May, 2008:

I filled out half of this week’s Wrecked Poll for Jet, so I figured I’d share here too. I don’t even know what a Wrecked Poll is, who writes it, or what makes it so Toe Up. But, the questions were interesting, I thought.

1. Do you have satellite radio? Do you dig it?
I do not have satellite radio. I have a few friends with it and it never seemed all the impressive to me. Until, however, my most recent business trip to CA (from which I am currently sitting in an airport waiting to return). My rental car came with XM Radio and I was quite impressed. Not only was the quality great, but I was able to get the same stations regardless of where I was traveling and I didn’t have to listen to any commercials. Quite nice! Usually I’d prefer my iPod as well, however, I managed to find a few stations (XMU, Ethel) on XM Radio that played incredibly good music. It was a nice opportunity to hear some new bands.

2. Do you like solitude? How often do you get it?
I do enjoy solitude. Unfortunately, it either comes in the form of too much or not enough and is rarely just right. Oddly enough, I’m also a fan of shared solitude… those situations where two (or more) people can be alone in their thoughts and yet still be in the same room, perhaps even sitting side by side in front of a roaring ocean.

3. Was there ever a single day or event in your life that you look back on and think, wow, if that had been different my life would be different, too?
Far too many days in my history are like this. Some I think the outcome could only be worse. Like if my wife and I hadn’t just up and decided to get married, starting with an elbow nudge and sealed with a kiss, where would I be today. Others it could probably be better, like the day I decided to trust my best friend and believe that everything was okay, when, really it wasn’t. If I had said something, stopped something, changed anything… would I have lost her? Would I be without her today?

4. What’s your take on online social networking? What sites do you participate in? How important is it to you?
I think social networking is an interesting way to bring people together. Especially people who are otherwise less connected or less tech savvy. It’s not as useful as some of the more dedicated platforms, and the signal to noise ratio can be quite low. But, I’ve made many new friends and have found myself reintroduced to old friends through sites like these, so I can’t complain. I’m a member of just about all of them.

5. BTTW / WTTW (best thing / worst thing this week)
BTTW — Listening to the ocean roar, my skin and hair sticky from the salty ocean breeze, all while watching the sun set out into infinity.

WTTW — Realizing that most of the emotional pain that I suffer is the direct result of inner turmoil and not knowing how to resolve it. Also realizing that the majority of the pain my friends are suffering is the result of lack of communication, failed attempts at honesty, and not being true to themselves.

Southern California has been difficult for me. The mountains push up at odd angles around every corner, dividing the inhabitable portions of the land up into chunks that glow at night, nestled into the foothills of the surrounding earthen fortress. I too am divided.

Each new hill, stretch of coast, Eucalyptus lined street, weather ridden street sign, and over turned cardboard box brings me new excitement. Yet, at the same time I yearn to share each little secret with someone. Preferably someone I love, someone I care about. But I even have dreams of meeting a stranger in a hotel lobby or coffee shop and convincing them to embark on a brief, fleeting adventure with me.

I try to share these moments through photography and prose. I try with all my might and fail. I’ve even considered trying video but I can only think of strapping the camera to my head and just letting you see it all. Perhaps the medium with it’s 2 dimensions and 4 perfectly straight edges is just too limited. Maybe my skill set is simply not advanced enough. Perhaps the excitement of the moment is so overwhelming that I can’t concentrate enough to make it coherent. Or maybe it just can’t be captured.

Still, I long to show you. I yearn for people to understand. I beg for others to live in these moments with me. Perhaps I am leaning too heavily on my mind to operate the camera, and too heavily on my eyes to frame the photograph.

