I do alot of things I don't want to do. I guess we all do. I didn't have to work almost 12 hours on Sunday. Nope, I was off at nine...but since Probie quit on the spot to take a soft hostess position and failed to show up for her close, I stayed the extra three hours needed. I attribute it to my misguided sense of honour. I have said before it was my "misplaced" sense of honour until I realized I have no where to place it, so it's simply misguided.

At least it got me out of Britany's birthday. I didn't even have to use that alternate alibi I had planned.  

The children have been freed and my job has suddenly(yet predictability) become even more difficult. I should review my criminal law just to be sure killing children is still illegal....Post Natal Abortions are always an option.

I've been drowning out the horrors of my job with plenty of tiny soldiers. I even got a case so I can easily transport my tiny soldiers about safely. Brother Mark and I have discussed the idea of forming an Inquisition force with him taking on the Daemon Hunters(his love for The Grey Knights being his reason) and myself fielding the Witch Hunters(Models with dusters, trenchcoats and dual pistols being my reason) which would then induct our current Armies to form a massive force for smiting the enemies of the Emperor. Facing down a group of Grey Knights, Ultra Marines, Sisters of Battle and a wave of Imperial Guard would be awesome. Also, I get to paint a Dreadnought black.

With me working a haphazard combination of shifts and Staci doing mostly days I still haven't seen her in a couple days. I can't think of anything else to say about that. I've worked off most of my Staci based energy with the last one. Trust me, I'll work up some more later today. Or she'll drive me nuts. Either or. Really, these days I can go either way in a heartbeat.

Saint and I went out for dinner Saturday. It was the first time I've seen her since the incident a few months back. Most things stemming from that incident worked out well enough and I was happy for her. The night ended with us watching "Pushing Tin" as it was way too hot to walk to the theatre to see Wall-E or Wanted.

Anything else? nope. I just have to survive a Stat holiday. I get Wednesday and Saturday off this week.  

Originally written in the wee morning hours of July 6th. It was posted due to some random internet problem.

I'd have to say, it was a good Saturday off. Got some 40k painting in, a couple movies (both theatre and home) and a wee little nap.

I didn't get any desperate calls from work either. So maybe Spenny actually showed up to his last shift or they know to leave me alone when I get a Saturday off.

While looking at forming a Witch Hunter army using my existing Guard unit, I keep wanting to get a Tech Priest at the same time to have a good excuse to get several shades of reds and servitors to serve in both armies... I find working with shades of Red and Blue very peaceful. Odd, since I decided to do my first Guard Army in several shades of green...

I just realized if I can't get the Inquisitor Lord model I want, I'd scrap the whole idea. There is something about pistols, trench coats and duster hats that I cannot deny.

I should get the codex soon just to begin to plan. I can already see a black(or at least very dark blue) Chimera with matching support Dreadnought, Stromtroopers and Space Marines. Well, maybe not the Space Marines, but it would be nice to see what Brother Mark works with. Catachan Green BDUs with Black flak vests...brown leather belts, shades of silver accents... Yum. I wonder if a veteran stormtrooper Sarge can serve in an Inquisitor's personal unit along side the other gangly creatures that seems to frequent them? I wouldn’t mind keeping the repenting mutant wrapped in chains and whipping themselves to a minimum….

 Pyro and I saw Kung-Fu Panda since he got the times for Wall-E completely wrong. It was all I expected it to be, lots of Panda Goodness.

Saint came over Friday night for a couple hours. She didn't explain why but she never has to. I blame the boyfriend like I always do. Saint just needed someone to hang out with while her BF did something else. I think it was at the casino based on the conversation I heard. Really, I don't care what he does as long as it doesn't hurt Saint. So...most things I do care about....

 Sunday afternoon sees me doing a DlK with Brother Mark and a grumpy Staci leading the close. Staci does not like to work Sundays regardless of the circumstances yet the Sarge was "forced" to put her in. Her unwillingness to work Sundays stems mostly from transportation difficulties and the Sarge tries to balance that out by putting Brother Mark in which offers Staci a ride home, but that doesn't cut it. I don't know or care why. It's not my place to question.

