Laces.
- posted by garyploski @ 7/29/2005 12:46:00 AM 0 comments

After a tremendously fast and hail like storm skipped through the Yonkers area last night... Something amazing happened. The humidity and heat went away. It's gone! Where is it? Nobody is caring. It's probably hanging out with the left socks, but who cares. I could breath again without the aide of an a/c. It's 7:22 AM and the temp is 69 degrees. Ahh. Getting under the sheets to be warm hasn't felt that good in ages!
- posted by garyploski @ 7/28/2005 07:19:00 AM 0 comments

I've just completed some template changes with the intention of meshing my blogs and my .com together. How's it look? Well, if you don't see the site you're stuck in my blog. Click away to garyploski.com and take a peek.
- posted by garyploski @ 7/27/2005 03:57:00 PM 0 comments

To my knowledge heat has always been a force I could not battle well. I've won as many battles as the Red Sox have won championships. Heat + me = incapacitated. Hmm, I should probably add humidity into that equation.

Heat + humidity + me = ground sloth.

That's more like it.

Due to this wave that's flooded the US recently my body has been nearly useless and my mind is beginning to lose grip.

Ironically yesterday, or the day before I don't recall at this moment I had planned to write a reflection on how wonderful and lucky I was in my present state. Gushing is probably a better word. For whatever reason, "hey joe, waitin on an order of more heat and humidity!," I lost the thought(s). Insert grumble here. Well, thanks to another workshop I have been offered another opportunity to get away from the daily routine. It is presently 8:41 AM and in place of sitting at my desk preparing for the day I'm heading south bound on Metro-North - city bound.

Joy.

The workshop? "Creation and Evaluation of Online Tutorials" Somehow I fit into this audience Instructional librarians, web librarians, reference librarians, library managers Pre-requisites: understanding of basic HTML and CSS.

0= ) A full day to review the tool that is known as 'online'. Ahhh. HTML, CSS, and all you other 0'1 & 1's here I come. Ahh. New ideas. It should be a mentally awakening and relaxing day.

Of course, since I'll be in the Grand Central area, aka IN Grand Central, I must do what every good fanboy should do... Stop by Midtown Comics!

Details, details, details:
Midtown Comics Grand Central
459 Lexington Avenue (Corner of 45th Street)
New York, NY 10017

New Avengers #'s 2 & 3?! Will fortune, or luck, smile upon me today?

8:48, the captain has just leapt from his command post. The evil Sauron has entrusted all his armor to the Pink Panther. I know what is to come. I'm going to close my PB and do a set of vocal warm-ups with everyone on the train. Very nice. Very nice.

So, from all of us at Ickby's... Have a monumentally megalomaniacal mystery Wednesday.

Gasp! After all... It is new comic book day. = O

The day's schedule has changed.

Looks like I was just handed a "Get Out of Jail Free" card! Somehow I was not added to the list-o-peeps for the workshop. Grr and Wee! It's hot, my eyes look HORRIBLE, but I was told to take the afternoon off by the boss man. Hey now, hey now. Off I go!
- posted by garyploski @ 7/27/2005 02:15:00 PM 0 comments

STS-114 Discovery! puts us back in space! I sat in the library with 4 others watching. "I'm getting chills" and "Please don't blow up" were the two basic sentiments.

Whooohooo! We're back baby! Here we come Mars! Here we come Marrrrs!
- posted by garyploski @ 7/26/2005 10:55:00 AM 0 comments

I have the song "shanti shanti" in my head so... Well, yea.

I've made the move to mamboserver finally. Some things are broked and others are working. If you're reading this and don't see my .com that means you're not on the .com. If you're reading this on the .com then Yeeeeha! Wrapper tis very nice.

It's a brief post because emma and I are off to CT to see some peeps and get my car fixed'ed. New tire + no squeek = happy Integra. Now it's time to finish up the work stuff and then pack for a fun weekend of peeps and driving. Sears, Verizon, Legends, etc! Time to zoom.
- posted by garyploski @ 7/22/2005 12:28:00 PM 0 comments

How does it feel to be thirty?

Well... To be perfectly frank... I'm exceedingly happy that the event is over. Its been torture getting through a day I typically bountifully enjoy. What happened? I don't know.

