There, now some more people are added, including famiy. But I am tired now, and I am excited for tomorrow. For then, I start the great adventure of writing my first novel. I fear that if I wait up until midnight, I will start and then not get any sleep. I had way too much candy today and feel like I am sugar crashing too. I also don't think I am adjusted to the time change either. Going home when it is dark dark really sucks.

Most of all, I am just tired right now and sleep looks a good friend to cuddle up with.

Happy Halloween! It's has been a super busy week.When I say week, I mean starting last Friday and into today. Tonight, I gave up travelling across treacherous lands to the Double Door to see The Legendary Pink Dots ask a random man what they want. (The last time, the man replied..."A million dollars" to which Ed shreiked "A million dollars? Just a million dollars?! Why do you want that? YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU!" Ahh yes. But that was too far to travel. Three times in less than a week crossing over to the Blue line was just too much. Especially when you throw in a Madison trip.

Thanks to Sigrid and Matt for inviting us to stay with them while Tim made his "don't call it a comeback" ...well...show. It had a great attendance for a Tuesday night. I hear it reached like 94 people! Wahoo. Special thanks to Ben for coming out, Sarah, and Bekah (it was great to see you again). Um will write more in a bit. Just realized I don't have Ben's picture up still...gonna fix that.

Started the Halloween 2002 pictures. Thank you to Jason for taking them and sending them to me. Please, if you took any pictures, send them my way. (I hate not having a camera).

Also....Eric pointed out to me that he was not the Slider aka Jason Bateman....rather the American Psycho Patrick Bateman. My apologies. =^-^=

I turn on my computer and ICQ greets me with a random message from one Mr. Stuntlife at koed888@hotmail who innocently says: "just tring to find a girl who will sit on my face and cover it with cum" So yeah. He was sent directly to the ignore list. I wonder if there is a way to check out how many people are on that list. Just a head count would be interesting.

Party on Friday night. Too crowded...like four times as many people as the time before I was there. They had four kegs, two huge vats of jungle juice, hard liqueur and still ran out of booze at 11.30 if that give you any clue as to how many people there were. Mischa said between 300-400 people. Uff. The only cool thing was seeing his Tron outfit glow in the dark. Jason, Erika, Tim and I moved onto the Beachwood, 45 min after arriving. There we rode out the night drinking and talking. Afterward Jason gave us a ride to the redline and cut our traveling home time by an hour. I hate the blue line connection. I will work on a picture page. Promise. I had other people take pictures since I don't have a camera anymore. It will take a little time.

Saturday slept in, didn't want to dress up again at all. Putzed all day watching movies. Found an outfit for Tim that looked awesome (hopefully someone will give me a piture of that), dressed up and went to Callie's Halloween party. She and Kristi did a great job in decorating and wore awesome outfits...especially Callie. Wow. Wait to you see the pictures--she dressed up as Carrie from....Carrie. We ate good food (cocktail weenies, cupcakes, cookies, dip, chips, carrots, candy and pretzels), drank some beer (MGD), smoked (camels), and went over to look at the crazy neighbors house covered from roof to basement in crosses, sheilds and weird phrases. After that other guests came and it got crowded so we moved onto the Goldstar, where Eric and Kate reigned supreme over the pool table (I think Eric was empowered by his Jason Bateman costume...confidence goes along way), and Tim and I talked with Rachal and Mike. Had a good time and then Mike and Rachal gave us a much needed ride home (again the party was over on the blue line route and it would have taken us forever to get home.

Sunday I got up and watched more movies on TV. I dunno, there seems to be a whole bunch I haven't seen lately. Got dressed around six and went over to see if my sister in law was still alive. I hadn't seen Becka in a few months (Even though she lives down the block), but that isn't entirely my or Tim's fault, because they haven't visited us ONCE the entire last year. One of their iquana's died, and I got to poke at it. Greg is still looking for a job, and Bekah is still at the law school thing. They just told Greg parents they got married a month or two ago (they had wanted to do it over the phone, which I can't understand to a point). I wonder when Matriarch Benninghoff will ever get to know her daughter got married.

