Luke and I had lunch at Cue Masters (Q-Masters?) today.  It was rulin'.  The menu said that Tuesdays and Thursdays were Couple Discount Days, so we rocked a dollar off our meal and pool game...  Then we met up with these two kids who were challengin' us to an 8-ball match.  So we let em kick our asses and then challenged em back, but for 20 bucks each.  The end of the story is that Luke and I are now 40 bucks richer.

    Crap from last week that I forgot to post in earlier entries:  1) More reasons to play Final Fantasy X.  Not really, but I had to compete with self-destruct.org and its latest images.  2) Not sure why anyone would ever choose the #7 Chinese Restaurant to eat at, when there are six more obvious choices.

hated.
alienated.
emails sent,
are x-rated.

lies.
despised.
friendships,
compromised.

never rang up.
always ganged up.
so sick,
of getting banged up.

ignored.
discord.
just wanting,
to be adored.

so long.
big dong.
you'll never see me,
in a thong.

cs?
distress.
need backup?
i'll digress.

condescendant.
always defendant.
done with you,
transcendant.

     Nothing in life like a warm sunny day to cheer a brother up.  Windows down, sunroof back, Linkin Park blaring, pedal further to the floor than it should be... I really don't know of a better way to spend my lunch break... or a drive home from work.  There's really something medicinal about man and machine.  If I was dequinix dot com, I might be able to describe it.  The drive home made me think about something else.  I've come to the conclusion that Hybrid Theory is the The Real Thing of 2000.  I'd never compare the two bands though, since post-The Real Thing, Faith No More just couldn't hack it.

     I feel better... for now.

     I wonder what it's like to drive 60 miles an hour into a brick wall... numerous times.  It's probably something like arguing the same point over and over and never resolving anything.

     I wonder what it's like trying to teach an infant to shit in a toilet.  It's probably like getting someone to understand an idea you have or a point that you're trying to make.  Sure they have it in them... but they just won't face the music.

     Two things that I dealt with twice tonight.  (That's FOUR dealings with, for you math majors).  Two things that I deal with all the time.  It doesn't make sense to me, because when someone tells me something that they believe or feel (except for Luke, when he starts out with 'actually') -- I typically take it as truth.

     Understandment.  That's the word of the day.  It's not in the English dictionary yet, so I'll give you a definition.  Understandment:

   : The act or process of understanding;
   : The mental ability to realize the function of things, ideas or truths.

     Nick came down Saturday afternoon for a visit.  We started off by playing some PS2, because the both of us share an interest in the two best games available: Final Fantasy X and Grand Theft Auto 3.  Though, earlier in the day I rented Parappa the Rapper 2 and Maximo: Ghosts To Glory to try out.  Maximo is a lot of fun... as was Parappa for the two hours that it took me to beat.

     We went to Best Buy to check out digital cameras, as Nick is in dire need of one.  Then Nick, Sharon, and I ended up going to Sumo to eat.  It took about 4 hours to get seated and eat, which ruined our after dinner plans.  The show was nice though, as was the food.

     It's late, I'm tired, and I've resorted to watching the Real World/Road Rules on MTV.  Once again I've found myself thankful for my masculinity.  I'll give you the run down.  Norwegian kid, unknowing of the ramifications, says "Nigga".  His friend, black, simply tells him that he shouldn't ever say that.  Their road-mate, female, overhears and goes fucking ballistic.  She then proceeds to girl-fight the Norwegian guy and the next day refuses to admit that she was wrong.  In the end, she gets kicked off the show.  As she's packing up, the Norwegian kid tries to convey to her that it was not his decision that she leave.  Girl starts sobbing and says "..stop rubbing it in my face".  After she left, all the other girls were crying about her leaving.  Moral:  girls are sensitive and irrational.

     I think?  It's a little late to tell if I'm making any sense tonight.  The story I just told reminded me of a time at work when I was thankful for tolerance and an understanding of equality.  I had a DMX track playing on my speakers.  "Just cus I.  Love my niggas.  I shed blood.  For my niggas.", etc.  As I was singing along to Luke, who was obviously enjoying it as he does to all the music that I play, a fellow co-worker walked over.  I'da thought she might take offense to me, white-boy-slim, singing such lyrics, however, she didn't complain really and I never heard anything about it.

