taste of tommaso

The catchup

Tommaso — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 20:30:02 GMT

Its been a while since i've really had anything worth its own blog, so i figured i'd combine some stuff into one larger one. Gardening: Sucks. First batch of transplants had a 90% death rate. So i did a second batch. It had an 80% death rate. So i did a third batch. It had a 0% death rate. So now i'm going to have assloads (official metric weight for produce) of tomatoes of various types, assloads of peppers, and probably half a metric ton of freaking gourds. I blame the problems on using peat pots and black plastic for the first time this year. The former is only good for some plants and the latter is a hassle to plant in but worth it after the fact. Tobacco: started a seperate patch for my tobacco, first batch of transplants are doing great. Problem is that so many don't make it on the flat that i'm on my third or fourth flat to fill in the patch and the first plantings are nearly 4 feet high already. Gonna have alot of tobacco this fall. House: Roof is on the addition and porch, but work is on hold till funding frees up. It is nice to not have water leaking in the walls though. Job: End of last year the head of my department was let go and new commissioners came in. New guy was finally hired a few weeks ago and suffered thru a week or two of fear based isolation. But being the charming asshole you all know and love i extended some olive branches and have, i believe, got myself a seat at the big boy table. I can honestly say for the first time in the 4 years i've worked for the county that i'm actually excited about the coming changes. Could it actually be possible for a dead end job to suddenly be a stepping stone to greater things? *boggle* Self: I'm one to strongly believe in cycles of life. Some times we just don't care, some times we do. Some times we have intent interest in something, others we don't. For reasons i'm not quite sure of i took my mountain bike down off the hook, where it lived for many many years, and have been logging 20 miles a week on it. Already i'm a few inches thinner and have been increasing the route each week without much trouble. Add to that some diet awareness and my plump juicy figure is down about 10 pounds. Another 10 and i can start running. So, who wants to touch me?

Be Prepared

Tommaso — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 01:20:43 GMT

There are times in ones life when you are reminded of the greater things you were a part of, when you see one of those common threads that bind people together. In the news this week we see the story of the boy scout camp hit by the tornado and how through the chaos and death these young boys applied the skills they were taught. Some applied first aid, some cleared rubble, some lead, some followed, and yes a few hesitated. As an old Eagle scout it fills me with a great swell of emotion and pride to see such fine upstanding young men to act quickly and with great regard towards their fellow scouts. There was no pause to wait for help, no inaction, no wait for adult supervision, just the immediate jump to action regardless of their own needs or fear. And though 4 scouts lost their lives many more would have died if not for the quick actions of many of them. It reminds me of my time with the scouts and how transparent those skills i learned have become in my adult life. It might be something as simply as helping someone load packages into their car at the grocery store, opening a door for someone, or that time i got lost in the woods, but they were the seeds of value placed into me as a scout and one forgets they are there, even when applied. Its an event like this that makes one realize just how much of an impact such a program had on my life. be prepared...

Toil toil toil toil toil toil toil toil toil toil toil

Tommaso — Tue, 27 May 2008 13:16:17 GMT

Mothers day weekend marked the two year anniversary of me moving into my house. Two years of toil, injury, half baked schemes, tears (not so much), blood (a little), and sweat (alot). Two years of reclaiming the property from nature, cutting trees, digging trenches, burning piles of brush, adding, taking away, etc etc etc. In that time, i've replaced a well pump, painted the house and garage, cut down about a dozen large trees (and had them cut into lumber), burned twenty or so brush piles, planted 300 or so trees, two gardens, 20 fruit trees, 8 blueberry bushes, stepped on a nail, set myself on fire, hung upside down in a well, fallen, bled, whacked more than a few vermin, and have nearly ended up in the creek more than a few times. So to show how far its come in the time i took some photos similar to ones i took when i first visited the place in early 06 and have placed them in my photo log. I invite you to come and look what an idiot with some power tools and alot of free time can do.

Gone but not.....

