Susie of Practical Penumbra wants to join the Bad Example Clan. SheÂ’s looking for people to vouch for her character. Yet again, she has over looked me as a regular reader. ThatÂ’s fine, there is a reason IÂ’m known as the unwanted stump.

IÂ’ll vouch for Susie. I like her blog, and sheÂ’s good reading. Her tails from the workplace make me feel better that IÂ’m not the only one that has management issues. However, I think sheÂ’s a lot nicer to her minions employees than I am

UPDATE: Apparently she didn't over look me, I must have over looked the link. If she had linked to me under Bad I probably would have found it.

Posted by: Contagion at 01:15 PM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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1 ... tales, my man, not tails... unless, of course, you know Susie a lot better than the rest of us....

Posted by: Eric at January 30, 2006 05:37 PM (r5XsL)

2 I wouldn't belong to any club who would stoop to having me as a member.

hehe hehe I said member. hehe.

Posted by: og at January 30, 2006 07:11 PM (+VKSJ)

3 Um, excuse me, but didn't I link you in the post? I was going to use "bad" for you, but I thought you might complain! ;P

Thanks for the voucher....the pictures are in the mail....

Posted by: Susie at January 30, 2006 10:10 PM (a0oF7)

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Laughing Wolf is putting on Wolf Fest (AKA Howl on the Prowl). Wolf Fest a blogmeet with a tour of the wolf park on February 18. (ie Wolf Fest... get it? Laughing WOLF, WOLF park... Wolf fest?!?! There you go!) All the details are in these three posts.

Ktreva and I where able to get a sitter for the boys, thus we are going to be there. I know I had said I wasn’t going to do any more blogmeets due to how uncomfortable I get around people. However, Ktreva really likes wolves. She thinks they are “pretty and cute”. Since she really wanted to go, and she had done all the nice stuff for me last weekend, I figured I would just push down my shyness one more time and go.

Therefore, if you want to see what IÂ’ve heard is a really nice wolf park, you want to meet the woman that jumped on the grenade for the rest of you ladies, or if demented enough actually to want to meet me this is your chance. Because this is definitely, the last blogmeet IÂ’m doingÂ…

Â… until the next one.

Posted by: Contagion at 12:46 PM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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Have I mentioned how great my wife is lately? No, well she is. You want to know why? After reading my post about Winchester closing down, do you know what she did? She took me out today and bought me a Winchester model 94 .30-30. How can you not love a woman that trusts you enough to buy you a firearm? She definitely is the greatest!

Since I was out and about and obviously someplace I could buy ammo, I figured I should. Especially since IÂ’m going to go shooting tomorrow.

I got all of that for under $100.00. For those of you trying to count, and I know at least a couple of you are, that is: 250 .357 rounds, 150 .38 special rounds and 150 .22LR rounds. That makes a grand total of 550 rounds. That should last about 2.5 hours at the rate I shoot.

Jealous, arenÂ’t you? (of both the wife and the ammo.)

Posted by: Contagion at 06:23 PM | Comments (10) | Add Comment
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1 Yay for you! She sure knows the way to a mans heart, that's for sure!

Posted by: Sarah at January 21, 2006 06:44 PM (kTbfH)

2 WOW! That's all I can say... 8^)

Posted by: Wes at January 21, 2006 11:03 PM (XKQLY)

3 She's a good woman. And I'm glad you realize how lucky you are. ;-) (don't tell anyone but honestly I think you're both pretty lucky - but that's because I'm crazy about your son!!)

Posted by: Tammi at January 21, 2006 11:11 PM (lfQya)

4 Not so much the ammo, as the wife and the rifle. Wish I'd sold some plasma...

Posted by: That 1 Guy at January 22, 2006 12:25 AM (4I2py)

5 Tammi, Ktreva could have done so much better then me.

Posted by: Contagion at January 22, 2006 08:15 AM (e8b4J)

6 Wow. You are a lucky, lucky man...

Posted by: Richmond at January 22, 2006 09:45 AM (e8QFP)

7 What's not to love? she's beautiful, she's rich, she buys you firearms, she's got huuuuge..


tracts of land...?

