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If there is ever a zombie invasion, I am so kicking ass Left 4 Dead style.

Today has been a productive day! Spent the first part of the day waiting in a doctors office, reading notes on SML. Ma had to go in early over something with her meds. After that, we took about an hours ride to an army/navy surplus shop located in the same city, as Doc Holiday was born in, interestingly.

While the selection on some things could have been better, the prices there were awesome: typically 30%-50% less than what the ones in Atlanta are displaying in their e-stores, not to mention several estores in general. It was also nice that most things are stocked in ACU/Woodland camo depending on the age, plus black or navy blue and olive drab variants. Despite what some people (like airsoft players) may choose, I refuse to wear an army camo uniform and ACU-patterned gear without enlisting. I would consider it disrespectful, even if it’s cheaper than going to Walmart for civilian cloths. Something like combat boots on the other hand are a different story!

They only cost about half of what most places have had to offer, and I have been wanting military style boots for ages. I have never had *real* decent footwear in my life and well, when I am seen looking for shoes, it usually means the ones I’m wearing just redefined the words “Riding a dead horse”. In this case, I currently have a large cache of “Hand me down” sneakers: experience has lead me to believe military boots would do way better. The army/navy surplus store had the type of jungle boots that I had wanted but these ones were just such a better fit for me, and just a wee bit more in price than the black leathers. The fact that the only shoes I ever loved were lace-less black suede shoes, means that I know exactly how durable that material can be—plus unlike the black leather Jungle and Tactical boots they had stocked, these suckers don’t need polishing!!! My new boots are probably not going to take wet weather in the way I would like, but I have seen suede take some heavy punishment, so at least I know the bloody things will last in the environments I frequent. I’ve also learned the hardway not to let very heavy things land on my toes lol. In comparing the leather blacks and the tan suede’s, both had sole structures that would likely out live my feet: unlike most of the sneakers I’ve had to make do with. That is the part that usually gives out on me first, wearing down to a couple of millimetre worth of outsole between me and the ground; well give or take wearing a shoe until what’s left of the outsole splits off from the rest of the shoe xD. Also in favour of the suede boots is the gripping insole pad and the type of nylon is a much more breathable kind than the regular jungles have. I guess being made for Temperate Weather has its upsides; it’s not like I’m going swimming in them either. Unfortunately the only socks they had to go with it were an order of magnitude larger than my size, so I ended up buying a pair from Walmart. Usually I skip socks as a matter of comfort, I’m in shoes to much; in this case however I want decent socks lol. The ones I’ve just gotten will have to do…

In poking around at what they had, including the packs, MOLLE gear, and tactical vests, I found boonie hats in just about every colour and camo an American could possibly dream of finding lol. Was a little more expensive than what I wanted to pay but I used to have one and found it worked well in wet weather. I reckon it ought to be good for walking under the hot sun too, so I bought myself an OD boonie hat! Been wanting to find a new one because my old stopped fitting a couple years back. In Georgia, most of the time I don’t wear a hat unless it’s raining but that should probably change, at least when out for a long walk. When I was a child, I liked umbrellas for wet weather because you can sword fight with them in between outings in the storm. Dripping rain coats are also not my bag and I’m to old to have fun otherwise in the rain. A good hat is all I want when it is pouring down rain! I’m kind of weird about rainy weather, love being out in it, long as my feet stay drier than walking in a puddle.

While we were in the store, I also nabbed a dark web belt to supplement my grandfathers. As I got heavier in weight over the years, I gave up on ‘regular’ belts and adapted an heirloom instead. Grandpa’s web belt has been able to keep pace with my waist, even after dropping several jean sizes lol. It was something he picked up in World War II during his time in the Navy, and despite being over 65 years old, it still kicks the ass of any other belt I have ever encountered. As long as it keeps my pants up and is quick to put on/take off, I’m happy beltwise. I just don’t want to be bothered! The one I bought for $5 has a cheaper belt buckle and lacks the strange character (I assume a Japanese character or some meaningful symbol from the look of it) on my grandfathers but this one has the actual belt itself made from a more modern nylon. It’s like a fraction of the quality of my grandfathers’ web belt but, unlike grandpa’s I don’t have to worry about wearing out a family heirloom!

