• The Thursday edition of the Colbert Report featured none other than Guam Del. Madeleine Bordallo, our non-voting congresswoman in the House of Representatives. If you missed it, try to catch the repeats on Friday.
I'm told he skewers her, Guam and focuses mucho on the brown tree snake ... but can we expect less from Stephen Colbert? I'm sure it's gonna be hilarious!
• Parts of Guam also will be featured on "The Amazing Race," I think this coming Sunday ... though it mostly focuses on military base areas -- they don't really get out in the local Guam area.
The mad and often disjointed rantings of a large man. Warning: Posts on this blog may not be suitable for younger readers.
Friday, April 27, 2007
Thursday, April 26, 2007
update ...
Thursday here and still no power. I talked to another tenant Wednesday night and he said a couple people came out to look at the main breaker box earlier that day, and that an electrician was supposed to come out today for the repairs. I never saw him, nor did anyone else, and it looks like nothing has been done yet.
I was to have signed the lease for a new place today, though I wouldn't be able to move in until next Wednesday. So I held off and haven't done it yet, hoping/praying that maybe the power will be back on at my apartment sometime this weekend. If it's not fixed by Monday, that still gives me about 2 days to find a new place, and I'm well on my way to clearing up junk, tossing things out and packing away what I want to keep.
I'm hitting an Internet cafe every night for 2-3 hours to get some kind of World of Warcraft fix, though that's still far short of what I usually play, plus it's a lot less comfortable. But the place I've found is cool, have given me some discounts, and I have actually talked WOW with other gamers, who don't look at me with the "whatever, geek" expression on their face. We've traded tips, tricks, and death wipe stories.
I really should move stateside, but I just can't up and go ... I need to have the prospect of work waiting for me ... I can't imagine just moving and then looking for a job. Plus, it's not like my field is that general ... How many newspapers are in your town? How many editors? It's not like I'm a retail manager, salesman, executive assistant or accountant, where the job is basically the same from company to company and industry to industry. If I decide to move someplace and there are no news jobs, I could go to the darkside of advertising or marketing or government public relations or something like that, I suppose ... but even then I'd much rather have the prospect of a waiting job than trying to eke by on my savings and wits while trying to seek employment.
oh well ... that's it for now.
I was to have signed the lease for a new place today, though I wouldn't be able to move in until next Wednesday. So I held off and haven't done it yet, hoping/praying that maybe the power will be back on at my apartment sometime this weekend. If it's not fixed by Monday, that still gives me about 2 days to find a new place, and I'm well on my way to clearing up junk, tossing things out and packing away what I want to keep.
I'm hitting an Internet cafe every night for 2-3 hours to get some kind of World of Warcraft fix, though that's still far short of what I usually play, plus it's a lot less comfortable. But the place I've found is cool, have given me some discounts, and I have actually talked WOW with other gamers, who don't look at me with the "whatever, geek" expression on their face. We've traded tips, tricks, and death wipe stories.
I really should move stateside, but I just can't up and go ... I need to have the prospect of work waiting for me ... I can't imagine just moving and then looking for a job. Plus, it's not like my field is that general ... How many newspapers are in your town? How many editors? It's not like I'm a retail manager, salesman, executive assistant or accountant, where the job is basically the same from company to company and industry to industry. If I decide to move someplace and there are no news jobs, I could go to the darkside of advertising or marketing or government public relations or something like that, I suppose ... but even then I'd much rather have the prospect of a waiting job than trying to eke by on my savings and wits while trying to seek employment.
oh well ... that's it for now.
Sunday, April 22, 2007
DZER has become powerless ...
OK, this time my excuse for not being around isn't World of Warcraft.
On Friday, I get home about 5 p.m. to find a cop car and a truck from the power utility at my apartment building. Turns out someone stole, or tried to steal, some of the copper lines connected the building to the power grid.
But the owners of the building are cheap and don't care about any tenants there (there are two or three other units now occupied by some families), and it's the weekend, and the representative of the owners says he's not sure when they will bother to fix things and reconnect the building to the power lines. Not only that, but since the owners and the guy who owns my unit are still at odds, he actually threatens that once the power is reconnected, he will make sure mine isn't.
I tried to get some electricians out to look at the problem to see if they can at least just reconnect me, but it's the weekend, or they're busy, or they want some kind of OK from the power utility first, and of course the utility is closed on the weekend.
Friday night I sleep at the office on a futon on chilly tile, because at least it's cool and I won't sweat miserably in my apartment.
For the weekend though, I need something beyond that. I book a room at Best Western. They have a $109 2-day package and all rooms have high-speed Internet, so I lug over my eMac and a couple changes of clothes.