• 09:43 Flight status is still on time. Big storm clouds here, though. Do you blame me for not trusting them? #
• 09:46 @wearethat I died a little inside when you said that. :) #
• 09:50 @Tim19 uh huh. Smog that drips from the sky in nice fat droplets and makes an odd rumbling noise. :) #
• 10:02 @wearethat spread em! (the benjamins) #
• 10:10 @wearethat quit talking about stimulation! I’m at work here! Jeez! (unless you’ve got some left over from me and it comes in a nice box) #
• 10:20 Tired. Stayed up too late last night. Got up too early this morning. Was called by work while in the shower even. Someone help keep me up. #
• 11:11 If I can get out of here by 1 then I can make it to the beach, photograph a tree, stop at the mall and make my flight early arrival at 605. #
• 11:19 @Tim19 you like trees too? Wide ones or tall ones? #
• 11:23 @agingdragqueen. Yes. For you! #
• 12:35 Check gas. Tunnel. 3 miles. #
• 12:40 Syracuse position will be slow to fill. Did not get a good vibe from initial correspondence. Will follow through anyway. #
• 12:45 Tunnel traffic sucks. Bad. I really don’t want to get stopped in there again. Eek. #
• 12:48 Only one exit remains before I am commited to this tunnel. Grr. #
• 12:52 Going in. Wish me luck. This should take less than 5 minutes. #
• 12:55 And… I’m out. Whew. #
• 13:06 Traffic looks bad already and I don’t know rush hour here. Gonna give myself 2 hours to get to the airport to be safe. #
• 13:16 I guess military planes regularly mock dog fight over VA beach. #
• 13:18 @whatgiraffe by nature I’m assuming you mean critters and birds and macros, yes? #
• 13:28 @whatgiraffe ok. Just making sure. Then, yeah. My last text stands. #
• 13:38 Got a little too close to that last wave. Water’s cold. #
• 13:51 Who sings the "Hollywood is not America" and what is he saying when he talks about blue jeans? #
• 14:02 @tim19 ah. I see. It’s a really dumb song. Like really dumb. #
• 14:03 @sivatonight me too! #
• 14:28 I took a detour to avoid a 6.75mi backup at tunnel A only to find myself headed for 2 tunnels both with backups. #
• 14:32 Do not change lanes in tunnel. #
• 14:35 1 down 1 to go. #
• 14:39 I’m going invent a GPS with an "avoid tunnels" button. #
• 14:49 Check gas. Tunnel. 6 1/2 miles. #
• 14:52 The James bridge is awesome and long. If I had time, I get a photo of it for you, Kristy. #
• 14:56 Boats in dry dock look funny. And whatever the mounds of black stuff on the SE side of Newport news are, they stink. Bad. #
• 15:22 @whitshea I don’t know. Is that a big pile of dark, stinky, little, black rocks? #
• 15:26 @whitshea oh. This is mined or manufactured or something there are big belts adding more to the tops of the stinking piles. #
• 15:33 @whitshea it’s even more gross that it’s right by the ocean doing god knows what to it. #
• 15:39 I gave myself 2 hours to get here thinking that was way generous. It’s been almost 2 now and I’m just about there. #
• 16:55 Surprise! My flight is delayed. Not sure by how much yet. #
• 17:05 Looks like I’m driving to Richmond to try to make an 804. Next flight out from here leaves tomorrow. #
• 17:11 Got a car. Leaving soon. #
• 17:18 Ticket lady having problems booking me. Too late now. Can’t make Richmond. Leaving here tomorrow at 710am. Get in to DFW at 1130. #
• 17:21 I called it. I so called it. If I can predict a delay, why can’t they? I miss my girls. #
• 17:25 Ticketing lady has to call the helpdesk because it’s not letting her give me a new ticket for any flight at all. #
• 17:45 Now to find a hotel. #
• 18:01 I got a room! Now only if there were a hot lady waiting in it for me. #
• 18:09 @Sheridan ha. Ha ha ha. I’ve already checked. Even the ladies have penises. #
• 18:14 Going out for drinks with @ryanjpointer. #
• 18:17 @sivatonight fuzzy puppy point #
• 18:17 @sivatonight I’ll join you! … Oh … Wait … Nevermind. #
• 18:30 Tunnel is backed up. Again. You know what this place needs? A BRIDGE! #
• 18:34 Because this week may not seem bad enough, I forgot to tell you this: I lost the earpiece to my nice Bluetooth headset. Car ate it. #
• 18:35 Check gas. Tunnel. 3 miles. #
• 18:46 And now there’s an alert. Sitting in a 4.75 mile backup. Wee! #
• 18:48 It sure is a nice night to drive with the windows open though. Awesome. #
• 19:02 This must be the weezer song #brush was taking about. Yuck! #
• 19:10 Only took 45 mins to go 8 miles. Awesome. Out of the tunnel now. #
• 22:30 Driving home now. #
• 22:36 Check gas. Tunnel. 3 miles. #
• 23:01 At the hotel. Tired. Early flight. Gonna check email then go to bed. Don’t keep me up. This means you. (but not you, you can) #