The blog site was down today, so I couldn't post earlier. I might have had something to say earlier, but now I really don't. Going to a party tonight, but not really in a party mood.

Tre cool. The internet station I listen too updated their stuff. I now have the immense pleasure of hearing Dairy of Dreams...one of their new songs. Wahoo! That is something to be happy about. I just wish they would play here. If Death in June can play here, why can't Diary of Dreams? They can play in my apartment. 8)

I worked on my costume last night. I made two masks because I can't decide how comfortable it should be compared to how cool it would look. Now I am confronted with how to make it look like I don't have any shoulders. I tried the card board contraption angle, the pillows, the stuffed robes and towels...but have concluded the best route is to get stuffing and shape/form it. Then afterward, I can use the stuffing to make new pillows for the couch. Everyone loves pillows, and I like making them. Tim finished his resume, and we both went to the Lighthouse for a drink. Had a nice time, a couple from Ireland three hours in the US bought us drinks because I told the woman where she could go shopping for denim and shoes. I wonder if my accent makes it harder for other accented english speaking people to understand. You know? Like, Tim sounds American. I sound like some strange twisted canadian/indian/fargoish american. I dunno. I wish I could hear my accent. I sometimes think I would take classes like in My Fair Lady to get rid of it...but then again it doesn't bother me. It just bothers everyone else. Screw it. 8)

Tim is staying home today because he kept waking me up last night because he couldn't breath. I told him to take an antihistamine, prop himself up a bit and calm the hell down because he still had a good range of breath and, I tried to assure him he didn't breath that deeply. He doesn't seem to believe me. After ten-fifteen minutes of him tossing and turning and complaining he couldn't breath, I was like "What? What do you want me to do?" (I wasn't going to feed into his panic...that just makes it worse) and the got mad and took a pillow and stormed off into the living room. I went to sleep. He tells me later he watched TV for an hour and then went to sleep. I told him the medicine and TV made him calm and sleepy. So....this morning he stayed home. Ironic how he always seems to stay home...if not the day I stay home, then at least during the week. Even when I am on vacation, he finds reasons to stay home and not go to work. Poor darling. Now is he watching TV...and even caught the last five minutes of Little House on the Prairie.

I just got noticed from Bert Menco a little man with queer clothes who floats around the building, and owns a multicolored car...he said "Where is the black?" because I am wearing green today. 8) Then I said..."oh...um. Laundry?" and he nodded and said he notices those things. Then I said "Where is the scarf?" and he said "Up stairs. I cannot live without it. You notice those things too."

Yesterday I stayed home. Watched Little House on the Prairie (man I hate Mary...her cold blue eyes scare me), Roommates which was a tale about the relationship between a cantankerous senior citizen (Peter Falk) and the grandson he raised. Followed by a wedding story (x2), and While You Were Sleeping, while drinking tea, playing with the cats and vacuuming everything in sight, including the ceiling, futon, papasan, and cat tree. Lots of cobwebs and dust collected over the past two and a half years and cat hair in general. Then I dusted everything and cleaned the picture frames and doo dads and wiped off the mantel and arranged it all pretty like with the flowers that Tim got me on Friday night. A beautiful pink and red bouquet. Then I made dinner (skillet dinner with potatos), watched Buffy and then wrote mail. It was a good productive day for myself and nice to not have to talk to anyone, or read email (not that I have any) or small talk in general.

I wish I had more penpals though.

Whew! I had a big project to finish this morning, in which I had to write about myself and my work in a glowing light. Very difficult. I find it really hard to boast about myself.

Friday night we had dinner downtown Gino's with Andy, Callie, Zeman, Krisiti, Mike and Rachal. It was okay, I don't understand why Callie has such a love affair with that pizza joint, their crust sucks and the toppings are too drippy. The company was good though, and the appetizers were great. Afterward we went to this Korean karoke place...called Coffee Cafe (it is most likely something different but since none of us could speak Korean, we called it ...Coffee Cafe). It was okay, but I think I don't want to do it again for a long time. Twice is way more than enough for one year. The most spectacular part of that was listening to Callie perform Black Velvet. Man, does that girl have a voice!

