Merry Christmas!

I know I shouldn't use just that term, because despite it's pagan origins, it's a theocentric salutation. Oh well. It's that time of year yet again, and this time it snowed! I had a marvelous Christmas, and everyone loved their gifts. My father especially loved his. It sparked precisely the kind of fire I wanted to spark in him.

Dr. Girlfriend made off like a bandit this year. Small gifts, big gifts, she loved them all. I made off quite well as well. I got my hat, some artwork, and a battery charger, in addition to many fine garments. It's been a a good year. Dinner was good, and the company better

I want to wish all of my friends, relatives and loved ones a Merry Christmas. In trying times I have everything I wanted for Christmas. A strong, loyal and enjoyable network.

Merry Christmas!

-The0

Can't get it from Radishes, either.

A couple of weeks ago I had my debit card number stolen. I was woken up early on a day off to a call from my bank, asking about several large purchases. I had just gotten paid the night before, but I had not yet deposited the money. Some one, through one of my online transactions, I must assume, had gotten a hold of my card number and tried to make a bunch of, get this, Apple related purchases. I of course denied all of these charges, had the card cancelled, and began a very broke fortnight.

Seriously though, it's clear that these guys have no idea who the people from whom they steal are. This thing got nipped in the bud faster than I can pour a drink after my work day. Sadly, he (assumed gender) had already drained my bank account with purchases related to overpriced electronics. That's where all this beauty lies.

1. You're not going to get blood from a turnip. I had next to nothing to give, and your stupid ass tried to steal everything I had at the bottom on my fiscal cycle. Moron.
2. Really? Apple? REALLY? The only online purchases I made in the first place, from which you could have stolen my card number were were for purchases diametrically OPPOSED to Apple. Someone's got a little problem recognizing patterns, huh? This is risky information, I know, but I don't think you're stupid enough to try this twice.
3. By cancelling the card, refuting the purchases, and sifting through enough tape to get through it, I have completely voided your fraudulent purchases. It takes more effort to overwrite yours, but guess what? Your effort was actually for naught now. You've been cancelled out. How's that feel, weakling?

I'm much more careful with my (well-protected) card now, and all in all, I'm wiser and safer for this experience. Suck and fuck it, slacker!

-The0

A Happy Christmahanukwanzaakah to all!

Well well, that time of year is here yet again. A time for some of joy and receipt. A time for others of sorrow and tax. Where the tides of the season find you, let it be know that this one bids you much happiness! It is a dear pleasure to know you!

My season has been a little weird. A good friend in the country, my first Christmas with a partner in a long while, and barely enough cash to stretch across all my friends for gifts. The main save-all for this season has been my blessed deal-a-day sites and Steam.

Let me digress for a paragraph. Steam has been the best thing to happen to gaming since Nvidia came out with SLI. A community where you can buy the games, connect automatically with friends in the same game, track your acheivements and all with a simple email address. Steam is what XBL wishes it could be. Steam offered literal fleets of sales for the holiday season. The gift of game will keep me consumed for many hours in the coming month.

A few hours with friends and family is enough to cure what ails you in most any case. My foot feels better, and I'm going to get my teeth taken care of sooner than later. There is a LOT of New Year time-off coming up, So I plan to have a a lot of fun and a lot of alchol.

Merry Holidays and Happy New Year!!!

-The0

Nein, Es ist Gut!!!

So I saw 9 with the Dr. Girlfriend, and I have to say, it was worth the cash in my opinion. There was a lot of hype, and while it pays off on most of it, I suppose I was looking for a little bit more out of it.

The movie was a quick show, at about 75 minutes. Nearly the whole thing is action, and well played at that. There was just enough exposition to keep you quiet during the film, and the colors kept my 2-year-old attention span spellbound the entire time.

I really enjoyed the environment they created for this movie as well. It had an air of World War II America, with '40's styled cars and white picket fences. Granted, everyone's dead, but I very much felt like it was Nightmare on Tranquility Lane.

Something I was looking for was a bit more of a character from Crispin Glover. Granted, he usually plays an odd character, but it was hard to build when few of his lines consisted of more than 20 words. I liked him in BTTF, of course, and he was astounding in Willard. I just wish we could've gotten more than just 6-is-our-resident-freakshow.

Lastly, a cool theme was the implied Science versus Spirituality battle. Although, I am beginning to get sick of the idea that the instant humanity finally develops AI, we're fucked. And to the other end of that argument, I know for a fact I don't want to run around as a sock puppet after the Armageddon.