Hook up the computer and nothing. Turns out they recently discontinued using the modems that are still in the rooms, and are completely wireless. I have no wireless card in my computer. I argue for a bit and get a full refund.
Still stuck without a cool place with Internet connection. Call the Hilton and ask for the local rate. Am pleasantly surprised when informed about a weekend getaway special for $150 that includes welcoming drinks, breakfast ... though high-speed Internet will cost me $12.99 per night (24 hours). Oh well ... booked ... checked in ... connected ... happy.
Bed's a little hard, but the room is great and the view is awesome.
The hard bed ...
My weekend WOW workstation ...
Tub big enough for 2, or 1 DZER ... and used for 2 bubblebaths ...
The view from the room ...
The view continued ...
So everything's cool, right?
Until I go to check out Monday morning.
Turns out there was a "miscommunication." The weekend getaway rate of $150 is PER NIGHT. I argue that I was told it was $150 for the weekend. Front desk goes to get a manager. Who is extremely rude. It is what it is, he says. A miscommunication, but tough shit, basically. Any attempt to ameliorate an angry guest? Any discount on that or future stays? A free brunch? Nada.
"I'm never coming back here again," I growl.
"That's too bad," the manager says.
Go back to apartment. Nothing's been done. Go into work.
During lunch break, look at a couple apartments. Squallid. Dirty. Dingy. Urine smells in hallway.
Back to work.
Look at nice place in afternoon ... only double my current rent.
Home. Clean some. Organize some. Sweat lots.
Shower. Mall. ATM. Two-choice dinner. Movies — "Fracture."
Currently at work. At almost 11 p.m. Know I have to go home soon and sweat some more.
Will I be able to sleep at all in the heat?
Probably some, but not well.
Hope your weekends were much better.
On Friday, I get home about 5 p.m. to find a cop car and a truck from the power utility at my apartment building. Turns out someone stole, or tried to steal, some of the copper lines connected the building to the power grid.
But the owners of the building are cheap and don't care about any tenants there (there are two or three other units now occupied by some families), and it's the weekend, and the representative of the owners says he's not sure when they will bother to fix things and reconnect the building to the power lines. Not only that, but since the owners and the guy who owns my unit are still at odds, he actually threatens that once the power is reconnected, he will make sure mine isn't.
I tried to get some electricians out to look at the problem to see if they can at least just reconnect me, but it's the weekend, or they're busy, or they want some kind of OK from the power utility first, and of course the utility is closed on the weekend.
Friday night I sleep at the office on a futon on chilly tile, because at least it's cool and I won't sweat miserably in my apartment.
For the weekend though, I need something beyond that. I book a room at Best Western. They have a $109 2-day package and all rooms have high-speed Internet, so I lug over my eMac and a couple changes of clothes.
Hook up the computer and nothing. Turns out they recently discontinued using the modems that are still in the rooms, and are completely wireless. I have no wireless card in my computer. I argue for a bit and get a full refund.
Still stuck without a cool place with Internet connection. Call the Hilton and ask for the local rate. Am pleasantly surprised when informed about a weekend getaway special for $150 that includes welcoming drinks, breakfast ... though high-speed Internet will cost me $12.99 per night (24 hours). Oh well ... booked ... checked in ... connected ... happy.
Bed's a little hard, but the room is great and the view is awesome.
The hard bed ...
My weekend WOW workstation ...
Tub big enough for 2, or 1 DZER ... and used for 2 bubblebaths ...
The view from the room ...
The view continued ...So everything's cool, right?
Until I go to check out Monday morning.
Turns out there was a "miscommunication." The weekend getaway rate of $150 is PER NIGHT. I argue that I was told it was $150 for the weekend. Front desk goes to get a manager. Who is extremely rude. It is what it is, he says. A miscommunication, but tough shit, basically. Any attempt to ameliorate an angry guest? Any discount on that or future stays? A free brunch? Nada.
"I'm never coming back here again," I growl.
"That's too bad," the manager says.
Go back to apartment. Nothing's been done. Go into work.
During lunch break, look at a couple apartments. Squallid. Dirty. Dingy. Urine smells in hallway.
Back to work.
Look at nice place in afternoon ... only double my current rent.
Home. Clean some. Organize some. Sweat lots.
Shower. Mall. ATM. Two-choice dinner. Movies — "Fracture."
Currently at work. At almost 11 p.m. Know I have to go home soon and sweat some more.
Will I be able to sleep at all in the heat?
Probably some, but not well.
Hope your weekends were much better.
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