One Year Gone

Okay, the cat's out of the back pretty much. Yes, I did have a job interview this past Tuesday. I won't say exactly where it was at (I usually don't...), but the position basically entails printing stuff out on their color copy machines, and doing some limited graphics work. This would be an album perfect position for me. Lets hope that that the company thinks I'm as compatible a match for them I as do.

In case you were wondering, yes work still sucks. I actually wasn't *too* bad this week, though. July is typically a slow month, but August is typically their busiest month, so we'll see how it all shapes up in the next few weeks. If get that job, that will surely turn that place upside down, and make me a hell of a lot happier with my life. This week, of all the things to complain about, they complained about my hair. How asinine is that? If someone is going to complain about me, let it be about my performance...but they can't complain about that, because its excellent. Oh well. Ideally, if I could get that job, what I'd like to do is plan it so I'd have a week off between jobs, and take off on vacation somewhere. If that doesn't work out, then I'll have to schedule some actual vacation time. Of course what Id prefer is a permanent vacation from that place.

I'm taking my mom and a few of her friends to a concert tonight, and even though I'm not much interested in the music, I'm still going for the sake of it. Next Friday I'm going to see one of my favorite groups, Rush. Two weekends later, I'm off to see another favorite, Camper Van Beethoven. I love concerts. I love music. And speaking of music, *finally*, the new Rasputins has opened in Concord. They opened in the former location of Tower Records, which is great for them because they have double the store space, and like triple the parking space (getting a spot in the lot in their old location during the weekend or during the Christmas season was done by sheer luck only...). The store is still kind of rough looking though. I mean, the Rasputins stores are supposed to look like dingy, old record stores, but this one is still too neat and clean looking. There isn't enough crap covering the walls, and the lighting is still too good. It doesn't look lived in enough. They don't even have an official sign up yet (instead a 15-foot banner covers the old "Tower Records" sign...). But by god, it's there. Its great to see in an era where record stores are disappearing.

The NASCAR Brickyard 400 is on right now, but I think I need to grab some lunch soon.

I dont want to go too long without a post, but...

I have something that could be potentially really big in the works. But I dont want to publicly go into specifics right now, or at least until theres a chance it might work out, or if it totally falls through.

Last weekend I went camping though. Lots of fun that was. Like, more fun than I've had in months.

Holy crap, blogger for some reason is really slow. really, really slow. this is intolerable. bye for now.

End of the weekend.

Well here I am at the end of the long holiday I had. A quick recap:

Wednesday: did some shopping, went over to my brother's for fireworks.
Thursday: Went to Amoeba in Berkeley, picked up some new discs.
Friday: Took my mom shopping, then took a really long nap.
Saturday: Went out looking for new furniture (actually a computer desk), came home and took another really long nap. Also watched the NASCAR race.
Sunday: Slept in until almost 11, went and got breakfast, then went and saw a movie with my family.

So, nothing terribly special, just good old fashioned winding-down time. And I definitely needed it. I guess I could have made better use of the time, but eh, oh well, I'm not complaining.

Of course that brings me to the fact tomorrow (gack!) I have to go back to work (gack gack gack!!!). Can you tell I'm really not thrilled about it? At least I have another camping trip to look forward too next weekend, and I'm taking Friday off too. But yeah, its that old familiar impending Sunday evening doom thats got me again. This is a really bad way to feel about things, isn't it?

Current CD recommendations: Victor Krummenacher -- Bittersweet; Amon Duul II -- Tanz Der Lemminge; Sleepytime Gorilla Museum -- In Glorious Times

A few days of rest...

Well surprise, surprise, surprise. I get 5 days off in a row. It was a snap decision by my boss at work last week. We all agreed to take the two days following the 4th off in exchange for two paid vacation days. While I'm sure the paid vacation might come in handy later, fuck it anyway, I want this break now. I deserve it. We all deserve it.

Camping last weekend was kick ass. I drove up Friday night with my brother, then Saturday mostly played in the river, then drove out to the coast for a couple hours (I was only about 5 miles away at that point, and couldn't resist). Photos can be found here. Sunday, I drove home early, then went to a birthday party for my step-grandfather later that day. My cousin also gave me about 20 old LP records (as if I needed any more...). It was one of the best weekends I'd had in a while. Even better, the weekend after next will be another camping trip.

I can't believe it...well maybe I can. But shit. It's nearly been a year since I started that job. My year is nearly up. It was my goal all along to last at least this long, and if I can survive the next 3 weeks, I'll have achieved it. Whoopdie friggin do. I'm not sure what that proves to anyone, or even if I should be proud.

Back to this extended weekend...yesterday just drove around to the store and picked up a few things I needed, but this morning warranted a trip to Amoeba in Berkeley. Telegraph Ave was fairly calm, but the traffic out there and back was just stupid. I mean *stupid*. No one knew how to drive well at all. I guess it doesn't help my cause that I have a smaller car, and I'm less visible to the SUV'ers. At least its a white car. I need to dress it up a little though. Slowly but surely I'm really starting to like the Jetta, especially the fact that it has great A/C, and temps are in the triple digit range now. The transmission could be better though. The great thing about this break is I still have a lot more time to look forward to. It's only the 2nd of 5 days! It's been so long since I've had any kind of extended time to myself, it's really a breath of fresh air.