It's a New Year dammit!

Well I haven't been on here since September. Work begins to get extremely busy from October through May (60 hour work weeks). Then to top it off I got sick again in December and was down for about three weeks. I thought my last bout of Swine was bad.

This round kicked my ass no doubt. After a few days of extreme craps, fever the works I went to the ER and they said I probably have H1N1 (again??!! Errrrr!!!). I was so sick it finally took about two solid weeks to get over it and the third still feeling worn down. This was after a round of Tamiflu!
However it is 2010 and I'm back. So here is my New Years Resolutions for 2010.
  1. Next New Years eve, don't get so drunk you wear the Happy New Year sign on your face while sticking your tongue at people through the letters and screaming "I'm Hannibal Lector".
  2. Read more as knowledge is power.
  3. Stop eating out so damn much.
  4. Pretend my birthday is not the start of a new decade of life in me.
  5. Take a cruise
  6. Piss more customers off at work than I did last year (only the jerks).
  7. Finish the remodeling projects in my home that are still half done from last year.
  8. Complete most of my 2010 New Years Resolution list.
    Happy New Year.......
    Posted on 11:06 PM by Campeon and filed under | 0 Comments »

    It Goes to Penalties

    Through out the match Swine Flu FC had been applying pressure. They came out with a relentless attack  from their starting forward Fever and wingers Cough and Aches. Their mid field was anchored by Congestion with their star defender Sore Throat bring up the rear and Headache in goal.


    I tried my best to fend of their attack however Fever sent a rocket to the back of the net in the 32nd minute off a bad clear from my defender Tylenol. They followed up with a second goal in the 44th minute by Cough from outside the 18 yard mark when Nyquil got beat on a cross.


    After the 1st half it was time for change. The Doctor went to the bench for experience bringing in two long time veterans Antibiotics and Sudafed to start the 2nd half as forwards. This change proved effective as they were able to tie the match in the 88th minute on a cross with Antibiotics putting a header in the top corner of the net.


    After time expired the game remained tied 2-2 sending it into Penalty Kicks. After the first four Penalty Kicks were stopped by each Keeper it was down to the last man from each side. Sore Throat set up than took his kick. He sent the shoot high right hitting the pole and deflecting away from the net. As he sat there stunned, Sudafed set up for me and took his kick. He sent a blistering shot into the lower left corner just past their Keeper Headache for the win.


    The crowd erupted into a roar as they knew this brutal match had come to an end. Although I walked away the winner, as with any match the aches and tiredness still remains.



    Posted on 1:04 AM by Campeon and filed under | 5 Comments »

    I Survived Swine 09


    Well not quite but here is my status. Ok since my Doctors appointment is not till tomorrow, I won't really know if I have Swine. However regardless since they no longer test for it, I will still be left in the dark regarding my demise.


    In any case I'm prepared for my self diagnoses as I have watched an entire season of House and can probably conduct my own autopsy if needed as Ducky from NCIS has taught me all I need during these 4 days in bed. With help from the Google School of Medicine I have found the following checklist to diagnose my Swine Flu.

    Fever of 100.4 or higher with two or more of the following symptoms.
    • Unusual tiredness - Does 4 days in bed count
    • Headache - Feels like a sledgehammer was smacked on my head
    • Runny nose - Niagara Falls has nothing on me
    • Sore throat - Feels like sand paper
    • Shortness of breath or cough - At first I was thinking it was TB
    • Loss of appetite - Not really
    • Aching muscles - Motrin and Tylenol has not helped. Next on the plate is Vicodin.
    • Diarrhea or vomiting - So far it has passed on me. Thank God.
    According to reports currently there are no active strains of the flu going around except Swine. So they say if you have flu symptoms it is highly likely to be Swine.
    Each day I'm feeling better, however now it looks like Suzy Q has been infected. The minions look good so far but will see. Almost there but I think I have survived Swine 09.
    Posted on 6:19 PM by Campeon and filed under | 3 Comments »

    Employment Reflections....Underemployment Reflections


    As a child I always dreamt of becoming a successful individual, financially of course. I can still remember pretending that I was rich like Scrooge McDuck. Who in Duck Tales would swim in his vault of gold. LOL. I wanted to be uber rich, as I thought with it came power and respect.

    Well I have not attained that height but I can't complain either. I have a home (err Condo) in the Greater Bay Area which is no small feat and run a small business that has wethered these economic times while maintaining growth. It pays the bills but in no means makes me rich financially. Hell I don't even have health insurance nor could I afford it without severe cuts in all our discreationary spending.

