tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37167202011-04-21T23:06:47.431-05:00If you have change for a nickel I will give you my two cents.Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comBlogger851100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-78230342120823771172010-06-19T15:06:00.001-05:002010-06-19T15:06:47.910-05:00

http://yagimina.t35.com/

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-56400805541342867302008-05-16T09:55:00.000-05:002008-05-16T09:56:42.277-05:00

A message from Paul Thompson stargazer@casperboo.com. Just a quick note that I'm close to my fund raising goal but I still need your help. I am riding with Team Breeze which is captained by my good Friend Mercia. Her father lost his battle with diabetes and this ride is in honor of him and others who suffer from diabetes every day. In little over a week I will put on my peddling shoes and

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-1155043782848219982006-08-08T08:29:00.000-05:002006-08-08T08:29:42.906-05:00

As you should know, I now have two cats.  Casper, who I've had since he was a wee kitten and I recently adopted Jada late last year.  I have come up with several nicknames for Casper including the obvious, Boo.  I have also come up with some good nick names for Jada.  Let's see, there is Ms. Thang, Ms. Lady, Fat Ass (she's fat) and my all time favorite, Princessa.  No other nickname fits her

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-1153845839396419302006-07-25T11:43:00.000-05:002006-07-25T19:34:43.253-05:00

OK, I've tried my best not to talk about politics and the wars for the past few journal entries but I just can't keep quiet any more. Of course, you knew that. The fruits of rampant incompetence in this administration are being harvested right now. Insurgents have increased attacks in Iraq with an average daily death toll of 100 people. Increased Taliban attacks in Afghanistan. If there

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-1153348930129116992006-07-19T17:41:00.000-05:002006-07-19T17:42:57.976-05:00

There is war in Iraq, a war in Lebanon, another tsunami in the South Pacific, famine over here, floods over there and all I can think about in the midst of what appears to be Armageddon is how hot it is! Doesn't the Bible mention something to the effect of hell on Earth during the last days? If that is the case then I'm living in a lava pit. I figured I was going to hell anyway but I guess

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-1152706879938144592006-07-12T06:52:00.000-05:002006-07-12T07:27:56.856-05:00

As you all know I'm a very modest and humble person. I'm rarely one to toot my own horn. I do, however feel the need to make you aware of a milestone I recently achieved. My friend Michael Lacey and I stopped smoking a year ago on the 4th of July. I have not smoked one cigarette in over a year! I was never a big smoker and was really trying to help out my friend Mike. Congratulations Mike

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-1152556981282287962006-07-10T13:43:00.000-05:002006-07-12T06:52:27.713-05:00

I have come to the realization that most people are just plain nasty! These people have the hygiene of a chimpanzee! This is not something that is new to me but I have taken full notice of late. One day while at work I was taking care of number 2. I heard one guy leave the stall and walk right out the door. Can you believe that shit?! Pardon the pun. I almost jumped off the pot and yelled

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-1148053541032802102006-05-19T10:43:00.000-05:002006-05-19T10:56:19.240-05:00

"Lord have mercy, Jesus!" That's what my grandmother would say when she was exhausted from some long task or just frustrated with something. She was a church going woman so she didn't curse… At least not in mixed company. Since I'm not a church going woman I get to say FUCK!! I love that word because it describes exactly how I'm feeling. Lately I have been so busy with work that I have to

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-1143388339083509532006-03-26T09:41:00.000-06:002006-03-26T10:16:30.830-06:00

It's a typical Sunday morning and I'm sprawled out on the couch watching the Republican propaganda machine also known as Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace. Chris is interviewing the Secretary of State Cunnilingus Rice. This woman is making more money in a year than I will probably make in my lifetime. At one point during the exchange of lies Chris Wallace showed a flashback of something Ms.

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-1142915610243435062006-03-20T22:06:00.000-06:002006-03-20T23:19:25.866-06:00

I was going to write this very serious post about the 3rd anniversary of the War in Iraq. I was starting to sound like one of those guys you read in the op-ed section of the newspaper! Then I thought, no. No need to ramble on with fancy political lingo. Fact of the matter is the US has fucked things up in Iraq. That's the entire story in a nutshell. Fuck, fuckity, fucking fucked! I don't need to

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-1142519142195895212006-03-16T08:22:00.000-06:002006-03-16T08:25:42.206-06:00

One of the things I like most about my job is that I am constantly learning new things. It's not overly technical but I have a LOT of people contact. I am constantly receiving information from people, synthesizing it and making decisions. One task I had to coordinate was the movement of some data and voice lines at one of my branches. It's always a mess because you have to deal with the phone