It all started out great with a fun gathering back in June with friends and fam. Things seemed great. Over the next few weeks though I began to recognize some frustrations (written about previously). Then, at some point, it just went into free fall. I was sad, frustrated, anxiety driven, and anticipating the end of the 13th. The fridge appeared to break, on the 13th, and the eve of board games was flat and well, exhausted.

Two uncommon things that happened which brought a smile into the day were a cake and card from the ACD peeps (all of em) and a convo with Alice and emma in Alice's new ride. Now what was it that made this such an unmanageable day?

Let's see...

For whatever reason the large majority of my friends and acquaintances decided my birthday was earlier than my birthday. Hell, everyone was getting it wrong. Whether it was in June (just after the surprise party) or in July (a week before or even the day before!) Nobody seemed to pay attention to that little thing called detail. I take that back, many people did and to those that remembered your simple and kind words were deeply welcomed. Itsumo domo arigato gozaimasu.

Mmm. I don't want to go through something like that again. It was probably the most frustrating bday ever on one of the biggest days. Thirty is something special. Arguably 1/3 of a life is complete. That's hella kickin ass! 1/3! Phew. Happily... Heheh... I don't feel it. Time has affected me, sure, but it hasn't conducted me in the way that I've seem most others my age. Aka - married with children. Sure I just moved into my first "place" but that's a far cry from the m w/c position noted a moment ago. )shudder( None for me thanks.

I'm not what society has told me I'm to be. I find myself confused at times wondering where I fit in. Just yesterday emma and I went to see "March of the Penguins" and found ourselves in a see of "we don't fit in here". We were surrounded by families, grand parents, seniors, etc. We were the sole people within our age brackets. AKA not married with children out with the fam. It's confusing at times. I do relish in the moment when I recognize that I'm breaking a strange cultural norm. That is, it's wonderful to know that something so little can break a norm.

I don't know if I understand any of what I've written because it's been a while since the 13th and I'm melting due to the humidity. Also, painting has happened. Sleep has and hasn't happened. Me mudda actually came to NY to visit - aka to help paint. Time has been hurrying its way forward. Slow down Earth. Would'ja mind?

Now, I think it's time for some melting sleep.

Let the next 1/3 of fun begin! Until next year... In July... On the 13th... I remain 30!
- posted by garyploski @ 7/18/2005 11:47:00 PM 0 comments

The only reason I have to reboot is due to an upgrade from 10.4.1 to 10.4.2 It's been a short time since I last rebooted... As of 10:37AM my PB has been up for 33 days, 2 hrs, 6 users, load averages: 0.11 0.29 0.20. Score!
- posted by garyploski @ 7/13/2005 10:45:00 AM 0 comments

So this is what it means to be thirty (in less than one week). Let's see. I'm still playing with web-sites. I'm still reading comic books. I'm still staying up later than most people... Still traveling... Still eating what I want... Still enjoying the rain, thunder, and lightning... I find sunrises and sunsets beautiful still. The moon amazes me almost daily. I still love to laugh. And the list goes on. Okay, so I'm thirty. Well lookie here.

Of course, there are certain things that have changed. My grandfather (Dziadz) passed away, Zack was born, I bought an co-op with my girlfriend, I've paid off my student loans and my car. I'm in the black financially and have been for a while now. Well, a mortgage puts me in the red but that's to be expected. Things, on the whole, are utterly great. Oh, right, I'm 1/3 of my way toward my MFA in acting. Things really, REALLY, are GRRREAT!

So why do I feel an emptiness inside? I can be blunt because I know some of what's eating at me but I have to balance it with a bit of self reflection.

I'm disappointed, in general, with many of my CT friends. A little less than one month ago a surprise party was thrown in my honor for my 30th. It was a grand ol gatherin in CT. What does this mean? It means that nearly everyone was in close proximity to the party. 10 minutes, 30 minutes, 45 minutes, etc. Nobody's drive is as long as mine has been to visit them in CT. Also, it would have been driven once. That's it. Drive, eat, drink, be merry, drive home. End game. But this didn't happen.

And so I feel that my friends aren't what I thought them to be. Mind all of this information makes the amazing friends that came to the party or even fit me into their day to day schedule over the years seem like they weren't there for me. P'shaw! They've been astoundingly awesome friends.

