Linda's Husband is a Jerk

Jerk totally hung up on me. These last few days at Bunn I'm assisting with some follow up phone calls. Its awesome. Why? Because I'm calling Cahnadia. They say things funny and it makes my afternoons interesting. It's not telemarketing at all, we had issues with their coffee brewers and they sent it in for repairs, I'm just making sure they got everything back ok. Everyone I've talked to so far have been really nice, and all have funny accents. Well, they were all real nice until frickin' Linda's Husband. I was like, "Hi, is Linda there?" and the Sonovaexplicitive hung up on me. Linda, if you're reading this, you can do better. Dump him. There are a lot of fish in the sea. A lot of nicer, more socialable people. Jerk.

David Blaine REVEALED!!!

Long, but just skim through it if you can/want.
How all those street performers do their stuff...
namely: DAVID BLAINE!

FINE!

Since no one seems to CARE about my big news!!! Maybe it was too many WORDS! Here's some pretty moving pictures for you to be entertained by!

Awesome Rendition of Canon in D.
Awesome Christmas Lights Display set to music.

my genius is never fully appreciated...

Best Buy Updates

Alright a lot of little Best Buy related stuff... you ready?

Black Friday
Black Friday is over and I've finally recovered fully from it. Here's the deal for the day after thanksgiving sales. There are three main kinds of shoppers in this world: 1) the kind who always tries to pay the least amount of money for a particular type of product. 2) the kind who has to have the newest, flashiest and most expensive. 3) the kind who does research on what they want and tries to find the best quality for the money. If you are a #1 and have a good attitude plus a sense of adventure, the Day After is right up your alley. If you are a #2, #3, or ill-tempered stay home. The best, most expensive stuff is not on sale... we know you'll pay full price and more for it anyways. You're not going to find a good quality computer for $150. If you want to simply check email and search the internet, maybe. To an average-advanced user you just bought a $150 paperweight. And if you're ill-tempered, do the world a favor and shop online.

White Men Still Can't Jump
So I tried to hurdle a 32" big screen television on Black Friday too... I was wearing my Europe Boots and they kinda trailed a little low on the jump. I'm blaming the shoes. I managed to tuck up into a decent roll and got a good applause from the customers. The TV is fine, my butt has a wallet sized bruise, it was totally the shoes.

Best For Last
Alright, to wrap it up... I put in my two weeks at BUNN today. But Rob, why this sudden change? Well, we had a fulltimer who didn't show up for his shift at Best Buy on Black Friday. Let's just say that I'm now recieving his medical benifits. That's right, this kid is full time. I'm going to have a set number of hours a week now. I don't have to close at Best Buy every night and then wake up early every morning for BUNN. I don't have to work 60 hour weeks anymore without getting a penny of overtime pay. Things are going to start getting a LOT better for me. Just about the best thing to happen to me since Guitar Hero... almost.

I Wanna Be Sedated

Alright, another quickie while I'm stalling my last few pages of my paper. Last night was one of the most amazing moments of my life. Apparently I have a hidden talent. What talent is that, you may ask. I am a Guitar God. Who'da thought? Sure enough, I'm pretty much a natural. I can play the Ramones, ZZ Top, Ozzy, and yes... even Boston, perfectly (well, almost). All thanks to a little invention I like to call "Guitar Hero" on the Playstation 2. As an accomplished musician I can now vouch for its authenticity, Guitar Hero is just like playing a real guitar and I really am awesome. I'm thinking of going on tour. Read more about it over here on Josh's Site.

Advice when writing a paper

So if you're staying up all night working on a paper that due at 6pm today, and it's about something like say.... election reform, it's important to try and not go against your teacher's view's too much when you're just looking for an easy grade during a busy point in your life. I was writing from the position of most of articles and such I found online, that Illinois could use some reform (look at the Daley Legacy in Chicago). But while doing some homework I found this quote in a scholarly article:

"Ron Michaelson, executive director of the state Board of Elections (the state’s top election official) said “I don’t think we need fear any election contest in this state with that kind of a margin.”

The issue? Ron Michaelson is my teacher. That's the thing with being a political studies major here in Springfield... your speakers, and teachers, are straight from the trenches themselves. Ahhh... Good times. Three more pages to go.