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• 00:27 @agingdragqueen then from this point forward, Nic shall be known as big Nic and shall be written as NIC in all contexts. #
• 05:42 There is some horrible creature living inside me that refuses to let me sleep past 6:30am regardless of circumstances. #
• 06:28 only one more sleep. #
• 07:18 Without love, without connection, without passion — we’re just a pile of empty atoms floating around an empty, lifeless planet. #
• 07:38 The best thing about staying in a hotel is that it’s new towel day today. Just like every. single. day. ever. #
• 08:35 really wish I was going to burning flipside this year. #
• 08:52 @tim19 but, she’s billy ray’s daughter. Clearly with his musical genius in her blood she must be incredible. #
• 09:18 @whatgiraffe too late. The gods have already spoken. NIC it is. You can rename the the old big Nic to "super Nic" or "sir nics a lot" #
• 09:29 A kind, smiling old man who worked the security desk at my office will pass away this morning. He will be missed. Here’s to you, L.D. #
• 09:32 @farrisgoldstein ha. Brilliant you are. #
• 09:39 @whatgiraffe don’t worry. Sir nics a lot will love his new name. #
• 09:42 @whatgiraffe gonna edit it for you at lunch. #
• 10:38 @sivatonight you like plastic better than hook and loop? You need a beadazzler. #
• 11:34 @wearethat lucky you! #
• 12:02 There is a bridge I have yet to cross. I think I’m about to do so. #
• 12:12 The bridge is the west loop of the Hampton roads beltway. And I think it’s more of a tunnel and less of a bridge. We’ll see soon. #
• 12:22 I heard the words I wanted to hear. Putting in for job in SYR later today. Then it’ll be up to the fates. #
• 12:30 @strandloper no. I got THAT job, just got moved to TX. Different job entirely. #
• 12:58 @sivatonight damn! I needed some fishwashing soap! #
• 13:40 @whatgiraffe yeah. #
• 13:55 @brush your radio loves me! Yay! #
• 14:21 @wearethat if that works, please share. It never works for me. Not like that. And not that quicky. #
• 14:24 @wearethat I know, right?! Maybe they just need a little foreplay first. #
• 14:30 @wearethat briliant! Why have I never thought of that before. #
• 14:32 @brush @wearethat that’s pretty much her usual schedule. At least she’s being fair about it. I thought I’d get special treatment. *sniffle* #
• 14:55 @brush *I’m* not complaining. I’m quite happy. #
• 15:00 @wearethat I gotta be honest, man. I have no complaints. I still support your efforts, however. #
• 15:11 @sivatonight I think I can too. Shhh. #
• 15:49 @whatgiraffe liar! I know it works! Me too! #
• 16:03 @evolvinglines YAY! #
• 16:34 It is so hot in here. Ugh. #
• 16:41 @staceylacey don’t tempt me unless you’re joining me. #
• 16:47 Must. Have. Fishwashing soap. #
• 16:51 @daisy12 it’s a joke for Jess from earlier today. You should follow her on twitter. Her name is sivatonight. #
• 17:22 @evolvinglines I know, right! I have that! It’s crazy! #
• 19:28 Going for dinner before it gets so late that nothing is open. Then all the way past the bay, perhaps. Need a bridge for Kristy. #
• 20:38 Check gas. Tunnel. 3 miles. #
• 20:51 I don’t mind driving in the tunnel. I don’t exactly like being STOPPED in it with the entire ocean above me. #
• 20:53 Carbonmonoxide in my brain. Wee! #
• 20:54 I see rust on the ceiling. Rust means leak. No bueno. #
• 21:47 3 of the biggest, loudest, fastest planes I’ve ever seen just flew very low over my head headed in from the ocean. #
• 22:05 Will have to revisit in the day light. Too dark for my small camera. #
• 22:19 Check gas. Tunnel. 3 miles. #