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-1142108324418953342006-03-11T12:38:00.000-06:002006-03-13T21:38:40.246-06:00

Greetings all. Hopefully you didn't have much trouble finding my new home. Yes, I have reinvented my online journal once again. This will be the fifth iteration of my journal but technically only the fourth. Let's see, there was The Face of Unemployment, Just Bitching, In Search of..., and A New Hope. This time I simply changed the name of A New Hope to its current title. It became apparent to

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-1141764155925561742006-03-07T14:42:00.000-06:002006-03-07T14:42:35.953-06:00

I have officially been 40 years old for a month.  I say officially because I've been feeling 40 for the past 5 years (the unemployment, the surgery, the weight?!  Oy vey!).  I think this is the time in my life when I'm supposed to start having mid-life crisis and such.  You know those questions middle aged people start asking themselves.  What have I accomplished?  Where is my life going?  What

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-1137423935123878032006-01-16T09:05:00.000-06:002006-01-16T09:05:35.176-06:00

As we all know today is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday.  Dr. King was the face of the civil rights movement and a force for social change during a tumultuous time in our nation's history.  Many of us are well aware of his work in the civil rights movement but few are aware that the civil rights movement was only part of his vision.  Dr. King's goal was "to save the soul of America."  This

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-1135871639724118232005-12-29T09:53:00.000-06:002005-12-29T09:53:59.776-06:00

It's that time of year again.  This is when we try to assess the past year to determine if we have met our goals or just wasted valuable oxygen for someone who would have used it better.  Many of us like to define our yearly goals with resolutions as a demarcation in our lives to say, "From this point on things will be different!  I will be faster, better, stronger!"  In all likelihood we end up

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-1135703483284600272005-12-27T11:11:00.000-06:002005-12-28T06:58:05.726-06:00

This year's Christmas can be summed up in two words. Over consumption. I'm not talking about the general American public and the result of living in a capitalist society. No, I'm talking about my fat ass eating too much! It all started with my grand idea to buy 20 pounds of sweet potatoes to make pies, cakes and breads as gifts and for parties. I did pretty good but some of the deserts didn't

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-1134707843541604152005-12-15T22:06:00.000-06:002005-12-15T22:52:28.970-06:00

I have a new hero today. My hero has been oppressed for several decades by a dictator regime. Then my hero's country has been occupied for the past three years by the country that deposed the dictator. After the occupiers the terrorists set up shop. My hero has had to put up with torture, genocide, bombings, and I don't know what else! After all this and my hero STILL made it to the poling place

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-1134486495388961862005-12-13T09:08:00.000-06:002005-12-13T09:08:15.420-06:00

Juan Cole is a noted author, columnist and Professor of history at the University of Michigan.  This man along with several others such as professor Rashid Khalidi who chairs Middle Eastern studies at Columbia University in NYC actually KNOW what they are talking about when it comes to Iraq and the war we are currently "not" in.  Professor Cole gave me permission to reprint an excerpt of an

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-1133883394450055222005-12-06T09:36:00.000-06:002005-12-06T09:36:34.456-06:00

You all know how much I hate winter.  Also, I'm on a collision course with my 40th birthday which is coming up in February.  I was thinking how nice it would be if my dear, dear friends all pooled together and bought me a surprise vacation to Hawaii.  Trust me, I would be surprised!  Hell, I would settle for the airline tickets and handle lodging myself.  A little newspaper and a large cardboard

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-1133540476904844082005-12-02T10:21:00.000-06:002005-12-02T10:21:16.950-06:00

One of the things I'm pretty anal about is punctuality.  If I need to be at the theatre, a concert or any event which starts at a given time I try my darnedest to be there on time.  This was instilled in me as a youngster by my parents who were notoriously punctual.  My mother would often get mad when she had to wait on people.  One of my cousins was always late and my mother's line was, "That

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-1133371631121734352005-11-30T11:27:00.000-06:002005-11-30T11:27:11.166-06:00

Red Eye did a two page article on the Catholic Church's new statement about gay men entering the priesthood.  I had a couple of minutes before lunch and decided to send in my 4.7 cents (damn inflation!) to the paper regarding the issue. ------   I went to 12 years of Lutheran parochial school and was very active in the church growing up.  I am actually grateful for that because I couldn't imagine

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-1132695360340673262005-11-22T15:36:00.000-06:002005-11-22T15:36:00.340-06:00