Saturday was a lazy, watch movies on TV, play Battle of the Bands with Tim (he won), reorganize the entertainment center and hook up the stereo through it, play video games, and all around putz. Sunday, watched Joe Dirt. It was like watching a train wreck, I couldn't get away from it Then Jason told Tim Death in June was playing at the Congress at 6.00 that day. Crappy promotions. We went shopping to target and good food at Jewel then headed home to eat, and leave again for the show. The show wasn't what entirely what I expected.

The luftwaft band sucked and encouraged me to have two more beers, Boyd Rice was forgettable, and Death in June wore one costume, two masks,...but there this super loud screeching pig, soundtrack looping over everything they did. I couldn't stand it, it was so loud. Then I started to think that it was nothing more than a thinly, veiled metaphor for their contempt of the American audience (they HAD vowed they wouldn't play in the US anymore), and the kids standing up at the stage were pigs in a trough. Disgusted, Tim and I went for a smoke and a beer to talk and ride out the rest of the show...outside the show. It was at the Congress, so there were tables in their makeshift "Bar" area. Afterward, Jason gave us a ride to the red line and we headed home.

On the web front, Tim finally put up the book database thing he was talking about. Remember, these are just the books I remembered off the top of my head (to get it started)...I have quite a few to add. I have to change some links (including updating some pictures)...but you can check it out here....for now.

Last night I watched the Bachelor yet again. I am so stupid. I know. I also did two loads of laundry (we were in desperate need of skivvies....I was even "borrowing" a pair of Tim's), cleaned up the bedroom a bit and cleared off my desk to write. I started a good letter to Sarah, about 7 pages in (or three pages, back and front, depending on how you count). From the noise generated from the dining room, the gamers were having a good time and one of them even brought chocolate. Yum.

Tonight Kate and Eric invited us over for dinner, and hanging out. He did orginally want to go out to eat, but I declined that offer in favor of hanging out and entertaining ourselves. Besides, Tim hasn't seen their apartment yet, and it is a nice apartment. They have painted walls. Hmm.. I am having difficulty updating their picture....I will fix that tonight when I get home and not at the mercy of online file managing. I am looking forward to seeing their completed (mostly so) apartment.

Feeling a little deflated today. I want so much from life, and yet it seem like the reserves I have are only to be rationed because life is nothing but a desert, and my words resemble an angsty, teenager. But still, it is there. Tonight, I am not doing anything that I know of. The gamers are storming the apartment...Migo becomes an Ewok, and I retreat to the bedroom. We really need some laundry done, I suppose I could do a load of that. I have my book which is actually very interesting, and I could also write. There is always that option. I guess when I get home I will know, and it won't be so bad.

I just wish I was doing something else.

Twinkies only getting better. I was almost positive I was getting a cold yesterday, and even felt crappy, but still went grocery shopping after work. Got some good, easy to make food and so last night we had fajjitas then went to bed at 10:00PM. So this morning I wake up and feel fine. On a lucky note, Eric offered to take us out to dinner on Thursday, but I suggested making one instead because I don't feel like going out to eat. It seems like we have done it so much lately (because of the travel, and the no food in the house). Tonight we are having Kitty Litter Stirfry. Tim is making it. Oh, speaking of Tim. He agreed to DJ at the Inferno on the 28th! I am excited, I already took the next day off.

I also got a surprise email from one Andy A.in London. He is flying in this Thursday and is going to be around this weekend. That should be fun, to hang out with him a bit since I have no major plans this weekend. I haven't seen that boy in years!

I got a letter from Sarah! Excellent. I love mail, and it was a good letter. Now I get to write someone back (other than my Mom which I did last night). Getting mail makes the world go around, although there is no mail today thanks to that stubby litte spainard.

