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waiting in line to get Alton to sign my book! Just saw him swimming in Kelp forest. Soooooo cooool!

After a stressful week at work, which really hasn't been that bad because 1) I love my job and 2) I really love my job, I discovered that one of D's aunts has tickets to the Monterey Bay Aquarium.  They were won last year at the Sonoma County Fair or something like that and just haven't been used.  Last week we got asked to go with her Aunt B and Uncle J (not married, just bro and sis) to go along with them to the Aquarium.  We all decided to go this Saturday (tomorrow) and I totally forgot this was the weekend Alton Brown was going to be at the Aquarium for the Sustainable Foods event.

WHEEEEEEE!  I get to meet Alton Brown! AROOO!  So, I found out that he is going to be the diver for one of the Kelp Forest feedings (that is going to be PACKED!) and afterwards he will be signing books!  Soooooo, I need to rush out tonight and get one of his books.. although I'd bet they will have some for sale there to purchase and get signed.  I'm so excited I doubt I'll be able to sleep tonight!! :D

A year ago I signed up for DSL with a local provider and for the entire year I've LOVED the service. I've not had any downtime. I've had only a small problem with the modem when I first got it, but after that there has been no issues. 

My payments are scheduled to automatically occur the 15th of every month and come June my service ends the 1 year contract. Well, since they bill me a month in advance (I still don't like that, but hey.. what do you do?) they billed me at the June rate AFTER my year contract is up. That means my rate just DOUBLED!  I couldn't believe it!  They sent NO email, nor letter, nothing to say "Hey... next month your contract ends, gives us a call to get a great rate or you'll be paying double what you did".  Nope. Just billed me!

I had to call and get them to refund the difference for this month's service (which should have only been my regular amount anyway!), and then agree to go with a "low" monthly rate. Its like $7 more a month than what my rate has been but damn.. not sure if I should keep it?!  AT&T will give me a rate for the same kind of service and save me $5 a month. With us saving for the house, is $5 really going to kill me? 

I guess what upsets me the most is not the increase in cost, but its the fact that I can't get a faster speed from them at all... just on the outside edge of the DSL area but I'm cool with that because the speed we have is fine most days. Wait, there is something else that bothers me more.. the fact that they act like they have such great "local" service and "local" technical support, but just that cocky attitude turns me off too.  I would prefer to give my business to a local, small company than some giant like AT&T who I know has shitty customer and technical service... I just have my panties in a bunch and am angry over the fact they charged me without TELLING me first. Grrrrrr Arrrrrgh!  Time to go to lunch and destress or I'll likely go postal today...

Okay, I saw this news video this morning and my first thought was the quote from Ghostbusters: "...dogs and cats living together... Mass Hysteria!"  Does this mean the end of the world is here??

Since I missed my chance to meet Alton Brown, I thought I'd make mention to those out there who know of Guy Fieri but didn't know that he was from up here in Santa Rosa (where I currently reside).  I "bumped" into him a couple of  years ago at the Somona County Fair and found out a neat bit of info about my current employer in regards to Guy.

It seems that my boss' automobile venture, DenBeste Motorsports, is going to have one of their Shelby Cobras (Check out the pics, there are a lot of Carroll Shelby himself who visited here at the end of last year) in a Food Network show soon.  No details yet, but will definitely post as soon as I find out air dates and everything. Guy himself was here yesterday talking with my boss about it all and sounds like its a pretty sure thing. 

The funniest part was I saw Guy driving over to where DenBeste Motorsports is housed and he was driving a beatup grey Toyota pickup.. a small one at that!  At first I didn't think it was him, but got a closer look and the fact he drove right over to the shop... yeah.. it was him. He's just an ordinary guy and pretty relaxed. I always got a totally different impression of him from seeing him on TV.

I came across this today about Pie. Funny stuff.

..why not to have children. Those of you who know me well already know that D and I have a long list of our "Reasons Why Not to Have Kids" and I have found yet another.  The Duggar Familiy in Arkansas has 18 of them for us.

Interesting website they have, particularly the photos which show their home and various aspects of their life because of so many children. See, with people like these, why do we need to have children?? There will be plenty out there! Not to mention the use of so many resources already utilized, not having children should be considered a "GREEN" solution to some of our resource usage problems.

If I were a little more motivated, I might write a book about this whole issue.  It has potential.

Here you go. The future of our country... but also, a side note. People need to lighten up and have a better sense of HUMOR!   But what is really sad, this is on the BBC site and what must others think of us stoooopid Americans.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7380637.stm

Not saying these are my views 100%, but definitely something to consider.. and open for discussion. I'd like to hear people's views and how likely or unlikely such a possibility is here in the next few years.

