There are times where something does not need to be said to know exactly what is going on.  Some of these things are subtle, and are ways that you mind tries to subconsciously warn you of things, or tell you how you really feel.  Maybe it's something that you do, or don't do that you normally should.  Or unknown feelings of dread and such

Well, I have noticed that this is happening with my current job.  Not so much feelings of dread, but certain subtle signs that, through my actions, demonstrate that going there is not something I generally want to do.  Let me give you an example.  I work nights, so I generally sleep during the day, and then wake up 3 hours before I actually have to be at work.  Actually, that's when I set my alarm clock to get me up.  Normally there is a 30-45 minute dispute involving the snooze alarm.

Once I'm up, I shower and cook.  Sometimes, I will start food first so that I can accomplish showing during some unmanaged portion of the cooking process (like when something needs to be in th over for a bit).  Cooking ir rarely longer than a 30-minute task.  Then I eat and read at the same time.

Now, it takes me about 10-15 minutes to get to work.  I generally have completed all other tasks an hour before I have to be there.  Why is it that I almost always arrive around 3 minutes before I need to, and that's only if I rush and speed.  Clearly, I want to put off the issue until the last moment.

One night, I was running behind (I was doing EVERYTHING but leaving the apartment), and as I was walking out the door, I was thinking that I wanted ice cream.  Now, I was definitely running behind, yet I still went to the freezer and put a scoop of cherry vanilla on a sugar cone before going out to my car.  I ate it on the way to work.  Yeah, I was in such a bad mindset that I apparently needed ice cream to cheer me up. 

Guess what I should be doing right now. 

Getting ready for work. 

Guess what I'm doing. 

Typing this.

Black 6, out.

Some people (that is one person), has wondered what has been happening to me lately.  Mostly, I've been busy with work, having worked last week, the weekend, and then teh first half of this week.  However, i have a 4-day weekend, so I guess that I can take a few minutes to sit and write an entry.

First off, I purchased an X-Box 360, as well as a few games, such as the Half-life 2 Orange Box, and Rock Band.  First off, the orange box has Portal as one of the games that is included, which is an awesome exercise in physics and fun.  Also, it's a short game, meaning that it gives you fun, and then goes away.  I think it took me 3 hours to complete the basic run through.  Rock Band has been the majority of my gaming time.  I think that the major appeal to it is that you are doing something, and getting good music at the same time.  Everyone likes good music.

I've been running 2-3 times a week, usually 4-6 miles each time.  A lot of it is focused around a specific test, so there is a lot of speed work, and pace work.  i still don't like running, but i am better at it now.

My other thing has been researching rifles.  A while back, I talked about getting an AR-10 platform, which is mile an M-4, but in a .308 (aka 7.62x51) platform.  At some point, it was suggested that I take a look at the 6.5 Grendel, which has similar ballistics to the .308,  but with only slightly more kick than the 5.56.  This started a new search, and led me to two rifles.  First there is the Bushmaster ACR (originally the Magpul Masada):

Now, I like this thing, but unlike what was stated in the video, it's not going to be released until 1Q 2009.  I would also need to know if 6.5 Grendel is one of the calibers that can be purchased off the bat.  It is nice that it uses standard barrels.

The other option is the Robinson Armament XCR.  One perk to it is that it is already available, and comes in 6.5 Grendel.  I may check one out on a future drive to Philadelphia, since there are two carriers along the way.  However, the conversion kits are $500 a piece, and the caliber change requires tools, unlike the ACR.  It can still be done in under 2 minutes, though.  Since TacoDelRio likes the 7.62x39 here's a video for you:

Black 6, out.

About a month ago, I was visiting a friend, and her boyfriend happened to have a copy of "Rock Band" for the XBox 360.  Now, I've never seen a reason to have another system, because I've always had more fun with the nintendo systems.  In fact, the only real gaem that I played on those systems was in the Halo series, because they were group games, a dynamic that Nintendo subscribes to heavily.  At teh same time, I never got into Guitar Hero, either.  I mean, I knew about it, but Nintendo never had it for the longest time, and I never had teh desire to buy it.

Until now.

Unfortunately, I seem to have caught a bug which will quickly lead to me purchasing a new gaming system.  And, even though the game is also coming out for the Wii, since it's most mainstream on the other systems, it seems like the best idea is to get their stuff, since I can use that stuff on other people's systems.  My only issue is that I need to choose between a PS3 and the Xbox 360, and I really just don't want to spend money, but will sooner or later.  Fortunately, I'm thrifty (read: cheap), and try not to spend a dime unless I know that I am making the best decicion.  So, there's research.

The PS3 is an expensive system.  Good graphics, the newest of the three, and posesses the Blu-Ray reader, slayer of HD-DVD.  At the price it goes for, it's one of the cheapest Blu-RAy player that you're going to get, and it plays video games.

