Mr. Asshole

So earlier today I took my kids to Wal-Mart to exchange two shirts that I had bought yesterday for my daughter. They were a size too small and we just needed to get one size larger for each and then my son had some birthday money to spend from a few weeks ago and then I needed to pick up a couple of things.

We headed over to the customer service desk and I explained it to the lady and then we went and found the same shirts easily and got a size larger for each and then headed back up front.

When we get there, there's two people behind the counter both assisting customers. We end up waiting behind them and when the first lady finishes with the customer, the customer leaves and the lady looks real busy still so we don't move - I was waiting on her to say something to me because it was obvious we were waiting.

Well, at that moment, this guy walks past us and right up to her and starts talking to her...

Now, this is a pretty tough looking dude. He actually looked like he might've been taking steroids or something.. lol ..but I didn't let that stop me from saying something:

"Hey man, there's a line here."

He turns around and says the following - laced with ALL kinds of pissy-attitude:

"Well is okay if I just ask the lady a question?!"

I say: "Yeah, sure."

It turns out, he's waving a pair of gym shorts in the air and mentioning that he just wanted to exchange them and he had already brought the original pair up there and they were behind this lady.

Interesting. He's there for pretty much the same thing we are.

So, of course, I speak up again:

"That's funny, we're here for the exact same reason. We're *waiting in line* to exchange these shirts for my daughter."

He turns around and gives me a dirty look and, before he could say anything, the lady says she's busy finishing something up and then she asks him to step to the back of the line.

lol

He reluctantly walks around and stands behind me.

I couldn't resist, even though he could've totally pounded me into the ground, I say:

"See? Now you're right where you belong -- BEHIND ME."

...and I smile and turn back around.

lol

...

It was then that he actually has the nerve to say - this time laced with plenty of sarcasm:

"Ya know, you're being a *real* good example for your kids here..."

I turned back towards him, pretty furious at this point but holding it in, and I say:

"Don't you worry about the example *I* am for *my* children. I'm a great example for them -- and right now I'm showing them that you shouldn't let someone else cut in front of you in line, that you should instead speak up and stand up for yourself."

Then the lady makes eye contact with me and I could tell she was ready to assist us.

(I'm pretty sure the roid head make another smartass comment but right now I can't remember.)

Anyway, after she does her scanning and printing of the receipt and after I sign it and all that jazz - we're now ready to go.

I turn around and as I'm walking past Mr. Asshole I say:

"Come on kids... and hey, just remember: no matter how old you are, you should never let someone bully you around."

All he could come up with was: "Shut up."

So, I smiled at him and said:

"You have a nice day, sir!"

lol

...

Asshole.

This fire burns.. always.

(Originally posted by me on another blog on March 22, 2008)

This fire burns.. always.

Current mood:determined

"This Fire" - By Killswitch Engage
["When Daylight Dies" Special Edition Track]


All I’ve ever wanted was destiny to be fulfilled,
it is in my hands, I must not fail,
I must not fail.

Even through the darkest days,
this fire burns, always.
this fire burns, always.

This is the broken ground
Misery begins to rise.
Turn away from yesterday,
tomorrow’s in my eyes.

Nevermore to be held down
by the wings of history.
Nevermore to be cast aside,
this day is mine.

Even through the darkest days,
this fire burns, always.
this fire burns, always.

I will not be denied
in this final hour.
I will not be denied,
this day is mine.

The passion inside me,
is burning, is burning.
The passion inside me,
is burning, is burning.

Even through the darkest days,
this fire burns always (always).
This fire burns (fire burns) always.

Always (always).

This band never lets me down... Awesome music, awesome lyrics and I always seem to come across new songs or certain lyrics of theirs at just the right times, too. I love these guys.