A few days ago I rented "Unforgiven" to clean my western pallet after watching the remake of "The Quick and the Dead" thinking it was "Unforgiven."

Come on, I don't spend my movie geek life tracking how many western Gene Hackman plays the bad guy in. Really, I should know. Of course, I'm the one that can figure out a customer wants "My Blueberry Nights" when she asks for a movie with Jude Law and Nora Robers in it. Who the hell is Nora Roberts*? It's Nora JONES in "My Blueberry Nights" which I am obligated to see since Natalie Portman isn't giving birth to redneck babies in a Walmart, getting beheaded** or tortured in it. Come to think it, she sounds slight Southern, which I can handle. Since, Hey...Amy Acker is slightly Southern sounding as Fred. Yay!

Anything else? Nope. Time for bed. These days I can only get to sleep if I listen to John Hodgman's guide to the 51 American States with Jonathan Coulton providing the State song on the audio version of "Areas of my Expertise."...yeah, it's a little odd. No, I don't care.

-Cleric 

*Romance Novel writer. Several of her novels have been turned into one off straight to DVD releases that populate movie store shelves. Montana Sky, Carolina Moon and Blue Smoke come to mind. We have them all and I can recognize all the covers. (Sigh)
**Saint wants to see "The Other Boleyn Girl" eventually since she loves Eric Bana...that might be the next movie night...(sigh)

Something real for the day.

Really, I don't usually show up late for work. There are the odd time where I show up late simply because I mix up a 11:30 start for a 12:30 start. I'll usually make it at 11:35 fully showered minus a coffee. Usually the MoD will allow me the moments to get a coffee since I've probably worked a combined 100 hours for free when I've come early in the past. Today, however I was "on time" with my luke warm iced long Americano in hand. If it's made right it's never luke warm, but I can't complain. You have to add the shots to the ice and not add the ice to the standing shots. Celeste will do it, Sue will do it....

Work was work. *random girl's name*'s knee is still out so he wasn't in at 11:30. I told the Sarge he could have called me in earlier, but he wanted me in until 9. I informed him I could have done both and for once he didn't want me to. I've worked more than my fair share of rough shifts these days. Like the soul sucking 2:30 to 11: 15 or twin 12:30 to 11:15s. At least I'm not working going into the next inventory next week like I've done with the past two. No library on this one either. Thank god.

Staci was predictably grumpy but I can't blame her. I got her a coffee before I left and she seemed thankful. I care about her in a way I simply cannot express. I'm not that eloquent yet. It's more than simply friendship, a little more passionate than a family member and not quite a lover yet. See? No where near eloquent  enough. It's like I'm barfing up the english language expecting something.

I ran into Shawna on my break today, she was killing time before her shift started at the nearby BP. I knew she was there after Saint filled me in a while ago. Shawna had more than half an hour to kill. She "walked" me back and forth between the grocery for my orange juice and back to work. She talked to Brother Mark for a while when I was having my left over Chicken Salad sandwich was Friday with my remaining Gala apple.  

Not the best day at work. A small child asked me "If I had a Death Wish?"...I probably should have throat punched him instead of going "what?" ...we didn't have a movie called "Death Wish." Another child asked me if "Iron Man" was out on DvD yet. The response should have been "Fuck no you idiot." The actually response was something far more pleasant. Things like that throw me off. So much so I keep suggesting Diane Keaton movies when someone asks for Diane Lane. I've done that twice. Terrible.

but Brother Mark showed up early to help us wade through the Chaos(Which Daemonhunters are the best at by the way) and all was well enough when Staci arrived later. It was an A Team Sunday night which is rare, but we were still understaffed and overworked. Spenny and Jolene quit. *Random Girls Name* is out with medical reasons....Brother Mark and Staci are overworked shift leaders and I can't do a thing to help them since I'd make a terrible shift. We'll survive. We always do. We just end up losing a small part of our souls which causes us to hate children more and more. It takes a moment of thought when I see a small child riding towards me on a bicycle...should I closeline them off?...

