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.

---

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.

---

a new post ... finally

Stunning, no?

Well, I can't blame the lack of posting and failure to read blogs on World of Warcraft. Yes, I have played it a bunch since my last post, but no more than normal.

I've just been in a state of ennui, pretty much, plus not all that much has been going on, at least nothing all that different from normal.

Some of the stuff that has happened:

• The mother of my godsons had another baby last week ... I was gonna go see her and him at lunch today, but had a bit of a cold or something, and didn't want to risk getting the baby sick, so I'll have to wait a day or so.

• My mom is going under a round of radiation treatment as a follow to the removal of a lump recently. Doctor is pretty sure he got all of it and advised her that radiation was the best bet, instead of chemo or chemo/radiation combination. She's doing good; I spoke with her a little after Easter. I really don't call her enough ...

• Big load of laundry tomorrow ... and probably another trip to the laundry on the weekend. I've let it pile up and up ... at the end of last week I bought a couple pairs of pants, shirts and some socks just to further procrastinate. Sad, but true.

• I've also managed to read three books over the past week or so, plus re-read another three. Also watched two DVD's ... with a huge range between the two -- "The Holiday" ... and "WWE: No Way Out." How's that for variation?

• Tonight will be spent balancing my checkbook and doing a stack or two of dishes.

• I also have to clean out some boxes and junk from my bedroom ... I'm going to buy a new bed this weekend. Was gonna do it last weekend, but someone called in sick and I had to fill in for her shift. Ugh. And it's not really a new bed; there's a store here that sells remainders from hotels and other businesses. Still, it will be better than mine, which I should have replaced long ago. The "new" bed will be a double -- just $95 for the bed, boxspring, frame, headboard and nightstand.

• Dinner will be either a HUGE bowl of Golden Crisp cereal ... takeout Vietnamese food ... or PB&J's.

• I also will try to post a new early HNT from Guam over the next couple of days; just need to remember to buy batteries the next time I'm at the store.

---