Tommaso — Mon, 19 May 2008 03:28:58 GMT

Last weeks blow to the head has come and passed, though the events surrounding the incident are lost save for a few small snapshots. Apparently being concussed is the same as being drunk, i'm loud, repetative, partially witty, occasionally charming, lacking in a few social graces, and in need of a punch or two. The weekend was mixed with getting back into the swing of working around the house and general recovery, sleeping in and the like. But sunday evening i found myself probing thru the old grey matter looking for memories, namely college. The days at Penn State, 2 years at the local branch 2.5 at the main campus. Ahh the main campus in state college, bustling with tens of thousands of students all moving thru their days and nights. And it really got me to thinking about the impact i made back then and into today, i'm not in the career i went to school for, i only really talk to one or two classmates from those days, i can't even remember most of my roomates. The classes, the projects, all those pretty faces, stupid parties, failed attempts at dating, lost opportunities..... all condensed into a handful of snapshots like a bad vacation.... At the time it seemed like the most important time of life, full of vigor and growth, opportunity and learning. And what have i got to show for it? some mental photos and student loan payments? I loved that time of my life, just wish i could remember why

The floor is mightier than the head

Tommaso — Thu, 15 May 2008 13:35:42 GMT

Few weeks ago i started playing walleyball with the guys in the office. Its not what i would call a 'manly' sport but its 2 hours of additional exercise and thats a good thing. I really don't remember anything about last nights game as somewhere during the setup i, being a complete and utter idiot, fell onto my upper back and head. Suffered a concussion. The old etcha sketch got shook up a bit and all i've got are snippits of last evening, images of my aunt and uncle sitting in with me, the ride home with my parents, my mom laughing at me as i asked her the same question over and over again. Its like a murder mystery without the murder and having no idea if i'm right.... So, as part of my election platform i am proposing a ban on floors across the country. They are highly dangerous and should be destroyed before any more memories are lost to them. Viva La Tommaso

The backhoe and my ash

Tommaso — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 13:53:33 GMT

The other day we finally got the portable saw mill out to cut up numerous logs that had been taken down over the last year on the homestead. No photos this time as i was out of town most for most of it. But several large spruce logs, ahh the smell of christmas trees, and some very large ash trees were cut up. Now ash is normally a very bland wood, creamy yellow colors with some black rings in it, but these were very different with large spots of brown and pink mixed in. Aside from being very pretty and exceptionally heavy, there isn't really much to not about it till i make something cool out of it, which at this point will probably be flooring. Backhoe = god Dad has an old backhoe that he got a few years ago, it was built back when steel was plentiful and safety was for pansies. It had spent its summers at my place, where it gets put thru its paces digging trenches, tearing up concrete pads, or tearing down trees. All in all, its a pretty amazing piece of machinery. But its also a death trap. The slightest incline and it feels like its going to roll over at any moment. I was out digging up a trench to allow some proper drainage in the the one part of the yard that is also marshy and had to perform magic to get the damn thing out. Move it the wrong way and you start sinking in the mud, or the front wheels come up. So i've come to the conclusion that the backhoe is like having the powers of the gods, in the right hands it can do amazing things but if your not careful you can end up looking quite the fool. Or worse.

The marketplace....

Tommaso — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 19:25:51 GMT

On occasion i hit the local farmers market and flea market, its a great place to get some fresh produce, to buy someone elses trash, get some exercise, and most importantly of all people watch. Today as i meandered thru the rows of people selling baseball cards and crap 'not available in stores' and over priced 'antiques' i took notice of the people around me. This is something i normally do, as i find a certain facination in the commonality of facial features. But this was different, like a cold breeze it hit me just how rare and astounding beautiful people are. I was surrounded by the obese, the ugly, the even uglier, the apparently geneticially deficient, the freakish, the obviously inbred, and those gifted few that were a combination of that. Fat men in too short t-shirts, a young man who looked like he might club me with a mounted fish to get the shiny penny at my feet, women whose asses are so large that the 'juicy' across it might pass for billboard advertisment. Slack jawed yokels, pregnant teenagers, the dentally deficient, the fashionably retarded, and little ole me, enjoying a few hours of open market bliss. The only consolation is the rare angel that would pass my way, her beauty so amazingly amplified by the poor grammer and absent hygene around her. If this exposure is what one would call a 'true sample of america' then i do seriously hope i do not survive the great catastrophe that i'm sure comes, for with my luck i know i'd be trapped for the rest of my days with the uglo-americans.

