Things seem to be back to normal so to speak as I have been doing some working out, eating right, and working on the art. Don't you just wish the things you want and need would just magically appear instead of having to go through all of that nasty business of having to work for them?!! Though I guess I wouldn't appreciate them nearly as much if I didn't have to put all the work in. I just hope it's not all in vain. I mean, I have skills and abilities and a good head on my shoulders, but this whole art thing needs to work out or I would have wasted some serious time for nothing. And then it comes back to not being in a negative frame of mind. And I'm really not. I honestly believe this will all work out for me in some form or fashion. I just don't feel any other way. But, in a realistic sense, I do have to think about what to do if it falls through. Too bad I'm thinking of it all working out. :p

One heck of a week. Being shortstaffed at the bank doesn't help tension levels. I've actually started growing a beard in hopes to a.) give my face a rest from having to shave it twice in one sitting to get a smooth shave, and b.) to cover up all of the stress zits. Who knows how things will go, I just have to make sure I cover my assets. :) Though job security isn't a problem right now as other people seem to be burning bridges a lot faster then I am. As far as anything else, the fantasy football draft is tomorrow, so all eyes are focused on that. All else is secondary. (oooooo.....sounds so menacing, don't it.)

Same 'ol same 'ol I guess. Nothing spectacular happening, which isn't bad, just not newsworthy. I've been reading a lot of articles on cnn.com over the past week and it's all craziness. People being raped and stabbed, or a child choking to death on a piece of popcorn. The sickest one was this homicide down in Florida they dubbed "The X-box slayings". These guys were squatting at a house and were kicked out by the granddaughter of the owners. They threatened her and her friends for about a week or so, saying they were going to come to the house and beat them with baseball bats while they were sleeping. The girl called the police a half a dowzen times but they couldn't do anything. So one night, these guys came to the house with aluminum bats and beat her and her friends to death. Then took some of the house knives and stabbed them a shitload of times. They said there was blood on the walls, the ceilings, everywhere. While I was reading itI just kept thinking of Manson. Sounded just like it. They said the girl was beaten so bad, she couldn't be identified with dental records. And by the way. there was an x-box in the house that had belonged to the squatters, so I guess the media needed a reason to tie these murders to Bill Gates. Assholes. Anyway, my life is much better then that, when putting it in perspective.

Went to the mall today to see my 54 year old wannabe date. LOL. Yes. I know. I'm a sad sad little man sometimes. But I think she's hot and that's all the matters. But I think people have a problem with the age difference, her being one of them. So I'm going to let her get hit on by fat, greasy old men, like she has been. It'll be good for her I'm sure. :) I myself have many prospects. They all don't pan out to anything, but some day they might. LOL. No rush on that. I have started paintings 7 & 8 which is good. I'm still painting #6, but it's easier to stay occupied if I have 2 or 3 things going at once. Boredome doesn't set in nearly as quick. And we all know how boredom can be. DAMN YOU BOREDOM!!!

Met a girl this week during my teller training classes. Too bad she works and lives in Jersey. I figure she's about an hour away from me as it is right now. That wouldn't be too horrible, but having to pay tolls on the Jersey Turnpike every time I go to see her just seems either A.) extremely desperate, or B.) extremely expensive just to get some ass. She is pretty cool though. Of course, as the older I get, the more likely it is that the women I meet will already have children. This is one of those cases. She has a little baby boy. How cute. Too bad I can't afford that shit! LOL! So here I am, somewhat poor, but will soon be working at Waldenbooks again, which means I can pay off some shit, save up for vacations (ie. Mike's wedding next year and various other trips) and save some money in general. It's not good going from paycheck to paycheck. Just FYI. ;)

Saw one of those billboards you see outside of chuches on the side of the road today. Usually the messages they have are pretty corny, but I thought the one this particular church had was very good.

"There are no shortcuts to anywhere worth going"

True dat. True dat.

I can't run outside anymore!! WAAAAAHHH!!!! My legs have become too brittle to take chances on cross-country type running. I pulled a muscle in my calf last week, and did it again tonight. And for the last few weeks, my right ankle (the left one is the one I rolled down at the beach) feels hollow. So I don't need to roll another ankle, or get some kind of weird muscle, joint, bone injury. My legs are screwed enough as it is. Alas, I will be relegated to using the nordictrac. It's a much less high-impact workout, and it can get pretty damn tiring, but I felt really good about myself when I ran. It's a tough run, all those hills I was going up and down. But a workout is a workout, so I'll get over it. Now to paint. Must paint. Must paint. Must paint.

So. It's been one hell of a week. Started and finished a whole bottle of wine on Sunday, which led to me being extremely late for work on Monday, which means no more drinking on Sunday nights. I was on a shoe string there for a bit, but considering my coworker is basically forcing the company's hand with her antics, I think I'm still flying under the radar a bit. Monday night I went running, and didn't think to stretch out before I started, so I pulled the muscle in my calf. That was an odd experience. Never pulled a muscle before. It's like a permanent cramp. So I was laid up half the night. Luckily it only lasted a few days and things seem back to normal now. On Tuesday, I had to get an ultrasound on my lower extremeties (yes, the private ones you don't care to show people in public) to see if the growth I'd been feeling since January was something to worry about. Luckily it isn't, just some inflamation of the epididimus (say it three times fast), but the funny thing was, the girl who did the test remembered me from two years ago! She's cute and all, but having your tea bag scoped doesn't really lend itself well to talking all smooth and suave. Anyway, I had had an ultrasound on my liver two years ago, and I had one of my famous laughing fits while she was running this probe all over my stomach. At one point she had to stop because she was laughing so hard. So it's nice that I'm remembered. :) I'm thinking of sending some flowers over there with a thank you card. But that will have to wait till I have money!. So let's see. Wednesday......Wednesday was hump day, you decide how to take that. Thursday was recovery from hump day and last night we had our fantasy football draft. (One of 3 for me, ans I will have 2 more before the month is out.) Had a good time with the peeps who showed up. One guy was a no-show, but my cousin filled in. Her and her friend (yes, we have women in our league!) managed to put together a nice little team. Thank god, because it would have been a mess if they couldn't. That leads me to today, and dragging my ass around all day since I stayed up till almost 2 doing the draft last night.

All in all, a fairly active week for a guy who has $4 in his checking account. :)

To Try is to Risk Failure.

To Do Nothing Guarantees It.