So within 2 days I've had 3 discussions with women about gender equality and my feelings on whom should foot the bill on dates/in a relationship. Thought it was time to post on it. Below are a lot of excerpts from a paper I wrote on this topic in college.

Now before any of you get in a huge hissy fit calm down and read this first. I'm all about gender equality, I really am. Most of you who know me well know my feelings on it and have likely discussed it with me before. I've always believed that men and women are complete equals. The following thoughts of mine in no way represent a collective feeling I have towards all women. I do not lump all women into one category and stereotype them as the following women I speak of. There is a select percentage though that ARE these type of people and they drive me bonkers. I believe in true-equality which is the basis for all of this. I have a great deal of respect for women who do not let a man pay all the time, bur rather split things down the middle or alternate. So with that Disclaimer read, read on...

Who Pays The Bill?

When I was dating and I invited someone out to dinner, for drinks, or whatever else the outing was, I always footed the bill. If I get invited, I expect the inviter to pay the bill unless, of course, I'm on the first couple of dates.

Why? Because society dictates that, in general, men should foot the bill. It's considered gentlemanly on our part, while at the same time it shows that we are adequate providers.
I don't mind paying the bill. I often like to actually, it's a loving act that shows you really care in my mind. The only problem I have is when a man goes out on several dates -- by several I mean twenty -- and the woman still hasn't offered to pay once. (Keep in mind these are dates not a relationship) I mean, this way of thinking may have been acceptable back in the early 1940s when women didn't work. But now that they earn a paycheck, why shouldn't they show that they too can be good future providers?

Okay, now getting back to the subject. Why do men get paid more than women? Well the answer I've arrived at is that we're still stuck in traditional roles despite how "equal" we've become so far. I think that as long as society pushes men to pay the bills, then society should also expect that men will earn more dough than women in order to compensate for the extra expense. It is society's way of balancing out both genders' checkbooks.

Let's go back to my past dating experiences as it poses a good example. Assuming I received a weekly paycheck of $1,000 and I go out for dinner twice a week, my net earnings are deducted down to $624 ($1,000 - $188 - $188 = $624), while her paycheck (70% that of the man's check) is $700. So she is making $76 per week or $3,952 per year more than me.

The question people should ask themselves is, "Is the glass half-full or half-empty?" -- alternately, "Should women get paid less than men or should men get paid more than women?"
I'm not saying women should get paid less than men. But as long as men are expected to pay for everything, they should get paid more for the burden. Otherwise, men would have negative balances in their checkbooks. Let's not kid ourselves here, if it's sexist for us to believe that men should make more money, then it's also sexist to expect men to pay for everything. If women want equal treatment, then equal treatment is what men also want and that includes paying the restaurant bill. Food for thought but I think that's pretty logical. Most of you know how gung-ho I am about equality between men and women. This is a special "what-if" case of course, remember it's not generalized to all cases!

The feminist movement has done its job: the gender wage gap has gone the way of Donna Reed's apron, (God I feel old when I'm quoting a show that was on Nick at Nite when I was a kid...), and bosses are no longer chasing their secretaries around the desk. Women are now earning as much as -- or more than -- their male counterparts.

Great! This is exactly the way it should be in our society.

But equal rights come with a price because true equality means equality across the board, not just equality until the check comes. The real gender gap is that a percentage of women with good jobs and equal incomes are still insisting that men finance their social lives. I'd say that's a double standard if I ever heard one: a very self-serving double standard.

Why should men foot the bill for dinner, entertainment and weekend getaways, while women happily bank their paychecks? In an age of equality, shouldn't the focus of dating be on partnership and sharing, instead of these women still expecting to be taken care of financially?

Now most women are not this way anymore, thank God. I'm quite proud to say my girlfriend is a shining example of what I had hoped the girl I was with would be. However I'm stunned by the number of women who ARE this way. Let's look at some of the excuses I've heard women use to justify forcing their "equals" to pick up the check:

• Men earn more than women for the same job.

False. Such skewed statistics as "women earn about 75 cents for every dollar a man earns" represent outdated, selected data still promoted by radical feminists who insist on portraying women as angelic victims of a "man's world." According to the U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Bureau of the Census, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, (among others), the wage gap simply does not exist for women with bachelor's degrees, even in such "male-dominated" fields as architecture and engineering. And many similarly-educated women aged 35 to 44 actually earn more than their male counterparts!

Moreover, studies by these same organizations show that men consistently work longer hours than women at the same job, so, in essence, women are earning a higher hourly wage.
Where a wage gap does exist can easily be accounted for by:

• Job experience (according to The Journal of Labor Economics, full-time employed women have 20% less job experience than men which is due in part to...:)
• Larger numbers of men in their 50s and 60s who are earning bigger salaries based on time and experience
• Female job choices (women often seek out jobs with less income potential such as teaching or retail, or are less dangerous than certain higher-paid male-dominated occupations, such as firefighting and construction)
• longer male hours at work (men work 90% of overtime hours)
• The large percentage of female part-time workers which distort the statistics
• The time women take off from work for child-rearing (an option not normally afforded to men)

Even if it were true that women earn 25% less than men, shouldn't women still should be picking up 75% of their half of the dating expenses?

Equal rights means equal rights.

This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the excuses I've heard. Keep bearing in mind that this applies to the "Hypocrite Equalists" as I like to think of them lol.

• If a man's a gentleman, he'll pay for me.

Acting as a woman's version of a "gentleman" is an excellent example of how men are brainwashed by greedy women to fulfill their self-serving interests. Mothers train their sons to buy into this scam at an early age, teaching them to treat women like goddesses and to pay for female company without question. No man should allow himself to become a doormat for female whims, and no man should have to pay for a woman 100% of the time who is earning as much as he is. That's not equality.

•  It costs more to be a woman.

Most women package themselves for sale to the highest bidder they can attract- you don't see umpteen magazines touting beauty tips or gigantic cosmetic counters for men. No one, and I mean no one, needs a hundred pairs of shoes. And as for what it costs to be a man, try getting a date without an expensive house, an upscale car and nice clothing. Good luck lol.

• It's just nice.

Sure it's nice. I'd like someone to give me door-to-door chauffeur service, bring me presents, and pay for my dinner and entertainment, all for the possibility of sex, but with no obligation whatsoever. Let's be honest; if we did this, we'd be in jail for fraud.

•  It's just expected.

Yes, it is expected…by women who have set up the rules of dating and sex by forcing men to bend to their rules. And this means, if you don't pay, you don't get laid.

• If you don't pay for me, you're cheap.

I love this one because it's pure sexual blackmail. It just proves that what women who use this excuse really want is cash.

• Whoever asks for the date should pay.

This is a great example of the female double standard. How many women have actually asked s man out? And yet you can hear this excuse from women on a daily basis! Let's look at it this way: when two women go out to dinner, does the one who asks pay? No, they usually split the bill. The same thing happens when a woman goes out with a man who's just a "friend;" each pays an equal share. But the second that sex enters the equation, the woman expects to be paid for. This is nothing less than whitewashed prostitution.

• I can get away with it.

This is when the truth finally comes out. I've actually heard some women say, "I've got what you want and you're going to have to pay for it." Such arrogance just reduces dating to a whore/Jo Schmo relationship. This always annoyed me because I think love, dating, and relationships are about more than just what you get.

• My girlfriend's boyfriend pays for her, so why shouldn't you?

This is another version of the "you're cheap" routine. What's she's really saying is, "my girlfriend gets away with sexual blackmail, and I want to get away with it, too."

• I offer to pay, but guys say no.

In these days of equal rights some women will make a thinly-veiled, half-hearted attempt, once, to uphold their end of the "equality" bargain by offering to pay their half of the check. But it's all a sham- she knows that the guy knows that if he takes her up on her offer, any hope of sex is over.

As a society who strives to be collective equals composed of men and women, the best thing we can do is to put our collective feet down and stop having men pay all the time for women who would claim to be equals but act in any manner but. After all, their behavior amounts to little more than extortion and sexual blackmail. The reason such women can still get away with this behavior is because we let them. They give the true women out there who are hitting the equality issue barehanded a bad rap.

There should be absolutely no question about who should pay the bill: we both should.

 

I've had enough political discussions where it's come to the point that I wish I tape-recorded them so I could fast forward through the familiar parts I've heard a thousand times. No one offers anything new, and no one offers any solutions either.

Honestly we don't need a "commission" to find out how 9-11 happened. Want to know why I dislike Clinton so much?

The truth is in the timeline:

PRESIDENT CARTER, DEMOCRAT

In 1979, President Jimmy Carter allowed the Shah of Iran to be deposed by a mob of Islamic fanatics. A few months later, Muslims stormed the U.S. Embassy in Iran and took American Embassy staff hostage.
Carter retaliated by canceling Iranian visas. He eventually ordered a disastrous and humiliating rescue attempt, crashing helicopters in the desert.

PRESIDENT REAGAN, REPUBLICAN

 The day of Reagan's inauguration, the hostages were released.
In 1982, the U.S. Embassy in Beirut was bombed by Muslim extremists.
President Reagan sent U.S. Marines to Beirut.

In 1983, the U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut were blown up by Muslim extremists.

Reagan said the U.S. would not surrender, but Democrats threw a hissy fit, introducing a resolution demanding that our troops be withdrawn. Reagan caved in to Democrat caterwauling in an election year and withdrew our troops – bombing Syrian-controlled areas on the way out. Democrats complained about that, too.

In 1985, an Italian cruise ship, the Achille Lauro, was seized and a 69-year-old American was shot and thrown overboard by Muslim extremists.
Reagan ordered a heart-stopping mission to capture the hijackers after "the allies" promised them safe passage. In a daring operation, American fighter pilots captured the hijackers and turned them over to the Italians – who then released them to safe harbor in Iraq.

On April 5, 1986, a West Berlin discotheque frequented by U.S. servicemen was bombed by Muslim extremists from the Libyan Embassy in East Berlin, killing an American.
Ten days later, Reagan bombed Libya, despite our dear ally France refusing the use of their airspace. Americans bombed Gadhafi's residence, killing his daughter, and dropped a bomb on the French Embassy "by mistake."
Reagan also stoked a long, bloody war between heinous regimes in Iran and Iraq. All this was while winning a final victory over Soviet totalitarianism.