Take tommaso and call me in the morning

Tommaso — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 23:50:13 GMT

been feeling pretty meh lately, like i'm in a drunk haze without the fun of being drunk. Stuff is clear but it all seems intangible. Being a little tired of working on the house of late i decided to hit Mudthaw, the first big fighting event of the year and also the Kingdom A&S competition. It was so very cool to refind all those people that i lost at the end of september, to pick up where we left off. To spend quality time with my squire brothers and to reconnect with the lovely ladies who enjoy a touch of tommaso. Coming home i realized that i felt so much better, my outlook had improved and i had a bit of upbeat look at things. Throwing on the ole tights and accouterment of Tommaso was akin to opening the sulice gate a bit, and the angst and bitterness just drained out. Never figured Tommaso was good for anyone, i always figured he'd be the sole cause of ulcers and stabbings. I guess everyone could use a little Tommaso in their life, especially me.

Homeownershit: The Directors Cut

Tommaso — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 02:06:11 GMT

Some highlights of the joy that is home ownership that were not grand enough for their own entry. It is suprising how poorly insulated an old house is. And i don't just mean insulation, when its really windy out and i can feel a breeze thru solid walls and closed windows its time for some repairs. This also applies to windows, twice now i'd had it rain thru the window. Stupid old steel storm windows..... While visiting my church, the Saint Norman Abrahms of the immaculate construction Church also known as Home depot, i grabbed a kitchen faucet that was on sale. One of them ones that the spigot pulls out and is the sprayer, i've wanted one as my old faucet had about 15 pin sized holes on the side of it from rusting away. Everytime i'd turn the sink on all the dishes in the rack would get rinsed off. Well the installation of the faucet itself went well enough, though the pipes were dirty and tarnished so the pressure fittings didn't seal. Back to home depot for parts. I get the wrong size. Back to home depot. Part installs, but its doesn't seal properly, so its back to home depot for a sweat fitting (insert torch, solder, and a tight space). All is well till i bump against the drain and the one pipe shatters (cheap metal), so its back to home depot again to get a new drain and pipe..... Oh and i'm working indoors that day cause its major wind blowing thru the area, so half the project is done without power. Also if you put felt paper on your roof to add some waterproofing until the roofing contractor can start, its a good idea to secure the paper with wood strips. After the wind ripped it off for the third time i figured this out..... But on the plus side the weather is warming up, now plenty of opportunity to set myself on fire again or hit myself with the chainsaw again, or step on a nail again......

