the random thoughts thread

[vespachick]

i can't remember the last time i went a week without eating bacon.

your poor arteries

And that's why god made
[size=24]BACON SALT!!!!!![/size][/color]
;)
http://www.jdfoods.net/products/baconsalt.php

[lasvegas]

i can't remember the last time i went a week without eating bacon.

your poor arteries

And that's why god made
[size=24]BACON SALT!!!!!![/size][/color]
;)
http://www.jdfoods.net/products/baconsalt.php

love that stuff.

btw, do you know what was found in the manger with baby jesus??

yep - a pound of double smoked hickory bacon. no joke.

[megalicious]

what? bacon salt? this sounds DELISH.

on an unrelated note, i really want some sushi right now.

[getinthevan]

Why is that?

I suspect it's because it felt so real.  It's always the realistic dreams that stick with me.  I once had a dream that Jim gave me a copy of At Dawn on vinyl and I was ecstatic!  I was crushed when I woke up and found that I didn't actually have it.  

Last night was the first time in I don't know how long that I had a dream that a) I remembered after I woke up and b) felt like it actually meant something.  

I was in the woods, I had just shot a creature that was some sort of cross between a deer and a rabbit.  I was excited because it was food.  As I went to walk out of the woods, a bear came running towards me with an obvious intent to harm me.  I was so scared that I began to shake.  I turned to run but knew it was hopeless so without knowing whether or not the gun had another bullet in it, I put it to my shoulder and pulled the trigger.  The large bear fell dead at my feet.  

I walked out of the woods and there was a man sitting there.  I said, "there was a bear".  He asked, "what kind?" and I responded, "I'm not sure, but it's dead now".  He didn't say anything, he just nodded and a little smile crept across his face, as if he was approving of what I had done.  

Then I was awake but I was certain I was still in the forest.  I had to actually look around my room to see that I wasn't.  I don't know what it all means or if it means anything at all, but I feel like there was a message there that I'm supposed to find.  

I would hate to wake up with empty hands after the At Dawn/Jim dream.

I think the bear dream has something to do with obstacles. Do you have something big in front of you that you're worried about? The gun is probably the confidence that you have but you doubt. I would say the smiling man is your future self giving you reassurance.

Listen to me getting all Sylvia Browne on you.

I love interpreting dreams.

Thats right in the neighborhood of what I was thinking.  And yes, I do have something big coming up.  Probably one of the biggest things I've ever done.  I'm moving over 500 miles from Michigan to Nashville.  Having never lived more than 20 minutes from my parents (and only for a year), it's a huge life change.  I'm literally going to be throwing myself into independence all at once.  I think the dream was a way of me telling myself that things are going to work out just fine regardless of how it may seem at any given time.  

[kydiddle]

Thats right in the neighborhood of what I was thinking.  And yes, I do have something big coming up.  Probably one of the biggest things I've ever done.  I'm moving over 500 miles from Michigan to Nashville.  Having never lived more than 20 minutes from my parents (and only for a year), it's a huge life change.  I'm literally going to be throwing myself into independence all at once.  I think the dream was a way of me telling myself that things are going to work out just fine regardless of how it may seem at any given time.  

Seriously...that is so exciting!!!

I think the dream is a good omen.  :)

[getinthevan]

Thats right in the neighborhood of what I was thinking.  And yes, I do have something big coming up.  Probably one of the biggest things I've ever done.  I'm moving over 500 miles from Michigan to Nashville.  Having never lived more than 20 minutes from my parents (and only for a year), it's a huge life change.  I'm literally going to be throwing myself into independence all at once.  I think the dream was a way of me telling myself that things are going to work out just fine regardless of how it may seem at any given time.  

Seriously...that is so exciting!!!

I think the dream is a good omen.  :)

So do I!  

[mjkoehler]

Watching the Girls Next Door, anyone else thing Hef is just kinda creepy now? Nothing charming about an octagenarian acting like a 18-19 yo teenager with an indestructable boner? Sure I want to be Hef, but now he's just kinda.....sad?

[Ghostess on TV]

Watching the Girls Next Door, anyone else thing Hef is just kinda creepy now? Nothing charming about an octagenarian acting like a 18-19 yo teenager with an indestructable boner? Sure I want to be Hef, but now he's just kinda.....sad?

When he goes, who do you think will take over than mansion and all of Playboy?

[mjkoehler]

Watching the Girls Next Door, anyone else thing Hef is just kinda creepy now? Nothing charming about an octagenarian acting like a 18-19 yo teenager with an indestructable boner? Sure I want to be Hef, but now he's just kinda.....sad?