Every year people sit around a table piled high with food and testify to what they are thankful for during the past year.  The one thing they should all be thankful for is that they are not that poor dead bird all spread eagle on the table!  In keeping with the spirit of this tradition here are 10 things I'm thankful for (in no particular order).   I'm thankful that my family isn't as crazy as

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-1132163065322035492005-11-16T11:44:00.000-06:002005-11-16T11:44:25.370-06:00

Its Wednesday and I have one more reason to be happy.  George Bush's ratings have fallen once again!  Hmm..  I wonder if it's something he could be doing wrong??  Nah!!!   On a lighter note the cats have not torn up the place but I must say there's still a lot of hissing and fighting going on.  Can you believe it's all my Casper instigating it!?  I was shocked.  At first he got a taste of Jada's

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-1131464828088240872005-11-08T09:47:00.000-06:002005-11-08T20:23:11.516-06:00

As you all should know, Casper has been my four legged companion for over 9 years. I got him when he was but a wee kitten. He can be a cool cat most of the time and other times you just want to strangle him. I'm sure that I'm not alone with these feelings toward my pet. For quite some time I have wanted Casper to have a companion. You know, a little friend while I'm away at work or whoring about

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-1130863016341092422005-11-01T10:36:00.000-06:002005-11-23T18:27:33.753-06:00

I'm sure the religious right is singing Hallelujah at Bush's supreme court nominee Samuel Alito. They bitched and complained about Meyer's nomination and they got what they wanted, a staunch conservative constructionist in the mold of Antonin Scalia. He has since earned the nick name Scalito?! Yikes!! There is no doubt about his qualifications (Sorry Ms. Meyers). But this guy will flip Roe v

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-1130509681943926072005-10-28T09:28:00.000-05:002005-10-28T09:28:01.986-05:00

Gang, it's finally over.  The White Sox won the 2005 World Series.  I'm extremely happy about this.  No, I'm not a White Sox fan.  I'm not even a baseball fan.  I'm glad it's over so everyone can get back to their regularly scheduled programming and lives.  The last few weeks have been exasperating.  Every meeting or conference call I've had began with a 5-10 minute discussion about the Sox.  Of

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-1129841263022155132005-10-20T15:47:00.000-05:002005-10-20T15:47:43.076-05:00

How long have I been at my current job, 3 Months?  4 Months??  I must have been deep, deep, deep into my work because I just made an overdue revelation.  I work in an office with a bunch of cute guys.  Cute friendly guys!  White guys, Black guys, Latin, it's across the board.  Someone help me out because I'm that guy who usually pegs the cute boys right away when I walk into a room.  When I'm at

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-1128087074320827282005-09-30T08:31:00.000-05:002005-09-30T08:31:14.373-05:00

It's a bonus day at work today.  Just got a brand new office chair with all kinds of buttons and levers plus it's donut Friday!!  Yippie!   However it is quite funny listening to everyone around me struggle to figure out the many options the new chairs offer.  You can tell this chair is designed with the fat ass in mind.  The arms of the chair open outward to accommodate the wide loads.  Thank

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-1127995826653847162005-09-29T06:47:00.000-05:002005-09-29T08:14:44.173-05:00

As you can see, I had to redecorate the place a little. What do you think? You know how it is, after living in the same virtual space for so long you have to spruce things up a bit. Besides, I could barely read my own posts with that color scheme I had. The eyes just ain't what they used to be. And neither is anything else for that matter! I am slowly but surely feeling the onslaught of time. I

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-1127178367693814672005-09-19T20:05:00.000-05:002005-09-19T20:28:17.376-05:00

I have received several e-mails with comments of praise about how much you enjoy reading my journal entries. My adoring fans are always wondering how I do it. I know some of you out there probably think I agonize for a week or more before I can put the right words together which are often poignant, timely and funny. You may think I'm doing hours of research to come up with the perfect entry. Or

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-1126758799270615282005-09-14T22:33:00.000-05:002005-09-20T06:42:07.253-05:00

Do any of you ever get that feeling? You know the one when you turn on the TV and you hear reports of bombings in Iraq and Afghanistan, genocide in Darfur, hundreds dead in the Gulf, another hurricane on the eastern sea board and your country is being run by some guy who looks like Alfred E. Newman from MAD Magazine? You say to yourself, "These must be the last days! I had better get my shit

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-1126180437029245522005-09-08T06:24:00.000-05:002005-09-08T06:53:57.033-05:00