On the other end of the spectrum, there's the XBox 360.  It's has a deeply rooted fan base, good online play, and it's already familiar to me.  Plus, it was selling like hot cakes [use hotcakes link].  Much better than the Ps3.  However, Microsoft has stated that it ill not be making an external Blu-Ray player (they previously had an external HD-DVD player).  However, I have heard that they contracted an OEM vendor to develop one for them, so only time will tell.  If rumor becomes reality, they win.

Now to just budget this out.  Either Way, the Rock Band set costs $150, but it has a lot of stuff, so that's understandable.  For those of you that do't know, the game has a guitar type controller, a drum set controller, and a microphone.  You can play by yourself with any of these, or you can get friends together and rock out.  Get a second guitar, and someone plays the bass in the game.  Here's a video of a guy on he drums for Rock Band.  REalize that this guy is playing it on expert, and that you can start on easy, which doesn't make you play ALL of the notes, and work your way up as you get better.

Now, there's just the issue of becoming addicted to it.  Here are two videos of a song from Guitar Hero 3 called Through the Fire and Flames.  This video is the song, in which someone had to program a computer to hit EVERY NOTE on expert.  (I can't embed it because they disabled that option.)  There are 3722 notes, which means it requires a human to make than many movements with EACH HAND over the course of 8 minutes.  The video below is of a guy playing the same song.  He misses some notes, but as you can see, it's pretty intense.

Black 6, out.

Not long ago, I developed a small pet peeve to something that doesn't occur often, but when it does, I always decide to meet it with sarcasm.  It's the use of "all of" when talking about a small number of items.  I mean extremely small.  As in two.

I forget what the context was, but I'm sure it was prompted by someone saying, "... and he broke all of his thumbs."

All of them?  You mean, both, right?  Because you can either break your thumb, break your other thumb, or break both thumbs.  I mean, unless this is a person who has collected a large number of thumbs, and had all of them break for some reason.  I mean, if he broke 100 thumbs, and they were all his, I can definitely understand saying this.

You would think something like this would not be a regular occurrence.  I saw it again today, in comments for a video. Around the third comment down, someone leaves the comment "and probably a couple of broken ankles."  You meanm like a broken ankle, or two.  Unless the guy in the video will be breaking other people's ankles. 

Black 6, out.

Everyone is talking about gas prices, and there seems to be no end to their rise.  I actually wish that I had filled my tank 2 days ago, before the prices at the nearby station went up by $0.20 per gallon.  Actually, I wish that I had invested in oil a few years ago,  I mean, just the short term 25% jump is enough to have cashed in pretty well.  Meanwhile, I have cerated a new investing strategy, aside from my current "invest in foreign things", a departure from my "invest domestic" which was dragging my money down the domestic toilet.  Damn S&P 500 was destroying my dream of retiring.  Anyway, my new idea is, if there is anything that everyone pretty much has to use, and the price starts increasing, with no way of going down, especially if the price can be controlled by actively limiting production, then invest in it.  Hell, I may send some money that way now, beforw the government starts forcing their hand.

Today, everyone is looking for a way to save money on gasoline.  Hell, I would buy a Ford Escape Hybrid if I had the chance.  However, my car gets good mileage, but still.  Questing to find the magic way to stretch a gallon has led me to acetone route.  The idea is that by adding acetone to a tank, it will increase your mileage.  Not significantly, but enough.  Pretty much, 2-3 ounces of 100% acetone per 10 gallons. 

For my trial, I went with 2 ounces and I bought the lowest octane gasoline.  Normally, I can get 270 miles out of a tank before the gas light turns on and stays on (as in not affected by the tilt of the car).  From what I understand, that is where my tank is at 10%.  Generally, I can squeeze another 20-something miles out of it and be safe, which is good to know if I'm looking for a station.  On this tank, I currently have 300 miles, and the light is just starting to turn on for certain hills.  If I was originally getting about 30 MPG (207 miles when 90% of the tank was used), I've squeezed about 10% additionally mileage out of my tank.  If I fill about once every 2 weeks, that saves me almost $4 a fill, which is about $104 a year.  Not a huge amount, but it's still money.

Now, if you're going to try this, you do so at your own risk.  I read around for a while before actually trying it.  There are some that say it will screw your gaskets.  Meanwhile, others have soaked gaskets in acetone, and acetone-gasoline mixtures and didn't find any adverse effects.  Somewhere in your research you will come across an often cited Car Talk interview where the hosts say that the talked to a gas exec and were told that it would not work, and would probably ruin your gaskets.  However, I'm sure if I asked you if my method was a good way to constantly spend 10% less on your product, you would tell me no, also.

Maybe I should wait for the Aptera.  At 300 MPG, I don't care what people who see me driving it think.  I would just have to wait a while, because unless you have a garage to lock it up in, someone will steal it.

Black 6, out.

So, I was watching the show Soap on DVD.  It's a TV show from the 70's that was pretty funny.  All 4 seasons are on DVD.  Anyway, I'm on the final disk of the final season and there is a selection for previews, so I decide to check it out.  Under it, it has two itemsL "Classic Comedy TV" and "Classic Comedy TV (Urban)".

