Well this most certainly has been an interesting week. Jason’s Birthday was much to celebrate, I can tell he had a good time, possibly even too much of a good time. I think he owes me a car wash. Wednesday was an eye-opening experience, I had much to think about all day, mostly about how lucky I truly am in my life, and how I need to change my actions to aviod the fall into an inescapable hole. The idea of getting 12 hours of sleep on a weeknight was foreign to me, but I rather liked it. That allowed me to be a fool later in the week as well and aviod as much sleep as possible. To be perfectly honest, I could have just gotten the “required” amount of sleep but I had more appealing options. Either way I am happy witht he way things seem to unfold in my life. I find it hard to believe that someone’s life is so bleak that they could have nothing exciting or “non-depressing” to write in their blog. But I guess that’s my take on things, not always the most realistic but at least pleasing and less stressful.

The past weekend was well …… shall we say interesting. It has always been fun spending time with the Dutch and German kids, and this time was no different. Just fun in a different city, THE big city, Chicago. First and possibly best, a stop at Grassano’s Pizza for their Legendary Pizza Puffs…….. mmmmmm Pizza Puffs ……… They got to meet my parents and see how quirky my family is, then spend some male bonding time watching football (and falling asleep). A good meal at Harrison’s which is apparently a microbrewery and steakhouse. Then into the city for the partying that evening. A little trip into Wrigleyville, which was a first for some, and was a good time to go and have a few beverages. It was overpriced, the 2 bars that I wouldve liked to go to were out of the question, one for a private party, the second for a $7 cover charge. It was still a good time, but well Rusty was a disappointment anyhow, I guess I shouldn’t have expected anything, this wasn’t Mulligan’s. Sunday lunch and the Bears-Lions Game at the Willow Crossing were great fun, the last of the good food, followed by a football game, a classic rivalry, that I would never miss. This also brought in some good bonding time with my brother and some interesting conversation with the waitress (what a cutie). And the drive back to Jason’s place to have dinner with his folks and head back to GR for the evening.

As with any drive, particulary the one from GR to Chicago and back there was time fro contemplation. I guess my biggest revelationof the week was that I need to truly figure out who I am. What makes me tick, then I can accurately portray myself to other people. Its not like I try to act any differently but I guess there is a difference, as noticed by some people. That just makes me think and I try to figure otu what it truly is that make me who I am. Still trying to figure that out, and that will take a while, so no promises on that anytime soon. But I guess these last few years have really helped me with this and I feel I can be more honest with myself and therefore with the rest of people out there. I wish I could be totally honest, but there is also that part of you that you hide so it doesn’t get hurt. I can only believe that this is a natural instinct to shield some of your pride, but I suppose it does lead to slight deception. On the plus side, I’m not so bad that I have to drink alone and figure these things out in the dark recesses of the apartment, it is becoming rather evident. That and I think I might be scared of the dark.

About 9:30 Eastern time, I get a phone call from my brother stating that he is sitting talking to Dad about the new house. Aren’t reconciliations wonderful. I dont know how to explain how I feel right now, my heart is about to pop out of my chest, it so full and ready to burst out to the world. I knew this day was coming, I didn’t know when or how, but it was coming. I never expected to be this excited about what has happened. I didn’t hear everything that was said but I am very proud of them. I am sure that this has been one of the hardest times in both their lives and finally they can start the family life back up. I don’t know what else to think. There will be more to clebrate than just Vandermeer’s birthday tonight, I tell you that much.

I guess I understand why it takes Bammd so long to update his website, it is a process thats not alway on top of the mind to do. First things first, Thanks fulljeff for the redesign and background image. Well lets say that it has been an interesting week, which thanks to vandermeer will continue this week. Apparently I am done with my work over at CHS, so that means I can start work later, I’m definately happy about that. Though that means no more harassment from Vicki about life. The beauty of fall was more than evident up at Owasippe, there was so much color and jsut that wonderful feeling in my soul to be out in the woods, to feel truly at home. I don’t know what it is, but for some reason I feel a true happiness in the beauty of nature. Anytime, anywhere that I am in the great outdoors, I am just so happy, my soul jumps and for a change I’m actually enjoying being there. Aside from the bad news about the sale of Hoover, the rest of the week was good as well. the late nights on Thursday-Saturday were definately enjoyable, another felling that hasn’t been felt in a while. Things I don’t even know if i remember how to deal with, I would like to say yes, but really I am not sure. Makes me turn back inward to seek what about other people brings out my best and what I need to do to get us all to that utopia. I do love my friends up here, the more I know them, the more I wonder if I really want to know more about them.

Bars, always intersting. After managing to spend only $2 on Friday night, I will more than make up for it this week due to a 21st birthday. I hope to get some time to finish putting my site the way I want this week, you now if the free time while not carting the new ‘adult’ to the bars and restaurants. This will be a stange experiment is graphic design in Photoshop to figure out what the heck im doing. I do not have the god given talent like fulljeff to know everything, and be more than proficient with everything he touches. My only hope in life would be to out-perform him in some physical task, such as finishing the basement in a new house our other ‘trade’ type labor. All in all, I really appreciate the fulljeff’s input and effort to improve my site.