The worst of the worst is upon us. No, I'm not talking about the aftermath of hurricane Katrina. Although it is a travesty which has devastated this country I'm referring to the supreme court! Chief Justice Rehnquist just passed away and Sandra Day O'Connor is on her way out which means the balance of power in the highest court will most likely shift further right. G. W. must be having a mini

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-1125461077337294152005-08-30T22:26:00.000-05:002005-08-31T22:36:56.126-05:00

Hurricane Katrina did one hell of a job to New Orleans and many other gulf cities. Holy crap! It kind of boggles the mind viewing the amount of devastation that this storm has done. Roofs ripped off buildings, windows shattered, cars destroyed. It's just kind of crazy! But why oh why is every news piece showing my brothers and sisters looting EVERYTHING! I can understand if you need food and

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-1124856333202602932005-08-23T22:24:00.000-05:002005-08-23T23:15:28.070-05:00

Gang, I had my last surgery back in June and I have been out of the surgical shoe and off the cane for almost two months now. I'm able to get around just fine with my new feet. It's great, no pain! But one thing I did while I was recuperating was to suspend the membership to my health club. I figured why should I pay if I can't do anything. What if I dropped a weight on my toe? I couldn't risk it

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-1124336334098496882005-08-17T22:07:00.000-05:002005-08-17T23:25:48.790-05:00

Let's talk about the latest voice of the war protest Cindy Sheehan. Cindy was joined by some 100 supporters over the past week in her efforts to speak with the President. Her request is a simple one and one which I think is totally justified. All she is asking is for the president to give her a reason why we are in Iraq. She wants him to tell the truth. Cindy, I've been wanting him to do that for

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-1121606443577054052005-07-17T07:48:00.000-05:002006-09-12T06:45:47.150-05:00

It's been about three weeks since I started the new job and can I say what a world of difference! Working in corporate America is kind of like riding a bike. It may have been a while since you've done it but you never forget how! The building I work in is a vast cubicle farm as far as they eye can see. Tall people walking around in the cubicles look like disembodied heads. The job is going well..

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-1119401284549573872005-06-21T19:47:00.000-05:002005-06-21T19:48:04.560-05:00

Doug, Now that I have started my new position as a project manager (making way more money!) I felt a need to address the e-mail you sent prior to my "resignation". Though I am aware of the reasons why you sent this letter I can not in good conscious let this go unchallenged. First, I think it is imperative to recognize that Kathryn is an executive of the Association, which sometimes

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-1118837034199972872005-06-15T06:23:00.000-05:002005-06-15T08:20:53.276-05:00

Now that I have all this time on my hands before I start my new job I thought I would have one of my famous movie days. It was unofficial double feature Tuesday (I snuck into the second feature) and my choices were Mr. & Mrs. Smith and Madagascar. Personally, I think Brad is hot but a dog for leaving Jennifer. I also think Angelina is just a mediocre talented ho whose lips are so big she could

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-1118756734382394962005-06-14T07:59:00.000-05:002005-06-14T08:51:35.450-05:00

I have been totally negligent in my duty and for that I apologize. I have been so wrapped up in my own personal world that I have not devoted enough time to bashing this administration. It looks like Americans may finally be waking up from a long sleep of illusion that the war in Iraq had anything to do with the reasons we invaded that country. Apparently a Washington Post/ABC News poll report

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-1118401400083685972005-06-10T05:30:00.000-05:002005-06-10T06:23:38.556-05:00

Yes, happy days are here again and I'm singing a song of cheer again. You shouldn't even have to ask why but I will tell you anyway. I have secured a position as a project manager working for ValCom which has the exclusive IT support contract for Grainger. It seems amazing that I was able to get a job within two weeks after getting canned from Equity. To be fair I have been looking for quite some

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-1118321991468022802005-06-09T07:37:00.000-05:002005-06-09T08:49:46.583-05:00

I finally had surgery on my other foot. Yes, I had to have both of them done. This surgery went much better for me than the first one. Obviously because I knew the drill and was much more relaxed. The only trauma I experienced the whole day was the drive to the surgery center with my dad! That man made my blood pressure go up several times yesterday. He's a typical septuagenarian. He's

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-1117739641762535552005-06-02T13:42:00.000-05:002005-06-02T14:20:46.176-05:00