It's what retail does to you.

I do enjoy aspects of my job. The people I work with(Ok, Mark and Staci) and helping people who actually need my help and are thankful for it. Those customers are few and far between but I've been told by other people that I'm actually good at what I do. I fail to believe it.

Nope. I don't have anymore Warhammer in me. I've fallen off CoH for a while until they fix Trick Arrow/Archery. Keeps redrawing the bow when you switch between them....shouldn't do that.

Done and done. Work Monday. Tuesday off. Meeting Wenesday...something Thursday, Something Friday...Saturday off.

-Cleric  

Let's see if I can avoid talking about my broken trick-arrow heart or how much fun it'll be to paint a techpriest with Red Gore and Scab Red.

I work in a couple hours. It has almost become tradition for Brother Mark and I to close Monday nights. Well, Mark closes most of the time anyway these days, I just happen to be along for the ride.

The Monday Close isn't that tough under normal circumstances. Yeah, it get can a little nuts when you get fifty people from 8 O' clock on... which doubles the amount of people you've had since the store opened until 8. This is the way of things. However today wasn't a stat and summer break has sorted itself out so we should be ok. I say "should" since I never take work things for granted.

I do have tomorrow off. Mum wants me to pick up season four of Stargate Atlantis because we all need to drown in escapist science fiction for a while. That and we missed a few when it was running on the Movie Channel we get. I think I missed the one where Rodney and Sheppard had to protect a child princess from a band of mercenaries. Oh, I missed the one where Sheppard goes back to Earth to attend his father's funeral. I really wanted to see that one. Apparently you got the meet his ex wife. *gasp*! Staci and I wondered why he brought Ronan along instead of Rodney, though...we usually wonder about things like that.

Staci is probably less grumpy today since she has the day off. A fresh facebook profile pic and a couple random musical vids and we've already had a good day. Staci is simply the most photogenic person I've ever met. It works well for her since she'll take random pictures of herself in the oddest poses and they'll still come out great.

Yep. That went nowhere. I should stick to what I know...which is Techpriest colour schemes and lamenting my broken defender. Curse you NCsoft! Listen to my bug report!

Add in two Servitors, it increases the Techpriest chance to repair a vehicle to a +4 on a D6. You can have a maximum of four servitors attached to a Techpriest meaning you could get to repair a vehicle on a roll of +2. Which most of the time is a good thing, but as Brother Mark says you cringe when you get that 1 on a D6. I have to talk to him about what a Tech Marine can do. Since his apothecary can ignore a wound every turn with every model in base contact while my medic can simply reroll any failed save rolls.

I'll save the Witch Hunter until I get better at painting. I should really work on getting walkers(need at least 3. 1 is kinda lame) and more officers to split my massive 6 squad platoon into two smaller 3 squad platoons. Each Platoon would be attached to a Leman Russ. The Armored Fist will be tasked with seizing objectives since they can move quicker. The Stormtroopers will drop in and Tank Bust with the Plasma Gun and the Melta Gun...unless something terrible happens and they get dropped from the table. Thanks new rules....

Done? Done...Man, Brother Mark and I need to get the same day off so we can go to the Bunker and actually field our armies.

-Cleric 

...A soul sucking Monday with no one showing for the allotted Task Shift left me to deal with all the change over in two hours.

A soul sucking Summer Monday also brings in herds of children who should know better than to stay out until 11.

A soul sucking Summer Monday with Staci opening the next day. I always have a lot of live up to when Staci opens the next day. I feel needlessly guilty when I don't live up to most of her unobtainable standards, but if she wasn't as an....a perfectionist as she is...um...she wouldn't be as good at her job.

Brett has been giving a set of keys for later on in the week. So we're at four key holders. Mark says five would be nice. I told him no...again.  

