Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder

At least I hope that's the case with this blog and me. Yes, dearest, I have been neglectful. Let me try to catch up...

Last full post I was anticipating "L-Day", the day I get my license back. Well, Ric had been assuring me that despite my understanding for the past 5 years, I would be able to get my license back 5 years after the date of my violation (December 23rd, 2001), so I went to the driver's license office after calling out sick from work. It only took 2 buses, a 2 mile walk and waiting among the huddled masses at the office in Winter Springs for a total of 4 hours to only be told that I would not be eligible until February 15th...5 years from the date of conviction....which is what I had assumed for years until he told me otherwise.

So I wait, and I save some more...

Speaking of Ric...he is finally off probation as of tomorrow...so how is he celebrating? By flying to Indiana Friday afternoon and visiting relatives and his friend Scott for a long weekend.

But I have to admit...he already "tasted" a bit of freedom on Saturday night!

I was kinda hungry for something I didn't have to cook (I love cooking but I have been eating a lot of my home cooking lately and needed something different) so I suggested we go out to eat. It didn't even dawn on me that the weekend before he was scheduled to be let off probation he might be jonesing for a nip of the ol' brewski. Well he was, and he legitimized it by wanting to "get it out of his system" before he went to Indy so he wouldn't be tempted to tie one on too heavily there. So I guess that meant he didn't care if he was a raving outta control boozer with me. Well, it's not like I haven't seen it all before.

But we were good. We started at our freakin' 2nd home: Longhorn, had dinner with the beers, then popped in over at The Thirsty Whale.

Ric took pictures of his first 4 beers with his Razr.

After a short 2 drink stay at the "Whale", I bought a 12-pack of Coors Light (to accommodate his favorite) and went home. He maybe had 2 more and stopped after that. By 9:00 he was drinking Gatorades as I worked on the rest of the 12-pack. So all in all, about 6 large beers between Longhorn and Thirsty Whale for him and 2 cans of beer at home. For me, 3 large beers and 2 small while out, and 10 cans once home. All in all, a light drinking night for us. Only minor insults from Ric about my weight and absence of Christianity (the usuals) and the usual happy-go-lucky attitude from me (I am a mellow drunk, alas). A good return to "the old days". Though there were some reverent memories shared about the days when it was the 3 of us...when Gary was alive.

Work is still crazy, and though yesterday's plummet of our stock was pinned on slower than expected Q3 earnings, I think some of it is to do with investor lack of confidence that we are being managed effectively in light of the multiple messes we have going on right now. The shit is hitting not just computer and software trades but financial and public sector magazines and e-zines as well. I can't help thinking it is all part of the plan. I suspected that "they" (you know...the "they" of every conspiracy theory...fill in the variable "they" with whoever seems to fit the bill) were planning something like this all along. I think that when it all is said and done, the stock will fall enough in relation to market share to make an HP (or "other company") buy out a succulent opportunity for those on "the inside". Then we'll be blamed for it all, get laid off and have our jobs happily shifted to India where they can pay Oompa Loompas a buck an hour to do a lamer, but cheaper job than we do.

Had "Mr. G." (gout) try to "get cozy" with my toes a couple weeks ago. But I knocked his ass down with big doses of ibuprophen and even bigger doses of homemade cherry pie. (cherry pie=medicine...gotta love it).

Well, that's all for now. Next time I'll let you know how my "Home Alone" weekend went...and yes, I will eventually get to the great "Koyaanisqatsi Timeline" I've been planning. I made an outline but it needs more work. I want it just right. Just for you. Kisses!