Rob's 10 Commandments

1. Do onto others as they have done onto you.
2. Thou shalt never be over critical, mean-spirited or bitchy.
3. If thou art bitchy, don't expect me to even pretend to like you (refer to Commandment #1).
4. Being of weaker intelligence than I is not a crime, however if you're bitchy AND stupid... you're really gonna hate me (ughh... Paris Hilton).
5. Thou shall read, and comment, on Rob's Space Every Weekday.
6. If the number of times I've neglected to post (on a weekday) is more than the number of times you've neglected to comment on a post of mine... only THEN do you have justification to hold my negligence against me.
7. Thou shall not make hold predjudices against another on the basis of race, sex, class, religion or sexual orientation, violators deserved to be kicked in the teeth. (Red-Headed children are of course the exception... they have no souls.)
8. Do not ask someone for a favor and then critize how well they performed, if you wanted it done right... you know how this ends.
9. If you ever do anything to hurt Ro's feelings or any inconvenience her whatsoever, you're going to hell.
10. Thou shalt never question Rob, he is infallible.

So yeah, you are free to make suggestions for my list, or make up a commandment or two of your own for yourself. Not really as impressive as someone coming down from the mountain top or anything, but it will suffice.

As far as "Black Friday." Best Buy is going to be ridiculous. People will start lining up at 8 or 9 pm the night before. If you want one of the big ticket items (ridiculously cheap things) don't bother showing up after about 3 or 4, you will be so far back in the line it won't matter. Last year it took 38 SOLID MINUTES for people to get into the store once we opened... that means nonstop traffic, the doors did not shut and the flow of people never stalled for more than a half hour. I have to be there at 2:30 in the morning, I get a four hour break around noon, and don't get to leave until 11 pm. I'm getting 15.5 paid hours plus two half hour lunches that day. Every parking space is worth around $120,000 that day and we make more that day than we do in an average month. There will be food vendors selling to the line in the middle of the night and Best Buy and others provide free coffee, water, and donuts. And Finally, in case anyone hasn't seen it yet... here's the website who claims to have all the ads if you want to look at them a day early (sorry, could have posted this weeks ago, but never thought of it.)

Early Gift Giving

Sorry for the lack of posting. This weekend I was pretty ill, and I still wasn't feeling so hot on Monday. I couldn't think of anything interesting, and didn't want to just complain about being sick, so that's just what happened. I'm feeling better today so here's my question for you all. What's your views on early gift giving? You know, when you buy someone a christmas present WAY early and you know they could use it right now, so you feel guilty/dumb hanging onto it for another 2 months just so they can open it on the right day. Like Jamie can potentially buy me some christmas decorations for my apartment on their "Day after Thanksgiving Sale" at Meynards, but there's no point in her giving them to me ON Christmas. And I've got something for my parents that I think they'd really like to have now, but I can't seem to justify waiting until Christmas to give it.... but then they need SOMETHING to open on Christmas, right??

Tomorrow: Best Buy's Hell Day Preview: Day after Thanksgiving, 3000 customers, projected budget of $800,000. I'm scheduled 16 hours that day.

Yep, totally worth it.

So I just got back from watching the latest Harry Potter Movie. Let me tell you: Favorite one so far. And I don't say that about all of them either, I was really disappointed by the third one. Totally worth going to the midnight showing. By the way, longest day ever. I was supposed to be done at the Buy at 7:00. I stayed until 11:00. I'm exhausted. I have to be up in less than 5 hours. This sucks. Still totally worth it. Go see it, everyone.

R to'tha O to'tha B izza down with the HP. Word.

(I can't be held responsible for anything I post after 3 am.)

Wow...

Things like this just leave me speachless...

Super Hair Powers

Ever seen a kid in class and you ask yourself, "Does s/he really think that looked good this morning?" You know, those hair styles that just make you think, "What is wrong with the world today?" Well folks, thanks to Collegehumor, I found this site. And now I'm sharing it with you.

Penny Arcade: Goblet of Fire

I'm telling you, I can totally relate to these guys sometimes. Scott, how many times have you tried that very same curse on me? Eh, who am I kidding, I dressed up for the last movie.

