BRIAN RAFALSKI IS A RED WING!

I'm never excited about free agent signings really. But he was born in Dearborn so he's coming home,and he's been one of my guys I always try to take in fantasy leagues, I even trade for him sometimes when I play the Wings on video games.

This will be only his second NHL team after spending 7 seasons in New Jersey (8 if you include the lockout).

He pretty much replaces Mathieu Schneider, who apparently took more money to play in Anahaeim.

(Mary noticed something funny. Schneider joins Mike Maroth as Detroit sports players who are now on Championship-defending teams. Although, Maroth didn't choose to go to St. Louis, but it is funny.)

Quote of the (yester) Day:

"You smell like an old Arabic man." - Mary

So I think I'm back on schedule. I stayed up until 5 AM Wednesday morning, then went to work at 11 am. The tigers game got postponed, so I was able to have some time at home to do nothing. I went to bed Wednesday night at around 8 PM, because I had to work at 5 AM Thursday. I got there at 4:40 or so, and left at 9:50. You know they won't give me 5 hours, they'll probably adjust the timesheet so I started at 5. Then I worked the Tigers game, and I left there around 4 something

So last night/this morning I went to bed around 3, and got up at 2:30 PM. Haha. It's been so nice outside I had the window open, so I did not want to leave my bed. So in an hour I'll go to Comerica Park. The next "day game" is on Saturday but that's not until 3:55 so I won't have to wake up at 10 AM. Sunday's game was changed to 8:05 since ESPN picked it up, and that means I won't have to get up in the morning until Thursday the 5th :)

I met two new people in the past couple days online which made me remember how fun it was, for me, to just sit online and BS all night. The net's been boring for a few years now, so with the exception of people like Nay, there hasn't been many people to talk to online that I don't know in person. Good friends that I've met like Jill and Ashley are never online, so it makes for some boring times.

It's supposed to be 54 tonight? I hope my little weather bar isn't lying to me.

Plans today:

Do nothing and enjoy it until 3:30.
Go pick up Mary from work.
Take Mary home.
Stop on the way and rent Little Miss Sunshine, and possibly something else?
Watch The Last Kiss.
Take The Last Kiss back to the video store.
Go back to Mary's.
Watch more movie(s).
Find out if Mary needs a ride to work tomorrow.

You see, my idea for longer entries is a bit hindered by the fact that my days aren't that describable. Maybe I'll just come home and review one of the movies on Myspace.

My PS2 wireless controller didnt sell on ebay. Ugh. Anyone need one? I'll sell it for $15. It's pretty much brand new plus I'm throwing in batteries.

Ok well I think I'm gonna watch one of the movies I downloaded the other day. Accepted, maybe.

'Allo! Get up you fools, it's Yzerman Day. Well you know, after the "elabortae" funeral for Gerald Ford. My goodness, I know he was President but I didn't see this kind of uproar when Steve Martin died. Oh wait, Steve Martin isn't dead, is he? My bad. I don't even think he was President for that long.

But seriously. They've been talking about him for like a week straight and somehow can't find anything new to say. I bet some people watching the Rose Bowl made a drinking game out of how many times he was mentioned. Today on the radio, they were talking about the funeral. So I switched stations, and heard a song called "The Funeral.". Then I switched stations and heard a commercial for Art Van! I wonder if they sell caskets.

But Anyway. I got up at um, I don't know. 6:30 or something to take Mary to work. I feel ok. My body must just be used to being up around this time; I woke up at 10:00 yesterday and had no trouble.

It's a good thing for New Year's I didn't decide to give up junk food because my goodness that's about all I got for Christmas. And last night at Gail and John's I got this big thing of fudge and a goodie tin with chips and stuff. I also got $25 and a Target gift card for $20 which rules because, you know, no job=no money.

I made some appointment for today at 2:30 to check out Everest Institute to see about Pharmacy Tech schooling. Don't know how I could pay for it, but somewhere I heard that it's only like a year of school and can make me a lot more money then I have before. But since I have to pick Mary up later, I think I'll call and cancel, maybe they can send me a booklet or something. I clicked on their little button to find out more and they called me within seconds. So they're either really on top of things or really desperate for students. Haha.

So, I'm hoping this year won't be so miserable. It's odd how just because it's a new four digit year, people always see it as a beginning. I'm not really going to do that, I'm not going to say "oh, I'm going to exercise and eat better and blah blah blah," because then I'd just make a liar out of myself by Martin Luther King Day. There are things I want to do, but not because of this time of year. Just because ... I want to. One of which is making a new LJ mood set - from Scrubs screen caps! I think I'm going to make this journal more for me. Meaning, I might make longer entries and bore people with details. I might even make some private entries. I'll never make it friends only - because what's the point - but there might be some hidden details along the way.

