122302

 

San Antonio, TX

Monday December 23, 2002

                   Okay, today is Monday, the 23rd of December of 2002. I woke up, I had taken a shower last night and I felt clean. I got on the computer. Last night, I made a bargain with my friend Sherice who came over. I asked her if she had a Swiss army knife, that was one of the things I needed to be ready for my trip. She told me she had a really good one, but that she couldn't just give it to me. She said, "I can trade you for it. Whatta ya got?"
                   Dude, I'm all about trading and bartering. I told her I already got rid of all my good shit at my garage give yesterday. She started telling me how her friend is able to play Nintendo games on his computer and she asked me if I knew how to do that. I told her damn straight, that I could go download some stuff real quick right then if she wanted me to. Sherice told me to burn her a CD with emulators and as many games as I could find and that she would trade me her knife for it.
                   Sweet. This rocks. I'm going to get a knife. I already got my hammock, my Adidas bag and I found my watch. Well anyway, I got on the computer and I started looking for emulators and games for Sherice. I tried different FTP sites off IRC. I found a site with a program that had 672 regular Nintendo games. Last night I had asked her which console she wanted emulated and she said just the regular NES. So I said, "So you just want all the Mario games, Punch Out, Metroid and shit?" She said yeah. That stuff is easy to get and I can fit a hell of a lot on a 700mb CD. I asked her if there was anything else she wanted like music, movies, or games. She said all she wanted was to be able to play old Nintendo games on her computer.
                   Last night, I had started to look for the games, but I got tired and went to bed. This morning I woke up kind of early and got online. I entered like 12 different warez channels on IRC and I typed the sentence, "i need to find an ftp site where i can download emulators and games. does anybody have one or know where i can get some, msg me please?" I copied and pasted that into each channel and sent out the request. In less than a minute, I had this guy nicked ViruZ asking me, "What do you need?" I told him I just needed a regular Nintendo emulator and a bunch of games. I asked him if he had an FTP site up and he started recommending webpages to download from. I told him thanks anyway, that if I kept trying public FTP sites, that I would eventually run into everything I needed.
                   Anyway, I started talking to ViruZ about my ideas and eliminating money and spilling the beans on warez. He told me, "It's not like everybody out there doesn't know about pirated software already." I told him I understood that it was an accepted underworld and read him all my personal scripts. Anyway, he told me, "You should be careful in what you say, some people out there do work for the government, ya know, wink, wink."
                   So oh shit, I might've been talking to a fed. I told him I was going to go to California and shit, so I got paranoid as hell. All someone has to do is a /whois on me on IRC and they'll know I'm in San Antonio. Man, I might've just gotten the feds on me. He told me that software companies liked piracy. "Why do you think they can charge 50 bucks for a game?" he said. I told him, "Oh, so they're just using it as an excuse to jack up the price?" He didn't say anything after that. It makes sense, but I'm not just about getting rid of money. I'm about conserving nature too and getting rid of cars.  And I cannot forget marijuana too..
    

                   Oh yeah, its 10:32am. I'm walking to the bus stop. I'm hungry. I couldn't find anything to eat at my mom's so I'm going to go to the hospital and steal me some more Boosts so I won't be hungry anymore and get some good nutrition. Also, this morning I found this little microphone that has a little clip on it that connects to my recorder. I can clip it to my shirt and I won't have to hold my recorder up to my mouth. I can just leave it in my pocket and just talk. So now I'll look really weird because people will think I'm talking to myself. Oh well, it's hands-free now, I don't care what other people think. Actually, if people give me weird looks I'll say, "Hey, I'm writing a book. What are you doing?"
                   It's not cold at all this morning, which pisses me off. It's almost Christmas and it's not cold. It's all wet and rainy so I put my rain poncho in my bag just incase. It's always good to be prepared. I brought my gloves and my badass windbreaker too. My mom found my windbreaker the other day. In the pocket of them I had an unopened box of condoms, even though I plan for it to stay unopened until I have a girlfriend again. Better safe than sorry though.

                   Singing NOFX: "If god created plants and buds that I find and abuse, then who the fuck are you to judge me?" The corner store sells finer Scotch, but something something something. Modern-day prohibition. We just want what is ours.

                   Okay, its 10:40 and the bus should get here any minute.

                   Cool, it came and I just checked my watch and it is still synchronized to the second with the GPS satellite that all the buses run off of. Cool.

                   Over at the bus stop at the grocery store I can see some Mexicans building houses close by. I threw them the peace sign and they started calling me over to give them a cigarette. They're up on the roof of the house they're building and it's on the other side of the fence, so forget them.

                   Oh yeah, I never told you why I left the house this morning. Because my mom kicked me off the computer right away. I started typing up my logs and my mom came and kicked me off. Then I decided I'd go to the library and use their computer. I checked to see if my headphones worked with my tape-recorder. I would just listen to my stuff and send an email to myself. Because I have nothing better to do and I'm going to leave soon. My book needs to be written.

