Well, today wasn't as bad as it could have been. I had to work, which clearly wasn't the highlight of my day, but it wasn't that bad. Work wasn't as busy as I expected it to be, and I didn't have to deal with too many drunks, which was a good thing. I did see my fair share of drunks though, but they all were of the pleasant variety.
Memorial Day is the unoffical, or offical, however you want to look at it, start of summer. That means revealing shirts, short shorts, and nice tans for the ladies. That is the good thing about my job, I get to see all kinds of good-looking women. Today was a perfect example of what I am talking about. A nice looking girl had a white shirt on that I could see through. Here is the kicker though, she wasn't wearing a bra. Let me just say this, America needs more of this. I have a message to all the pretty ladies reading this, ditch the bra. At the risk of sounding like a Michelob Light commerical, nature should never be tamed. Sadly though, according to my calculations, only between 0 and 0.4 girls read this. We all know the mathematical rules, if it is below 0.5, you must round down, so zero girls read this. I wish I could say more good things about my job, but that is the only good thing about my job though.
I have decided to start a new feature on my blog. It will be called Ken's Top Ten. I know, I know, what an original idea. I am thinking about making this a monthly thing, even if I have to steal some ideas from someone else. I will be starting it in the month of June, and I know that you all are looking forward to it (end sarcasm) for sure. Enough about that though, this could go down as my shortest post ever, so I will end it now. To everyone who is reading this: Happy Memorial Day!
Monday, May 31, 2004
Sunday, May 30, 2004
Memorial Day Weekend
I haven't posted in a while, mostly because I have been pretty busy lately. Afterall, it is Memorial Day weekend. I haven't been busy doing anything exciting, but I have been busy nonetheless. I worked on Friday and Saturday, which consumed most of those two days. On days that I work, it is hard to find time to do anything that day, besides work. I usually work the 3-11 shift, so by the time I wake up, eat breakfast, and take a shower, it is almost time to go to work.
I also have to work tomorrow, which, as most of you are aware, is Memorial Day. Should be another fun (end sarcasm) day, especially because it is a holiday. I expect a lot more drunks than usual, along with the general chaos that always seems to come with working a holiday. The reason for that is fairly obvious though, very few businesses are open on a holiday, except 7-11.
Oh 7-11, why do you torture your employees so? I know that I am not the only one working on Memorial Day. I mean, I'll be working with a co-worker, so we'll be the only two people working in the United States. All kidding aside, that isn't the point. My point is that I am pissed off because I get scheduled to work on all the God damn holidays. I have been working at 7-11 for about a year, and in that year, I have had to work on every holiday. Even the shitty nonsignificant ones, such as Hanukkah and the Chinese New Year. Seriously though, since April of 2003, which is when I started my job, I have had to work each and every holiday.
Let me start with the beginning: In April of 2003, I had to work on Easter. In May of 2003, I had to work on my birthday (I know, not a holiday, but it still sucked) and Memorial Day, which I will also be working this year. In July of 2003, I had to work on the Fourth of July, and I suspect that I'll have to work it again this year. In September of 2003, I had to work on Labor Day, which, by the way, is suppose to be a day set aside for the working man. I could be wrong here, but I am a working man. Did I miss a fucking memo or something? I see no other possible explanation for this great atrocity, but I want some God damn answers. In October of 2003, I had to work on Halloween, which was no big deal. However, here come the ones that really piss me off....
In November of 2003, I had to work on Thanksgiving. In December of 2003, I had to work on Christmas. Now, I am not religious or anything, so I don't give a fuck about the religious aspect of Christmas, but I do like spending time with my family. I even had to work on December 31st, 2003, better known as New Year's Eve. I would go on, but I am fairly certain that I have made my point. I thought I would leave this trend in 2003, but it appears to have continued on into 2004. It may sound like I am making a mountain out of a mole hill here, but I just can't seem to understand what the hell is going on.
I don't blame anyone, except in the case of having to work on Christmas. I blame that one on the owners because they are allowed to close on Christmas, but they don't. The term, anything for a buck, pretty much describes the two owners, in a nutshell. They are also living proof that, if given the chance, anyone can successfuly own a 7-11. Isn't that what the American dream is all about though? I guess so, but more on their incompetence at a later date.
Enough about work, let me tell you what I did today. I went with a few family members and friends to the St. Clair Shores Memorial Day parade. I have been going every year for quite some time now, and even though I am not very fond of parades, it is always a good time. This year was no exception, I had an enjoyable afternoon. Anyways, I doubt that anyone has made it this far, so I will quit while I am ahead, or behind, whichever is funnier....
I also have to work tomorrow, which, as most of you are aware, is Memorial Day. Should be another fun (end sarcasm) day, especially because it is a holiday. I expect a lot more drunks than usual, along with the general chaos that always seems to come with working a holiday. The reason for that is fairly obvious though, very few businesses are open on a holiday, except 7-11.
Oh 7-11, why do you torture your employees so? I know that I am not the only one working on Memorial Day. I mean, I'll be working with a co-worker, so we'll be the only two people working in the United States. All kidding aside, that isn't the point. My point is that I am pissed off because I get scheduled to work on all the God damn holidays. I have been working at 7-11 for about a year, and in that year, I have had to work on every holiday. Even the shitty nonsignificant ones, such as Hanukkah and the Chinese New Year. Seriously though, since April of 2003, which is when I started my job, I have had to work each and every holiday.
