Friday

Another Friday Random 10.

1. Popular-Nada Surf
2. Jumpin Jack Flash-Rolling Stones
3. Change (In the House of Flies)-Deftones
4. Arienette-Bright Eyes
5. Do the Evolution-Pearl Jam
6. Guerilla Radio-Rage Against the Machine
7. Golddigger-Kanye West
8. Eight Days a Week-The Beatles
9. I'm a Wheel-Wilco
10. Area Codes-Ludacris

Favorite Song-This is really hard cuz I do enjoy all 10 of these songs. So with deference to the band playing the song, and the album it's on I'm just gonna pick............fuck......um...........Change!!! Ya, Change by the Deftones.

Least Favorite Song-This is even harder than favorite. WTF? When did the Friday Random 10 become so difficult? I'm just gonna put down Area Codes cuz it's one of my least favorite Ludacris songs. Though I still like it!!! It's got a good message behind it.

Favorite Album-White Pony-Deftones. Me gusta Deftones. Will be seeing them at Family Values Tour in August. $10 lawn seats!!! That's awesome.

Today marks the beginning of the biggest sporting event in the universe.

The World Cup.

Now when it comes to soccer I kinda take the same approach Stephen Colbert does.

When our women's team is better than our men's team I just can't trust that sport. That and it's soccer. I never played soccer growing up, and I don't play it now.

It's just not a sport I can get into. I've tried too. During the last 2 World Cups I've tried to watch, and I don't get what's so great. All it is is 22 guys kicking a ball back and forth to each other, and if we're lucky somebody might score a goal. What fun is watching a sport for 2 hours when nobody ever scores?

Another sign that I'm not too into a sport is when I root for another country over my own. Yes, that's right, when Italy plays the US in a week or so, I shall be cheering on Italy.

Viva Italia!!!!!!!

I left work early today. I have the president of the company, along with my boss mad at me. I thought it best to get the hell out of there.

Few things I've been wondering

• Why do old guys wear tube socks up to their knees when they wear shorts? I mean what the hell is the point of that? Why not just wear pants? I mean if you're wearing shorts to keep your legs cool, then wearing your socks like that is just gonna keep them warm. I can't wait til I'm old so I can go around dressed like an idiot. Think Rodney Dangerfield in Caddyshack, only louder.
• Why don't prey just kick predators in the balls when they're being attacked? It's worked for women and girly men for years.
• I know global warming is a pretty large issue, but how long until people realize that no matter what we do we're not gonna stop it? I mean ice ages take thousands upon thousands upon a few more thousands of years to get out of. We're still coming out of the last one, and when it's done we'll all just freeze over again. I'm no scientist or anything though, this just seems to be common sense to me. Besides, I'll be dead long before it becomes a real problem. Chicago won't flood til pry round 3041.
• Why is it that when you go about 30-35 miles directly west of Chicago people develop southern accents?
• If Uncle Rico really could throw that football clear over them mountains, how big of a signing bonus would he get, and would the Texans draft Mario Williams ahead of him too?

PICTURE OF THE DAY

Keepin It Real Since 1980,

Tom

Twist of Fate

I want to start by thanking Mrs. Ana Uribe. Without her I'd be a whole helluva lot angrier this morning than I am. Instead I'm happier than all hell.

See, the White Sox are playing in their biggest series of the season so far right now. (If you want to know what's so big about it, go here. If not keep reading.

The Sox have been playing like ass lately, and were in danger of digging themselves into a hole in the standings behind the division leading Detroit Tigers. So last night when those Tigers came to town with the best record in baseball it was imperative that we get a win.

For the first 7 innings of the game I was pretty sure we weren't going to. The final nail in the coffin came in the bottom of the 7th.

Trailing the Tigers 3-1, the Sox had the bases loaded with 1 out, and their two big sluggers coming up. First Tigers reliever Joel Zumaya used his 99MPH fastball to strike out Jim Thome. Then he used that same fastball to jam Paul Konerko and cause him to fly out harmlessly to centerfield.

Inning over, and as has happened a lot with the White Sox lately, an oppurtunity squandered.

So why do I want to thank Ana Uribe?

Ana Uribe is the wife of our starting shortstop Juan Uribe. Juan was penciled in to start Tuesday night until Ana went into labor in the afternoon with the couples 4th child. So Juan had to leave US Cellular Field to go be with his wife.

That meant Alex Cintron would be starting in Juan's place at shortstop.