                   People who ding the bell right before we get to a big bus terminals are dumb. Like the bus isn't going to stop there or something. The time is now 11:21am. I'm going up the elevator to the hospital where I'm going to try and snag me some Two-Cals.

                   Okay, I just got off the elevator on the 6th floor. I'm going to leave it recording in case something interesting happens. Actually, I'm going to wait until I see somebody. Maybe I won't see anybody and I'll walk all the way to the nourishment room and it'll be empty. ::fingers crossed::

                   Sweet. Slipped in and nobody was inside. The nourishment room was empty and I got 5 of those fuckers. I'll try for 6 next time. I'll probably save one or two for my trip. I'll start stockpiling them.

                   Sweet, I'm walking back to the bus terminal. I have approximately 2500 calories in my bag, I'm hungry.

                   Hmm, I wonder what time the next 534 comes which will go down Wurzbach past Vance Jackson. Then I'll wait for the 96 that takes me to Vance Jackson/Huebner.

                   Okay, I checked the schedule and I'll have like a 20 minute wait at Vance Jackson for the 96. Oh well, I'll go try and get some free donuts or something.

                   Okay, time's about 11:50am. Actually, I got on the 603. Instead of catching the 534 I thought I might be able to catch another bus to the library. Duh, I only used to live there, but there's three bus routes that go to Vance Jackson/Huebner. The 96, 522 and 603. I should've known that. Before long, I saw the 603 pull up and it'll take me like a block away. It's 11:55am and I'm on the 603 headed towards UTSA.

                   It's 12:15pm right now. I need to use a phone to call Sherice. I just got off the 603. I got off before it turned left on Vance Jackson, thinking it would be quicker to the library, because I could just cut through Hobby Middle School. I just realized I could've ridden the bus to the Walgreen's on the other side of the block. They've always let me use their phone, but the library doesn't and makes you go outside and use the payphone. I ended up having to walk to the Walgreen's, used their phone and walked all the way back to the library. I gotta call Sherice and tell her that I didn't finish her CD, but tomorrow for sure.

                   Okay, I just went into the Walgreen's. It's about 12:22pm right now. They let me borrow the phone and I called Sherice. She always has her cellphone on her and she answered on the first ring. I told her I probably wouldn't have her CD ready until tomorrow, but that I was going to hook her up fat.

                   Sherice told me that the only thing missing from the knife was the toothpick. Argh, I told her, "Forget it, then. I wanted one with a toothpick, damnit." I was just kidding. I told her I could always go to restaurants and steal some toothpicks. So umm, I tried calling Sabrina's number and it didn't ring or anything, just went straight to her voicemail. So, I'm walking to the library now. I'm going to go type up my shit.

                   Okay, I was walking down Vance Jackson from Huebner. I realized I was going to pass my old bus bench that was made for me. Well, not really for me, but I used it all the time. Umm, it's kind of a long story, so I'll be sure to include it in my book. I thought, "Damn, I'm hungry." Even though I had just drank 475 calories at the hospital. I decided I was going to go sit down at my bus stop, eat and smoke a cigarette. Let me make my bag 500 calories lighter.

                   Man, I'm looking across the street at my old apartments. I miss this neighborhood so much. This is the best place to live in San Antonio. I would like to come back here some day, when I don't have to pay for it. Okay, I'm going to eat and smoke a cigarette.

                   Oh my god. I just realized I left my badass water bottle somewhere. Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god. My fucking water bottle! I left it on the bus, I guess. Shit, where the hell did I leave my water bottle?! Damnit, damnit, son of a bitch. I gotta get back on the bus and look for it. Shit, it wasn't on the 603. Argh! Ahhhh I don't know what I'm going to do if I lost that bottle!
                   Oh man, I walked back up to a 603 bus stop. I may have left it on the 603, I'm not too sure. I really hope I left it on the 603 and I hope the same bus hasn't come back by yet. I went into the Walgreen's and used the phone then I walked to my bus stop. I hope there hasn't been enough time for the bus to go to UTSA and come back. Hell, I don't know. I might've left it at the hospital, I just don't know. I have some places to explore though. I really hope it's the same bus when he passes. Hmm, I was sitting straight in the back and the driver had a clear view of the back seat, which is where I would've left my bottle had I left it on the 603. I'm hoping he would've seen it and picked it up. Oh man, I really hope it's on the next bus. If I lose my magic bottle, that ruins everything. I can't go to California without my bottle.

                   Damnit, I didn't have the 603 schedule so when I walked up to the bus stop, I saw this girl waiting there too. I asked her if she was waiting for the 603 and what time it was due. She told me it came at 12:44pm, which was like a minute ago, so any minute now. Oh man, I really hope it's on there. I don't know what I'm going to do without my bottle. Okay, there's the bus. I really hope it's on there.

                   Okay, it's 12:52pm and my bottle wasn't on the bus. I'm going to backtrack and go to the nourishment room in the hospital and see if I left it in there when I went in and swiped that stuff.