Comic Stolen from Penny Arcade

Per Phil's Request

What is this, TRL? First Rowela was demanding Pictures, now Phil is making demands... but I am just a slave to the system. Here you go:

That's Ro flipping off Phil. I'm sure its Phil she's flipping off, and not me. I'm perfect and and never deserving of such a response. I just wish I could remember what Phil did to earn this from our sweet little Rowela.

















This is Ro making a funny face. I figured since I was already putting up a picture of her giving the finger, why stop there. She's probably going to break up with me now, but come on, it's a good funny face.













This is one Ro actually wanted me to put up, she said that girl who's photo I linked to (Monday when talking about the chimney) sucked and her picture was much better. In case you can't tell, at this moment Ro isn't hanging on to anything with her hands, nor is she relying on the rope. Shes staying put purely with her legs right now.


So there, that's our picture post for the day. Why all the pictures of Ro? Well because Ro's not in a real good habit of using her new digital camera, so Phil and I took 90% of the pictures that day. And it's way more fun to take pictures of Ro (and Phil took a few of himself, as well as his own finger.)

Harry Potter Countdown!!!

Guess where I'll be at 12:01 on the 18th?? Scott, you with me? Josh? Anyone?



Oh yeah, and Tim, this one's for you... sicko.

Climbing Pics

At the request of Miss Rowela...





and courtsey of Miss Rowela as well.

Passcode

You know how Afterschool specials say that young children and their parents should have secret phrases or something for when mommy has to send someone else to pick them up after school? My kid's secret phrase is going to be: "Hey little kid, do you want some candy."

Awesome Weekend

So, Phil came up this weekend... early. I can always count on Phil to wake up at an ungodly early time and want to do something. So he was at my place by 7:30 and we were at Ro's building at 9:10. After a quick breakfast at Bob Evans, we hit the climbing gym. I don't know how Phil felt about it, but man... the thing about climbing is that if you don't do it all the time, you never use those muscles any other time and you suck when you do it sparatically. But I had an awesome time reguardless. And Ro did an incredible job as well.

She not only made it all the way to the top (70 feet), multiple times, but she did some hard climbs. She did a 5.9 (with some help) and a 5.10 chimney. Just so you know, the scale works like this: a 5.6 is the easiest and has a TON of large holds you can put both hands and feet on, and a 5.12+ is as hard as it gets in a gym. So a 5.9 is really good and a 5.10 is phenominal. Now I said it was a 5.10 chimney, meaning there was walls on both sides of her... chimneys are a bit easier because if you get stuck, you can just shimmy up the walls like a ninja a few feet to get past the hard part. And since Ro is asian... the ninja stuff comes naturally.

One final note.... it's finally starting to happen. Phil is getting his own blog. Although he hasn't posted yet, we can still leave him some comments of encouragement... here.

Politics: Revolutions

So a few weeks ago in class, I realized something. I was trying to pinpoint why I had slipped into politics in the first place. And... it was Bush. War on Terror, Katrina Response, Iraq, all that aside, some presidents are known for "unifying the nation," and Bush will quite possibly be known for segregating the nation. It never really hit me until I was looking at local election stuff. Know why I'm looking forward to this governor race? Because I actually have a choice. I didn't feel like there was any choice in the last presidential election. 90% of the country was either voting pro-bush or anti-bush. I've allied myself with the democrats (the anti-bush). But here's the thing. I don't think I'm as strongly democrat as I've thought, you just get swept up in it all and become one or the other.

My views on some "hot button" issues definitely go against the "conservative right" For example, I'm heavy into equality and always have. I do not put up with ignorant people or 'ists (racists, sexists, etc.) And in that same vein I am totally for gay rights. I believe there should be a separation of church and state (and schools) in one sense... BUT they shouldn't impose atheism on us either.

The thing of it is, there's A LOT more to politics than Guns, Gays and God. I'm not going to vote straight Democrat, and I'm open to an alternative to Blagojevich. He's made a few bad decisions (regarding the budget for example) but he's not entirely bad. I'm trying to figure out if Topinka is quirky or crazy. And either way if she's a better choice to be governor. I'm definitely open and looking forward to what's coming. And I think it'd be cool if we could talk about some of the local stuff here. As long as we remember that neither are "evil" and wholely corrupt, and keep a good head on our shoulders, there's no reason why we shouldn't be able to talk about local stuff. right?