the constipated epiphany

Tommaso — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 04:56:28 GMT

Ever have an epiphany? ever have the hinting of one? it sneaks up on you and just when you realize its there and try to grasp for it the door slams shut and its lost. I've finally passed that epiphany thats been stalking me for quite a while. I don't hate my job. I like to see me in suffering and pain and am punishing myself using my job as a feces covered claw hammer. Its the only explanation for what i do. Why else would i do it? In case you've ever heard those ads on the radio and thought about becoming a computer repair guy, pc technician, MCSE, or some other tech related monkey, let me enlighten you on the joys that such a job entail. 1. No matter how much people like you, you'll still get blamed for everything. 2. All problems are your fault 3. Everyone will pester you to get the newest fastest equipment even though they could do their job with a typewriter. 4. The users incompetence is all your fault 5. The afore mentioned incompetence constitutes an emergency on your part. 6. Your personal phone number and extension will become a commodity like cigarettes in prison. People will call you with all the smallest and dumbest questions that are vaguely technology related. 7. People will get pissed at you because you are never there when they call your number or when you don't call them back, even though they know they arn't suppose to call you. 8. You won't get any work done cause you'll be on the phone all day with people who arn't suppose to call you. 9. Everyone assumes you want to hear about the new computer they bought from the local store or online and they all expect you to be amazed at the great deal they got. 10. All users will assume that you are willing to work on their computer for free 11. All users will occasionally try to get free computer advice from you, regardless of the location. 12. You will lose all individuality, you will no longer be 'Tom' or 'That cute guy from downtown', instead you'll be 'Mr. Computer Man' or 'The computer guy' 13. The previously mentioned titles will also be said thru clenched teeth. See rules 1,2, and 4 for clarification. 14. You are expected to understand every single aspect of how every piece of equipment and software works and to be able to explain to the user what the problem is before you can get within 5 feet of said computer. 15. Upon seeing a user to work on a problem, expect everyone within 50 feet of said users to appear, each with a laundry list of items they'd like you to fix, regardless of your schedule or proper problem submitting procedure. 16. No matter how hard you work, you will never get ahead. The most you can do is break even. You will always be playing fix it and clean up. 17. Most major problems with machines will happen after 3pm on a friday. Usually the friday before a 3 day weekend. 18. Even though there are highly trained individuals to fix the copiers you will still be required to fix them. 19. The work request ticket takes a path till it gets to you, thats how it works. However you will always be responsible for it taking 4 hours longer than it should, even if you've only had the ticket for 5 minutes. 20. Since you are expected to understand every single piece of equipment and software, you are also expected to train users on how to use it. 21. Addition to #14, you are also expected to be an expert on all proprietary and vendor software even if you'd never heard of it. 22. When you solve the users problem, you will be a hero. Bask in the glow, cause they'll find a new reason to hate you before you leave the building. 23. Expect to be contacted by HR and to be told about your attitude towards the users. Since everything is your fault, there is no reason to take your frustrations out on them. 24. All upgrades, no matter how well planned, will take twice as long as scheduled. 25. When doing any kind of upgrade, be prepared to explain it to several dozen users in the simplest terms possible. I'm talking sesame street terminology here. 26. Do not let anyone know where your office is. And if people do be sure to close the door, lock it, and turn off the light. Users will visit you and corner you until they get an answer. 27. If a user is nice to you, immediately drop into a defensive crouch as they want something. 28. Company policies regarding games and internet usage are totally unfair and its all your fault. 29. Even though weatherbug is against company policy and the user has a freaking window, do not remove it lest you be called to HR. 30. Even though they are dumber than a sack of wet mice, users will not accept 'magic' as an answer 31. When asked 'why doesn't it work' it is best to refrain from answering with 'cause your ugly' see rule 23 32. Don't ever expect anyone to be at their desk when you call them to work on a ticket. You are there to serve their every beck and call, not the other way around. 33. Don't expect any of your coworkers or the help desk to answer your calls. They are either smarter than you or more incompatent, depending on the situation. 34. Expect the help desk to update work tickets that you finished the week prior. 35. Expect the help desk to re-open a work ticket cause the same user is having a completely different issue but you should have fixed that the first time you were there. 36. Users will delete anything on their desktop they don't like. This includes applications and other users email icons. 37. They will do #36, no matter how many times you tell them to stop. They will then call in work requests for closed tickets because of this. 38. Since you are already an expert on everything tech related you will also be expected to be able to find the greatest deals on things. 39. Since you are already an expert on everything tech related you will also be expected to repair or salvage items recovered from a dumpster, fire, or flood. 40. Every piece of equipment you give a user must match. Apparently a white monitor will not work with a black PC. 41. Carry wet wipes, keyboards have the same dna sample count as the floor of a peep booth. 42. As you are the tech and directly interacting with the users, you will be responsible for the incompetence of your entire department. And this is why most computer techs are bitter, angry, spiteful, assholes, or alcoholics.

Homeownershit: the source of the problem...

Tommaso — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 15:25:15 GMT

So i get up friday morning and i've got no water. Nothing. Not even it spitting air at me. Great way to start a day. It should be noted that the prior two days i was up well before sunrise to handle snow/ice removal for an office building, so i'm having a pretty crappy week thus far. I pop down to the basement and check on the well pump. Its dead Jim. got a new pump (an adventure in itself), spent a few hours that evening putting it in place, including two visits to lowes for parts. Once up and running i notice that the pressure builds up and then tapers off slowly. I figure its a leak and shrug, figuring i'll get it in the morning. Morning comes and i disassemble some of the piping and tighten it down, in the process cracking a few of the pieces. So a home depot trip is in order. The new pieces are in place and i run to the shop to grab a tool and step into my wonderful woodshop. The woodshop i've dug myself deeply into moral, emotional and financial debt to build. The woodshop full of expensive tools. Or as it now is referred to, the pool. Three inches of water, floor tiles floating, gorgeous pieces of wood sucking up moisture like sponges, the smell of rust and rotting wood everywhere. That oh so convenient floor drain? clogged. Apparently, the water to the shop was left turned on and the pipe burst, which probably burnt out the first pump and the new pump ran all night, filling the pool. Luckily most of the expensive equipment is up on legs and away from the spray, several items were drenched. It'll be days till i be sure whats salvagable and whats a total wash...... snippit of conversation with parents: T: hey Dad: yea? T: i got a question, when mom was pregnant with me did she drink alot? smoke alot? take any prescription medication? stand under power lines? dad: no, she only does that now. Why? T: why am i so retarded? Dad: its genetic sigh.....