     Did I mention that another reason that I'm thankful for my masculinity was that I have a beautiful girl in my bed?  That is why I'm going to bed now.

PS:  This journal entry will probably be deleted for lack of interest, and because it's stupid.

I am unwillfully going to sleep now -- hoping that someday I will see this site again.  New LangdonX.com is coming.  It should be 100% my work (75% new stuff), but God knows I whore everyone for advice and ideas and what not.. so who's to say.

In other news, I'm seattle bound on the 16th of March.  I'm looking forward to being there, but I'm not looking forward to getting there.  Not because of terrorism.  No.  But because of the fact that I don't want to arrive at the airport at 6:30 AM to catch a 9:00 AM flight.  That's not something that excites me.  I expect to see Wells, Nick, Ryan, and Reuben while I'm there.  Good night.

     It sucks really, to realize just how out of touch with reality I am.  By reality I mean the people in my life that probably mean the most to me: family and friends.

     Just today I found out that my own brother and his now x-girlfriend have been broken up since the 2nd of this month.  Today is the 22nd -- twenty days.

     Yesterday I was reminded whose idea DPChallenge was in the first place.  I then realized that this person was pretty much shut out of the development process.   I tend to forget things that are important.  It's not that I mean to.  It just turns out that way.  Whatever's in my face at the time is reality. Everything else is distant -- like something I just finished watching on TV.

     Not last week my parents went to the Bahamas.  I found out about it the morning that they left.  Is it their fault for not telling me -- or did they tell me about it over Christmas and I'd just forgotten?

     It's these kinds of thoughts that run through my head at the time they are presented.  If I'm at work, I worry about what kind of bullshit will be dumped on me next.  If I'm at home in front of the computer I worry about what I'm going to download next.  If I'm with Sharon, I worry whether she's happy or not.  If I'm out somewhere with a few shots of Vodka in me... well I tend not to worry about too much.

Solution to all my problems?

Driving into work today was such a beauteous  pleasure.  I wasn't alive when Martin Luther King Jr. was at his finest, however, I am alive now to partake in the changes in traffic as a result of what he has done... and for that I thank him.

It started off at the homestead with a little bit of GTA3 on the old PS2.  I completed a mission or two while hearing about Sharon's day, which I thoroughly enjoyed, although not according to her (the hearing of the day part, not the GTA3 part thank you).  Then the two of us.. plus our friends that actually hang out with us.. minus drewmedia, all went to the Outback Steakhouse.  I rocked it out with a tomato salad and Twin Jackeroo Chops -- cocked back, and a Baked Potato -- so drop that.  Jeff handled a sexy little slurpee drink, while Sharon dogged a brewsky with a straw.  Drewgood after his onion salad did the old stuff-bread-in-mouth routine, while Ben posed for the usual caught off guard shot.  We did get in some good trivial pursuit Q&A time.  The question was something like "Who was the first woman attempting to fly solo around the world".  My answer was, verbatim, "Linda Blairheart".  I swear to you it was the Vodka Tonic.

After a few hours at the Steakhouse, we rolled out.  We ended up at AMC Lynnhaven 8, minus Sharon, to see Orange County, which was superbly funny...  You could probably replace superbly with really or just pretty if it hadn't been for the alcohol taken in during the previous event.

Next stop: 5 dudes in an indoor jacuzzi.  It would've been 6 had only Clint hopped in.  It started out relaxing, but then we had to step it up to the next level, as we usually do.  Clint found out the door to the outside was unlocked.  So drewgood takes the lead with the polar plunge into the ice-cold pool full of leaves and dirt and crap.  I follow... then Jeff... then me/ben/drewgood/jeff... then drewgood and me twice from one side to the other.  Please note that as I am checking weather.com right now that it states: 36°F Feels Like: 29°F.  If ever there was a time and place that I wish I had my camera...it was definitely then and there.

