Mac-Forum's Bar & Grill

[eric]

sorry to hear about the leg(s) Lee.


so i fully embodied the non-literal definition of "dodging a bullet" last night.

i spent most of my day at work yesterday, from 06:30 to 18:30 or so. spoke to my wife on the phone once in the late morning. and all in all, the day was pretty standard. busy, but not a harsh day.

as i was driving home and listening to mpr (minnesota npr), they started talking about marriage and that not many people get married in march.
a lightbulb went off in my head.
"i got married in march... D'OH! it was today!"

so it's around 18:45, my wife normally expects me home between 19:00 and 19:15. i'm 10 minutes from home and/or target.
obviously i needed to stop at target and do some power shopping.
i got home after a rough 20 min or so in target sweating the careful yet speedy decisions i had to make.

i had a nice card, a couple of things in a gift bag with some crepe paper and curly ribbons in hand as i walked in the door. my wife was upstairs with the baby, my 3yo boy was running/dancing around in the living room to some old show with barbara streisand singing something (which was surreal in a way).
he saw the bag and got excited, so i had to shush him so my wife wouldn't catch on.
we left the bag on the kitchen table opposite the stairs she would come down - i was thinking i'd play dumb until she saw it.
i went up to change, passed her in the baby's room putting him to sleep.
came down and stopped in to see her. somewhere in that minute or two i changed my plan to avoid bruises
i hugged her and said something like "hello my beautiful wife of four years"

she looked back at me and said, "oh no! is that today?"

[below is an almost exact replica of what my face looked like]

 

[mathogre]

Congrats on the anniversary eric! 'Tis far better for her to forget than you. ^_^

 

[eric]

yeah, that was my thought.

still the panic turning so quickly to surprise was an odd feeling. ;P

 

[PowerBookG4]

lol did she have the same expression as your avatar?

 

[Derek McNelly]

Just got back from the Apple Store.

If you want to mess with the genius' heads, go around to every computer in the store (there were four of us there to do this) and press "control+option+command+8". Half of 'em don't know what the heck is going on.

It's hilarious.

 

[iWhat]

Just got back from the Apple Store.

If you want to mess with the genius' heads, go around to every computer in the store (there were four of us there to do this) and press "control+option+command+8". Half of 'em don't know what the heck is going on.

It's hilarious.

So mean! I remember going to a Cracker Barrel and when I left, I wound up all their egg timers. Hehe! Boredom is great.

 

[todd51]

I hope everyone has a Happy Easter. My parents are driving my car back up to me and taking me out to eat. Unfortunately I still have more work to do on campus so I'll have to do that sometime tomorrow afternoon.

 

[Tanner31593]

Welcome back mac57. You missed our only snow of the year - you lucky dog...

leecho - that's a drag man, how long they say you'll be down



Good thing for us. Not sure if we could handle a Tanner on broadband.

j/k, you keep doin what you do, helps keep us entertained

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!


Got a new phone today.
Cyclops (Virgin Mobile).
Hey....at least it was on sale.
I don't use my phone enough for a monthly kind of thing.
With VM I pay $5 a month for 200 texts which is more than enough to occupy my boredom, and get a little communication in there too.
I was on a Nextel contract for a (miserable) year, and I never went over 120 minutes. But the thing is, it's Nextel....119 of those 120 minutes probably were something along the lines of "WHAT?!" "I CAN'T HEAR YOU! UH OH, I'M ON (insert name of main road in the middle of town here), I'M PROBABLY GOING TO LOSE YOU!" "WHAT DID YOU SAY AGAIN? IT'S ALL STATIC!" and "I HATE NEXTEL!"

For some reason, in my area Sprint phones get way better signal then Nextels, must be the iDen.
I would like Nextel if they got decent reception out my way and if their customer support representatives weren't so arrogant, and if their phones were actually decent prices. (My mom went in there yesterday and they said the cheapest camera phone was $95...WITH contract.)

Anyway, the cyclops is quirky, but for $29, i'll live.


AND I met a lot of new and amazing people today at a party, it was one of the best days i've had in a long time.
I was nervous because the party was at a church, and since like 91% of people where I live are bible-thumpin' conservatives (not that there's anything wrong with that), this town really knows how to make a liberal atheist feel out of place. But I love my friends, so I went anyway, it's not like I was going to a service, just a party at a church.)
I'll elaborate about my religious difficulties later, but it's one of the most difficult things in my life right now. But I had a blast at this party, I met a lot of really funny people. Requesting them as friends on facebook as we speak....just hope they felt the same way I did!