Let me start with the beginning: In April of 2003, I had to work on Easter. In May of 2003, I had to work on my birthday (I know, not a holiday, but it still sucked) and Memorial Day, which I will also be working this year. In July of 2003, I had to work on the Fourth of July, and I suspect that I'll have to work it again this year. In September of 2003, I had to work on Labor Day, which, by the way, is suppose to be a day set aside for the working man. I could be wrong here, but I am a working man. Did I miss a fucking memo or something? I see no other possible explanation for this great atrocity, but I want some God damn answers. In October of 2003, I had to work on Halloween, which was no big deal. However, here come the ones that really piss me off....
In November of 2003, I had to work on Thanksgiving. In December of 2003, I had to work on Christmas. Now, I am not religious or anything, so I don't give a fuck about the religious aspect of Christmas, but I do like spending time with my family. I even had to work on December 31st, 2003, better known as New Year's Eve. I would go on, but I am fairly certain that I have made my point. I thought I would leave this trend in 2003, but it appears to have continued on into 2004. It may sound like I am making a mountain out of a mole hill here, but I just can't seem to understand what the hell is going on.
I don't blame anyone, except in the case of having to work on Christmas. I blame that one on the owners because they are allowed to close on Christmas, but they don't. The term, anything for a buck, pretty much describes the two owners, in a nutshell. They are also living proof that, if given the chance, anyone can successfuly own a 7-11. Isn't that what the American dream is all about though? I guess so, but more on their incompetence at a later date.
Enough about work, let me tell you what I did today. I went with a few family members and friends to the St. Clair Shores Memorial Day parade. I have been going every year for quite some time now, and even though I am not very fond of parades, it is always a good time. This year was no exception, I had an enjoyable afternoon. Anyways, I doubt that anyone has made it this far, so I will quit while I am ahead, or behind, whichever is funnier....
Thursday, May 27, 2004
Happy Birthday to Me
Well, today was (is) my birthday, and it wasn't so bad. I had to work, but it could have been worse. I got the usual phone calls from the usual people and pretty much just relaxed, until I had to go to work. Work was the same as any other day, except that I got a birthday card and a Staples gift certificate from my co-workers, which was nice. I'll probably use the gift card to buy a tape recorder. I have always wanted one, for various reasons. Most of the reasons involve blackmail and other nerfarious acts, but I also would like one for school use, in the fall. Using a tape record should be a lot easier than taking notes, and the particular tape recorder that I want allows me to download my recordings on to my computer. That would make my life very easy.
While at work today, I was reminded of one thing that really pisses me off. I would spare you the details, but this is my blog, so what kind of person would I be if I didn't share it with you? I'll tell you what kind of person I'd be, a person who doesn't piss and moan, and that just isn't for me. On with the pissing and the moaning....
Okay, what I am going to tell you is one of the most difficult things that I have to do at work, aside for masturbating in the bathroom without getting caught. That is pretty damn difficult, but this is almost as hard, no pun intended. Anyways, it involves refusing to sell a drunk more alcohol. Now, if it were up to me, I couldn't care less if they are already drunk off their ass, but I have to refuse to sell to them. It seems that "the man" has various reasons for this, but most of the reasons make no sense to me. I often hear that I can't sell to them because it would promote drinking and driving. Hello, how the fuck did they get to 7-11 in the first place? The majority of them certainly didn't walk to 7-11. To a point, I can understand this argument because maybe people will realize that they won't get turned down, so they might be more likely to get into their car and go get some more beer. I can see that the potential for trouble is there, but this is by far the strongest pro-refusal argument....
On to some other arguments though, which are far more flawed. Sometimes I hear that, if I sell to them, what if they get into an accident and kill someone on their way home? To that, I say, what if I refuse them and they kill someone on their way to another convenience store? You can spin this any way you want to, but no one knows what will happen, not even everyone's main man, Jesus. I also often hear that, if I sell beer to someone, I would be partially responsible for any accident or death they may cause, which, if true, is total fucking bullshit. I didn't do anything, other then sell them alcohol, which is part of my God damn job description. I hear all these things from my co-workers and the higher-ups, so I have no idea if they are true or not, but I suspect them all to be scare tactics.
Furthermore, I also frequently hear that I can't sell to a drunk person because some people just don't know their limits, so I have to play the part of the controller. I think that this is a total crock of shit. I don't feel comfortable refusing people, for two reasons....
Reason number one: there is what I like to call, a mean drunk. When I refuse them, they get loud and obnoxious, usually screaming obscenities at me. That is all good, but I can't say anything back at them, which is often difficult to do. I don't want to lose my job over some asshole drunk, so I must refrain from retaliating, which is the more civilized action to take anyway.
On to reason number two: I see no precise way to tell if someone is drunk enough for me to refuse them. Obviosuly, if they can't form a coherent sentence or are stumbling over, it is an easy refusal. It becomes more difficult though, especially when you think you should refuse someone, but you have no hard evidence against them. That would be like convicting someone for murder just because they looked like someone who would kill. In addition to that, some people are just good actors, so I have to give them props for trying. Shouldn't I also give them the benefit of the doubt? I say yes, but I am never sure if I am doing the right thing. I have no exact guidelines, which makes my job difficult at times.