It is truly a new day. I feel free from that oppressive job and my prospects are good! Knock on wood. I don't want to jinx anything! Don't you like the new page? I fixed it up just for you all! As you can see, I have reverted back to one of my old blogs. I don't think I've submitted an entry in almost 2 years. Right after I started the IT position at Equity, hmm... That truly was a dark

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-1063901169066678582003-09-18T11:06:00.000-05:002003-09-18T11:06:09.190-05:00

Nothing can get you to the dentist faster than the cancellation of your dental benefits by your employer. Such is the case with me. I was told several months ago that I needed two crowns but put it off until the day I found out our dental insurance from work was going the way of the dinosaur VERY SOON! To date I’ve had half the total work done. I just went back this past Tuesday to start work

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-1062426452199717732003-09-01T09:27:00.000-05:002003-09-01T09:51:05.736-05:00

So much to write about and only a couple of paragraphs to fit it all in so this will be a medley of a journal entry. Things I've learned over the past few months: 1. Getting a cheap heart procedure is NOT the same as getting a cheap shirt. You can always buy another shirt. Actually my dad just learned that lesson. 2. Seeing your dad right after bypass surgery is NOT for the weak of heart!

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-1059749021095991192003-08-01T09:43:00.000-05:002003-08-01T10:10:17.063-05:00

I have never in all my days seen one particular word move across the landscape of this nation and become part of its popular culture in such record time as …hold on a minute. I get a little nauseous just saying the word…. METROSEXUAL! What the hell is that anyway? I’m sure you have all heard or read the definition of this newly classified sexual identity, “The straight male who is in touch

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-952815432003-06-04T08:07:00.000-05:002003-06-04T08:07:09.806-05:00

Here I go again! I’m back on the diet/fitness wagon. What is driving me back to the diet trail this time you may ask? Is it my marginally high cholesterol levels? No. Is it my desire to appear more attractive to the same sex? No. Is it to be healthier? Not really. The reason I’m trying to get back in shape and lose these extra pounds is pure economics. Remember, I was unemployed for 14

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-950068652003-05-28T16:37:00.000-05:002003-05-28T18:29:42.000-05:00

One of the things you should know about me is my distaste for a lot of drama bullshit. If you can see a train coming a mile away then common sense would tell your dumb ass to MOVE OUT OF THE WAY! So it is with drama. Unfortunately some people are blind, deaf and dumb when the drama train comes screeching down the line and they just sit there right on the tracks waiting for the light to turn

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-944226372003-05-15T20:31:00.000-05:002003-05-23T16:42:11.000-05:00

Oh me, oh my! One minute (more like one year) I’m sitting at home watching the entire run of bewitched for the third time and desperately seeking employment (and something to do) and the next minute I’m up to my perfectly manicured finger nails (held high above my head for someone to rescue me!) with two jobs, a business and a position on the condominium board. I should probably start with the

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-918125822003-04-01T20:35:00.000-06:002005-10-21T22:04:45.990-05:00

Hey, It’s been a long and arduous road and I continue to learn life-long lessons. One of those lessons was to just keep trying and find whatever angle you can to get where you need to be (legally, of course). Here’s the big news, boys and girls. I just secured an IT support position with Actor’s Equity Association!!! It was the best interview in my LONG list of job interviews. So in

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-908392402003-03-16T23:37:00.000-06:002003-03-17T00:01:19.000-06:00

The United States of Apathy, sometimes I feel this should be our nation’s new name. We have become so comfortable and self absorbed in our lifestyle that we often fail to see how other people are made to suffer so that we may maintain our way of life. How many of us have really thought about what this impending war will do to the people in that region? There are real people who will be made to

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-875746502003-01-16T23:11:00.000-06:002003-01-16T23:11:02.833-06:00

Oh the weather outside is frightful. And I ain’t just singing a seasonal song. It’s damn cold out there, babies! As you all know I’m from a tropical people. This whole winter wonderland crap is for penguins and crazy straight white boys that you see wearing shorts in this crappy weather. This tropical princess believes in staying warm. Each morning I embark on a process that is guaranteed

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-859291472002-12-12T22:32:00.000-06:002002-12-12T22:32:39.490-06:00

I’m a typing, filing, sorting, mail merging, administrative assistant machine! I don’t mind the filing and typing stuff but God save me from a board meeting. This should actually be called a bored meeting. Honeys, I’ve been to my share of meetings and feel that I am no stranger to those high powered muckety mucks who believe their erudition is best expressed through their own palaverous nature

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-858787892002-12-11T23:26:00.000-06:002002-12-11T23:28:55.000-06:00

