorm? Ha ha. The big winter storm that swept through the Midwest barely touched us. Other areas were not so lucky. See Herb and Robert as well as this article. I heard that Grand Rapids was virtually shut down. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to enjoy a little sunshine. It may be 30 degrees but at least it's shining.