I also have a problem with this, for another reason. If I refuse to sell alcohol to someone who is too drunk, should I also refuse to sell something off of the grill to someone who is too fat? By "the man's" logic and the reasoning of some of my co-workers, it is the same concept. By selling the unhealthy grill food to a morbidly obese person, they could have a heart attack and die. Would I be at fault for his or her death? Of course I wouldn't, but I see it as the principle. It seems to me that we worry so much about the drunk drivers because we all see it, from time to time, in the news. I agree, it is something to worry about. As I said before though, they are already at my God damn 7-11 trying to buy booze. Isn't it too late to worry about it now, they are already half way home. Even if I refuse to sell to them, they still could kill someone on their way home. I don't know, maybe I am way off here, but I really don't see how this prevents anything.
I have rambled on for too long, so I will finish my post with an ending that fits:
Leaves are falling all around, It's time I was on my way.
Thanks to you, I'm much obliged for such a pleasant stay.
But now it's time for me to go. The autumn moon lights my way.
For now I smell the rain, and with it pain, and it's headed my way.
Sometimes I grow so tired, but I know I've got one thing I got to do...
Ramble On, And now's the time, the time is now, to sing my song.
I'm going 'round the world, I got to find my girl, on my way.
I've been this way ten years to the day, Ramble On,
Gotta find the queen of all my dreams.
While at work today, I was reminded of one thing that really pisses me off. I would spare you the details, but this is my blog, so what kind of person would I be if I didn't share it with you? I'll tell you what kind of person I'd be, a person who doesn't piss and moan, and that just isn't for me. On with the pissing and the moaning....
Okay, what I am going to tell you is one of the most difficult things that I have to do at work, aside for masturbating in the bathroom without getting caught. That is pretty damn difficult, but this is almost as hard, no pun intended. Anyways, it involves refusing to sell a drunk more alcohol. Now, if it were up to me, I couldn't care less if they are already drunk off their ass, but I have to refuse to sell to them. It seems that "the man" has various reasons for this, but most of the reasons make no sense to me. I often hear that I can't sell to them because it would promote drinking and driving. Hello, how the fuck did they get to 7-11 in the first place? The majority of them certainly didn't walk to 7-11. To a point, I can understand this argument because maybe people will realize that they won't get turned down, so they might be more likely to get into their car and go get some more beer. I can see that the potential for trouble is there, but this is by far the strongest pro-refusal argument....
On to some other arguments though, which are far more flawed. Sometimes I hear that, if I sell to them, what if they get into an accident and kill someone on their way home? To that, I say, what if I refuse them and they kill someone on their way to another convenience store? You can spin this any way you want to, but no one knows what will happen, not even everyone's main man, Jesus. I also often hear that, if I sell beer to someone, I would be partially responsible for any accident or death they may cause, which, if true, is total fucking bullshit. I didn't do anything, other then sell them alcohol, which is part of my God damn job description. I hear all these things from my co-workers and the higher-ups, so I have no idea if they are true or not, but I suspect them all to be scare tactics.
Furthermore, I also frequently hear that I can't sell to a drunk person because some people just don't know their limits, so I have to play the part of the controller. I think that this is a total crock of shit. I don't feel comfortable refusing people, for two reasons....
Reason number one: there is what I like to call, a mean drunk. When I refuse them, they get loud and obnoxious, usually screaming obscenities at me. That is all good, but I can't say anything back at them, which is often difficult to do. I don't want to lose my job over some asshole drunk, so I must refrain from retaliating, which is the more civilized action to take anyway.
On to reason number two: I see no precise way to tell if someone is drunk enough for me to refuse them. Obviosuly, if they can't form a coherent sentence or are stumbling over, it is an easy refusal. It becomes more difficult though, especially when you think you should refuse someone, but you have no hard evidence against them. That would be like convicting someone for murder just because they looked like someone who would kill. In addition to that, some people are just good actors, so I have to give them props for trying. Shouldn't I also give them the benefit of the doubt? I say yes, but I am never sure if I am doing the right thing. I have no exact guidelines, which makes my job difficult at times.
I also have a problem with this, for another reason. If I refuse to sell alcohol to someone who is too drunk, should I also refuse to sell something off of the grill to someone who is too fat? By "the man's" logic and the reasoning of some of my co-workers, it is the same concept. By selling the unhealthy grill food to a morbidly obese person, they could have a heart attack and die. Would I be at fault for his or her death? Of course I wouldn't, but I see it as the principle. It seems to me that we worry so much about the drunk drivers because we all see it, from time to time, in the news. I agree, it is something to worry about. As I said before though, they are already at my God damn 7-11 trying to buy booze. Isn't it too late to worry about it now, they are already half way home. Even if I refuse to sell to them, they still could kill someone on their way home. I don't know, maybe I am way off here, but I really don't see how this prevents anything.
I have rambled on for too long, so I will finish my post with an ending that fits:
Leaves are falling all around, It's time I was on my way.
Thanks to you, I'm much obliged for such a pleasant stay.
But now it's time for me to go. The autumn moon lights my way.
For now I smell the rain, and with it pain, and it's headed my way.
Sometimes I grow so tired, but I know I've got one thing I got to do...
Ramble On, And now's the time, the time is now, to sing my song.
I'm going 'round the world, I got to find my girl, on my way.
I've been this way ten years to the day, Ramble On,
Gotta find the queen of all my dreams.
Tuesday, May 25, 2004
Troy
I had quite an enjoyable time today. My birthday is coming up, so my grandma took me out to go see a movie. She suggested that we go see Troy, which was surprising because she hates bloody movies. I am not a big fan of seeing blood myself, but I like to see the action, which means that I have to deal with it. There really is no way to have that kind of action without blood. Anyways, I thought the movie was very good and my grandma enjoyed it as well, despite the bloody scenes. The movie was about three hours long, so there were times where you lost interest, but all in all, the movie had a good story line and lots of fighting. This film is worth seeing, but I don't recommend movies to people because the quality of a movie is difficult to gauge to another person. This may sound confusing, but let me expalin. What I mean by this is that you always get three conflicting reports from the moviegoing population.
