Saturday, October 11, 2014

Hi, remember me? My Top Five Reasons for Becoming a Zombie

dugzom[7]

Excuses, excuses… I always seem to have several when it’s been awhile since I shared anything here, and this time around it’s the same old story (work, nothing of real interest to write about, general feelings of doom n’ gloom about the planet & civilization as we know it).  

I’m ready for a zombie-apocalypse just to shake things up.

So in the interest of keeping this old blog of mine going (and letting you know I’m still alive, so to speak), here’s my top 5 reasons for becoming the zombie I am today.

1. The stock market has sapped the life right outta me

I’ll be honest here; I haven’t looked at the S&P, Nasdaq & Dow for 11 days now.  Who needs to, when you see headlines like “THE MARKET HAS FINALLY SNAPPED”, “WORST DAY OF YEAR FOR STOCKS” & “STOCKS LOSE ALL GAINS FOR 2014”?  There goes those dreams of early retirement… it’s enough to drive a man to drink.  Or zombiedom.

2.  Facebook has turned ApacheDug’s Teepee into Deadsville

Okay I can’t really blame Facebook for my own doings, but it seems the more time I spend there, the less drive I have to share things here.  When I told my sister Shawn this a couple nights ago, she said “That stinks.  I’m not on Facebook.”  But can you blame me?  For example, a few days ago I shared this amusing little incident on FB:

deranged

Within an hour it got 25 comments.  Here, it would’ve gotten crickets.  I admit it, I’ve been feeding off the attention I get over there like the undead feed on the living’s brains.

3.  It’s a blessing, not a curse.  (Or is it the other way around?)

The other night on the news, they shared this study about being born on Christmas.  It seems that most feel it would be a “bummer”, but the ones who really are born on that day consider it a blessing.  Wow, really?  Well, if that’s the case, then my birth on Halloween would explain my lifelong connection to all things monster.  (Personally I think maniacal robots are cooler, but zombies are what’s trending y’know.)

4. I am hungry for people… but they have to be the right people

Two weekends ago, my gay neighbors moved out. For as noisy as that pair was, they were gone for an entire day before I even knew.  And for every person I shared this tidbit with (the other tenants, coworkers, my barber) I always got the same reaction—“you must be thrilled!”  NO I AM NOT.

From their nightly caterwauling of Celine Dion songs that lasted until midnight (or even later on the weekends) to their patio aglitter with 2000 lights, to their wrestling & shrieking matches, I hated it all.  (Okay, I didn’t mind the fights so much.)  But the thing is, I worked on these guys for TWO YEARS to reduce their noise to a tolerable level, and they up & leave me??  And now, after hearing about some of the newer tenants in this building, I am realizing more & more I had it luckier than most.  

So all I can do is sit here & wait to see who moves in next; and if they’re anything like the screaming Chilean couple down the hall, or the metal-head on the first floor, I will chew their damn heads off!

5.  And last but not least—look who returns to tv tomorrow night

Does anything more need said.  The new season of “The Walking Dead” premieres tomorrow night, and it’s pretty much the reason why I’m still hanging on to my cable!   This year’s tagline is “Hunt or Be Hunted”...

and I’d happily settle for being one or the other  Left hug

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Meanwhile, this just happened a couple minutes ago and I felt like sharing

 

This is certainly nothing to write home (or blog) about, but I’ve lived in this apartment building here since the mid-90’s and I suppose there’s a first time for everything.

So a little earlier today, I run to the store and I’m not home from the market five minutes when there’s a loud knock on my door.

 

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

ME: Er… yes?  (It’s my gay neighbor’s new live-in boyfriend.  A handsome guy—he’s also like 7 feet tall.)

My neighbor (in the orange) & his new fella at the Gay Pride Festival downtown; and no, I didn’t take this picture--I stole it off their Facebook!

HIM: Hi!  Hey, you know me right?  I live next door!

ME: Yeah… you’re my neighbor’s new boyfr—I mean roommate.