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• 06:50 Is anything real or is reality merely the set of ideas we share with those floating in close proximity on the great ocean of NOthing? #
• 08:28 Had a great breakfast with an awesome waitress. Now heading in to the office. #
• 08:44 There’s a car parked at a traffic light. Parked. Center lane. Empty. Not running. Green. Red. Green. Red. Green. Red. #
• 09:55 @agingdragqueen any surprise that mine would be the most sexualized? Ha! Tho I could do better than "I want pics of you and that hot laptop" #
• 10:04 @whitshea that’s what makes it all worth it, isn’t it? #
• 11:20 @agingdragqueen access is more powerful but also more difficult for users and developers. #
• 11:24 @agingdragqueen I mostly agree with @farrisgoldstein. If the prob is 2 big 4 xls then a programmer should be involved and access avoided. #
• 13:07 @wearethat bitch! #
• 13:23 My laptop was stolen while I was in the bathroom. I got it back already. #
• 13:26 @sivatonigt set up a bulletin in the building and we found him. #
• 13:30 @sivatonight yes. Stolen. Taken. Missing. Left the power cable and the lan drop. Even took the mouse. #
• 13:32 @daisy12 hooray for getting Tim on twitter. #
• 13:32 @daisy12 hooray for getting Tim on twitter. #
• 13:35 @daisy12 what’s his twitter name? #
• 13:46 @sivatonight he’s an IT underling. Said it took it because it looked non-standard and was worried it was harmful to the network. #
• 13:55 @sivatonight well, if he’d have left it I could have still used the laptop, or, something. #
• 14:23 @agingdragqueen are you saying I twit too much, or that my response was not useful? Ha. #
• 14:26 Hungry. Skipped lunch. Debating if I should skip altogether or go now and go for a late dinner too. #
• 14:31 @agingdragqueen yeah. Too bad I can’t seem to get taken advantage of in DFW. Rowr! #
• 15:02 @wearethat I will hurt you! #
• 15:10 @wearethat fine! Bitch! Going to get a steak for lunch. Damn it. #
• 15:48 Uh oh. Some movement out in SYR. Might be a very nice, more secure job opening there. Hmmm. Interesting. #
• 16:13 @wearethat @farrisgoldstein I know but, another promotion would be awesome. #
• 16:20 Mmm. Beer. #
• 16:25 @sivatonight one day we’ll go to the saucer so you can have one of these. They are awesome but I don’t know where else to get it. #
• 16:59 Collide is playing on the restaurant radio. I love this song, even if it brings me deep into thought. #
• 17:31 At the hotel for a bit. Then I’ll probably check out the beach @ryanjpointer pointed out for me. #
• 18:06 @Tim19 took you long enough! Jeez! #
• 18:11 @wearethat I’m JD+. I’m not sure if that means we’re compatible or not. #
• 18:13 @tim19 yeah, it works! #
• 18:16 @wearethat baaaad. ….. I’m totally using that the next time i’m picking up chicks. #
• 19:09 @tim19 we should fight ours. I got 20 bucks that says mine will win. #
• 19:47 @whatgiraffe knuckles! #
• 19:51 Heading to the beach which is, for the record, that-a-way. #
• 20:05 Check gas. Tunnel. 3 miles. #
• 20:32 I find it hard to see the ocean and not believe in god. #
• 20:39 I wish Jess were here. And Nic. And Jet. And Em. How about just all of you. #
• 20:44 @ohhhkay heck yeah! #
• 20:45 @brush yeah. That’s the "all of you" part. Twitter only allows so much. Such a terse medium. #
• 20:48 @brush it’s not too cold for you in Virginia. Promise. #
• 20:55 Now for some coffee. #
• 20:57 @joiseyguy agreed! #
• 21:33 All the starbuckses in Norfolk close at 10PM. Wtf? #
• 21:45 Check gas. Tunnel. 3 miles. #
• 22:41 @evolvinglines I’ve been there before. I find it best to distract myself until the sick feeling subsides. I hate throwing up. #