Let me set up an example to illustrate my point. Two friends go out to see a movie, and after they get out of it, they start arguing over how good it was. One of the friends, we'll call him Joey, seems to think that the movie was great. The other friend, we'll call him Ross, seems to think that the movie was horrible. Meanwhile, a friend of theirs, we'll call him Chandler, comes up to them and makes a terrible joke, which silences the discussion. After the awkward silence, Joey and Ross continue having a heated debate about the movie. Chandler asks the two friends what they are fighting about. Joey and Ross tell him that they just went to see the latest Ernst movie, Ernst gets a Vasectomy, and they can't seem to agree on the quality of the movie.
Chandler, being the great diplomat and friend that he is, suggets that they all go see the movie together. Joey thinks that this is a great idea, but Ross refuses to dole out another eight bucks for a terrible movie. Joey, being an actor himself, appreciates the great acting ability of Ernst, so he tells his two friends that he will pay for their tickets. Ross, being the dickhead that he is, still doesn't want to go see the movie. Joey promises that there will be gummy bears in store for him, if he goes to the movie, which seals the deal for Ross. The three friends go to the see movie together, and after the closing credits, they begin discussing the quality of the movie. Joey and Ross still have the same conflicting opinion as before, so they look to Chandler to break the tension. Chandler tells them that he thought the movie was okay, although he did like the jacuzzi scene, in which Ernst gets his penis stuck in a jet stream hole. The three friends never agree on the quality of the movie, which causes Ross to go on a shooting spree, killing Joey and Chandler in the process.
This story pretty much makes my point. Everyone has a different opinion about the quality of a movie, but until you go see it for youself, don't believe a word anyone says about it. By the way, am I the only one that thinks that my story would make a great episode of Friends? Anyways, it is getting late and I should be off to bed. Oh, and if you're reading this Banker, tell your mom I'll be in the bedroom in about five minutes, k thx bye.
Let me set up an example to illustrate my point. Two friends go out to see a movie, and after they get out of it, they start arguing over how good it was. One of the friends, we'll call him Joey, seems to think that the movie was great. The other friend, we'll call him Ross, seems to think that the movie was horrible. Meanwhile, a friend of theirs, we'll call him Chandler, comes up to them and makes a terrible joke, which silences the discussion. After the awkward silence, Joey and Ross continue having a heated debate about the movie. Chandler asks the two friends what they are fighting about. Joey and Ross tell him that they just went to see the latest Ernst movie, Ernst gets a Vasectomy, and they can't seem to agree on the quality of the movie.
Chandler, being the great diplomat and friend that he is, suggets that they all go see the movie together. Joey thinks that this is a great idea, but Ross refuses to dole out another eight bucks for a terrible movie. Joey, being an actor himself, appreciates the great acting ability of Ernst, so he tells his two friends that he will pay for their tickets. Ross, being the dickhead that he is, still doesn't want to go see the movie. Joey promises that there will be gummy bears in store for him, if he goes to the movie, which seals the deal for Ross. The three friends go to the see movie together, and after the closing credits, they begin discussing the quality of the movie. Joey and Ross still have the same conflicting opinion as before, so they look to Chandler to break the tension. Chandler tells them that he thought the movie was okay, although he did like the jacuzzi scene, in which Ernst gets his penis stuck in a jet stream hole. The three friends never agree on the quality of the movie, which causes Ross to go on a shooting spree, killing Joey and Chandler in the process.
This story pretty much makes my point. Everyone has a different opinion about the quality of a movie, but until you go see it for youself, don't believe a word anyone says about it. By the way, am I the only one that thinks that my story would make a great episode of Friends? Anyways, it is getting late and I should be off to bed. Oh, and if you're reading this Banker, tell your mom I'll be in the bedroom in about five minutes, k thx bye.
Monday, May 24, 2004
Tay Saves the Day
After Rasheed Wallace guaranteed a game two victory, the Pistons had no choice but to step up and deliver. The final score was a 72-67 Pistons victory, but it could have been a Pistons loss had it not been for Tayshaun Prince. Prince blocked Reggie Miller's potential game tying shot, which could have been the beginning of the end for the Pistons. Richard Hamilton, the Pistons best player in game two, was huge down the stretch and ended up with 23 points. As a team, the Pistons stepped it up defensively, allowing just 24 points in the second half. The first half was a different story for the Pistons, but they played through it and came away with a win.
I wanted to rant on how much I hate NASCAR tonight, but I decided to save that for some other time. Instead, I want to say something about that crazy, question mark suit wearing guy that you see on television infomercials. If you don't know who I'm talking about, his name is Matthew Lesko and he claims that the government will give you free money to pay your bills. In fact, that is the title of his book, Free Money to Pay Your Bills, which, by the way, might actually be believable if he didn't act like a deranged psycho. This guy is totally off the wall, borderlining on insane. I don't know how in the hell he got on television, but I suspect that it has something to do with the fact that he dresses like the God damn Riddler. Now this guy may dress like the Riddler, but he looks more like Screech, from the television show, Saved by the Bell. I don't know what is worse, the fact that he is on television or my act of watching him on television, but I suspect the former. This guy seriously needs to tone it down somehow, I suggest that he switches to decaf....
