Conclusion of Variety

…well me, sort of. I’ve never been a big fan of cooking preferring going out, being fed, or making something quick an easy. Over the years and did learn a few things like, boiling water and greasing a pan. From there I learned to make a few things:

Scrambled Eggs

Spagehetti with sausage

Salad

Crab Dip

I’ve tried a few other things but didn’t make them enough to remember how to make them again. I’ve never really cared for cooking and as a result havn’t had the motivation to do more.

In an attempt to get me to cook more my parents sent me “A Man, A Can, A Plan.” I finally decided to pull it out, find something to make, get the ingrediants and put a meal together.

I chose some tostada looking thing made out of: canned chicken, refried beans, salsa, and a corn tortilla. Hit the grocery store and got the ingrediants and wipped them up in the evening. Overall pretty easy as all I had to do was toss the chicken, beans and salsa in a bowl and heat in the microwave. The tortillas had to be heated in the oven which set off the fire alarm.

In the end it was alright but I now have another reason why I don’t like cooking. I have 10 corn tortilla and a bowl of this stuff left over. It was alright but I really have no desire to have it again for awhile.

So, I tried it and decided I just don’t like to cook. I know there is some kind of wierd stereotype of romantic supermen who cook are the greatest, but fuck that. I’ll stick with my salads and soups. I’m sure I’ll try it again but I’m just not that into food.

Zerneeak.com is live! I will slowly be changing all my links to zerneeak.com but I won’t be getting rid of czernopkins because everything has been indexed under that name. I’ll also be switching all my email to zerneeak but my old ones will still work.

For those who don’t know czernopkins was a combination of my last name “Czerniak” and my x-girlfriends “Hopkins.” The web space was originally meant for both of our webpages but since we split up it doesn’t make any since to have czernopkins.

Everyone decided to comment on the new Mac stuff so I felt obligated to do so. Even at the gaming session the other night the subject came up of a miniature computer and random ipod. Honestly, I really don’t care but it is obvious that the Mac marketing machine is pushing its way into the consciousness of America.

For Christmas I got an ipod. I asked for a mp3 player and got an ipod. Just shows how mp3 player now equals ipod. I would have been just as happy with the Sony mp3 player as I am with my ipod.

I decided I needed to get the arm sheeth for when I go to the gym so my girlfriend and I headed over to the Mac store before seeing “Unfortunate Events.” I, of course, was in geek heaven going through all the ipod accessories, giving the G5 a hug and finally finding the $40 sheeth (a bit pricey but I bought it anyway). Stephanie watched the people in the store who were all crammed around the ipod stuff and took notice as to how well dressed they were.

So, now Macs are stylin computers. It you want to be seen make sure you get a Mac and ipod because that PC just won’t match that dress. And it seems that Hugh Grant will be sporting a custom mauve ipod-mini at this years Academy Awards.

So, on that note I care about as much about the new products from Apple as I do that they released a new version of Acrobat. For something much more interesting I know that “Blue Rose” and Werewolf: The Forsaken” should be out in the next couple of weeks. Now there is a release to turn the world.

It has been raining a lot. We have been getting record rain fall for the past week or so. There has been so much rain that I finally broke down and bought an umbrella. I suppose it could be worse, it could be cold and snowy.

Luckily I have been in high spirits during all this rain putting my CD collection on my computer so I can put my music on my ipod. Only problem with that there is too much music to choose from. So, I’m walking down the street thinking “what do I want to listen to today” and I start filing through the music on the ipod overwhelmed. I guess that is what playlists are for. Also got to download my first two full albums from itunes: Interpol – Turn on the Bright Lights, and Garden State Soundtrack.

I found out that my x-girlfriend is possibly moving and joining the peace corp. I found this out while in Las Cruces and it was really strange hearing news about her as I hadn’t heard anything for months.

Also have to mention that “Series of Unfortunate Events” was an amazing movie and anyone who liked Potter should go and see it as it is just as good if not better!

So, I had another headache this morning. It wasn’t too bad but it made me nervous that it was going to turn into another Migraine. I have now become paranoid that the slightest alteration in my head will turn into an excrutiating migraine like the past two did. It even made me a little nauseous but now I wonder if that was from the actual headache or now I just assume that I’ll be nauseous with headaches. As long as it doesn’t result in violent puking like the first one did I’m happy.

Probably going to see a doctor soon for this because doctors are like TV. What they say must be true…

Just a quick warning that I’m making some changes to my webpage and blog. In the next few days I’ll be switching servers and adding a domain name. As a result the site might be down for a few hours and I won’t be able to receive emails. I’ll try and get everything up and running asap.

Also, I’ll be adding an alternate domain name, zerneeak.com, soon.

Guess I wasn’t the only one who started a blog in 04.

BLOGGING IN AMERICA

• Blog readership has shot up by 58% in 2004
• Eight million have created a blog
• 27% of online Americans have read a blog
• 5% use RSS aggregators to get news and other information
• 12% of online Americans have posted comments on blogs
• Only 38% of online Americans have heard about blogs

From BBC Online

I returned to Las Cruces for the holidays this year for over week making it a crazy two weeks. It felt crazy right before I left. A decision to redesign the front page of the trio display website made thing extremely busy at work. Not to mention a decision to bring in a consulting company to help improve the sites rankings put me on a defensive foot for my job as they wanted to completly take over the site. Luckily, my boss saw through their crap and that they were all talk and little substance.