I've not been  able to find out, and I know a few of you out there usually find stuff on TV shows I just don't have a knack of finding...

Will Journeyman come back this year?!?! Ever since the writer's strike I've not been able to find out. I have see the actress playing Dan's Wife on an episode of NCIS recently, so it really made me think it was done for. However, I'm hoping it was just a good gig for her inbetween shooting schedules for Journeyman. Seeing as she hasn't shown up again on NCIS.. yet.. I'm hoping Journeyman will be back soon.. very soon. *keeps fingers crossed*

On a side note... anyone hear about Life? Another great show I've seen so far. Hope it gets a come back.  Then there is Burn Notice!!! That WILL be back on this summer and I'm looking forward to that one very much! woooo!

Btw, Moonlight was on tonight as well as the new season of Dr. Who on Sci Fi. Not seen Dr. Who yet, but its on DVR... Moonlight... well.. still has my attention but definitely a "chick" show, as its highly romance oriented. I like that.. but it really limits the show in the end I think :)

Someone please, please, please explain to me how "No Country for Old Men" won the Academy Award for Best Picture!!  I don't see how this movie would win honestly.  Its an.. okay movie. I got through it without being bored to tears, but I found it did lack quite a bit when it came to the end. It felt.. flat. Not even an ending where I felt like I could play with how things might/should have happened once the last line was spoken.  It left much to be desired. I loved Javier Bardem and way he played the role. Excellent and definitely worth the award he received, but that's all I could really see. Oh well.

Next on my list.. There Will be Blood.

I'm thinking I need one of these for when we get a house... put him up in the "entertainment" room

I could be wrong here, but who else out there thinks the Democrats don't stand a chance now of winning in the upcoming Presidential election?  I'm rather hesitant to vote for either Democrat or Republican candidate for president as I don't think the three of the ones who stand a chance would really be any better for our country.  I think we'll simply be moving along with the status quo and typical governmental policies as we've seen.

However, I must admit, unless the Democrats can get their $#!T together and get behind either Clinton or Obama 100% then McCain is gonna just waltz right in and become president.  If its Clinton who gets the nom, then likely those supporting Obama will either not vote or maybe switch over to McCain... and vice versa for if Obama gets the nom, as Clinton supports seem to be more likely to not vote for a *gasp* black man.. whoops, AFRICAN AMERICAN.

Not sure I want to vote now in the Presidential election this year as yet again, I don't think either of the possible candidates would be the right choice and I HATE the idea of choosing the "lesser of two evils".

Got to finally watch this flick this last weekend, after it was in my Netflix list as "VERY LONG WAIT" since it was released on DVD.  A great flick!  Its nearly 3 hours long but definitely doesn't feel that way at all, as Ridley Scott does an excellent job of directing this film so it keeps your attention and plays out the story without any lulls that make you wondering when it will be over.  If you haven't seen it, I'd recommend checking it out soon, especially if you like Denzel Washington at all.  A great actor, he did another fantastic job in this one.

One little trivia bit here.. the guy that plays Bumpy Johnson at the beginning, Clarence Williams III can be found in the movie Hoodlum starting Laurence Fishburne which is about Bumpy Johnson's "rise to power" in New York.  Great little tie in for "The Movie Game" if you ever get a chance to play.

For you Firefly fans out there, you can't forget about  Chiwetel Ejiofor who plays The Operative in Serenity. Took me a bit to realize who he was when I watching it because 1) He has NO ACCENT, and 2) There wasn't any really good close-ups of his face that were just a "Yes! That's him." more like a "Looks like him.. maybe..."

I don't want to be famous and have people know where I live, come chasing me around for pictures and interviews and want to know what color are my underwear.  Actually, I'd rather just be rich. Not super wealthy rich, just enough money (say 50 million) to buy the island down in the South Pacific I'd like to own, build a comfortable place (nothing too fancy) away from the public eye. Being famous is over-rated.

Here we go.. a new zombie movie which looks like a MUST see:

Whoever has said that nature is good for you, better rethink that assumption:

http://cbs5.com/local/tree.fell.death.2.699575.html

Its only day 4 into hour 9 months of waiting for a house and I'm already getting antsy.  The more we've looked at stuff online, prospects sent to us by a local realtor and just driving around town; the more I want a house NOW, not in 9 months :)

I'm sure the market will remain the same over the next year and there will still be houses we can afford, are in a nice neighborhood and we love. Some of the places we've seen have been on the market 6 months already, so its promising in that regard.

Hurry up and wait is my motto now.

PS there is no LJ Mood that I can find feels it describes my current mood.