I cooked one of the briskets and a whole head of cabbage for supper.

FRIDAY - March 9, 2007

10:52a – I just woke up ... still half asleep. I was dreaming a weird dream about an ancient Roman fountain. I was shaped sort of like a huge flower, and each petal, or lobe of the fountain had a name. The last three lobes that I remember seeing were named "Mel," "Ogra," and "Logulac." Logulac was in some way associated with the number 24, and 24 was very significant in some way. The room where the fountain was located was very dark, but near the Logulac lobe, there was a female gorilla. This gorilla was capable of saying "Logulac," and in front of all those present, she rose from her dark corner, came to the edge of the fountain, pointed at the lobe and spake, "Logulac" before all of those present. It was very disturbing and awe inspiring, though I don't quite understand why.

8:11p – I did not get the dishes done today, but I did get laundry done, including part of Skip's laundry which was still in the washer. Skip went out with Brian, his buddy from work, so I did not have to pick him up from the train depot. I went to Schnuck's and spent about $15 on more groceries, including 2 more cheap briskets. (I have one of them cooking now). Skip came home around 7:00p with some take-home food which including breaded frog legs.

I spent much of this evening creating a an upload for Renderosity of one of the moon pictures I took last Friday. I translated it to Esperanto too. However, the system failed and did not allow me to upload my file after nearly an hour of work!

Dum Marto 2, 2007, mi veturis al nia monate Esperanto Konversacio Rondo en Sankta Luiso, Mizuiro, Usono. La suno estis subiranta kaj elmontris fenomenan paradon. Mi eniris al multajn parkejojn kaj sur la flanko de la vojo, je vana serĉado de vidpunkto sen potencaj linioj, strataj lumoj, aŭ aliaj turpaj obstruckcoj kiuj volis turpigi la belegan paradon de Naturo. Mia sukceso estis limigita, sed mi ja eblis kapti unu aŭ du prenoj kiujn mi opiniis estis partopreneblajn. Rimarku ankaŭ ke ĉi tiu bildo estis prenita dum la tago antaŭ lunan eklipson. Mi kredas ke La Luno havis antaŭeklipsa festo! Mi titulis ĉi tiu bildon Esperante kiel "Sunsubiro."

8:28 – I must head back to work tomorrow. I hate for the day to come to a close. I need to to check my brisket cooking in the kitchen.

SATURDAY - March 10, 2007

11:36a – I got up around 10:00a. Checked email. Did a few household chores, and put some soup on. It's another beautiful day out today. Spring is on its way at last! Too bad I have to work today. I have no floor support time scheduled at all today, but I will probably be on the commercial lines, and since it is Saturday, the call volume should not be too high.

1:14p – Time to head off to work. Skip is riding along to have me drop him off somewhere.

I was on the phone ALL day. All Commercial and Tech queue. BORING!!! ... but I can deal with boring.

SUNDAY - March 11, 2007

4:55a – The time changed to night. I got home, started supper immediately. I just finished eating. Off to bed now.

I got up with my alarm, took a shower, checked email, and fixed some soup for "breakfast." I headed out to work a bit late, dropping Skip off at Wal-Mart on the way, yet I managed to get to work on time. My day was leisurely (I suppose) with only one phone call before I went on floor support, and no calls afterward. We have another Adelphia to Comcast migration coming up this week though, so things should get busy... if not he

MONDAY - March 12, 2007

I got up about 15 minutes before my alarm went off. Work was the usual boring nothingness. Someone from area code 814 called me tonight. No clue who that was.

TUESDAY - March 13, 2007

5:30a – One more day of left to work. Meanwhile... I am off to bed!

1:34p – Off to work again. Fourth day of four... at last!