Posted by: og at January 22, 2006 10:47 AM (7y8gd)

8 Definitely jealous on the Model 94 purchase - especially in .30-.30... I've coveted one of those myself - but haven't had a good reason to buy one. Yer a lucky man, are you going to let her fire some of those rounds as well? That would be the tribute I demanded, in her shoes ;-)

Posted by: Barb at January 22, 2006 01:48 PM (g9qHI)

9 mmmm.... ammmo... :-)

Posted by: Harvey at January 23, 2006 06:56 AM (ubhj8)

10 Damn. I am so coming to visit.

Posted by: Ogre at January 23, 2006 02:42 PM (/k+l4)

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Talk about an end of an era. Winchester has gone Out with a Bang.

The worst part about the whole thing is that I can just see anti-gun fanatics dancing in the streets at the news of this. To me I feel sad. It makes me want to run out to the local gun shops and buy one right away, if I could afford it, just to make sure I could have one.

I love the Winchester model 94 .30-30 lever action. Graumagus of Frizzen Sparks (Deceased) had one that he let me fire. It was a great rifle, easy to shoot and damn accurate. For those of you that arenÂ’t sure what that is, think the stereotypical cowboy rifle.

Thanks to Og of Neanderpundit for the news.

Posted by: Contagion at 06:23 PM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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Well, I finally joined the 90Â’s tonight. I opened an eBay account and actually bid on some items. eBay has been one of those things that I never could get a grasp on; even tonight IÂ’m still having issues. Whenever I try to find something I like, I just donÂ’t seem to be able to find what I am looking for. ItÂ’s not that I have a problem with search engines, itÂ’s just that it throws back way too many items for me to sort through or it returns stuff that doesnÂ’t even remotely match what I was looking for.

While looking for something completely off the wall, I wasnÂ’t even looking to buy anything, I found a couple of items that where a steal at the price they are currently listed. Since, the bids where closing tonight, I thought IÂ’d go for it.

So far IÂ’ve won one of the items I was bidding on.

Hopefully I donÂ’t get taken.

Posted by: Contagion at 08:05 PM | Comments (9) | Add Comment
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1 Dude, Ebay is way too much fun....it'll cut way into your blogging time too if you don't watch it. Good luck, and don't get all carried away!!

Posted by: Sarah at January 11, 2006 08:38 PM (2FgS0)

2 Just remember not to get sucked in by the bidding - I see people all the time paying more than the thing's worth just so they "win"...

Posted by: Shadoglare at January 11, 2006 09:23 PM (xGKEm)

3 Some other advice: only bid on what you really want, check out the sellers (they have ways to do that) and buy me some Avenger tapes cheep. ;-)

Posted by: vw bug at January 12, 2006 05:56 AM (4oOot)

4 Ya, make sure you check out the shipping and handeling cost too. Unless things have changed since I've used it, there were some that put the cost of s&h all the way at the bottom and made up for the "great deal" I was getting on the product.

Posted by: Dr. Phat Tony at January 12, 2006 06:30 AM (fk/lm)

5 Thanks for all the good advice. The benefits of waiting 10 years to finally start using eBay is that I get the benefits of others mistakes. I'd heard many horror stories of over paying and what not, especially on the shipping and handling issue.

Posted by: Contagion at January 12, 2006 06:56 AM (Q5WxB)

6 Ahh, it is an addiction that I love.

Posted by: Oddybobo at January 12, 2006 08:44 AM (6Gm0j)

7 Ratings are everything, but they DO need investigation. Check to see what the negatives are for. If they are scarce, and/or left by people who can't spell and complained that the person failed to contact them within 3 seconds of the auction closing, then feel secure dealing with that person.

Posted by: Harvey at January 12, 2006 03:54 PM (ubhj8)

8 I can save you a lot of time an agony if you just send me your bank account number.

I'll make random transfers of large amounts out of your account and occasionally send you a package with some dog poo in it.

Posted by: Ogre at January 13, 2006 06:52 AM (/k+l4)

9 I don't remember how I did it at the moment, but there's a way to set your listing settings so that it shows you the cost of shipping right on the search list... comes in real handy...