PRESIDENT BUSH I, MODERATE REPUBLICAN

In December 1988, a passenger jet, Pan Am Flight 103, was bombed over Lockerbie, Scotland, by Muslim extremists.
President-elect George Bush claimed he would continue Reagan's policy of retaliating against terrorism, but did not. Without Reagan to gin her up, even Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher went wobbly, saying there would be no revenge for the bombing.

In 1990, Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait.
In early 1991, Bush went to war with Iraq. A majority of Democrats opposed the war, and later complained that Bush didn't "finish off the job" with Saddam.

PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON, DEMOCRAT

In February 1993, the World Trade Center was bombed by Muslim fanatics, killing five people and injuring hundreds.
Clinton, advised by Dick Clarke, did nothing.

In October 1993, 18 American troops were killed in a savage firefight in Somalia. The body of one American was dragged through the streets of Mogadishu as the Somalian hordes cheered.
Clinton responded by calling off the hunt for Mohammed Farrah Aidid and ordering our troops home. Osama bin Laden later told ABC News: "The youth ... realized more than before that the American soldier was a paper tiger and after a few blows ran in defeat."

In November 1995, five Americans were killed and 30 wounded by a car bomb in Saudi Arabia set by Muslim extremists.
Clinton, advised by Dick Clarke, did nothing.

In June 1996, a U.S. Air Force housing complex in Saudi Arabia was bombed by Muslim extremists.
Clinton, advised by Dick Clarke, did nothing.

Months later, Saddam attacked the Kurdish-controlled city of Erbil.
Clinton, advised by Dick Clarke, lobbed some bombs into Iraq hundreds of miles from Saddam's forces.

In November 1997, Iraq refused to allow U.N. weapons inspections to do their jobs and threatened to shoot down a U.S. U-2 spy plane.
Clinton, advised by Dick Clarke, did nothing.

In February 1998, Clinton threatened to bomb Iraq, but called it off when the United Nations said no.

On Aug. 7, 1998, U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania were bombed by Muslim extremists.
Clinton, advised by Dick Clarke, did nothing.

On Aug. 20, Monica Lewinsky appeared for the second time to testify before the grand jury.
Clinton responded by bombing Afghanistan and Sudan, severely damaging a camel and an aspirin factory.

On Dec. 16, the House of Representatives prepared to impeach Clinton the next day.
Clinton retaliated by ordering major air strikes against Iraq, described by the New York Times as "by far the largest military action in Iraq since the end of the Gulf War in 1991."

The only time Clinton decided to go to war with anyone in the vicinity of Muslim fanatics was in 1999 – when Clinton attacked Serbians who were fighting Islamic fanatics.

In October 2000, our warship, the USS Cole, was attacked by Muslim extremists.
Clinton, advised by Dick Clarke, did nothing.

PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH, REPUBLICAN

Bush came into office telling his national security adviser, Condoleezza Rice, he was "tired of swatting flies" – he wanted to eliminate al-Qaida.

On Sept. 11, 2001, when Bush had been in office for barely seven months, 3,000 Americans were murdered in a savage terrorist attack on U.S. soil by Muslim extremists.
Since then, Bush has won two wars against countries that harbored Muslim fanatics, captured Saddam Hussein, immobilized Osama bin Laden, destroyed al-Qaida's base, and begun to create the only functioning democracy in the Middle East other than Israel. Democrats opposed it all – except their phony support for war with Afghanistan, which they immediately complained about and said would be a Vietnam quagmire. And now they claim to be outraged that in the months before 9-11, Bush did not do everything Democrats opposed doing after 9-11.

What a surprise.

So as of yesterday I ordered the new 40GB 4th Gen iPod. Yeah I have a 3oGB 3rd Gen. Yeah I'll have two now. But the new one is awesome, and it was time to reward myself for the past 3 months accomplishments. So here is some musings of mine on iPods.
 
You're allowed a free engraving now, something I never got with my original so I've been toying with these ideas:
 
I last 12 hrs. You last 2 minutes.
Who's the man?

Size Does Matter

Know what turns me on?
       The play button.

***Music Stolen Separately*** (My personal fav lol)

Wax on,wax off.

The older I get, the shorter I last.
 
CD Player? Ha ha ha!
 
On www.iashamed.com you can check out the songs some people are most ashamed of having on their iPods :)
 
William Shatner - Mr. Tambourine Man
Meatloaf - I Would Do Anything
Rosanne Barr - National Anthem
Little Mermaid - Under The Sea
Richard Stamos - Loving You
William Hung - She Bangs
Sesame Street - C Is For Cookie
Eric Carr - Hungry Eyes
Vanilla Ice - Ninja Rap
Sisqo - Thong Song
Backstreet Boys - As Long As You Love Me
Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch - Good Vibrations
Shirley Temple - Good Ship Lollipop
Barney - I Love You
Spice Girls - When 2 Become 1
Avril Lavigne - Sk8er Boi
 
 
Hahah pretty funny. I actually cancelled my order just minutes ago. And then I reordered...with a student discount. So now for about $50 less I am getting the same thing with the following engraving:
 
Music Stolen Seperately
Peter Palumbo
 
I'm beyond excited lol.

Ever wonder how cool some song sequels could be if they weren't as horribly names like Metallicas Unforgiven II? Try these on for size...

How Are We Going to Get These Dogs Back In?
Bust an Additional Move
Seriously, Eileen, Come On
I Will Now Pass the Dutchie Back to You and Thank You for Passing It to Me Originally Because I Really Enjoyed the Dutchie
Whoomp! There It Continues To Be

And here and here are two disturbing French AIDs campaign ads.

http://www.aides.org/illustration/5/2058.pdf
http://www.aides.org/illustration/5/2059.pdf

Only 4 more hours of work. Dear Lord thank you.

Oh my God I forgot how much I loved getting paid.

I mean REALLY paid.

Not Toys 'R Us, Electronics Boutique Express, Shop-Rite, or Computer Services Group paid. Those were all low-earning jobs.

God bless you AIG. I love you and my paycheck. On a similar note damn you federal income tax. I put my time in on "Fieldglass" our online schedule system. Apparently they've even kept me in the direct deposit. I noticed this when my "paycheck" was so poiniontly labeled "Notification of Deposit." So no rushing home to deposit anything. In no time the 2 small debts I've got will be vamoosh.

YIPPEEEEE

Twinkle Twinkle Toys R Us

Hush little baby, don't say a word
Mama's gonna buy you a mockingbird.
And if that mockingbird don't sing
Mama's gonna buy you a diamond ring.
And if that diamond ring turns brass
Mama's gonna buy you a looking glass...

Wrote this song? The WTO? It's like a primer on consumerism. Nothing like exposing kids to positive, empowering messages like "Keep screaming and I'll buy you crap."
Oh yeah and lets talk about something else too.

I get spam.

Date: Thu, 08 Jul 2004 19:04:31 +0400
From: alfernandezov@alderwild.com
Subject: These XXX pics are so hot you will regret not looking at them!!

Wow. I can only imagine.

Dr. Wallace: I believe we're ready, Dr. Yorn. Would you like to make the first incision?

Dr. Yorn: Hmm?

Doctor Wallace: The first incision, doctor?

Dr. Yorn: The -- oh, yes. Yes yes, right. Uh, let's see ... where's my scalpel? Oh, I'm holding it, hah hah.

Dr. Wallace: If you don't mind me saying so, your head doesn't really seem to be in the game today, Dr. Yorn. Are you okay?

Dr. Yorn: Oh, I'm fine, I guess. It's just ... I got an email this morning with some XXX pics, and, well, I deleted it unread. And now I kind of regret not looking at them, you know?

Dr. Wallace: The ones from alfernandezov at alderwild dot com?

Dr. Yorn: Yes, exactly!

Dr. Wallace: I got that email too. Oh man -- you missed out, bro. Those XXX pics were so hot.

Dr. Yorn: Damn it!

::sigh::

In other amazing news there are those who are better text-messagers than me:

World texting record
A Singaporean woman has set a world record for mobile-phone texting, keying in the benchmark phrase (below) in 43.24 seconds, without the benefit of any predictive text utilities.

"The razor-toothed piranhas of the genera Serrasalmus and Pygocentrus are the most ferocious freshwater fish in the world. In reality they seldom attack a human."

You go Singapore!

Ok I love Tolkien but some geeks have taken it too far...

F3ll0wsh1p of teh R1ng: the classic Tolkien translated into hacker 1337-speak.

[At Bilbo's 111th Birthday]
Merry: "Omg, I pwn"
Pippin: "Sif, I pwn"
**Rocket goes off
Gandalf: "Pwned!"

Top-ten Untranslateables

Here's a great census of the ten most untranslateable foreign and English words:

1 plenipotentiary
2 gobbledegook
3 serendipity
4 poppycock
5 googly
6 Spam
7 whimsy
8 bumf
9 chuffed
10 kitsch

Found this site the other day too www.coffeegeek.com
Never knew there was stuff made for coffee like this lol.

Alice In Wonderland Flashbook

OMG I almost peed myself. OfficeSpaceWars

Two mirrors of that cuz who knows how long they'll be hosted....:

http://freecache.org/http://stuff.ebnj.net/OfficeSpaceWars.wmv
http://freecache.org/http://www.tian.cc

THIS is a mad messed up story:

A student's scarlet letter
A student at at a Japanese high school dozed off in class last week. As punishment, his teacher made him write an apology letter.... in his own blood. Later, the teacher confessed to the principal. It gets even stranger. According to the principal, quoted in this Reuters article, the other faculty in the room didn't notice when the boy was handed a box cutter. Apparently, they didn't see him cut his own finger open and start writing either. Even more suspicious is that the teacher will be back at work in a few days and neither the boy nor his parents has asked for a transfer into a different class. Link

Wacky Japanese.

10 minutes and it's payday! BOOYAH. Looks like we're going to Dorney Park on Sunday too. HOTT since the last amusement park I went to (besides Fantasy Island at LBI which I don't get to go on any of the stuff there anyways, just the kids lol) was Busch Gardens down in Virginia in 2000 on our senior class trip. I'm looking forward to that.

In recent doings I've just been working all week. Saw Jess last night and we went out for dinner and then watched a dvd. Nice relaxing night after a very stressful day.

Dear God, whose name I do not know.
Thank you for my life.
I forgot how big...
Thank you for my life.
Thank you for my life.
-Joe Banks in Joe Vs. the Volcano

I made everything on this site for you.
All those other people that log on don't understand the deep and personal connection that we share. I know we haven't spoken in person, but we communicate on a different level...you know that.

