24-X-2008 or GOO Con, Here I Am/Be!
by Aaron Shurtleff on October 24, 2008
Well, if all goes well, I am reading this post aloud at GOOCon. I tried to find one that I should read (and I even tried to get folks to suggest a post), but I got nothing. (Thanks guys and gals!) So, I figure I'll just throw something slapdash up here now and read that one at GOO Con. If you're going to be at GOO con, stop reading this! You get the live version. If you're not at GOO Con, this is what I'm reading. There might be some stops and explanations or something, depending on how things go, but this is pretty much the template.
OK, just got off the phone with the esteemed Scott Hardie, and I have time to finish this before I have to be at Linger Lodge for lunch. It's a nice place. I like it! Although, by this time, it's probably already been said like 25 million times, Scott is so awesome for putting all this together. I can't imagine the work that went into the logistics of all this, on top of keeping the site going (which has been particularly hard lately), and job and real life. We should give him a big round of applause or a pat on the back or something.
I wonder if a round of applause just broke out (or will break out, since this will be a future event as I am typing, but a past event by the time I get to reading it...), or if anyone playing at home started clapping or even just nodding in agreement with the above sentiments...
Anywho, this is my time, so I guess I should summarize myself, just to get everyone caught up. I'm Aaron. Hi! Born in Maine. Left the Grand State of Maine (note to others, Grand State of Maine is the state song of Maine, and I know all the words and can sing it, albeit badly. You won't hear it, because I'm not singing it, so if you are not here, you're not missing it) to go to college in PA. Biology major, no minor. Met my future wife (although it took 10 years of convincing to trick her into getting hitched), had a great time. Went to grad school at the University of Georgia. Entomology major (that's the study of insects, in case you didn't know). Had fun. Too much fun, to be honest. Since then, I've lived in Florida, South Carolina, and back to Florida, where I still hang my hat. I have lots of hats! :) (I'm probably putting on a funny hat right now, but you can't see it if you're not here. It's funny!)
Let's see... I'm partly crazy, but in a mostly harmless way. I no longer see a therapist, so I must be OK to be out in public. The happy pill thing didn't work well for me, so I am currently unmedicated. It's OK. I wonder how I'm doing, since I am usually uncomfortable in group situations. I don't know. You all can judge. That's the mental health update, unless anyone had a particular question or wanted clarification... I mean, there's some things I don't talk about, and I still won't, mental health-wise, but I'm always entertaining questions. I just reserve the right to not answer. Thanks!
Song of the day...I'd have to wait and feel this out. It's kind of a spur of the moment kind of thing, you know. Right now (as in 10:11 am on 10/24), it would be Matthew Sweet's "Don't Cry No Tears", because it's in my head, and I want to hear it. The actual song fo the day for this moment in time (the reading...) will be...
Obviously, if you're reading this, I left the above space blank, because I can't tell you what I'll be making the song of the day at that moment. I'll fill it in afterwards when I get back, and I'll try to be as true to my words as I can recall them. It's probably not that good of a song anyways.
I was thinking about putting in just lyrics to songs and letting people see if they knew the song. I used to do that a lot. Does anyone remember those HUGE lists of song lyrics, and you had to try to guess the title and artist from just a snippet of lyric? I used to love those, and I put so much time into trying to figure them all out. Nowadays, I think you could probably kill a list off in a few minutes, using the internet. Kind of kills the fun of it, if you ask me. Anyhow, guess the song might soon be part of the blog...we'll see.
I wonder...when Kris Weberg (I think right now I find out if I pronounce his name correctly) started his blog, he had a common theme to each post that he wanted someone to try to guess. I don't remember if anyone ever got that. Did they? I haven't seen or heard from Kris in a while either. not that we were tight, or that we would talk often, but I haven't seen him around. Maybe he'll read this and drop in a comment. Maybe he's super busy. I don't know...
I wonder if I had a beer yet. I don't know. I kind of get the feeling that it would be preferred that I don't bring alcohol, but no one wants to say No Booze. I don't know what I'll do. It might depend on whether or not Scott brings it up while shopping, if shopping happens after lunch.