To end the story, drewmedia, love me again -- like you used to.  We did save you a seat.  Promise.

There are points in life when you're feeling oh-so-very hopeless that things just can't go anymore wrong for you than they already are.  Then something comes along and scoops everything up and puts it all right back on track.  This time, that something can in the form of an email:

"We will make an exception for you and put you back in Prescription Drug coverage for 2002.  I will also send you out a new Benefit Card for 2002."

It's nice, for a change, to know that Corporate America cares about me.

~

As for the current DPChallenge: I have a few ideas.  Sadly, however, most of the ideas require me to drive somewhere, park my car, and get out in the middle of traffic.  Thus, giving new meaning to the term risqué.  I have slightly less than two weeks to come up with something -- we'll see what happens.

http://www.dpchallenge.com/

The basic idea is that every two weeks a challenge where an idea is presented to you is posted on the website.  And you, if you choose to do so, may take a digital photograph that would represent this idea.  When you have taken a digital photograph that you are pleased with, you then submit it to the site.

Once the two-week period is over and all digital photographs are received (no further submissions will be accepted after the two-week span) then photographers and regular visitors to the site may vote on which digital photograph is "the best", or which photograph best represents the idea stated in the challenge.  Voting will span two weeks, during which a new idea will be presented to the photographers.  Once the 2nd two-week period has finished, the results from the voting will be posted; as well the results from the 2nd challenge will be posted for voting.  This process will repeat itself indefinitely.  It is best represented in this image (c) drewmedia.

So go join.  Whether you want to vote or photograph, it should be a great deal of fun.  No doubt.

Part 1:  how to be an asshole

Part 2:  how to get an asshole back

Part 3:  the result

Thanks Luke for helping me out on this.  Also thank you for staying late at work with me tonight to finish up some things.  You're a true friend.

Irony in life is sickening at times.  I suppose it's fitting after my previous contemplations of the medical world and its medicinal herbs.  The deal is that my small-time health insurance company is trying to screw me over by not continuing my prescription drug coverage.  I know this well, because when I go to Wal-Mart today to get prescriptions filled, they deny the hell out of me.  I won't stand for it though.  Come hell or high water Monday, I'll have my coverage.

Also, I was watching the movie What Women Want on Showtime today and I seen my man Mel Gibson typing away on a Macintosh computer.  Then it shows the text on the screen being typed into a Microsoft Word window.  WTF?  That's just not right.

Good times tonight at Applebee's.  Better pictures than I got with my camera will likely be found here, in due time.  Instead of good pictures, I managed to obtain two nice glasses for the purpose of skulling brew and hard liquor.  Good times, I tell you.

I was at the doctor's office today following up after last weeks lab tests.  After he tells me that I'm as healthy as can be, we start discussing some medicine that I've been taking.  A few minutes into the conversation, as I usually do, I started thinking about why I needed the medicine that I take.  Medicine is fairly new, I'd imagine, relative to how long people have inhabited the earth.  Why is it that 19th century humans, and previous, were able to live their lives fine without Claritin, Allegra, or Zyrtec.  So why do I need to waste my money every month on perscriptions?

Erm.

I'm sick.  I've got snot coming out of every orifice.  My throat hurts.  I'm tired.  I don't want to goto work tomorrow.  I don't want to goto my doctor's appointment tomorrow.  I don't want to play Counter-Strike tonight.  I don't want to update my web site.

And that is how I feel.

Being 23 hours and 26 minutes into Final Fantasy X, I can still say that I am thoroughly enjoying it more and more every minute that goes by.  It's still inconceivable that the same company who is responsible for FFX is also responsible for Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within.  I'd be more than happy to pay $7.00 for a ticket to watch the story of Final Fantasy X unfold on the big screen.  Oh, and if you're still playing FFVII like some people, you need to hurry up... k?

I saw Sex and the City last night.  It was an excellent episode and a great start to the new season.  Sadly drew missed out on it because he's too busy snowboarding at Snowshoe.  Let's just hope he makes in back in time to catch the re-run (Sat Jan 12 @ 11:50 PM, thank you very much).