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• 00:15 Driving through fog. Must be near water. #
• 00:34 Visit colonial williamsburg! #
• 00:45 Ok. Jet and Rachel had their shifts. Who’s next? #
• 01:00 At the airport. Hope they have my bag. #
• 01:07 Us air is closed. Even though they said I could get my bags. Nice guy outside said the open again at 4am. So. No luggage. #
• 01:14 Can’t get out of the parking garage. About to have to run through the gate. No one here. #
• 01:20 Cop came and let me out. Reminded me that the airport was closed. Still charged me $2 for parking. #
• 01:33 They cancelled my reservation since I was late. Still a room though, I think. #
• 01:42 Room cards didn’t work. Had to go back down. Nice room. And they have me a toothbrush. Very kind. #
• 01:48 @sivatonight love you! #
• 02:41 All my TV channels are static and there is blood on my sheets. I’m so done with today. Good night. #
• 05:43 Awake. Getting dressed. Getting luggage (I hope). Getting breakfast. Getting ready. #
• 06:05 Wow. Virginia is pretty! #
• 06:32 Got my luggage. Switched out the car contract. Heading back to hotel for breakfast a shower and maybe a few more hours of sleep. #
• 09:03 Can’t sleep. Mind racing. Work stuff. Fuck it. Oh and, we’ve got unicorn sized hail here in Virginia. #
• 10:02 Heading for lunch. Then the office. #
• 13:42 I have awesome friends. Thanks to those of you who helped turn a potentially terrible day into something damn right decent. #
• 15:24 I travel 1300 miles to end up at dinner with a guy i went to HS with and rarely saw after even tho he lived in DFW. Strange and cool. Ha. #
• 15:46 Vista is pissing me off. Anyone know where to find XP drivers for an HP Pavilion dv2000? #
• 16:22 Holy traffic Batman. And I’m crossing the water twice on purpose when I don’t have to. Silly me. #
• 16:39 Duck! Duck! Canada goose! #
• 17:06 @train256 hooray! #
• 18:05 Heading to Norfolk. #
• 21:34 Heading home after a great time with an old friend. 12 years is too damn long. #
• 21:36 Check gas. Tunnel. 3 miles. #
• 21:56 @brush how sweet! Did you take a shit side by side too? #
• 21:57 @brush hot! You can make sweet music together. #