So wadja buy me so far?

Posted by: Shadoglare at January 14, 2006 04:07 PM (5Gyp4)

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Before I start my post, I would like to take this time to that T1G of Drunken Wisdom for not only organizing, but also hosting Fritzfest Â’06. He deserves special recognition for all of his efforts and hard work put into bringing this event together.

Fritzfest, what can I say, IÂ’m still reeling from the fun and camaraderie of a 10 hour long party. We walked into the bar at about 11:30AM, other then T1G, my wife and I where the first bloggers to arrive. As I had promised, I wore a kilt and work boots. (Ladies, commence swooning now!) Instead of wearing a Packer jersey, I wore the Dr. Phat Tony shirt I won. I worked hard to win that; I wanted to show it off. (Ladies, you may stop swooning) After having a seat at the bar, I ordered some Jack Daniels. Hey, I figured just 45 minutes east of us it was already past noon! (Gotta love time zones)

I had met many of the people at least once before. Harvey and TNT where of course the normal blogging power couple that they are. Graumagus kept making excuses for not blogging (Tomorrow heÂ’ll be declared dead). Blackfive was there entertaining all with stories. Tammi was the social butterfly. Talula who was trying to take my place as the shy one and of course there was T1G who was exhausted from all the work he had done. Teresa was her normal regal self; she even made me kiss her ring again upon entering the building to show my fealty.

Now for the Bloggers I had never met before.

Sarah of ThatÂ’s Not Nice. Since she was from Minnesota I figured she would have the same accent as my relatives from up there, nope she was completely accentless. I donÂ’t know what she doesnÂ’t think is nice, but she seemed a very sweet lady that would charm the pants (or kilt) of anyone she spoke with.

Omnibus Driver and Buckaroo Bonsai of LeslieÂ’s Omnibus. Talk about genuinely nice people. It was a pleasure to talk with them. Omnibus Driver is one of those types of people that when you meet them you are pleasantly surprised by how kind hearted they are. I could see myself spending hours talking to her.

Richmond of One For The Road. First off I must say she was a beautiful woman. IÂ’ll admit I had only recently found her, so I wasnÂ’t sure what to expect. What I got was worth it. She was witty, intelligent and liked to point out in wonderment that Ktreva actually married me. Every time I turned around, her and Ktreva seemed to be chatting. No good comes from that.

Laughing Wolf of The Laughing Wolf. This is one of the bloggers that I wanted to meet, and I just didnÂ’t get a chance to talk to him enough. Unfortunately my shyness kept me from being able to start a conversation with him. Either that or he was scared of my kiltÂ… okay me in a kilt. Actually I think it was just a matter of every time I changed groups of people, he coincidently did the same thing. He told us we should all go down to the Wolf Park some time and IÂ’ll probably take him up on that. Especially since Ktreva likes wolves.

Og of Neanderpundit. This guy has stories that will make you laugh so hard that people look at you like your insane(er). HeÂ’s another blogger I just recently discovered, and damn I wish I had found his blog a long time ago. He was talking about having a blogmeet/camping/blow-stuff-up weekend. Grau and I decided weÂ’re going to hold him to that.

Jakejacobsen and Thebaldchick of Freedom Folks. Again another blog I just recently discovered. Jake was a funny guy, lots of stories, good advice and just a generally great guy to talk to. Thebaldchic was quiet, when she spoke she always had something witty or poignant to add to the conversation. The next time I have a business trip into Chicago, IÂ’m definitely looking these two up to go to dinner with.

There was an anonymous benefactor of drinks for the event. I would like to take this time to thank Eric of Straight White Guy for keeping me socially lubricated for the day. It was a shame he couldn't have made it there in person.

Since I knew Tammi was going to be at this event, I decided it was time to receive my ransom. She has been a very busy woman of late, and Ktreva said I was being too harsh with my demands. I decided to settle the ransom demands with her just fulfilling demand number 9. (That and Ktreva threatened to yank out more leg hair) She had to have a picture of her holding a sign that says, “I have an unhealthy addiction to candles”. Here’s part of my payment.

