Thursday, June 29, 2006

A Sort of Homecoming.

Well, Jeannie picked up the keys to the new place tonight at around 5, and started painting the bedrrom. After I got off work at 8, I came home to our current place, cleaned out the refridgerator, and took down an air conditioner to take to the new place. So we unpacked a little bit of stuff out of the car and hooked up the air conditioner at the new place (so it won't be beastly hot when we're movin' stuff in). Then we headed up to the roof for a beer. The view is beautiful. Everything I could have asked for in rooftop access. A nice place to have a beer and chat with the wife.

The new place is a bit rougher around the edges than it seemed when we last looked at it 2 months ago, but I think it's going to be great. The two big reliefs of the day are:

A) The closets are much bigger than we thought. We're going from an apartment with 5 closets into an apartment with 2 closets, so the fact that the new closets are twice as large as we thought helps a lot.

B) We have nice friends who are going to help us move. A million thanks!

Big, busy day tomorrow. Time for bed...

Wednesday, June 28, 2006

Demon!

Jeannie has finally made contact with a rental agent at Star Management, and they have cleared us to pick up the keys on Thursday night and move in on Friday, which is awesome becasue then we should be moved in by the time our friends from Ohio (the worst state I've been to) arrive on (hopefully) Friday night. Woo-Hoo!

So here's a thanks in advance to the folks who are going to help us move.

Work has been fine lately. Some days I get really stressed out, though. I have to not let myself get stressed out about that damned place.

An interesting anecdote: on Sunday as we were packing our stuff up, we found a journal that Jeannie had to keep for one of her classes at the beginning of her freshman year in college. She said I could read it, and I discovered some new things about that time, and rediscovered a few things, too. We both had a good laugh about how absolutely insane we were then.

Also, today at the B&N I got/had to throw an insane person out of the store. It was about 9:30 this morning and I heard someone yelling a bunch of stuff about Galileo. And this person kept yelling and eventually made his way over to the music department, and I asked him if he was ok, and he said he was. Then he started yelling about Galileo again, and then started yelling about the movie NARNIA, and I again asked him if he needed any help. He asked if I was going to stab him in the back, and I said, "No, but I might have to ask you to leave if you keep yelling." Then he yelled at me and said I was a demon. Then he said, "You look very attractive with a shaved head, did you salute Hitler this morning?" And as I was escorting him out of the building, he was either goose-stepping up the escalator or just stomping his feet in anger, I couldn't tell which. Anyway, he was whack. I am not a demon.

Sunday, June 25, 2006

Star Management

Today the lovely folks at Star Management and Development (the company that we'll be renting our new apartment from) made me frustrated. They don't seem to be able to tell us when we can move our shit, and they're not good about returning phone calls. Anyway, they buggin' me.

Work today was good, maybe I'm starting to stress about the job a little less. And I'm comfortably busy so the time goes by quickly.

Highlight of the day: coming home from work and eating cheesecake, drinking a G&T, and watching a FRESH PRINCE rerun with the J-dog. Guest starring Robin Givens!

Friday, June 23, 2006

Tired Mired.

Hmmm. Just got home from work a little while ago. Jeannie's asleep, and I'm here again on the new futon. A little sweaty in here cause ain't got no air on. If this seems like a repeat of last night's post, it's becuase the past few days have all been very similar, and they go something like this: wake up, work on some music for Schlueter, get everything uploaded to the internet, take a shower, eat some hotdogs, and go to work. I'm guessing tomorrow will be about the same. Saturday should be different, though, because instead of working on music I'll get to hang with the Jeanners.

Got a lot of important stuff done at work, then read some e-mails that told me that there's going to be lots of other important stuff happening over the next few weeks. Oh goody.

It's been trying to storm outside for the last hour or so, lightning flashing every couple of seconds, and the rain has just started to fall.

My current hope is this: that by August I'll be thoroughly settled into the new job, pleasantly settled into the new apartment, and that life will be smooth sailing and lots of sitting on the roof with Jeannie, reading ROLLING STONE and sipping lemonade.

Thursday, June 22, 2006

A mess.

Well, it's about 1 in the morning, and I got home from work a little while ago. Jeannie's in bed, and I'm sitting on the futon (still awesome!) uploading some songs for the play to my Yahoo! briefcase so Schlueter can download them and check them out. I've spent the last 45 minutes or so reading old posts from Drew's blog. I like reading Drew's blog, because I can very much hear him in the way that he writes. I guess that's why I like reading blogs in general.

Our living room is a mess. There's boxes that are full and packed and boxes that are half packed and piles of shit waiting to be put in boxes. I'll be oh so glad when the move is over...

