Tommy Lane's Blog

A Rare Survey - What I Did in 2008

1. What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before? 

I took a bus to Montreal, Canada in the summer. I took my Brompton folding bike with me and rode all over that city. I had a blast.

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year? 
I never make New Year's resolutions.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? 
A few friends at work gave birth.

4. Did anyone close to you die? 
No, thank God.

5. What countries did you visit? 
Canada.

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008? 
A bigger place to live and a higher salary.

7. What date from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? 
None, really.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? 
Passing Emergency Action Plan Director test for work. (tough test)

9. What was your biggest failure? 
I don't consider that I failed in anything in 2008.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? 
No, just the usual allergies and sinus problems.

11. What was the best thing you bought? 
Mac Pro, Macbook Pro and Canon EOS 50D.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? 
My niece won an honorary Emmy for a song of hers that was used on the Simpsons.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? 
Two women I know had appalling behavior but didn't get depressed over it. 

14. Where did most of your money go? 
Food and technology.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? 
Going to Canada. Hearing from friends I lost contact with years ago.

16. What song will always remind you of 2008? 
A number of Beatles songs played at a Fab Faux concert; My Sweet Lord and He Said, She Said, stand out the most from that show.

17. Compared to this time last year, you are: 
About the same except one year older. :)

18. What do you wish you'd done more of? 
Exercising. Traveling. Visiting family.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of? 
Procrastinating.

20. How will you be spending New Years? 
I'm staying home and relaxing tonight. Might watch "Vantage Point". Tomorrow I'm going to visit a friend I haven't seen in over a year.

21. What was the most embarrassing thing that happened to you in 2008? 
I don't embarrass easily. I take things in stride.

22. Did you fall in love in 2008? 
No, I didn't fall in love, but I love......

23. How many one-night stands? 
None, really. 

24. What was your favorite TV program? 
Dexter, The Shield, Californication

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? 
I don't hate people. I just don't associate with people who are bad company for me.

26. What was the best book you read? 
The book I enjoyed the most in 2008 was "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" by Philip K. Dick (great science fiction writer)

27. What was your greatest musical discovery? 
Meet Glen Campbell 2008. He's old, but he's still great.

28. What did you want and get? 
Mac Pro, Macbook Pro, Canon 50D, iphone

29. What did you want and not get? 
N/A

30. What was your favorite film of this year? 
Michael Clayton is one of them. The Decalogue series by Kieslowski is another.

31. What did you do on your birthday?
I went to someone else's birthday party.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? 
Better health; allergy free existence. 

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008? 
Always the same; classic.

34. What kept you sane? 
God

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? 
Don't know. 

36. What political issue stirred you the most? 

37. Who did you miss? 
My Dad, Paulette, family.

38. Who was the best new person you met? 
Met quite a few; all standouts in their own way.

 39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008. 
When things appear to be going well, watch out.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. 
Please don't wake me, Please don't shake me, Leave me where I am, I'm only sleeping.  

Chickpea Hummus Plate

Lunch from Chickpea

This is what I had for lunch today. Inexpensive and tasty. Also it is conveniently located across the street.

Internet Presence

When googling my name, Tommy Lane, especially when you put the two together; a priest, an actor, a wrestler and yours truly come up on the first page. It seems my name is more popular than I realized. People have always told me that its a great stage name. I don't think my parents planned that, but nevertheless, that's the way it sounds. I was simply named after my paternal grandfather.

I have had this vox account for over two years now. I have rarely used it because I have a Live Journal account that I use instead. I was intending to switch over to this at one point but my home was really Live Journal. Since there is a plug in that allows me to write in vox and have it post automatically in Live Journal, I'm going to start writing in vox more often. That means that not only will my flickr page, website page, and  youtube page show up in google but now my vox journal page will show up, too. That and $2.00 will get me on the subway.

I hope I can become a little more creative with my entries. I want to post more pictures, more information and may even start doing video at some point. 

Since I like being knowledgeable about nutrition, among other things, I ordered this book that a friend of mine told me about yesterday. It's not usually in stores. I guess its not that popular with most people, so the book stores don't keep them in stock. It does however have great reviews and ratings by those who have read and reviewed it. There is a website where you can buy it, but I just special ordered it from Barnes and Noble. When it comes in, they'll call me and I'll go pick it up. It gives me a chance to use that $25.00 B&N gift certificate that I was given last week from a friend., 

The China Study: The Most Comprehensive Study of Nutrition Ever Conducted

T. Colin Campbell

Merry Christmas

I'm not taking the time to do anything today. I'm just thankful to have a day off to rest. I actually got a call from the office today asking me to come in tonight to work. Of course, I said NO. I could have worked my regular shift but I decided to take the holiday off which I am entitled to do. It would have been overtime pay, of course, but I needed a break.

I appreciate Christmas, but in general, I don't like holidays where everything shuts down. I like the hustle and bustle of the city; being able to walk into stores to shop, restaurants to eat, trains and buses not running on holiday schedules. I don't feel like going through the hassle of waiting for trains to visit my immediate family members and their families only to have to do the same waiting and hassling to get back home. If I didn't have to work tomorrow, I would go through the trouble. 

Holiday shopping, though, is for the birds. I left three store lines yesterday because they were just too long. You could see that the cashiers couldn't wait to get out of there. One line I stayed on, shut down when I was the next one to check out because the girl had to change the print out tape. Instead of asking me to wait while she did that, (I'd already been waiting a while to get to her), she shut down and told me to go on the only other line which was incredibly long. I put back my would be purchases and left.

At Whole Foods yesterday, I picked up the baked goods that I wanted and went to pay for them where I've paid many times before; at the customer service desk. In the past, they said they will let you pay for bakery goods there. I stood online, watched 3 people before me pay for their merchandise, then the cashier says to me, "are you returning something?" I said, "No, I just want to pay for these bakery items." She said, "you have to go on the regular line for that," the length which I couldn't see because it was in the back. After I got back there, I saw how backed up the line was and couldn't wait so I brought the baked goods back to the customer service counter and left them there.  I told the girl that I couldn't wait on that long line. 

If you're going to have rules, maintain them at all times, not just when you feel like it.

I'm a pretty patient individual, but that was ridiculous. Thank goodness for online shopping and gift certificates. No more holiday shopping for me. :P