So in the bottom of the 8th inning with the White Sox still trailing 3-1 with Jermaine Dye on second, and Joe Crede on first (both there by walks, and walks will KILL you) Alex Cintron came to the plate.

He was facing the guy who has been Detroit's most dominant reliever. Yes, more dominant than Joel Zumaya and his 99MPH fastball. Fernando Rodney.

With a 3-2 count Rodney tried to get his fastball by Cintron on the inner half of the plate, belt high.

I say tried.

Instead Cintron sent the pitch into the Bullpen Sports Bar's patio out past the right field fence.

4-3 White Sox, and Bobby Jenks would pitch a perfect 9th inning to seal the victory for the Sox.

It was Cintron's first home run in a White Sox uniform. Last year he hit two walk off pinch hit home runs for the Arizona Diamondbacks, so apparently he has a knack for getting these kinds of home runs. He's one of those guys who only hits them when they really matter.

And of the 83 home runs the White Sox have hit this year, none of them mattered more than his last night.

And none of it would have happened if Ana Uribe hadn't gone into labor.

Ok, so the world didn't end yesterday. Satan never showed, and the sky didn't rain fire. Let's face it, Satan lives in the same times we do now, and he's gone soft on us.

He was probably too busy catching up on all the episodes of The Real World:Key West that he had missed to condemn us all to an eternity of damnation.

Well that or he had another meeting at the White House.

I found a trailer to a pretty disturbing movie yesterday through the blog of somebody who had commented here.

The only thing I couldn't decide was, what was more disturbing? What the film is about? Or why somebody decides to make it.

If you wanna see the trailer for it its right here. It's not the happiest of movies though, so be forewarned.

Picture of the Day*

*To me the Cintron pic was really the Pic of the Day, but due to the depressing nature of that movie trailer I figure I should lighten the mood back up a lil bit.

Keepin It Real Since 1980,

Tom

Salute the Dark Lord!!!!

Hey its 6-6-06!!!! That's almost 666!!!!

If today is the last day of the world I'm happy I get to spend it at work.

(Coincedentally it took me 6 attempts to post that picture.)

If anything it appears that Satan is really fucking with Blogger. There have been a lot of publishing problems for me and others. I know Panger is also having trouble with Petulant Times. (A great blog by the way, if you don't read it you should. Good thing I made her start the thing.)

But posting pictures has become an adventure all in it's own, and half the time I can't even get to my blog. For instance I was planning on writing an actual entry today, but since I couldn't access my blog all your gonna get is this short little blurb cuz I have to go to work soon. I know your heartbroken, but hopefully things will get straightened out soon.

Personally I think it's all the time Hrbek has spent blogging about American Idol the last few months that has killed Bloggers server.

NH Hrbek.

Keepin It Real Since 1980,

Tom

That's a Shame

Am I the only one that felt like I was watching some late night Cinemax during the season finale of The Sopranos last night? It was like they tried to fit all the sex that they used to fill the episodes with, and had toned down on this season, into one episode.

It's not that I mind watching Julianna Margulies walk around in her underwear or anything, it's just that's not really what I was looking for from this episode. You would think in a finale something would actually happen. Instead all I got was answers to nothing and no new questions either.

Overall I am pretty disappointed in this new season. It started off pretty good with Uncle Junior shooting Tony, but then everything else was downhill. It's kinda just left a sour taste in my mouth when this show used to excite me. Now I'll watch the final 8 episodes next year, but not really cuz I have to, but because I feel like I have to. To borrow a poker phrase, I'm pot committed to this show. Too many of my chips are in the pot for me to fold.




I went to a bachelor party on Saturday night with Silvio. It was for his soon to be brother in law, Joe.

I won't go into detail about what went on during this bachelor party, but I had a good time.

At the end of the night when we were at some bar in Bartlett, I can't recall the name(No idea why.),but I do remember something I read on the men's room wall that made me laugh.

In your usual men's room fare somebody wrote

I banged your mother.

Nothing new, but what was written underneath it would have made me pee my pants if I wasn't already peeing.

Go home Dad. You're drunk.

Picture of the Day

Keepin It Real Since 1980,

Tom

Friday Filler

Ok so I still can't post pictures through Blogger, and I'm still incredibly annoyed by it.

Never the less I will fight my way through it and try to bring to you the best post that I can sans pictures. So let's get started.

