Snickers of Doom!

I was getting a snack out of the vending machines at work today. A ginger ale from the drink machine and a candy bar from the snack machine. After purchasing the soda, I pulled the quarters from the change slot to get the snack and I noticed there was a red "X" on the quarter. You know what my first thought was? It was marked by people who were using it to propogate a disease or some other pathogen using currency. Keep in mind that I'm thinking this as I'm moving the 3 feet from the change dispenser on one machine to the coin slot on the other machine. Ol enough, as I'm literally telling myself that it's a completely absurd thought and even if it was true, it'd already be too late because I've already touched the money, the other half of my brain actually tries to manipute the coin in my hand so as to minimize skin contact with it while the rational half of my brain looks omments on how stupid I look trying to hold 2 quarters in one hand while simultaneously trying to not touch one of the coins AND put it in the coin slot. I would later make the mental observation that my disease-fearing half-brain essentially (if it was right) knowingly passed on a potentially lethal disease to one or more complete strangers so that I could have a Snickers.

Irony Sucks Sometimes

So, I've been looking around at work recently and things are starting to look a little wonky. What I mean is, I'm putting little things together like - no long term contracts, reduction in office space, massive cost-cutting, etc. Now, all of that looks like fiscal responsibility in the face of difficult times. It also looks like a company positioning itself to be purchased. I'm generally an optimist. I'm not, however, completely stupid. I look at the possibilities and mix them with the empty checking account and microscopic savings account and I have to do some serious figuring.

So, I decided to set aside my trap shooting and a number of other good (albeit optional) things in order to sock away as much money as possible in the coming months. The way I figure it, layoffs always seem to happen in December so I save like mad until then. I also figure that if a merger is going to happen, I'm going to be one of the first technical people to go - companies generally don't need more than one telecom manager. I got out the budget and re-worked the numbers and made a plan.

That was two days ago. This morning, when I left for work I discovered the car was dead.

That budget I worked on? Blown to smithereens. I figured something was going to come along to disrupt my plans. I just didn't expect it to happen before I'd even received the first paycheck towards it.

Sick Day

So I have the flu or a really bad cold or something. I stayed home from work today because with all of the swine flu scare, I didn't want to freak anyone out with all my unpleasantness. Sore throat, feverish, fatigue, sneezing, couching, post-nasal drip, etc. It's not fun. Could be worse but not fun. I took NyquilD this morning because the symptoms were making me really miserable but that's meant that I've ben droopy all day. Good times. Will turn in early tonight and hopefully be better tomorrow.

Can't Seem To Stop Thinking About It

I'm one of those people who lives from flame to flame. I find something to be passionate (or, perhaps, obsessive) about for awhile but the passion eventually fades and I move on to the next marvelous thing. I've been that way about many things, though not all, throughout my entire life. 

My latest passion is trap shooting. Like so many times before, I'm totally into it. I think about it, talk about, invest money and time into it, and even evangelize it. Here's the thing though... where does passion end and obsession begin? I keep finding myself thinking about it constantly, even to the point of seeing time in between visits to the range as excruciating mandatory waiting periods.

Unlike most of my previous passions (or obsessions), trap appears to be something I'm naturally good at doing. At least, several experienced shooters have commented that I appear to be "a natural" and all have been surprised at how short a time I've been shooting. So, does this praise feed the passion or does my obsession explain the praise? Does that make sense? In other words, am I consumed with trap because I'm made to do it or am I somehow subconsciously feeding off of the praise - and subsequently the approval - from others? 

I'm too close to this to really be certain just now. I want to say that it's the former. There's no denying that from the first moments I fired a 12 gauge at a clay target, there was an almost tangible rightness in how it felt. At the same time, in the back of my mind and (rightfully so) on the lips of my wife, is the question about how long this "phase" will last. I can't answer that question. 

I guess we'll just have to get a little further down the road to see if I'm going to flame out again. What I know right now is that it's still 3 more days until I can get back to the range...

It's Been A Good Weekend

The weekend started with me leaving work early on Friday and going to the local gun show with my friend Andy. I helped him haul his 2500 rounds of .45 ACP ammo to his car. Ammunition is very heavy by the way. The show was overwhelming and everywhere I turned, I saw something interesting and desirable. Fortunately, I don't have much disposable income so I was relatively safe. Well, I left the show and went to the Bull Run Shooting Center where I shot 5 rounds of trap. The last two rounds I was on my own and I was fortunate to have a trapper (that's the person who pushes the button when you call for the target) give me some really good pointers on improving my shooting. Saturday was spent largely in the yard (all of us) working on this, that, and the other. I was also able to keep my promise to Cami and took her to REI and bought her a new helmet. Today, I was able to get Cami and me to church. Marty (our pastor) was preaching from Acts. He is very engaging and it's really refreshing to hear someone preach who is not only a good mind but had wit and charm and personality to go with it. Then we had home group at our house and that was really good too. I really like the people in our home group. Genuine people. Then, later, Candi and I finished Season 3 of Lost. Now it's very late and I must to bed.