On Saturday got up early and drove to Madison (Waunakee) to participate in the Murder Mystery dinner curtesy of Paul. It was okay, I mean, I hosted Murdery Mystery parties that have been more fun because everyone dresses up and plays in character. Tim managed to be selected to be a 'Suspect" and was Sheerluck Holmes. There was point where he was asked to go in front of everyone with some other 'suspects' and read some dialogue. He pretended to have a British accent, which I thought was faint at best. After the thing ended though, several old Agatha Chrity ladies came up to him asking him if he was British or an actor, telling him what a fine performance he gave. Then there was an author at the end that talked a bit about her book and herself, and I had my hardcopy signed. I gave the extra (Tim and I got one each) to Sigrid and Matt later. That was my first author signing a book that they actually wrote, that I have. The only other author signature I have is Stephen Donaldson in my journal from a few years back.

Then we went to the Old Living Room, which has a new name...something like 'um Vintage something'. In any case, we visited with Paul for awhile, then went back to look at his apartment because he painted the walls, and then headed out to The Great Dane for fish and Chips. Had a nice time, dropped Paul off at the book store and went to meet Sigrid and Matt. They of course, are always fun. We hung out at their place and I got a few new items of clothing (one of which I am wearing now...a black skirt). Look at some of her old pictures of college and saw Tim with black hair, then Chuck came over and we all went to the Inferno for a night of terrible music. The next morning, we had pancakes at the Orginal Pancake House and headed over to Ben and Jen's to check out Tristan. I am relieved to say to he is a cute baby. I didn't have to fib at all. 8)

So. I am walking to work after running some errands this morning, on Ridge. A fairly pretty street, with midsize homes and eccentric gardens. I hear someone behind me shout and turn to look. I see a young man walking behind about a half a block away. I turn and think. That wasn't the guy who shouted, so I turn again, and see beyond the man to the guy behind running to catch up with someone. I look away satisfied knowing it who it was. At the end of the block I turn and start walking down a smaller street, and for the breifest of second think about the person behind me, wondering if he following me (I hate it when people walk behind me for a long period of time). Second later, I hear I noise, a squeak of an "excuse me". I turn to see the young man, half a block away standing there, wringing his hands.

"Um. I just wanted to .... ahh....I mean. I was following you..er I mean behind you. And..." He paused to take calming breath. "I just wanted to say that you are the most gorgeous person I have ever seen. Um. And, ahh you left me breathless." He standing, near shaking and then dashes off the down an alley way. I stand stunned for a moment before I shout "Thank you!" to his fleeing form.

Wow. What a way to start the day.

The result of yesterday's dentist venture was seven cavities, and a need for the soft "less expensive" teeth guard (to prevent my teeth from wearing away when I grind them). Less expensive = 200 as opposed to 420. Eh. Today I am going to get two cavities filled and have a mold done. I am seriously considering the nitrice. I am going to be so freaked to do have this done. Four time times total!!!! ack. After learning the great news and finished out a borind day at work, Kate was super kind enough to give me a ride home, and I helped Tim clean up for the gamers tonight. Then I set a tape for Birds of Prey (gonna view it with Tim) and watched bad TV and Law and Order. After that I went to sleep. I was tired, and had some making up to do.

I think I am going to watch TV tonight and enjoy it. I still have to watch Buffy from Tuesday too, and get that blank tape to Mischa so he can put all those Firefly episodes from TIVO to tape.

On the postal front, I got a letter from my Mom! Then while I was making a nutritious dinner of pancakes, she called (got her long distance back). We talked for 10-15 minutes before the guests came over. That was nice. She said it has been raining tons in Menonomie and they can't go potato picking because of it. Such a contrast to here, where we have such little rain. The only interesting thing from the letter to me, was that she said she had such fun with us visiting last year (for Thanksgiving). That's funny, my memory seems to have a vast difference of opinion. We also talked a little about my brother's confusion at getting a blank book in the mail. I sent him one, so he would have something to do in his copious amounts of time off before he goes back to school in January. Of course, receiving this book, with nothing other than a simple inscription of "Josh, Fill'er up. Your sister, Laura" was enough to make him think for days. I even got a message on the answering machine questioning me why I would send him a blank book.