Go see 9. In the theaters. It's worth the price of your ticket, I promise.

-The0

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!

Well, due to the recent improvements in my job situation, I was finally able to afford something have wanted for a while now. Readers of this weblog will recall a post about how I somehow managed to resurrect a 9 year old laptop. Unfortunately, its little hard drive was just about as old. It has since crashed, and left me without mobile word processing again. Thus, I was in the position to purchase a new laptop. The Asus Eee PC 901 XP (because I still like Windows.)

A small review. The 901 has more than enough power to multitask. I can run Steam, Trillian, Chrome and voicechat and still not start to lag overly much. It has a pretty nice webcam, so if I ever get around to trying out Skype, that will be fun. If you're considering, get a RAM upgrade. It helps with that. Half-Life runs at a comfortable 70 fps, and that makes it easy to LAN a Sven co-op, and enjoy other moderate gaming applications. I haven't tried HL2 yet, but that seems well off in the distance anyway. I may even attempt that Eee PC hamsterball robot idea. Thank you, Randall Munroe. At 1.6 ghz, it runs all that I need it to, and again, I'm finally typing outdoors and in comfortable places again.

On that key-note, typing is actually a little difficult on this little powerhouse. The keyboard is very small, and my massive hands are having something of a tough time getting used to how minute these keys are. Still, for just under $300 all told, having an ultraportable latptop is very nice. Chic and sleek, and I finally have something to throw at the TV everytime that ridiculous Verizon/HP commercial comes on.

Bricks.

-The0

'Bout that time, eh chaps?

Well, here we are. Another Valentine's Day (or if you're one for clichéd humor, Singles Awareness Day.) This is just a temporary post, intended to fill the gap between work and midnight. A Valentine's Day post will technically occur after Valentine's Day. It'll be good. Patience, young Skywalker.

* * *

And we're back! Today is the one day of the year where single people are generally expected to be a little surly of their relational status. I have decided to have a slightly more positive outlook on things however, and stick to the man. Method of choice: sticking it to the women (Ha!)

Today I got up early and went straight to my computer. I didn't go through the thoughtful and loving process of cooking someone breakfast in bed. Instead, after noting that my case temperature was a little high for my tastes, I went ahead and gave my computer case a couple new fans and upgrades. No flowers and tasteful, considerate cards, just upgrades for my ultimate enjoyment.

I then went to go wash my truck. Ashley is my current valentine. She's been there for me when I've needed her, and has broken down but twice over the 40,000 miles I've had her. So I decided I'd do something nice for her. I cleaned out her crevices and trunk, and washed her, finishing with a wax job. This was time I could have been spending shopping for the perfect gift, or massaging, or waiting on some one's beck and call. Filling a void with stimulating and thoughtful, flirtatious conversation. I could have used all this time to make someone special feel perfectly beautiful, so I did. I polished up the one thing that's been here for me (unlike you, missy.)

Now, I'm not disillusioned. I'm well aware that my SUV is an inanimate object and doesn't have feelings. But the thing is that I spent the time and effort I could have used to make you feel pretty, making myself and my baddass toys even more baddass. Ha.

I then went to work. I spent time earning money to spend on me. No pretty dresses or fancy meals, just stuff that I want. I made myself a more positive force in society, instead of building a pedestal on which to place the object of my affection (which I did do with my truck and computer.) I just want to let you have a hint. I am fantastic as a boyfriend. I have never forgotten a birthday, or a special date, and I certainly know how to make a shining Valentine's Day. Thank you, ladies. I didn't have to go through the hassle this year. I got to work on what makes The0, The0. Today was my day, not yours. My gain, your loss. :Þ

And on that note, a curious thing happened today. eHarmony seems to have directed a charming young lady my way. We'll have to see how that turns out. Also, most of the females at my place of employment are single this year as well. A most curious occurrence, because I thought it was only me and my partners in crime. Not saying that a relationship is the ultimate accessory or validation in life, but it sure does help with the grind. Also, my "If they're hot, they're taken" rule was definitely brought into question. Curious.

Also, last night I watched American Splendor. It's about the life and times of a miserable man named Harvey Pekar, after he worked out getting a comic series made out of his life. I tell you, nothing makes you feel better about yourself quite the way like watching someone else's life suck does.

I'm simply rambling at this point. It's been a long day, and I had much bigger plans for this post. It seems to have petered out. Oh well. Have a nice evening.

That's what she said.

Side Note: I have made an addition to the previous post. Feel free to check it out if you have the will.

-The0