MAYBE IT'S THAT TIME OF THE MONTH...

For the last few days, I've been pretty grouchy. I'd like to say it's due to the phases of the moon or something crazy like that, but I know it's not that.

It could be the stress associated with work, but I don't think it's that. I've had this job for a while, and though I tend to whine about it a lot, I do enjoy it.

It might be I've been riding around in a car that has no radio. All I have to do is sit around and thinking. And we all know I don't think too much, so there may be extra stress in my brain. Or it could be I've just become more of a donkey.

Whatever the reason, welcome to the new grouchy Arni.

FARK YOU FAIRWAY FORD

So I have my car back now, and for the most part, the dealership fixed it. There's just one tiny, little inconvienence...

You see the reason my car was in the shop was a sensor went bad, and that sensor made the engine stall whenever the engine wanted to idle. But while it was in the shop, I decided to have the service guys look at my car alarm, which had been acting up for a few months.

The diagnosis: The car alarm module is fried. The module, while a Ford product, is an after-market part and can't be replaced by the dealer. So they just took the lights out of the circuit and re-wired it.

Unfortunately, they have apparently wired it to the car radio. That's right. THE FARKING RADIO. The radio only works when the car alarm is disarmed, and the door is open. At no other time does the radio or digital clock on the dashboard function.

I'd have them fix it right away, but I need my car. And they better fix it for free

TRAPPED AT HOME

I'm home waiting on my new bed to be delivered, but it's not like I can leave if I wanted to. My car is in the shop, and we'll see how long this adventure in lack of transportation will go. Usually on my days off, I have the ability to go do things, but for the next two days I'll be sitting here.... I hope I don't go crazy.

SPREADING YOUR WINGS

Too often, we as young adults get in places where we feel all too comfortable. We like our jobs, or the places we live in, and the people we surround ourselves with. That's what makes what makes what everyone else in my family has done this summer so impressive. They all left that safety to see what the world has to offer them

Up until this point, only my sister Robyn and me had decided that Texas wasn't the place to be. I decided South Carolina would be the place to make my career, while Robyn moved to other direction moving to San Francisco then to Columbus, Ohio and now back to San Francisco.

Now our cousins have decided to leave the security of the Lone Star State. Taft and his wife Indhu went to Ann Arbor, Mich., to continue their training as doctors, Joy went to Kansas City to study medicine. Amanda and her fiance Chris moved to San Francisco to chase dreams of their own.

All of them seem to be soaring into new horizons, while I'm sitting here in Anderson stuck in solid ground. I always tell people, "I'm just waiting for the "right job" to open up. But I'm starting to think that's not going to happen soon.

Sometimes I wish I had the courage they had sometimes to take a chance and leave the security of here and try something out there. Is that time coming soon? My family has done it. Friends have come and gone. It may be time for me as well.

THE END OF SUMMER...THE START OF FUN

I always look forward to the start of football season, but at the same time, there's a sense of dread of what's to come.

That's because the two weeks before football season is what I like to call "Tab Hell," where we produce our three most important special sections of the year -- our football previews. This year, however, is different because instead of doing all three in a short period of time, we've divided the work amongst the three people on the desk. It means life won't be nearly as hectic as it's been the past few years. But I'm still worried about the college section.

After that, the frenetic pace of football season follows, and I have a bunch of stuff we want to launch for that as well. It's fun, but it means a lot of work for the rest of the year.

PLAYING: NCAA Football (SR League), Knights of the Old Republic. On Deck: Ghost Recon:Island Thunder.

WATCHING: A lot of stuff on TiVo. Is there anything else?

READING: Would you believe I haven't started anything in a bit.

NOT A LOT GOING ON

Wow... almost 10 days since my last post.... want a recap of my life since then? Here goes...

* Went to Indianapolis for the Brickyard 400: Saw many of the same people I get to work with in May. Finally got to eat dinner with Josh and Michelle to celebrate their engagement. Saw one of the coolest storms I've ever seen.
* Spent 7 1/2 hours in airports. That same cool storm cancelled my flight home. So I left Indy 3 hours late. And had to wait around O'Hare Airport in Chicago for another 4 1/2. Not much to do in airports these days...
* Worked at the newspaper and did the same thing I do every night: Try to take over the world using hidden messages on the agate page.