Wednesday, February 16, 2005
Las Vegas scam

I just got a phone call from Las Vegas. Here's how it went:

caller: "hello, is Lisa there?"
me: "nobody lives here by that name."
caller: "ok, is this area code (my phone number)?"
me: "yes it is"
caller: "Ok, well I have the right number, but the wrong name. My name is (some random name) and I'm calling from Las Vegas, Nevada. Your number has been entered in a sweepstakes and you could win (amount of money) if you carry (major credit card names). Do you carry any of these credit cards?"
me: "not personally, no."
caller: "Ok, do you carry a check card with the visa or mastercard logo on it?"
me: "no"
caller: "Ok have a nice day."
me: "bye"

Does this shit actually work? Honestly, are people dumb enough to tell a perfect stranger from Las Vegas their credit cards over the phone? No doubt if I'd said yes, I would have gotten some line about "if you give me the number to the card your credit line / account will be increased by (amount of money) that you'll never have to pay back." Riiiight. And in a day or two our account would be wiped out, right? Yeah that's what I thought.

The sad thing is, I think people really do fall for this crap.

Niki dropped off at 12:23 p.m.

Monday, February 14, 2005
The End

I just finished the Dark Tower series by Stephen King. I feel the need to reflect on it, to write down my feelings, let them pour forth as the story did for me. Nobody reading this will likely understand without having read the series, (which I urge you all to do), but none-the-less, I need to get this out.

Roland finally made it to his destination. The tower, the top, past the King. He traveled through all time, for the worlds indeed are not worlds. The worlds are time, and time is a lake. Some times are thin, and otheres are set. The past, the present and the future, which all exist at once. The far future, Mid-World and End-World, when all of the present has long been forgotten, and yet remains. Remains with no memory, no understanding. And human kind will no doubt re-create, for the lesson is lost and the tower saved. Existence saved.

Yet none of that matters at all. What matters is what is already slipping from my mind. The journey that brought Roland where he is, the end and beginning. Having passed out of Roland's world, I am Susannah, and I am forgetting and remembering at the same time. The end matters not, for the lesson was not learned. And the end was not the end, but the beginning again. The song continues, the song that will never end.

Ka is a wheel, ever-turning.

Niki dropped off at 04:06 p.m.

Tuesday, February 8, 2005
I Love You

Anyone who's met my grandfather knows how emotionless he is. He doesn't speak much, won't hug you back if you hug him, and definitely won't show any emotion on the outside. Sometimes I wonder if he even has emotion.

Well apparently he does. Lately whenever I call Grandma and Papa, he'll get on the phone to talk. And lately every time he does, he tells me he misses me and that it's good to hear my voice. It just isn't like him to show emotion like that. Maybe he's mellowing with age or something.

What's even more shocking than that was the other day. He told me he loved me before he hung up. He actually used the phrase "I love you" directed at me. I was so shocked I almost couldn't say it back. It brings tears to my eyes and makes me all goosepimply just thinking about it. I mean... Papa of all people told me he loves me. Mom said she doesn't think he's ever said it to her. And I've never heard him say it to anyone, not even Grandma.

I feel like this is a major breakthrough in our relationship. Before I'd tell him I loved him and he'd say something like "yeahhp" or "mmm hmmm". Every now and then I'd get a "you too" if I was lucky. He was just the strictly Catholic man who would fix things if you nagged enough and I called "Papa". The guy without emotion. The guy who wouldn't hug you.

And he said it first. The first time I've ever heard those words from his mouth, and they were directed at me...

Absense really does make the heart grow fonder.

Niki dropped off at 10:24 a.m.

Tuesday, February 1, 2005
Good News, Bad News

The good news is Matt's case finally came in. The bad news is it was denied.

The good news is there are two more options. The bad news is one of them is unlikely

The good news is that the other is likely. There is no bad news for that one.

So I guess you could say that it's mostly good news. Which makes for a good attitude. And a good possibility that we'll get our butts out of here soon. The likelier scenario will result in an honorable discharge, meaning they move all our crap back to New York for free.

Firstly, they're looking to kick out two cops. Neither of these guys wants to go. So we're hoping that they'll take Matt's suggestion and switch him with one of the guys. That way everyone wins. I have a fairly good feeling about that one, but the odds are slimmer than the other option.

The other option is that he voluntarily leaves. He's got the form filled out already, and if the other thing doesn't go through, he's going to turn the form in. It basically automatically kicks him out, because the Air Force is looking to discharge a whole bunch of people. That's the honorable discharge. I think the other one might be general, not sure on that though.

If neither works out, he fakes a mental break-down and gets a medical discharge.

Either way, we don't think we're going to be here much longer.

Niki dropped off at 01:32 p.m.