Toilet Humor

It’s been a crazy few weeks.  Working. Romping. Dating. Drinking. Outting.  I’ve been spending a lot more time with my new friends Mike and Lynlea.  Speaking of Mike and Lynlea, we will be having a drag party in a few weeks.

Come one, come all.  Bring your wigs and alcohol… and guys… for me. Thanks

MMMM toilet humor!!!!
Brian McManus

Protected: heh

This is not my blog but a post about me from a friend. He refers to me as his best friend or other half. I am going to elaborate on this more later. I posted this quickly so a friend could see.

Wednesday, December 20, 2006

Brandi Carlile – Throw It All Away

Steve and I must be having the same experience.

—

When you’re near me I have no fear
When I’m untrue you see right through me
You know me as deep as the sea goes
Calm my head whenever the storm blows

When the stars and the moon and the sky fall through,
I throw them all away
When I’m hollow, deep as the sea goes
All I know is I would throw them all away, away…

In my restless hour I’m holding
Words you say that lay my soul to sleep
I dream of buildings that burn
The sky turns black, I toss and turn

When the stars and the moon and the sky fall through,
I throw them all away
When I’m hollow, deep as the sea goes
All I know is I would throw them all away, away…

This love branches out like an oak tree
Reach for the sky and roots to the sea
So when you’re shaking, down and broken,
Find your piece of my mind in knowing

I’d throw them all away
When I’m hollow, deep as the sea goes
All I know is I would throw them all away
When I’m hollow, deep as the sea goes
AllIi know is I would throw them all away, away

Linux/Unix course at CSI

For anyone interested this spring semester I will be teaching the “INFT 179″ Linux/Unix course at our local community college , the College of Southern Idaho.

“The purpose of this course is to provide the fundamental
skills needed to work in a Unix/Linux environment including
an introduction to Unix commands, installation, and
configuration and Linux basics, networking, productivity, and
administration.”

It is three credit hours and I will be mixing up the syllabus and the course a bit.  I’m going to make it really hands-on and exciting.  I want people to get *interested* and I want them to understand the opportunities provided to them by having a Linux box around. (Embedded applications, pbx’s, nas, smb integration, etc)  This is a beginners course so I will only touch on and mention the potential opportunities.

I’m hoping to increase enrollment in this course as well as work on other potential programs CSI could have, an advanced linux/unix, and a asterisk /ip telephony course , etc.

Let me know if you’re interested in taking the course.
Brian

Christmas 2006

While friends, family, sons, daughters and parents are fighting in Iraq, we are spending unprecedented amounts on Christmas this year.  Cute!  Sure daddy lost his limbs but check out the Zune mom got us!

Frat boys everywhere request that “Ass” be put back in to Christmas

“Why is it that, as a culture, we are more comfortable seeing two men holding guns than holding hands?” — Ernest Gaines

This time of year is my absolute favorite. I get to see my favorite people. It snows, it’s cold, it’s chipper and when an inversion rolls through, it looks like God smiled and kissed every leaf on every tree. Oh yes, God is a kisser!  I bet he uses tongue with his partner.

I love the romance of it all… I get to sit on my bed with a warm fireplace in the living room and cuddle with someone I’m seeing. A sordid love affair! Anyways, in the past I was never big on holiday’s, the last few years I’ve really enjoyed them. Am I getting older? Perhaps. In fact the people in my life mean more to me then ever.  The rest of it is really just bullshit to me.
Begin Rant

I hate the process of purchasing a product to gift to someone just because it’s supposed to be a “great token.” I love carefully planning random gifts and lighting up peoples faces through out the year– that’s my style and it’s a token of my affection and appreciation, not because people feel guilty about messing up their children and have a false memory of a baby jesus.

/Begin Rant

At any rate I hope all of my friends that are in town will call me. So now to my questions of the universe and a quick review of friends blog posts i’m seeing in the “blogosphere”. I have a lot of questions like:

1. When are skis going to be bluetooth enabled so your iPod or cellphone can record speeds, angles, and information on how well you cut through the snow or stop. Then you can sync your cute little iPod to your cute little MacBook and receive tips and training, as well as information on calories burnt, etc.
2. George W. What’s the different between secular violence and civil war? No really, DRAW ME A PICTURE cause it sure seems the same. Actually move right along, Shiites aren’t *really* killing based on race, and we wouldn’t call that genocide either. How could this be the case when they are our US Allies?!?! Right…
3. My personal fave right now because i’m a drama hoe… If friend X sleeps/fools around with person B’s boyfriend and later in life person B starts seeing X’s ex-boyfriend but is still X’s obession/love interest…. is B a bad friend, just playing fair, or getting revenge??
4. Steven Michael Dodd are there any other full time network positions coming up in the near future?? I’m thinking of a change in life plans still, even though my raise was amazing this year I’d like to take some classes again.