    Although my business requires me to work odd hours, I also have taken a small part time job as a delivery driver for a manufacturer company. This company has also made it through this recession pretty much unscathed. I've been lucky in both aspects but knowing people has certainly helped.

    Even though I don't swim in a vault of gold like Scrooge McDuck, I always come home to my house and swim among my wife and girls. My very own vault of gold that is priceless.


    Posted on 11:59 PM by Campeon and filed under | 1 Comments »

    Just Another WTF Day - #2


    I no longer wonder if I will get Swine Flu but rather when I will get it. Our damn kids are gonna be the ones who kill us off. I think my children are out to get me for some unknown reason.

    Last night I was laying in bed with my daughter at 1 in the morning. Like me, she can be a bit of a crack head in the wee hours of the night. We are laying there, playing, cooing, talking, wrestling for a while. As usual my laptop is on my bed. In between our playtime, I look away from her to see what's going on in the world by viewing the top headlines on msn.com.

    After reviewing the headlines I turn to my daughter who suddenly sneezes, spraying my entire face with liquid snot particles. It felt like someone sprayed my face with a water bottle. Literally my face felt drenched, however this still was not the worst part.

    My right eye was blurred and it took me a minute but I realized a whole slew of liquid snot was in my eye. After I wipe my face and eye clear, I look down and she is staring at me smiling. So what can a Dad do but smile back. WTF, I guess Just Another Day as a Dad.

    I was going to post a photo of someone sneezing, however the spray droplets look so utterly disgusting I decided against it. However if you really never want to venture in public or yet have children, Google it.
    Posted on 4:50 PM by Campeon and filed under | 0 Comments »

    Soccer Survival Tips for Idiots



    My daughter's first Football (Soccer) game is tonight and it got me thinking about things people should know about Soccer. Especially since many in the U.S. think they "know" Soccer but most of the time they have no real clue about the game. Here are a few points a Soccer Nazi like myself would like to point out.

    • Don't Dive, Flop, Act or Exaggerate when fouled. These acts take away from the game. Take the foul like a man (even if your are a women).

    • Play until you hear the whistle indicating to stop play. If you are unsure if you heard the whistle, continue play until you hear the whistle blown several times.

    • There are "Good Fouls" (strategically taken fouls or take downs) and "Bad Fouls". So learn the difference between them and know when a "Good Foul" is appropriate.

    • Shirt pulls, grabs, etc. are part of the game when done strategically. Don't cry about them when it happens. Learn when you should do them back as well.

    • There is no point arguing with the referee if a foul or call is made. He is not going to change his mind no matter what kind of idiot you make of yourself.

    • The referee will not see everything including fouls either on or off the ball. They have a split second to make a decision so give them a break when a few calls are missed throughout a game.

    • Don't act like your kid is the next superstar. Most children will never make it to that level of play. Even if your child is that good, be modest for you and your child's sake.

    • Don't take a cheap shot on another player. However remember a "Good Foul" such as a take down of a player is not necessarily a cheap shot. The opposing player should be aware when they are likely to be fouled in this manner. A good foul will be an attempt to slow their movement or goal scoring opportunity.

    • Just because the soccer ball hits a players hand does not mean it's a handball. Learn the actual rule and how it is and should be applied.
    Above all leave your side line comments to yourself unless they are constructive, especially about the referee's calls. Unless you are a Soccer Nazi, study and play the game you probably do not have a clue about the real aspects of the game. No, being a seasonal soccer mom or dad do not count.

    "Passion about the game is one thing, stupidity is another."
    Posted on 3:35 PM by Campeon and filed under | 0 Comments »

    The Cave And The Wave


    I got this brilliant idea to Google the following: Men are from Mars, women are from Venus. In any case as always with Google, it took me down an interesting path. Apparently what I Googled is also a title of a book on how to improve husband-wife relationships.


    So once again, I continued to consume my next hit of crack Google provided me. I discovered he has a theory called "The cave and the wave" to explain how men and women react differently to stress.


    In a nutshell he theorized men withdraw until they have a solution to the problem thus "retreating into their cave". Whether literally or not he felt the retreat is taken to determine a solution to the problem at hand. Although while retreating the man is not necessarily focusing on the problem at hand, he is basically in a self imposed time out from the stressful situation. This allows him to refocus and than revisit the initial problem later with a fresh perspective (i.e. not emotionally but rational).