The other part was that she was supposed to have the same picture posted on her site sometime tonight. If she didnÂ’t I was going to e-mail it to all the bloggers that were there and have them put it up on their blogs. I have given her a 24-hour extension, because I didnÂ’t get the picture to her until late tonight. Since I left FritzÂ’s kind of late, and had to work late tonight, I didnÂ’t get the picture to her in enough time to make her post.

See, IÂ’m a nice guy.

Stop laughing.

IÂ’d say I canÂ’t wait until the next blogmeet, but I think this may be my last. IÂ’m way too shy for these things. The pressure was getting to me.

Posted by: Contagion at 09:31 PM | Comments (14) | Add Comment
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1 Poor Tammi! LOL!!!

Posted by: Bou at January 09, 2006 09:34 PM (iHxT3)

2 A big smoocheroo to you and Ktreva. You'll see Buckaroo Bonsai and I back out at Fritz's in the near future. Good people, good food and good fun. (Not to mention good cocktails.)

Posted by: Omnibus Driver at January 09, 2006 10:13 PM (aZgqw)

3 ROFL!!! Tammi is so going to shoot you for that pic! Should be fun to watch...

It's rather fun to be regal... I should do it more often. *grin*

Posted by: Teresa at January 09, 2006 10:42 PM (FZwDL)

4 "The pressure was getting to me."

Maybe you just need a different kilt? Or more social lubrication...

Posted by: Richmond at January 10, 2006 06:21 AM (e8QFP)

5 Theresa: Why, because she had to have her picture taken with me? I guess that would upset me as well.

Richmond: Definately more social lubrication.

Posted by: Contagion at January 10, 2006 07:02 AM (Q5WxB)

6 ROFTL! Next time, we will both have to be in kilt. It was a pleasure, and I do want to get to talk with both of you more. Come on down!

Posted by: Laughing Wolf at January 10, 2006 09:04 AM (5cMH5)

7 As always, glad you made it down. What would a party be without it's wallflower?

Posted by: That 1 Guy at January 10, 2006 09:39 AM (lfQya)

8 Looks like it was fun.

Posted by: vw bug at January 10, 2006 10:47 AM (UA4mV)

9 Missed out again! Hmpff! The least you could have done was called to rub it in! But no, no one called, I couldn't make it so you all disown me!

P.S. Great picture and look out Herk, she is so going to get you one of these days!

Posted by: Oddybobo at January 10, 2006 12:37 PM (6Gm0j)

10 I like the way that you have a cell phone gleaming from your belt instead of a broadsword. Warrior poet indeed.

Posted by: Dr. Phat Tony at January 10, 2006 02:29 PM (fk/lm)

11 It was a great time and very nice to see Ktreva and you again.

Posted by: talulazephyr at January 10, 2006 04:42 PM (/Vg0b)

12 I figured my single-handed-basket-hilted-Scottish-claymore would make too many people nervous, but a cell-phone wouldn't.

Posted by: Contagion at January 10, 2006 05:31 PM (e8b4J)

13 ... glad you enjoyed the beverages, killer.... next time, you buy....

Posted by: Eric at January 10, 2006 08:34 PM (r5XsL)

14 Looks like you're giving a b**wjob to "thing".

Any more pics?

Posted by: og at January 10, 2006 09:06 PM (WDi6A)

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Why? Why did this have to happen in Ontario? This is something that we need in Illinois. What is it? The Ontario Beer Hunter (Not to be confused with THE Beer Hunter). What is it? You put in the city or region that you want in Ontario Canada, and they show you where all the open stores where you can buy beer, wine and liquor. Only the stores or their liquor departments that are open at the time show up. They even have different flags to show you what kind of alcohol can be bought at each location.

Someone really needs to pick up the ball and do this in Illinois. Sometimes at 8:50 in the morning you just need to know where to go get a beer.

Posted by: Contagion at 08:54 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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It seems like the latest and greatest trendin blogging is to find some online game and link to it. Since I'm just another cog in the machine, I felt it wasn't my place to go against this trend. Thus, here for your amusement is a nice little time waster.

How can you not want to play a game called Robobug Blaster?

Posted by: Contagion at 08:43 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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