On the way back home, of course we had to stop at Walmart for ma to do grocery shopping >_>. My mother also had to point out that I took longer to shop for boots than she took at the doctors lolololol. Tomorrow is a trip to the pharmacy and some more shopping, so hopefully I’ll get to break in my new boots. That reminds me, I need to wash the socks!

This is a geekasim waiting to happen, but when will we finally get PHASERS!!!

While I generally have a passive nature, get my dander up enough, and I make ready for war.

Some how looking at pidgin in English, I can’t help but find it odd…. after so much time on my laptop, where it’s displayed in German lol.

Make me waste 45 minutes to do 10 minutes of work when I’m trying to get everything sorted *promptly*, in order to minimise the number of things that can go wrong tomorrow.

That and generating a splitting headache in the process.

Stopped off at the library to return last weeks book (one of Shakespeare’s comedies), and checked out two more: one on sewing and one on fishing. The latter, obviously because I haven’t gone fishing in years and years! The former, both because I’ve always been interested in how things are sewn by hand, and because I’ve had an interesting idea.

Since I’m now ‘issued’ my mothers cell phone whenever I’m out without her (if I wanted a chaperone in the car, I would go courting, not driving around), it would be easier to carry if my jeans had leg pockets instead of the usual waist pockets. Some what like a pair of military trousers have, well American ones anyway. Possessing both a frugal mind and an engineers heart, of course rather than buy new pants meeting that criteria, my first query is to figure out whether it’s practical to use some old jeans for raw materials and graft such pockets onto the pairs I use, lol. I know I can figure out enough to do such a thing eventually, the question is how to do it properly by hand with the material involved. Having to answer my mothers “Where the **** are you?” call today while I was sitting in traffic at a red light, is a prime example of why such a modification is worth scouting out. I would likely be cussed at if I don’t answer, even if it’s not easily fished out of a waste pocket when you’re behind a wheel, let along that I refuse to chatter on a cell phone while actively driving. Period. Whenever my mother’s involved, you can bet it is a lose, lose situation for me o/.

My main interest for the day however was checking out a certain fishing spot. I found 4 points of interest. One is within 15km of here, another (but very costly) one is about 65km away. Been there before, years ago. The other two are Georgia state parks, on the other flank (approx 20~30km SE of) Atlanta that it would never get past HRP. I purposely avoid locations near Atlanta because of her paranoia. The other is almost a good 100km to the south of here.

Today I wanted to check out the nearest one, since it’s located between the city limits and a neighbouring town. Someday I would like to check out that park to the south and go exploring, as well as see how it is on the fishing pier. Being in the opposite direction from Atlanta is a plus for getting permission to use the car, the downside is it’s far enough that I’ll need to buy gas to replace what’s used on such a trip—I’m not the kind to leave her with next to nil gas. I am the reasonable one here…

Since just getting use of the car for the afternoon was an argument of it’s own! I was so preoccupied over  whether it would be a driving or a walking mission, that I didn’t have time to plan the trip properly; so I ended up getting lost instead of finding my destination. To make it worse the gas station didn’t have any Twinkies! For some reason watching Tallahassee’s quest for the snacks throughout Zombieland has got twinkies on my brain for the first time in years :-/. Since it was my fault for not mapping it out, I replaced the petrol wasted and filled the tank while I was at it. Never mind that I would’ve planned correctly if I would not have to push just to get that far.

Personally I hate highway travel. The higher speeds burn gas much faster than local travel speeds (it’s an old ford)  and the windows need to be shut or fuel efficiency suffers even more; ma also has a standing (near 20 year long) order that the A/C is not to be used. Never mind that at GA highway speeds, it’s actually the most budget friendly way not to drive in a ’93 oven and arrive feeling like a drenched goat.