Let It Go

(Originally posted by me on another blog of mine on March 22, 2008)

"Let it Go"

By Bishop T. D. Jakes (Taken from a friend's blog. The line I put in italics and bold really stood out to me... Just thought I'd share.) There are people who can walk away from you. And hear me when I tell you this! When people can walk away from you: let them walk. I don't want you to try to talk another person into staying with you, loving you, calling you, caring about you, coming to see you, staying attached to you. I mean hang up the phone. When people can walk away from you let them walk. Your destiny is never tied to anybody that left. The Bible said that, they came out from us that it might be made manifest that they were not for us. For had they been of us, no doubt they would have continued with us. [1 John 2:19] People leave you because they are not joined to you. And if they are not joined to you, you can't make them stay. Let them go. And it doesn't mean that they are a bad person it just means that their part in the story is over. And you've got to know when people's part in your story is over so that you don't keep trying to raise the dead. You've got to know when it's dead. You've got to know when it's over. Let me tell you something. I've got the gift of good-bye. It's the tenth spiritual gift, I believe in good-bye. It's not that I'm hateful, it's that I'm faithful, and I know whatever God means for me to have He'll give it to me. And if it takes too much sweat I don't need it. Stop begging people to stay. Let them go!! If you are holding on to something that doesn't belong to you and was never intended for your life, then you need to...... LET IT GO!!! If you are holding on to past hurts and pains ..... LET IT GO!!! If someone can't treat you right, love you back, and see your worth..... LET IT GO!!! If someone has angered you ......... LET IT GO!!! If you are holding on to some thoughts of evil and revenge...... LET IT GO!!! If you are involved in a wrong relationship or addiction...... LET IT GO!!! If you are holding on to a job that no longer meets your needs or talents ..... LET IT GO!!! If you have a bad attitude....... LET IT GO!!! If you keep judging others to make yourself feel better...... LET IT GO!!! If you're stuck in the past and God is trying to take you to a new level in Him...... LET IT GO!!! If you are struggling with the healing of a broken relationship....... LET IT GO!!! If you keep trying to help someone who won't even try to help themselves........ LET IT GO!!! If you're feeling depressed and stressed ...... LET IT GO!!! If there is a particular situation that you are so used to handling yourself and God is saying "take your hands off of it,"then you need to...... LET IT GO!!! Let the past be the past. Forget the former things. GOD is doing a new thing for 2008!!! LET IT GO!!! Get Right or Get Left .. think about it, and then ... LET IT GO!!!

FFXI Update

Just an update on my FFXI progress... however slow it may be..............



My Dark Knight is now level 70 and nearly 71. I swear I can't wait to get it to 75 and merit some with my Red Mage and spending those merits on my DRK. I still love RDM to death but DRK is just so much more fun for me. I can't wait to be able to take it to Dynamis and Sky...

Oh and yeah, I unlocked Scholar and Dancer. Big deal. lol I love partying with Dancers on my DRK but it doesn't really seem like a job I'd wanna level up. I tried Scholar out a little bit and I've now partied with one that was around level 70. I think I'd like to play around with it later at some point, but... whenever I need a break from my Dark Knight, (lol - I don't really see that happening, though), I'll be leveling up my Blue Mage that is currently still level 40. That job is TONS of fun as well. =)

A History Lesson

As of starting this thing here, I have been playing FFXI since October of 2004 and my current jobs and levels are as follows:

RDM75 / DRK61 / BLU40 / WHM37 / BLM37 / NIN37 / SAM32 / THF32 / SMN31 / WAR29 / BRD26 / MNK21 / DRG14 / RNG13 / PLD12 / BST10 / COR06 / PUP02