Enough about that though, it is now time for me to end this thing. Check out my friend Ryan's blog, which is a hell of a lot more interesting than this meaningless post. His posts are shorter too, which is a nice change of pace from my endless drivel. Check him out at: Detroit Kid
I wanted to rant on how much I hate NASCAR tonight, but I decided to save that for some other time. Instead, I want to say something about that crazy, question mark suit wearing guy that you see on television infomercials. If you don't know who I'm talking about, his name is Matthew Lesko and he claims that the government will give you free money to pay your bills. In fact, that is the title of his book, Free Money to Pay Your Bills, which, by the way, might actually be believable if he didn't act like a deranged psycho. This guy is totally off the wall, borderlining on insane. I don't know how in the hell he got on television, but I suspect that it has something to do with the fact that he dresses like the God damn Riddler. Now this guy may dress like the Riddler, but he looks more like Screech, from the television show, Saved by the Bell. I don't know what is worse, the fact that he is on television or my act of watching him on television, but I suspect the former. This guy seriously needs to tone it down somehow, I suggest that he switches to decaf....
Enough about that though, it is now time for me to end this thing. Check out my friend Ryan's blog, which is a hell of a lot more interesting than this meaningless post. His posts are shorter too, which is a nice change of pace from my endless drivel. Check him out at: Detroit Kid
Sunday, May 23, 2004
Ride the Lightning
With an exciting 2-1 victory in game seven over the Flyers, the Tampa Bay Lightning are moving on to the Stanley Cup Finals. Ruslan Fedotenko opened the scoring in the first period, followed by a Fredrik Modin goal in the second period, which made it 2-0 Lightning. The Flyers cut the lead in half just five minutes later, with a goal scored by Kim Johnsson. The Flyers pressed hard the rest of the game and made a valiant effort, but the Lighting shot the Flyers down in a defensive storm. The Modin goal was the eventual game winner, but the real story was the play of Nikolai Khabibulin, the Tampa Bay netminder. His sensational performance in game seven sets the table for what appears to be a goaltending battle of epic proportions. The Calgary Flames also have an exceptional netminder in Miikka Kiprusoff, who set a modern day record for goals against average (1.69) in the regular season and continues to impress in the playoffs. Needless to say, the play of each goalkeeper will be the major focal point of the series. The Flames look unbeatable right now, but the Lightning are playing almost as well. It should be a great matchup and I am looking forward to the start of the series on Tuesday.
Enough about hockey though, I want to tell you about my day, which consisted mostly of work. Okay, well the day didn't get interesting until I got to work, so I will skip all the boring details. My work day started like any other day, but it really got interesting during the storms that occured today in southeast Michigan. I had a perfect view of the storm from my perch at the 7-11 counter, and boy was it a rough one. The power went out for about a minute and the front doors blew open on more than one occasion. Okay, I know what you are thinking, he said he was going to skip the boring detials, but bare with me here. The amazing thing about all this is that people continued to come into the store. There is a God damn tornado warning, but some people can't seem to live without the essentials of life. And when I say essentials I mean nonessentials, such as cigarettes. It takes all kinds...I guess. Let me go off on these people for one second, what the fuck are you thinking? There is a God damn storm outside and you come in to get a slurpee and some cigarettes. Why don't you do us all a favor and go light one of those cigarettes at the gas pump. I mean really, you needed some cigarettes during a tornado warning?
I am exhausted and I have to get up tomorrow at 6 a.m. to continue my observation of the human race at 7-11. It may sound like thankless work...what the hell am I talking about, it is thankless work, but it will be worth it when I become insane and go on a shooting spree. Not really though, but it gives you an idea of what I'm dealing with here. Anyways, thank you for reading another one of my grandiose rants.
Enough about hockey though, I want to tell you about my day, which consisted mostly of work. Okay, well the day didn't get interesting until I got to work, so I will skip all the boring details. My work day started like any other day, but it really got interesting during the storms that occured today in southeast Michigan. I had a perfect view of the storm from my perch at the 7-11 counter, and boy was it a rough one. The power went out for about a minute and the front doors blew open on more than one occasion. Okay, I know what you are thinking, he said he was going to skip the boring detials, but bare with me here. The amazing thing about all this is that people continued to come into the store. There is a God damn tornado warning, but some people can't seem to live without the essentials of life. And when I say essentials I mean nonessentials, such as cigarettes. It takes all kinds...I guess. Let me go off on these people for one second, what the fuck are you thinking? There is a God damn storm outside and you come in to get a slurpee and some cigarettes. Why don't you do us all a favor and go light one of those cigarettes at the gas pump. I mean really, you needed some cigarettes during a tornado warning?
I am exhausted and I have to get up tomorrow at 6 a.m. to continue my observation of the human race at 7-11. It may sound like thankless work...what the hell am I talking about, it is thankless work, but it will be worth it when I become insane and go on a shooting spree. Not really though, but it gives you an idea of what I'm dealing with here. Anyways, thank you for reading another one of my grandiose rants.
Saturday, May 22, 2004
Dungeons and Dragons
So I played my first ever session of D&D today and I've got to say, I wish I had started playing sooner. I have always wanted to play D&D, so it was great that I finally got the chance to play. The game was very interesting, even though I pretty much had no clue what the hell I was doing. I am also unsure if I will ever know what I am doing, or if I will ever be any good at roleplaying or character development. The people I played with were not only great players, but they were also very easy to get along with and funny. In addition to that, Andy was awesome as the dungeon master. He really does put a lot of thought and planning into the game, while at the same time not taking it too seriously and making it fun.