WEDNESDAY March 14, 2007 I got up at noon, checked email, watched part of the movie "Earth Storm," then went to pick Skip up from the train. It was a mostly gray and blah day today. Around 6:00p the sun was out and setting. I created a new CD for the car tonight. I was getting tired of the same old Romanian music. Y'aatg' ey' iiyelm' aamfre Adam uutaitne. Iih' olt' iime Jack aitm' iibe EichAive+. Y'illw' aav' uut' ivg' im' ey' aalk' uutarmorre. I made myself a new CD for the car this evening, then drove down to QuickTrip (in the rain) to listen to a bit of the CD ... and to pick up some ice cream. I had a bit of a sweet tooth tonight, which is kind of rare for me. THURSDAY March 15, 2007 1:23a – The temperature is a cool and it is raining out. I just drove down to Quick Trip and got some ice cream. We had all the windows open, including the back door, and I just realized that Ski turned on the heat! He got into a big argument with me tonight about how 2 years was not an unacceptable time frame for him to build the fence he started back in 2005.

I really did not want to argue. I have my opinions, but my part of the deal was done when I financed the fence. Blake's part of the deal was done when the rent deductions covered the cost of building the fence. Skip still has not completed the fence. Only he has a commitment left. I don't care one way or the other any more. I have met my obligations on the fence, and Kira is now dead, so I don't have to worry about her wandering out of the back yard (which was my reason for moving here in the first place. I just took my new CD and went out to the car to listen to it for a while. Not my idea of a pleasant day off from work, but at least I got away from the bitching for a spell.

7:27p – I took one of my pills from my leftover meds last night. The one that causes the "electric dreams." I wondered if it would affect my dreaming. Boy ... it sure did! My dreams were mostly distressing and chaotic. What I can remember hardly makes enough sense to put into words, but here are some highlights...

I was driving my car home. For some reason I had smoked some marijuana (in a previous dream I guess) and was feeling very disoriented. As I was driving along, I realize that there was a a crack in my windshield. Near the bottom on the passenger's side. I tried to lean over to get a better look at it, while driving. I noticed the sky was a deep magenta color. There was no sun or moon visible. Looking at the damage to the window I realized it did not look like a normal crack. It look more like it had been melted by intense temperatures. Then, as I sat back up behind the steering wheel, something, possibly a hail stone struck the window and put another small pock mark near the center. I continued to drive, but due to the influence of the dream marijuana and my distraction by the windshield damage, I discovered I had become lost. I had no idea where I was and the drug induced confusion was making me feel panicky. I saw a sign for highway 177 and had no idea where that was. I pulled into some place, maybe a convenience store. I ended up in some kind of recreational part (I think). I parked my car and forgot where I parked it. The dream gets even more chaotic at this point and I lose track of what happened, but I did not wake up.

7:46p – I gave Jack a call today. He was very depressed and asked me to call him back. I did, but he was driving at the time and was not really in the mood to talk. I hope he's okay.

Meanwhile, I got an appointment set with Dameion for next week, and a tentative doctor's appointment for the 30th.

I also got some of the dishes cleaned up. The sink had reached one of its all time lows. I cleaned the sink out, the boiled a pot of water and poured down the drain to sterilize it (at least a little). I even got some laundry done.

All I've had to eat today was a bit of left over brisket and some corn. I just got back from the store, however. I picked up some sliced pork butt (and more cabbage... which is on sale of course, being March).

11:44p – I am making stuffed cabbage & biscuits tonight. Very different from my usual cuisine.

FRIDAY - March 16, 2007 12:57a – My stuffed cabbage was excellent. I was going to save some, but it was so good I ate it all. Then I had some ice cream (like I need that!). Off to bed now. 11:43a – I slept fitfully. My dreams were not as distressing last night, but just as chaotic. My left eye is having problems. It is swollen and sensitive to the touch. It was keeping me awake through the night. And my right shoulder seems to keep getting worse; it aches sometimes all the way down to my wrist.

5:02p – I just got back from an excursion to Our Lady of the Snows. I took my camera and explored the grounds. It is a vast place.

I found a nature trail and explored it for a ways. It will be better in the Spring or Summer I think, but it was good to get out and get some exercise in nature. I don't do that enough.

11:10p – Skip went out with his friend Brian tonight, as expected. He called and asked if I would like some of the Mexican tacos from the Polish Hall. I said yes. He brought home some tasty snacks... and some Killian's Red mugs.