I know the slight but real difficulty that you have when trying to figure out the tip on a meal. I know the strange satisfaction that you associate with peeling a thick-skinned Navel orange. I know that sometimes, when no one is around, you smell things which you might not ordinarily think to smell. You think people say "excuse you" instead of "excuse me" when they pass you on the street. When you look in the mirror you hold your face in a way that is never duplicated in your ordinary life.

Sometimes you are overwhelmingly annoyed by the sound of candy wrappers in theaters. Sometimes you aren't.

That is why I like you the best.
Please don't tell the others

I Love You All,

-Peter

I recently found two old parody lists-one of 2004 Resolutions I drafted up last January and the other of my personalized ways to annoy telemarketers. Here they are in all their, until now, unposted glory!

Pete's 2004 Resolutions

I promise to try sitting on the toilet while peeing, especially when it is dark and I am sleepy.

I promise not to let people take a shortcut on North Bridge Street by illegally turning left and then right onto 22.

I promise to enjoy my life as it happens rather than treating life experiences as if they were bullet points on a resume to be used later in my life.

I promise not to look up symptoms I have on the internet.

I promise not to pretend that I am scratching my upper lip when in fact I am smelling earwax or belly button cheese.

I promise to stop referring to people in my own age group as "kids."

I promise not to use the word "literally" as a way to make a phrase sound more important or urgent.

I promise not to replace the prefix "un" with "self" when I am speaking of my employment situation.

I promise to stage a one-man show in NYC.

I promise that when the nice woman at Starbuck's gives me a free Grande coffee, and I tip her $2, to realize that I am actually spending more money on coffee then if I paid for it.

I promise to moisturize my skin.

Pete's 20 Surefire Ways To Fight Back Against Telemarketers

1. Use a husky, dirty phone sex voice but ask normal questions about the proposed offer.
“Is it a low interest rate? mmmmm…I like low interest rates…really low…”

2. In an outrageously excited tone: “Thank god you called!!!” Explain that an online psychic told you that your future lover would randomly call disguised as an asshole.

3. Say you are hard of hearing and see how loud they will shout into the phone.

4. Allow the telemarketer to fully explain his offer. When he is finished explain that his company hired you to randomly spot check telemarketers on their performance. Tell him that he did a good job overall, but that he is a bit monotone and needs to fluctuate his tone of voice more to sound convincing. He also should pause longer between sentences, and more clearly pronounce the letter “s”. Tell him you won’t report him if he repeats his speech to you with the appropriate corrections. Repeat.

5. Be incredibly polite as they explain their offer, but make farting noises once in a while and ask whether there is something wrong with the connection.

6. In an annoyed tone cut the telemarketer off mid sentence : “Matt, stop screwing around…we have to get rid of this body fast, did you find a chainsaw or not?”

7. “Congratulations! You’re the 100th caller on the (insert local radio station) Sweet Vacation Giveaway Blast Marathon. You’ve just won a pair of tickets to Negril, Jamaica and the use of Sean Paul’s celebrity vacation house.” Take down her address and send her all of your junk mail for life.

8. Flirt.

9. Keep repeating, “I knew you were going to say that…”

10. Stutter on a syllable of an obvious word in a sentence… see how long it takes before he completes the phrase. When he does, get upset, and say “That really hurts my fee…fee… fee… fee…feel…fee… fee… fee…” ad infinitum.

11. Pee on the phone while he’s talking.

12. Mid pitch, stop him and complement him on his wonderful voice. Explain that you are a voiceover scout and might have a breakthrough commercial job for him. Ask if he wouldn’t mind doing a quick test. Ask him to say in a deep husky voice “May cause dizziness, diarrhea, vomiting and shortness of breath. A small number of participants in a recent clinical trial experienced weight loss, irregular clotting, abnormally frequent and/or painful urination and hair loss. Results may vary”

13. Ask how much it would take to get him to stop working as a telemarketer. Start at $1,000. Say you are dead serious.

14. Ask if he will be your friend if you sign up.

15. Tie obscure facts about Barbara Streisand to everything thing he says,, “2.3% interest rate? Oh my…Did you know Barbara was 23 when she filmed Funny Girl…”

16. Every few minutes repeat, “You’re going to have to bear with me, I have a slight short term memory loss problem…who is this again?”

17. “Oh my god, I used to have your job…does Bob still work there (repeat names until you find a match)…which building are you in?” Escalate coincidence until you both realize that you sat in the same chair. Explain that you had to quit work when your genitals mysteriously vanished.

18. Regardless of the offer tell him you’ll take 7. If he asks what you mean say he drives a hard bargain and you’ll take 9, but that’s as far as you’ll go.

19. Every half-minute ask him to hold and pretend to scream at your invalid mother. “You want to use the bathroom??? Well stop whining and get up out of the wheelchair for a change. You just sit there and think about that for a while, mother. Can’t you see I’m on the damn phone?”

20. Forgive him. Tell him you did. Over and over again, until he hangs up. Then secretly take it back.

Guaranteed to all work by my own testing methods.

Haikus dedicated to my neutered dog, Toby.

Now I awaken
Gone forever my gonads
My vengeance will come

Where are my balls at?
Where are my fucking balls at?
Shit I lost my balls!

Rose petals fall soft
on my soul's Chinese garden.
I miss my testes.

My bark is stronger
Than my bite, but several
octaves higher now.

On a brighter note:
The ladies will finally
Love me for my mind

I should not have humped
The punishment does not fit
Is there no justice?


in bed with your girl
you, my callous oppressor
so what if I watch

vain apologist
there's no emptiness like this
screw your snausages

you toss beggin strips
as if I'd beg for bacon
I'd rather have eggs

dearest testicles,
you were taken while I slept.
see you in heaven.

A squeaky porkchop
Is my only pleasure now
Since the castration

what will i lick now
that you've stolen my mouth balls
i guess yours will do

sad but resolute
pruned tree stands strong in the breeze
part of me is gone

why did you do that?
you would not do that to me
must have been the cat

no puppies for me
an eternal bachelor
chasing butterflies

How did I get here?
Feeling ever so drowsy.
Where did my nuts go?

Orchidectomy
Big word, huge consequences
For such a small dog

My balls, they are gone
I can no longer lick them
Shit shit shit shit shit

I'm sorry Toby.
I didn't want to get you neutered.

Find something in life greater than yourself and dedicate your life to it.

Know this:

If there are two pillows,
and one is soft while the other is scratchy and a bit too large.
I will sleep take the scratchy one.
If there are two chairs,
and one faces the ocean and the other faces the stairs.
I will turn my back to the ocean.
If there is a lightly buttered piece of toast,
and the other is black.
I will scrape it.
If there is an umbrella and an old newspaper.
I will open it to the sports section and lay it over a puddle.
If there is a rock and a smooth place.
I will sleep crooked.
If there is pain to be had.
I will swallow it whole.

LULLABY

Hush little girl
Sweet sweet baby don't cry, tonight
Daddy's here and he'll sing you a soft lullaby, tonight
Why can't it all be like it was before
How can I explain why Mommy's not here anymore

'Cause Daddy likes porno and ten dollar whores
Daddy gets wasted robs liquor stores
Daddy likes rubbing little boys on the bus
I think that's why Mommy left us

Hush little girl there is no reason to fret, tonight
Don't mind the smoke Daddy just wants to forget....tonight
Soon it will all be like it was before
Any minute she will walk through that front door

But Daddy plays poker and drinks lots of beer
Then he wants sex that involves Mommy's rear
Daddy has sores on his genitals oozing with puss
I think that's why Mommy left us

Please don't cry, I swear I'll try
To be here by your side

Right after Daddy gets home from the bar
Visits his bookie and steals a new car
He'll drive to the strip club
and if Daddy plays his cards right
He'll bring your new Mommy home tonight

Well it's another week beginning BLAH. The weekend was good though. Friday was jsut some hanging out and then off to the Cheesecake Factory at Menlo...which was packed so Applebee's had to suffice. Half-priced appy's after 10pm! And nothing beats the Cheesey Bacon Tavern Chips. Ever. Period.. Saturday I went to a graduation party (not a college one, and not a highschool one either...a junior-high one lol) with Jess and got to meet her mother. Who loves me apparently, which is good. Saw Anchorman that Saturday night, pretty funny, but I still think Old School ranks as my favorite Ferrell movie to date. "Where'd you get a hand grenade?" ... "I don't know?" Or Jack Black's great cameo: "That's how I roll!" "I'm going to punch you in your ovary." And of course the best "Goodnight and fuck you San Diego." Heheh. Ended up chilling the majority of Sunday, but then saw King Arthur last night. Not bad, not an Oscar-winner either. It had its moments. And the guy who played Arthur was pretty cool. Oddly a lot of the actors were in Black Hawk Down. Maybe it was the same director/producer...I'll have to look into it. It's PAY week and I'm eagerly looking forward to THURSDAY. Please Lord pay me. Pay me well. Pay me soon. Yay. Going to be a BUSY ass week though since I've got 5 new projects on my plate and I'm expected to pull them all off simultaneously. Woo-hoo, (When I hear heavy-metal). Back to work, thine lunch hour is OV-ER.


Here are some of my favorite Family Guy quotes to keep you occumapied:

Peter: "I want the father-son relationship that the Gumbles have."
Lois: "Peter, the Gumbles are brothers."
Peter: "Oh, so just because they're black, we can't learn anything from them?"

Peter: "Don't worry, I read a book on this once."
Brian: "Are you sure it was a book? Are you sure it wasn't...nothing?"
Peter: "Oh yeaaah."

Tom Tucker: "And now here's Ali Williams with our black-u-weather report. Ali?"
Black guy: "It's gon rain!"

Black Knight: "You see that there, kids? Your father's nothing but a fizzle!"
Peter: "Hey, no one calls me a fizzle and gets away with it! Except that one guy who called me a fizzle and then ran off. He got away with it. But most people who call me a fizzle don't get away with it. Actually, that guy who got away with it was the only one who ever called me a fizzle. After today, only half the people who called me a fizzle will have gotten away with it."