Really, I don't even know what to call today. It wasn't really a day off in the most formal sense since I got a text from Staci wondering if I could cover the last two hours of her 9-5 which for her, became a 7:15-whatever due to the bus scheduling. It's very hard for me to say no. Even harder to say no to Staci. I have a feeling this is why in the old days they would get her to call me in if a shift needed covering. Now they just don't bug me since I don't have that many days off.

So I came in, did my do hours...left. She was...grateful...I think. I can never tell. At least she bought me a coffee which is a necessity whenever I work.  

"That Thing You Do!" is my desert island movie. I could watch it over and over again and never get sick of it. "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium" is on that list too since, yes...that June Inventory morning on her birthday when we watched it almost the entire day. "Hellboy" is on there too. I have a feeling it'll be kicked off by The Golden Army later this week. 

Techpreist? Done and Done. It came out pretty good considering I did the whole thing in one day. The last 40k purchase will be the apocalypse box of Ogryns. Can't really pass that up considering you get 10 Ogryns,  a Cadian Officer and a Commissar for 250 when an Ogryns is 25 each. I say last purchase since I'll be saving up all my funds during August so I have a pad when I go back to school and no longer get a fulltime paycheck every couple weeks...Or I could just play with that I have...Ogryns are fun to play with, but I don't feel like assembling 10 big ass pewter models....

I worked out what I currently have and it is pretty awesome. If I just keep em' at range, I won't need the Ogryn....until I get the skills to convert Warhammer Ogres on the cheap. I should focus more on walkers than Orgyn anyway. Walkers are cheaper...and plastic...

The new CoH patch released in the morning will fix TA. Thank goodness.

Today is also the meeting I have to go to for work....Apparently the Lt. Col is "Excited" that I'm coming. (Sigh)....

(Sigh)

Thursday is a task shift. Friday is the 11:30-7 and Saturday off...Yay.

Done? Done...

-Cleric  

Friday? I don't even know what Friday was really. My odd 12:30 to 8 became a...11:45 to 8 since I had to cover for *insert random girl's name* since he is still out with a bum knee. Usually, we'd have no problem with that...but he hasn't called in sick recently and no one is able to raise him through standard forms of communication. Needless to say, we're unimpressed with three of the four new people. Whether they quit outright, fail to call in sick and never show up or simply don't care. However, the last one still works.

Today was a good day off. Pyro and I say Hellboy 2 which was every bit the better film than the first one. Also, something primal about Selma Blair(mmmmmmmm, Selma Blair) popping the thumb break on her Glock 17 during the final fight. I probably missed some very subtle injokes in the Troll Market since I haven't seen Pan's Labryth yet. Probably a beastie from that film floating around the market....

"I'm not a baby, I'm a tumor."  

I also picked up the 5th edition of the 40k rulebook...Dave sucked me in to getting the Line of Sight Marker...which was totally worth it. I'm a little worried than Jen is aware of plans Mark has for my birthday...of course, we did the same thing with Mark, asking Jen what would be the best fit for what he had...that was hard...since, ya know....Mark is the guy who bought the Battle Company.

Close Sunday...Monday off for Tuesday Inventory...finally. I don't have to work into an Inventory...Predictably Wednesday off...with Thursday-Sunday full tilt.  

"In Bruges" was just as good as I thought it was. I pretty much called it as a dark hitman comedy with awesome performances from all involved. Even Ralph Finnes and he was only really in the last half hour. Oh, subtitles are a must...I don't even know what Colin Farrel is saying half the time, but this is usually.

...Grace asked to switch shifts with her today. Nope. Didn't happen. Sure, I'd get Sunday off which would be nice for Pyro's Grad thing, but it'll be over by the time I work anyway....and come on, I've done enough Saturday shifts. I can have a few off in a row....

