Tuesday, October 21, 2008

I'll answer that

Phone? What phone? Last Saturday afternoon I heard a pop outside my window, but did not think much of it. Noticed the WAN light was out on my wireless router/modem and thought, it will be back later. Sunday morning, still no WAN light, reseated cables, powered router off and back on, waited. Blinky blinky, no steady on. Damn. Went to call my provider. No dial tone. Hmmm. Maybe it's a neighborhood thing and will be back on later. Went out on the balcony and looked out. No neighbors out and about to ask. Must be all watching football or something. So back in I go and keep an ear on a couple of games while working around the apartment. Monday morning. No dial tone and no internet service. Argh. Go to work, report the issue. They can not tell what is wrong over the phone and have to send someone out. Tuesday afternoon between noon and four PM. Fine. Call my landlady for access. She says okay, but she has to go to the store that afternoon. I thank her and go back to work. Tuesday afternoon the phone company repair tech calls and says he'll be there in a few minutes after three PM. I say fine, my landlady has access if you need it. I called landlady and advised her. She says great, I've been waiting all afternoon and I'm gonna kick his butt! I broke out laughing, thanked her again, and went back to work. Haven't heard a thing since. After dinner with a co-worker I stroll in around eight thirty or so. Place is dark, no tenants out and I pull in and go upstairs. Dial tone! Turn on the router/modem. Blinky for a minute, then steady on WAN light! Cool, I'm a happy puppy. Check messages, one on Saturday, mom on Sunday, and a hangup today. Why could I not get these from voicemail yesterday from work? Oh well, have to go and call mom now, just thought I'd tell you first, I'm back....

Friday, October 17, 2008

End of 50 years in LA


I'm feeling a little better now. Dodgers still lost the NLCS for 2008, but some foolish mortal decided to invite me to the after party in this huge tent in the parking lot outside the stadium club after the game. I was found sulking at the bar going over the game with a few other patrons when one of the bartenders says to me, 'George wants to talk to you'. Usually that means he wants to buy someone a drink, or give you his business card, or just catch up before heading out. This time, as I was finishing up the current conversation, George couldn't wait and walked over and handed me the ticket to the party, seen to the upper left here. Wasn't sure what it was, but I said sure, I'll see him there, and introduced him to the others that were discussing that were also discussing the game at the bar. When all that broke up, I asked one of the security guards I knew if she thought it was going to be a good party to go to. She assured me it would be worth my time, so I left the comfortable stadium club and walked outside to the tent's entrance. The music was very loud, and a dj was having fun playing a safe mix. Video screens everywhere showing slides of various dodger activities and events throughout the last year. Saw a lot of folk I've met at various game through the last few seasons. Four open bars, half a dozen tables of finger food and dodger dogs all laid out. I had fun celebrating and commiserating and eating and getting a bottle of water at the bar. Already had enough to drink earlier. Took a short video and a few pictures. You can see them on my flickr page from the badge on the right. Shook Rick Monday's hand. He's the announcer, former player, that when he was with the cubs, picked up a usa flag from two protesters in center field of dodger stadium who were trying to light it on fire. His success and their failure makes him a hero in my mind, and I thanked him for it. Not sure if he heard everything I said, but he was patient, understanding and I went away happy.

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Tough Loss

I'm so sad. One because of the idiot first timers sitting in the row in front of us who had no idea we were season ticket holders and were standing up in front of us at all the wrong times. Two because the Dodgers lost at home and are now behind three games to one in a best of seven series. Three because of traffic downtown after getting off of work at five PM and not getting to the game until six PM in rush hour plus game traffic for a five twenty two start time when it normally takes me all of ten minutes to get there. And four, because I wanna be. I'll cheer up in time for Wednesday night's game. Promise.

Sunday, October 12, 2008

People Are Strange

When you,re strange
Faces come out of the rain
When you.re strange
No one remembers your name
When you're
Straaaaaange.
Great win over the phillies tonight, though most of the folk in the stadium club were oblivious to it, or just accepted it and moved on. It seems almost every person I had met in the last five years were in the club before and after the game. It took over an hour for traffic to die down, so I was glad that the club was still open ofter the game, where we could look out the glass and see the river of red brake lights go on and on. Dozens of folk I hadn't talked to in months were all there and all wanted a few minutes. I was happy to give. Before and After the game. During the game I was in my seat, jumping up and down with every great play the team made. Showing up two hours early was even better, easy in, easy out. I am so glad I had conversations to make and beer to drink before leaving the park nearly an hour and a half after the game ended. I'm renewing club membership for next year. The weird part was snippets against one person from various groups about a member of every other group I talked to. Didn't catch any talk about me, but separated a couple of groups so they would not be too close to each other. Our opponent is the phillies this series, not each other. All fans, in different ways, I like drifting between each of the groups. Amazing how so many can handle me, but not others that can too. Not that it is all about me, it's about the team on the field that we are all there to support. Pick one group and shun the rest? hardly. All of them are great in their own right, and I have fun floating amongst them all. Just sorry that they do not all mix. Goes to show that it takes all kinds to be a fan. Even if some think them strange...

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Every Little Thing...

Sometimes it's years between, sometimes months, but lately it has been merely hours between dreams. I know I stayed up too late last night recording and editing a chapter for librivox.org and when I came home from work this afternoon, went straight to bed for a nap. Had some weird situation dreams last Saturday night after the Dodger's swept the cubbies, and every night there after they have been milder and milder. I can not remember what exactly the dreams were about, but I know I have been having them. Even during this latest nap. Some are wearing me out. Some are floating through the universe. Maybe it's all this Buddha stuff I've been reading lately, or the audio book series I bought recently featuring the works of Orson Scott Card. Can't believe they all came in except Ender's Shadow. Off I go, into the land of audio...

Sunday, October 5, 2008

Cubs Lose

Not only did the cubbies lose, but the dodgers swept them in three straight games. Sorry cub fans, but I am very happy. Other fans that I hadn't seen for half the year started buying me drinks after the game at the stadium club, so I bought them drinks back. Though there was no way I could drink them all, at nearly midnight after the game had ended, security finally came in to clear us all out and I head through the suites back toward my section and out of the stadium. The only folk though this part of the parking lot were drunks and security. Which was I? Definitely not security. I did make it home safe and sound and able to let you know how happy dodger fans are tonight. Twenty years since this team had won a post season series. Poor cubbies and their hundred year quest will have to wait another year, Go Dodgers. I even have time to record for librivox.org tomorrow, but for now, sleep, wonderful sleep. g'night all.