Busy, busy, busy that is what how I like to think of my life. Actually, I am pretty busy at work (now that I have a job) but when I get home I’m just tired so I veg out on the couch and watch TV. Most times I doze off for about ½ hour. I think I’m still adjusting to these CRAZY hours. After being at home for a little over a year I have become accustomed to my afternoon nap. Little did I know

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-854278842002-12-03T08:01:00.000-06:002002-12-03T08:01:48.370-06:00

The old journal has suffered lately but it’s all for a good cause. My motto states that inflow supersedes all. Inflow as in cash and I’ve been working on increasing my inflow as you know. I am all about routine when it comes to things like my journal, exercising or bill paying! Once my routine is altered it takes me a while to get back on track but I usually get there. One of the things I

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-849237992002-11-22T08:22:00.000-06:002002-11-22T08:22:45.190-06:00

I GOT A J.O.B.!!!!!!!!!!!! Can you believe it? After 13 months of searching, networking, begging and pleading I finally have a job…paying money! Well, it’s not exactly in my field of expertise. I will be an administrative assistant. But I’m sure my organizational skills and general positive outlook on life will be just what these people need in the office. I’m still not out of the financial

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-847988322002-11-19T22:36:00.000-06:002002-11-19T22:36:09.290-06:00

Sorry if I have been neglecting the old journal. I have been VERY busy over the last couple of weeks. After getting two parking tickets I made it my goal to get out of the house. When I was getting ready to pay one of the $50 tickets I noticed that the city of Chicago had left me a little gift, ANOTHER ticket for not having a current city sticker! So I got two parking tickets and two sticker

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-841555752002-11-06T22:58:00.000-06:002002-11-06T23:17:07.000-06:00

That important thing, yes, that important thing when you both see eye to eye. It’s a rare thing but a necessary thing that let’s you put all the other trivial (and sometimes not so trivial) things aside. It was the one thing between my father and me that I felt made us both responsible men to each other and to everyone else. I distinctly remember the first time my father and I went to the

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-840440682002-11-04T23:16:00.000-06:002002-11-04T23:16:07.493-06:00

I got one thing to say. YOU BETTA’ VOTE! Get off your collective asses, go to the polls and cast your vote. ESPECIALLY my brotha’s and sistah’s out there who should have a strong appreciation and reverence for those who came before us. Some even sacrificing their lives just for us to exercise our rights as American citizens to vote. As I live and breathe I will never understand people who

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-838765272002-11-01T09:24:00.000-06:002002-11-01T09:24:12.260-06:00

Well gang, I braved yet another appointment at the VA hospital yesterday. That’s Veteran’s Administration for those of you who are not familiar. It’s where us poor old vets go for health care. No major issues to handle but my doctor thought I should get my eyes checked for glaucoma now that I am officially OVER the proverbial hill of 35. It would seem that after you cross that imaginary

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-837202662002-10-29T09:39:00.000-06:002002-10-29T09:39:19.646-06:00

I’ve noticed a very disturbing trend of late. I have talked to several of my friends (close and not so close) and noticed that there is a disturbing trend developing in the dating scene (Or so it would seem). I have spoke with no less than four friends within the past week and each of them has told me stories of dating someone or having a one night stand. Yes, people still have one night

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-834029812002-10-23T08:17:00.000-05:002002-10-23T08:17:20.250-05:00

Lately I have become much more aggressive in my job search but I am not sure how well this is paying off for my self-esteem. In the past week I have been following up on positions that I had either interviewed for or positions I was very interested in obtaining. During my follow up calls I found out that the companies had decided NOT to fill the vacancy for the positions that I had applied.

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-832952102002-10-21T08:22:00.000-05:002002-10-22T16:39:25.000-05:00

Below is an excerpt from an e-mail I sent last week to a couple of friends about a job I had applied for some time ago. I thought it was perfect for my journal entry: As I told you yesterday I was on the warpath with this one company which I did not hear anything from after what I thought was a stellar interview. The position was for the company that runs the PACE bus systems. So I called the

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-831308602002-10-17T14:23:00.000-05:002002-10-17T14:44:11.000-05:00

So I’m eating my lunch and being very good with my meal. I had a lettuce and tomato salad with red wine vinegar, olive oil and a little tuna. This is a VERY good lunch for me. Anyway, I was still a little hungry for something sweet so I finished off a box of shredded wheat cereal (I should get a gold medal on my lunch alone!) and noticed some cool code thing for online stuff in the shredded

