After posting this journal for the past eight months I think I have developed writers block. Normally I get up, turn on the computer and just start typing the first thing that comes to my head. This morning the only creative thought that came to me was the fact that I don’t have anything to say so I thought I would write about that. I think this is a sign of extreme boredom. The most exciting thing I am going to do today is make stew with some fresh peas that my father gave me. That is it! It just doesn’t get much better than that for me now. My creative juices have been tapped and my motivations have been squelched. The next time you see me will be 10 years from now on the 10 O'Clock news. I will have gained 500 pounds and I will not have left my apartment during that time.

Someone once said (I think it was Andy Warhol) that everyone gets 15 minutes of fame and I think gaining a ton of weight (literally) will do that for me. I will make the evening news and Richard Simpson will come by with a camera crew. I will be overjoyed when he gets me to lift my arms over my head. I can just see him jumping for joy right now at my major accomplishment. Then I will lose all that weight from eating nothing but McDonald’s salads. That’s when I will start making the big time. Step aside Jarrod! Pauly is coming through weighing in at a pittance of 160 pounds all buff (with some plastic surgery of course). Yeah, that’s the next time you will see me. Maybe then I will have something interesting to put in this damn journal!

Sometimes a website says it better than words. This is for all of my loyal fans who read my journal. My sister sent this to me and I am just passing on the joy. Turn up the sound before you click on the link.

http://www.funklix.com/WannaShout/You_Make_Me_Wanna_Shout.swf

This weekend was pretty boring. I know, I know it was Halsted Street Market Days. Who wouldn’t have fun, right?! Me, that is who. I rode down there on my bike ready for a good time. It was so hot and crowded the Saturday I went I just took a detour into a bar after walking about half way through the market. I was just annoyed with all those damn people. Besides, the bar was air conditioned and not nearly as crowded. The cool thing about being in the bar was that I could see all the hotties outside while staying cool inside!

When you boil it down that is the only reason to even go to Market Days. If you have been to one street fair you have been to them all. I remember talking to one of the vendors a few years ago and he told me that his business was to register with all the different fairs, put up the tent and sell his wares. I have definitely seen the same vendors at different fairs around the city. It is pretty obvious that many of the vendors have no connection to the neighborhood or what the event is originally about. Market Days started as a Gay and Lesbian street fair many years ago and now it has grown into the largest street fair in the mid-West. Though the event has lost some of what it was originally created for, one thing you can’t get rid of are all of the hot men walking around with their shirts off. Hmm... Now that I think about it maybe I didn't have such a bad time after all. :-)

Hey gang, as you have probably noticed I have started doing a little redecorating around the old website. It is just little things now but look for a complete overhaul in the near future. I know I have been saying that for some time now but it will definitely happen. I’m just researching my options right now. Since our nation has been downsizing (for the past 10 years!) I thought I should downsize also. I will be putting my website on a diet to make it slimmer and trimmer! Not much going on here. I had been slacking for several weeks on the job hunting front but I think I am back in hamster wheel (I think that means going no where?) and applying for jobs. Believe me, it gets pretty depressing when you apply for 5 to 7 jobs a day and you MIGHT hear back from one the whole month! But as my close friends know I am made much tougher stuff!

Not a whole lot going on so I am going to make this entry short so I can jump right into job hunting! Have a wonderful weekend!

Hey gang, it’s movie review time! As most of you should know I have dreamed of meeting ET since that movie of the same name was released by Stephen Spielberg. Well, the latest addition to the sci-fi genre is not quite ET but is just as entertaining in a more ominous way. ‘Signs’ focuses on a phenomenon of mysterious crop circle formations that has been puzzling people for years and now one has appeared on the Hess farm! Graham Hess (Mel Gibson) is a former pastor who has not only lost his wife to a horrific accident but has also lost his faith. Faith is exactly what this movie is about and I think M. Night Shyamalan has put together an entertaining and thought provoking work. Mel Gibson struggles with this question of faith and causality throughout the movie.

Joaquin Phoenix gives a great performance as Graham’s younger brother, Merrill who has come to help Graham with running the farm and taking care of the children. Though Merrill looks up to his older brother Graham he also provides a great counter character to Graham for the extreme situation this family must endure. Now Mel and Joaquin are great in this movie but it’s those two kids that did it for me. Rory Culkin (Yes, the younger brother of You-know-who) and Abigail Bresslin are so delightful to watch in this movie you just want to reach through the screen and pinch those cute little cheeks. These kids are great and I can see Rory’s career going places (as long as his parents don’t fuck it up!). This kid is good. I guess I should have a rating system like all of the other great critics. Hmm… Let’s see. Since this journal is about getting a job how about using job interviews! So the more job interviews the better the movie! I give this movie three job interviews out of a possible four!

The gang from Michigan made it here for the party weekend. They numbered six which equals three couples from the great state of Michigan. I met them out Saturday night at a cute trendy bar called Big Wig. They were their usual dancing fool selves. The music was really good and I think a good time was had by all. We got to Berlin and I was done with dancing so I just propped myself against the bar and chatted with my bar friends. It was definitely good seeing the gang from Michigan but I must admit that cleaning my apartment this weekend gave me such a feeling of accomplishment! Hey Michigan gang, it’s like comparing apples and oranges so don’t be offended.

I was fully armed with vacuums, dusters, furniture polish and more! It was a full fledged battle between me and the cat hair that was slowly taking over. I knew it was bad when I opened the door one day and I saw several balls of cat hair rolling across the floor. I think they had started breeding and were multiplying! Honeys, I was pulling furniture from the walls to get at these tribble shaped pests! I had such a feeling of accomplishment Saturday when I could actually see a shine on my cocktail table I almost cried! OK, that is an exaggeration but it did feel good! I think I will tackle my car this week. It has become a bird shit magnet and I can’t remember the last time I had that thing cleaned!

Yesterday I got my first job that was not a referral from a friend. I really appreciate the work that my friends have sent my way and please keep sending it! A couple of weeks ago I went around the neighborhood with flyers that advertised my services. I also put up the FASiT web site. I was a little disappointed that I was not getting any bites from my (attempt at) advertising but that all changed a couple of days ago when a woman called needing help with her computer. I was so excited I took a shower and got dressed in my official work gear which consists of a polo and khaki’s. Isn’t that what all PC techs wear? With my trusty laptop and a stack of business cards that could choke a cat I was ready! Actually my cat Casper did get hold of my business cards and tried to eat the rubber band that held the cards! Crazy fuckin’ cat!

I was greeted at the door by a VERY large German Shepard. I felt a little like the mail man. Thank God I'm not scared of dogs. Fortunately the lady's dog was a pussy cat. The lady's PC problems were minor and I wasn’t even there 20 minutes but I do think her and her husband were pleased with my service. Who wouldn’t be? Once I pour on the charm and flash my infectious smile full of dimples it would make anyone my customer for life. I have developed a definite flair for dealing with customers. I think that comes from years of retail work while in college. Let’s not forget my most difficult customer while I was working for Compaq, Motorola! I have learned that PC repair is 30% knowledge and 60% personality. Fortunately I have 100% of both! Keep those referrals coming!