                   Now, come to think of it, I don't think I left my bottle on the 603, because I distinctly remember turning around and checking the seat when I stood up.  I always do that because I'm always paranoid about forgetting stuff. I remembered that the seat was clear. I really hope it's in the nourishment room in the hospital. I remember taking my bag off and setting the bottle down on the ground. Usually, when I have my water bottle and Adidas bag on, I have to take them both off. I hope it's on the floor in the nourishment room. Damnit, lunch just passed and I'm sure a lot of people went in that room. If I'm lucky, someone turned it in to the lost and found.

                   Dude, I don't know what I'm going to do if I lost this bottle. I have $50 that I made in my garage sale, but it's a $100 bottle. I need to get 50 more and find a Nikken distributor. I can't exactly call Lucy back and tell her, "Hey Lucy, I lost the bottle that belonged to you and since you're a distributor, can I order another from you?"
 

                   Hehe, I was recording myself on the bus and this guy sitting next to me stood up and moved somewhere else.

                   Okay, the time is about 1:10pm right now. I'm going up the elevator to the hospital. Man, I really hope it's there.

                   Shit, I just slipped into the nourishment room and my bottle is nowhere to be found. I even checked the refrigerator.

                   Damnit, it wasn't in the nourishment room. I went and talked to the people at the front desk and they were all concerned about my $100 water bottle. They wrote down a detailed description of it and told me they would keep an eye out for it. I need that water bottle. I'm going to catch the 534 down to Planet K and buy one of their $2 Planet K water bottles, because I need water. Damnit, that really sucks. That really puts a downer on my day.

                   The time is about 1:35pm right now and I want to check the bus I took from the grocery store to the hospital earlier. The second bus I got on today. Now, I am positive I didn't leave it on the first bus that picked me up at the elementary school, because I remembered smoking a cigarette at the grocery store. I hate smoking cigarettes without something to drink, so I would've noticed it missing then. All the buses that go to the grocery store from the hospital are here at 20 of the hour, so I got a long ass wait. If the 534 comes first, I'll jump on that and go buy my $2 bottle from Planet K. I need water.

                   Man, I need that bottle. I've got 50 bucks. I'm going to get online and see if I can find a Nikken distributor. Time is about 1:40pm right now. I have to wait till 1:53pm for the 534 to pass that'll take me to Planet K. 

                   Damnit, I have to go to the water fountain now. Argh. Hmm, I think I'll suffocate my sorrows in some marijuana smoke. Hey, there's the 534 right there. It's a little late. It's 1:59pm right now. I'm thinking there's only 20 minutes for the Braun Station buses to get here then I can see if I left it on one of them. I'm thinking I might have left it on the second bus I rode this morning, the 605. I remembered taking my bag off to get my headphones out on the 605 earlier. Maybe I left it on there. Man, I really hope I did. Shit. What I'll do is wait until both the 605 and the 620 pass, which are the only two buses that go to the hospital from the grocery store. If I don't find my bottle, then I'll just wait for the next 534 and go to Planet K. Fuckin' a. Right now I have $56 in my wallet. I'm going to need what? $44 to have a hundred. Damnit, I need to find a Nikken distributor now. Oh well. It looks like I'm hanging out in San Antonio until Christmas. I'm sure I'll get $40 worth of something from my mom.

                   Anyway, the time is about 2:12pm right now. I have to wait till 20 for the Braun Station buses to come. That sucks, I lost my bottle. :[

                   Oh, my, gawd. The 605 pulled up and it was a different driver than the one in the morning. I got on and told the driver, "Excuse me, did anyone turn in a black water bottle?" She told me I could go ahead and look, but I seriously doubted my $100 water bottle would've been sitting back there for three hours and nobody took it. I look anyway and what do I see? There, sitting on the bench is my water bottle! I cannot believe my luck!. It's just sitting there just how I left it. Oh man, oh man, oh man. I was scared shitless. I can't believe it's just sitting there. It's like 2:20 right now. It's been like three hours and nobody took my bottle! Oh man, I am so happy. My bottle! I got it back, I got it back. Yay!!
 

                   Oh yeah, now that I've got my bottle back, I have shit to do. Should I just go home? Umm, I don't know what I'm going to do. I should probably, umm forget that, I have blank CD's in my bag. I'm going to wait until after four until Sam gets off.

                   I'm over here, still close to the hospital, on the way to the grocery store. Umm, let me get off now that I have my bottle back. Maybe I'll head to the library again. I'm going to get off at the next stop and go type this up.

                   Ahhh, I am whole once again! Yay, I found my bottle. Man, I'm so glad I didn't catch that 534 to go buy a water bottle at Planet K. I'm also glad it was late and I stuck around for twenty minutes. Patience is a virtue. But, I was right and my bottle was on the bus. Way to go Victor, nice backtracking. Okay, so I'm going to walk to University Hospital and what I'll do is catch the 603 or 522 back to the library. Then, I'll head to Sam's apartment after four and burn some movies for my trip.

Next day..