    However this very act leads to the main problem between men and women. Women find this act difficult to understand, since their normal reaction when stressed is to talk about the issue in order to find a solution. This leads to the man retreating further as the women attemps to get closer.


    Now here comes the wave. He termed the wave as the natural cycle for women that is centered on their ability to give to others. However at some point the equilibrium is thrown out of balance because of the women's natural cycle to continually give even when not receiving the same amount of love in return. At this point she is unable to give further and needs love from people around her in order to be rejuvenated. Once rejuvenated she is again able to provide love and energy back to others.


    (Light bulb turns on in my head at this point)


    This makes perfect sense. Mom's are seemingly expected to give. They are to take care of husband, baby, house, laundry and go to work. The list goes on and on. While fathers and husbands seem to get away with just going to work then coming home expecting the house in order and dinner ready. No shit the equilibrium is out of whacked (not to mention them....just kidding).


    I always have felt exactly this but could never put my own words on it. Thank you Mr. Gray. For me, now I need to figure out how to talk about things once my retreat is over. I guess that is were my fault lies. I take my vacation, but forget to bring my luggage back home.


    So to all the women out there, especially my wife who puts up with MY shit....thank you. I hope those two little words that are easily forgotten help calm your wave.
    Posted on 2:54 AM by Campeon and filed under | 2 Comments »

    Just Another WTF Day - #1


    Child Protective Services Disclaimer: These are for entertainment purposes only....wink.....wink.....


    - Playing Grand Theft Auto when your infant daughter is sitting in your lap.


    - Screaming obscenities into the open mic while playing FIFA on Xbox Live.


    - Calling the snickering 10 year old who whipped your ass online a little shit when he comments on your playing ability.


    - Talking to your children in scary demon voices because you get a kick out of their WTF face expressions.


    - When baby is crying taking her and latching baby to mom's boob unexpectedly while saying say "She needs 6 ounces STAT!"


    - When child is late to school, coaching them to tell teacher you got off work late. Even though you were really up all night blogging so you slept in.


    - Hear baby crying in the morning and pretending you are still asleep so significant other wakes up to get baby.


    - Referring to children as Big Eyes and Little Big Head.


    - Explaining to your 8 year old the difference between a "good foul" and "bad foul" in preparation for her first soccer game this weekend.
    Posted on 4:09 PM by Campeon and filed under | 2 Comments »

    Obsolete Technology: AKA Old Skool Shit


    I was surfing MSN today and found an article, Obsolete Technology: 40 Big Losers. For the full text as shown on msn.com click the following link. Otherwise here are the 40 with my thoughts.

    http://tech.msn.com/products/articlepcw.aspx?cp-documentid=21159559&GT1=40000

    1. Playing video games at an arcade - Oh how I loved the arcade especially when we went to Las Vegas and I soaked my parents for their winnings, to dump into arcade machines. Screaming finish him while playing Mortal Kombat.


    2. Running out of hard-drive space - On my first computer I only could install one game at a time. Once I got bored of it I would have to delete and install a new game. Remember floppy disks.


    3. Getting a busy signal - Wait I still had this problem till last week when I finally got Comcast phone service.


    4. Going on a 'blind' first date - Never had one.....well except when a friend conned me into going on a double date because their date would not go without someone for their friend. Talk about taking one for the team. There was always a reason a friend was trying to find them a date.


    5. Needing to be 18 to have access to porn - LOL no comment


    6. Chatting with the SysOp - A little to Old Skool for me, I had AOL chat rooms.


    7. Paying for long distance - Dammit. Again still a problem until recently.


    8. Getting fuzzy TV reception - At least children no longer have to hold the "rabbit ears" in a steady position pointed awkwardly until the TV show or game is over. Can you say child labor?
    9. Hearing the sound of a modem connecting - Always a dead give away I was trying to connect to AOL in the middle of the night.


    10. Shooting Polaroids - Wouldn't a Polaroid seem awkward when shooting nudies of your partner weird. Plus there would be no celebrity scandals to read about as digital pictures would not be released on the Internet.
    11. Waiting to get photos developed - Exactly, however my wife insists on wanting printed photos. Scrap booking or some shit.


    12. Typing on a typewriter - I hated that damn ink ribbon and blowing the white out dry. I love Bic White Out Tape. We are best friends.


    13. Removing the perforated leader strips from continuous-feed paper printouts - Can you say Go Green. We are saving a lot of trees by eliminating this one. Although for whatever reason as a child I would put the remnants in my mouth and chew like gum for the flavor. WTF? Exactly. Wait that explains alot, I must have ate chemicals as a child.