If you're interested: AIMLog v07.

Today was nasty.  Rain, rain, and more rain.  All day.  Non-stop.  So much rain, in fact, that most of the snow melted.  Although I made the best of it, by watching Ocean's Eleven (and Memento the previous night).

Back to work again tomorrow: sad, but true.  My extended vacation has been very nice though.  I got to do a lot of fun stuff and spend all my time with Sharon.  I can imagine that she is probably sick of me now though.  =[  On Thursday I stayed in the apartment with Sharon pretty much the whole day.  It was very nice and relaxing.  Thursday night, Sharon and I had a wonderful idea to walk to the Olive Garden from my place.  We made it as far as the Reflections office complex and turned back due to gale force winds and a developing blizzard.  However we did have time, on the way back, to stop and make a snowman (Sharon did most of the work).  Friday, I was forced to tackle dangerous driving conditions to get to the doctor's, who shouldn't have been open.  It wasn't so bad though because on the way back McDonald's was open for business.  Also, I got to have a little fun with the snow, ice, and my parking break.  Saturday I learned some more OpenGL stuff, and Saturday night Sharon and I grabbed some Chinese food and rented Memento, as aforementioned.  Words can't express how well that movie was done.

Today Sharon and I went to see Ocean's Eleven at Regal Strawbridge Marketplace.  The movie was great.  During the previews, they played the Star Wars Episode II trailer.  I swear it can't get much worse than that bullshit.  Besides the fact that NSync is going to star in it, the preview made it out to be like a freaking soap opera.  Although, it's not as if Episode I was worth a shit...  George Lucas has had it -- no doubt.

Ya.  I do.  Straight from the shelves at the Super Wal-Mart, thanks to Luke who ventured through snow and slippery road conditions in his rear-wheel-drive truck.

It's all <3.

Yea.  It snowed.  Yea.  Schools are closed, as are some businesses.  Although, as speculated by many, milk production and supply to the Virginia Beach area has not been stopped or cut off in anyway.

I'm just so glad for these families that can wake up this morning and know that they have a full gallon of milk in their refrigerator... because... life at Langdon's apartment today will be drastically altered due to the fact that he didn't take heed to the weatherman's warnings yesterday.  I have no milk in my fridge.  I have no newly purchased dried goods in my pantry.  My God, what I am to do?

Please send help.  S.O.S.

Skiing Trip || New York Trip

After spending Christmas with my family in Richmond, VA, I rushed home to (with the help of Chris) catch an Amtrak train (which started out as an HRT bus) to Newark, NJ, where Sharon so kindly picked me up.  The train ride was nice.  I got my grub on in the cafe car.. relieved myself in the urinal.. and pretty much just relaxed with my bidness.  The ride was slightly greyhoundish, but without the loud noise and roughness of the bus.  Sadly I had to sit beside this guy for most of the way, and then when he did get off in DC, I got to sit by half a dirty window.  Very early in the trip I seen a Rolex ad in downtown Norfolk, and I'm wondering about the targeted audience.  I guess I'll never understand marketing.

New Jersey was nice, as was the ride to Pennsylvania.  We stayed at the Shawnee Inn and skied on Shawnee Mountain (much much much thanks to Sharon's parents).  I sustained two visible injuries while there and suffered a whole lotta soreness.  I took my camera up on the mountain the second day for pictures and got some real good stuff.  We ate at Candy Land the first night...er...I mean Pepe's..  Great food, bad service.  The second night, I stayed on the mountain late and skied until 9 o'clock.  Too much fun.  I'll post all the pictures a little later, as I have yet to size them down.

Oh.. and to the happy camper, I have an Olympus C-700 UZ.

Oh.. and more good news: FFX OST on alt.binaries.sounds.mp3.video-games!

BFC party last night was rulin' it.  Skiing this weekend was rulin' it.  Sharon, as always, is rulin' it.  So.  My new years resolutions so far:

a) To watch the nightly news..

b) To go jogging at least once a week (hopefully more)..

c) TBD

:)