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-831270952002-10-17T12:53:00.000-05:002002-10-17T12:53:17.000-05:00

GONE FISHING

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-829670312002-10-14T10:24:00.000-05:002002-10-14T10:36:19.000-05:00

As we all know it is fun to get excited about an event that is happening in your own life but it is often more fulfilling to be excited about events that are happening in your friends’ or families’ lives. This Sunday I was afforded the unique opportunity to cheer my dear friend Carrie across the finish line of the Chicago marathon! My girl was FABULOUS! She ran the whole thing in under five

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-828417242002-10-11T09:22:00.000-05:002002-10-12T13:13:48.000-05:00

Not much to report this week so I will share a story. Some of you have heard this story but many of you haven’t. For those of you who know me I’m sure you ask yourselves, “That Paul is so fascinating! How in the world did he become so good with computers and technology?” I know, I know sometimes I ask myself that same question. When did it all start? Well, I have been able to trace my

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-826886362002-10-08T09:15:00.000-05:002002-10-08T09:15:50.550-05:00

“Ain’t Nothin’ Goin’ on but the Rent..” is a line from one of my favorite songs from the late 70s or early 80s. These lyrics were sung by a woman to a man basically saying, “If you can’t help me with my finances then all that love crap don’t mean diddly.” I have used this line throughout the decades (Yes, I can say decades) jokingly to friends. Well, now these words are hitting home like a

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-825144452002-10-04T08:30:00.000-05:002002-10-04T08:30:10.210-05:00

TGIF! Woo Hoo!!! End of the week! This has really been a rough week and I need the weekend. I know, you are all saying, “What the hell is he so happy for? He doesn’t even have a job to hate!” For your information I too look forward to the weekends. No, I do not have a regular Dilbert type job where I sit in a cubicle and make small talk with co-workers that I can not stand. No, I am not

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-823649652002-10-01T09:17:00.000-05:002002-10-01T09:17:50.466-05:00

Hotmail is not for children! Has anyone besides me noticed this? I have always joked about how bad Hotmail e-mail was with allowing spam but I really had no idea. I have had a Hotmail account for a few years but I do not currently use it as a primary account. I actually DO use it for junk mail. You know all those online forms that want you to supply an e-mail address? I give them that good

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-821422192002-09-26T07:39:00.000-05:002002-09-26T07:39:59.176-05:00

Lately I have been having recurring dream about the world being invaded by aliens. The location is always different and the aliens are always different but somehow, someway this world gets taken over by space aliens in my dreams. Usually I am with a small group of people in a desperate search to rid the planet of these extraterrestrial menaces. Last night I was in a frantic search for clues on

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-819946272002-09-23T09:39:00.000-05:002002-09-23T09:39:47.133-05:00

I just saw one of my favorite movies of all time “Glengarry Glen Ross” adapted from a play by David Mamet. I love watching shows like this with hard nosed street salesmen that will do anything to close the deal. Lie, steal, etc. it doesn’t matter. All that matters is that they are closing that deal. Gotta’ know your ABCs. Always Be Closing. There are other movies on par with “Glengarry Glen

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-818685672002-09-20T08:06:00.000-05:002002-09-20T08:09:54.000-05:00

Hey gang! Have you noticed the hit counter on my site? It made it to a thousand hits today! Well, it’s not exactly 1000 real hits. I padded the count by 50 when I first started it at the beginning of the year. Oh, and many of the hits are my own because sometimes I can’t exclude my own visits. So doing some quick calculations the count is really about 900! Woo hoo!! Casperboo.com is over

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-817733312002-09-18T09:32:00.000-05:002002-09-18T09:32:58.033-05:00

As many of you know it has been quite some times since I have had a real job. I have gone through ups and downs about the whole situation but I have an internal faith about this whole situation that everything will eventually work out for the better. I know there are some people out there who would have crossed over into serious depression and would probably be in counseling by now. I have

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-817243232002-09-17T09:51:00.000-05:002002-09-17T09:51:52.463-05:00

As you can see there have been some changes at my virtual home. Economics has forced me to get rid of my DSL provider, Earthlink which provided me with a whopping 10Mb of space to host my website. I have had to move into Tripod’s free space. That means advertisements. I don’t think it’s that bad AND I get 20Mb per account. I think we can all live with one measly ad banner. It could be worse

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-816727712002-09-16T09:32:00.000-05:002002-09-17T08:42:20.000-05:00

