On Their Dime 3:21 PM

Went to the casino today, had a $20 coupon and a free buffet. Five dollars in and I won $45. I did play the rest of the twenty, still came home with the money I pulled out of the machine. The buffet was good, I ate plenty. Jody won over $200 on a two cent machine, that was pretty awesome, I'm happy with my winnings. I didn't even spend any of my own money, that's the best part.

He Shoots, He Scores, He Shops 8:19 AM

Just getting ready to head out and meet Jody for the day. She's looking for shoes, I don't need anything but I'm sure I'll find things to spend my money on. Last night, got to go to the Milwaukee Bucks game against the Orlando Magic. Despite the loss 103 to 86, it was fun. Once you sit on the floor to see a basketball game, sitting in the stands just doesn't cut it. I'm glad the sun is shining today, makes for a good one.

Read Between the Lines 3:49 PM

Borrowed from A Life in the Day:
1. Grab the nearest book
2. Open the book to page 123. Find the fifth sentence
4. Post the text of the next 3 sentences (#5,6,7) on your blog, along with these instructions.
5. Don't you dare dig for that "cool" or "intellectual" book in your closet! I know you were thinking about it. Just grab what is closest. No cheating.

"The DHI servers clearly control our holograms, but why they could affect us as humans is really weird. In crossing back over we must take something of our DHIs with us. We don't see it, we don't feel it, but it's there."
The Kingdom Keepers - Disney After Dark ~ Ridley Pearson

Impressions 8:00 PM

Lately I have been watching people around me, how they interact and behave with others. It's interesting. I've seen manipulation, I've seen genuine emotion and mimicked rationale. I've seen carefully orchestrated productions, and honest feelings. I'm amazed at the wide range of behaviors I encounter on a daily basis.

Light the Night 4:45 PM

http://teams.lightthenight.org/mattatomic

Now you can officially register for the walk being held in September. I hope everyone that participated last year will join me once again. I would like everyone I know to join in. It was a great time. I know it's months away, but the days just seem to fly by (except when it's snowing).

I have been referring to myself as Helper Monkey at work lately. Seems like I'm always assisting others in one way or another. It keeps me busy, which is a good thing and the moniker keeps me entertained. Some people get the humor in it, others, not so much. Whatever it takes to make it through the day. It's all in good fun.

Don't forget to register for the walk!

Falling Down the Mountains 2:14 PM

First thing this morning I went out and cleared off the Jeep, except for the two feet of snow on the roof. I wanted the sun to soften the mounds before I attempted to remove them. Next I scaled the towering peaks of dirty laundry. Load after load until I leveled that mountain. Then I headed back out and chopped down the range on the roof of the Jeep and put it in 4WD and parked on the street so the lot could be cleared. Once that was done, I went back out to repark in the lot. As I was crossing the expanse of snow between the sidewalk and the street, I lost my balance and tumbled down the snow bank into the street, landing with a hard thump. I jumped up, unlocked the Jeep and drove back to the parking spot. When I got back into the apartment I noticed I tore one of my gloves and my right side was soaking wet and covered with dirt and gravel. I am okay, I am laughing about the whole thing. It just better not snow the rest of the spring so I don't have to park out on the street anymore.

Still 7:01 PM

Looking out the window it's still snowing. It's been snowing all day. It isn't fit for man nor beast or me to go out. It is a good night for reading and watching TV. I won't be moving off the couch much. It's a good thing I ran around the last couple of nights.

Speaking of Change 3:31 PM

Hey, It's officially Spring! Tomorrow it's going to snow. Oh well. Mark your calendar for Thursday, September 11th, it is the Light the Night Walk. Team MattAtomic is registered and I want people to join me. It's for a great cause, so join me. I will post often up until the date, some of you will get emails too. Last night I went bumming, Culver's and Target, tonight I'm meeting Julie and Hiro for dinner. So much for lounging on the couch, doing laundry, cleaning. There'll be plenty of time for that in the days to come.