If you have never played the game before, it is very similar to Lord of the Rings, which most people should be familiar with. To sum it up, you become a hero on a mythical journey trying to fulfill an epic quest in a fantasy world. You are usually joined by a few other adventures, which are also usually trying to accomplish the same end. The dungeon master controls the whole game and it is your job to defeat whatever he throws at you, in order to complete your quest. In short, the game is nearly endless, as are the character possibilities.
Now this game may sound a little...a little "nerdy" I guess you might say, but it is genuinely fun. Don't knock it until you've tried it people. And if you have tried it and still don't like it, there is probably something wrong with you, or possibly the people that you are playing with. Not really though, this game isn't for everyone, but I know that my first experience with it was a good one. So far so good, we'll see how I like it after I fully understand what I am doing, if that ever happens....
It is getting late and I am tired, so I will end this post now. If you want to check out what D&D is all about, go to this website for further details: D&D
If you have never played the game before, it is very similar to Lord of the Rings, which most people should be familiar with. To sum it up, you become a hero on a mythical journey trying to fulfill an epic quest in a fantasy world. You are usually joined by a few other adventures, which are also usually trying to accomplish the same end. The dungeon master controls the whole game and it is your job to defeat whatever he throws at you, in order to complete your quest. In short, the game is nearly endless, as are the character possibilities.
Now this game may sound a little...a little "nerdy" I guess you might say, but it is genuinely fun. Don't knock it until you've tried it people. And if you have tried it and still don't like it, there is probably something wrong with you, or possibly the people that you are playing with. Not really though, this game isn't for everyone, but I know that my first experience with it was a good one. So far so good, we'll see how I like it after I fully understand what I am doing, if that ever happens....
It is getting late and I am tired, so I will end this post now. If you want to check out what D&D is all about, go to this website for further details: D&D
Friday, May 21, 2004
Birthdays
My birthday is officially less than one week way. I guess I should feel excited, but I have just received some bad news. I have to work on my birthday. I had to work on my birthday last year, and it was, without a doubt, the worst birthday ever. I except more of the same this year. No one should have to work on their birthday, but that is the reality for me, and I'm sure many other people. There is only one thing I can do though, tough it out and make the best of it. Last year wasn't as horrible as it could have been. One of my coworkers sent one of her friends out to get me cupcakes, which was very nice. That was the highlight of my day and a very nice gesture by my coworker.
Enough on that though. How about this God damn Michigan weather? This blasted rain has got to stop sometime. Although, there is nothing better than a good lightning storm. It is very entertaining to watch the lightning and hear the thunder, at least to me. Lightning is one of nature's most beautiful sights and thunder isn't so bad either. I could do without the thunder though because it wakes me up at night, but thunder and lightning pretty much go hand in hand, unless you are a deaf man of course. The deaf community seems to gets all the breaks. (Just kidding)
Well, it is late and I just got back from work, so I am going to go to bed now. Except more of my endless drivel tomorrow. I will end this post with a link to my friend Richard's blog: Richard's Blog Check it out, it is always interesting, very similar to my blog, in that regard. Right? You better be nodding your head, I know where you live....
Enough on that though. How about this God damn Michigan weather? This blasted rain has got to stop sometime. Although, there is nothing better than a good lightning storm. It is very entertaining to watch the lightning and hear the thunder, at least to me. Lightning is one of nature's most beautiful sights and thunder isn't so bad either. I could do without the thunder though because it wakes me up at night, but thunder and lightning pretty much go hand in hand, unless you are a deaf man of course. The deaf community seems to gets all the breaks. (Just kidding)
Well, it is late and I just got back from work, so I am going to go to bed now. Except more of my endless drivel tomorrow. I will end this post with a link to my friend Richard's blog: Richard's Blog Check it out, it is always interesting, very similar to my blog, in that regard. Right? You better be nodding your head, I know where you live....
Thursday, May 20, 2004
Thank You Detroit...Pistons
Thankfully, the Pistons beat the Nets tonight, 90-69 was the final. I say thankfully for two reasons, if they had lost, the fans of Detroit would have only had the Tigers in action. Now don't get me wrong, the Tigers look ten times better than they did last year, but that shouldn't be too hard to do after losing 119 games. It is still somewhat doubtful that the Tigers will finish over .500, let alone make the playoffs. Furthermore, if the Pistons had lost, it would have been another major letdown for another Detroit team. The Red Wings are over two weeks removed from another disappointing playoff defeat at the hands of the Calgary Flames.
Speaking of which, how about them Flames? After a grueling seven game series win against the Canucks, a surprising six game series win against the Red Wings, and a less than perfect six game series win against the Sharks, they appear to be unstoppable. This may be a newsflash to some, but the Flames have yet to play up to their full potential. Isn't that a scary thought? I predict a Flames win in the Stanley Cup Finals. It will probably go seven games, but the Flames will find a way to get it done. They have the heart, the hot goalie in Miikka Kiprusoff, and the all-star scorer in Jarome Iginla. Not to mention a very good young defense and a corp of forwards that has speed to burn. In addition to that, they have great fans, like the ones shown in this picture: Calgary Fans
Check out that site for more great pictures! Who says Canadians don't know how to have a good time? Certainly not me.... In fact, they probably know how to have a good time better than me, that is for damn sure. More on that at a later date. On that note, I will end my post. Thank you for visiting and please come again.
