Sir, Yes Sir! - 4/7/2002
Sorry for the complete lack of updates lately (for the
two of you who occasionally check on the Panda-meister). As you may or
may not have known, I'm considering enlisting in the USMC. As such, its
been a relatively busy week, with work, and talking with my recruiter.
Basically, Monday I walked in the door (my first choice has always been
the Air Force, but they weren't there). We spoke, I was quite impressed
with what they had to offer me. I was even more impressed with the
recruiters, who were very laid back, and pretty damned cool for a couple
of near 40's. I didn't feel pressured into anything like I did at the
other recruiters, it was just like talking to a couple of my boys. So
Thursday I took the ASVAB, and killed it. I wasn't sure what kind of
numbers I'd be seeing walking out of the testing room. Then I saw it,
the ASVAB outlined in chalk, surrounded with yellow police tape. Not
only had I completely killed it, I kicked it around while it was on the
ground for a while, then I pushed a file cabinet on top of it and jumped
on top while I danced the Matt Dalton Fairy Dance (what? Matt's never
shown you his fairy dance? Ask him about it ;) I got a 99 with
composites of:
MM
122
GT
129
EL 136
More importantly, it meant I was not
limited in my job choice (except by availability), regardless of what
branch I went into. While I still may speak with the AF recruiter once
more before getting DEP'd into the Marines, I am very pleased with the way
things are going right now. I think perhaps there are more intangible
things that the Marines have to offer that none of the other branches can
hold a candle to. I think that probably has a large part to do with this
decision. Anyhow, then Saturday the Sarge and I talked MOS (jobs), and I
went for electronics maintenance. Now, while its a very large and general
field, most any skill I learn is applicable post military (even if its at
the most basic level), with opportunities to move within the field later
on. Plus I get a nice chunk of change just for going through school.
So now Monday, I'll know my boot camp date
and job. Wednesday, I'll know for sure whether I stay or go, and then 2 or
3 weeks from tomorrow, I jump on the bus and say goodbye to any necessity
for dippity-do hairstyling products.
Anyhow, its been real busy with work and
all, so I haven't been able to get on the computer much to work on the
page. I hope to have more time to do my full exposé on what I mentioned
on the fourth.
Thanks for the blog help Luna, I still have
to test it out, but I'm almost certain that's exactly what it was. By the
way, your new lay out is krazy hot. I thought for a second, I had clicked
on the wrong set of bookmarks...
Also, this blog update is made in memory of
Zelda. I'm not sure exactly what happened, but I'm feeling you guys. I've
got my kitty too, who've I had since she was just a few weeks old (now
she's going on 5 years). You see a fat old cat who likes licking herself
and sitting by her dish until she's fed, I see a kitten who used to dart
out from under my bed and bite my feet at 3 in the morning when I went to
use the bathroom. I'd be hateful to anyone who did something to my cat,
and reading Kyle's page makes me pretty mad. Then again, I really don't
know what happened. I guess I'm just a sucker for all things furry
and feline... and don't you dare call me a pussy... (cat?) I'm sure it'll
all work out, cats always land on their feet... unless they faint on the
way down (then you'd have a CATastrophe... "Thank you, thank you very
much, I'll be here all week").
Progress Quest... Level 35!
Is That An ASVAB in Your
Pocket Or... - 4/4/2002
Want to play and RPG that plays itself? Check out Progress
Quest. It's an online game that does everything for you. It's
kind of like a digital pet, only RPG'ish in nature... and you don't get
to feed it.
We've been seeing each other for a long time now.
We've grown so close together. You've seen a part of me I've never shown
anyone before. I think now is a good time to tell you that... All
your base are belong to us.
What to do today? Ah yes, work. Store opened promptly
at 10 am. Very slow day, I can count the number of customers on two
hands (unless you're a smurf),
then maybe you'd need another hand? It gave me time to read over the
auto and shop sections of the ASVAB. These two and the electronics
concern me since I've never had any experience with wood, cars, or basic
electronic equipment. It's not that I can't learn them, just that I've
never really studied them. I took the practice test last night, and
scored great and the academic portions, so hopefully I will score highly
when I take the test this afternoon.
Browsing through Luna's links last night, I happened
upon a piece of pure genius. Never before in my more than half a decade
of internet decadence have I ever stumbled upon such an exciting article
of brilliance. It was as if in front of me, in between the colorful
cathode emissions and soft glow of late 20th century technological
advancement, and set apart from the jumbled confusion that has become
the internet, I had found a little piece of Heaven. What I saw
transcends mortal experience, and yes... I cried. It was beautiful.
Tomorrow, I will show you the entire thing, in all
it's splendor, and also announce the websites owner as my first Kewl Kat
of the month. And yes, you can find a link directly to it from Luna's
page.
Thank You for
Calling Movie Gallery - 4/2/2002
Another fantastic night of DVD dealing and videocassette vending. I
swear to god, I don't know where some of our customers come from. This
one lady today comes in at 4pm, has late fees... she's all about telling
us how she has no idea where that late fee came from (I doubt she had
any idea about anything at all). So my manager is like, hey lady, sorry
about the fee, but pay up or get out. So the lady stomps out like a
highstepping rhino. And of course, everyone knows we just love making up
late fees for people to pay, that's where we get most of our profit (you
think people actually keep movies past due? **kyle boitet?**)
So then 9pm rolls around, here comes this same lady, acting like she
hadn't come in earlier. She even asks me about the same movies she
picked out before. Kind of taking her time. Finally she comes up to the
counter, having a conversation with me and all. I then say, hey lady,
you got yourself a late fee here. *insert dumbfounded face of old lady
here* What?! I dunno 'bout no late fees, sir. That must be a mistake.
(She must think I'm a complete idiot or at least on her level). She then
tells me she spoke to my manager and she said it was ok to take off some
of the late fee. (Did she really not see me standing here just 5 hours
ago?) So then a ceiling panel fell from right above her, landing right
on her head. Then the little dancing elves that live in the ceiling came
down and we had our annual Movie Gallery Elven Festival of Lights.
Seriously though, I spent 30 minutes arguing with this lady about a $5
late fee before she huffed and puffed and ran out the door.
Not a bad night though, most everything got done, and I was out
before the stroke of midnight. Just in time to join the elven
festivities.
I am 79% worshipable! And you? Find out!
Blogging
Troubles - 4/2/2002
Well, for some reason, I
can't seem to get the add entry working correctly on pitas, despite
having tested a few different templates. As soon as I can figure that
out, I can focus more on the content (info, image hosting, java, etc.),
than on just trying to get this bad boy to crank up right. I've been
reading through other people's source codes trying to find what needs to
be imbedded here so I can input it through pitas built in add/edit
message (is it html?)
If you have any ideas on
how to get it working correctly that'd be great. Matt's scanner is still
sitting on the desk, asking me to hook it up. Soon my friend... soon.
Work tonight at 3pm, study for ASVAB tomorrow, test on Thursday
afternoon. Peace.