The Tommaso Effect

Tommaso — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 22:08:13 GMT

Got an email from a friend from school. Good friend, and his wife is equally cool and i do love them both, even though i don't see them as much as either of us would like. Well the email came in that he and his wife are divorcing after 9 years. Big deal? not really, people get divorced all the time. Why is this blog worthy? Well, in the last 6 months at least 10 people i would consider to be good friends have filed for of have gotten divorced. I'm convinced that i'm the cause, as i seem to the be the only constant in all their lives. Self important douche or home wrecker? So please, keep your distance, lest i destroy another holy union with my 'Tommaso effect' and my deadly 'divorce rays' and 'seperation beams' shooting out of my ass. *yes this is an example of self depricating humor

Homeownershit: Nailed

Tommaso — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 04:10:20 GMT

Progress on the house comes and goes, usually in spurts. Back before thanksgiving i made a push and got all the floor joists in place and the whole expansion covered with plywood subflooring. It really adds to the spatial reasoning to be able to walk within the space, and get a feel for is dimensions. Then of course it has rained or snowed every weekend since. Last weekend it was nice enough that dad and i threw up the two walls that make up the longest side of the expansion. It was an all day affair, and involved alot of last minute alterations. Never one to make a highly detailed plan, as i'm well versed in the need to improvise. In the end the improv worked out better, instead of trying to fit in two windows in the master bedroom wall we went with a double sized opening. Makes locating the window opening easier. It was dads idea, and worth noting as we tend to clash on design ideas for the most part. Last week was gorgeous. I ended up taking a half day off of work just to spend it finishing up some plywood and putting windows in the basement. As much as i love snow, 60 in january does have it merits. And following in that momentum i spent sunday throwing up the other two walls sans plywood so that we can move in and out of the area (no doors as its a room add on). I was progressing quite well and feeling rather impressed till the parents stopped by. Dad wasn't able to help due to just having his shoulder operated on a few days prior and mom was most helpful, pointing each and every single flaw with everything she could see. There is a certain joy in using foul language against the person who most likely taught said language to you. No sooner do they leave than i'm not quite paying attention and step onto a nail. A long nail. And of course, par for the course, the nail penetrates my boot thru the arch which is full of mud and sinks a good half inch into my foot. I gasp and try to lift my foot off of said board, which doing what nails do, the board comes along. This adds to the pain, and i hop around trying to find something to apply downward pressure while dragging said board around. With my friend now gone i hobble into the house and dress my wounds. Call mom to see if she can get me a tetnus booster (former nurse) and she can't. Trip to the emergency room time. Well, eventually. Its still daylight and all the tools are out so i finish my work. Mount two more window frames and said windows, including a 4' x 6' window that i have to call the neighbor over to help. Then i put the toys away. Then i take a shower. Then its off to the hospital, where i spend a good 3 hours waiting for a total of 10 minutes of care. I knew exactly how long it was cause i watched an entire football game while waiting. Tip 1: don't leave boards with nails laying around Tip 2: Keep your tetnus booster up to date Tip 3: When heading to the emergency room, pack a sense of humor, patience, and a book.

Christmas revisted

Tommaso — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 02:44:13 GMT

My family is normal sized, 2 parents, 2 kids. However my extended family is much larger, mom is oldest of 5 and dad is second of 7. So with aunts and uncles and cousins, you're talking several dozen. Most are cool, some are retarded, some are douche bags. Thats family. So every christmas eve for as long as i can remember my dad's side has gotten together on christmas eve, and for many of us its the only time we see the majority of the family together. And honestly dad's side is the italian side and is much closer, mom's side i could care less about honestly. And for the last 20 years the christmas eve party has been at my dad's house, eldest brother and successfull and all that jazz. So in the course of the night, these days, we have upwards of 30 people revelling. Theres plenty of good food, some of it old family recipes, lots of wine and these days lots of kids. Aside from myself and the underage cousins all the others have kids. Its very surreal to see these kids enjoying the same thing i did so many years ago. And honestly, i've come to the conclusion that the family christmas eve party is really what defines christmas for me. The coming together of blood, to see whos pregnant, whos doing what now. There is a certain something about it. And today while at my uncles he found an old video tape of the first christmas eve at my parents house. Everyone was so much younger then, and that was the entire family including those that are now passed. Next year will be the 20th anniversary of it moving, and i think the video should be played during it. During the evening, my sister was arguing with my mom over some stupid detail of a story and my dad says 'geez, she argues with her mother, she argues with me, she argues with her brother' and my sister says 'maybe its genetic'. And i leaned over next to her ear, close as i could get and said in a loud voice 'MAYBE YOU'RE THE PROBLEM'. Boy that felt good. And i think it might have sunk in a little. So aside from the above, which were great presents, I got a gift out of the blue that really hit me. I got a christmas card from my grandpa (dad's dad). Normally this wouldn't be a big deal, except hes been dead for 16 months. I guess he did them before he died. Theres nothing really special about them, but they do posess a great amount of emotional value. My only wish was that he'd done more personal notes on them before he passed. An amazing gift none the less. So, yea, i'm a bunch less pissy now.