Speaking of which, how about them Flames? After a grueling seven game series win against the Canucks, a surprising six game series win against the Red Wings, and a less than perfect six game series win against the Sharks, they appear to be unstoppable. This may be a newsflash to some, but the Flames have yet to play up to their full potential. Isn't that a scary thought? I predict a Flames win in the Stanley Cup Finals. It will probably go seven games, but the Flames will find a way to get it done. They have the heart, the hot goalie in Miikka Kiprusoff, and the all-star scorer in Jarome Iginla. Not to mention a very good young defense and a corp of forwards that has speed to burn. In addition to that, they have great fans, like the ones shown in this picture: Calgary Fans
Check out that site for more great pictures! Who says Canadians don't know how to have a good time? Certainly not me.... In fact, they probably know how to have a good time better than me, that is for damn sure. More on that at a later date. On that note, I will end my post. Thank you for visiting and please come again.
Wednesday, May 19, 2004
Driving
I don't do much driving, but when I do, I recognize a slew of things that bother me about the way people drive. I must admit, I am definitely not the great driver in the world, far from it. I also have my fair share of bad habits, I suppose, that may make other drivers angry, but I try to keep them to a minimum. Let me just say this though, people need to learn about a little device that I like to call the turn signal. Well, I'm not the only one who calls it by that name, everybody calls it that. But that isn't the point. The point is that people do not know how to use their turn signal properly.
In regards to this issue, there are three classifications of drivers. There are those that use it properly, those that don't use it properly, and those that don't use it at all. I have no beef with the first classification, they use their turn signal correctly. They turn it on at the right time and they use it while changing lanes. Obviously, the first classification of drivers isn't a problem. It is the second classification, and especially the third, that I have a problem with.
Within the second classification, there are two distinct categories of drivers. If I have lost you at this point, hit yourself on the head with a tack hammer because you are a retard. Just kidding, but stay with me here. The first category within this classification deals with drivers who turn their signal on way too early. They turn it on at about an hour before they are going to turn. I am exaggerating here, but there is always one question I would love to ask them: Where the hell are you turning? Are you turning into this driveway, the next driveway, the next one? Are you turning onto this block, the next block, the next one? Why don't you do me a favor and turn into a tree or a telephone pole? Not really though, but please please please, for my sake and for your sake, learn how to use your turn signal. The second category deals with drivers who turn their signal on at the very last moment. These drivers don't seem to care that you are behind them, but they still expect you to stop in time. I have had a few close calls myself, and I can imagine the number of close calls that happen in a day. However, this classification of drivers doesn't bother me that much. They are usually good drivers otherwise, and at least they attempt to use their turn signal....
Which brings me to the third classification of drivers, those that don't use their turn signal whatsoever. I also like to call this group the asshole classification, for obvious reasons. These drivers have no idea where their turn signal is located. Instead of using their turn signal, they furiously weave in and out of lanes, cutting people off in the process. True to their classification, their turn signal is nowhere to be found, even when turning. I could be wrong, but I think the turn signal was put into your car for you to use it. Furthermore, these drivers never call their mothers. That by itself is a disgrace. I have no idea what their problem is. Maybe they have some sort of turn-signal-phobia? Maybe they think that their car is going to explode if they turn on their signal. Maybe they have epilepsy and are afraid that the blinking light will give them a seizure. Whatever their case may be, they need to get over it and use their God damn turn signal.
As I said before, I know I am not perfect. Always use your best judgment while driving. I am not going to tell you when to turn on your turn signal, but the least you can do is use it. Also, try not to turn your signal on at the last second, this is almost as bad as not using it. It is also important to note that "the man" requires me to do at least one public service announcement per month. Next month I'll probably do it on something less important, such as airplane turbulence. Check out this link for the hilarious details: PSA on Airplane Turbulence
In regards to this issue, there are three classifications of drivers. There are those that use it properly, those that don't use it properly, and those that don't use it at all. I have no beef with the first classification, they use their turn signal correctly. They turn it on at the right time and they use it while changing lanes. Obviously, the first classification of drivers isn't a problem. It is the second classification, and especially the third, that I have a problem with.
Within the second classification, there are two distinct categories of drivers. If I have lost you at this point, hit yourself on the head with a tack hammer because you are a retard. Just kidding, but stay with me here. The first category within this classification deals with drivers who turn their signal on way too early. They turn it on at about an hour before they are going to turn. I am exaggerating here, but there is always one question I would love to ask them: Where the hell are you turning? Are you turning into this driveway, the next driveway, the next one? Are you turning onto this block, the next block, the next one? Why don't you do me a favor and turn into a tree or a telephone pole? Not really though, but please please please, for my sake and for your sake, learn how to use your turn signal. The second category deals with drivers who turn their signal on at the very last moment. These drivers don't seem to care that you are behind them, but they still expect you to stop in time. I have had a few close calls myself, and I can imagine the number of close calls that happen in a day. However, this classification of drivers doesn't bother me that much. They are usually good drivers otherwise, and at least they attempt to use their turn signal....
Which brings me to the third classification of drivers, those that don't use their turn signal whatsoever. I also like to call this group the asshole classification, for obvious reasons. These drivers have no idea where their turn signal is located. Instead of using their turn signal, they furiously weave in and out of lanes, cutting people off in the process. True to their classification, their turn signal is nowhere to be found, even when turning. I could be wrong, but I think the turn signal was put into your car for you to use it. Furthermore, these drivers never call their mothers. That by itself is a disgrace. I have no idea what their problem is. Maybe they have some sort of turn-signal-phobia? Maybe they think that their car is going to explode if they turn on their signal. Maybe they have epilepsy and are afraid that the blinking light will give them a seizure. Whatever their case may be, they need to get over it and use their God damn turn signal.
