Alex @ Prom 2010

Well Alex had her junior prom tonight, little bugger didn't tell me until after the fact and her senior prom is next year but I still wish she would have told me ahead of time. With her living in California, it's hard to get involved as much as I would like too, but next year I will try to go out there for the senior prom and get her a limo and all the cool things I didn't get to do. Even better, rent her a Ferrari and let her drive it to prom - that would definitely get the other bitches climbing up the envy tree for a peak!

Here is a pic of her in her dress:

Isn't she gorgeous? I really wish I had been able to go to prom, as stupid as it is sometimes, high school is supposed to be the best years of a young person's life and well mine just plain sucked!
So I want to make her years in "hell school" way better.

She told me today that she's met a new guy - well not exactly, new - but they just started dating and while they didn't hookup prior to prom she thinks he is a winner and will hopefully be around for senior prom. I hope so for her sake.

We are in the final preparations for Alex to come out to Texas for a summer visit. Unfortunately Cole decided he wanted to stay home with his mom - why he only knows. but anyway, I'm glad Alex is coming out - I haven't seen her in so long - if we didn't have cell phones, computers and internet, we would be such strangers to each other by now. But we text everyday, all day, so I feel as close to her as when she lived here.

She will be staying a whole 2 months, splitting the time up with her mom's mom and me. Of course, I don't care for my ex-mother-in-law, but hey - who does?! Alex told me that her grandmother is going to drive Alex back to California, so she can visit her daughter - my ex-wife - so i kinda feel sorry for Alex to have to deal with her all that way. Eesh! I couldn't do it - even when she was my mother-in-law, I couldn't do it.

Alex and I are already planning to go to the Iron Maiden show June 9. It will be our first concert together and to be able to share one of my all time favorite bands with her and her actually wanting to go - is just an awesome feeling. Unfortunately tickets are hella-expensive, like $250 for center stage and $300 and up for VIP!! I figure what the hell and I'm going to get the VIP tickets, though we won't be as close to the stage as I would like, we won't have to deal with the moshpit or drunk idiots. They always ruin a show.

The only crappy part about Alex coming out is that I will be working. Though I'm thrilled I got a job, it will suck that she will be at home alone most of the day with only the animals and PS3 to keep her company. But she says she will be okay, so I will trust her on that.

The Job

Well....I GOT A JOB!!!

YAY!!!

It's been a grueling year these past 12 months without a steady income. The freelance jobs dried up, the job offers a distance memory of a time when my talents were vigorously sought after.

I knew I had to do something different in my life and do something different I did. I changed my name! Aside from not liking my name since the first day I remember my mom screaming it at me, the name Christopher had been flooding the job boards and recruiter's lists for years and it was probably as well known more than I care to admit or even like to think about. So I began using my middle name, Michael and within days, the job offers - real job offers - came flowing in. Quite reminiscent of the good old days when Christopher was a wanted man.

Within a few weeks, I had a bonafide offer - not just some baited hook thrown out into the unemployment pool to see what kind of bottom feeder could be caught.

I know I interview well. I know I have the skills. I know I can do anything they throw at me, with ease and efficiency.

Long story short - I got the job and start Monday, May 3. The only thing that threw a wrench into my beautiful inner workings, was the once a month paycheck! Do what?! Once a month?!

I have never been paid like that before, so it's going to be interesting. While the fat check at the end of the month is going to be nice, the 30 days leading up to that glorious check-cashing celebration will be tough. But I'll manage. I won't complain and I'll see it through to the very end, doing my best all the way there.

The Iron Maiden Ninja

After 20 some odd years of waiting and waiting and hoping and wishing and praying and trying - I finally, finally get to buy a motorcycle!! I've wanted one ever since I could remember, but something always got in the way. Not anymore, brothers and sisters, the time has finally come! But as they say, good things come to those who wait - right? Riiiight. Now since I've never really ridden a motorcycle before, I'm going to be starting out small with a 2010 Ninja 250R. It will be blue and will have the raddest graphics ever on it! Thankfully, I have a good friend who has a print shop that does vinyl vehicle wraps - so I've been up all night designing those graphics for the wrap. Now I didn't exactly "design" the images, since they are of Eddie from the Iron Maiden album covers, I simply just chose from the numerous images I have of Eddie that I got from this awesome website: Iron Maiden Wallpapers. They have the most extensive and exclusive collection of Iron Maiden imagery I've ever seen! And being an a devout Maiden fan for over 20 years, I've seen my fair share.

So anyway, this is what I came up with:
Isn't it beautiful?! This bike is going to be the sickest thing around town! I can't freaking wait!! I can't stop staring at it, it's so gorgeous! It's going to be really cool to wear my Iron Maiden Vans while riding this gorgeous machine.

Now the rear will be modded with the hidden fender aftermarket parts, and the mirrors will be blue LEDs. I will have the wheels painted to match the body color as well. It's hard to believe that this bike brand new is only $4,000! It looks a lot more expensive - Kawasaki really knows how to deliver the goods for very little coin.

I should have the bike in a month or two - hopefully not two :) but I will be sure to post the pics of the final wrap when it's done.