I guess it's time for one of these.  I didn't post anything in may, so let's see...

New job...is rough at times.  No the work itself, but the people I work with.  There's some serious tension in the group, and I don't see it getting any better until *something* gives.  It's a little ridiculous and unprofessional at times.  Not to mention I didn't get the raise I was looking for.  It's work though, and it's a good place to be to make a move when I decide the time is right.

I've decided to make a summer goal of getting in shape for the urbanathlon in new york on september 27th.  andy vargo did it last year in chicago, and it really piqued my interest.  It's a 7.2 mile race, but throughout the course, there are obstacles like jumping over taxi hoods, and median barriers, and park walls and such, and then at the end you have to run up 52 flights of stairs at world trade tower 7, so it works out to some 8.5 miles.  Pretty intense, right?  I think it will be awesome.  I'm not trying to compete, just finish it.  If I can get myself in shape for this thing, I'm really curious to see how I'll look and feel.  I really will be in the best shape I've ever been in.

I've also picked up fencing lessons in the past few weeks.  Chris Olivieri asked me how much of a geek I was when he called me one day, and I said high to moderate levels of geekiness were seen, and then he asked me if i wanted to take fencing lessons.  I busted out laughing.  It's actually pretty intense and fun.  I do feel like I'm learning a new skill, and I'm definitely getting a leg work out.  I could definitely see myself keeping a set of foils and masks in my closet for some outdoors fencing with friends.  I've done 2 out of 8 classes, so next time I should have a better idea of how good I am.

As far as music goes, nothing formal done with the penguins games going on.  I'll pick up some open mic shows next week and keep those going and I'd like to just have some jam sessions with redfield and see where things go from there.  We were asked to play the cornerstone kick off on sunday august 24th, and that will be awesome if everyone works out.  It would be right in the bellefield parking lot, right across from the towers in oakland, and our music would permeate all the dorms and such.  I'm hoping everything goes well.

Nothing too much planned for the summer, have some vacation time, but I don't think I'll go anywhere.  It's time to save money, and I traveled way too much last year.  Time to work on the homestead and read some books and such.

What a week!  I've accepted a new position at work this week, which is a bit of a promotion.  I've got a whole new team to work with and they seem pretty awesome so far.  The work itself is going to be extremely challenging, as in...what they heck am i doing here??? challenging...but I'll get the gist eventually, I hope.

Tonight is the show at the Robinson Clubhouse.  Take a look at the calendar for more details.  Should be a really good show from our side, but I'm having reservations about the venue's intentions and organization skills.  Unreturned calls, poor planning, saying one thing and doing another, not sticking to the plans that were agreed on, etc.  It's the first time they're having a live band though, so that will count for something I think.  It will be nice to get this out and done with but we have Tuesday's show right around the corner too.

Erik is doing well.  He just got a bicycle, so he'll be getting around pretty easily.  He's been very independent and adventurous, far beyond what I expected.  The best I can do is make myself available to him if he wants anything, but other than that, he's just as independent as any other person I've lived with.

I'm going to a meeting at Carnegie Mellon on saturday with a friend to get introduced to their MBA program.  I'm not overly optimistic i'd ever get in, but it'd be awesome to say I'm going to CMU.  I have to take those gstat tests or whatever they're called.  That, on top of any project managment certifications i'd want to take would be quite a lot of work load.

I'm sick.  started witha sore throat on thursday, and it's worked it's way all over my sinuses and body since.  I made it out to philly for the craft brew fest,  (affectionately refered to as the philly beer fest) and had a total blast.  I'll post some pictures soon.

I've got a guy from the Netherlands coming in March 17th to stay until September for a work internship.  I'm excited to show him pittsburgh, and really, the US, because he's never been here before.  Erik is his name.

nothing major planned, a trip down to west virginia for lucas' wedding party, the show at the robinson clubhouse on the 21st, and just trying to get everything organized for that.

I called off sick yesterday.  Ended up spending a lot of the time on the phone with family drama.  I'll end there.

Deirdre's in tulsa, OK visiting a friend while she has a few days off between her play, Alice sit by the Fire.  So i've been home alone with the 3 legged cat.  I'm totally bummed out.

I woke up at 7 today to make it in to work by 8, an hour earlier than i usually do.  I waited at the bus stop for 45 minutes with no bus ever coming, so I walked to work in the snow.  I was 4 minutes late.

A guy from the northpark clubhouse had emailed me back in January after he heard my music online and he wanted talk to about me playing a show for an event they wanted to have.  I talked to him twice over the phone, the second time he confirmed that we had the gig, but he just needed to confirm the date.  I told him I'd stop over on a Thursday to check out the sound equipment and such.  Jordan and I showed up, but they told me that he had to go to the hospital earlier that day because he was sick.  He hasn't returned voicemails or emails for 3 weeks now.  I don't know if he's dead or what.

The project that i'm working on is turning into a department within a few months.  I do not have a position in the new department because I'm considered a borrowed resource.  I have no desire to go back to the helpdesk, but I also don't have leads for a different position down here yet.

Wow, I'm down.  wasting away.  malnourished.  lethargic.  tired.  bored.  unmotivated.  lost.  a perfect time for a personal update entry...

work is slow.  money is slim.  someone is breaking into the estate and stealing copper and other crap.  rachel went back to cleveland.  no inspiration to play or write music.  no real aspirations to do anything right now.

nothing exciting happening this week or next.  Deirdre turns 19 saturday.  we're all working at the estate this weekend to take out a whole bunch of stuff so people quit breaking in.

I've been working on a relaunch of legend of the green dragon.  we'll see if i can get it back to where it once was with 1500 players from around the world.  that was fun.  I walked away from it in Feb 2006 once I got a new job and it just slowly died off due to internal drama.

I got a slot on the pa rock show, an internet radio show.  I'll be playing friday, february 8th around 7:30pm.  I'll send out a newsletter closer to the date.  I'd like to get a good CD mix before I play so i can get some regular rotation.  We'll see.

No more school.  Might go for my MBA in the fall or next spring.  We'll see what's going on then.  I'd like to go to pitt i think.

back to wallowing in self pity and low self-esteem.  wallow, wallow, wallow.

• Call each sister at least once a month just to talk.
• put at least 100 CDs in the hands of strangers
• Pick up 1 new hobby. (haven't decided yet...)
• READ ALL THE BOOKS I HAVE BUT HAVE NOT READ
• Compete in an urbanathon or some sort of race.