The Journal of Mors Indutus

Want to be a xray technician?

This is not the greatest car in the world.
This is just a Tribute.

I'd been noticing some squeaking coming from my driver's side the last few weeks, so when I got my oil changed last night, I was hoping it wasn't anything too serious. What with the wedding coming up in under 2 months, any extra expense is not welcome. Turns out it was my brake-pads being worn down to almost nothing. Which unfortunately wouldn't hold out till mid-October, so I had to have them replaced. Thankfully, they gave me a discount. Come November, I'll probably have to replace the tires. The first year I owned the car, I didn't have any problems driving (I bought the car in January) but last year I had a few times where I lost traction and spun out. Probably get a set of snow-tires for the winter. Expensive, but not as expensive as replacing a car.

Anyone who thinks that a car is an asset has never had to pay for repairs. It may be a necessity in this day and age, but it is a definite money-pit. This car has been relatively problem free since it's a Toyota and I bought it new. Even with the few minor things that needed replacing and tuning and balancing, it's definitely in the financial liability column. Thankfully, my car is much less of a liability than some people's cars. (I'm looking at you SUVs.) My car gets great gas mileage and has, all things considered, been relatively problem-free. Investing a bit of money here and there to keep it from becoming a major liability is well worth it.

Maintenance is always cheaper in the long run than major repairs. Of course, most people only look at the short term, and that's why we have Minnesota Bridges Falling down, falling down, falling down... (I'm going to hell for that, aren't I?)

Ugh. I didn't sleep well last night and with it being so dreary today, I'm having trouble staying awake. I need more upbeat stuff on my ipod. I've been listening to the Chrono Trigger soundtrack most of the day. It's good background music since I don't really have much attention to spare. Need to focus!

This Game isn't helping. Damn you BBrian and your hellishly addicting links!

I am exhausted today. Got back from Traverse City last night, didn't get enough sleep. Traverse City was fun as usual, just not terribly relaxing. I spent the entire trip tired for some reason or other. I think the main reason was the lack of shade in the room. Once the sun is up, so are you. We're a step or two closer to being done with the wedding preparations as well. Invites should be going out very soon.

In other news, being the ball in a game of customer support tennis isn't much fun. 6 volleys and I almost got to the right person. Almost. The ball was out!

"I'll just transfer this call over to that other department and hope like hell they don't transfer it back to me. They might be able to help him ...but I doubt it."

Lately I have taken to throwing up the horns whenever I drive past a local business called "Best Metal Products." I find this endlessly amusing.

I went and got fitted for a tux last night. It was relatively painless. The sales guy was really cool, didn't pressure me into anything, it went far better than I anticipated. I'm not really sure WHAT I was anticipating, but it was better. Turned out to be a bit more expensive than I would have liked, but I think they'll look really good. Plus, everything down to the socks is included, so it's not really that expensive. Just more than what my dutch genes would like.

I'm going to try and update this journal more often. As time allows of course.

To give you an indication of how much I need coffee this morning, I left my coffee in the car and had to go back for it. That's how much I need coffee.

Had this song stuck in my head all this morning. Such a good album. I should check and see if Dave has put out any more Pedro the Lion albums. I have 5 of them and they're all good.

"Are you an angel now? Or a vulture?"

Help save power! Go emo!

I've been relatively happy lately, but I swear the world around me is getting more and more emo. My ipod has bee choosing almost exclusively indie/emo music while I was driving around last night and again this morning. The word of the day is "Disconsolate" and one of the quotes of the day is from Randy K Millholland (Author of "Something Positive," quite possibly the most cynical and depressing webcomic in existence.)

I think the world needs to cheer the f*ck up!

deincarnate asked us to post the happiest and the saddest song we could think of.

Saddest: June 18, 1976 by Pedro the Lion

Happiest: Dandelions by Five Iron Frenzy. (It always brings tears to my eyes when I hear it, it's that happy.)

What's yours?

It was an inside job!

So last night shinigamimai and I went to Best Buy because we'd heard that they had a special on games for $1-$9 and a couple looked like they would be worth getting for that price. Unfortunately, as is the case way too often at Best Buy (one of the reasons I have come to hate that store), they were sold out by the time we got there. They did however have a decent deal on a DDR pad with game. So I picked it up. Probably shouldn't be spending money on such things, but I figure that I haven't been really exercising all winter and when spring rolls around and I get back on the bike (Bike! Bike! Bike!) it'll probably kill me. I'm really out of shape. So after we watched Grosse Pointe Blank (Love that movie!) I hooked it up and gave it a test run. I lack any coordination whatsoever, but I'm starting to get the hang of it. I got a decent workout I think. In that I'm slightly sore today. I'm gonna start working out on DDR every other night or so and hopefully I'll be in decent enough shape come spring that I can go biking without having my heart asplode. The song selection is a bit out of my usual taste range, but they do have a remixed version of the opening theme song to Rouroni Kenshin, which is kind of cool. And the Kill Bill theme. I unlock more songs as I get better, so that should be cool.