Turning the camera onto me I think I haven't paid as much time on myself but instead have focused on peeps in CT. It's time I met people in the NY area. emma asked me who I wanted to invite over for my official b-day and I couldn't think of more than 3 or 4 people in the area. This, in my opinion, sucks monkey balls. Insert blah face here.

What's to be done about this? Well, now that I have a HOME I've been planning more time here. I have some plans for the summer already laid out but in general it's time to put my energy into my habitat and my life. New people, new door knobs, etc. It's time to revisit NY in a new way. The city needs to be a larger part of my life. New friends need to be a part of my life. Will either happen? Magic 8-Ball where arrrrre you? = O Seriously it's time I let people come to me. Argh. Call me naive but I'll always leave the door cracked open for even those that have hurt me or disappeared in one way or another. We don't meet enough people to pick and choose. Maybe I'll meet another BT, or a J5, or a Jacek, or maybe even a Monika. All I know is I feel lonely in my home because my friends aren't here to share it with emma and I.
- posted by garyploski @ 7/07/2005 12:10:00 AM 0 comments

Okay, here's the 411. It is up to you, your friends, and everyone else you know that has ANY interest in The Tick (the animated series) to contact Disney and let them know you want them to release it on DVD. Let it be known it is now in your/our hands. Click here to start your email.

Here is Disney's e-mail address for DVD Feedback
feedback@dvd-videosupport.com

Let's begin with my correspondence to Disney.

-----Original Message-----
From: Gary Ploski
Sent: Monday, July 4, 2005 00:49 AM
To: MB BVHEFeedback Mailbox
Subject: The Tick on DVD?

Now that The Tick is on Toon Disney... Are there plans to release it on DVD?! )fingers crossed awaiting a reply( Please please please!

Gary Ploski

-----Disney's Reply Message-----
From: feedback@dvd-videosupport.com
Subject: Re: The Tick on DVD?
Date: July 5, 2005 12:50:13 PM EDT
To: Gary Ploski

Gary,

Thank you for your e-mail regarding THE TICK Animated Series. We appreciate your interest.

We do not have any information regarding an expected release for this title. We will let our Marketing Department know of your interest.

Again, thank you for taking the time to contact us.

Regards,

BVHE Consumer Relations
US and Canada
- posted by garyploski @ 7/05/2005 12:59:00 PM 0 comments

This weekend I found myself in a land known as - The Between.

It was Friday evening and I just wanted 10-15 minutes to myself so that I could Ultimate Fantastic Four and New Avengers. It was a most excellent two week pick=up at Legends. I saw a corner that was completely empty by the hot tub. Two chairs. A small table in between. Bingo!

Well, I thought I won until more and more people started stopping over to say hello. Many of these people I'd seen not 1 to 2 hours ago. Sigh. Others I barely knew, friend of Meg, and others were, well, others. I did my best to acknowledge and then move back into the story but I was defeated. I felt the loss so I gave in. It was inevitable. Alas.

Not too long after I gave in the storm clouds began to appear. The windows were open so I walked out to the loaner with both comics in hang. I found 5 minutes of solace in the last half of UFF, New Avengers would have to wait. On my way back in I realized something I'd briefly witnessed on the way outside. Meg and her friends were ALL in the living room playing cards or just... Sitting and talking. It was their task and they seemed to master it with little effort. The skills they have. Wow! = ) Passing through the hallway I made it into the kitchen area... It was filled with nearly all mothers preparing/making available the night's food. Um... Yea. I felt a bit uneasy and unsure with whom to speak to or hang out. Argh.

And so next, I was on the deck, ah. Here I was sure to find a place... to... wtf. The grand parents and a few random people were sitting and relaxing while fathers and the like were grouped in smatterings of groups chatting about the sixth corn fields insect problem. SERIOUSLY! = O

I kept walking and walking and walking until I made it to the end of the yard. I balanced myself on the rocks remembering how relaxing it was to just stand on a rock. From there I could see the whole party. It was going strong and I was completely outside of it. I was the only one of my generation wandering around a high school graduation party for 4 peeps. I was actually confused with what to do. Fortunately I wandered back toward the house to a tree where I felt my mind skipping backward to an old past-time - tree climbing. I looked up thought through the climb in my head thought "Should I?" The next thing I knew I had my legs wrapped over one branch and my hands supporting the rest of my weight. I was in a tree looking in on everything and everyone at the party. I was invisible and it felt great. Eventually Zack and Samantha (my little cousins) saw me in the tree with complete amazement in their faces. It disappeared as quickly as a good ice cream milk shake but it was a cute reaction.

