Well, for those that have been following the drma of my ongoing battle to get my license back, we're finally nearing the end of the tunnel.  I figure that I can be driving by Christmas at the current rate of progression, and very much look forward to it.  Without all of your help and support I would have never got this far, and I thank you for it.  However, the battle is not quite finished, and the dragons still remain, or in laymens terms, I still need help.

First, I'd like to know who you feel is a good insurance agency who will get me the cheapest deal.  There is a catch:  they have to figure SR-22 into the price, and they also have to be able to do an all-in-one payment.  (Actual price doesn't matter so much, since I'll have to call to follow up on your suggestions anyways.)  The lower the price, the sooner I can pay on the registration and fees, and get my permit.

Second, the whole reason I am getting the permit is because it's been 8 years since I have been on the road alone - when I go for my license, I will have to take both tests.  I'm fairly confident on the written part of the test (I plan on studying it weekly until I get close enough to go daily), but I'd really appreciate a few people helping me get some practice.  I can't promise immediate gas money those days (Since most of my money will be going towards trying to get me driving - it may be a month or two when I pay you back), but if I can help with your chores or do anything for you to help make things better, I'd really appreciate it.

Finally, I'd really appreciate someone helping me when I finally go take the test - depending on the day I go, it may only be a couple of hours.  I, unfortunately, can't give a precise day, since I will both need the money to take the test and will not take it until I am comfortable enough to take it, but once I have both I can work around your schedule.

This is being shown as a blog on MySpace and a note on Facebook, so it's fairly open to everyone.  Thank you all again for the help I have gotten so far, now let's finish this.  :D

Wow - I can think of a lot of words to say about this, but since I have a lot of respect for these companies, I'll refrain from saying them.

What I will say, though, is that I've never received a rejection letter as fast as I have from Servicom.  Most of the time I get something like this within a week of applying and interviewing, but never was I outright rejected the day after I go there to apply.

As you can imagine, I am hurt by this:  I applied for the job on Monday, and was told to come in and apply yesterday.  Considering how far away it is for me - I had to walk from Target to there (in the rain, which poured all the way back) - there is some relief in knowing that I don't have to worry about transportation in getting there and back.

I do have some respect for them, however:  rather than dragging their feet and either giving me a few weeks of hope, or never getting back to me, they let me know right away that I am not being given a chance.  If more businesses would do this, a lot of time would be saved.

So if you're looking for a job, go and apply at Servicom, in what was once Ron Weber & Associates.  Just be able to handle quick rejection if they do it.

Ok, I'm stuck.

It's past my deadline, I STILL don't have work (I know I won't be getting any calls until Wednesday), and my unemployment switchover was on Thursday, so I don't know what, if anything, I will be getting as a result of a very short season this year.  I'm equally frustrated both by the job hunt, for which no one is calling for an interview, and closeness of my transportation goal - it's in sight, yet I'm stuck in the mud because of all of this financial BS.

If you have a job, and know of positions that may be opening soon or already are open, and are in the Northern Illinois area (It's expanded due to how short of time it will take me to get my license back and a vehicle to drive); or if you are unemployed but have heard any rumors of places, please let me know.

Right now only McDonalds (which I have worked at 3 times) and West Telemarketing (for which I was terminated and was blacklisted from the company, thus never being able to be rehired at) are the only two places for which I know I won't be applying at, both due to reasons that may/will prevent me from being hired at.  Beyond that, I should be open for almost anything.

After Wednesday, it'll be ok to call - otherwise, send me a message.  Need this help ASAP.  Thanks.

I had a realization today while trying to come up with an argument for a friend of mine should not have yanked his MySpace page that maybe I need to change what I do.  Counting this blog posting (and the one I am in progress with - hopefully I can finish and post it by Friday) I will have 287 posts on MySpace and 158 posts on Wordpress, some of which overlap.  (I don't count my notes on Facebook, due to the fact that all of them are the same as my MySpace Blog Posts.)

BTW, in case you forgot about my wordpress blog, it's at http://w2ed.wordpress.com/.

The majority of what I write falls into one of two categories:

1.  Things I am doing and notifying people about.
2.  Feelings, concerns, and thoughts I have.

Now, obviously the first is time-limited and has little to no relevance to my realization.  The second, however, is of a lot of value to me - and if you blog for that reason as well, should be for you as well.

Recently a large number of people on Facebook (150,000 - or almost the entire population of Rockford, IL) and T-Mobile Sidekick owners experienced issues with their accounts, losing most to all of their valuable data.  This included links, images, movies, addresses, etc., and from my understanding, this data can not be replaced unless the user has it on their own machine.  (T-Mobile was asking their customers to keep their sidekicks on as long as possible so that people did not lose their data and I've yet to hear as to whether that is fixed yet.)

Now, if either were www.iamtoosmalltonotice.com, I don't think people would be too upset - after all, why worry about a couple of people's information?  Yet, T-Mobile is nowhere near small, considered to be one of the major cell phone carriers in the US and abroad, and Facebook right now is one of the hottest sites around.  If they can have problems like this, and you like keeping your stuff around (as I do), then you're just leaving yourself open for problems later on.