When he goes, who do you think will take over than mansion and all of Playboy?

Obviosly not Holly. ;D

[Ghostess on TV]

I know.. In the beginning of the show, she was all like "I'm in love with him.. I'm not in it for any other reason."  Give me a break.  Although, I would probably do it.. haha

[red]

love this: http://www.nypost.com/pagesixmag/issues/20081207/Bill+Murray+NYCs+New+Party+Boy?page=1

and his expression in this picture is about the most amazing thing ever:

[ycartrob]

I think I could beat up Axl Rose. They had this thing on VH-1 and everyone was talking about how bad and scary Axl is; I always considered him to be a little scrawny dude with a hot temper. No big whoop.

I think I could take him, I mean, if I had a reason.

[ManNamedTruth]

love this: http://www.nypost.com/pagesixmag/issues/20081207/Bill+Murray+NYCs+New+Party+Boy?page=1

and his expression in this picture is about the most amazing thing ever:

It sounds like he's turning into one of the character's in his movies. I would love to randomly party with Bill Murray.
I'd bet his ex-wife's accusations are exaggerated.

[tomEisenbraun]

Idea time. I'm finishing up my cover letter for Gibson Guitars. I'm going to send it to them tomorrow. The position is customer service, and through all of my different jobs (especially the guitar repair shop and Borders) I think I've got the kind of experience and communication skills that would really be to my benefit in this sort of field. If they decide they like me, I would almost certainly be able to start right away. Which would mean I could move to Nashville in January, at the earliest.

Stuff like this makes a need for a list or something, right?

Pros:

• Getting to Nashville.
  
• Getting started on an actual career. The resumé is looking for people who are looking to stay with Gibson, and I'd be more than happy to spend a good while in Nashville. It's kind of the heart of my America to me.
  
• A very solid job. And one that connects me immediately in strong ways to the instrument industry. Even if it's not building, I'm still affiliated with Gibson and that will be a plus no matter how you slice it.
  
• If they are willing to hire me, and looking for career-minded individuals, then it doesn't make much difference that I don't finish my degree before I get there, because I'll be on a career track without the degree.
  
• One of my good friends is living in a campus apartment with an open room at Belmont. They don't pay gas, electric or water, and if they're up for letting me crash there for the spring semester, it'll be a really good five months to be able to save up money while not spending on housing. I'd be more than happy to chip in and keep the place spiffy and be minimal impact in exchange for the free housing.
  
• Working for a corporation will definitely involve medical insurance, which would be the only thing I'd have to worry about with leaving Borders, besides having steady income.
  

So the Cons:

• Not finishing out my degree.
  
• ....
  
• I thought there would be more than this.
  
• Oh yeah. I don't think my parents would be too pleased about me not finishing the whole degree thing, but this won't happen without that job from Gibson, and that job will be well-paying enough that I won't have to ask them to support me when I move, so they won't have that to breathe on me heavy about financial business.
  
• Probably defaults me on the promised new MacBook Pro as a graduation gift, but I'm a big kid and can save up for that kind of stuff on my own now.
  

That's about all I can think of right there.

Any of you older, wiser ones have any good input here? Would I be an idiot to walk away from college with so little left? Or would I be embracing the change as it needs to happen, getting the hell out of Dodge and getting things rolling at an appropriate time? I can see this being either, depending on different peoples' experience, but I can't imagine it would bite me in the ass too badly later on down the road. After long-term experience with a company like that, I don't know that a degree will speak any louder than a solid recommendation from the previous employer.

[mjkoehler]

Well if it's what you want to do, go for it. I'm sure there are plenty of fine institutions of higher learning in Nashville that you could transfer your credits to and finish your degree there. I mean come on, you would be working for Gibson! Things may pan out there better then you know. I know you want to eventually build guitars. I'm sure you could move on up and I would be highly shocked if they didn't have some type of apprenticeship there. I mean how else do they pass on the knowledge? Hell, my degree is in Education, but I decided to work for a pet food company. It's been almost 10 years and I'll retire from there (if they don't kill me first). Once you get with a solid, great company like that, you just can't pass up the comfort, benefits, and sometimes fun. Hell, I started in Customer Service at Ralston and have steadily moved up.

Plus Tracy's in the Nashville area. That's a selling point, right?

[Penny Lane]

Idea time. I'm finishing up my cover letter for Gibson Guitars. I'm going to send it to them tomorrow. The position is customer service, and through all of my different jobs (especially the guitar repair shop and Borders) I think I've got the kind of experience and communication skills that would really be to my benefit in this sort of field. If they decide they like me, I would almost certainly be able to start right away. Which would mean I could move to Nashville in January, at the earliest.