Staci called me after and wondered if I took Grace's shift. I informed her no. She hung up on me. I didn't put too much thought into it as Staci can get a little grumpy from time to time...(Happy Feet PJ Bottom's notwithstanding...Yeah, that made no sense, I just thought about them because she wore them as I was leaving after I hung out with Mark on Thursday.) Staci called back a while later and apologized for being so blunt. She'd only slept an hour the night before and had a pretty crappy morning. She wasn't mad at me...and apparently, she swore in front of a customer during our conversation while taking on her phone (I no longer answer calls from work on Saturday.)

...Yeah, that went nowhere. I just wanted to have that story down for no reason at all...

Wait, did my Rival openly declare feelings for Staci and now she's shunned him? Really, I don't know how to feel about that. Oh, Staci did mention him in passing Friday morning...since apparently we have the same birthday, the same astrological sign yet are complete opposites. Staci is into astrology. Claims I'm more like a Libra or whatever. I chalk that up to being born early. I was supposed to be born in October. She said that would make more sense.

Yeah, I got nothing else. I already got Dark Knight tickets. I accidentally ordered two...since I ordered them at the same time as Hellboy tickets. Saint was my Plan A...but she's already going with other friends to an IMAX showing. Plan B is Pyro...B is for Brother...Saint came up with plan C...Confidential to family members...also known as Plan OMFG...She wants me to invite Dani. Sure....Right. Whatever. It's worth a shot...Hey, she likes Heath...

-Cleric  

Blah deeba Blah, blip blipiddy Boo...I don't care just get him some pants! Some Ants Toot! Clanky.

            Yep. So it begins. This is the proper way to do an inventory. Stay up all night. Sleep all day. Stay up all night again. Sleep all day again. Go to work like normal Thursday. Actually, it's a 11-3 Task shift, but knowing my luck I'll get roped in for some more.

No. I will NOT feel guilty about not taking a Saturday shift. I've done my fair share of odd and soul draining shifts over my three years so I won't feel bad that one of the *Newbies* had to do One. Please. 12 to 12. Yes, it's rough. Talk to me when you've done the fourth one. Or worked 11:30-7 12-8 Shifts.

I rarely get Saturdays off. I don't care if *Newbie* wasn't back from her vacation on time either. That is not my problem. I'll only feel truly guilty of Brother Mark and/or Staci was compromised in anyway...and maybe The Sarge...but he's smart enough to not get himself into bad situations like that anymore. Oh...and Brett, but since he's not taking that many shifts himself these days(and I once took his inventory), it's all good. Not like I can control the fact he's Faux Closing Tuesday night anyway. I'll be sound asleep...as will Staci and the Sarge. Well, Staci...probably not. I'd like to think so. 

            I'm wide awake and you're wide awake
            And I don't think that I'm getting tired at all
            I'm wide awake and you're wide awake
            And we're nothing more than Vampires in Love.

Thanks Marvelous 3! Man, I've been quoting that song for years. I only recently got their album with that on it through iTunes.  

            It was Pyro's unofficial grad party. Apparently it's been a tradition for a few years now. I can only remember my own, Ian's and now Pyro's. I probably was around for the earlier ones, but I was a tiny kid on the floor...Pyro noted to mum that he didn't care about grad and no one else should. Mum simply said the family needs an excuse to get together and talk about stuff.

Somehow, Ian likes "Be Your Own Pet" but only through albums, after hearing they suck live. I told him all the stories he heard were true as the crazy lead singing was booed off stage while calling the entire crowd virgins and smashing her beer bottle at her feet. Brat.

Oh, and they made me throw up. Though, after debriefing that with "experts." I should have returned to normal the moment I left the Commodore if it was only the vibrations messing with me "Fight Club*" style...

I shouldn't have thrown up three times on the Skytrain on the way home. As Staci said, "No worries folks, he's just Ill...not Drunk." So let's blame the aspartame loaded pumpkin pie(Fuck you Safeway), The hard tiny Rockstar(Fuck you Commodore Bar) and Bananas a Whey from Booster Juice I had with Staci that afternoon (F-...no, I can't stay mad at you Booster Juice**. *hugs*)

*it's mentioned in the book in passing. The Narrator( I refuse to call him Jack) mentions Tyler doesn't like going to clubs as the vibrations mess with his bio rhythms. Or something of the like. It's been a while since I've read Fight Club.   