FRIDAY RANDOM 10

1. Hang Em High-My Chemical Romance
2. Sugar-System of a Down
3. One-Metallica
4. Liquid-Umphrey's McGee
5. Ship in a Bottle-Bright Eyes
6. Dre Day-Dr.Dre
7. Communication Breakdown-Led Zeppelin
8. Kiss-Carrion Rogue
9. The House Is Rockin'-Stevie Ray Vaughan
10. Road to Nowhere-Talking Heads

Favorite Song-Sugar-It's about the Kambucha mushroom people sitting around all day. They need sugar for energy. I've long written to the Kambuchan Ambassador here in the States about the importance of a bowl of Frosted Flakes in the morning as part of a balanced breakfast. They continue to brush me off like some kind of diaper wearing transient.

Least Favorite Song-Liquid. I like Umphrey's, but I just got this album a few days ago and don't know it well enough to say that I like it. Like when you first meet a girl and you think to yourself, "I'm prepared to mount this woman, but I'm not sure I wanna listen to her talk just yet."

Favorite Album-System of a Down. I remember I got this album when it first came out way back in the day for like $6. $6 these days can barely get you a pack of cigarettes. Of course I quit smoking a long time ago, and now when I see how much people pay for them I laugh diabolically. It's the same thing I do when I see people at the gas station while I speed by on my Alternate Energy (Mountain Dew and a sense of self satisfaction) fueled feet.

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Fun interaction with customer yesterday.

A girl, pry around 17 or 18, asked me for help finding something. So I show her where it is and afterwards she thanks me, and in my most chivalrous voice I tell her,

"Anything to help a lady in need."

She then smiles turns around and yells to her friend an aisle over,

"Hey hoebag! I found it!!"

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The White Sox are playing like complete ass right now. No sugar coating it. They jump out to a 1-0 lead yesterday, to fall behind 2-1 next inning.

Then they retaliate and get ahead 5-2, before the Indians come back and take a 7-5 lead.

Then in the 7th Jermaine Dye(IMO Most Underrated Player in AL) comes to Jose Contreras' (Jose has a 13 decision win streak) rescue, and the teams by hitting a 3 run jack (His second of the day) with 2 outs to make it 8-5 White Sox.

Next inning Indians make it 11-8. They won 12-8, and took 3 of 4 from us, after we won the first game 11-0.

The Tigers lost 3 of 4 from the Yankees, so we didn't lose any ground there. (Didn't gain any either.) I'm in no way worried that we're gonna have trouble catching the Tigers. I mean there's still over 100 games to be played. The problem is letting the Indians win 3 of 4 from you is exactly what they needed to wake up.

So now for the next 100 games we don't just have to deal with Detroit, but Cleveland too.

What's comforting is that I know Ken Williams sees the problems we're having with our bullpen and knowing he'll fix that problem before long.

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In case you didn't know, the new Strawberry Milkshake Pop Tarts are delicious. Go to the store and buy a box. I'll wait.

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PICTURE OF THE DAY (Obviously it's hosted, not posted. Gangsta.)

Golden Showers bring yellow stained sheets, but it's good for your skin!

Keepin It Real Since 1980,

Tom

I Have Nothing Nice To Say

Ok well I'm growing just a little bit frustrated. For some reason I cannot upload any pictures to my blogs. I go through the normal process of doing it, but when it's done nothing shows up. I've been reading some Blogger forums and I'm not the only one experiencing this right now. I also wrote an email to Blogger Support about this and I'm still waiting for a response. So I apologize in advance that there will be no pictures to stare at. Just words. Boring ass simple words.

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Speaking of nothing but words, I've grown into a habit of re-reading books that I had to read in high school and college. The reasoning behind it is that when reading a book in school I was reading it with the concept of having to pass the test that would be given on it.

Instead of reading them to actually read and enjoy the book I would read them more to look for things I felt my teacher would ask questions about on the test.

Well I didn't enjoy The Great Gatsby while I was reading it for school, and I still don't enjoy it now that I'm reading it for pleasure.

I just don't see why this book is considered an American literary classic. It's boring. There's no real concept of who these people are either. Fitzgerald tells you where these characters came from, but gives you no insight into who they actually are.

I don't know, I just think it's horribly overrated.

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So last night at work I had to deal with sobbing employees.

Apparently Libby took exception to some of our Jewel co-workers taking their break in our Osco lunchroom. Vic and Anthony eat in our breakroom with me and Greg cuz we're friends, and we generally always order food together. Libby doesn't like it for some reason.