And I got not one, but TWO Mindless Self Indulgence shirts today. HALF OF CHILDREN, I REPEAT, HALF OFF AT HOT TOPIC!
MSI rocks.


Goodnight children.

 

[Derek McNelly]

Got bad news at 4am and I can't sleep since.

Let my friend borrow my Fender Jazz Bass to tour with and what happens?

Trailer door comes open and it falls out of the back somewhere on I-94 (or so he claims. He's probably trying to stiff me.) I told him he's paying for it, and he says "Dude, I can't. Stuff happens.", and I can't record/play gigs with a Squier P-Bass.

I'll take his behind to court if he doesn't pay me back my $450, but in the meantime, I need to get another bass, and that means selling my 360 and passing up Apple Care. I am beyond p/o'ed, like, you have no idea.

If he doesn't pay me back by the second week of next month, I'll give you guys dibs on my 360 with all my games and 11 months of Xbox Live for somewhere in the neighborhood of $350-400. Has about 30 hours of use, play and charge kit, 11 months of XBL, Halo 3, Tony Hawk Project 8, Rock Band, a bunch of arcade games, and a few episodes of South Park.

We'll see how this pans out, but for now, if you're in the market for a 360, hold on for a few more weeks. You might get a heck of a deal.

 

[dtravis7]

Derek, keep us posted. That really stinks and I am being kind to respect the forum rules. Hope it all goes well.

 

[Derek McNelly]

Derek, keep us posted. That really stinks and I am being kind to respect the forum rules. Hope it all goes well.

Me too. I mean, it's not that I'll be upset if I have to sell my 360, because it rarely gets played, but more the fact that he either disrespected me and my property by losing my bass and NOT EVEN OFFERING to pay me back or stealing it from me after I was nice enough to let him tour with it.

If I see him onstage with a wine red Jazz Bass, I'll jump him right there. However, now I can get the black one I wanted to begin with, I suppose.

Regardless, on Easter, he calls me to tell me. What a schmuck.

 

[MacHeadCase]

I sure am behind in the unravelling stories in here !

You're better off than with a friend like that, Derek. He's a parasite and a leech. There are plenty of good people around, leave the idiot behind, even if he offers an excuse. And he owes you plenty !

Leecho sorry to hear about the foot. Hope you heal well and fast.

Welcome back, Mac57 !

And happy anniversary, Eric to you and your wife !

 

[Derek McNelly]

You're better off than with a friend like that, Derek. He's a parasite and a leech. There are plenty of good people around, leave the idiot behind, even if he offers an excuse. And he owes you plenty !
)

Oh, I know. I will get my money back, even if the bass is gone. I have my backup Squier for now, and I'm going to have to sell my Xbox anyway, regardless.

I had the guy at Guitar Center put a hold on a black Jazz Bass for me, so now I'll just have to scrape the money together.

If anyone wants an Xbox 360 with a whole bunch of extras for a good price, send me a PM.

 

[bobtomay]

Eric - What a way to luck out ... now you've got one to trade off ...

Derek - Know that's a drag, and stuff does happen ... but in this case it didn't happen to you, it happened to your friend, and it's his responsibility ...

It's not all good news though, keep in mind that he will only owe you the value of your axe at the time of the loss - not the price of a new one - I know this is a drag. It means you'll still have to come up with some cash yourself to replace it. But, if you can do a little googling to find the current value of your bass, to present this to your friend, at least he will know you're trying to be fair about it.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And my personal advice on loaning money and or things to friends - you can take it as you will.

Don't.

That is, unless you're willing to give them that money or that thing with no expectation of ever being repaid or to get that thing back. Friendships are not worth losing over money and things. Some folks were not taught issues of responsibility at home as youngsters and it can (quite often does) take them years to learn how to take care of others (and of course, some never learn this).

Now I did keep track of who I "loaned" stuff to. What and how much. Only as a reminder for myself of who I could continue to loan. My wife back in the early days use to get mad at me. Early on in our relationship she didn't have this understanding about me. She found my list going through my wallet one day. This old hippy was broke back then, and she discovered, in her view, I was owed literally thousands of dollars. She wanted me to go around asking for my money. Had to explain to her, it wasn't my money. I had given that money away. If I got repaid, OK, if not, that was OK also. I have never asked for a single dollar or thing I've loaned out back from anyone. You will learn to whom you can loan stuff and to whom you can't. The key here is, not unless you're willing to give it to them. If you're willing to give it away, you can allow them to believe you're loaning it to them. If you're not willing to never see that thing again and possibly have to replace it out of your own pocket - don't.