Edit: Song was the opening theme to Rouroni Kenshin, not FMP as previously stated.

Whew! Free at last. I haven't really had the Christmas Spirit lately, and by lately I mean the last several years. Well, that's not true exactly. I have had moments of that peaceful feeling I used to get lying under the tree, staring up at the lights through the branches. I just haven't had the excitement I used to have over the Christmas season. Today I got out of work, feeling pretty good since I have a three day weekend (I used to get 2 weeks when I was back in school! How standards have fallen...) and the sky opened up. Seriously. There were clouds to the West, clouds to the east, but at that part of the sky was clear, with a few fluffy white clouds shimmering in the sun. It was cool as heck! (Another reason I wish I had a digital camera. Except I'd probably crash trying to snap a picture of the nightly sunset at 80mph.) Anyway, I managed to drive home without getting angry. (Merry Christmas, I'll LET you cut me off.) And now I'm sitting at home typing this. I have a nice relaxing evening tonight, I nice relaxing day tomorrow and most of Sunday before I head up to Traverse City with shinigamimai for Christmas with her family and then back down here to Grand Rapids Monday afternoon for Christmas with my family. But for now, I'm at peace. Got nothing special to do but veg for a day. It'll be grand! Peace on Earth and Goodwill towards men, women and children! Hope you all have a peaceful and joyous Christmas.

Whew! It's been a busy couple of days! Drove up to Traverse City this weekend with my fiance for a family Christmas get-together. We left Friday night after she got out of work, drove up and got there around midnight. Stayed up till two, got up around 9 the next day, went to meet her Great Aunt, went back to the house for hors d'oeuvres, went out and had a hayride (would have been a sleigh ride, but for the lack of snow), got back and had supper and then opened presents. We had three rambunctious children running around, although given that it wasn't too bad. After that we packed up and headed home. We left Traverse City at around 11:30, didn't get home till about 2. Still, it was better than getting up at 7 to drive down and be home in time for her to go to work at 11. Went to church and then went over to my parent's place for pancakes. I actually managed to have a civil and meaningful conversation with my father. Then me and my sister went to see the Lewis Black movie (Unaccompanied Minors or something...) For a Christmas kids-beating-up-on-adults movie, it wasn't bad. I also managed to get another wallpaper done yesterday and then went to bed early, cause I had to be here to work by 8AM. It's been steadily busy all day today, but at least I get out at 4:30. Have to go pick up the present for my little sister and her boyfriend, and see if I can get my laundry started. Christmas is a week from today. Kinda snuck up on me this year. complete lack of snow may have helped. But that was my weekend, next one looks to be even more hectic, but it'll be fun too. Just got to make it through this first week back on the 8AM shift. Maybe I'll just go home and take a nap instead.

Things that make me wish I had a digital camera at all times #528:

Driving into work today, I saw a truck belonging to "Fuch's Lubricants Co."

I found that highly amusing.

You think that's hard? Try holding a candle in the cold DECEMBER rain!

One of my co-workers (ghostrider72) is tempting me with delicious Carlos Okelly's. Which will make my running list of delicious, delicious food:

Tuesday - Chipotle Chicken Burrito from Carlos Okelly's.
Wednesday - Employee Potluck (Turkey, eggnog pie, various deliciousness.)
Thursday - Thanksgiving Diner(Stuffing! Delicious, delicious stuffing and more eggnog pie.)
Friday - Chicken Sandwich from Carlos Okelly's.
Saturday - ????
Sunday - Friend's get together (Basically Thanksgiving all over again. More eggnog pie. Mmmm....)

I feel wonderfully bloated just thinking about it. It's been a good week...

Steve Irwin died! Got stabbed through the heart by a manta ray. Those who live by the dangerous wild animals...

I think I've found a new favorite band. Nightwish just fricking rocks! I'm gonna have to pick up some of their albums when I have money again. Hooray for Finnish orchestral goth metal! Whatever the heck that is, I love it.

\m/ ^_^ \m/