[Men standing in the road after Y2K explosions] Man: "Halt!"
Peter: "Wow, you guys survived the apocalypse too?"
Men: "To pass, you must answer the following question correctly. Do you have any food?"
Peter: "No, we were going to Nadick to the Twinkee Factory."
Man: "Hm. Well, if you could bring one thing on a picnic, what would you bring?"
[answering at the same time] Chris: "A kitty!", Meg: "A boyfriend!", Lois: "Potato salad.", Stewie: "A dead Lois."
Peter: "Ok, I think we're going with potato salad."
Man: [Points to right] "Show me potato salad!" [nothing is there]
Peter: "Let's get the hell out of here

In 1982 (the year you were born)

Ronald Reagan is president of the US The space shuttle Columbia completes its first operational flight Actor John Belushi is found dead of a drug overdose in a West Hollywood hotel Automobile manufacturer John Delorean is arrested and charged with possession of 59 pounds of cocaine The first artificial heart is implanted in American Barney Clark The Cable News Network, or CNN, is launched 750,000 people rally against nuclear weapons in New York City's Central Park Time Magazine's Man of the Year was for the first time given to a non-human, a computer The first computer virus, written by Rich Skrenta, escapes into the wild Kirsten Dunst and Elisha Cuthbert are born St. Louis Cardinals win the World Series San Francisco 49ers win Superbowl XVI New York Islanders win the Stanley Cup E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is the top grossing film Ozzy Osbourne bites the head off of a live bat thrown at him during a performance, later hospitalized with rabies "I Love Rock 'N Roll" by Joan Jett & The Blackhearts spends the most time at the top of the US charts Cheers, Family Ties, Silver Spoons, and Fame premiere

So I just realized today is THURSDAY. God bless you shortened week due to July 4th! Tommorrow is FRIDAY, and that is good. Very good. Saw Spidey 2 again Tuesday night. Spent last night with Jess, Matt, and Andrew. Things are going really well with Jess. I'm so glad I met her back in March-I think it made the whole situation just less nervous for me, but not so much on her side according to Jess :) We've been seeing eachother fairly often, and often more often (lots of oftens in this sentece lol)than we have planned. That's good though, I love seeing her and we always have a great time whenever we get together. Everyone's been very accepting and the family all approves. I've got a great job, and I'm getting tons of things done lately.

Life is good.

Go life, go.

Well things have been QUITE busy! Been working the regular company shift Mon-Fri, 9-5. 4th of July weekend was awesome and so much fun. Friday night the crew went out to Morristown to the Funky Monkey. We met up with my friends Jill and Farrah there, and ended up having a great night. Fast forward to Saturday. I went with Jess to her father's fraternity reunion BBQ. That was a lot of fun too. I got to meet her dad finally, and her two sisters. That went well, and it was good to spend almost a whole day with Jess. After we went to chill over Andrew's. Sunday was Jesse's graduation party, which after much confusion and tumroil actually happened. That was a fun time, and I ended up sleeping over till Monday morning. Monday I went over Doreen's with the parents and had Jess come over. Got to watch The Two Towers with Marc, and we've only got the Return Of The King to finish the trilogy. And go figure, my niece loves the movies. But she hates Orlando Swoon. HAHAHAH score 1 for Peter. So it's Wednesday, and I got to see Spidey 2 again last night. Love that movie. It's kind of prophetic in a way...but sometimes I like my movies like that...Matrix Revolutions-esque :)

Some inspirational quotes that have been mainstay favorites of mine over the years. I'm a huge fan of C.S. Lewis' and Tolkien's religious works as most of my friends know.

The event of falling in love... in one high bound it has overleaped the massive wall of our selfhood; it has made appetite itself altruistic, tossed personal happiness aside as a triviality and planted the interests of another in the centre of our being. - C.S. Lewis

We need others. We need others to love and we need to be loved by them. There is no doubt that without it, we too, like the infant left alone, would cease to grow, cease to develop, choose madness and even death. - Leo Buscaglia

"God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world." C.S. Lewis

Why love if losing hurts so much? We love to know that we are not alone. - C.S. Lewis

"All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us." -J.R.R. Tolkien

The world is indeed full of peril, and in it there are many dark places; but still there is much that is fair, and though in all lands love is mingled with grief, love grows perhaps the greater. -The Fellowship Of The Ring

Today is a very sad day. My great uncle after battling with cancer for 10 years, and 5 seperate chemo-therapy sessions over the years, has finally passed away. Had we not know on such short notice my father and I would have been on a plane to New Orleans, but there is only 1 day for the wake and then the funeral afterwards. Freddie Palumbo was a very kind man and I will miss him greatly. After him my father, my brother and I carry on the name of Palumbo. It's been happening so often lately that I'm really starting to realize the shifting of the generations...

"Why do people have to die?"
"To make life worth living. ANd it sounds like your aunt did just that. A life well-lived. That's the most any of us can hope for"
-Six Feet Under

"You know what I find interesting? If you lose a spouse, you're called a widow, or a widower. If you're a child and you lose your parents, then you're an orphan. But what's the word to describe a parent who loses a child? I guess that's just too fucking awful to even have a name. " -Six Feet Under

I'm really into this song lately:

You are beautiful within
You are beautiful without
There's no reason for your mind
to be consumed by senseless doubt
There are times we will rememeber
There are nights we won't forget
If we value every moment
We will never feel regret

And everything you do
Your love shines through
And everything you do
Your love shines through
Love, love,
Love shines through

You have wisdom of exemption
You are gentle like a child
You will always be protected
You will never lose your smile
There are friends who will remain
Within our thoughts throughout our lives
There are ties that can't be broken
There are bonds that cannot die

And everything you do
Your love shines through
And everything you do
Your love shines through
Love, love,
Love shines through

Marcella Woods - Love Shines Through

Holy crap my comments finally work.
Comment away! Let me know you love me, and care about what's going on in my life enough to check in on my blog from time to time :)

Hey-ya! So yesterday was my grad party and it was amazing. I always get a little nervous before big events like that and second guess myself as to whether I really should have had it. But that always happens and I go in fine, and come out amazing lol.

It was a hectic day...I got up around 8 and started cleaning my room immediately. Brought some things down to the basement, and then started setting up the chairs and food tables. Soon Dad and I went out to pick up the pastries from Randazzo's (which was amazing btw). The son of the owner was getting married that day, so they were closing early and we had to get there right away. We stopped at the Super Saver liquor store, but they didn't open till 12, so even though it was 11:45 we ran back to the house cuz Mom needed the checkbook to pay Sorriano's for the catered food.(Which was also pretty good!) I ran out again then for 10 bags of ice, and a huge keg-tub for which to store the beer etc. Then I had to run back for more beer, another 6 bags of ice, and some other oddities. By the time I got back my sister and niece had shown up and were helping to show up. That's something that really rocked. My sister is always thoughtful like that and Alyssa was a big helper as always lol. She whined until she was allowed to come too :) So we set up and I actually had the stereo hooked up just as family was getting there at 2. It was good to see all of them in one place at one time.

So friends came at all different points. Andrew was the first, because he had gotten off for 2 hours from work, so he came to chill, then came back later after his shift. As for everyone else they all started to really pour in around 4-5. Among the out of staters were Meryl, Jared, Deana and Zach. Who all traveled about 2-3 hours to come. That was so awesome. I was really missing some school friends, and since some are moving to the west coast or elsewhere I didn't know if I'd get to see them again. Some I know I will but others I'm going to have to visit. I hope we stay in touch. Yesterday made me realize just how many people I'm friends with. And the really awesome thing is that a lot of them are still highschool friends too who I've never lost touch with. Of course we'll see how things work now when we all start to move to different areas etc. If we stay in touch even then, then you know it's going to last a long time lol.

So people petered out (no pun there) after 9 o'clock because just about all of us had work in the morning. So Andrew, Jess, and Jared stayed up for a bit later and we watched part of Surf Ninjas lol. Such a cheesey movie but funny as hell. Finally crashed around 1:30am, and now I'm at work today back to the grind. But in a great mood, and Spidey 2 is out this week, and Spiderman 2 PS2 is out this week too. Boo to the yah!

Here are some excerpts from JoBlowho does a fair job of reviewing movies. None of that Siskel (RIP) and Ebert and whoever the hell they got now, Roper or something BS. He gives you the nitty gritty, and it feels oddly close to what your own opinion is after a movie. Here's some funny excerpts from his Troy movie review:

"It's a decent movie, with solid performances from both Brad Pitt and Eric Bana, but I can't say that any specific character intrigued me much, involved me on any type of emotional level and ultimately, had me giving a shit about what happened to them."

"Pitt's relationship with his Tom Sizemore look-a-like partner in war was probably the best developed relationship in the entire movie...and that's saying a lot."

"As for Orlando Bloom and his character...wow, I think this guy gets the lifetime achievement award for being the biggest pussy in the world! If this guy had any less balls, he'd be a stay-at-home soccer dad. Jesus Christ...how about giving this dink a little backbone? He looked like he was gonna take a pee in every shot (or was that Peter O'Toole?) I'm supposed to invest myself in this story of epic proportions and it's all being fought out for some prissy kid who doesn't know shit one about honor, love or war? Forget that! I also didn't think the character of his girlfriend, the infamous "Helen" over whom much of the hoopla begins in the first place, was given any personality or life either. She just stood around, looking pretty and pretending to matter. In fact, I think she may just have been the first "trophy wife" in the history of the world. Actually, most of the ladies in the film were about as paper-thin as my penis."

"Add that to the umpteen shots of Pitt's naked butt, his bare FIGHT CLUB-esque six-pack and plenty of wardrobe kinkiness featuring the man in black leather skirts (no joke) and you've got yourself a good time for anyone who enjoys Pitt as an actor and as a piece of ham-and-cheese. "

Needless to say, I enjoy some of his reviews ;P Hope you will too!

I thought this was really cool.

So it's Friday YAY. And I'll be out of work in another measley 5 hours! W00t! Final party preps are in order. Got to put up the lights on the tents tonight. Yes, yesterday I came home to find them already set up. Which is sort of a bad thing, because with the tents up Mom just freaks out more. She's like the PARTY IS TOMMORROW! And it's not for 2 days. So the tile guys are at the house today finishing up the kitchen wall tiling. That makes it worse too because she thinks the house will be demolished by Sunday. No winning with her lol. So it's a definite! Jared and Asa will be at the party on Sunday. And it looks like Amy, Meryl, and Sasha will probably make it too.