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• 06:50 packing and getting ready to head to Newport News, VA for the week. #
• 08:22 Headed to the airport. Jess was nice enough to bring me so I don’t have to deal with the parking shuttle. Yay. #
• 09:34 At the gate. 1.5 hours to kill. Send entertainment. You know the drill. #
• 09:41 Of course the FedEx package that I really needed for this trip is now sitting in my cube waiting for me to get it… 2 weeks from now. #
• 09:44 Damn. My tmobile hotspot access is finally turned off and they don’t have AT&T WiFi at DFW. Grr. #
• 09:45 @brush I’d like to order and extra helping of somethin, somethin, please. I’m quite low this week. #
• 10:15 This week: email me subjects. I’ll take photos of them this week. Even if impossible or I’m not willing, I’ll find a way. Fun! #
• 10:38 Keep the photo ideas coming. But keep them simple. Detailing exactly what you want leaves no room improv. Or fun. Or possible. #
• 10:43 @Sheridan nah. Yours is open enough. I think I can do it. #
• 10:50 Boarded. About to depart. Long layover in Philly, too. Send entertainment. #
• 14:27 Landed in Philly #
• 14:44 On a bus to terminal f. I already hate this airport. #
• 15:00 Next fight leaves in 1.5 hours. Getting something to eat. #
• 15:01 Sat next to a guy on the plane REACHING for things to talk about. "so what’s your wife like? Everything?" yeah. She likes pretty much ev … #
• 15:50 Seeking applicants for positions in my harem. Please apply via freeform email. Due to response, any mailed items will not be returned. #
• 16:17 Pilot is late. Therefore flight will be late. Not sure this is good. #
• 16:20 @Sheridan Or his wife is sick in the hospital. Or his house is burning to the ground. None of the scenarios are good. #
• 16:30 Flight delayed by 2 hours. Gonna call national and see if I can drive. #
• 16:44 If i want to take a shuttle off site, double the cost, drive 5 hours, and still go back later to pick up my bag then I can get a car here. #
• 16:49 I get to spend 5 hours in the worst airport ever. Wee! I’m so grateful for this honor. I’d like to thank my mom,dad,my dog,and,oh yeah,god. #
• 17:02 Have pitty on a poor guy stuck in Philly will ya? #
• 17:05 @joiseyguy I am my own agent and I couldn’t find a nonstop. #
• 17:05 @evolvinglines I can do that! Not today though. Will have to be Friday. But you’ll get it. #
• 17:07 Newport news. I’m on us air. #
• 17:12 @joiseyguy yeah I do. my employer tends to have property where it’s cheapest. :) #
• 17:16 @joiseyguy I get lucky sometimes and get a direct. I could have done direct to LAX next week but, it’s LAX. So I went for Santa Barbara. #
• 17:20 @whitshea I’m getting there. i have all week to build them! Come on now! Jeez. ;) #
• 17:22 @agingdragqueen ha. Damn! Well, I wasn’t gettin any love from you anyway, so no harm there. #
• 17:23 @whitshea ah! I didn’t reply to any of them. just saved them up to present later in the week after completed. #
• 17:29 mu butt is numb #
• 17:40 Supposedly my flight will depart in one hour. We’ll see about that. #
• 17:45 Pilot will now not be here until 8:52pm. Flight should leave around 9:15pm. That’s 4 hours of delay on top of my 2 hour layover. awesome. #
• 17:47 @sivatonight haha! That would be WAY too easy. #
• 17:55 @joiseyguy I can only guess. Maybe he’s drunk. Maybe he’s flying another plane. Maybe his mother in law is still yelling at him. #
• 17:57 @maryely odd. at least in this wing of the airport, there are no Philly Cheese Steak Sandwiches to be sold. Had a craving for one, too. damn #
• 18:04 I will die if I have to sit here for two more hours. Need to find something to do. I’ve walked all three legs of this airport terminal. grr. #
• 18:07 everytime anyone opens a door the loudest alarm ever sounds for about 5 seconds. it hurts. a lot. #
• 18:13 @maryely I found a cheese steak place! It was hiding. #
• 18:31 Having a beer. Why not? If you thouht I was a flirt before, watch out now! #
• 19:01 @wearethat I don’t mind worry following me like a dinosaur. #
• 19:09 Looks like I’m driving now. Flight cancelled. #
• 19:11 Would have been nice if they would have agreed to give me my bags three hours ago when I asked for them. #
• 19:17 Lied to me. Can’t get my bags. Who cares. Driving anyway. Fuck em all. Send boobies. Maybe they’ll keep me awake. Ha. #
• 19:23 Ha. Just realized I have to make it there without a GPS because the mount and charger is in my suitcase. Nice. #
• 19:27 @farrisgoldstein what else can I do? #
• 19:33 Ha. There is that. They tricked me by telling me they were at baggage claim when they weren’t. #
• 19:42 Driving. Repeat tweet for the next 6 hours. #
• 21:00 Going through batimore now. #
• 21:10 Whoa. Cool driving tunnel! #
• 21:19 Driving by NSA. #
• 21:37 It smells here. Like old oil and corruption. #
• 21:41 I just gave G W a collective bird flipping for you all. You’re welcome. #
• 21:51 In Virginia now. Getting sleepy. #
• 21:52 In Virginia now. Getting sleepy. #
• 21:55 @sivatonight now THAT would keep me awake. Ha. #
• 21:57 @sivatonight ha ha ha. I need a better travel card. #
• 21:59 @sivatonight who needs air miles when you can get vagina milles? #
• 22:18 Stopped for gas and coffee. Back on the road now. My keep awake went to sleep. Ha. #
• 22:21 @sivatonight Gloria was. But she needed to go to bed. Hooray for the dunkin. #
• 22:32 Damn. Traffic jam near quantico. I’m caught in it. #
• 22:34 @sivatonight I know, right! All three lanes stopped. #
• 22:41 Looks like road work. Added 11 minutes to my trip so far. #
• 22:46 Ok. Jess is going to bed now. Who can I torment next? #
• 23:02 Moving again. Cost me 27 minutes. Grr. #
• 23:10 Stacey’s almost ready for bed. Best job so far. Who’s next? #
• 23:30 100 miles to go. Plus I have to get my luggage. #
• 23:40 So tired. Ugh. #
• 23:57 An hour more? I can do it. Wake up plan B in effect now. #

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