Stephanie and I exchanged gifts then got some dinner and watched a movie. She gave me a ride to the airport the next day which was Christmas Eve. Both the trip up and back were great and both times the middle chair was empty and I got the window seat.

Christmas Eve I got to hang out with my family. We had our traditional dinner of fried fish, coleslaw, and french fries. The entire trip was filled with tons of food. We also went out a looked at the Luminarias in Old Mesilla. Christmas we exchanged gifts and then hung out watching “I Robot” and “Napolean Dynamite.” My brother and I then went and saw “Life the Aquatic.”

The next day I got to go my favorite bookstore called “My Bookstore.” I exchanged a bunch of books with me and traded them in for some gaming books and Neil Stephenson’s “Diamond Age.” I exchanged some stuff and got a bunch of movies including “Alias S1″ which I later addicted my dad to.

That evening I went and made tamales with my parents at my old theater professor’s house. I didn’t stay long as conversation seemed to revolve around babies and clothes. I also had to meet an old friend, Shane who I hadn’t seen since I moved to San Diego. We caught up a bit and then went to the Hilton bar where some lesbians flirted with me and another old friend, Todd, showed up and we all caught up. My brother and his friend Pablo, the coolest dude in Las Cruces, showed up. We all left but I convinced Todd and Shane to let me run a World of Darkness one shot for them on Tuesday.

On Monday I went shopping with mom in Old Mesilla to buy Stephanie some New Mexico/Southwest stuff that people seem to like.

On Tuesday Todd and I hung out. We went to a little restaurant called Burger Time which we use to hang out at during High School. We then went up to Onate High School in a reminisent binge. After that we visited two other old friends Shannon and Jake. Unfortunatly, Todd seemed more interested in “The Simpson’s” DVD then talking and catching up.

We later met up with Shane at VI (Village Inn, similar to a Marie Calenders or Coco that we spent tons of time smoking cigarettes and either roleplaying, playing magic or just bullshiting). I started the WoD game and we ran into some old friends of Maya (who I guess were my friends to). Todd felt uncomfortable at VI so we went to Shane’s mom’s house to finish the game which went over well.

On Wednesday I played some hacky sack with Todd and some of his old friends and then met up with Tracy for dinner and then bar hopping in which we run into Pablo again and Tracy admitted that she won a date with him, which I guess was quite the honor as he was the coolest guy in Las Cruces.

On Thursday my parents and I drove up to Cloud Croft, a little town up in the mountains. We then drove to the observatories Sun Spot and Apache Point. At Apache Point my dad pulled his Dean Card and got us the grand tour which was awsome as I got to see the telescopes up close.

Friday I played tennis with my dad and that night met up with another friend, Lee. Unfortunalty, Lee had to work at 12 so he dropped me off at Tracy’s where I met up with her. She planned to due New Years at “Graham Central Station” a club that mixes 4 different clubs together. I went with Tracy and her three girlfriends who got slopping drunk. I got pretty drunk myself but held off on the tequila shots.

After the episode at the Cowboy Bar I was determined to learn how to two-step. Tracy agreed to show and while doing so she showed me exactly how I remember doing it. This meant there was at least two different way of doing the two-step and I felt vindicated from making an ass of myself.

Saturday was pretty much recovery from the day before. We also went and saw “Meet the Fockers.”

Sunday I flew home and last night had another freakin migrain. Overall, a great trip and it was great to catch up with so many people. However, I think the trip was a little long and it I was to do it again I would only go for a week and space it out better.

Here are some pictures from the Werewolf: The Forsaken demo. Each one is from a different part and the final picture is a victory howl.

For more images check out: Wrecking Crew Gencon 04 images

It is about a week until Christmas and it hasn’t really sunk in. My first year in San Diego seemed to drag forever but this year feels like it is flying by. In a week and a day I’ll be returning to Las Cruces, NM for a week. I look forward to seeing how the place has changed and how much it has stayed the same.

I also look at where I was a year ago and where I am now. A year ago I had just lost my job with Skytech Mortgage due the increase in mortgage rates. I was freaked out, living in Lakeside with a girlfriend who was obsessed with chatting (full on webcam and microphone) with men from England. I was angry, sad, and bored.

Things are so much different. So many things have happened since last Christmas and I have so much to look foward to. Now, I’m fully employed, living on the beach and completly responcible for myself. I’m making it and laughing all the way.

It other new… Last Saturday was the Ligand (the company Stephanie work for)Christmas party. I had never been to a full on corporate party before but we had a good time. I was a little intimidated at first but after a few glasses of wine managed to relax. She got recognized for 5 years of service. One of Stephanie’s co-workers had brought his wife who happened to be from Las Cruces and graduated at NMSU so it was fun talking to her and I’m still convinced that I am the only person from Las Cruces who doesn’t like green chili.

Tomorrow is my Christmas party which should be a bit smaller (about 10 people compared to 400).

I also finished my Mage (roleplaying) game which can be seen on my webpage. This is the second adventure I have ran for what has been labeled “The Champions.” For some reason those games take more out of me than what I’m use to. My GMing seems a little more forced. The games are still tons of fun and I’m glad we switch GMs after each game. Up next is OGL Steampunk, Paranoia XP, and a heist fantasy game using HARP.