Archive for October, 2006
I’ll let Lindsey post about this past weekend, all I’ll say is that I only had to work Saturday and work went much better. In fact, the people I’m working with seem pretty cool and I think I’ll be happy using that as my second job.
I have been waiting to see my territory for a while and it finally came today, Huntsville, Alabama. People have laughed at my “misfortune” saying that I should have no problem getting my “talk time” (to hit expectations you have to make so many calls and talk with prospects for so long) because them southerners speak a lil slower than you and I.
I am afraid I won’t be able to understand them. In my temp job just before ADP I was calling hospitals and I called down south and had some problems figuring out what people were saying.
I was listening to Garrison Keillor on the way to work today because I don’t get Bob and Tom and I get sick of Opie and Anthony in a hurry. He was talking about a guy who basically waits for someone to mention small engines. Mentioned his favorite story was something about a lawnmower. And I thought a lot of gma and gpa’s famous stories, the pie crust, hitler calling off the war before he got there because he was scared, I mean, pick it. Unfortunately for all my friends and family, I have inherited the trait of storytelling. Good or bad, I try and tell a story for every topic discussed. And the stories are always the same and I feel bad for people that I retell these stories.
Point is, everyone has a great story about something, something that happened to them, something they experienced, or just their favorite story to tell or hear. I either want everyone to post their story or comment on here their story. Your favorite. This post is already really long so I’ll wait to see what you say before posting a story I would say is one of my favorites.
Note: Does not have to have happened to you, could’ve been a story you heard.
October 30th, 2006
The vBlog was outdated. What happened was, my computer crashed everytime I tried to put it on google video. I couldn’t even get half way through without a crash. (Crashes have become even worse than this summer). So, I finally figured out that I should drag the video back onto the cameral memory card, upload it on the laptop, install google video uploader on that, and then upload it. So I did.
I work at Applebee’s. I worked 22 hours last weekend with no breaks on the crazy-as-hell Saturday (had a waiting list 45 minutes long, which is calculated for 5 minutes for every 3 parties waiting). I got home and just threw my shoes off and collapsed. I was soooo burned out, I didn’t even quit moving from 4pm till 9:30pm or whenever they said I could leave. I did get to see Notre Dame’s winning touchdown by chance. I had tried to keep up with it, looking up and seeing 1 in every 10 plays or so.
I hosted. Seating people, giving them menus, and busing tables. I found out Sunday that I was screwed several times, as Lindsey expected, on Saturday, and not once by your mom. First off, I legally have to have a break, which no one offered. Also, I wasn’t trained in…like at all. There is a semi-retarded guy named Woody I could ask, but I can barely understand him and I guess he likes to get out of work. So I learned a lot by making mistakes and getting yelled at by people I hadn’t even spoken to yet. I wanted to say, “you know, you only get one chance to make a first impression” but realized that would be the dorkiest thing you can ever say as YOUR first impression. So I just said, “I don’t know what you’re talking about”
I also was busing too much. I am supposed to stack the plates and takes the cups to the back, instead, I took everything back as much as I could, I also swept the floors, arranged tables, picked up, I was all over the place. I was told over and over that I was impressing everyone, but apparently not enough to get a break.
Then, Sunday, much much slower, at 3 I take a break and halfway through the manager, who’s a dick, goes, “How long you been on break? Cause no one is watching the door”, I go, “Half an hour” and he doesn’t say anything and turns away to talk to other employees. So, I clock back in and go up front, some colleagues were like, “he’s a jerk, you didn’t have to clock back in” and I was like, “I can take a hint, I’d like not to get fired”.
So, that’s my job. I work with people all around my age, haven’t really met anyone I’d consider hanging out with, but everyone seems normal, except woody. I guess one gay guy wants to meet me, just what I need, Linds, thank God, made sure to pee on me and mark me like a dog’s tree by saying, “yeah, he’s my fiancee”. Boo-ya.
Almost weekend, almost time to work at Applebee’s again.
Everyone go to: http://www.milesrausch.com/lindsey we got her gang.
October 26th, 2006
When I first started blogging with my blogger account I found it as a way to vent, attempt humor, keep people informed with my life, and discuss and make notice of different things that have come up. Since doing this Lindsey every once in a while has said, “you should post about this” “why didn’t you post about this?” “you forgot to add this” and “there are a lot of errors in your posts, how the hell were you ever an editor” (and then I’d say, “Cause I was sports, beotch!”
I would always reply saying, “get your own blog, ask Miles”.
We’ve all tried. And I think we should continue to try. Lindsey claims she has nothing to blog about, no time to blog, and that no one would want to read what she writes.
Which is all true.
But she should get a blog for the following reasons:
1. She lives an interesting life, she lives with the coolest guy any of the readers of this blog knows, and she is studying to become a professional in the field of forensic science.