I will say, you'll find some that you may loan $$ to, just never have it to give back. At the same time, they would give you the shirt off their back or they'd come running to help you out after a phone call at 3 in the morning. There is some give and take in all friendships. Each party has a position in a friendship. And through time you'll learn whether to continue on with the position any particular friendship requires of you.

I have learned that by taking care of others in a responsible way, you end up being taken care of. You may not always have the things you want, but somehow, the things that are needed always seem to come when you need them.

 

[Derek McNelly]

Eric - What a way to luck out ... now you've got one to trade off ...

Derek - Know that's a drag, and stuff does happen ... but in this case it didn't happen to you, it happened to your friend, and it's his responsibility ...

It's not all good news though, keep in mind that he will only owe you the value of your axe at the time of the loss - not the price of a new one - I know this is a drag. It means you'll still have to come up with some cash yourself to replace it. But, if you can do a little googling to find the current value of your bass, to present this to your friend, at least he will know you're trying to be fair about it.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And my personal advice on loaning money and or things to friends - you can take it as you will.

Don't.

That is, unless you're willing to give them that money or that thing with no expectation of ever being repaid or to get that thing back. Friendships are not worth losing over money and things. Some folks were not taught issues of responsibility at home as youngsters and it can (quite often does) take them years to learn how to take care of others (and of course, some never learn this).

Now I did keep track of who I "loaned" stuff to. What and how much. Only as a reminder for myself of who I could continue to loan. My wife back in the early days use to get mad at me. Early on in our relationship she didn't have this understanding about me. She found my list going through my wallet one day. This old hippy was broke back then, and she discovered, in her view, I was owed literally thousands of dollars. She wanted me to go around asking for my money. Had to explain to her, it wasn't my money. I had given that money away. If I got repaid, OK, if not, that was OK also. I have never asked for a single dollar or thing I've loaned out back from anyone. You will learn to whom you can loan stuff and to whom you can't. The key here is, not unless you're willing to give it to them. If you're willing to give it away, you can allow them to believe you're loaning it to them. If you're not willing to never see that thing again and possibly have to replace it out of your own pocket - don't.

I will say, you'll find some that you may loan $$ to, just never have it to give back. At the same time, they would give you the shirt off their back or they'd come running to help you out after a phone call at 3 in the morning. There is some give and take in all friendships. Each party has a position in a friendship. And through time you'll learn whether to continue on with the position any particular friendship requires of you.

Going value for my old bass is $380-400, and I've told him that he can get me the $380 and be done with it, and he's still saying "It's not my fault, the trailer door came open."

He doesn't seem to grasp the concept of responsibility, and I will be sure that the next time I see him that I either get my money, or I will see him in court, because $400 is no small amount, especially when you're working a cruddy job. I have a feeling that he's lying though. Knowing him, he'll keep it at his drummers house until he has a show to play or whatever, and then bring it out to play. And should I see him playing it at their next gig, I'm going to jump his sorry behind after the show and take it back.

And I'm only sore about it because he's being irresponsible. Like I said though, I'm going to sell my 360 and get another bass. I let him borrow it before, and it made it back in one piece, a few new dings, but not a big deal. I don't understand why he would want to do this now. He's been stashing away money for a new bass, so I know he has the cash, but he's just being stupid about this.

And no, I'm never loaning out my instruments EVER AGAIN. Or anything for that matter.

 

[eric]

dude... i don't think there's a court in the land who would think that [comment left out so i don't get suspended] would not owe you the money.

definitley make him fully aware, in no uncertain terms, that you will take this to small claims.

 

[Derek McNelly]

Well, the situation has been resolved, and in a rather abrupt manor.

The band's guitarist just dropped off the bass at my house. Indeed, as I had suspected, the bassist was trying to yoink my bass. Their guitarist figured out what he was up to and decided to be a better man about it. I'm glad to have my bass back, but I am STEAMING at the kid. He can count on a royal beating the next time I run into him.

Talk about a frustrating morning.

Seven hours later, and I'm back in possession. Moral of the story?

Don't loan out anything over $50 in value.

Also, if you plan on leaving a stolen item at your band mate's house, make sure he's not the minister's son.

 

[eric]

nice!

i just downgraded the comment i left out in the previous post from something not too bad, to something far worse.

good to hear you got your bass back man.

 

[bobtomay]

What a rotten dude. Well, you've now discovered, he ain't no friend. These are the people that get kicked out of my life - for good - they don't exist. Their name never passes my lips again. Can't cotton to liars and thieves.

Glad you got your axe back.

 

[bryphotoguy]

Can you get a no interest CC from Guitar Center or a major CC company and put a new Jazz bass on it and make the minimum payments until he pays you back?

Edit:
N/M