So I’m sitting in the backseat of a pickup truck on the way back from Wisconsin. It does still hurt to sit down, but at least thats all that still hurts today. This weekend was one of those that made feel old, pains, cramps and aches while biking followed by soreness and some general discomfort the next day. It was definately a fun time though, I haven’t done a group biking trip like this probably since the last time I went with Bob and Jeff, I suppose that wouldve been sometime in ‘98 when we did a 60 mile part of the Illinois Prarie Path. Only when in the middle of nowhere Wisconsin can Bob run into someone he knows, not that its that amazing that he finds someone that he knows. but more the fact that he was recognized in a dark train tunnel, “Hey are you from troop 652?” Really it is a musing that I know such the ‘celebrity’, but at least in not old like him yet. For our total of 68 or so miles we had fun, 2 miles of which was walking through old train tunnels, in the complete dark, lots of making fun and general good time playing like always with this group of people. The hot tub at the Hotel following the ride was definately a nice thing it helped to loosen up those muscles and getting up this morning didn’t hurt as badly as it probably would’ve.

Since its been a week when I last updated, I guess the rest of the week was actually pretty cool. My genuinely new experience for the week was learning how to take the skirting off of a mobile home, that was to be able to run network cables for Abby, she is probably one of the only people that has Cat5 cable running under her trailer for her broadband access. After that venture I was definately tempted to keep more tools in my car, but that would either require me to clean out my trunk and put some stuff in there or get a truck, I’m voting for #2 at this point. Working 11 hour days is starting to wind down, I am too burnt out to work long weeks like this. I actually got out of work at 4:30 on Friday. Too bad I started at 7 and had a meeting through lunch, so that still puts me at 9.5 hours for that day. Thursday was also a change from the norm, I went out with someone other than Vanberge or Abby, that was a fun time, dinner, pool and a movie. Made getting up for work on Friday a little tough but I actually didn’t mind at all. I was in a good mood when i went to bed, so I was still in one when I got up. I do feel like a complete ass for dinner on Thursday night though, we went to Tony Roma’s, it was there that I discovered Maria doesn’t eat meat. Sorry. I hate traffic at the Illinois/Indiana border I was cruizing into the city on Friday night, until 16 miles from the border, then it was stop and go all the way a little into Illinois. On the plus side, I still beat Bob to the gathering point, and he only lives about 20 minutes away, not 2.5 hours.

So I guess its a little after 5:00 am and I am finally getting home from tailgating for the GVSU game, watching the game and the after game celebration. This was a generally interesting weekend, first off friday night at Mulligans was a good time as always, Abby and Jen decided to grace us with their presence. After knowing how JW felt about Fourn coming to the bar with our group, I was a little intrigued by the fact that when i showed up at the bar and sat down, we sat at a table next to Michael one of the student employees who works AV at CHS. I guess it is a different situation since he is older than me, but that seems to be a moot point for me. How about running into several of the GV lab assistants at the bar, does that mean that they will respect me less. That was fun and since I wasn’t driving I consumed too much ……again …… and I passed out shortly after getting home, leaving Abby all alone in my place, that was about 3:00 Saturday mornin. Next thing I know I wake up on Saturday afternoon and realize that I wanted to do some things, ride the bike, configure Windows 2003 Server, eat, clean up the place a bit, just goof around. Well aside from cleaning I got some things done, I can now login to my Domain here at the apt, my bike is in the shope so they can disassemble regrease and reassemble my bottom bracket and make sure my frame isn’t cracked. Thanks Uncle Scrooge, Joe Chicago’s Pizza Co does have authentic “beef samiches.” Well so tailgating with Abby, Tyler, Vanberge, Vanlandw, Flo and a few others was fun, the cops did make us chug some beverages since the game had started, something seems inherently wrong with that. About the second quarter we finally find Tyler in the stadium again. I was not expecting to be dealing with the beligerent drunk at the football game, but at halftime we left and gave him and his car a ride back to Abby’s place where he sobered up a bit, then his brother picked him up. What a great bro. Anyways, a 6 pack later at Abby’s place I call up Maria and talk to her and end up crossing paths with her and meeting up with them in an empty parking lot, we go to a party looks like ghetto freshman all around. We leave and drop of some vehicles at danielle’s house and take penny home, watch some porn, and come back. I drive from Jenison to allendale to pick up flo to take him home, Abby will take him home when they wake up. I double back to Grandville and coast into my carport because for some reason gas stations aren’t open past like 10 around here. It’s really funny because it is like now 5:30 and I’m not really tired. I will go lay down and fall asleep anyways.

What is a “w00t”, seriously folks. Today is a great day, we have now officially cut off access to 2 apartments in the Ravines. The next step is a meeting with the Dean of Students to reactivate their ports. Whatever it is, I believe that this warrants a “w00t”. Yeah. By the way as mentioned before Bobby is one of the offenders of not deactivating his WAP. So as upset as he was before, I bet he will be furious.dumbass when he realizes that he has been physically shut off and what has to be done to reactivat his connection. Wardriving is fun, even more so with the Bunhoff.