SATURDAY - March 17, 2007

11:15a – I feel awful this morning. I woke up last night sneezing and with a runny nose. I think I have a slight fever all night. My left eye is swollen, red and tender to the touch. My right shoulder aches all the way down my arm and I can barely lift it. It's a good thing I got my doctor's appointment. I just hope it is not too late.

I had all kinds of dreams last night. Lots of people I knew in them. Darlene and 'lisa, Kenneth, Néhna, Mom and Dad, even Dan K. from my old job.

Work was fairly calm today. I noticed that my hours for Sunday shifted down 15 minutes for one day. Odd. Michelle provided me a "bit o green" to wear, since, in my rush, I forgot it was St. Patrick's day. Actually, I wore my red Wash. U. shirt, which has green writing on the breast logo.

I am still reading "Fanny Hill" on-line. What an interestingly written story. I think I am over half way through it now; into "the second letter."

SUNDAY - March 18, 2007

Happy Birthday! (En Memoriam) to my late father Frank Everett Lewis

12:50p – I am rushing to get out of here early today.

Today was a slow lazy day at work. Typical of a Sunday. I only took 3 calls, but floor support was still intense. I was actually glad to get off floor support and take the phones.

My schedule today was from 2:00p until 12:30a, so I got off 15 minutes earlier than usual. I stopped at the Router 3 convenience store and they had a long line, so that ate up part of my extra 15 minutes. Then the train was once again crossing at Camp Jackson, so I turned off my motor and lights and waited. It was a long and slow moving train. Finally, it passes... but the person in the car in front of me seems to have passed out! I honked my horn to no avail. The pick up behind me pull into the right lane and up along side the "sleeper" ... possibly to see if they were okay, and honked his horn too. They finally seemed to wake up, but... too late! Here comes ANOTHER train from the opposite direction! We had to sit there and wait for THAT train to pass too. Including the guy in the pickup who could have made it if he had must gone on across the tracks after pulling out from behind me. I was so pissed off.

The train finally passes. It was fast moving, but very long. The person in front of me fell asleep (or passed out) again! I, and several others behind me starting honking our horns without mercy, and the person finally got their car going, but they were driving so slowly, about 30 mph in a 40 mph zone, and I was stuck behind them due to traffic slowing down to turn in the right lane. I finally got around them in an irate burse of speed. I almost got my cell phone out and called the police, but didn't.

After getting home, I finished watching the animated movie "The Invincible Ironman." It was okay, but nothing to write home about.

MONDAY - March 19, 2007

I was running late to work today and had to call in. (confirmation #031913). It was BUSY. I got put back into the 145 Residential queue. Floor Support was crazy too. At least there was not train to deal with when I came home (though I did see one down the track, but I don't know if it was coming or going).

TUESDAY - March 20, 2007

Happy Ostara!

1:23p – I am rushing off to work again. I barely have time lately to keep my journal up to date. But, I haven't missed a day yet. (Even if I didn't say much!).

I was still in the 145 Adelphia Residential queue today. Calls were non-stop, until I went on floor support. Then the chats stayed 5 deep for almost the entire 6 hours. When I arrived, there were yellow and white balloons everywhere. I thought they must be celebrating Ostara! Silly me... nope. They were celebrating the fact that we had only 8% absenteeism today. How pathetic.

I got home and watched some TV, and put a brisket in the crock-pot for tomorrow.

WEDNESDAY - March 21, 2007

1:18p – I slept until about 1:00p. I am feel much more refreshed now. I needed that sleep!

THURSDAY - March 22, 2007
mfpig 22 anil9 2007

I got up later than I wanted to. Chooga got in my room and was bothering me no end. I finally got up, put him out, and dozed back off for a bit. Then got up around noon. I was hard pressed to get everything ready for Dameion for my appointment at Bethany Place this afternoon, but I finally got the printer to cooperate, and go all my documentation printed and submitted. I signed off on all the appropriate paperwork and after my doctor's appointment on the 30th, I hope I will be able to get some help with all my piled up utility bills!

FRIDAY - March 23, 2007

1:52a – I am off to bed.

1:06p – Here I am rushing to get ready for work again.