I HAVE INTERNET!!!

So I've finally got internet at my apartment. That takes a load off... let me tell you, I've never felt more usless than these last few days. So what was the first thing I did when I got online? Sign up for next semester's classes? Blog? Take care of finances? Look up random crap? no... I dealt with this guy...

Somehow he got my name and messaged me the INSTANT I signed onto AIM. Google was nice enough to save the conversation for me so you can all enjoy. The ...'s mean I didn't respond for a few minutes.

Wizard9250: hey
xISUx: woah, who is this?
Wizard9250: first do you go to a church
xISUx: Hmmm... I'm calling shenanigans. Identification before personal info
Wizard9250: well tell me first. i just want to be on the safe side
. . . .
Wizard9250: HEY
Wizard9250: What are you doing
xISUx: Currently I'm "Not playing games with creepy people who IM me and don't tell me who they are." I expect it to be an ongoing theme here.
. . . .
Wizard9250: hi
xISUx: you ready to tell me who you are?
Wizard9250: first you
. . . .
Wizard9250: fine i am Siby Samuel
Wizard9250: you ?
xISUx: what the hell... then how, Mr Samuel, did you get my screenname?
Wizard9250: i have my ways
xISUx: And I have little time to waste as is, and an itchy block button that really wants to be scratched...
Wizard9250: wait who are you
xISUx: Rob.
Wizard9250: rob who
Wizard9250: wait let me guess
Wizard9250: Robert lie
. . . .
Wizard9250: do you go to a church
xISUx: Listen, I’m a busy person, and we clearly don’t know each other. So I’m afraid you’re going to have to pester someone else.
Wizard9250: i know you dont you remember me
Wizard9250: from 2nd grade then i had to move
xISUx: what teacher
Wizard9250: how am i supposed to remember
xISUx: but you remember me from second grade? What school?
Wizard9250: fine dont believe me
Wizard9250: it was a week after i fell on my head and went to the ER
xISUx: nope, don't believe you

Wizard9250 has been blocked.

Feel free to harass him at will.

Man, I LOVE BUYING STUFF!!! Seriously, I’ve got a problem. The best part was going into Linens and Things and saying: Damn, I need ALL this stuff. It’s great. So far the items I’ve bought for my new apartment can be grouped into 3 basic categories:

Necessary Stuff:

• Microwave. My microwave is, as they say in Alton, "Da' Biz-omb." It has a toaster built in.
• Kitchen Trashcan. Stainless Steel... matches my microwave and other various kitchen accessories. Plus it has this inner-can thing that makes the bag pull tight and seemless... impossible to explain, take my word for it.
• High Speed Internet. No Phone Line. No TV. Just internet.

Stuff I Wanted:

• Spice Rack. Yeah, so I use a lot of asian spices and such so I'll be ditching some of this crap and replacing it with my own. Goodbye Cumin, Hello Sesame Seeds and Seaweed!
• Matching Soap Dispenser, Trashcan, Bath Mat, Shower Curtain, Toilet Seat Cover, Toothbrush Holder. I have to match... and black is a good color on me.

Just Plain Ridiculous:

• New Mouse and Keyboard. Yay for Best Buy Discounts! My keyboard glows blue and my mouse is freakin' sweet.
• Shredder. I've already shredded a full bag full of stuff. NO ONE is getting my important information... or weekly newspaper adds, or phonebooks...

Doing Grown Up Things.

Sorry for the lack of posting but I DON’T HAVE INTERNET!!!!!

Ok, so I moved into my new place and everything worked out pretty well. I even had a dinner party with Mom, Dad, Grandma, Grandpa, Jamie, her boyfriend, Ro and myself. This whole moving process is exhausting, I slept like a rock last night. But today I’ve got a full agenda as well:

1) Cingular. My cell phone bill and service has been screwed up since June. I’ve gone to speak with sales reps, dozens of times, each time I was told it would all get straightened out. I’ve had numerous problems and its time to give them an ultimatum.

2) Insight Cable. Getting my internet back. Scott and I’s wireless solution isn’t working too well. Mainly it’s going to require me to dump even more money into it than I’d like for an unstable internet connection.