A Night Off the Couch 9:11 PM

I did something I haven't done since last fall. I went out on a week night. I picked Tim up from work and we went to Mayfair, after I had some blood work done, and Tim went to the Dentist. Julia met us at Barnes and Noble, then we had dinner at the Cheesecake Factory, then some more shopping. I just got home, going to lounge on the couch, unwind. I missed my couch, but had a really nice time out and about. Once the weather gets better, I want to get out more.

A Moment of Clarity 7:09 PM

He fell after his groceries. The bag tore, sending canned goods across the pavement. I came upon him trying to scramble to get the run away cans. He was older, had been effected by a stroke, the left side of his body hung, dragged, slowed him. I caught up to him and offered my assistance. Slurred words declined the offer. I removed some of my purchases from one bag and handed it to him, the least I could do. I got to my car, watched him struggle, stand, move. I sat in the lot for five minutes crying.

Novels and Novelties 2:53 PM

Damn, I clean up pretty good. Thanks to Kim and an awesome haircut, I seem presentable. Last Night, Doug and I set out to find a place for Dinner and it became quite the adventure. Every place that came to mind was crowded and parking a nightmare. After an arduous journey through the streets of Milwaukee and vicinities, we found a Mexican restaurant that had spaces available in the lot and that was where dinner was. It was decent, but the sundae at Bella's was the perfect night cap. Today I ran to the book store after grooming and wound up with four books and a puzzle magazine in my possession. Stopped by Mom and Dad, visited for a while, had lunch with them, and hauled an exercise bike from their garage up into the apartment. Now I can pedal while I'm watching bad TV.

Dining 3:45 PM

I have the worst eating habits. I do not cook for myself often, except for heating up chicken strips, making mac & cheese, frozen dinners. I do not buy groceries on a regular basis, I eat fast food almost every meal. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack, even ice cream. McDonald’s is my favorite. I can eat there every day. I also enjoy Burger King, Taco Bell, Wendy’s, KFC. I am not overweight. I have low blood pressure, low cholesterol levels, low sodium levels. You would think I’d be in terrible shape, totally unhealthy and obese. There’s something to be said about the bad dieting habits. I just don’t know what it would be. I want a Big Mac. Going out to dinner tonight.

Walking and Walking Man In A Van 5:32 PM

The weather today has been warmer, temperatures in the low 50s. I went for a walk after I got home from work. Not too far, just a couple of blocks. I wanted to get outside for a while. It felt great. As the weather becomes nicer, I will get out and enjoy. Christine and I went to Taco Bell for lunch today. It seems every time we go, we see Walking Man there. Lately though, there has been no Walking Man sightings. He is this guy who walks everywhere, with a very pronounced limp. As we were eating, I kept scanning the area for him. A beat up old van pulled into the lot and I didn't pay much attention to it until around the back end came Walking Man. He turned around, went back to the van to grab a bible (which he always has and highlights passages in while eating). Christine and I realized we were sitting at the table he normally occupies. He is one interesting person. And he drives a Van. No wonder we haven't seen him walking in quite a while.

Decisions 8:04 PM

There's too many things to watch on TV, I'm constantly flipping channels. What do I watch? ANTM, Idol, Top Chef? Those are my issues. I need to get a DVR. Then I won't have to channel surf. I just saw an ad for Hell's Kitchen, that's another good show to start watching. Well, I'm off to the couch, the remote is beckoning.

A New Addiction 5:11 PM

I have discovered that I completely enjoy Java Monster coffee energy drink. Much better than Starbucks Frappuccinos. They sell them at the gas station and any time I stop for gas, I get one to drink. I've even stopped to get a lottery ticket and a couple of cans to keep on hand. There's nothing better than sitting and doing a crossword and having a Java Monster. I like my coffee drinks.