So I totally got no sleep last night. Maybe it was the fact that when I laid down at 6:50 and set my alarm clock for an hour and fifteen minutes, and then proceeded to sleep until 9:35. I was supposed to be at Tammy's at 9, but that didn't happen lol. Amar knew something was wrong because I didn't text him back in under 30 seconds when he texted me ;P We ended up going to Cryan's which was, SURPRISE!, a highschool reunion of sorts. Green Knoll Bar and Grill was a nightmare at 5pm when I passed it on my way home from work, so I knew we weren't getting in anyways. When they stopped by there it was a 30 minute wait just to get into the PARKING LOT. Then it's like 25 minutes for every drink, according to Scott.

Hopefully it will be an awesome weekend-I can't wait for my party and to see all the friends from school. I really hope everyone can make it! A lot of people who I thought couldn't are suddenly becoming very resourceful. :P So tonight might be Cryan's 80s night...which I'm not that excited for. I lived the 80s, I've got so much 80s music...it's not going to be amazing unless people went dressed in 80s fatigue lol. Ah do I miss THOSE college parties. Our 80s party was the bomb...I think those shorts I had were amazing...lol. So maybe not Cryan's or maybe Cryan's for a little bit. But definitely a movie. Think Amar, Scott, Jess and maybe a few others will be down for that. I'm glad I'm getting to spend a good amount of time with Jess, cuz with work starting I didn't know how much our schedules would match. So Boo to the Yah for that!

I have a feeling it's gonna be a good Friday (no pun intended), and and an amazing weekend!

Wooo so my first day of work was really awesome. My boss I missed by literally less than a day. He went on vacation the day before I started, and won't be back for a week and a half. And the lady who's supposed to "orient" me was in the NYC offices that day so I didn't see her either. But then half the LAN group walked in and saw me and were like "What are you doing waiting here! Come on in!" lol they're a great bunch of guys and it feels like I never left. I have the same cube, the same PC, and I jumped right back into the swing of things since I've done this for almost a year straight already :P

Getting close to the party day! Wooooooo! It will be good to have all the family in one place. Gotta talk to my cousin about my job prospects here. They've been hinting lately that if I come on full-time AIG will FOOT my grad school bill. I'm walkin' on sunshine, and damnnnnnnnn it's startin' to feel good! Other good things are happening too lately, so I hope they continue.

The only bad thing is that a relative who lives in New Orleans is about to pass away after battling cancer for 10 years. After 5 chemo-therapys too :( Cousin Freddie Palumbo is the the last Palumbo on my father's side. So basically this means that my brother Frederic and I are the last Palumbo's who will carry on the family name...No pressure or anything lol. It's kind of sad though because that man is a great person, and my parents saw him not more than a few months ago at a family wedding in Las Vegas. I guess it's just kinda sad because we've lost so many members of our family and that will never stop. But live for the moment is definitely the thought of the week.

Whew. Ok well I know I haven't updated in awhile. I've been mad busy lately. So today I start my first day of work, which means I will probably update more like I used to the past 2 summers.

As for current goings on...I've just been doing a lot of arranging at home. I moved from my small room that I've lived in since I was 2, into my brother's old room which gives me a little more room. It's a good move, just a little warm yet in that room >:L Went to a few graduation parties the past 2 weeks including Amy & Rebecca's, Terri's, and Kelly's. My party is this Sunday...so if you're reading this and are anywhere near or want to come and you haven't already been invited just drop me an IM or call :) It's Sunday, the 27th of June at my house in Bridgewater-5pm. Should be a rockin' good time.

Back to the grind, and here's a little ditty that I love about work, from one of the best movies ever.

Some people say a man is made out of mud
Well a poor man's made outta muscle and blood
Muscle and blood and skin and bone
and a mind that's weak but a back that's strong.

And he was born one morning when the sun didn't shine
He picked up his shovel and he went to the mines
He loaded 16 tons of that number 9 coal
Till the Straw boss said Well-uh b-less my soul!

You load 16 tons and whaddaya get
another day older and deeper in debt
Saint Peter don'tcha call me 'Cause-I can't go
I owe my soul to the Company Store

So if you see him coming
you better step aside
A lot of men didn't
and a lot of men died.
He's got one fist of iron,
and the other of steel
And if the right one doesn't get you
Then the left one will.

You load 16 tons and whaddaya get
another day older and deeper in debt
Saint Peter don'tcha call me 'Cause-I can't go
I owe my soul to the Company Store

-16 Tons from Joe vs. the Volcano

This Weeks Pete Theme Song: The Seatbelts - Is It Real

Figurines that fall like leaves then disappear, keep calling
Is it real? Is it real?
Dark machines that wheeze and breathe then mock the air,appalling
What is real? What is real?
This world can really be too much
I can't take another day
I guess that I've had enough
My minds slipping faraway
I'm falling in and out of touch
Could someone please explain?

Set my mind to open sky, but couldn't fly, so sadly
What am I? What am I?
Sullen eyes shed teardrop lies then criticize, now laughing
What is real? What is real?
It's really all become too much
I'm not sure what I should feel
I guess I've finally had enough
I don't know if this is real
I'm crashing in and out of touch
Can anyone explain?

::sigh::

So another week begins. Haven't updated in a bit so here's a mini update. Started playing a little golf with Jesse and Amar. Pitch 'n Putt to start. That's 9 holes that consist of basically 1/2 a real hole each. You only use putters and wedges and you don't really do any driving. Good fun, and a great way to spend time with the guys. Going to see No Doubt and Blink 182 at the PNC Arts Center on Thursday. Psyched for that, but sad I won't be around for the first big Thursday night "outing" with everyone else.

Things are just so weird lately and there's so much on my mind. Each day does not have enough hours in it to do what I want, and there's so much I really feel in my heart I need to do. My heart is weary lately, but things will look better in the morning. This weekend starts the slew of graduation parties. Hope I make it through all of them...

These never get old :) Here's some top picks...

DUDE!

Battle Without Honor

Vroooom.

Me and Me

I can't believe someone made this one...I used to LOVE this game

Gangsta Muppet

No words can describe the art!

This is what Bill Cosby sounds to me...

POTATOES! Boil em Mash em Stick em in a stew

I laughed out loud at this one...and then shed a tear....

ringringringringringringringring Bananaphone!

Dude Bill Nye got his ass kicked by Mr. Wizard though

Leave this on a coworkers computer...if they know nothing about them they'll freak lol

Dear god a sequel could be amazing

They were put there by a man!

Poor System of a Down

I miss Chris Farley

Damn is this show still on reruns?

Ok that's more than enough lol

"How happy is the blameless vestal's lot! The world forgetting, by the world forgot, eternal sunshine of the spotless mind! each pray'r accepted, and each wish resign'd." -Alexander Pope

Some Fun Stuff to play with :D

Twenty Eight Days, Six Hours, Forty Two Minutes, Twelve Seconds...
That is when the world will end.

Well Maymester is just about done. I've got one more day of class, tommorrow Friday...and it's an easier day too. I've just got to write a Sociology paper tonight, and then take a 10 question MC quiz tommorrow in class, and that is IT. The Writing 307 class was cancelled for tommorrow night, so I may end up packing and getting my ass out of here tommorrow afternoon! WOOHOOOOOO. Can't wait to get home. Jersey I want you so bad I CAN TASTE IT :P

So I'm all moved out of the Red House...and I've been out for a day now. It was saddening walking through the house for the last times, trying to scavenge whatever I could so that it wouldn't fall into Roy or TKE's hands. Stop signs, the annual house photos dating back to the early 90s... As much as I wanted to get out of the house and not be around certain people anymore, I will miss it. It really was a great place to live for 2 years.

So I'm at my friend Zach's old room, at 815 Sumner Ave. 2 blocks from campus, there will now be a slightly longer walk to class. It's very nice of his roomates to let me crash here rent-free for the week. I happen to share one of my Maymester classes with one of my housemates for the week. Speaking of which, the week should be utter hell...the Sociology class continues, but now the Writing 307 course meets for this week as well. 5 days...then I can get the hell out of Syracuse and be home finally. The work won't end then, but maybe some of the stress will. Friday can't come soon enough...::sigh::

She never really had a chance
On that fateful moonlit night
Sacrificed without a fight
A victim of her circumstance

Now that I’ve become aware
And I’ve exposed this tragedy
A sadness grows inside of me
It all seems so unfair

I’m learning all about my life
By looking through her eyes

Just beyond the churchyard gates
Where the grass is overgrown
I saw the writing on her stone
I felt like I would suffocate

"In loving memory of our child
So innocent, eyes open wide"
I felt so empty as I cried
Like part of me had died

I’m learning all about my life
By looking through her eyes

And as her image
Wandered through my head
I wept just like a baby
As I lay awake in bed

And I know what it’s like
To lose someone you love
And this felt...just the same

She wasn’t given any choice
Desperation stole her voice
I’ve been given so much more in life
I’ve got a son, I’ve got a wife

I had to suffer one last time
To grieve for her and say goodbye
Relive the anguish of my past
To find out who I was at last

The door has opened wide
I’m turning with the tide
Looking through her eyes

A good deal of people have been asking me about my graduation experience, the speaker, what I did, and how it went....so here's a little more in-depth on how the whole weekend went.

Friday the 7th we had our graduation practice at 9 in the morning. The person who thought this was a good idea the night after the Senior Celebration must also have been the same person to make the "free" drinks at said celebreation cost $5. So we go through the hour-long exercise and then Kathy, Becky and I head off to IHOP for some well deserved breakfast. I get home and start packing some more, and my 'rents are already halfway to 'Cuse. The family got in around 4:30 and we hung out at the house for awhile, then went to dinner at Delmonico's, my favorite steakhouse up here, and also home to the best steak I've ever had in my life. For $12 you get their 18 oz. "Delmonico" steak which is second to none. After that I hit up the bars with some friends and went home to get a decent amount of rest before the big day.

Saturday the 8th was my "home college" commencement. So bright and early at 8am I had to be in front of the Hall of Languages to get my picture taken with all the other grads, PhD students and Masters. Then I headed into Schine (our student center which we landed for our commencement...pretty lucky!), for the convocation. That all went well, expect for the dean of my school gave a very inappropriate speech. Very political and it really had no purpose at the IST convocation. Then that night was the Eve of Commencement Dinner in the Carrier Dome. That was all well and good too. Next day the 9th was the actual graduation and here's the speech given by Phylicia Rashad, aka the mom from The Cosby Show, Mrs. Huxtable.

Thank you.

Congratulations and happy Mother’s Day.

Time is precious and short so I'll get right to the point. You asked me to come, so I'm here. And I asked myself, "What could I say to this august body that’s meaningful, and personal and true?” I want to offer this suggestion to you: The best way to live in this world is with a mother’s heart. Yes.