3) City Light and Power. Apparently I’ve got to put the electric bill in my name… lame.

4) Bank. Union Planters has changed to Regions Bank… Gotta get new checks and make sure my online payments are still working.

5) Bed, Bath and Beyond. I need shower curtains.

6) Best Buy. I need a battery for my clock.

To all the Ladies…

Listen, you’re all wonderful people, and some of you are even attractive enough for me, but I’m already spoken for. It’s going to be hard, but you’re going to have to let me go. Whether we’ve already met and you’re currently trying to go through life pretending that you can be happy with someone else, or you’re one of the poor souls who haven’t yet glimpsed my greatness, be comforted because ignorance is bliss. Be happy while you can, with what you can. There’s only one of me, and although I would love to, the damnable rules that society imposes on us prevents me from sharing the glory that is Rob with all of you. Be comforted in knowing that you will be in my thoughts, and remember, settling isn’t so bad.

So yeah, Emily totally wants me. Not Pretty Emily (although she wants me too), and not Stupid Emily or Mean Emily, but Steak’n Shake Emily. Her eyes spoke volumes and it was a book that was hard to put down. (I don’t even think that last sentence applies, but I was so proud of myself for coming up with it, it’s staying there.) Here’s my ridiculous, yet brief, Steak’n Shake Story:

So I had just turned in my paper for class last night, and was driving home when I realized I was starving. Not eating apparently does that to you. I was actually talking to Pretty Emily on my cellphone at the time, I was sleepy, hungry and distracted. I pulled in to the SnS parking lot and saw the line for the drive through and got right in. After waiting on the two cars in front of me, I pulled up to the window. Herein lies the problem, I pulled up to the “window”. This was one of those stupid drive-throughs where you have to drive all the way around the building 300 degrees to get in line, almost like the building was supposed to be facing a different direction. I pulled up and that’s when the tragedy began.

Emily saw me and it was love at first sight (for her). I gave her a dashing smile and we had some witty banter about how much of a tool I was, and then I drove around to place my order at the speakerbox (with Emily). After doing things properly I drove up to Emily again and got my food. After leaving I told Pretty Emily the story and explained that it must be something in the name, because Emily’s find me irresistible. She agreed.

Upon getting home, I discovered that I didn’t have my shake. Then after explaining the whole thing to Scott, he decided he wanted a shake as well, so we drove back. By this point Emily couldn’t bear the thought of having to see me again just to have her heart broken as I drove away so someone else answered the speaker box this time. We got my shake and scotts without incident, but Emily did peek around the corner to catch one final glimpse… I think I saw a tear in her eye.

Its hard being me.

Sign Where?

So I get tired of typing, "I'm busy as hell right now" so until further notice, I would just like you to pretend I started off every post with it, and be patient when the posting comes sporadically. Major news update! I signed on a new apartment! For speed and efficiency I'm going the bulleted route:

• I didn't really have my mind made up to sign that morning, it just kind of happened. I had her look over my application to make sure everything was in order, she told me I didn't sign here and then gave me another form to sign for a background check, and then another to sign for financial verification, and another and another and... I had an apartment.

• The apartment is awesome, and I was pretty sure it would be the one I was going with. Its just one of those deals where I was hesitant to make "the big decision."

• I can see Scotts apartment from my window.

• Mom's friends are all offering me all their old furniture, so I have lots to pick from.

• The apartment complex managers STILL don't know that I've been staying with Scott all this time, and now I'm moving into one of their other buildings.

Quotes of the day:

• Mom on Scott and I knowing each other well talking to the managers (who don't know we live together): "Well yeah, since Rob and Scott have been li... errr... hanging out a lot lately, they've gotten to know each other pretty well."

• Mom on Running Criminal Background checks at work: "Yeah I do the sex offenders all the time in Jerseyville."

• This wasn't actually said, but as we were walking to the room, the manager shushed Scott, saying he was being too loud in the hall. Scott and I both know that the person who lived across from that room was deaf... it was painful for us not to make a crack.

• Scott finally mentioned (not quite in passing) about how the females above us are loud and then went straight into how their friend pee'd in our hallway. The manager said: "That's an eviction." And will now be looking for an excuse to boot them.