All hail the idiot box...

Tommaso — Sat, 22 Dec 2007 03:18:09 GMT

When i was younger TV was my friend, i spent a fair amount of my life under the radiation spewing glow of many a show. The fact that i get most of the tv references on family guy attests to that fact. But as i've gotten older the television and i have become less friends and more acquantences. Maybe its that i found better things to be doing with my time, maybe i realized theres more to life than watching whats scripted, or maybe its the utter crap thats passed for entertainment. I vote for the latter. At least, till recently. There are two shows that i found myself so enthralled with that it gives me flashbacks. After years of stupid sitcoms with predictable characters, bad laugh tracks, and plots created by semi retarded squirrels with wood varnish addictions, something of value finally appeared. Maybe its like a beautiful flower growing out of a pile of crap, a very large pile. Life and Journeyman, both on NBC. Watch them. Love them. Well written stories, with short and long plot development, characters you love and hate, characters that are flawed in a realistic manner. Both have completed their first half season runs, and life will be coming back after the new year. Sadly Journeyman will not, though the community is organizing. Life - Cop is sent to prison for gruesome murder he didn't commit, after 12 years dna evidence sets him free and he gets a big settlement. Part of the settlement is that he gets to be a cop again, so hes teamed up with the only cop who can't refuse - a recovering addict. Whiel they solve murders together, he is also investigating the crime he was sentenced for, and who framed him. Enjoyable cause the interplay between them seems real, and they are both flawed. Journeyman - Kevin McKidd of Rome fame stars as a San Francisco reporter who uncontrolably gets thrown back in time do perform some task and then returns to the present. He has no control over the power, but it seems he is sent back to help someone. Unlike quantum leap he moves back and forth from the present to different times in the peoples lives hes helping. His only help in the past is an old fiance he believed dead who travels forward in time. Great stories, well written, its rare that a scifi has this strength in its dramatic characters. Go out and watch them. DO IT NOW!!!!

Due to budget constraints....

Tommaso — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 12:53:28 GMT

Christmas is going to be lean this year. No gifts. Not even the cool "i made it with my bare hands" gifts, power outages lately have really impacted that. And i don't put up christmas lights, really how does one pay for lighting up 4 acres with stupid snowglobes and inflatable snowmen? No cookies, they're bad for you. No booze, none of it is ready for consumption yet. I can't even come up with a decent amount of holiday spirit. Been a long and rough year, not rock bottom or tragic, but just rough. Best i can do is that i won't be pissy this holiday season, and thats a stretch. I won't vent my frustration and tell my dad what an insensative prick he's been. I won't say what every one is thinking and tell my sister what an arrogant, stubborn, self centered c@nt shes been, and i'm sure there is something about my mom that i've been bottling up for years that i'll find some other way to dispense. And as for the fat kid, he'll get what he deserves. another holiday spent alone and undesired, left to wallow in his bitterness, misery, and regret, his stocking full of empty hope and brightly wrapped presents full of angst and self pity. And maybe a gift card. Merry Fing christmas....

Saving tribes (repost of a repost)

Tommaso — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 03:36:24 GMT

reposted... (from Gibson Pearl's blog) The word in some of the admin tribes is that Tribe.net is in serious financial peril. Peril that may make this site go away. Most of us belong to MySpace and/or Bebo and/or Facebook, yet we return to Tribe because it is what serves us best. There are even rumors that Tribe is down to less than five employees. Given the above, would you be willing to pay a $5/mo subscription fee to tribe as a Premium Member? Not pay $5 just to USE tribe, but to have perks. Premium Members might receive benefits such as ad-free usage, more customizable skins, or other such bells and whistles. Please, if you support tribe and are willing to pay HALF THE COST OF A MOVIE TICKET for one month of Premium Usage, respond to this blog post. Repost this in YOUR BLOG. Collect the yays and nays and forward them to Pi (people.tribe.net/pi). After ten days I will summarize the results and forward them to the Admins. Please Support Tribe (personally, I would pay to support Tribe, just as I pay to be a subscriber to LiveJournal).