God, I am such an alcoholic! And I even have a justification, since a little alcohol helps me calm down when I get all freaked out, like I might be getting at this event. That's been my crutch for a while now, and I bet it is now, too.
Anyhow, back to happy!
I got no happy. I do have sort of funny. October 25th is my wife's birthday, and I'm in Sarasota with you all. She says she's not bothered by it (even though she doesn't remember me telling her I was going here months ago), but I'm not so young and naive that I buy that load of crap from a woman. That's like Day 2 of Understanding Chicks 101! (Day 1 is don't call women "Chicks", obviously). There might be hell to pay later, but I'll deal with it...somehow.
CRAP! How am I going to print this out so I can read this? I have no printer! Maybe I'll bring the PSP, and try to read it from there. Hope there's wireless internet access, or I am screwed, blued, and tattooed.
Well, it's shower time, so I gotta go. I hope everyone enjoyed the talk, and I'll take any questions anyone has.
(If you're reading this, and not at the recital, I'll try to fill you in on what we discuss. Leave questions if you want, I'll answer them when I get back).
Take it easy!! Or however you prefer to take it. I'd go with easy, but I don't want to force my views on any of you. ;)
Six Replies to 24-X-2008 or GOO Con, Here I Am/Be!
Aaron Shurtleff | October 25, 2008
Pfft! Please! The roses arrived hours ago! I ain't as dumb as I look! Not that it would be possible to be quite so dumb, but...
Oh, and big update! I jinxed Scott, and his car got a flat tire. Stay tuned for more updates, fresh from the front!!
Scott Hardie | October 27, 2008
Aaron, first of all, thanks for the kind words about me. I'm grateful. :-)
And I really wish we had you read this awesome blog post out loud. I saw it on the Dashboard at the party, figuring I would read it after GooCon was over. I didn't realize it was for GooCon, or I would have made a point to include it. Nice writing.
Amy Austin | October 27, 2008
Well, good to know of at least one thing I didn't miss out on...
'Cuz I sure am disappointed to have had to cancel our Cafe Risque road trip to Sarasota. ;-(
Aaron Shurtleff | October 28, 2008
And I passed by Cheetah's Sarasota, too, on my way home! I had always wondered where it was exactly... It could have been a double boobie bar road trip...(quadruple boobies?)
Stay tuned for:
Why Aaron left early. (it's a sad story!)
Overheard at GOO Con. (who said "I got a lot more meat coming", and why? Or even "I got a mouthful of Mitchell Cumstein!")
The Adventures of Sabrina, Purple Princess! (Hark! And hear the tales of the Energy Whore!)
The tale of the pie to the face (And there's a postnote that even the GOO Con attendees haven't heard yet!!)
Amy Austin | October 28, 2008
Not the elusive Mitchell Cumstein...
MiracleASSassin
Aaron Shurtleff uses this area as a dumping ground for his random thoughts... Read more »
28-IX-2006 or AGRONOMY AND SOILS CLUB BIG PEANUT SALE!!!
Latest piece of happy University of Florida related e-mail that came through. I mean, it's good that they keep us informed, but I'm not driving all the way up to Gainesville for peanuts...even if they are big peanuts! Go »12-I-2007 or Bad Weekend Ahead
What a sh!tty weekend I have to look forward to! Saturday, I have to go visit a friend/co-worker (she's on the bubble...) Go »10-VIII-2007 or An Unhappy Call (No Reply)
Well, I'm on my way to kickball, when my mother calls me. She never calls me, so I know right away this is going to be bad. Apparently, the night before, my dad was driving down the road, towing the dunk tank (yes, my dad was towing around a county fair style dunk tank..it's Go »22-XI-2006 or Where have you been?
I know! I've been lax! I was hoping to have at home internet access by now (which I don't yet), which would have helped out with the blogging (and the GOO game...*grumble*). Go »29-I-2008 or Clarification
Based on a certain conversation in TC, I just want to say that I am fully and totally aware of the effects of what I have written/will write in this blog could have on me in the future or sooner even. I don't care. I wasn't and I'm really still not ashamed or regretful or a word of it. Go »
Lori Lancaster | October 24, 2008
[hidden by author request]