This weekend made me realize how boring I have become. I had brunch with a bunch of friends to celebrate Tami’s birthday and I got the distinct feeling that my conversation inevitably turns toward employment. I have become what I hate most, a gravity well of conversation. No other conversation can escape the massive pull of my topic. They all seem to be twisted in time and space and reshaped

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-815092882002-09-12T10:31:00.000-05:002002-09-12T10:31:27.226-05:00

I woke up this morning feeling like a three year old child always asking questions. Here are some of the questions that were on my mind as I watched George Bush address the U.N. Question: When was the last time the UN took military action without the US prodding them along to live up to their own charter? Question: Can G.W. Bush ever make a speech without mispronouncing words? Question: Saudi

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-814070292002-09-10T10:12:00.000-05:002002-09-10T10:12:24.253-05:00

Well gang, along with the government jobs I have been applying for (so far there has only been one) I am also exploring the retail job market. I have applied to at several retail stores but I only want to work at one of the stores. There is only one retail store worth working at in Chicago and I am sure you all know which one it is. You know the place where you can get everything from Dorritos

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-811857912002-09-05T07:56:00.000-05:002002-09-05T07:56:58.336-05:00

Gang, the times, they are a getting desperate. Yes, I have sunk to the bottom of the job pool barrel. I just applied for a GOVERNMENT JOB!!! I know, I know. How did I end up in this situation with all of my knowledge, abilities and promise? How could I ever be happy in the bastion of apathy, complacency and non-competitiveness? I’m talking paycheck, baby! The government pays on time every

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-810892912002-09-03T09:02:00.000-05:002002-09-03T09:02:19.256-05:00

As many of you know I spend very little time in the bars. I think it is amazing that the bartenders know my name and my drink as soon as I walk in the establishment! Anyway, I was out with my friends Rob and Oscar on Sunday. Since Monday was a holiday it was time to shake our asses! Unfortunately, there was no ass shaking at Roscoe’s or Sidetracks. Both places were packed to the gills with

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-808700502002-08-29T09:19:00.000-05:002002-08-29T09:25:34.000-05:00

I think my friend Jose’s mom should be canonized as a saint. Boy, can this woman cook. I just had Enchiladas at his house last night and they were so good! I guess making Jose’s mother a saint probably wouldn’t be the best thing because I think you have to be basically tortured and killed to earn that distinction. That would mean no more Enchiladas! No, let’s just give her tickets to see

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-807760462002-08-27T09:06:00.000-05:002002-08-27T09:06:11.683-05:00

God, I love my dad. This is a man that knows the value of a dollar. He has been collecting cans since I don’t know when and selling them to the aluminum recyclers. I’ve been thinking about doing the same thing in my condo. I could put out little bins and collect the cans once a week. Yeah, if I weren’t so lazy that might actually work! Anyway, back to Joe Jr., that’s my dad’s name. So Joe

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-807266032002-08-26T08:13:00.000-05:002002-08-26T08:13:26.636-05:00

Well, it finally happened. My brother finally got married after being engaged for what seemed like an eternity. Actually it was a little over a year but I think we were all ready for them to jump the broom. The wedding itself apparently came off on short notice. We (the family) all found out about it early last week. I didn’t ask my brother why the last minute wedding. I was kind of

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-806141302002-08-23T09:23:00.000-05:002002-08-23T10:26:39.000-05:00

Being out of work as long as I have affords one the opportunity to reflect on other skills, training, etc. that one has developed over the past 20 plus years. Let’s see… I was a baker, a bag boy at a grocery store (three times), A communications repair technician in the Marine Corps, a quality control technician, a sales associate at Oscso, a telemarketer, a library aid, a bar back, an archivist

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-805703612002-08-22T10:03:00.000-05:002002-08-22T10:03:21.560-05:00

Since I have had the worst luck finding a job I have been distracting myself with this website. I actually just had a job interview earlier this week. I didn’t get the job and was a bit depressed about that. Hmm… This topic is quite depressing and does not conform to my original charter of “A New Hope” but this is my journal and I can write about anything I want! OK, so I’m all depressed and

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3716720.post-804882192002-08-20T14:43:00.000-05:002002-08-22T09:21:23.000-05:00

Now that I have given my website a new attitude I also thought it was time that my journal got a new attitude also. I think it had a bad attitude there for a while. Besides my journal has had the title of "Face of Unemployement" for over eight months. It will now be called "A New Hope." I'm sure the sci-fi geeks out there will know exactly where this title comes from. Hopefully the entries

Paulyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150230928012152669noreply@blogger.com