I got sold a shitty ass Dell by someone who I thought was a friend enough to tell me what was what computer wise.  Instead I got a p.o.s. that I had to have totally replaced once.  Now though, almost exactly one year later, the thing is slowly self destructing.  I will never buy a dell again if I can in any way avoid it.  I would understand the computer being such a piece if I didn't take care of it, or if I downloaded stuff like crazy, or didn't provide (expensive) virus protection.  But I do take care of it and the darn thing just (figuratively) spits in my face.  It just gets my goat.  Tonight for example.  I'm chillin on the interweb, lookin at some blogs, when the computer starts jerking and freezing like Max Headroom.  The screen goes all squiggly blue and then the computer turned on and off like 20 times.  Then it restarted and told me that Vista broke.  So now I'm downloading some huge ass Vista file.  Sigh.  

I never blog on this anymore. I have my separate blog page and a facebook. But myspace is nice cause it is sort of like coming home. No one judges my myspace. It just sort of exist with pictures and news that's all out of date and funny looking. Maybe I'll try to neaten it up a little.

    It has been forever since I've posted anything here, but I do have a new blog @ jeremiahpaddock.blogspot.com.  Everyone should go there and drink and be merry.
Also, who the hell else is a skrull!? Is it you? 

So schools finally started again. Although i have a screwy schedule this fall, and i will be VERY busy, i'm quite excited. I have some really cool teachers so far and i think that the semester will go fast. I'm not sure if work will be so great because i have such limited availability, but i know that my manager will work around me (she's cool like that). I got my new license today and had to wait forever at the DMV. I wonder what the DMV would be like if they had starbuck's standards for customer service? I'm happy.

Hello! What a great day. I woke up early and went with E. to the mall so she could do some job stuff. I of course went to Starbucks and drank delicious coffee and ate madeleines. From the mall we went to Pannizzo (where Bohogs used to be) and i had a great sandwich and soup. Then we went to B and N and read magazines. Besides the fact that it was 103 degrees today it was nice outside. From there we went to the comic store where i glutted myself on comic books and nerdy conversation. We cam home and i took a nap before we went and got groceries. Emily's friend Dottie just got accepted to police academy and we went to Red Oak to celebrate. The food there wasn't so great, but it was fun to see Dottie. Then we came home and watched the top chef marathon. Hurray!
It was a fun day.

I just got my new computer and it's pretty cool. I'm back at work from vacation and school is about to start. There is definitely a feeling of anticipation in the air. Emily continues her job search, and seems excited about the whole thing. Some really nice girls i knew in high school came by work tonight and told me how awesome it is to work at costco. I have to admit that i am sorely tempted by the idea. The bonuses that they told me about would have my school loans cleared up in no time (especially if we star in the house we're at). I'm hoping that i get to have a good first few weeks of school.

im on vacation. it is fun. there are people here that look funny. jed said that every place has its own smell, so wilmington smlls like dead fishes. emily sometimes smells funny after she eats cabbage. i bought a new computer the other day and i am very exciter. sometime i want to see a movie called stardust. the preview looks dumb but i want to got to a movie showing place and see it with popcorn and a beverage of my choice as long as it is pepsi and not fanta which reminds me of being in multicultural markets such asfantacity on west market street.
bye
jj