On Tuesday she complained to me about it after a bunch of us ate while she was having her lunch too. There are 2 tables in our breakroom. On Tuesday night Vic, Anthony, Rob, Naomi, John and I all ate dinner together. Vic, Anthony, Rob, and I all huddled around one table, while John sat at the edge of the table Libby was at. Naomi didn't even sit at a table. She sat in a chair and ate her salad out of her lap.

Libby complained she had no room at her table. It was only her at the table, with John at the end. Most of the table was covered in greeting cards that Libby had been working with. (One of Libby's jobs is running our greeting card section) She also complained we left a mess, which I for a fact no we didn't. I cleaned up our table myself after we were finished like I always do.

Apparently John left an empty fry container on his table, and this is more than likely cuz John is generally the person I have to clean up after. Well Libby took great offense to this.

So last night when Anthony returned from Burger King with our dinner Vic, Anthony and Rob all headed to the breakroom. I was busy up front doing a return, while Greg was finishing whatever he was working on before heading upstairs.

Well from what I've been told when Vic first got upstairs Libby asked him "What's wrong with your breakroom?" Vic told her nothing was wrong with it, he just chose to eat in ours with us.

Again Libby asked him why, and Vic told her that basically he's in charge of the store (which he is) and that he'll eat anywhere he wants. He then told her she could feel free to eat on the Jewel side anytime. Even telling her she could eat in his office at his desk if she so desired.

Libby kept asking him more questions though, and according to Vic every time he would start to answer she would interrupt him with another question. (Knowing Libby, I'd say that that's got a probability of being 99.99999999999% true.) So eventually Vic got tired of being interrogated and said, "You know what? You're nuts. I'm done with this conversation."

Libby then left the breakroom in a huff apparently. So I get upstairs after all this and eat. Vic tells me what happened while I was downstairs and immediately I think to myself "Shit."

See, Libby has been acting kind of strange lately. She's generally always been a fun loving type. I would give her shit and she gave it right back. She likes to refer to me as "an annoying mosquito buzzing by my ears."

Greg had always had the same type of relationship with her. Well a few weeks ago Libby and Greg were having their normal back and forth when Greg said "Oh go back to Czechoslovakia!" Greg had probably said that to her a million times before, but for whatever reason that time it got to her. She literally broke out into tears and asked Greg why he's always so mean to her.

Greg sat there in complete shock, as I probably would have too.

Libby hasn't spoken to Greg since, unless she absolutely has to.

Back to last night.

Libby is working the camera counter while I'm upstairs eating. She calls me down to get a return. So I go down there and the whole time I'm doing this return for a customer Libby is standing there with her back to me. She wouldn't look at me, or talk to me.

I didn't even do anything.

So after break I go to Libby and ask her what's wrong, and she bursts into tears again. She tells me that Vic yelled and screamed at her and called her crazy, ignorant, and stupid. She says she feels terrified and threatened by him now.

So anyway I then go to Vic and ask him exactly what he said to her. After I told him what she said he said he was surprised. He says he never once raised his voice, and while he admits calling her nuts he never said she was stupid or ignorant.

There HAS to be something going on in Libby's personal life that is affecting her at work. I just don't know what else it could be, but frankly I don't want to have to deal with it. Keep in mind that while all this is going on last night, I have a 5 pallet load in the backroom that already came in 3.5 hours late that I have to get out before I leave.

I'm officially having my title changed from Supervisor to Supervisor/Babysitter tonight.

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Can somebody please explain to me why ESPN feels the need to televise the Scripps National Spelling Bee? For Christ's sake hey are broadcasting it in Hi-Def!!!!!!

Who the hell is actually watching this thing?

If you are watching it, and you don't have a child or family member competing in it you really need to start re-evaluating your life.

It's ridiculous. R-I-D-I-C-U-L-O-U-S. Ridiculous.

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The White Sox got shutout for the first time this season last night, 5-0 in Cleveland. Losing is going to happen during a baseball season, but it's still a little frustrating. The team we trail, the Detroit Tigers, have now lost 3 games in a row. We are 1-2 in that span so we haven't been able to capitalize on the Tigers struggles this week and reclaim first place.

Then again, it's June 1st.

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Here's something I just know my friends are going to want to participate in.

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This is where today's Picture of the Day would go if I could actually post pictures right now.

Keepin It Real Since 1980,
Tom