2. Linds has a lot to vent about. She lives with the creepiest guy any of the readers of this blog knows, and always seems to have something to bitch about. Which is why we’re all not sure, but think we love her for it.
3. She can post about her cats that she loves so damn much.
4. She used to have her own column which drew more readers than any other commentary article, often being the most popular story of any story in the issue. Having an article is just like a blog, only a blog receives direct feedback, while a story someone would have to submit a “Letter to the Editor” which most non-creepy people don’t do.
5. She could post about her experiences being a stranger in a strange land. You all know how I feel about it,but Linds and my journeys are quite different. I’m here for a career springboard, she is here to continue her dream. She chose to live here while I followed her out here like a shark following blood in the water.
I think if you all try, you could come up with other reasons while she should start writing a blog. I have a list of blogs I read, but I actively look for new posts/comments from the milesrausch.com and vash’s blogs the most. I would love to add another one to the family and maybe have this one post a hair more than Britt.
Peace baby.
October 14th, 2006
So, I totally have a new car. Finally, here are the pictures.
All other pictures can be viewed at my flickr account:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/94822850@N00/
And then of course the “my almost new car” car:
And for those of you who forgot:
And this is what I look like with Lindsey these days:
October 12th, 2006
Count 1 for Val Rausch! I got my absentee ballot yesterday and proudly voted for dad and not for anyone else in the category, strategy baby.
I have a new car. 2007 Ford Focus SE 4-Door Sedan. Unfortunately, it’s a smaller car so, sorry Rolfes’.
I ended up getting a good deal on it because it’s a new car and I’m a new driver. Got $3000 free because of it. And I’ll be paying this thing off for 6 years (maximum).
So, now I have to figure out my finances. With taxes taken out and all that I worked it out that each week I’m profiting $20, that’s $80 a month after bills. Wow. That sucks. So, though I could survive and everything, I would have like nothing to spend on entertainment if I ever want to take Linds out or buy anything, I can’t. So, I’m again thinking weekend job until I start receiving my commission checks. Which is still like a month and some away.
In other news, Linds still doesn’t have a blog. She doesn’t think she’d have anything to say. Reflections?
In other political thoughts. I read a headline saying that the defecit is the lowest it’s been in years. Furthermore, the economy is way up right now and companies are growing. And you know what, I guarantee you won’t see anything about it being Bush’s doing. However, whenever it’s down they blame the government. Do I think we should still be in Iraq, not really, I see how important it is to their country and ours and I think we should’ve started moving out already, but I don’t know everything going on.
And North Korea, there were talks of war with them back in 2002 but we decided not to budge and focus on getting the worst dictator on earth out of power instead. Now, we have a new worst dictator and he was in “Team America”. Do we take out Korea as they test their nukes and before they are like us, the “we’ve tested it, all we have to do is use it” period. I think we leave them alone and send Bush to Korea to chat. Something to show we’re trying and also to avoid war. I don’t think it’ll work, but I think it’s what you have to do.
Do I know everything about politics, No. Not even close. I know enough to have a fairly intelligent conversation about it, and I know about certain issues but am not even close to an expert. I do know what liberals (CNN, MSNBC, ……) were hating when the economy was down and now it’s at all new highs and there isn’t any love.
Where’s the love?
Lindsey, get a blog.
October 11th, 2006
Yeah. You were thinking it, I said it. It’s Thursday.
David- Nice post. Judging from the comments, my weak story didn’t compare. However, I was only commenting on the one time it didn’t work. So really it was like me comparing my worst moment with your current moment (as I say that, I want the audience to think - the tone of Michael Scott, maybe David is like Toby) And Dave, I’m gettign worried, you get more and more random. Cause of the way facebook is now, I can see what you comment on photos and notes and stuff, and it’s often some crazy random stuff. Don’t stop, though. I love it. For those who dont’ know what I’m talking about:
She would most definitely sleep it off. Well, I can’t do that mom! Nope, not me. I’m a baller and Jason Tyner is the Ultimate Warrior! (from his latest post)
Well, Amen I say to you, David works in mysterious ways. Mysterious GENIOUS ways. (Amen? who says that? I can’t think of any conversation I’ve ever had that someone has said to me, “well bryce, amen i say to you…”)
Life ain’t got nothing on me.
Life is the matrix, my name is Neo, and I can dodge bullets. (I’m hoping it’s a quote from something, giving him the benefit of the doubt)
life hates us all. That’s why i’m not livin in the real world. I’m livin the dream! (who says that? Living the dream!!??)
David is the Dread Pirate Roberts. (I’m hoping this is from something, too)
(and my favorite) ching-ching bling-bling dolla dolla! (Ok, there is some logic here, it’s a comment on a photo of Molly Brass with her smiling showing her grillz (braces)).