I sat on the branch for a good 10 minutes thinking and clearing my head. This type of situation hasn't presented itself in so long. The difference with this time? I knew what was happening and WHY. To these facts I felt myself happy. Fitting in with my family is usually exceedingly simple though this time I needed some me time before I attempted the socializing. Eventually I made my way HIGHER up the tree and dumbfounded Zack and Sam. They couldn't believe that I was so high up. Such a peaceful place it was. Ahh.

Soon after seeing me the kids called me down, but not before I dropped leaves for them to catch. None were but it was fun to watch them hustle all around trying to catch one. = )

Everything changed when I had the chance to catch up with a cousin I hadn't seen in over a decade - Kurt. It's so much fun to share international stories especially when all the stories are from different countries in the same area of the world.

Brian finally showed up too, with Lauren. This pretty much wrapped up the eve since my peer was there to chat about politics, movies, etc. Yea BT!

Hmm, so the recognition of such a feeling, while GRReat!, I couldn't find much else to celebrate. I don't like finding myself in a foreigners spot with my FAM! Hrmm... Maybe next time I'll just sit with a group or maybe I'll just go for a drive. Nah. It was fun up in the tree. = D
- posted by garyploski @ 7/05/2005 12:00:00 AM 0 comments

Last bit on Deep Impact. This is courtesy of Yahoo! News. So very Yeeeehaaa!

In this image released by NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the Tempel 1 comet is shown after the impactor probe from the Deep Impact spacecraft collided with the comet early Monday, July 4, 2005. The successful strike 83 million miles away from Earth occurred just before 11 p.m. PDT, according to mission control at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., which is managing the $333 million mission. (AP Photo/Jet Propulsion Laboratory)

||

O
- posted by garyploski @ 7/04/2005 08:53:00 AM 0 comments

Voila! They did it and here's a snap shot from the live video feed just moments ago!

HUM-DINGA! Imagine the sound of that explosion! It must have sounded like this...

...

YES! THAT LOUD! Just as Firefly, BUY IT, WATCH IT, LOOOOOVE IT - see the movie in September, shows there is no sound in space! A-maze-ing! We hurled a washing machine at a comet and filmed it. Whooohooo!

Deep Impact Mission Events Earth-receive time (in PDT)
July 2, 11:07 p.m: Impactor released into comet's path
July 3, 9:22 p.m.: 1st impactor targeting maneuver
July 3, 10:17 p.m.: 2nd impactor targeting maneuver
July 3, 10:39 p.m.: 3rd impactor targeting maneuver (as needed)
July 3, 10:52 p.m.: (+ or - 3 min.): Impact with Tempel 1
July 3, 11:05 p.m.: Flyby goes into shield mode
July 3, 11:06 p.m.: Flyby's closest approach to Tempel 1
- posted by garyploski @ 7/04/2005 01:55:00 AM 0 comments

In approximately 1 hour it will happen - Deep Impact. CNN has a brief on the situation.

"Six months after it blasted off, the Deep Impact spacecraft is poised to meet its cosmic fate -- in a hyper-speed smashup with a comet. In about an hour, NASA scientists will steer a probe about the size of a washing machine directly into the path of a comet about half the size of Manhattan, and watch the two collide. Scientists hope the collision -- and what comes out of it -- will unlock the inner workings of comets."

recently the word geek has been thrown around. Interestingly my name has been in these same sentences/thoughts. Yup, I'm one. = )

For whatever reason some people are afraid or unhappy with that descriptor. Eff that man. It's a helluva term nowadays. Score one more for a shift in culture! Jocks (yes I've been described as a jock too) watch out, the geeks are on the move.

So in less than 1 hour we will have a device impanted into a comet! Cha-ching! Talking Deep Impact I'm talking about live coverage on NASA TV. Fortunately the press isn't ignoring this event. We need to learn more about comets before we're eliminated by one and the information we learn today is going to be phenomenal! How is it holding itself together? What minerals is it made of? Etc. etc!

Score! Images are coming in now (in RAW format) which means it's round the last corner! Hot damn! Off to read/write? I go. Tick, tick, tick.
- posted by garyploski @ 7/04/2005 01:03:00 AM 0 comments