Stuff like this makes a need for a list or something, right?

Pros:

• Getting to Nashville.
  
• Getting started on an actual career. The resumé is looking for people who are looking to stay with Gibson, and I'd be more than happy to spend a good while in Nashville. It's kind of the heart of my America to me.
  
• A very solid job. And one that connects me immediately in strong ways to the instrument industry. Even if it's not building, I'm still affiliated with Gibson and that will be a plus no matter how you slice it.
  
• If they are willing to hire me, and looking for career-minded individuals, then it doesn't make much difference that I don't finish my degree before I get there, because I'll be on a career track without the degree.
  
• One of my good friends is living in a campus apartment with an open room at Belmont. They don't pay gas, electric or water, and if they're up for letting me crash there for the spring semester, it'll be a really good five months to be able to save up money while not spending on housing. I'd be more than happy to chip in and keep the place spiffy and be minimal impact in exchange for the free housing.
  
• Working for a corporation will definitely involve medical insurance, which would be the only thing I'd have to worry about with leaving Borders, besides having steady income.
  

So the Cons:

• Not finishing out my degree.
  
• ....
  
• I thought there would be more than this.
  
• Oh yeah. I don't think my parents would be too pleased about me not finishing the whole degree thing, but this won't happen without that job from Gibson, and that job will be well-paying enough that I won't have to ask them to support me when I move, so they won't have that to breathe on me heavy about financial business.
  
• Probably defaults me on the promised new MacBook Pro as a graduation gift, but I'm a big kid and can save up for that kind of stuff on my own now.
  

That's about all I can think of right there.

Any of you older, wiser ones have any good input here? Would I be an idiot to walk away from college with so little left? Or would I be embracing the change as it needs to happen, getting the hell out of Dodge and getting things rolling at an appropriate time? I can see this being either, depending on different peoples' experience, but I can't imagine it would bite me in the ass too badly later on down the road. After long-term experience with a company like that, I don't know that a degree will speak any louder than a solid recommendation from the previous employer.

sorry i'm going to be debbie downer-->i think you should finish your degree-it sounds like you are almost done. our economy is only going to get worse; it will just give you something to fall back on--i'm not sure Gibson or Nashville are going anywhere; (on the other hand if it's the kind of job that only opens up once in a blue moon, i would do it-it can't hurt to send your resume, then make the call)

Just my .02 but usually people ask for advice after they've already made up their minds LOL.

[kydiddle]

I'm not that old or wise, but I have been through my undergrad and I'm starting graduate school next semester. Obviously I'm a little 'pro-school' so I have to say if you can finish your degree in Nashville that would be awesome. Then you could have both.

Is this opportunity only available now? What if you interview with Gibson and they ask you why you're not going to finish out your degree? But what if you are in a crap job a year from now and constantly wonder what life would have been like had you moved to Nashville?

Basically I think you have to ignore the pros and cons list you made and ask yourself which you would regret more.

[ycartrob]

Idea time. I'm finishing up my cover letter for Gibson Guitars. I'm going to send it to them tomorrow. The position is customer service, and through all of my different jobs (especially the guitar repair shop and Borders) I think I've got the kind of experience and communication skills that would really be to my benefit in this sort of field. If they decide they like me, I would almost certainly be able to start right away. Which would mean I could move to Nashville in January, at the earliest.

Stuff like this makes a need for a list or something, right?

Pros:

• Getting to Nashville.
  
• Getting started on an actual career. The resumé is looking for people who are looking to stay with Gibson, and I'd be more than happy to spend a good while in Nashville. It's kind of the heart of my America to me.
  
• A very solid job. And one that connects me immediately in strong ways to the instrument industry. Even if it's not building, I'm still affiliated with Gibson and that will be a plus no matter how you slice it.
  
• If they are willing to hire me, and looking for career-minded individuals, then it doesn't make much difference that I don't finish my degree before I get there, because I'll be on a career track without the degree.
  
• One of my good friends is living in a campus apartment with an open room at Belmont. They don't pay gas, electric or water, and if they're up for letting me crash there for the spring semester, it'll be a really good five months to be able to save up money while not spending on housing. I'd be more than happy to chip in and keep the place spiffy and be minimal impact in exchange for the free housing.
  
• Working for a corporation will definitely involve medical insurance, which would be the only thing I'd have to worry about with leaving Borders, besides having steady income.
  

So the Cons:

• Not finishing out my degree.
  
• ....
  
• I thought there would be more than this.
  
• Oh yeah. I don't think my parents would be too pleased about me not finishing the whole degree thing, but this won't happen without that job from Gibson, and that job will be well-paying enough that I won't have to ask them to support me when I move, so they won't have that to breathe on me heavy about financial business.
  