But, though this is a great start to a post, this was not my intention for a post. My intention is the following:
I used to be a journalist. I remember every god damn week having to arrange times to meet with coaches, basically kill their ask and not ask the hard questions I was thinking, email the Sports Information Director, and pray to God I could get athletes to call me back. Other stresses, dealing with the Spur staff who, and rightly so, had a problem with my covering golf, hardcore conflict of interest. I fought it, saying I didn’t have the writers and they deserved their coverage. They accepted that, until I had 2 staff writers and another writer asking to write.
I remember having to call my female writer, who I will not mention in case she ever googles her name, every single week asking where her story was. In a lineup with a bunch of super hero gay guys and maybe some librarians and hippy liberal drug doers, you would still pick her last to want to write sports stories. But, I guess she liked it, she just didn’t have a knack for getting people to call her back or talk to coaches on the court.
But, I was reading the Spur today. New sports editor, one of my less than promising writers had the lead story. And I’m here thinking, I used to do that. That was my gig. I was thinking and brainstorming, “what can I do to make sports even better” Truth is, there isn’t much you can do with so few writers. The most popular story is a dirty one, someone fired, something like that. Well, that comes up just once a year (when we fire our women’s bball coach) and that isn’t gonna push your section. People who read the paper look for their buddies in the crime briefs and see the headlines.
I guess I’m just thinking, now that I have no control and my show is over, just reflecting. Just a semester ago I would be prepping for the weekend and asking Linds how my stories are doing online. I would be stressed out and expecting a long night on Tuesdays. Now, I think about sales and paying bills.
But hey, my name is Neo…I dodge bullets…
October 5th, 2006
I’ve had car troubles. You guys know. Chet, you were right. I have to get a new one.
I finally was able to get into someplace today to have them take a look at it. A co-worker knew a guy who wouldn’t scam me and it was near work so I was signed up. This morning I leave at 6:50am giving myself plenty of time to get to work.
I’m not even out of the ‘burbs before I’m overheating and shutting down. Shit. I still have 40 miles to go. I stop, let it cool off, get back on the busy highway. Go another 10 miles or so and I’m thinking, “I’m doomed!” DOOMED!
I’m praying, alot. I do most of my praying on Sunday, at church, before church, while doing my weekly drug sales. But lately I’ve prayed a lot lot.
Also, I call the van, baby alot. “Come on baby, just a little further! Just get me there. Come on baby, you can do it.” I don’t talk like that to Lindsey or anyone else for that matter. It’s rare I say baby, unless it’s part of a joke or something. But, it is very natural when talking to my cars. Weird? Yes.
I made it like less than half way and I have had to pull over like 3 times to let it cool down. I’m freaking out, I have like 20 plus miles to go. I pass an auto parts shop and am thinking, “that was my answered prayer” they could’ve helped me a lot I’ll bet and I missed it. I keep going, like 2 miles down the road another one. This time I do a hard brake and pull into the shop. They aren’t open but I can see the guy at the desk. I yell through the crack of the door if he can help me, I can’t hear anything cause of the nearby busy highway. He nods, without moving, I tell him all my car problems, and with a cigarette in his mouth comes to the door, dripping ash everywhere, and tells me to pop the hood. He looks and quickly decides I will not get to where I’m going, but he knows a guy.
I love that he knows a guy.
This guy wont’ scam you, he’s a good guy, not everyone is good, he sells to people that aren’t good, this guy is good. this guy is what? good.
I go there and ditch the other place that I couldn’t make it to anyways. It’s like a mile away. This guy named Salv is there. He’s from Spencer, SD! He has a thick Swedish accent. He isn’t ORIGINALLY from SD, but he’s a good guy. The guy is what? Good. He tells me he’ll probably have bad news once he looks at it, but he’ll look and call me. Now is where I luck out. Of everyone I know at ADP there is one person who comes from near Philly and because I left so early she hadn’t passed where I was yet. She picked me up, I was numb. I said like 4 words, “thanks for the ride”. I had no appetite, I had no concentration, I was like, “SHIT!”
I talk to Linds once I had a break at work and she’s like, “Call your dad” and I’m like, I got it, boo. Hang-up. She calls my dad. Dad calls me. I call dad once I get a break. A gameplan is developed: trade it in for whatever I can get once I get the title, and get something that can get me from A to B. Look for 0% financing.
At noon I get the call, it’s definately the intake gasket or a cracked block. Minimum repairs: 600-800 bucks. DEEP BREATH.
After work I get a ride back to my car and call my boss on the way, “since we’re doing self-study tomorrow, and I have my car issues, could i study from home?” “Yes, shouldn’t be a problem”
YES! So I get to my car, and begin driving home. Did pretty well, went about 15 miles before I started locking up and had to pull over. I finally coast home, no major problems.
So now, gotta find a good used car and more importantly a place to bring my van to.
October 4th, 2006