Last night was ok. I wasn't feeling too great but at least I got to spend time with Mary. I basically bummed around on her couch for must of the night and we played darts. Maybe the McDonald's was bad or something. But I needed to eat. And Arch Card = free food = good idea. I got fresh nuggets without even asking! I love how they actually ring up ketchup packets in your order now. I guess they caught too many people throwing handfuls in when they have that little chart on the window.

Hey, when do YOU think Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve jumped the shark? Haha!

It was weird to see Dick Clark. I don't want to feel bad for him because I bet he's the kinda guy that would be like "don't feel bad for me!" I don't remember him having that much help doing the NYRE show when it was mostly him. But holy fuck. Rihanna, Fergie, Seacrest Out.... who else? I don't remember. Seemed like they had about 15 co-hosts. And when did it turn into one giant Superbowl halftime show? Musical guests a-plenty. And not one nipple. Oh, and one more thing... MEATLOAF? Happy 1987, everyone.

I felt even worse when I left Mary's. My stomach was killing me. So I went to bed around 3:30 ish, after I watched the Steve Yzerman spotlight. It was a bit disappointing. His jersey number gets retired tomorrow, that should be exciting. I'm glad I'm not on my Meijer schedule which would make me sleep through it. Ashley called me around 3:45 (12:45 her time), so that was nice. I wonder if she was drunk :P She didn't sound it. But she always wants to drunk dial me.

So, I think I slept pretty good though. I mean I woke up at 10 am feeling ok, so I just got up. Still undecided if I'm going to ride with Dad and Katie to Gail's or if I'm going to go alone. Probably ride with them. No sense in wasting gas when I'm not driving to work every day. Then there won't be that awkward do-i-leave-when-they-leave-or-stay-later time. Ok, maybe I'll write more tonight.

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I got a Simpsons Trivia calendar, so here's today's question:

In "E-I-E-I-D'oh" what does Homer become fascinated with while watching the movie "The Poke Of Zorro?"

a. glove slapping
b. wrestling pigs in pantaloons
c. wench search and rescue
d. sword swapping

Is anyone else seeing a dramatic rise in the amount of "Returned Mail" spam? It's supposed to look like your typical error message when an e-mail bounces back, but then it offers you porn or some male enhancement pill. I'm getting at least one a day now.

So, whats up lately? Lots of work. I'm in a bad habit of sleeping until I HAVE to get up which I always would do when I worked mornings. I figured working midnights I could sleep until about 7. But lately it's been 9, 10, 11 once. It's cutting into time that I could be seeing Mary, which I know she doesn't like. So I need to start getting up earlier, for her and myself. I did spend the day with her; she didn't go to work because her car wouldn't start. Then I came over, we went to Coney Island and then to bed. She slept a lot too so now I hope she doesn't have trouble sleeping tonight.

I had two weird dreams, one involving shopping around for a CD and one involving me finding a wallet at the movies. The wallet contained a $5, a $10, a $20, and... a $15? So I decided this was on purpose, and if I took any cash out it would be noticed. So I didn't. Then my dad got a phone call and asked me if I found -- and I stopped him mid-sentence and said YES! I don't know why I was so excited about it.

Another "long night" ahead of me at work, so says "The King Woman." I'm scheduled 11:30-5, and suddenly that got changed to 11-7. Which is cool because if I didn't have everything done by 5, I would have been all frustrated and wanting to get out of there.

I might have more, but I tend to skip long entries and you probably did too ;) So, Goodnight London. Rock on, Chicago. Combos - made with Real Cheese!

Went to apply for a DTW badge today. I had to watch these instructional videos and then I was tested on them. An example of how difficult this was:

When crossing a busy street, what should you do?
A. Wait for traffic to clear and use the designated walking lane
B. Run really fast in a zig-zag pattern
C. Assume everyone can see you and walk across
D. None of the above.

So, that was easy. I also had to be fingerprinted. They had this long list of items you had to check YES or NO to. Like, "In the last ten years have you been convicted of Murder?" I wonder if anyone thinks "Well, I just got out of jail for that. But I served more than ten years! So, no!"

The guy mumbled something to me after I was done. (They seem to like heavy-set men in and around the airport. Maybe so the crew and pilots don't get distracted. Heh.) I think he said the results would be ready tomorrow (the computer told me I passed, what more do you need?) and that either I had to call Pinnacle or they would call me to pick up the badge. Man, can't they just mail it to me? I have to park and use a shuttle and so far it's cost me $6. It's like I'm paying them to hire me. Or at least the parking place. Maybe they should hire me too. So I guess I should call Nancy tomorrow and find out. I wonder if I am going to work this weekend.