A mother’s heart is brave. A mother’s heart is keenly intelligent. A mother’s heart is resourceful and quick and skilled in action. A mother’s heart is flexible. A mother’s heart is sustained and empowered by the purity of its intention—its soul intention—to see the family through. Yes. And to encourage each member of the family with its diverse, individual personalities. To embrace the family as a whole with love and respect. Unyielding in this effort, the mother’s heart sacrifices its own pleasure for the well-being of the family.

My great wish for all of you is that you would understand that this takes great effort and sustained and renewed commitment, that you would each come to regard this world and all of its inhabitants as your family and that you would embrace it with a mother’s heart.

May all of your days be filled with brilliant sunrises and magnificent sunsets, and may you take the time to regard them. And just like the mother’s heart, may you live in constant remembrance and gratitude for the one who created you. And may good fortune always attend you in all of your endeavors—and tonight may you throw down and celebrate, celebrate, celebrate!

The world that you want to live in needs you to create it. The world that you want to live in needs you to create it. So live in it, and create it with a mother’s heart.

Congratulations.

A much better speech than I anticipated, and honestly from what I know, than others anticipated as well. So the whole graduation thing happened, and I did all the pictures, and said goodbye to a lot of friends. Went out to the bars again that night. And then I got up the next day, and went to class. Yeah doesn't that suck! Graduation was made anticlimactic due to that fact that I've still got these two classes to finish. But that's it...after the 21st of May I'm free to return home, and even though the Writing 307 course is continued online till August 13, I can get the hell out of here.

I really want to, too. I'm tired of Syracuse. It's gotten gorgeous in the week after graduation, proving all the myths that it really warms up after all the students go home. It's been way too hot, and I've had too much to worry about with the whole landlord-court case deal. That went sour as you might have read in the previous post. So as of tommorrow I'm crashing at a friends apartment for the next week. It's a pain in the ass to move, but at this point I'm doing what I've got to do. There's so much on my mind lately, and I really just want to be home in NJ. I actually find myself longing for the streets of suburbia, the Meadowlands, the ten thousand malls and diners, and even the jughandles. Not to mention our drivers are a tad bit safer than those up here. And from what I hear gas prices aren't AS ridiculous as in Syracuse. I miss my friends, and I'm really beyond ready to start my life. A lot troubles the mind and the heart lately, but maybe I just need a change of scenery.

16 straight years of school, with more on the way because I've definitely decided to go for my Masters. That's what this has all led upto, and now it's time for me to make things happen. I think I've made a good start so far. This is only the beginning.

Well things have been nuts lately.

I graduated last weekend, and the whole family was up. It didn't feel like graduation and part of that was because the very next morning I had to go to class. I've got 2 classes to finish, one from the 10-21st, and the other from the 17th-August 13 (yeah doesn't THAT suck.

On top of everything else we got a court summons from our landlord on Monday after I sent him a certified letter informing him that myself and a few housemates were staying at the Red House until the 30th of May. He didn't take too well to that. We got ourselves a lawyer and had the hearing this morning. Things did not fare as well as they could have. Great lawyer we had, but the judge was biased, and probably knew Roy from the past. They seemed like they were in bed together. Basically one housemate totally fucked us over by continuing to be destructive the past week and a half. He set fire to a cardboard box in the parking lot which our landlord saw, took pictures of, and used to frame the rest of us. So as of tommorrow, when the eviction stamp will most likely be posted on our front door, we'll have 72 ours to vacate the premises.

Thank God I've got some friends up here who are going to let me crash at their apartment until the 21st when my last day of having to BE here in a class is over. Then I'm heading my ass home. So needless to say I'm not in a great mood lately, and the heat wave this week isn't making things much better. But hopefully things will turn up. I'm looking forward to seeing some friends when I get home, and some other people who I think about daily especially.

New comment system up btw! This one should work amazingly....

Theme Song of the Week: Pearl Jam - Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town

Well it's been a crazy weekend. Out Friday night to Chuck's with the housemates and some friends. Then off to Theta Chi, cuz Asa's frat was having a big party that night. Interesting night :) Saturday was our day-long barbeque which went awesome. We hung out all day, and the weather was gorgeous. It did rain later that night, but our Red House Prom was inside and that went awesome as well. Jay and I wore matching attire we got at the Salvation Army that day. We looked pretty awesome, but I still say I look and felt like a movie theater employee :) Now the final week is commencing until graduation. After tonight, 4 more days. So much to do. I've found out last Friday that I only need the two MayMester classes to complete and I will be a college graduate. I'm planning on staying here at the Red House through that, and Roy can go to hell. He can go ahead and start eviction proceedings if he'd like. I won't be here by the time they ever hit court.

So a huge virus hit this weekend, Sasser.a and Sasser.b. The bane of my existence at work today. I spent 8 hours fixing the havoc it wreaked and I'll spend more tommorrow no doubt. This could put a crimp in the work I've been putting in at "work" for my 575 final. Still have to rent my cap and gown, and I've got to get the payment for my Maymester classes in order. Gotta put in a call about my internship too. It's 99% finalized but I gotta get off my ass and finish that 1%. Once again Syracuse is cold, from 85 to 40 in a matter of hours last night. Oh well...it's going to be a bitch as long as it can to the class of 2004. Time to go get some work done. Too much on my mind lately, and too much I don't need to worry about.

Auto response from JBurd5582: one word of advice: clinge...never let go, never graduate, nevre quite being a kid, never quit doing stupid things for stupid reasons...never stop smling...never stop waking up and going 'oh my god what just happened'...nevr stop being hung over 12 hours afer the fact...and most of all, never stop being everything all at once for everyoen for every reason just because u can be.

live it, love it, bleed its

Right on Jesse. Right on.

I've been working on adding comments to my blog since I have taken a semester of HTMl and XHTML. You'd think I could just use LiveJournal like I used to and have it all done for me. But that would just be toooooooo easy. So bear with me if there's a few comment changes until I find one that's suitable.

Zach's Message To The Red House

So things have been super busy. After multiple more visits with the Syracuse legal tenant advocate, we have a strong case against Roy. At the very least we will discredit him publicly in the BIG newspapers. The Post Standard, NOT the dinky DO. We will keep TKE from moving in June 1. And if the members fight this, the Red House will still stand and exist next fall. Here's a little quote from the Sopranos that I think very well classifies my attitude towards oppression.

"We're talkin' about history here, A.J. Your family's history. Newark's history."

"Well, who gives a shit about Newark?"

"I'm making a point. This neighborhood used to be beautiful. 100% Italian.The 1920s, most of them right off the boat. Most Italians couldn't even find a church that wanted 'em. So what did they do, did they cry? Did they go to the government with their hand out? No. They took care of their own problems. They said you don't want us in your church? Fine, we'll build our own, a better one. I mean, look around, look at all these buildings around here. Most of them are falling down into the ground. But that church is still standing. You know why?"

"The bricks?"

"'Cause our people give a shit, that's why."

The Red House will not fall because I didn't lift a finger. Roy Pinsky Palumbo is a name you will not soon forget.

It was a great day. Woke up and had brunch at Cosmo's. Went over Zach's to watch Kill Bill with some good surround sound (finally). Hit up the SU 2004 Block Party with Wyclef Jean, which was awesome. That's where the day ended being good. I actually can't believe that I've come to feel this way, but I am ready to leave SU. I've been ready to leave SU for some time, but in a different sense. This is more directed towards just not wanting to be around certain people anymore. I miss my friends from home. True friends who have known me for years, and probably know me better than anyone else. They are people, who if not 100%, I can be sure I can count on them 90% of the time. I'm beyond ready to get home and to continue the plans I laid in stone months ago.

I hope this week goes quick and all I need to do gets done.
Home, family and friends cannot come quick enough.

Sometimes the world looks seems perfect
Nothing to rearrange
Sometimes you just get a feeling
like you need some kind of change
No matter what the odds are this time
Nothing's gonna stand in my way
This flame in my heart and a long lost friend
Gives every dark street a light at the end
Standing tall on the wings of my dream
Rise and fall on the wings of my dream
Rain and thunder, wind and haze
are bound for better days
It's my life and my dream
And nothing's gonna stop me now

So a lot of people have been very concerned about me and now that I have a spare moment I'll try to fill you in a little bit. If you've read my last post, you know that there's been an issue with the Red House, where I live at. It's not a fraternity or sorority, or really anything of the sort. It's always just been this house on campus where people from all walks of life have banded together over the years to live. It's a 4 story house, situated between two sororities, and it's actually on the street called "Frat Row." That's where the irony ends. I've lived there the past 2 years, and looking back I would not have lived ANYWHERE else on campus. Not off-campus, not in a dorm, not on South. Hell I wouldn't even live at the Sheraton penthouse if I could have. I love that house to death for everything it stands for.

So Wednesday night we find out our landord, the royal fuck Roy Pinsky, has gone behind our backs and has leased the house to the frat TKE, who's slogan is aptly "If you can't Go Greek, go TKE!" (Yeah-exactly...) They've been talking shit for years now about how they're going to get a house again etc etc. other fraternities have been after the house but our landlord has turned all their offers down in the past. Now he has gone behind our backs and leased to them, without ever telling us. We find out 3 weeks before we have to be out. 3 weeks is not reasonable notice, ESPECIALLY during FINALS. Pinsky is a shady lawyer, and many of the things he's trying to do are illegal. I know this for legal fact. So the past 3 days I have been meeting with lawyers, legal research teams, tenant advocates and similar resources to try and find out our legal rights. Now yes, I am graduating in May and will not be here come the next lease session. Although I had planned on living part of May at the house while I was here for Maymester. While I'm still mostly unaffected by this, (friends have been amazing in their offers to let me crash at their apartments for the 2-3 weeks of Maymester) I have never been a person to leave my friends hanging high and dry. 6 of the current housemates would have remained through the fall, and there were about 5 other people who were new move-ins. One was my friend Zach, who I feel the worst about. He was going to live in a single apartment next year by himself off campus. I helped partly to convince him to live at the Red House next year, and he was really getting excited to live there. He cancelled his housing, signed a lease, and put his deposit down. And now he's got to find housing. I feel like an absolute asshole, regardless of the fact that it really isn't my fault.

I feel like I've let people down, and I hate that feeling.