The first online game I ever played was the Twisted Metal Black: Online deal that Sony did with the Playstation 2. Most people sent off for the online disc and never received it, although it took me quite some time, I finally did receive mine and loved playing it online. I spent quite a while on it and made some friends there, but I still think it would've been so much better if it would've supported headsets way back then.
Later I got hooked on Socom and Socom II. I really miss those days at times. I played some Socom 3 late in 2006 but it just really didn't have the same feel to me.
Anyway, the way I got started on FFXI is kind of interesting seeing as how I never liked the older FF games at all. When the PS2 HDD came out I knew I had to have it because of the online maps for Socom II that Sony was planning on releasing. After wearing those maps out, though, at one point I got to thinking about where the rest of my money had went for that HDD and decided to check out FFXI just for the hell of it. I figured, "Hey.. there's a free month there - why not? Not like I'd ever pay for a FF game!" lol
Wow, was I ever wrong.
I've met some really awesome people playing FFXI and its still not gotten boring to me. Okay, sure... I'm leveling Dark Knight now and looking for parties can totally suck at times, but there's always something to do in the meantime let alone being online and talking with friends.
I figured with starting this blog that I'd give a bit of history on how I got started playing FFXI as well as some in-game history as far as Linkshells go, (read: "Guilds" to those familar with WoW out there).
When I was that poor, pitiful elvaan white mage leveling in noob parties in Valkurm Dunes during the teen levels, I met a small group of people who took me to Korroloka Tunnel. It was there that Edmon or Jesie gave me a pearl to "The13Warrior" Linkshell. I stayed there for quite a long time and made many friends that I've stayed in touch with all this time. At some point, though, things there just seemed to sour for me and a few others. I remember an insane amount of newer people being brought in and it just seemed that there was so much childish nonsense cluttering up my screen all the time... it was time for a move. Some friends from there had already departed and made a small shell and I was glad when they welcomed me into that linkshell. This was the "LordsAndLadies" LS. At the time, it was Mobiusrenoire, Gedatsu, Liset, Sasquatch and myself. (Yes, it saddens me to type those names as I realize that all four of them no longer play.) Anyway, this LS went on to grow and endure the test of time... accumlating more and more top-notch people that just wanted to help each other achieve goals that the individuals in this group had set out for themselves. Eventually, though, all good things......
You know the rest.
During my time with the LandL linkshell, Gedatsu and Liset both joined the high-level/end-game linkshell CHANGEofFATE. Liset kept suggesting I apply, and finally after quite some time of trying to level as high as I could, I did and I was accepted. CoF is and has always been an excellent group of people who all know the ins and outs of so many things in FFXI that most of the time it can feel a bit overwhelming. There's been many changes in members there over time as well, but its still the only place I'd wanna be for high-level/end-game stuff in the game. Due to scheduling conflicts, I haven't been able to make it to many events at all with CoF, but recently my work schedule has changed so I'm hoping to make it to more of them now.
Anyway, after Mobiusrenoire quit once last year and we continued LandL under the linkshell name of "Mobius" (in honor of him), he came back and the LS was renamed "LadiesAndLords". After sky-rocketing Thief to somewhere around level 70 faster than I had ever even thought possible, Mobiusrenoire decided it was time to finally quit for good. After holding on for a while, the LandL linkshell was slowly dwindling away as more and more people were venturing elsewhere.
Time for change came once again a few months ago. A handful of us from LandL merged with the "EuphoricTranquility" linkshell. I must say, it was rather strange to be in a new LS again after so long with LandL. The change has been a good one, though. There are many good, friendly and helpful people there and I can say that it does feel like home to me now. I'm proud to be a part of the E.T. linkshell and I'm extremely thankful that they welcomed us in like they did.

I also wanted to mention that I got the Xbox360 when the FFXI Beta was going on and got involved with a character on the beta server for a while in Spring of 2006, that was interesting. I was even able to move him to Remora and keep all my items I had earned. (Yay for selling the Drain scroll for profit on Remora! Woot!) I now even have FFXI for my PC, although I need a good graphics card before I'd ever seriously try to play it on here. That's just how addicted I am to this game. I can play it on Xbox360 (my system of choice), my PS2 or my PC if anything ever happens to one, I have backups!! Yay! lol
I never thought I'd get so addicted to this game...