And thanks for the congratulations Jessica B! Send me your picture so I can put you up where you belong! !

The journeyman that keeps getting assigned to out department was here his morning. In the beginning, I liked him. Now I can't stand him. I have to fight with myself to be civil and make eye contact at least once or twice...but I just don't like him anymore. He is just...arrogant. But he gets the job done, I just don't like talking to him anymore or seeing him or any of that stuff. I have to try to harder to be decent though. To smile and at least say good morning, when I don't even say that to anyone else. (A simple hello suffices for me). Eh.

Last night was good. Seabound sounded okay, but nothing really jumped out at me. Stromkern was good and played all their club hits, attendance wasn't that bad, and I finally was able to repay Matt that five bucks I owed him.

Today I am going to the dentist. I am a little scared.

Today, I spent the morning going through email, and researching my Halloween costume. It was hard to find any pictures of him, but I got em. I am going to have to practice it a bit and figure out what would work best. The hardest thing is going to be finding Tim a costume (one that he won't bitch about being lame, like he thinks mine is, and one that he will actually wear). I told him he should go as Cassidy? (from the Preacher?) and just wear blue jeans, a white T-Shirt, flannel and a "Hello My Name i" name badge. Of course...he thinks that is lame.

Last night we didn't go grocery shopping because it was cold and didn't feel like it. Instead we went to the corner convenience store and bought eggs, milk, bread, two frozen dinners for today lunch and ...that was it. That was what we needed to make the rest of our food work. When I got home, I was putting the eggs away, and dropped them. All but four of them broke. Can you guess what we had for dinner? Yep. Egg sandwiches and banana nut muffins. (I don't think you would have guessed the muffin part). Saved the other two for whatever I am going to do tonight. Make a cake? I watched some TV, and then read. I didn't feel like doing much beyond dishes, cleaning up kitchen and dinner.

Tonight I am going to see Ned at the Metro for Nocturna. Tim can't go because he has to get up early on Wednesday, but I have other people to hang out with.

I am smoked. One hand has actually turned a darker yellow because of the smoking process, and my watchband has seemed to absorb as much of the campfire smoke as one of those oils. I had SUCH a great time this weekend. It was so very relaxing to be with a bunch of old friends out in the middle of the woods. IT rained a little (of course, Tim and I were camping) we burned one dinner, went hiking and drank lots of High Life and Octoberfest. On Sunday morning we broke camp early and drove caravan like to this truck stop resturant in Fond du Lac called Stretch's. We had great food for little money and more good converstation. Thanks to Sigrid and Matt for setting that up. (And I will get you that five bucks next time. )

Got home around twoish and Tim took a shower. Then I took a shower, which turned into a bath and I was able to get most of the smokey goodness out of my hair, and get rid of the yellowish glow to my right hand a bit. Just a tad...not altogether as I have already mentioned. Then I ate peanuts, watched the Hounds of Baskerville, and Angel (not too bad....) and then went to bed. I wanted to sleep on a soft, cushiony bed. And sleep I did, until Tim woke up me saying I was grinding my teeth again. I just don't know how to stop it. I can't. I don't know who I am when I start doing that. It makes me feel like I could also be this huge sleep walker and not even know it.

Received Callie's halloween party invitation in the mail today. So know I have to really think about my costume. I got a call from my brother asking me why I sent him a blank book. In the book, I wrote "Josh, filler up" your sister, Laura. And he calls to ask me *why* I sent him a blank book. Um. Am I the only one that thinks that question is stupid?

I wish I could send out more mail. Who wants mail? Email me your address and it will appear like magic.