Anyways so we find out on Wednesday, and have a house meeting that night to tell everyone. We had the president of TKE over to tell us what the hell was going on, because we were all in the dark about this. Now I'm not mad at TKE, they didn't directly try to steal our house, and they didn't seem to know we weren't in the know. So that night house members painted the front of the house with skull and crossbones. The words NO FUTURE, and other obscenities to Roy. Which was f'ing stupid in my opinion. They started doing shit like that inside too, which is REALLY stupid. We could all be held liable for vandalism, and it's grounds for immediate eviction. Some of my housemates are irresponsible and are just showing that they don't care about the houes at all. Yeah we're gonna lose our house, so let's vandalize it and make a stupid statement. The good thing we did was have a DO reporter come over and make a statement. You can read our official house statement in the link in the former post.

But I know what Roy is doing is illegal on many counts. And I'm willing to fight fort the house, but only if the house is going to fight too. Roy came yesterday to talk to the house members and spouted a lot of BS. I asked him some important Q's and he squirmed like a little maggot. I know he's lying about some things, and I want to fight this. So I'm left with something that doesn't concern me, but I care nontheless. I've bled red the past 2 years, and my roots will always stay red. When I think of SU, I will always think of the Red House first. And I'll be damned if I let Roy swindle it away from my friends without a fight. So I'm going to do what I've always done. The right thing.

Thanks everyone for your continued support, and don't worry about me. Those of you who know me best know I will never give up on my friends, and in the end I'm always just fine.

I can't believe this has happened. After 35 years The Red House is disbanding, but not by choice. Our asshole of a landlord has sold the house out behind our backs to TKE, and as of May 10, the Red House will come to an end. Read the article in the DO today (if you're on campus), or check out our official statement here.

Ok no I haven't died. I've been mad busy. I've got officially 2 days of class left and more crap to take care of than Mr. Septic. Last day of class is Tuesday, and henceforth the majority of my final projects and the like are due on that day. Only one thing is due on May 7, the last day of finals. Ok so maybe I don't have ANY finals this semester, but this still sucks. 2 presentations to do, and one of them is GIGANTOR. Really serious deal in front of a city mayor, town board and stockholders. One of the biggest presentations in my life thus forth, if I don't count the AIG one on Wall St. last summer...

So tons to do, and this weekend is our last Red House party...not to mention the SU Block Party on Sunday. Not to mention ahhhhhhh!
Too much to do. Gotta get back to it.

BTW go see Kill Bill Volume 2. Bad ass.

Well it's Friday yet again. I kicked Thursdays butt and everything went splendidly well. Tonight is the Relay For Life for 24 straight hours.

Grandma Catherine I run for you tonight.

Gonna see Kill Bill Pt. 2 tomorrow if I'm still awake :)

Theme Song For Today: Pearl Jam - Black

Ok so certain people are annoying me again that I haven't been posting.
So here's a short little update.

Went home to NJ over the Easter break. Hung out with friends the majority of the time, and saw my sister and her kids on Saturday. Did the Rutgers bar thing that night, then woke up and drove back to school on Easter. Been working like a madman ever since. Bought Kill Bill yesterday and watched it for the first time. It's cool Pt. 2 is out in like 2 days! Freaks and Geeks box set too. What a great show...

So much going on lately. Someone said 9 days of class left. I better hop to it then and continue working like a crazy person. Too much to do and time is running out!

10-Year Anniversary - Curt Cobain

So it was ten years ago Curt Cobain died. At the time did I really know who he was? The most I knew was that Nirvana was the weird video that always seemed to come on after my favorite one, No Rain by Blind Melon. There was a little Klu Klux Klan girl jumping to reach hearts hanging on a tree. And even then I could see the pain in Curt's eyes. Something in his hazel-flecked eyes spoke of a deep-rooted pain I hadn't quite seen until then. I remember going into school that week and seeing kids walking around dressed in black, or with Nirvana or Cobain t-shirts on. I remember one girl in particular, Jen Renaud. She came into school with her hair draped over her face like a mourning veil. It struck me how affected some people really were by this. At the time I wasn't a Nirvana fan. For the next five years I really wasn't a Nirvana fan. It wasn't until I met Andrew Apostolopolous that I had any interest in Nirvana at all. The only song I really knew up until then was "Lithium," and that was because my brother had played it for me. I never knew until recently that Cobain's body was found the morning of my birthday, April 8. 1994 - 10 years ago. 10 years has gone so fast, yet not so.

Someone make the snow stop...please.

Sometimes it just hurts.
You feel like there's nothing you can do to take the ache in your heart away. And at the end of the day you're alone with your thoughts. If your life seems like a movie sometimes, you'd wish you'd get over the arc already and hit a happy ending, or any kind of ending for that matter. Some nights you wonder how you can go on another day. But then you remind yourself that one day you will say: the sweet is never as sweet without the sour.

I pray on Christmas
Oh, the sick will soon be strong
I pray on Christmas
The Lord will hear my song

I pray on Christmas
That God will lead the way
And I pray, I really pray on Christmas
He'll get me through another day
-Harry Connick Jr.

Well I finally got to see The Ladykillers. Go Tom Hanks GO. It was quite an interesting film, very odd-but I enjoyed it just the same. So a new week is about to begin and hopefully this weekend has prepared me for it. Things only get more difficult from here on in. At least it's a short week because we have off for Good Friday. Wish we had off that Monday too. I've decided to go home for Easter this year, and spend it with my sister's family, and her husband's as well. I just talked to her a few days ago and apparently it's time for one of those big "Uncle" talks.

My nephew sort of idolizes me, which is quite odd because I find I'm catching myself more often around him and trying to set as good an example as I can. Not to seem conceited in any form, but when he starts to name articles of clothing like "Petie-Pants, Petie-Shirts, Petie-Hats, Petie-Glasses..." Ok you get the idea...so I'm not imagining things here. So the situation goes something like this: I've played baseball and football. My nephew has played baseball for a few years and loves it, but he also wanted to play football like me too. A lot of his friends are going out for football now too so he was really excited for it too. He's big for his age, height-wise. He's not a portly kid or anything at all. Nothing of the sort. So weighed in at the doctor recently he was about 87lbs. At the tryout/signup place he weighed in as 94. So they won't let him play in that bracket. He'd have to be bumped to an upper bracket with kids a year to three years older than him in Pee Wee. Now a big thing of him playing in his own age bracket is that a his friend's father is coaching a team, and would have made sure to get him on his team. He would have looked out for him and taught him the ropes. The most appalling thing though was the guy who was at the sign in desk. WHen he met my nephew he shook his hand and said "Well it looks like we're going to have to work off some of those pounds." If I were there I would have beat the hell from that asshole. I've been through sports programs all of my life, and I understand how testosterone-ridden they are. What that man said had no place at all in that situation. This is first year football for children. My nephew rarely gets upset, but he was crying that night I was told. He's very distraught over the whole situation because he feels like he's being penalized for his weight, which in reality is not an issue at all. So my sister has asked me to have a chat with him over break and I've been thinking a lot lately on what to say to him. My sister made the right decision in not letting him play. I don't want him playing and having a bad experience either. At this point it's for fun, not for competition. Men who live vicariously through little 9 year olds are sad human beings who never made it themselves. It's definitely been something that's been taxing on my conscience lately...

Otherwise is was a pretty decent weekend. I wish it'd stop flurrying and we'd get the 60-degree weather back here. Please... I turn 22 this Thursday-April 8. 22... 21 went fast. It was anticlimactic too lol. 22 will just be another year I guess. I guess I'm just more concerned with other peoples' problems lately that I haven't even given much thought to my own birthday.

Time to cook up some dinner, and then I think it's time to spend some time with Forrest Gump.

old, bad eyes, almighty fear
the shepherd won't leave me alone
he's in my face and I
the shepherd of my days
and I want you here by my heart
and my head, I can't start till I'm dead

here I am locking horns with the stallion
failing to hold my head up, I'll go back again
pillar of davidson feeling
too hard to go down
cheaper than all souls he will walk upon
deeper and deeper in love
so I hold my head up
cheaper than all souls he will walk upon
pillar of davidson
feeling too hard to go down

Well the week of hell is over! 4 presentations given. 4 A's. 8 assignments handed in. We'll see... Stuff I've gotten back though has all been ravely reviewed and this semester is turning out very good gradewise.

Heading over to Clinton and Kathy's tonight to watch a good DVD rip of Return Of the King. I'm such a Ringhead, I can't bear to wait until May 25th when it releases on DVD. I can't even wait till this Tuesday when Matrix Revolutions is out. more than anything though RotK will uplift my spirits which need a little jolt after this week. A lot's happened and I'm worried about some of my friends as per usual. 6 more weeks of college AHHH! Things are about to go to lightspeed I know it. Had a Relay For Life meeting the other night. It was my decision that our Hawaiian-themed team will be called "Get Lei'd For Cancer." Oh yes that's right-I went there. Work is slow and dull today, and I think I'm going to go get The Sopranos Season 3, so I can stifle my boredom in the wonderful world of Tony Soprano. I've been missing all the episodes from the 5th season, but whatever I'm sure Evan or Matt have been taping them religiously. By the time I get out of school and are home in June I'm sure the marathon will just be starting. 13 episodes this season I think...so March 4....yeah about the end of May, beginning of June. Good, then I can watch them allllllll at once.

Found out today that Andrew has decided to go on hiatus again after this semester. Honestly I'm glad for him. If he needs to get his life in order, then so be it. I'd rather see him happy than doing what you're "supposed to" and be miserable. Well time to get back to work. Hope this weekend rocks. Oh wait...it's going to because I SAID SO!

I know you heard the people say
that you couldn't make it any way you tried
Maybe we dream the same dream
but have a different kind of laws
That don't mean that we won't get there together

It's alright to feel what you've been feeling
Say what you've been saying
Think what you've been thinking alright
You're just the same old crazy kind of song

Left to right these private eyes
I just refuse to flaunt the old disguise
Ain't it strange sometimes we search to find what matters in our lives
It takes awhile to live a lie, but that doesn't make it
true or false or anything
It's just a line to make you want to do things
So sing a loud
Cause I beleive that you and me we want the same thing deep inside
So I'm just telling everybody

It's alright to feel what you've been feeling
Say what you've been saying
Think what you've been thinking alright
You're just the same old crazy kind of song
Somewhere to the left of nothing alright

Do your feel it say it
Think what youve been thinking alright
You're just the same old crazy kind of song
Some one to the left of some thing weird
You've been waiting for a sign but its been there all the time
Let me taste your soul and lift your eyes
It's alright...it's alright

Gotta feel good
Gotta feel nice
It makes a world of difference when you open up your eyes
But yes I've seen every sight
and theres a million smiling faces saying it's alright
well it's alright

Blessid Union Of Souls - It's Alright

Things are amazing. Life is good. And I can't wait for what tommorrow brings.