I haven't heard back from Meijer yet. I might go to Mary's tonight, so I hope they call my cell phone. I don't think they have my cell phone number. I guess I'll leave a note at my house so if they call my house, someone can let me know and I'll call them back on my cell. I called and left a message with someone else, so we'll see what happens tonight.

I can't bring myself to purchase the things in my Amazon.com cart yet. I don't really want to make my credit card balance higher thus making my minimum payment higher. I know I'll be working at least one job and hopefully get a paycheck in November, but I don't know how much it would be. But I need to finish Christmas shopping so I don't have to worry about going into stores later on. Maybe I'll just do it. I have an Amazon credit card so maybe it'll save me some money or give me some points for some rewards thing, who knows?

Ok, long entry. Thanks for stopping by. Try the veal. It's soy.

It's weird how if you're waiting for something, nothing really happens. But if you're otherwise involved, you get all these things going on.

I hadn't heard from anyone about jobs in almost two months. I got offered the job with Pinnacle on the 7th, and today I get a phone call from Meijer; I applied there for midnights before I landed the Pinnacle job. They want me to call them back and maybe I'll have an interview tonight, or soon. If they can work me around my Wed-Sat night schedule, I'll go there for a while and try it out. That'd be cool. I'm usally stuck with one job during the winter, it would be nice to work two of them until baseball season, or even keep both and just work less games. MLB was supposed to be my extra money job anyway.

I also have plans tomorrow night. It's not usual for me to have plans on a Saturday night. And today I get phone calls from my both of my brothers asking me if I want to do something - go over Scott's and play video games and hang out while the girls have their night out, or Bob asked if I wanted to go down to the airport and have him show me around a bit (he works there too, he got me the application). And now that i'm seeing someone, I half expect a bunch of girls to ask me out. HAHA, just kidding. That'd never happen :)

I put $15 (30 minutes) in my phone on November 4, thinking it would be more than enough because I rarely use my phone. But today I had Nancy from Pinnacle call me, Mary called me, Scott called me, and Bob called me twice. Although Bob just let it ring once so I could call him back. So now i might have to put some more time on my phone.

Hopefully I can get some info on the Verizon deal through work and get myself a good plan. Maybe I'd actually use the phone more. I don't expect many days like today where I feel so popular, but it would be nice to have a conversation without wondering how many minutes I have left.

I have a jorb interview!

I had been trying to get up earlier this week in case anyone called to set one up. Friday night I stayed up late thinking "Who's gonna call on Saturday?" So I was awakened awoken My sleep was disturbed today, Saturday morning, to a phone call from Nancy at the airport. But this is where i'm gonna get upset if I don't get the job.

"If you're hired - and looking at your application I don't see why you won't be unless you don't want the job - we'll get you to take a drug screening test."

So, she put this idea in to my head that this interview is a formality and that I will likely be hired. Shouldn't she have said something like, "looking at your application, you seem like a good candidate"? So Imma be pissed if they interview me and I never hear from them again.

I think the shifts are five hours, one spot is 7am-1pm and one is 6pm-11pm, but I'll ask. Hell, I need money and I may ask if I can do both some days. Heck, I could get off at one, go eat, maybe see Mary or just relax at home, then go back. It's not like I live far from the airport. It took me about 15 minutes to get to the place they told me to park (I did a test drive so I wouldn't get lost), and I stopped for gas too. I could be all like "hey yeah if the other guy can't make it, I can fill in.

I thought about re-applying at Perani's for weekend work. Then I laughed at myself.

Speaking of Mary. She was looking at my Datsyuk jersey and saw the 13, and was like "Who's 13 now, Kozlov?" I told her it was hot that she knew Kozlov wore 13. ;)

So the other day I wake up and read an email/message from Mary telling me that we should go see my movie on Friday.

This movie was Borat.

She never really expressed any interest in seeing it but knew I wanted to go. Aw. So we went. I thought the poor girl was going to open the passenger door and roll out and leave me forever on the way back to her house.

If you like gross-out, over the top humor and think Jackass was lame, go see Borat. If you're easily offended by ( spoilersCollapse ), maybe you should save your money. Or give it to me so I can buy the DVD.

Woah, I had no idea it was the same guy who played the French guy in Ricky Bobby. I guess he isn't really Kazhakh. but he is engaged to Isla Fisher. Go boy! HE'S ALI G, TOO? Turns out Borat is a character on Da Ali G Show, too. No wonder people seemed to know more about him than I did. I gotta say, this was sure better than the Jamie Kennedy sketch-turned-movie, Malibu's Most Wanted.