Occupational Shopping Since I'm on multiple television stations and web video, I'm totally taking advantage of the fact that I can now deduct clothing, haircuts, skin care, and hair care. I pretty much spent my entire Q3 bonus already. In addition to my customary order from Kiehl's, I bought three Prada shirts, an Armani jean jacket, a Triple 5 Soul shirt, two Tommy Hilfiger shirts, a pair of Ralph Lauren jeans, and a pair of Paul Frank wristbands. Rannie always quotes Tony and calls me a label whore, but I'm really just a fan of clothing design. I don't really care who makes it; I just like simple, yet interesting lines with an understated style. Oh, I also raided Lush in my last trip to San Francisco. Bath bombs are entirely necessary. I received some interesting news today. Someone very dear to me took a really significant step in her life. I'm mostly thrilled for her because it's a huge and wonderful thing, but I'm a little melancholy since it also represents a big step away from what we were. Steve says it's for the best...and he's right...but I know that for a very long time that part of me will wish things could go back to the way they were and perhaps a part of me will always wish that I could have gone down a very different path with her. When Raina and I were talking last week, she mentioned a friend that she "would be dating in another universe." I know that in another universe I'd be with this aforementioned lady. I'm pretty sure that I'd be the happiest version of me in that universe too. I'm not going to dwell on it (much) anymore since I've done that for years already and that part of our relationship is over now. It's fine that we have special places in each other's hearts. I think I'll get a haircut tomorrow.

Crimson Skies Irvine is really weird right now. Everything looks like when my brother goes all crazy with sepia mode on his camera. The combination of fog and smoke (from the fires out east) gives everything a redish-orange tint with a really subdued feel. It almost looks like the world is going to end... that or I'm stuck in a permanent flashback scene. Though it was amusing at first, it's just really weird and I want it to stop. Perhaps I'll take pictures during my coffee stroll. Oh yeah, everything outside is covered with ashes. That part is a little sad. Oh hey, I think you're okay, but I also know there are fires near where you live. So Alison, LMK you're well.

Don't Call it a Comeback My arms are sore. I'm guessing it was because for the first time in like 18 or 19 months I was boxing! It was fun, but weird. My new gym is in a temporary spot so it's not set up properly. Working the heavy bag on carpet was odd. Not having a round clock was really annoying. Still, it was just awesome to let the hands go. The jab is okay. The left hook is still decent. And I still have the lamest right ever. My footwork was really off, but that was expected. Hopefully I'll go boxing after the Yankee game tonight. Oh, I found another camera I want. Perhaps I don't want to lug around a digital SLR after all. And guess what? I'm going to San Francisco again on Thursday. It should be cool. I think Rob and/or Jeff are going, so it'll be cool to see the cutest 'mo couple in gaming. I had a nice lunch with Xtina today. I'm really excited about her moving to New York (I've decided you're going to Columbia). Everyone should live in Manhattan once. Oh, and thanks for letting me play my little game... even if you didn't let me grab your ass (*joke*). I'm looking forward to Thursday.

Winning it All I love it when the Yankees win. Over the last eight years I've witnessed some incredible Yankee victories. Their ALCS victory over Boston was rad. I was over Cbake's house, watching the game with him and Greg (a Red Sox fan *snicker*). Chris was nice enough to put up with me parading around his apartment and screaming when the Yankees made their awesome comeback. Anyway, this San Francisco trip felt a little more rushed than last week. I had one more company to see than I did last week, but one less day to see them all in. The last two nights had really...unexpected happenings. They were both really fun, though the more entertaining one was also more draining (geez woman...you kept me up until 6:00AM!). Hopefully I'll get to do it again (minus the projectile portions of the evening). Seeing all the industry peeps over the last two weeks prompted many of them to ask, "So when are you moving back?" To which I replied, "I'm working on it." Which was often met with, "Really?" I'd just give a coy smile and walk away. Here are more pics for your amusement.

Just Trying to Annoy You Jennie Sue is a puff that can't hold her drink.

Wannabe So I'm sitting outside the Starbucks on Geary and Mason connected to T-Mobile Hotspot while smoking a cigarette. Pretty cool. I'm staying at the Hotel Diva, which is like a poor-man's version of The Clift. It's almost like it's half done; lots of the rennovations are pretty slick, but there are still noticeable ghetto aspects to it. It's mildly amusing to me. I think I know what I'm going to be for Halloween. It would be funnier in San Francisco, but I think some SoCal people will get it. Plus it helps justify a purchase that I was going to make anyway. Should be cool. Yesterday I went shopping with Neil. It was actually pretty cool. I'm usually wary of shopping with other males, because...quite frankly, I shop like a girl. I take way too long and look at too many things. I miss shopping with Raina. Anyway, I bought a cool DKNY shirt and an Ecko shirt that was on sale. It was $94 total. My rational is to buy enough shirts that are reasonably priced so that I don't buy those Zegna shirts. Let's see if this plan works....