As I said before, I know I am not perfect. Always use your best judgment while driving. I am not going to tell you when to turn on your turn signal, but the least you can do is use it. Also, try not to turn your signal on at the last second, this is almost as bad as not using it. It is also important to note that "the man" requires me to do at least one public service announcement per month. Next month I'll probably do it on something less important, such as airplane turbulence. Check out this link for the hilarious details: PSA on Airplane Turbulence
Tuesday, May 18, 2004
Work
Well, since all I did yesterday was work, I will post some of the things that I notice about people, in general, while at work. If you didn't already know, I am a slurpee engineer at 7-11. I don't actually make the slurpees, I design them. And by design them I mean I ring them up at the counter. Anyways, I see around 1,000 people a day, and let me tell you, when you see that many people a day, you start to notice a lot of things.
To start off, I notice that some people like to leave their car running in the parking lot. I can sort of understand this in the wintertime, but in the summertime, it makes very little sense. For one, somebody could easily steal their car, especially at nighttime. I mean, they usually leave their windows open, it is like an open invitation for someone to take their car. For two, have you seen the price of gas lately? I know that it doesn't waste much gas, but still, it does waste gas. Is it really that hard to shut the damn engine off? Sure, it saves you the hassel of starting your car again, and maybe that actually wastes more gas than leaving it running, but I'd rather potentially waste gas than have my car stolen. You know what I mean?
I also notice that everyone has a God damn cell phone. Little four year old girls walk in sometimes, talking on their cell phone. Probably setting up a hot date for later on that night, no doubt. I am being a little dramatic here, but you get the point. Now the fact that everyone has a cell phone doesn't bother me as much as my next observation. Many people do not have the common courtesy to get of their cell phone when they get up to the counter. It is as if they are the most important person in the world, and they want the whole store to know. Whenever someone does this, I don't say a word to them, I just ring them up, take their money, and send them on their merry little way. It might sound like I'm being a prick, but this is a pet peeve of mine. People, when you get to the counter at a convenience store, get off your cell phone and actually interact with the cashier. If you don't want to do that, don't give me a dirty look when I say nothing to you.
Well, I have to go to work, again, very soon. So I will end this post by encouraging you, the reader, to leave me a comment on the subjects I talked about in this post.
To start off, I notice that some people like to leave their car running in the parking lot. I can sort of understand this in the wintertime, but in the summertime, it makes very little sense. For one, somebody could easily steal their car, especially at nighttime. I mean, they usually leave their windows open, it is like an open invitation for someone to take their car. For two, have you seen the price of gas lately? I know that it doesn't waste much gas, but still, it does waste gas. Is it really that hard to shut the damn engine off? Sure, it saves you the hassel of starting your car again, and maybe that actually wastes more gas than leaving it running, but I'd rather potentially waste gas than have my car stolen. You know what I mean?
I also notice that everyone has a God damn cell phone. Little four year old girls walk in sometimes, talking on their cell phone. Probably setting up a hot date for later on that night, no doubt. I am being a little dramatic here, but you get the point. Now the fact that everyone has a cell phone doesn't bother me as much as my next observation. Many people do not have the common courtesy to get of their cell phone when they get up to the counter. It is as if they are the most important person in the world, and they want the whole store to know. Whenever someone does this, I don't say a word to them, I just ring them up, take their money, and send them on their merry little way. It might sound like I'm being a prick, but this is a pet peeve of mine. People, when you get to the counter at a convenience store, get off your cell phone and actually interact with the cashier. If you don't want to do that, don't give me a dirty look when I say nothing to you.
Well, I have to go to work, again, very soon. So I will end this post by encouraging you, the reader, to leave me a comment on the subjects I talked about in this post.
Monday, May 17, 2004
My First Post on my Blog
Okay, so I have finally created a blog. I don't know what took me so long, but I suspect that it has something to do with the fact that I am a charter memeber of Procrastinators Anonymous. With that in mind, I'll start off my blog like we start off our meetings. Hi, my name is Ken, and i'm a procrastoholic.
Enough about that though, I intend to use this blog to post my thoughts, feelings, ideas, and whatever the hell else I feel like. That is what a blog is all about, right? If you don't like something I have to say, please go to the nearest trauma center and cry your eyes out, or you can always leave me a comment. I enjoy hearing from a differt point of view, even if I don't agree with what you have to say.
I will try to post to this blog daily, but as you all know, stuff happens and that may not be possible. I have to go to work soon, so I will end this post with a lyric from my favorite song of all time: Yes, there are two paths you can go by, but in the long run, There's still time to change the road you're on.
Kudos to whoever can guess which artist and song that is from....
Enough about that though, I intend to use this blog to post my thoughts, feelings, ideas, and whatever the hell else I feel like. That is what a blog is all about, right? If you don't like something I have to say, please go to the nearest trauma center and cry your eyes out, or you can always leave me a comment. I enjoy hearing from a differt point of view, even if I don't agree with what you have to say.
I will try to post to this blog daily, but as you all know, stuff happens and that may not be possible. I have to go to work soon, so I will end this post with a lyric from my favorite song of all time: Yes, there are two paths you can go by, but in the long run, There's still time to change the road you're on.
Kudos to whoever can guess which artist and song that is from....
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