Gas prices

I'm glad to see that gas prices are lowering a bit. I hope that doesn't make people think that we can stop thinking conservatively, though. I just read an article on CNN that said that Exxon Mobile recorded the highest single-quarter profit in US history last quarter. Doesn't that seem a bit wrong since we "real people" are out here struggling?

I'm still going to hug my hybrid and drive as little as I need to.

My XBox died :(

I have been playing my XBox a lot lately and have recently purchased some new games. I've specifically been laughing a lot at my newest game, The Simpsons Game. However, in the last week, I've noticed that it's been locking up a bit on me. The screen would freeze and I'd have to restart the XBox. However, it's been happening more and more frequently. I finally decided to call Microsoft.

They have some automated tips, which I followed. Then it wouldn't start up at all. I eventually got to talk to a live person, and he was pretty good about the situation. He looked up my serial number and it's still under warranty. He's arranged for a UPS tag so that it can be repaired.

It sucks that it died, but at least Microsoft is being decent about it.

Milk

Isn't it weird when every dinner you want to make requires milk only when you don't have any, but when you have it, no meals you make ever seem to require it?

Why, Brett, why?

I don't think Brett Favre realizes what he's doing. He is rapidly tarnishing his image in the eyes of thousands of adoring Green Bay Packers fans. When he retired, I was sad, but I thought it was a good idea - go out on top! Now, wanting to come back, wanting to be released from his contract, wanting to leave Green Bay...

I held Favre up there with the likes of Robin Yount in my mind. Now he's dropped to a status, to me, no better than Paul Molitor. If you know me, you know that's bad.

Watch out, here they come!

The Brewers are on the move. They're wheeling and dealing, spending a lot of money to try and get to the playoffs. If it works, it's genius - if it doesn't, it could mean big problems for the team. But I'm going with the hope that it works. I'm really excited about their recent pickups - a really good pitcher and an improvement at second base. For the first time that I can remember, the Brewers are getting some national respect. And the Cubs being the Cubs, they will choke later on, and the Brewers, should they stay consistent, might have a really good shot at winning the pennant.

WOOHOO!

On turning 30

Well, I didn't spend the day on my roof sulking. Actually, the only thing that bothered me all day (and does every holiday or sentimental day) is that I was so far from my family. You're always in the back of my mind, or heart, however you want to phrase it, but you come to the front on these days - and it makes me miss you a lot. I miss hanging out and doing a lot of nothing and having my face hurt for a couple of days from smiling and laughing so much more than normal. I also never like the fact that I never really know when I'll see you all next.

But I made my decision to move away many years ago and I knew that this would be one of the consequences. I love you and miss you all!

We made it!

Mom and Dad -

We made it 30 years! It's really interesting for me to compare where I am to where you two were at my age - seems like we couldn't be more different sometimes, huh? I had always thought to myself that I wanted to have all of my kids by the time I was 30 - I wonder now if I've achieved that, but not in the way I thought. Of course, being childless sure has its advantages - I can come and go as I please, travel where I want when I want, etc.

I have to say that I am happy with where I'm at now, and that I'm sure looking forward to the next 30 years. Sometimes, looking back, it seems like if there was a difficult way to learn something, that's how I was going to learn it, but that's probably made me a bit stronger. I'm a bit wiser than I once was, too, and things tend to slide off my back a bit easier too.

I see more of you two in me as I go, too. I think you guys did a pretty good job raising all of us. I've got to thank you for insisting on "P's and Q's" always because being polite has gotten me pretty far in life. You guys also taught me to work hard - not so much direct teaching but I learned it by your example - very rarely do I ever remember Dad calling in sick to work and Mom, you have never been afraid to get your hands dirty. I've also inherited stubborness from both of you, which isn't always a bad thing - I tend to not give up on difficult problems at work until they're solved.

Of course, I've inherited some less positive things as well - I'm a bit anti-social, I can be compulsive at times, and the stubborness again - but I'm happy with how I've turned out.

Thanks for 30 years, Mom and Dad!

Yeah, I'm still alive

I know it's been a bit since I last posted. I'm still alive, life has just been rather boring and I'm in a rut. I did buy a new movie that I've been watching any time I've got idle time. It's called Across the Universe and I'd highly recommend it to anyone who likes Beatles music, musicals or just something off of the norm. It's a really interesting story about six main characters from very different places told largely through the music of the Beatles. They do some really neat stuff with the musical arrangements and it's really quite artistic.

I've also been reading a lot. I'm working my way through the Harry Potter series and I'm currently about halfway through book four. I used to make fun of people who read those books, but they are quite good. I tried making my way through the Lord of the Ring series, but gave up halfway through the first book. It just doesn't interest me, and neither did the movies. I also recently read Slash's (Guns n Roses guitarist) auto-biography as well as Nikki Sixx (Motely Crue). Heroin isn't something I think I'd toy with after reading those books.

That's really about the summary of my recent life. Matt's coming home tonight for the weekend, so I'm excited about that. I'm on the road in Louisiana and Texas for a long stretch in mid-July and I'll be in Nashville in the beginning of August. I also have to schedule a trip to Washington and Nevada in the near future, too. It passes the time, though.