I had a dream about Kira last night. She had puppies. Mom was in the dream too and was trying to clean up Kira and the puppy's bed, which had become urine soaked. I said we could just throw the towels in the washer, dry them, and be good as new. Meanwhile, I grabbed a handful of paper towels to put down as temporary bedding. There were four puppies. Eyes were still not open.

I can't help but to wonder if this is Kira telling me to get a puppy to carry on her memory, since she never could have babies of her own. She was such a maternal soul... it would be like her. Damn, I miss her so much still...

My Team Lead (TL), D. Rowe approached me today and said he was changing my schedule, since I has "requested a weekend off." I actually only said I would like a weekend DAY off now and then, but that was very nice of him! He scheduled me off on Sunday, so now I have Saturday AND Sunday off. I work next Saturday though.

SATURDAY - March 24, 2007

3:27a – Just sitting here catching up on email tonight. Lots of it. I should go to bed so I can get up early. I want to go to Soulard Market tomorrow, since I have the day off.

3:33a – I got all the lyrics to one of my favorite songs, "Dragostea Din Tei" (in Romanian of course). I love this song. It is so upbeat and energetic. The basic words are as follows, we various choruses and such...

Ma-ia-hii Ma-ia-huu Ma-ia-hoo Ma-ia-haha Alo, Salut, sunt eu, un haiduc, Si te rog, iubirea mea, primeste fericirea. Alo, alo, sunt eu Picasso, Ti-am dat beep, si sunt voinic, Dar sa stii nu-ti cer nimic. Vrei sa pleci dar nu ma, nu ma iei, Nu ma, nu ma iei, nu ma, nu ma, nu ma iei. Chipul tau si dragostea din tei, Mi-amintesc de ochii tai. Te sun, sa-ti spun, ce simt acum, Alo, iubirea mea, sunt eu, fericirea. Alo, alo, sunt iarasi eu, Picasso, Ti-am dat beep, si sunt voinic, Dar sa stii nu-ti cer nimic.

Miya-hee Miya-hoo Miya-ho Miya-haha Hello, greetings, it's me, an outlaw, I ask you, my love, to accept happiness. Hello, hello, it's me, Picasso, I sent you a beep, and I'm brave/strong, But you should know that I'm not asking for anything from you. You want to leave but you don't want don't want to take me, don't want don't want to take me, don't want don't want don't want to take me. Your face and the love from the linden trees, And I remember your eyes. I call you, to tell you what I feel right now, Hello, my love, it's me, your happiness. Hello, hello, it's me again, Picasso, I sent you a beep and I'm brave/strong, But you should know that I'm not asking for anything from you.

Today was a pretty good day. I went to bed late, around 6:00a, but I managed to get up by noon and Skip and I went out to Soulard Market as planned. I got 2 pounds of mushrooms for $2, 6 bunches of broccoli for $2, and 3 avocadoes for $1, plus a few other things, including some pork steaks at $1.79 per pound, which is still the same price it has been for at least 5 years. Then we drove back to Illinois to Tequila's and had lunch. We were both starving by then and both ordered the "burrito carbon." From there, we walked over to The Market Place. Skip did some shopping, but I just picked up some sodas. (Money is getting very low).

SUNDAY - March 25, 2007

2:40p – I got up very early for me today, at about 8:30a. Skip was surprised to see me up that early, and Barnabas (who turns 12 years old today), was apparently not expecting me to be up either. I was sitting here at my computer when he comes into the office, jumps up on my desk right in front of me, then up onto my scanner so he could see out the window. I guess he never saw me sitting there because I spoke to him, asking what the Hell he thought he was doing, and his eyes got really big with surprise! He dashed back down on the desk and floor and sped off out of sight. He was not expecting me up that early either!

3:27a – We got some work done around the house yesterday and today . I trimmed the bushes in the front of the house last night. Skip and I got all the brush and boards burned in the back yard. It's still smoldering out there now.

MONDAY - March 26, 2007

1:26p – The TV isn't working today. Well... I can play a DVD and it works, but the TV and DVR are not working. I am wondering if they disconnected it? But the TV in the bedroom is working okay.