HIM: Right!  Hey, I need to ask you a REALLY crazy question!

ME: Uh-oh…

HIM: What is it, Is something wrong?

ME:  Well, when someone I don’t know says they need to ask me a really crazy question… what do you want??

HIM: A-HA, HA, HA!  OK!  Well… I locked myself out, and I was wondering if I could jump off your balcony?  Then I’ll just shimmy across the railing until I get to MINE.  Dummy me, I forgot my keys again!  (Slaps his forehead)

ME: Waitaminute, how can you lock yourself out?  You can’t lock the door from the outside unless you have your key.

HIM: (Shrugs his shoulders)  I don’t know!  These things happen to me ALL THE TIME.  Smile

ME: But—but we’re on the top floor, if you fall you’d break your neck!  Isn’t there someone you can call? 

HIM: Oh, don’t worry—I’ve done this a hundred times!

ME: What are you, a cat burglar?!

HIM: A-HA, HA, HA!!  More like a forget-me-not!

ME: Uh-huh.  Listen, can’t you just wait until your partner gets home?  You can use my bathroom if you gotta go…

HIM: He won’t be back until later in the week, like Thursday!

ME: Ah okay…

HIM: He’s back home in West Virginia.

ME:  Ok.

HIM: Visiting family.

ME:  Yes, yes.  Got it.

HIM: I didn’t go, or course.  But I could’ve! 

ME:  So… you ready to jump? 

HIM: You’re going to let me do it?

ME:  Yes!

Suffice it to say he made it--The End

Saturday, September 13, 2014

Chapter 4 in my Diary of a Fat Man: Dammit this is no laughing matter

fatman

 

Earlier this week, my sister Shawn a relative informed me she had just joined Weight Watchers because she was at her wit’s end & didn’t know what else to do at this point about these few pounds she couldn’t seem to shake off. 

I nodded my head solemnly, because I respect her feelings (and oh boy can I relate); but on the inside my head was tilted back, with my hands on my big, round Santa Claus belly—“HO HO HO!!”   Sister, you are preaching to the choir—a choir that consists of one big fat brother that’s 50 pounds overweight!

wedshawndug2

 

Here’s my sister Shawn & myself on her wedding day in 2000.  I can still remember what I weighed here: 195 lbs.  I’d sell my soul to weigh that now!

 

Anyway, after talking to Shawn my relative, I thought “hey I haven’t checked my own weight in months” so I pulled out my trusty digital scales, climbed aboard, laughed at the number (it HAD to be wrong) and promised myself I’d weigh-in on the professional scales in the office the following morning.  IT WAS TWO POUNDS MORE THAN MY SCALES AT HOME.   So I figure it’s time for another weight-chart & yes I know what you’re thinking “Aw c’mon Doug, not another one of these!  You’ve done this 3 times, you always fail!”   You’re right—but I can’t just give up, there’s a thinner Doug in me screaming to be let out.  So without further ado… wish me luck! 

GOAL:  DROP 40 LBS BEFORE I DROP OVER

Date Weight Gain/Loss Total
Sept 12 242.50 0 0
Sept 19 239.50 -03.00 -03.00
Sept 26 238.50 -01.00 -04.00
Oct 03 238.50 0 -04.00
Oct 10 238.25 -00.25 -04.25
Oct 17 238.00 -00.25 -04.50
Oct 24 236.75 -01.25 -05.75
Oct 31 236.75 0 -05.75
Nov 07 235.50 -01.25 -07.00
Nov 14 234.75 -00.75 -07.75
Nov 21 235.50 +00.75 Sad smile -07.00
Nov 27 235.00 -00.50 -07.50
Dec 05 236.00 +01.00 Sad smile -06.50
Dec 12 236.00 0 -06.50
Jan 02 241.50 +05.50 Sad smile -01.00
Jan 09 244.50 +3.00 Crying face +02.00 
Jan 16 246.00 +01.50 +03.50 
       
       
       
       
       
       
       

I’ll be back… I’ll be back.  Sad smile