Now, unlike my friend, I have no desire to delete and move on - probably would be healthier, but I like having the knowledge that I can return to later - but I've always been a firm believer in keeping a hard-copy - you know, buying CD's and DVD's instead of downloading them online, having physical printed material rather than an e-Book, etc.  The way that I use blogs is similar to the way most of our parents and grandparents - and maybe even some of us - used journals and diaries for in the past.

I have two problems, though:  I haven't been keeping a physical printed journal in a long time, and I have all my blog postings scattered across two websites.  (I used to have a third as well, but I deleted it for the obvious reason of necessity - it does no good to say stuff that everyone knows and that no one can see you confess to anyways.)  The bright side is that I was in need of a project.

So, as soon as I find the time, I will be moving all relevant blog posts that were MySpace-Only back onto my Wordpress blog and removing or hiding those posts that are no longer relevant or that could create problems down the road.    After that, I think I'll work on getting that hard-copy of this stuff so that I don't lose it.

As for future updates, all sites will get all pages unless necessary.

Good news for those who were interested but were waiting:  Due to my recent community service work and the amount of time vested into it thus far, I have had NO TIME to prepare these items for eBay.  Along with other problems preventing me from putting things up Saturday (physical and otherwise), I felt it was best to put off putting items off on eBay for two weeks.  So, Saturday September 26th will be the day I post the Auctions.

Again, there will be NO NEGOTIATIONS on the Playstation stuff due to the reasons for getting rid of it.  However, a Daily List will be published starting next Monday (September 14th) with the possibility of ITEMS BEING ADDED EACH DAY that will be negotiable.  (Bear in mind, however: the money is to help me get my license back and what will soon be my vehicle on the road again - so don't think you're going to get away with things easy.)

As soon as I am completed with the 70 hours of community service work, if I am completed before the 26th, I will also be posting a listing on Craigslist.   (I'd give a specific date but I am unsure as to whether or not I can finish by then - thank god the Animal Control is able to give me more!)

Again, contact me on either of these, through my e-mails, or by phone at (815) 621-2387.  Help Me Out!

Since my time got sapped away today, I have to keep this short.  (Sorry)  Just two thoughts and some news:

1.  To all of you people who were against Obama speaking to our nation's kids:  Now that you KNOW that this was not a political scheme or maneuver, don't you feel a tad bit silly?  I feel bad for those who chose for their students to sit out or (in the case of the Harlem school district) were forced to sit it out because of cowardly administrators who caved into ignorance over investigation.

2.  After doing a few online polls on Facebook last week, when I participate I'll refrain from getting into the discussions on there - it amazes me how crazy and stupid some of the extremists on both sides of an argument are.

3.  NEWS:  Starting Tomorrow, September 9th, 2009, and lasting until (hopefully) October 2nd, I will be doing my community service at Animal Control Services on North Main Street.  I will be doing it 4 hours a day from 7:30 - 11:30 everyday.  After that I will be looking to get my learners permit.

Off to bed I go - nighters!

http://www.asylum.com/2009/09/01/both-sexes-prefer...

Both Sexes Prefer a Face Over a Body for a Long-Term Mate

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A couple of weekends ago Shauna and I celebrated a major milestone:  Our six-month anniversary.  On February 8th of this year we met in person at The Capri's in Rockford.  I never would have thought that I would still be with this amazing hottie of a girlfriend six months later.

This poem that I wrote was part of a picture I made for her.  (Before anyone calls me cheap, it was among MANY gifts I got for her, and wasn't the only thing I made.)

If you can read this and I'm not there
I hope you will remember
That though I can't be with you now
    In my heart you will always be found
In darkness and light, forever.

If you can read this and I am there
I hope you know this truth
Although I'll fail and make mistakes
    In my heart you will remain
In that you'll need no proof.

When you laugh, I'll laugh with you
When you cry, my shoulder you can use
When you hurt, I'll heal your pain
When you're cold I'll be your flame
When you're alone I'll come to you
May not be right away but will always be soon
I promise, whether you like it or not
If you're happy, I've done my job.

If you have read this, then you know it's true
These things I do not deny
Since the first moment I laid my eyes on yours
    My world is improved, better than before
I love you with all of my life.

I Love you Shauna!

Ponyo


Wow!

Anyone that knows me knows that I am a big fan of animation, be it CGI-based stuff like Shrek and Ice Age, Flash based stuff like Foamy (http://www.illwillpress.com/) and Brackenwood (http://www.biteycastle.com/), traditional stuff like Bugs Bunny and Mickey Mouse, combos (such as they are today) like Lion King and Little Mermaid, or Anime (Japanese Animation, for those unfamiliar with the term) like Cowboy Bebop and Escaflowne.  Most of you already know also that I'm not a big follower on particular individuals or creators.  There are two big exceptions, though, in terms of studios that Disney works with:  Pixar, whom everyone knows for everything from Toy Story to the most recent Wall-E and Up, and Studio Ghibli, whom fans will know from Grave of the Fireflies, Princess Mononoke, and Kiki's Delivery Service.  This movie is the latest from that studio, and I look forward to seeing it.  (Hopefully, they'll bring it to Rockford - I'd hate to have to wait for it to hit video!)