24 hours exactly.

That's how long it's been since I've slept. Sounds pretty fun, don't it? I worked my normal shift last night of 10pm 'til 6:30 AM, but unfortunately I had to go back and get my paycheck after 10am. This is of course during the time designated for my sleep today since my wife works at 4pm this evening. Needless to say after an adventure of trying to find my employers' bank to cash my check I rolled back into my homestead sometime around 12:30pm or so. I really didn't see much point in trying to sleep for a few hours before she left. I'd just end up more tired and that's no good at all. So here I am....dying....slowly.....

Works goes on much the same as it has this past age, with many barely aware of the existence of hobbits....for which I am eternally grateful.

Ok, I have no idea why I just paraphrased the Lord of the Rings. Yeah...preeeeeeeeetty tired.

Speaking of Lord of the Rings, that's got to be the best story in the history of....you know, stories. It's funny how great stories stick with you. They enter into your everyday thinking. Like for example the other night my daughter was trying to get into the kitchen to get a cookie right before bedtime. So I stood in the entranceway to the kitchen, stood my ground and bellowed....."YOU SHALL NOT PASS!!!!!!"

I might be retarded. We're not sure...

So anyways it looks like tomorrow will be mostly filled with getting my car up to standards. I think the starter's going out, which for all you non-automotive types basically means if I don't fix that bad boy now I'm gonna get in my car at work sometime in the near future and try to start my car.....and...nothing. So I figured let's go ahead and fix that. Hopefully there's some sleep mixed in there somewhere.

But anyhoo, that's plenty for now. I'd write a little more but I was just now about to quote showtunes. Instead, I leave you with this...

Carry on my wayward son.
There'll be peace when you are done.
Lay your weary head to rest.
Don't you cry no more.

Double negatives really piss me off.

Later.

Well I took a good God almighty long time getting back to this blog didn't I?

I tell you what, I have seen true pain and it is a toothache I had over the weekend. I mean...I'm talking....hurts so bad you can't sleep, look for a hammer to knock you out to relieve the pain bad. Turns out I had a piece of something or other jabbing into my gums and in turn causing my gums in that part of my mouth to swell to around three times their normal size. So I go in for emergency relief on Saturday morning and it's like...these people have never seen anything like this before. Three freaking dental types were hovering over me during this operation acting like they just found the lost ruins of Atlantis in my mouth or something. Regardless, all was fixed and so now I don't have to take a a million milligrams of ibuprofen, vicodin or any other combo of pain killers anymore.

And what would any blog of mine be without discussing my favorite topic? Ah yes, the cultural diversity of my job that I like to call....."Dave goes to the hood."

A most disturbing development took place a few days back that was just....well.....disturbing. I stumbled opon a conversation between two of my good African American co-workers in which one was telling the other about what a good deal she got on some cheap CDs through her Columbia House subscription. She goes on to say how she loves the old stuff, and so with visions of Biz Markie and Digital Underground dancing through my head I go about my work. The deal getting co-worker then utters words that could not have shocked me more if she had said them while covered in scorpions. To paraphrase "Girl, I got me some Bee Gees, some Abba, and Barry Manilow....oooh girl, that Barry Manilow is SEX-Y." The other African American girl agrees wholeheartedly. I stop dead in my tracks and stare at them in a confused state like I just found Dan Quayle was teaching my English class. Did I just step into Bizarro world?? What the hell is going on here? Barry Manilow is SEXY?? In the words of Mrs. Broslovsky...WH-WH-WHAT??

But once again, I digress. Those silly Africanos.

I've been running myself ragged this week getting used to this schedule. I got a little less than the amount of sleep I'd like to get once or twice this week and it's really catching up to me. I need this weekend in the worst way. We avoided yet another tropical system today as Lili passed to the east of us. Of course, New Orleans seems to be taking it doggy style but they're really no strangers to such things. I don't think hurricanes come to Texas anymore. Every time one even remotely threatens it pusses off to the East. Oh well, no death and destruction for me. (pout)

That's about it for this time. My in-laws are coming in to visit tomorrow so I have to psyche myself up for that. I leave you with this quote.

"Don't think me unkind.
Words are hard to find.
They're only checks I've left unsigned
from banks of chaos in my mind."

Sting is brilliant.

Til next time.