Spent some time exploring the local sporting goods store: despite what some have said, it actually has very good prices. My main interests being to grep the huntin’ fishing sector, and conclude some other ‘research’ on the way out. I expect what tackle I have stored will do, and my rod/wheel seems to be viable despite it’s lack of use; but it is always best to be prepared just in case.  Some how all that trip through the tackle only served to make me hungry, as odd as that sounds. Maybe I’m part fish? lol.

My research there was more aimed at biking than fishing. Where as most of yesterday was spent on the fish and work situations: last night I took some time to check through the stores online portal. The local shop prices own their online listings. Seems the best choice in this berg too. More specificly my poi was in cycle, helmet, hydration, plus a few associated odds and ends. Can’t know what the operating range is, but biking should be sufficient for my needs. Heck if I can walk like 30 klicks by foot and not get a heart attack, it shouldn’t be hard to do a few miles worth of peddlin’ a bicycle. An occasional snack bar and some water is cheaper than petrol anyway.

It would obviously be some what of a problem that I never learned to ride a bike growing up, kinda the apartment dwellers curse (no bikes, boards, skates, or anything else fun allowed). For the cost of human fuel and getting some much needed cardio-exercise, I’m not above breaking my neck in the figuring-it-out-the-hard-way, as there isn’t any ‘ideal’ places to pactice. Economy matters. For what the future holds, I would consider the massive price gaps between bicycle, motorcycle, and automobile, strongly in favour of building muscle. You need a driver’s license to get around in this freaking country, but you do not necessarily need a car to get around in.  It’s a wonder people don’t drink bath water more often; it’s become that stupid in America. I’m fully open to alternatives to driving, even if it’s likely to generate a few bruises.

That however is quite a fair ways off, it will take some measure of saving to afford that kind of kit anyway plans are sliced. It’ll probably be one of the first things on my private list to fall, once I’ve got a steady income to work with that is. How far way reaching that point in time will be, however is largely at the bitch on wheels’ mercy: because I’m not willing to work (locally or anywhere else in Georgia) unless it is proven, that I will have sufficient freedom with the car to be able to hold down a job without being screwed. It’s the principal of the matter. You don’t want to argue principals with a programmer, not even a totalitarian can win that debate. With a track record that can only breed my distrust, and the difference between road (35-55mph) travel speeds and foot (~3mph) travel speeds, even within comfortable walking distance: whether it’s pissing distance or long distance to get to work or anywhere else, I am not willing to be constrained—especially not by my mothers pathological paranoias: and the only way to ensure that (she) doesn’t come back to bite, is of course not having to rely on access to my mothers otherwise stationary vehicle. Reducing her costs would be one of the points of having a job anyway, including getting my own means of transport in the long haul. Which is obviously necessary for my long term plans.

Before heading home, I hit Walrus Country to search the sporting goods section in like wise fashion, and pick up a fishing license on my way out. Also had to pick something up that ma wanted. She almost owes me more money now than I have saved in my chequeing account lol. Fishing licenses are only needed off private property, but it’s worth having! Stopped off on the way home at another gas station in hopes of finding a Twinkie but had to settle for a LD mini coffee cake and strawberry roll :-(.

Seriously, someone must have gotten to people about cholesterol or something. What kind of world are we living in when gas stations stop selling twinkies!!!!

Somehow I find it highly offensive, that I can’t even go for a walk without being driven nuts; yet my mother is perfectly willing to enlist me to check on racket outside, instead of moving herself 8=).

What next, a lock and key?

The geniuses at Princeton have a lexical database of English, that in essence is a very terse, no frills dictionary; often one of the best sources for looking up the meaning of something. Today, I couldn’t help but smile—because they’ve kept up with the times.

Some how I could swear, the closer proximity I have to family, the worse my existence is.