Work was fine tonight. I was steadily busy all day, and I got at least some stuff done, and I should have time tomorrow to get done everything that needs to get done by the end of the week. My old boss came by tonight because he needed to pick up a check and some other stuff. It was good to see him. I'm glad that whole situation has worked out for everyone.

Yesterday I was able to go to lunch with the BJ, and we played a couple of games of spades as we sipped water on the back 'patio' of the Rec Room. One thing that I will remember fondly about this summer is the weekly lunches with the Beej.

So much is happening in a few weeks! It's exciting. Can't wait for our visit from the Schlueterileymetz'.

Monday, June 19, 2006

Futon!

Will work keep me this stressed from here on out? I hope not. It's made my stomach feel a little twisted and my poop funny ever since I started the new job. Hopefully thst will go away as things get caught up and I understand how some of this shit is supposed to work....nevertheless, I have a day off tomorrow which I will spend eating hamburgers, drinking gin and tonics, and playing spades with one BJ Gailey, and then for the majority of the afternoon I will have my nose to the grindstone for Jen Schlueter, working some more on improving the french song and then maybe working on some more instrumental pieces.

The big news of the last few days is that Jeannie and I started packing up our shit for the move, including getting rid of some stuff, which is always nice, and buying a used futon. Futon is a word that has always conjured up somewhat unpleasant images for me, as I usually picture the beat-up, broken piece of crap that was in Big Daddy's apartment above Sparks Cleaners. But this futon meets all of my awesome-couch criteria:

1. It looks nice, and is well made and sturdy.
2. It's comfortable to sit on.
3. It's long enough for me to lay on.
4. It turns into a bed. Magically.
5. It was cheap.
6. We can launder the cover when I drunkenly urinate all over it.

All-in-all, I'm very excited and pleased with this purchase. I hope that everyone can come visit and sleep on the futon.

Tonight I got to go hang out with Pat and BJ for the first time since BJ has been in town. We got to play our geek game, and meet our monthly quota of trash talk and farting.

Is anyone else amazed at how much Flippy has imprinted himself on the psyche of America's celebrities? I smell a "Flippy the Magnificent Show" in the works...

Friday, June 16, 2006

Psycho Beach Party.


The Jeanners and I made it down to Rehoboth Beach today, and as is our tradition, we got our pictures taken in a photo booth. It was an absolutely perfect day of laying in the sun and frolicking in some nut-chilling water.

Then we made it to see LEAR tonight, and it wasn't great, it wasn't terrible. There were moments that were good, and there were some moments that were bad, and there were a lot of moments that just were. I'm looking forward to seeing SHREW, either on Sunday or when the Schlueterrileymetz' are in town.

Don't really feel like going to work tomorrow, but I've got a lot to do so the day will probably go by fast...

Thursday, June 15, 2006

Seriously.

Seriously, I've eaten like a whole jar of dill spears in the last 3 days. What is the deal? This brings to mind a semi-unrelated thought: for the last few months, in my head, when I come across a song that is a good song, a song that is strange in a way that you wouldn't want to listen to it all the time but is so good that whenever you listen to it it seems satisfying even though you weren't really sure what type of song you were in the mood for, I call it a "pickle." The Fiona Apple song "Get Him Back" is a pickle. Lots of solo David Byrne songs are pickles. That's a little peek into the blissfully vacant brain of one Daniel P. O'B...

Flippy and Regis....together...with Billy Bush (perhaps the most annoying person...ever?)....leopard print robe and loincloth.....Drew with his half-embarassed/ half-proud face on....

If I didn't know better I would say that I had a milkshake before bed last night and it was all just a really whack dream, but no, it's all real. And surely a sign of the capital-A Apocolypse. Check out Drew's blog if you don't know what I'm talking about...

Things at work have calmed down a little bit, although it's still been keeping me busy. Today I do some chores and take care of some of the music work that I have been neglecting. Tomorrow the plan is to drive to the beach early in the morning (hopefully my wife will play hookie and join me), then come back in the evening and go see KING LEAR. Ugh. I don't know that I'm up for LEAR, but perhaps it's a good thing to go in with low expectations and then be pleasantly surprised?

Monday, June 12, 2006

Dill Spears

Do you ever start eating pickles and feel like you just can't stop? What a tasty summertime treat...

Work, work, work today. I'm tired tonight. Need to sit down and listen to the french tape that I got from Schlueter.

Sunday, June 11, 2006

All hail, puny mortals!

Well, as of today, I am officially the music dept. mgr at the B&N in Towson. Perhaps I would be more excited if I knew what kind of dough I was making. I haven't been told yet. Apparently I'm supposed to find out tomorrow. Well, whatever, I'm happy to have the job. Work has been keeping me very busy lately, but it's been a good busy.