Today was a pretty fun day. Even though the mythical worker's comp check hasn't arrived yet everything seems to be going pretty well. I spent most of the day lolling around and watching bad movies. I'm also having a fierce (and completely non-essential/privileged) inner debate about what to do with my tax return. Part of me wants to take about a third of it and go crazy on amazon or ebay, but the more rational side tells me to save it. I hate my rational side. Emily and i went out to Pho Hien Vong, aguably the best Vietnamese place in G-boro. We dined in style on imperial rolls and noodle bowls. It made my tummy happy. I've sadly had to spend most of the day separated from Em's because she's working on her paper for her grad class. She is certainly no fun when she's behind on school work. It's not like i forced her to hang out and watch dvds/go to pilot mountain/generally be lazy. Can i help it if my lazy-gravitational pull is so strong that other people get swept up in it? The evening was made fantastic by the arrival of Jed. He brought me a fantastic new present. An ipod shuffle! Those things are tiny! If you know me at all then you know i like miniature things AND high tech crap. I promptly named it "Sip" and set it to work holding all its little belly could hold of my favorite tunes. We then went off to frolic in the joyful atmosphere that is G-boro (teh gate city) on a late Wed evening. We took in all that the city had to offer, ending up buying strabuck beverages and smoking ciggies in the park. Oh the life of adventure and mystery i lead. I know, I know, it's overwhelming. Tomorrow i have to get up early and go to a book sale. Hurrah for me and my nerdiness! Have i also mentioned that World War Hulk is happening soon? And Spider Man 3 comes out on friday? My nerd antennae are quivering in anticipation. Much love and happiness to everyone!

Ukulele is still king. Those little jumping fleas have got me rarin' and starin'. I go back to work on the 7th of this month and i'm really quite excited. I've been at Starbucks for a ridiculously long time, but it still is nice. Working at the mall means that the store is ever changing. Summer school starts soon, but there are enough joyous events upon the horizon line that i'm not very sad. We are out of the old house (kind of) and into the new. The new house is fantastic and everything that i want in an apartment. Jed is going to be home on Wed. or Thur. and we have lots of vague diaphanous plans for the time he is here. Of course this means that we will probably just end up getting coffee and walking in the park, but the important thing is that we have plans. Here they are: (mostly so i wont forget them)
--Go to the old mill and buy buckwheat flour
--Make pancakes with said buckwheat flour
--Buy strawberries (to go with the pancakes)
--See Korner's folly
--Maybe visit old salem
--take a tour of Charlotte (aahh the queen city)
--drink coffee
--loll around and watch the ENTIRE 7up documentary in one sitting, ingesting massive amounts of unhealthy food.
--record a hit record
--make a ukulele out of found wood, poster board, and tupperware.

Emily and i just went to some pretty cool things. We went to a pretty nifty Earth Day celebration put on by Greensboro College and held at Bur-mil park. I got lots of stickers, some cool buttons, tie dyed my own scrap of cloth (i refuse to call it a handkerchief), got my own plant (which is blooming now) and generally had a fun time.
The other fun time was had at Pilot Mountain. It felt like a real accomplishment to drive all the way to the top of the mountain and take heroic photos at the "summit." The only thing that really got exercise that day was my poor cavalier. It still smells a little funny (but i still love it).

Fortunes I found in a box:
Character is the cornerstone of success.
You will be attractive to an older, more experienced person!
Stand tall. Don't look down upon yourself.
Despair is criminal.
A man can fail many times, but he isn't a failure until he gives up.
Life is a tragedy for those who feel and a comedy for those who think.
Your dearest dream is coming true.
You are a filial [sic], kind and trustworthy.
Your path is arduous but will be amply rewarding.
Every friend joys[sic] in your success.
Even in the greatest confusion there is an open channel into the soul.
You deserve more love.
(and my all time favorite)
Treat your life as an extended process of creation.

Learn Chinese!
Automobile-Qi-che
Ice skate-Liu-bing


What's amazing is that for every two or three of those that made you groan at the sweet saccharine mush, there was one that made you think, or maybe even smile. That's the true beauty of fortune cookies. They make you realize just how small and narrow the human mind can be. Our buttons are pretty easy to push. Hallmark profits on it (at a much greater scale), Lifetime movies drag it on and on; but the sweet smiling shit that drips from the page/screen/etc. touches someone, usually yourself. And how fantastic is it to have a bunch of fortune cookies after a meal with good friends? That is some good clean fun (unless you add "...in bed!" at the end of each one. You cheeky monkey!). Thank god for the wonderful people that bring us fortune cookies, Styx, the song "Steal my Sunshine," and Karate Kid II.

What would we do without the crap that is so utterly devoid of content that we fill it with our own special moments and memories?