So, I'm curious, and I watch both.  They are basically advertisements for DVD sets of some of the old shows that are coming out.  Here are the shows in each:

Classic Comedy TV

1. Sanford & Son
2. The Jeffersons
3. Soap
4. What's Happening
5. Good Times
6. Barney Miller
7. All in the Family

And now, Classic Comedy TV (Urban)

1. Sanford & Son
2. The Jeffersons
3. What's Happening
4. Good Times

So I thought "Ohh.  URBAN."  Which in their minds means that it was only the shows with black people.  Maybe they never showed Barney Miller in the hood.

Black 6, out.

I've come up with the idea that payday is like hitting the snooze alarm on being broke.  I mean, unless you have money coming in from all types of places, like investments, or you have a lot of money put away, every dollar spent is like ticking down a clock.  I think it's made worse by the fact that I pretty much have the next two weeks of set expenses planned out.  As soon as payday hits, it's entered into MS money, along with all bills, investments, rent,  and donations. 

Essentially, by the time I get money, I already know how close to broke I actually am.  For example, lets say that I receive my paycheck.  I have rent and my student loan payment moved to a separate account (which right now only holds that money).  Then IRA contributions are pulled out and such.  By the time I'm done, I only know that I am +$300 for the next two weeks.  However, that hasn't accounted for gas and food, so it's more like +$30.  Or -$30.

I plan out everything.  I am especially looking forward to the month of May.  That's a 3-paycheck month.  Since I get paid every 2 weeks, May is that rare month where there are enough Friday's to create 3 paychecks, and since bills are monthly, this is like an extra paycheck to play with.  This doesn't happen again until October, and then again during May of next year.  It's just awesome.

Also, we the stimulus checks are getting sent out, which is sweet.  I think I'll stimulate the economy by buying a new gun.

Black 6, out.

Remember Robocop?  Remember the really badass ED-209.  It was huge and powerful.

Remember how it was also defeated by a flight of stairs?  Well, the idea of the future has not gotten better since the 1987 film. 

Oh poor robot.

Black 6, out.

When I moved into my housing area, I noticed that none of the units had doorbells installed.  So, I did what any smart individual would do: I went to home depot and bought one.  Some work with a drill later, and I had a wireless doorbell system.  Very simple.  Very useful.

Now, my car was made in 1999, so there may be newer features in todays cars.  One that has apparently been added is the doorbell in the car.  For some reason, people here, rather than get out of the car and walk teh 10 feet to the door, just roll up and honk the horn.  I could see if this was a NYC street and there was nowhere to park and the person lived on the third floor of an apartment building. 

Hell, doesn't everyone have a cell phone?  I mean, what's wrong with a quick call to say "I'm outside."  Are your minutes that precious? 

This is compounded by the fact that I work nights, or as I put it, I keep vampire hours.  If I wasn't black, I would be pale by now.  On top of that, I'm trying to sleep during the day, only to be awakened by a random honk.  I almost want to start shooting out of the window.  That would be my way of saying, "It's the next window over."

Black 6, out.

Before I really get into this post, let me just say that no matter what distance I run, running just hurts, 1 mile, 3 miles, 5 miles, 8 miles.  It's all the same.  I hate it before, during, and after.

Now, reading that you may ask, "Why the hell would you choose to run something like that?"  Well, it all goes back to about a week ago.  Dan, a buddy of mine who is going through the same process that I am, runs a lot.  He's pretty much better at distance running training than I am, and he had a better time on the 1.5 mile test.  So, last Sunday, I got together with him to train.  We ran 800 meter sprints for about 2 miles, and then took off for a 3 mile run.  It was not the most fun ever.

Anyway, he mentions that he was entering a 5K run near where he lives, and wanted to know if I was interested in doing it.  I would have said no, but I really had no excuse.  Technically, I just didn't want to, with the pain in the lungs and legs and all.  However, I needed to run more, and this had running, so I had no choice but to say yes.

All week long, all that I could think about was not doing this race.  Maybe I would get sick.  Maybe Dan would get sick.  He has 5 children, they have to pass some type of plague around.  They've done it before.

This morning, I woke up at 0600, had a short breakfast, and drove up to Carbondale to register, receiving # 436.  There was supposed to be a ground-breaking for a new YMCA facility, with the race starting at 0915l.  Unfortunately, a lot of people like to talk, so things didn't kick off until 0945.  Nothing like standing outside in teh sun for 30 minutes, not eating anything because you don't want anything to interfere with your stomach, but you're unsure of when things will kick off.

So, here were the results.  I ran the 5K in 22:41, placing me 27th out of 157, and third in my age group (25-34).  Not a bad run for the first time I've done a 5K since West point in 1999.  I mean, I've run since then, but not in a race setting or anything.  Oh, and I got a little medal for my age group:

Black 6, out.