    14. Having easy-to-remember TV channel numbers - Thank goodness for the "Guide". Although I still only watch the same channels.


    15. Checking your answering machine - We don't even check our voice mail so thus point is moot.


    16. Enjoying complete privacy - Not a chance in hell anymore.


    17. Making someone a real mix tape - Oh the days of our youth. Cool pickup line "I made you a mixed tape."


    18. Wearing a calculator watch - I had one. Can you say nerd. It was so cool except the teacher always busted me.


    19. Seeing pages and pages of phone sex ads in the back of free city weeklies - What will young adolescents do now? Oh wait I forgot about the Internet.


    20. Using a public phone booth - I'm grateful about this. They were always in scary places. Except when my cell phone goes dead and I forget my charger I'm screwed.


    21. Dialing on a rotary phone - I think my Granny would still have one if she was alive.


    22. Storing data on a floppy disk - Why did it seem 1 in 5 would never work after storing your data on it, especially when it was a school assignment.


    23. Booting up to a C:\ prompt - Obsolete so why in the hell does tech support always make you go to it when your Internet goes kaplunk. IP Address, Ping, yea obsolete my ass.


    24. Typing on an old-school word processor - ??? Was this like a Speak and Spell.


    25. Having your mobile phone attached to your car - Hahaha, we are so old.


    26. Putting in a videotape to watch a movie - Wait go adjust the tracking before the movie starts. Oh yea right there, good.


    27. Holding up a lighter at a concert - Oh I will miss this. Idiots holding up iphones are not as cool.


    28. Watching a movie on a laser disc - They were big as records. No wonder why no body bought them except schools. What a waste no wonder our schools suck balls.


    29. Using proper grammar and punctuation - Yep I don't know how I done did that. LOL, LMAO, TTYL.....K.


    30. Getting a new car with a cigarette lighter - Just another way the "man" is sticking it to us financially now. Sir a cigarette lighter will be an extra $50 on that model.


    31. Flipping on an incandescent light bulb - But the light looks so much better than florescent.


    32. Sitting in front of a CRT monitor - I probably have permanent back problems because of moving them around when I was 10. I threw so many away over the years...opps did I say that. Don't tell the EPA.


    33. Playing music on an audiocassette - LOL takes me back to 1988 secretly listening to 2 Live Crew on the headphones so my mom didn't know.


    34. Going to the local music store to check out CDs - We were so cool, huh.


    35. Getting an AOL disk or CD in the mail - Great as coasters, Frisbees or BB Gun targets.


    36. Looking up numbers in the phone book - Sometimes it would be easier then opening Internet Explorer Godzilla.

    37. Using carbon copy paper - Was it me or did the paper smell good. More chemical exposure as a child.

    38. Sending documents via fax - Still easier than scanning and mailing. Although quality is nowhere near as good.


    39. Rockin' out with your boombox - So 80's. Break Dancing LOL.


    40. Giving someone your undivided attention during a social interaction - What..Huh...Hold on my Blackberry went off and I have a text, email and Myspace message coming in at the same time. By the way our portfolio is down. Now did you say something about the baby?
    Posted on 12:34 AM by Campeon and filed under | 0 Comments »

    An Ode to AT&T

    Oh AT&T, Oh AT&T, where are thou AT&T. I turn on my computer and you are not there. I open my browser and you make me pull my hair. Oh how I hate you AT&T.

    Well I officially did it. I have the Comcast dude coming over Thursday to hookup my cable and telephone service. The official death of AT&T in my household has commenced. I live in the Bay Area and my Internet service with AT&T is horrendously slow. I've done research online and have read numerous complaints in the Bay about the same problems regarding their speed.

    I'm a techy person. So for god sake when I can browse the Internet faster on my Blackberry than the damn computer, Houston we have a problem. I finally got fed up with them and have made my point as a consumer by fleeing to Comcast. I don't understand what companies are thinking though. All I know is AT&T, at least in the Metro areas, will see their own demise like GM did for not listening to their customers. Maybe Mr. Smith in the Ozarks is fine with 1 Megabit download speeds when viewing articles on how to cook possum. However I'm not fine with it especially when I'm paying for supposed 3 Megabits. How in the hell am I supposed to get my daily dose of Google Crack at these speeds!!!
    Posted on 1:33 PM by Campeon and filed under | 3 Comments »