• Probably defaults me on the promised new MacBook Pro as a graduation gift, but I'm a big kid and can save up for that kind of stuff on my own now.
  

That's about all I can think of right there.

Any of you older, wiser ones have any good input here? Would I be an idiot to walk away from college with so little left? Or would I be embracing the change as it needs to happen, getting the hell out of Dodge and getting things rolling at an appropriate time? I can see this being either, depending on different peoples' experience, but I can't imagine it would bite me in the ass too badly later on down the road. After long-term experience with a company like that, I don't know that a degree will speak any louder than a solid recommendation from the previous employer.

sorry i'm going to be debbie downer-->i think you should finish your degree-it sounds like you are almost done. our economy is only going to get worse; it will just give you something to fall back on--i'm not sure Gibson or Nashville are going anywhere; (on the other hand if it's the kind of job that only opens up once in a blue moon, i would do it-it can't hurt to send your resume, then make the call)

Just my .02 but usually people ask for advice after they've already made up their minds LOL.

I agree, get your degree. But after you get your degree, don't focus on a career, that will come to you in time. Get a job in your field (or a field) but don't limit yourself to "this is what I'm going to do for the rest of my life"; it may not be, then your stuck with a 20 year resume of stuff you really didn't enjoy in the first place.

And listen to Natural Science off Permanent Waves.

Oh, and don't let anyone ever lead you to believe that you are not supposed to have fun. We're all worm dirt in the end, so, find out where your calling meets the world's needs and enjoy yourself.

Rent a golf cart and drive around your neighborhood listening to Thriller really loud on a boom box and stop every so often so as to intrigue the kids with some Michael Jackson like moves. Do this while dressed like Prince.

And travel (while you can). I miss traveling care free.

carry on

[Taterbug]

Idea time. I'm finishing up my cover letter for Gibson Guitars. I'm going to send it to them tomorrow. The position is customer service, and through all of my different jobs (especially the guitar repair shop and Borders) I think I've got the kind of experience and communication skills that would really be to my benefit in this sort of field. If they decide they like me, I would almost certainly be able to start right away. Which would mean I could move to Nashville in January, at the earliest.

Stuff like this makes a need for a list or something, right?

Pros:

• Getting to Nashville.
  
• Getting started on an actual career. The resumé is looking for people who are looking to stay with Gibson, and I'd be more than happy to spend a good while in Nashville. It's kind of the heart of my America to me.
  
• A very solid job. And one that connects me immediately in strong ways to the instrument industry. Even if it's not building, I'm still affiliated with Gibson and that will be a plus no matter how you slice it.
  
• If they are willing to hire me, and looking for career-minded individuals, then it doesn't make much difference that I don't finish my degree before I get there, because I'll be on a career track without the degree.
  
• One of my good friends is living in a campus apartment with an open room at Belmont. They don't pay gas, electric or water, and if they're up for letting me crash there for the spring semester, it'll be a really good five months to be able to save up money while not spending on housing. I'd be more than happy to chip in and keep the place spiffy and be minimal impact in exchange for the free housing.
  
• Working for a corporation will definitely involve medical insurance, which would be the only thing I'd have to worry about with leaving Borders, besides having steady income.
  

So the Cons:

• Not finishing out my degree.
  
• ....
  
• I thought there would be more than this.
  
• Oh yeah. I don't think my parents would be too pleased about me not finishing the whole degree thing, but this won't happen without that job from Gibson, and that job will be well-paying enough that I won't have to ask them to support me when I move, so they won't have that to breathe on me heavy about financial business.
  
• Probably defaults me on the promised new MacBook Pro as a graduation gift, but I'm a big kid and can save up for that kind of stuff on my own now.
  

That's about all I can think of right there.

Any of you older, wiser ones have any good input here? Would I be an idiot to walk away from college with so little left? Or would I be embracing the change as it needs to happen, getting the hell out of Dodge and getting things rolling at an appropriate time? I can see this being either, depending on different peoples' experience, but I can't imagine it would bite me in the ass too badly later on down the road. After long-term experience with a company like that, I don't know that a degree will speak any louder than a solid recommendation from the previous employer.

If I were  faced with you conundrum I would most definitely finish my degree. Whether it be going to night school in Nashville while working for Gibson or holding off moving and finishing were your at and starting a career in education. The nice thing about education is that
you don't hear to many schools laying off teachers in this current job climate.

[Kenny76]

Ever since I was a kid, I thought Bill Murray was the coolest guy on the planet.  That perception has only been strengthened with time.