Now for the review of friends blog entries:

I’m really loving the passion my JC freak friends have regarding how incongruent and hypocritical several Christians and Christian groups choose to approach and celebrate thanksgiving, Christmas and the holidays in general. I really love Kyle’s phrase “Put the mass back in to christmas” a witty come-back to the commonly heard phrase “Put Christ back in to Christmas.” In fact I enjoy his war on Christmas and will be asking everyone to wish me a blessed advent as well. If you have a few minutes, you could choose to enjoy reading Kyle’s blog entry on “My personal war on Christmas.” Then read his newest for this year “The new war on Christmas ‘06″ It’s funny. I promise. It was even funnier on pain medications and muscle relaxers.

Mike quickly picked up and declared war on Christmas as well, he also mentioned he’s a poor college student with an expensive drug habit.

So following suit, here I am. I DECLARE WAR ON CHRISTMAS. Instead of wishing you a Christmas, an X-mas or a Christ-X I’ll be eating exhaustive amounts of food, fornicating and praying to the baby jesus.  I sure hope someone else has seen talladega nights.

Also I’m kind of wondering when my friend Steven with a frat boy mentality will declare war on Christmas and demand that Ass be put back in to Christmas??

Meow. Brian Loves You!

Updates Coming Soon

I’m a bad bad blogger.  A few posts are coming very soon — including:

* An update on my health

* A slideshow my sister put together for a debate

* Some of my future plans and decisions i’ve made recently.  Hard ones, but I think they are the right ones.

* Why I love my best friend Bryce

* A blog entry about *why* I believe they should reinstate the draft with provisions regarding income, yes senators sons should be VERY eligible so they won’t be as likely to make an improved or hasty decision unless it’s absolutely necessary

* A discussion on a repetitive fix/break, diseased/healed,  alpha/omega cycle I commonly see people getting in to, including myself, and how I believe people get in to these cycles, what emotional blocks they may have and how I want to help them when I major in psychology.

Look forward to it and have a great holidays!

Brian

A letter to Mom

I wrote this thank you letter to her last night.  At first I thought it was a little private, but then I realized I wanted to share with everyone how amazing my mom has been to me and for me these last few weeks.  So here it is.  Don’t ruin the surprise for her yet, I haven’t given it to her yet.

Mom–

I was in the middle of writing thank you notes last night, well early this morning and I wanted to thank you most of all.  It seemed kind-of petty mailing thank you notes for flowers when .. You derrick jamie emilio and grandma were the brightest things in my room.

This wreck, the surgery, and the constant pain is the hardest thing I’ve experienced.  I don’t think a lot of people understand exactly what I’ve gone through and what i’m going through… (I have a 10”? incision on my back for gods sake) but you do. you’ve been there for the whole haul.  The hospitals, trauma units, seeing me post surgery, my check-ups, watching me in rehabilitation trying to walk… you’ve been there.

Words can’t describe how much I appreciate your company when you visited me in the Twin Falls hospital, and in Boise.  The constant hours, mornings afternoons, evening, and DAYS by my side meant more then anything I can place in to words.  The fetching of something so ridiculous as a laptop to ease my mind—my mind that was clearly in shock

You obligingly feeding me ice chips constantly, and sneaking me water because I felt so parched. Listening to me whine about being on a straightboard.  Bringing me sprite when they “approved” me for clear fluids.  The paging of nurses.  The smiles laughter and cheer– all trying to put a bright light on a literally awful situation.  The puddings.  More puddings. Paging the nurses when I got sick (From the puddings?? … Calling Addi for numbers, watching me hurt…. Watching me cry… Watching me laugh. Watching me after surgery,  in the most pain I’ve ever felt.  Calling the nurse in charge, calling the doctors and being my voice with them when it was obviously hard for me to reinforce my boundaries myself.  Although Mom…. I’m trying to decide if that loopy nurse had the last laugh, it was her in fact that had my catheter removed the very morning after when she was able to get me to sit up on the side of the bed for the first time.…. Only for me to get ‘stuck’ with the catheter again(ouch).  That Bitch!