I spent EIGHT hours on floor support tonight! It was crazy. At least they put me back into the commercial queue.

TUESDAY - March 27, 2007

3:44a – The Satellite seems to be out. It should have been paid. I checked online tonight, and my $60 payment NEVER shows up! Very annoying.

11:00a – I just got up. Still nearly asleep. Today is garbage day, the bin is full, and neither of us took it to the curb to be emptied. Fortunately, it does not appear that the garbage has run yet, so I threw on a shirt and rolled it down to the road. My eyes are still in "sleep mode" ... and the sun is SO bright!

I called about the Satellite system. They had received my payment and it was NOT that they had disconnected me. A signal was sent down to the DVR and it came back on line.

Work was okay. Only took 3 calls (I am back in the Tech/Commercial queue). Floor Support was busy, but not as bad as yesterday.

I got stopped by another train on the way home. I was almost to the track when the lights went. One more minute and I would have made it.

I watched one more episode of Heroes when I got home. I should have been working on finishing up my newsletter for EASL. It is due to be completed and mail out about NOW.

WEDNESDAY - March 28, 2007

11:35a – As usual, I just got up and am still half asleep. They are rebuilding the neighbor's house that burned down last year, and I have the windows open. So yesterday they were hammering all morning and this morning it was the nail gun popping continuously.

Today was easy on the phones. I started off in the 146-Tech queue. After about 2 hours and 2 phone calls, Jason moved me to the 148-Freedom queue which I was told has not had a single call in 6 days! So, even though I was technically on the phone, I also helped out with floor support. And even though I was unscheduled and "extra," we still found ourselves slammed with chats all night.

I got home from work and watched another episode of ST:Enterprise, "The Breach." I did not make much for supper other than some vegetable soup.

THURSDAY - March 29, 2007

10:59a – I am up a bit early this morning. As usual, I was having bizarre dreams. One that I sort of remember dealt with giants. That's new... never dreamed about giants before. They were all having some kind of a party in the outdoors, and were dancing. The dance was to a lively beat, though I cannot recall actually hearing the music. The dancing seemed to be something similar to an Irish Step-Dance. All the giants were in step together and the ground rumbled and shook as their elephant sized feet pounded the earth. I heard, or had, a conversation with someone, mentioned that all the energy expended by these dancing giants could be harnessed and converted to electricity, but the topic seemed to get ignored as we became distracted by one of the mountainous pairs of dancers doing "a swoopy" dance. (This term came from the dream; it is not my conscious description). Due to their immensity, we could not see much of the gargantuan revelers other than their feet, but one of this particular pair of dancers was wearing pink high-heels. Rather than the rhythmic stomping of the other dancers, this pair of dancers seemed to be twirling and dipping ... somewhat erratically. As a huge pink high-heel, the size of a small house, hit the ground nearby, I noticed that in the back of the shoe there were 2 windows! Apparently, this dancer was not a living being at all, but some kind of robot with passengers inside... and this is where the dream ends of fades out. Yet another cliff-hanger!

9:39p – I was busy today, despite being very lazy feeling. I forced myself to get up and to check out the lawnmower. I am happy to report that it survived the winter and started right up! I mowed the front lawn for the first time this year. I is very brown compared to the other lawns, but I think we have a slower kind of grass. I spread out some Weed & Feed too, so that should perk it up.

Then I took a shower and went down to Great Clips to get my hair cut. To my amazement, Great Clips was no longer there! They dropped the location, but ...I forget her name ... she cut my hair ... anyway (what ever her name is), she bought out the lease and is now working as "Paradise Cuts." The price remained the same, so I got my hair cut.

I left there and went to pick Skip up from the train station. My timing was very good. He only had to wait about 2 minutes.

10:43p – I have finished cooking supper. Skip provided the chicken and the okra. I provided the work and the cabbage...

FRIDAY - March 30, 2007

1:09a – I am up too late... off to bed now!

12:10p – I ended up staying in bed way longer than intended. But, it was raining and making me lethargic. I had several dreams, one of which was more clear than then others...