**Yep, Can't find that Natalie Portman SNL Booster Juice sketch anymore on Youtube. Awwww  

            Brother Mark still hasn't picked up his 5th Edition book yet, but he definitely will let Dave suck him in to getting the LoS Markerlight since it has a badass crosshair pattern on it. Completely and utterly worth the fourteen I paid.

Brother Mark and I should throw together a 500 pts army and smash it out at the GW. Oh, if he calls it "Gee-Dubb" one more time I might lose it. I have a feeling he got it from Lucas...meaning I can hate it just as much as I like without feeling bad about Brother Mark.

That's just as bad as "Tee-Dot" and we all know how much I hate that.  

            By the way, Low point Guard formations are apparently very difficult to form. I can barely fit my 2 troop choices and Command HQ into 500 pts without sacrificing a tank later on. I might have to field the basilisk in a 500 pt formation. Since it's only base 100 pts and mine doesn't have that much gear on it. The Leman Russ is 140 base and I still have to cram on the front heavy bolter and Sponson bolters for my "Anti infantry Command Tank."

 I've been meaning to do another "Things I Hate" entries. Yet when I get home from work I'm no longer angry enough to sustain such an entry. The big one from today is "Parents and Children." Sometimes I just hate Children when they are without parents for guidance. They end up saying and/or doing stupid things. However, parental influence can almost make things worse. Please...renting your 6-8 year old GTA IV.....just because he says it's not violent.

I had a conversation with Pyro about the fact people are complaining about the M Rating the forthcoming Diablo 3 title will get. Saying it'll no longer be as accessible to kids as WoW was....People are calling for the game to be toned down. Come on, that’s like turning Grand Theft Auto into "Misdemeanor." ...Or “Indictable Offense” if you're in Canada....I thought that was hilarious….

Staci said a couple days ago she wanted to get throwing knives. For a moment, I was excited. Then I thought about my mum and got worried....I don't want her to kill my mum. I LOVE MOTHER! 

Ok, besides the villains already in the Chris Nolan Batman movies (I'm including Two-Face in this) name me another Batman Rouges Gallery member that could fit in for the third movie...Pyro and I kept coming back to Bane...and when we thought about it. If you leave out the Joker...Batman has some pretty shit*** villains. He wanted Mr. Freeze but too much has been done already and we can't forget Arnie. Bane only gets a mention because we all know he was the one to end Batman after breaking his back in Batman: Knightfall. Oooer.

**Everyone who has appeared in the 1966 Adam West...the Joker(Shave the mustache Romero!)....Egghead(Smart, yet stupid at the same time), King Tut, Mr. Freeze(beaten by Bat Long underwear)..., The Riddler, Sandman etc....Pyro actually said Halle Berry should be Catwoman in a Chris Nolan film. I told him to sod off. At she showed up for her Razzie. That takes guts.

Mmm, Staci is now literally a deadly combination of knives and leather. My God, she's trying to become a super villain of some sorts! Like Catwoman or something! Oh, Nikki Notarile’s Catwoman still rocks now that I think of it again…but Chris should not have used a Sin City quote in Catwoman: The Diamond Exchange…please, everyone wants to cut someone in ways that’ll make em’ useless to a woman but not everyone can say it and mean it…. Clive Owen said it best….Oh, I always like someone who comes back and says they liked “Closer.” While I did not recommend it, she did ask  my biased opinion on it. Mmmmm, Natalie Portman…

Yeah, Staci was right…I was in denial…I’ve always found Natalie Portman sexually interesting…Ok. Post 1999 Natalie Portman…I still want to be her study buddy….Natalie…not Staci….Pfff, Staci and would get nothing done academically. Even less than I would with a sexually interested Natalie Portman…

Done? Done...I have to find other things to do.

-Cleric