Fortunately, I have friends at Comcast that were able to re-apply my promos and put me back on my old Internet for at least 6 months. They’re safe from my wrath… for now.

So I just got my Internet bill for the month. My promos had run out, so I was stuck paying $75/month for Internet. Sorry, that’s too much.

I called and they slyly downgraded me from a 16MB/1MB service to a 1MB/384K service without telling me that’s what they were doing. Um, I’m sorry. I didn’t ask for DSL speeds. I can get that for half the price from Qwest, fuck nuts.

Something changed recently. It used to be that “standard” was 5-10MB (I can’t remember exactly what it was now). They have now changed it so that 6MB/1MB is their ungodly overpriced ‘mid-line’ service.

Fuck you, Comcast. Clearwire will be getting a call from me first thing in the morning and Comcast can go to fucking hell. How dare they.

Gregster

We’re adopting kittens next week. Abandoned Ferrel kittens that we rescued from our neighbors hedge. Part of me isn’t crazy about another mouth to feed and more poop in the litter box. The other side of me doesn’t really care about that. We love animals, so it’s not that big of a deal.

I suppose it’s preparation for when we eventually have our own children.

Sans claws, furballs and kibble.

Gregster

I’ve changed my password on Facebook to something random and I don’t know what it is. Why? I’m addicted to Facebook. I need to quit it.

It’s absolutely exhausting how much time I spend on there and focusing on mundane status updates, oogling over photos and commenting with the little time I have. I figure I spend at least an hour a day on that site.

I’ll be spending at least the next week (if not longer) detoxing from the social media site.

At that point, I may be able to handle it again.

Maybe.

Gregster

Vacationed in Hawaii for a week. Back in P-Town. Domestic life for awhile. That could mean more blog posts, but it’s more likely that it will just result in more of me sitting on my fat ass drinking wine at home. Or at work if it’s Friday at 4:30.

Strange things are a foot at the Circle K….

Gregsta’

I swear, the average IQ of people in this area is an all fucking time low:

Douche Bags shoot out 25 people’s car windows for no reason

Drunk, unlicensed worthless human being slices car in two

Painstakingly cleaning house, doing yardwork and trying to stay on top of all the usual stuff.

That is all.

Gregster

From an esteemed Domino Effect reader, posing as Mr. Adams in the comments section:

If you bid “farewell,” as you say, where would you go? You seem more an employee, not a business owner.

And a lot of businesses are gone because of the economy, not taxes. Also, the city has nothing to do with the price of rent. In fact, if rent is high, it indicates a demand to be located downtown. If there are so many vacancies, why would rent be so high? It’s economics 101.

And watch your language.

Sincerely,

Sam

I wish it was really Sam who posted that. Let’s pretend it was.

I love how people are in tune to argue supporting matter rather than core matter and go after someone’s writing style.

Thanks for the Economics 101 lesson. I needed that. Lesson 2: Economics 450: Economies are made primarily by people. You can do something to influence them. A little creativity, ingenuity and intellect go a long way. Get off your ass and get creative already.

The more desirable a public area, the more the city is expected to hold up it’s end of the bargain in keeping it clean and safe. Money talks, bums need to walk. Sorry, you can call it classicism or whatever you like. My opinion is what it is. No, I’m not a Republican. I actually voted for your ass as Mayor.

Yes (fake?) Sam, I’m an employee at a downtown business. A slave of my own choosing  to a grind in which I have no control over what’s expected of me if I wish to earn that lovely paycheck and help my company pay some taxes to the city. I have a choice to work downtown or not and I suppose that as soon as the right opportunity comes my way, I’ll be getting the hell out of downtown, but I’d rather not. Boy, you know how to pick out who’s really got pull, don’t you? Wow! What a politician! Don’t worry, I don’t have any pull with PBA or the Oregonian. You can safely ignore me.

I’ll never watch my fucking language. Are you crazy? This is the Internet.

Gregster

Dear Mr. Sam Adams (Mayor of Portland),

I’m one of the thousands of Portlanders who works in the downtown core. You know, that part of the city you work in, too? Yeah. Look, we’ve got a big fucking problem. The streets have become a cesspool of filth, drugs and poverty.

It wasn’t that long ago that the sidewalks were clean, bums were moved along and the core was really a thriving business district. Now, you’ve let it get so bad that many businesses are out as soon as their lease is up. Happy with what you’ve accomplished? Don’t go pointing fingers at anyone else here. You’re in charge – the buck stops with you.

Who pays those city taxes and tri-met taxes? That’s right – downtown businesses. Rents here are still $10-30/sq ft. That aint cheap. We expect better of our city.

I long for the downtown of yesteryear – one that was inviting to businesses. Now your hippie agendas to banish automobiles, give the sidewalks to bums for camping and pushing business out of downtown leave me and many others saddened and ready to finally bid farewell to a core gone wrong.

Fix it, Sam. Try at least. Go pro-livability for those who pay the fucking taxes that fund your city.

Gregster

It’s been a long time since I’ve posted anything on this old blog. I think I managed to neglect it longer than any other span of time in the past.

Jen and Mike got married yesterday. The wedding was a blast. Too bad the bar at the reception didn’t stay open until closing time – damn McMenimans.

The weekend will be busy. Birthdays, support calls and my wife is hosting the bridal shower for my cousin Katie who’s getting married later this month.

Bets and I are heading to Hawaii in 5 weeks. I can’t wait. I need a tropical setting and booze in the sand. I love Portland, don’t get me wrong. It’s one of the best places in the world to live. Trouble is, when you live somewhere as awesome as Portland, it seriously raises the bar of what is an acceptable vacation spot. I mean, people vacation in Portland and think it’s an amazing vacation spot. It’s crazy to think, but it’s true.

I don’t give this site much attention these days. Most of what I’m writing now are articles that I want the masses to read. I know, I know, dedicated reader of the Domino Effect – you believe you are part of a larger group of visitors. Well, according to Google, you’re one of about a dozen. I think I probably have met all of you in person at one time or another.

Don’t worry, my random thoughts will still spew here from time to time. Just don’t be checking this site daily and getting frustrated with the lack of updates.

Gregster