I was in a very fancy coffee shop which I had never been in before. I was going to order coffee, but was a little unsure of their procedures in this place. I saw a rack of very large coffee mugs, each with a person's name on it and wondered if the match one's name to the cups? Or did you just get a cup with someone else name on it? I mused over the complexities of trying to have enough cups for all the different common names there are, and how to find the cup quickly. And what if your name was Akhmed, or something similar? Anyway, I ordered my coffee from a well groomed man behind the counter, whom I recognized as Mike Steiber from Orlando. I have not even thought of him in a long time. My coffee was served to me in a plain white coffee cup, which left me wondering what the story was with all the "named" coffee cups, but I decided I didn't care. Especially when I found out the price of my cup of coffee was over five dollars! I was disgruntled over the cost, but I had not inquired before hand, so ... my bad. I handed over a five dollar bill and received my change and a rather long receipt. I wander down a long counter and found my self at a cash register. Someone yelled down to me that they would, "be right there!" So I pause for a moment, then looked down at the receipt I was holding and realized I had already paid for my coffee and began to leave. Then this matronly lady with long, dull hair, streaked with hints of gray came from behind a curtained doorway and headed briskly to the register. She was carrying a small clay bowl from whence smoke was gently rising. As she neared I could see the contents appears to be a potpourri of some kind with mixture items in various shades of purple. I could see what appeared to be raspberries or mulberries. The were being heated in someway and were slowly burning and spreading an aromatic bouquet. (I found this odd, since I don't usually notice smells in dreams). The lady seemed to have me mistaken for someone else as she explained that the mixture had been prepared by hand and was a masterful blend of masculine oriented aromas; an incense designed for men. I apologized and said I had already paid for my coffee. I had not ordered the bowl of potpourri/incense, and was just looking for my way out. I left her there, with her simmering chalice in hand, staring at me in annoyed confusion. I shrugged off any unwarranted guilt and wandered back up to the front of the store. Here I found a room with comfortable lighting, a plush davenports and ottomans, small tables and lamps. A very nice place to sit, relax and compose yourself before going off to the hectic workplace. And this is where I woke up...

5:04p – I just got home after a trip to Jay International for some groceries, and then to the doctor's appointment. When I arrived at the doctor's office, I decided to put my camera and a couple of DVD's in the trunk for safety. I was holding my car keys in the same hand as the back that I set in the trunk and released them along with the bag without realizing it. I shut the trunk and immediately realized what I had done! Fortunately, I had a spare key in the car and had not locked the car doors yet. Unfortunately, the key will open the door and start the car, but will not open the trunk. Now my food, DVD'S and my camera are lock in the trunk. I tried to go in thru the back seat, but it does not appear to come loose. Maybe I am just not pulling hard enough. I am going to see if I can look up information on this car on-line.

5:10p – I haven't had a bite to eat all day either. I am starting to feel a bit shaky.

I finally fixed some rice with leftover fried chicken strips from last night. Of course, then I was just about ready to fall asleep.

I worked on getting the EASL newsletter printed tonight. I left it printing when I went to bed.

SATURDAY - March 31, 2007

2:45p – I got up around 11:00a after a restless night full of  strange dreams. My newsletter has printed all wrong and wasted a lot of ink and paper. Add that to the fact that the key was still locked in the car, and I was feeling very depressed. I called in late today. Skip and I tried to get the back seat out so we could go in through the trunk, but after getting the seat pulled out a ways, we discovered there are metal girders crisscrossing the space. No way to get in there.

I dropped Skip off at the dollar store and came home. I searched the web and found a locksmith here in Cahokia. I called him and he met me at his shop on Route 3. He was able to make me a key for the trunk and, thankfully, that problem is now resolved. He charged me $45, but I suppose I should consider myself lucky! It could have been far worse.

3:15p – Time to head out to work. I feel a little better know the key problem has been resolved.

Work was very sedate (ie, "boring") today. I got stopped by that damn train AGAIN on the way home. It was 1:25a and I was almost to the tracks and thinking it was good not to have to wait for the train when DING DING DING and the lights start flashing and down come the arms. It's like that train sits and waits JUST for me!