I am leaving today at 12.30 to go camping. Tim and I drove today, so that when he picked me up we are going to the store to get some grub, and deposit my check, and then back home to pack and head out. Matt, 1/2 of the organizer team, sent me me the weather forecast for today:

FRIDAY NIGHT

Windy early. Mostly cloudy skies will become partly cloudy after midnight. Low
44F. Winds WNW at 20 to 30 mph.

SATURDAY

Partly cloudy skies. High 57F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph.
Saturday night:
Partly cloudy. Low around 45F. Winds light and variable.

I had to stay late last night troubleshooting a defective port, that *was* working by all tests and measures. This lab is weird. Two days ago I had the lock changed. I was there as the man put the new lock in, and tried it with his keys. I have a master that should have opened it too. Then yesterday morning, I get a call from the person who was moving into that office space in the lab saying that her keys didn't work. NO keys worked. I had the call the lockshop man to come back and fix it. He said that he cut the keys himself, and tested it at the lockshop and onsite, and the night he installed it. But yet...something inexplicable happened. Then, this mysterious data port...that is working, by all knowable measures...but yet does not connect the computer to the internet. I was here until 6, and we were all baffled. A little back ground info for you, this was the lab that I had cleaned out a year and half ago that was abandoned. When I walked in to survey it, it really looked as if everyone stopped what they were doing and just walked out. Creepy. I am telling you, that lab is haunted.

Got home later and didn't feel like going out to play pool, which is kind of how everyone felt anyway, so I stayed in. Finished the Jerle series while listening to Juno Reactor, got on the computer, putzed and then went to bed for awhile.

Creepy. Check this out.

I got great news yesterday. I mean, absolutely great news. I was actually happy! I am getting a promotion to a DA II *and* new office furniture! I am already emailed the consultant, and look forward to discussing with her how my office can be magically tranformed. I have a big budget to work with too: 1750. I couldn't believe what I was hearing, a Department Assistant Two implies a pay rate increase (only two weeks after the biggest raise in the department kicked in) and .....recognition? For all my hard work? Wow.

On the way home I was going to get alcohol but couldn't find anything I wanted. I wanted cider. They had beer, and cheap beer at that. I figured almost promotion should deserve at least Bergoff. So. beerless, I headed home and went to watch Everyone Loves Raymond. I hated that show in the beginning but over the past year in particular, I am actually liking it. Then I watched My Wife and the Kids, read, and then watched...yes. I did. The Bachelor. Nice to see most of them were blonde and a good number of them flight attendants. When that show was done, I really felt like I was wasting my life, so I decided to write. In between that, I talked with Jason on ICQ.[I have to put his picture up. He sent me one, but I haven't been in a updating website mood for awhile] Then went to bed.

Ba da bip.

Well. In the week I have gotten two random messages.....here is one:

I did a random search for people in Chicago and I found you. I couldn't help but notice that you call yourself "an unattractive package" but I must dissagree with you. Your picture is beautiful.

Dave


Aww. The other message was very similar except sent to me on ICQ. That was a bright spot in a day that was otherwise hellish all around yesterday. I was the only around that knew how to do anything and I had *lots* to do. I did manage to recruit five little monkeys to be my slave. Okay, work studies aren't slaves, and technically I only get one or two. Gee, how do I pick? They all seem so bright and eager to please. 8) They don't start until next week though.

Speaking of eager, the new temp started today. He is tall with glasses, short hair, a white shirt not tucked into black pants and was an English major (emphasis on drama and theater). I am having him proofread my publication right now. I love it when temps start. How did they come to this point? What do they think of this place? Where do they live? How do they get here? What do they want to really do? But in reality, it comes down to understanding, but for the grace of god...that could be me.

Last night I watched Frasier and laughed the hardest I have laughed all month on the last two minute joke. I would try and tell you what it was about here but I wouldn't do it justice, and you really had to kind of see it. It was based on miscommunication, but really, is that the funniest kind? Buffy was okay, but I am having difficulty believing that she really cares about Spikes newfound soul. Hell. I am having problems with the show as a whole, but still watch it. I am excited for Angel on Sunday, I hope that won't disappointment me.