Looking forward to a lot of things:
1. Moving
2. A visit from the Schlueterrileymetz'
3. Trip to California
4. Day trips to the beach

Hmmm. What else? We've been enjoying not babysitting. I had some seriously stinky farts this morning.

That is all for now.

Thursday, June 08, 2006

Broken air gaps

Had a strange dream last night about going to visit Sean in Alaska. I don't think that the dream was factually correct, though, because in the dream going to Alaska meant lots of white water rafting (ok, that might be correct) and also swimming at a huge, sunny beach. And while swimming there (with Sean and my brother) there was a huge wave that was, for lack of a better word, HUGE. It was so big that it had crested and fallen over but then stayed there like that, so it was like a huge roof over the entire beach area where we were swimming, blocking out the sun.

Anyway, in the dream I had lots of adventures with Sean and that was fun.

Last night we went over to Aimee's and saw her new place. It's real nice, seems to be just the right size and it's fresh and cute. She seems very happy there, and of course Jeannie and I are happy for her. We had some pizza and then went for a nice walk to a Baskin-Robbins for some ice-cream. At the Baskin-Robbins, Jeannie and I made a bet about something, and 10 minutes later nobody could remember what we had bet about. We still haven't remembered.

Today I had thought about driving down to the beach for the day, but I checked the weather yesterday and it's supposed to be raining there. So instead I'm meeting the BJ for a lunch at the Rec Room. And we all know what the Rec Room means...tasty burgers! Indeed. I'm going to take a deck of cards and maybe we can play some spades while we eat.

Got some good work done on some songs for the play yesterday. I feel like somethings are beginning to take a little bit better shape...might get some time today to tinker some more...

Wednesday, June 07, 2006

A Break.

It's been a few days, which is not like me (I'm an egomaniac, in case you've never me t me) but I've been very busy at work and such. Just finished 8 days of work in a row, and I'm looking forward to my days off today and tomorrow. Yesterday was my last day working with my current boss. It was a little bit sad, because we've worked together for almost 4 years, but not too bad. He got another job working in real estate. So I got him a card and a present to wish him good luck. I think he appreciated it.

Last night Jeannie and I decided to have fried chicken for dinner, then we came home and ate it, and as the night progressed we got more and more cranky with each other. Which is not like us at all. So we think that we've had a food-coma induced argument. On my side, I also think that I was very very tired, and a big belly of fried chicken didn't help. Everything's fine today, though. The marriage is safe. Divort averted.

Today with my day off I hope to do some laundry, finish up our dishes, and work on music for Schlueter's play. One of our cars is in the shop, so I'll be unable to do anything today which requires driving, which is a good thing because then I'll get all my chores done and maybe come up with some good stuff for Jen. Tonight I believe we're going to Aimee's new place to hang out.

Work continues to leave me strangely energized, although yesterday was a day that featured some B-crap. B-crap does not leave me energized, but apparently leaves me cranky (see paragraph above).

Sunday, June 04, 2006

Happy Birthday Katie!

Tonight went to Jeannie's friend Katie's birthday dinner. Had some G&T's and some red wine, maybe more than I've had in awhile. Feeling comfortably drunk at the moment. It was a good time. We met some new people, had some really good food with lots of desserts, and laughed a lot. a good mix of people.

The last couple of days has been busy, in a good way. Had a job interview for the manager position, it went pretty well. And at work I've been taking over some of the managerial stuff, although I don't officially have the job yet. But it's kept me moving and active, and strangely energized. I don't feel bored at work anymore, I feel very motivated and excited. It's kind of a nice thing, I'm really looking forward to implementing some of the ideas I have for the department.

The CSC shows opened this weekend. I feel kind of bad that I didn't get a chance to see them, but I know there'l be other weekends.

Still having some slight trouble sleeping, probably work related. Or due to the fact that our air conditioner decides to make random strange noises at 5am.

Life seems pretty good right now, for several reasons. Not the least of which is red wine.

Thursday, June 01, 2006

Wide Awake

Well, it's 5 in the AM and I've been awake for about an hour and a half. A little while ago I decided to come into the living room, because I didn't want to keep the Jeanners awake with my tossings and turnings. Also thought that maybe laying on the couch would help me fall back asleep, as it sometimes does. No such luck.

Been thinking about work, about how to make the most of this sale that's going to be starting today (Buy 2 DVD's, get the 3rd Free!), which is just sad. I really don't care enough to be letting this stuff keep me awake. But maybe I do, I guess.

Got a nice e-mail from Lesley saying that my absence from the summer shows is noticable and has been noticed. Not sure if it had an underlying motive of tryng to get me to come out and help or not. But, either way, with all the shit going on at work, I gots no time to be working on the shows.

Anyhoo, here are some things of which I have been made painfully aware over the last several months:

Eric cares too much!

Dr. Witz is back on Zoloft.