You can't take me down because you'll never reach the place I'm at.

To everyone who's having a rough time lately:

When the road gets dark
and you can no longer see
Just let my love throw a spike
And have a little faith in me

When the tears you cry
Are all you can believe
Just give these loving arms a try baby
And have a little faith in me

When your secret heart
Cannot speak so easily
Come here darlin'
From a whisper start
To have a little faith in me

And when your back's against the wall
Just turn around and you will see
I will catch, I will catch your fall baby
Just have a little faith in me

Love you all, and hope you face today with your head raised high.

Had a really disturbing dream this morning, that was all had in the space of 20 minutes, but was one of the most vivid ones I've ever had. I was sitting in our kitchen at home in New Jersey, and all of a sudden I see a helicopter and three men rappeling down to the ground. There is some huge box attached to a cable, and once they hit the ground they keep jumping up trying to help steer it to the ground on the huge cable it's attached to. They finally do, and they remove some vehicle from it, and all jump on board. About this time large trucks, huge tanks that look like ATVs or sandcrawlers start tearing across my backyard. They're taller than 3-4 storied buildings, and plow over the edge of my forest and into it. Suddenly there are vehicles everywhere, soldiers running. What looks like a mobile missile launcher drives by, and I hear gunfire in the distance. Soon rockets are firing in the air, and bullets are flying everywhere, richocheting off of walls. My parents and I run outside into an abandoned truck and begin to drive. Complete and utter pandemonium everywhere. Children are crying for their parents, covered in mud, soot, and ash. Bombs are dropping, and the neighborhood looks nothing like it had minutes earlier. We stop to pick up a young boy and girl, who apparently we know, and continue on. We top the rise of a hill, and all I can see is legions of soldiers marching as rockets fly into the air. The sky is blood red, and the sun is a dull glow in the afternoon sky. That's when I woke up. Quite a dream, and I don't know what to make of it. I don't think until that moment I ever really thought about what it would be like to fight a war on home soil.

Oh well. Time to get back to the massive amounts of work I've got this week. I feel like I want to break something. Bad. Now. :(

Time for a weekend UPDATE!

This was such a LONG LONG week, and now that it's over in retrospect it was pretty awesome. Let's start back to the beginning of the week shall we? So things were going horrible on Monday. We had had numerous party meetings which 2 of the 3 party coordinators habitually missed. We had no definite DJs, no definite band, and no invites. Monday night we get invites, still working on DJs. Another party meeting on Tuesday, not very productive. I step up as a co-party-coordinator and Asa and I had lunch a few times to discuss what needed to be done every day this week. So we get upto Wednesday and we we have a band, but they don't have a PA...or microphones. Next day we've still got no DJs, and no PA. Friday is the same deal and we're freaking out. Now I was going to have 4 friends up this weekend, but one by one they all bailed on me until FRIDAY I get a call from Matt and he says he's on his way up with Alaina. Yay woohoo fun! So after being at work a total of 3 hours out of the 8 I was scheduled, I hit up happy hour down on Marshall St. Good Happy Hour, good times, good friends, and a chance to relax after the hellish week of work, class, projects, presentations, and general stress.

So Zach, Bekkah and I go back to the house to chill, and I get a call from Matt. "Bad news." His transmission blew out 25 miles from 'Cuse. So at 10 o'clock I drive on out to Cortland to pick him and Alaina up. Now Friday was GORGEOUS...the weather has been getting consistently better every day. Well after an awesome Friday it's pouring. So out 30 mins there and back to pick them up, and then back to the house where it's mostly uneventful since there were no parties going on and it was raining llamas and emus outside. Went to bed still wondering if we'd have DJs or a PA or anything else set up for Saturday's party. This had to be the most difficult party I've ever had to coordinate or take part in. Usually our parties work as so: My house has 14-16 people in it every semester, and we all put in $40 for a party collection. We 99% of the time get this money back, and usually everyone is halfway decent in getting their money in. But this time it was like pulling teeth. Two of our house members skipped out this weekend and just up and disappeared which left us initially -$80. Then another housemate couldn't pay her $40. Then another initially only put in $14. Now since we no longer can get kegs in NY state without someone having to register their license along with them and paying a hefty increased deposit, we opted to go the route of cans. We used to get 6 kegs, which the equivalent is about 40 cases. So this party after much toil involving recycling cans, hounding people who hadn't paid, Andrew and I putting in $100 out of our own pockets, and renting a PA we were able to have our 80s/90s Dance Party. It went off well. Slow at first but picked up quick and a sizable crowd showed up in the end. I had a ton of fun so it was worth it, but all day Saturday when I was out since 10am until about 7pm was complete utter hell. We ended up having 3 DJs, renting the PA (which I had to pick up and drop off), getting 40 cases of beer (because of the extra $ Andrew and I doled out), and having a college hip-hop group called Higher Ground play the party. Everyone had fun, and today only helped.

Today was the most beautiful day we've had yet this spring in Syracuse. It was about 70 degrees all day long, and we basically just hung out on our porch all day long. We hit up Cosmo's for breakfast this morning, and started cleaning up the house when we got back. I took Matt and Alaina to the airport so he could get a rental car to drive back to NJ, but he couldn't get one so one of Alaina's friends ended up coming up here to pick them up and take em back. Overall it was a pretty great weekend, and I hope I can make it through the wall of work I've got to do this week. I'm going to go get on it right now :L

New pics up!

www.ofoto.com
Login: jediqr7p@hotmail.com
PW: orange

A very busy week so far.
Too much to do before Saturday's party.
Too much snow.
Too much going on.
Too much on my mind.
And many friends hurting.
And too little I can do about it.

Maybe it would be fun
To get a new opinion
Get a little work done
And forget

Maybe it would be cool
If I rocked it old school
Try to break a gold rule
And a sweat

Better than the first time
Better than the worst time
If I could just reverse time
I'd be set

Testing 1,2,3
Can anybody hear me?
If I shed the irony
Would anybody cheer me?
If I acted less like me
Would I be in the clear?

She got a new apartment
It's out on the escarpment
And in her glove compartment
Are my songs

She hasn't even heard them
Since she found out what the words meant
She decided she preferred them
All wrong

Kind of like the last time
With a bunch of really fast times
If we're living in the past time
Soon gone

Testing 1,2,3
Can anybody hear me?
If I shed the irony
Would anybody cheer me?
If I acted less like me
Would I be in the clear?

We recognize the present
Is half as pleasant
As our nostalgia for

The past'll be presented
Recast and reinvented
Until it's how we meant it

Testing 1,2,3
Can anybody hear me?
If I shed the irony
Would anybody cheer me?
If I acted less like me
Would I be in the clear?

He's everything that you need
You wiped out on your ten speed
And either he will succeed
Or just suck

Testing 1,2,3
Can anybody hear me?
If I shed the irony
Would anybody cheer me?
If I acted less like me
Would I be in the clear?
Begin the...

Testing 1,2,3
Can anybody hear me?
If I shed the irony
Would anybody cheer me?
If I acted less like me
Would I be in the clear?

Would I be in the clear, G?

Testing 1,2,3...

Barenaked Ladies - Testing 1,2,3
[ Tue Mar 23, 04:37:51 PM | Peter Palumbo | edit ]
A very busy week so far.
Too much to do before Saturday's party.
Too much snow.
Too much going on.
Too much on my mind.
And many friends hurting.
And too little I can do about it.

Maybe it would be fun
To get a new opinion
Get a little work done
And forget

Maybe it would be cool
If I rocked it old school
Try to break a gold rule
And a sweat

Better than the first time
Better than the worst time
If I could just reverse time
I'd be set

Testing 1,2,3
Can anybody hear me?
If I shed the irony
Would anybody cheer me?
If I acted less like me
Would I be in the clear?

She got a new apartment
It's out on the escarpment
And in her glove compartment
Are my songs

She hasn't even heard them
Since she found out what the words meant
She decided she preferred them
All wrong

Kind of like the last time
With a bunch of really fast times
If we're living in the past time
Soon gone

Testing 1,2,3
Can anybody hear me?
If I shed the irony
Would anybody cheer me?
If I acted less like me
Would I be in the clear?

We recognize the present
Is half as pleasant
As our nostalgia for

The past'll be presented
Recast and reinvented
Until it's how we meant it

Testing 1,2,3
Can anybody hear me?
If I shed the irony
Would anybody cheer me?
If I acted less like me
Would I be in the clear?

He's everything that you need
You wiped out on your ten speed
And either he will succeed
Or just suck

Testing 1,2,3
Can anybody hear me?
If I shed the irony
Would anybody cheer me?
If I acted less like me
Would I be in the clear?
Begin the...

Testing 1,2,3
Can anybody hear me?
If I shed the irony
Would anybody cheer me?
If I acted less like me
Would I be in the clear?

Would I be in the clear, G?

Testing 1,2,3...

Barenaked Ladies - Testing 1,2,3

Wow what a good weekend. Major DDR on Friday night after the bars, and lots of old housemates came to chill at the house. Saturday was our open house, and I got to see Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Amazing movie. I think it makes me really value all the crystal clear memories I have much more now. I could never imagine erasing someone from my memory no matter how much it hurt. Sometimes all you have left are the good memories... Really good movie so go see it if you can. Jim Carrey in one of his best roles yet. Hit up the downtown scene last night, very very interesting lol.

It's been surprisingly mild here in Syracuse lately. Saw the moon last night and some stars I haven't seen in a long time. Whenever I get to see the moon I always look up-there's a few people who know that whenever it's out and I can see it, I'll look up at it and think of them, and I hope they still doing the same. Distance seperates lots of us, but you're always in my thoughts...

A busy week coming up, but then our 80s/90s dance party this Saturday! Woooo! Friends coming up, and good times on the way. Under 50 days someone said the other day until graduation. This is going to go really fast. Take a snapshot of this moment of me writing this on a Sunday morning, still an undergrad in his senior year final semester. But now that snapshop is taken and life keeps moving on. Tons of work to do, and it's time to do it. Work now will mean partying later lol.