Actually… it all seems surreal, as if it happened years ago.  It’s only been a little over a month.

I’ve only mentioned a week so far.  I haven’t thanked you for the constant breakfasts lunches and dinners since then.  Sweetly bringing me food and vitamins….Placing them by my side..  Changing my bandages.  Cleaning my room…Putting on my tet hose.  Applying ointment to my lacerations and stitched face.  Helping me because my incision sprung a leak for my guests.  Grabbing things because I dropped them.  Trying to make me laugh when I’m frustrated, upset, or outright mean from the pain and stress….. The outings to town, chili’s, outback…  the reminders to use my cane when I’m being bitchy and defiant.  The coffee’s.  The motherliness. The friendship.

One of the thoughts, or scenarios that crossed my mind before surgery were those  people that face a surgery or trauma and at some point need to have the WILL to continue, the strength to face the complications that may arise.  You know, the usual “you’re a mean old bastard you can come through this if you just will.” Or “Fight it you’re strong enough come through this.”

The question I had for myself was “Am I the type of person to fight through and fearlessly push forward if something comes up today or went wrong and it was literally the choice of my being, or soul as to the outcome of life or death? Would I or could I fight or head towards the light.”  I never really saw myself as the type to be a fighter no matter the cost– I’ve always been a bit passive but thinking that before surgery made me think of you and how strong you’ve always been.  Before that minute, that hour, that day of surgery I may not have consciously chosen to be a fighter in a situation like that … but right then and there before surgery I knew I was, I knew if had to face a complication I’d unequivocally push through no matter the cost or de-habilitation.  Thank God my body was the trooper and I didn’t have to experience having my soul will my choice of life over death.  But who knows that power, that will probably prevented even seeing that experience come along.  I was so resolved with a positive outcome and fighting for that positive outcome no matter… that I never saw a complication.

Anyways, I just want to say thank you and make sure you realize how much I appreciate you and everything you have done for me.  I will valiantly and loyally be there when its your turn.  I can’t say I will GLADLY be there because I enjoy you being healthy .. but I’ll be there.

I love you Mom, thank you.  Thank you so much.  I love you.  You’re the most amazing person I will know and I’m so grateful you’re a part of my life.

*mmmuah*

Not pleased…

I know only 6-8% of most of these precincts are reporting. Hopefully it’s the more conservative precincts (i’d guess so- smaller time to count the ballots) but I think HJR2 just got voted in to law, as did Butch Otter *shrug*

Maybe a supreme court will have more balls with a democratic house or a democratic president.

One day my friends it’s only a matter of time.

Brian

Amendment HJR2
Marriage
Precincts: 74 of 952 ( 8%) reporting
Winner    Candidate    Votes    Percent
Yes    18200    70%
No    7761    30%

Amendment HJR2
Marriage
Precincts: 74 of 952 ( 8%) reporting
Winner    Candidate    Votes    Percent
Yes    18200    70%
No    7761    30%

Staying Organized

My Goal: I want a software utility or mechanism to stay organized professionally and personally. I want to keep reminders, tasks, goals, thoughts, telephone numbers, schedules and book logs in one swoop. I want it to be a portable utility; I don’t always have internet access. I want it to work on my Powerbook, and on my IBM Laptop.

I’m an organization freak, as well as a “in-the-know,” or better stated, a control freak. My poor coworkers I’m sure get constantly frustrated with: “Where are you, what are you doing, why are you doing it that way?”

Everything has a place, and everything needs to be in it’s place. I’m also a geek so every solution has a newer better way to do it. Years ago, when I was younger I used to keep an HTML file with a small list of tasks, reminders, and telephone numbers. I’ve since “become an adult,” and I use my corporate utilities, Entourage/Outlook and Microsoft Exchange. At the same time I don’t want my company knowing all of my personal details. I also want something portable. I want to be able to store it on my USB Flash Drive. In theory one file could be the application and database, and it could work on Linux, Macintosh OS X, and Windows XP. If I’m at the office I stick the USB flash drive in to my PC, and I’m done. If I’m at CSI I insert my USB flash drive check my schedule calendars or add entries to my personal journal. I unplug and go.

Pipe dream? I’m about to find out. I found this cool tool called a non-linear wiki. There are several of these: TiddlyWiki, GTDTiddlyWiki, and MonkeyGTD.

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