Tis the season

Tommaso — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 21:48:29 GMT

The last few months have been a slow downward spiral for me, nothing major, just alot of little things that nag and nag away at my mental well being (what little of it their is). I don't think its seasonal depression, cause i'm aware of the causes, dating, job stuff, money, crippling loneliness, various injuries i've accumulated, etc. Just been in a slump for a while. And there is nothing better to pull yourself out of a slump than spending time with good friends. As the luck would have it, several invites for parties came in for this weekend. And two were near each others and were friends i havn't seen in quite a while so i was able to kill two birds with one trip. And the parties were great, lots of fun, good food, and much needed company. But i've come to the misguided conclusion why these things are so good for us. Reason 1: Being in a social setting causes the release of chemicals that helps to fight depression Reason 2: Spending time with friends makes you realize that your piddly ass problems are nothing compared their heart wrenching, life changing, emotional nose dives.

Let the lesson begin...

Tommaso — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 00:23:34 GMT

Celtic Classic was fun. Gorgeous weather, lots of interested people, lots of fighters. I think i need to start blocking my shield side a bit more, i took several wrap shots to my leg and asscheek. Several in a row. Ow....

Celtic Classic

Tommaso — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 02:20:24 GMT

This weekend (the 28th thru the 30th), the Celtic Cultural Alliance will present the Celtic Classic festival in Bethlehem, PA. http://celticfest.org/ The local SCA group, The Shire of Eisental, will he holding a demo all weekend long. So i encourage fighters to come and help show off for the public, the kids love the fighters. We always get a large crowd and the event is a great membership draw. Artisan are encouraged to come and show off their skills as well, especially the please touch stuff.

Paging Tommaso to the beating room....Tommaso to the beating room....

Tommaso — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 00:58:16 GMT

Ever been playing a game and the enemy sends some troops to attack you and you can handle it. Then more troops arrive and this time they've got tanks, and you do your best to hold them off. Then more troops arrive on your flank with flame throwers. Then the air cover arrives and starts taking out your towers. Then the missles start coming in. You know you are beat. You know you were beat twenty minutes ago but now you're just standing in the glow of the monitor screaming 'COME ON!' and waving one arm frantically as you are over run and beaten by a force so mind boggingly overwhelming? Translation for non gamers: Ever see one of them nature shows where a few ants are trying to take down a cricket? You start cheering for the ants to see fi they can do it, then more ants show up and you cheer more, then even more ants show up and you start to feel bad for the cricket. Then even more ants show up and you're on your knees in front of the tv screaming at the 5 hundred ants to leave the cricket alone as its torn apart by the sheer numbers? This week, i've been the cricket. My only hope is that Karma is taking a down payment for something.

Homeonwershit II: Redux

Tommaso — Sat, 15 Sep 2007 15:20:29 GMT

I seriously wanted to just drink my problem away, but i realize that i have no running water so i can't flush the privvy and stumbling around outside to pee in my undies lacks a certain sense of fun.... So, i have water again. Two days later.... Seems the pump lost its prime. I was amused to learn that i have a jet pump, and they can take up to 4 hours to prime. Plumbers hate them. We think the prime was lost by a leak in an elbow in the well. So we get a replacement and my fat ass gets to hang 70% of my body upside down into the well (a 2 foot round opening, old well). First to get it off, then put put the replacement on. Now i didn't do this before because i may be stupid but i'm not retarded. Hanging my torso 4 feet into a well shaft isn't fun, one wrong move and i'm dead. So i have to wait for dad to pretty much stand on my legs. Great workout for the abs though. So we get the replacement in (in the rain) and start to fill the line, but it keeps draining out. So we check it out. Our repair has created an even bigger leak in the well. Its 9pm. So we pop out and get some parts to fix it inthe morning. Again i'm in the hole, cutting, securing, unsecuring, trying not to plummet to my death. Finally with the new elbow in and everythign secured we start filling the line. Took about an hour of work but i finally have water pressure. Its good, cause i need a shower and a nap. And the best part? its an old shallow well, so i've probably been drinking a fair amount of the chemicals running off from the neighbors fields. And i'm going to need to put a new well in before i could sell the house, these old ones are slightly illegal...... wheres that drink........

