It sucks feeling down. The worst part is when you start getting sick of yourself and all the whining… just like this. This is the sound of me hating myself.

Fortunately, having friends around the world helps me keep my sanity. Sometimes it bums me out that most of my friends are in Nebraska out-of-reach except by wires or wireless. But I’m thankful they’re around at all. In the last week I’ve managed to talk to a number of people (Tyler, Cora, Jenny [& Phil sorta]).

Conversing with Tyler had me laughing harder than anything other than The IT Crowd, The Big Bang Theory, or Savage Chickens (read this one). Then some drunk a**hole passed out in front of Tyler’s house while driving and his head kept blaring the horn so Tyler had to go call the police. It still kept me laughing, but it ended the conversation.

I talked with Cora for 80 minutes. This is the longest phone call I’ve had in a while. Though I managed a solid 50 minutes with Luebbe the last time we talked.

I talked with Jenny briefly during lunch today. She and Phil are both feeling a bit better, but will continue to rest as they battle their separate woes. Also, she wants you all (who know them) to visit The Bolls website and leave comments so she’ll know you’re reading it.

I IMed Erika the other day. We talked about cooking, pondered the time-dilation effects of living multiple time zones away, and conversed quite pleasantly.

I talked to both of my bros today. Jesse turned 24, and Isaac bought an iPod Classic (80GB!).

So now I’ve told you what’s going on with a lot of people. Little things like these conversations help keep me going.

Tags: alcohol, Cora, Erika, family, Jenny, Luebbe, phone, Savage Chickens, Tyler

Luebbe got me started on espresso.

I’ve only tried two different kinds so far — Random Coffee Roaster in Lincoln, NE, and Starbucks. My vote goes to Random, but Starbucks isn’t bad. The days I get the double-shot (Doppio Espresso - lame name) on my lunch break, I walk back to the work and sit down with a caffeine buzz ready to pound away at people’s personal problems manifest in the form of their wireless phones.

And the buzz makes it all feel okay.

It’s been 164 days since I’ve had any other kind of buzz. (You can calculate the time between two dates here at timeanddate.com. Or just ask Jake to count it up for you.)

Tags: alcohol, coffee, Luebbe, Nebraska, Starbucks

So much happens in ten days, this is a brief checklist of things I would like to write about, but may never have a chance to get caught up on:

Thursday (May 17): The one-handed man on the plane from Seattle to Denver. Eventless flight to Omaha. Ride w/ Varvel to the bachelor party. Bachelor party.

Friday: Tyler + Luebbe + thai. Tux rental, rehearsal dinner, potential poisoning. Coffee w/ Cora. Final moments talking w/ bachelor-Phil.

Saturday: Wedding + the ups and downs. Sprite toast, substitute best man, seeing people. Dancing w/ the ladies. Tackling Phil’s brother to grab the garter. “May your quiver be full!” Cards.

Sunday: the dog, the airport, $9 roast beef + cranberry juice, mom. G&G, picked up dad at the bus station.

Monday: Getting the U-Haul, Wendy’s, lock, blankets, Mother’s day a week late, mowing the lawn, loading the truck, poker party w/ the Boulder crew. Suzanne unconscious and no good markers to draw on her.

Tuesday: Finish packing and drive. iPod. Stayed in Billings, MT. Smoky room.

Wednesday: Billings, MT to Kirkland, WA. More iPod. Country songs.

Thursday (May 24): Seeing Washington on the Eastside w/ my bro (wetlands, Medina beach, Chipotle). Movie: The Namesake. Trigun.

Friday: Work+

Saturday: Airport + grocery shopping + sausage balls + work.

Sunday: Church. Pirates 3. And typing, typing, typing…

Tags: airplane, Colorado, Cora, family, iPod, Jenny, Luebbe, moving, Nebraska, Phil, Seattle, The Varv, Tyler

Here’s some photos from my trip. They’re from the BBQ we had a la casa de los padres de Jenny.

Hotties + I = awesome: yeah, that’s right, this one is of me and the ladies.

Phil+Jenny and Tracy: This one is of Jenny and Tracy, but it looks pretty sweet. Phil is in the background grilling.

Luebbe, Phil, 4L, Varv: Some of the guys chilling out at the BBQ. I think Phil may be giving me a death glare.

Group Photo: Neither of the group photos turned out great, but this one turned out best. Sorry, Phil, looks like a hand obscured your face. I like this one ’cause people are actually smiling.

Jesse at his normal: Yup, it’s Jesse!

Tags: 4L, Luebbe, omaha, Tracy

Here’s some motivation to start your day up. Props to Luebbe (looby : definition: an awkward clumsy fellow) for reminding me of this the other day, then I found it on my computer today. Warning: Explicit language.

Visit Red Vs. Blue. Honestly, it’s been quite a long time since I’ve watched any RvB, but some of the older stuff is classic. Low-resolution versions of current episodes are available on their videos page.

Tags: Luebbe, RvB