It's a Zegna Life is pretty cool right now. I'm in the Red Carpet Club watching the Yankees beat the Red Sox and I had a really nice time in San Francisco. I'm also feeling pretty good because the most physically attractive woman I've ever laid eyes on kept telling me how handsome I look with my new haircut and that I'm all GQ now. It looks like I'll be here next Tuesday through Friday too--bonus! I fought off temptation at Nordstrom's today. There were two really nice Zegna dress shirts I wanted to buy. They were on sale (my favorite) for $153.50 each. Since I'll be back in SF and will have oodles of money (paycheck + bonus + expense check) there's a good chance I'll cave in and buy them next week. Gak. Oh yeah, here are more pics from the trip. I need to bust out the red-eye reduction on them when I get home.

Dynamics After the EA event today, I went to Ziff to bug some friends and distract them from work. Even though there are lots of different personalities there and not everyone gets along all the time, each magazine seems to be on the same page when it's closing time. I wish it was like that where I worked. There are so many rifts and so many misunderstandings -- most of which get swept under the rug and never get resolved. The company as a whole is doing really well, but my little corner of it could be much better. Also, it's annoying going to these events by myself and seeing the competition have at least three editors and a cameraman at each one. Work stuff aside, it was pretty wonderful being here. The weather was wonderful today -- cool enough for a light hoodie, but warm enough that it's still cozy. I took the bus from Ziff back to my hotel. I miss public transportation (even if San Francisco's should be much better). It was cool seeing and hanging with the boys. There's a chance I'll be here next week from Tuesday to Friday. Ah, escapism through press events. Here are some pics from the eighth and ninth. No dorky captions this time.

Escape to SF It's just like old times. I'm San Francisco and spent an evening at Farley's with Rannie. Since I haven't been thrilled about living in The OC I feel especially happy to be here. It's also nice coming down a bit after working the whole weekend and writing until my flight this morning. With any luck, maybe this will be home again real soon. Also, check out my BioWare interview. I was really nervous doing it since I think Ray and Greg are the coolest. My Blizzard one definitely turned out better (except for my lame sign off). So download it (scroll down to the free servers) and don't forget to rate me five stars!

'Til You Drop A weekend of working, being in a dour mood, and bumming because you missed a trip to Vegas to celebrate one of your best friend's birthdays...what can you do to make you feel better? Shop of course. In between playing games and typing stuff about them I scoured this internet thing to shop shop shop. Since I'm tethered by my lack of a car and having to work, I-shopping was the only way to go. And boy did I find some nifty deals. - I bought two pairs of jeans at the Eddie Bauer Online Outlet for $50.71 with shipping and tax. - I found this awesome coupon for 40 percent of Dr. Martens. I snagged three pairs of shoes for $146.86 with shipping. I don't like most Docs, but for 40 percent off I found some marginal ones that I'll love for the price. - None of my shopping runs are complete with some hair-care/face-care products. So I placed an order at Kiehl's. Nothing was on sale, but I buy this stuff anyway so I figured I'd complete my virtual shop-a-thon. Besides, lately the people in the stores have been stingy with the samples and you always get three ordering online. Even though I'm still not in the best of moods, shopping made me feel a little bit better. Sometimes I'm such a girl.

Time to Go? Watching Evander Holyfield getting his ass kicked made me sad. He had a brilliant run, but it�s clearly time for him to go. Watching him get deluged by potshots from a cruiserweight was kinda pathetic. Using the considerable powers of my imagination, I equated it to my situation. Do I really want to stay until everything bothers me so much that I�m reduced to an ineffectual mess that�s a shadow of my former self? Or do I leave with a modicum of dignity? Hopefully it won�t have to get to that point. I received a bit of unexpected news that has the potential to take care of many things that are bothering me. Hopefully it�s a real option and not just another one of the chairman�s knee-jerk ideas. It would make me much happier personally and professionally. I�m afraid to want it because I haven�t wanted anything this badly in a long time.

Homecoming Blues Oh, I forgot to add that I got all kinds of neat stress rashes while I was in Japan.... I'm so not happy to be back home. A small part of it stems from spending a week in an awesome city with public transportation. Most of it is due to the fact that I didn't have a whole lot to return to. I work in a department that's run by a massive tool that angers me every three weeks and isn't capable of leading us anywhere. I haven't a single dating prospect. Irvine is starting to irritate me again. And I know one person in Irvine that isn't associated with work. The last party really bothers me. I'm used to having a lot of friends. Down here I have some friends, but I don't have many friends. I certainly don't have any female friends down here. I really, really, really miss doing things with Kate, Raina, and Rannie. I miss spoiling my girls, whining to them, and all that good stuff. Thankfully I have a hot tub, otherwise I'd be totally miserable. Hopefully that frickin' gym I joined will open soon so I can start boxing again. I should be on the road most of next week so I can forget how much I dislike it here and avoid dealing with anything. I'll run to Farley's like always. Oh, I still miss Japanese soda.