Where'd the Money and Time Go? 9:05 AM

I slept in this morning. Later than I have in quite a while. Thanks to Daylight Savings Time and turning the clocks ahead. It still felt good. Yesterday I was out the door about 8:45am, in blizzard-like conditions, to meet Jody in Delafield. Part of the lakefront freeway (794) is closed through downtown, so the detour takes you on city streets. Once I got to 27th street, there was no snow. By the time I got to the stadium, there was blue skies and sun. I met Jody, we drove to the Johnson Creek outlet mall, a stop for a quick breakfast, then out towards Madison to DeJope casino. Small place, class B gaming, interesting machines, you had to hit the spin button twice to play, once to register the bet, and once to initiate the game. I enjoyed watching the machines take my money. I watched some Disney movies last night, then slept. Today I intend on getting some coffee somewhere and maybe a trip to the bookstore. Right now I'm still waking up.

Calm Before the Storm 6:24 PM

Staying in tonight, watching another ANTM marathon on VH1, reading, snacking, lounging. Talked to Brian on the phone earlier, was nice to catch up with him, hear about the family. Waiting for the lake effect snow to come. Jody and I are on another road trip Saturday. I still have to get my laundry done, motivation is lacking, I'll get to it eventually. I can rest up for my big adventure tomorrow.

Things to Do 8:24 AM

Some things I plan on doing this year, starting now through the end of the year:: read 25 novels :: write the blog at least four times a week :: start writing a novel; write a little each weekend :: treat myself to a nice international, beach, or Disney vacation :: maintain better contact with family and friends :: learn to meditate :: maintain weight :: maintain a disciplined workout schedule :: Spend as much time outdoors as possible :: Ride my bike regularly :: get a monthly massage :: buy a different and affordable vehicle :: look for a new job in the IT field :: try to replenish and maintain a savings account :: organize and discard unimportant papers and reading materials :: donate and discard unused clothing and shoes :: reassess living situation (new apartment/home) :: appreciate the small things ::

Music and Noise 5:30 PM

I'm taking a load of laundry down to the basement and the neighbor has his stereo blasting. It's music that I like, but it's still too loud. The machines were quiet, I open the washer, and there is clothes in it. What do I do? Take it out? No, I don't like when that happens to me, so I lug it back up the stairs. I'll try again tomorrow. I had the Zune in the car ro listen to music on the way to work. When I got there, I disconnected the player and went to pull the FM adapter out of the power outlet. It came apart, things went flying, and the tip still remained in the outlet. I had to use a needlenose pliers to remove the end. I haven't figured out how to reassemble the adapter and am certain parts, like a fuse or spring, are missing. I'll just get another adapter, it seems easier. In the meantime, I will just have to listen to the radio. and the noise across the hall.

Up and Down 9:02 PM

After a tease of Spring weather yesterday, Winter let it be known that it's here for a while yet. Fortunately, the storm didn't drop a pile of snow, but the temperature fell. I keep focusing on the warmth. It keeps me from becoming bogged down. I feel there's so much out there to do and I want to do it all now, but I must bide my time, be patient, things will progress. This weekend is Daylight Savings Time. Spring forward, and it's not yet Spring, but it's on it's way, and I feel I'm on my way too.

In the Car 5:25 PM

Spent the day in and around cars. Went to the car show downtown with Doug, then over to Target and Office depot, along with lunch. I of course had to sit in the Jeeps on display and definitely will be getting a Wrangler when the time is right for a new vehicle. It was a nice day to be out and about. Yesterday, Jody and I were out and about casino hopping. I didn't win, but didn't lose either. For all the time spent in the casino, I didn't do bad at all. Now I'm going to relax and lounge on the couch.

Road Trip 5:09 AM

The plan originally was to go to Bettendorf Iowa to the Isle of Capri casino with Jody, she was invited to be in a slot tournament this weekend. By the time she got through to register for the event, there were no rooms available. Instead we are going to get in the car and go where-ever the day takes us. I'm meeting her at 7:00am and the adventure begins.