Homeownershit II

Tommaso — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 02:21:33 GMT

So i came home from work and was greeted when i walked in by the smell of overheated rubber/plastic. Its not quite the smell of burning material but its close. I tracked it down to my well pump. I flipped the breaker, it had been running since at least lunch time (when i was home last) and i figured the tank just needed to be repressurized. Upon using the bathroom i discovered that i had no water. At all. Whatsoever. So i changed into my workin clothes and fired up the compressor and repressurized the tank. Its a routine thing, every few months. It was charging slow but i didn't think anything of it. So i'm done, i flip the pump back on and go about normal chores around the old homestead. I come in a few hours later and the pump is still running and the water still isn't there..... So i walk out to the well, its nearly dusk, and i look in with a flashlight. Its an old hand dug well and it looks to be in fine shape, not empty or visibly bad. So i return to the house and remove the line from the pump to the storage tank and fire it up. Nothing. Pump ain't pumping. So i figure the pump is bad and remove it. Luckily, when i bought the house the owner felt fit to leave a few spare pumps in the basement. Seeing as how they're around 300 bucks+ i take this to be a good sign. That is of course till i look one over. These things are the height of 1982 technology and engineering, old style wiring, full of rust, dust, and scale. Well i ain't just licked yet. I clean one up and put it in place. It takes some finagling (dutch word) but its in place. I fire it up, it seems to operate properly. I try to open up the priming valve..... its rusted shut..... So i just tilt the old girl and pour some water in the side. Where did i get the water you ask? A short hike with a flashlight and a bucket to the creek. I pour the water in and watch as it all flows right back out the bottom. This unit has a bad gasket and the gasket off the old one is older than me..... Looks like i'll be roughing it for a day or so. Luckily mom and dad are just down the road so i can get a shower in the morning..... i hate this.... *yes, i made that hole in the wall. No, not with my forehead.

Tommaso's piece of advice #27

Tommaso — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 20:33:27 GMT

Dad's friend dave was over on thursday helping me finish up laying the block for the basement addition. Well, i was helping him to be truthful, hes the mason. near the end he mentioned that we needed some headers to go over the window opening. I recalled seeing some along the one property line, presumably left there by a former owner. So we headed over and looked a few over. Now this pile is right on the border to the dairy farm next door, more correctly right on the border of one of their fenced in pastures. I looked at the wires and commented aloud 'i wonder if its live'. Thinking nothing more i began moving some of the headers looking for good ones. Well i reached over a little too far and my shoulder got too close to a wire. Dave heard the crack. I was speaking at the time so i felt a burned shoulder, a punch in my stomach, and a tingling to my toes. At which point i leaped away, let loose a surely masculine scream followed by several reflexive curse words. The feeling stuck with me for a little while, man that sucked. So Tommaso's word of advice #27: If a fenced in pasture contains livestock, assume the fence is electrified. *i'm so glad i didn't pee on it

End of the Birthday Bitching

Tommaso — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 02:24:24 GMT

For years i've tried ignoring my birthday, fighting it, avoiding it, hating it, loathing it, and loudly disuading its general existance. And i think i finally figured out why. Its that yearly reminder of how insignificant i am in peoples lives. If nobody remembers its your birthday, just how important are you in their life? And if your own parents forget, whats that say about you? Maybe i'm just turning into a whiny bitch in my old age but it would be nice to get an unexpected call. Maybe i just see more importance in remembering other peoples bdays and its wrong to expect the same level of importance. Now if someone doesn't know and you tell them, the proper response is 'happy birthday' and there is a whole new discussion on the sincerity behind that. Is it genuine or just reflex? Its like those birthday cards the whole office signs for me, they can't stand me the rest of the year, yet i am to believe they all came together in sincerity and signed it? right.... i'd like to thank those here who didn't know it was my birthday who wished me a happy one. I know the wishes were sincere and they are appreciated. So, after all these years i've decided i have only one approach left to me. Starting next year i will hold a party for my birthday, as large as i can handle, with as many people as i can guilt into it. No gifts, your attendance alone is the gift i want, lots of booze, games, food, commradiere, and general all around Tommaso brand fun. Start planning now. Can't beat the day, might as well blow it out of proportion.