Regular Update

Alright guys, I promise you I will not give up on this Blog thing. The situation stands that Jason and I seem to lose internet access on a regular basis so I can't do much at home. I check my mail at work but as I still have a month of rookie...umm...ness left I feel 'blogging' at work would not be a good idea.

Things with me are pretty darn good at the moment. I could not find a ride up to RAGBRAI last week so I didn't ride, although I did drive up alone one night and partied with my team. There is NO ONE that can prevent me from going the full week next year. Talk about a young, single, firefighter's dream! I'll spare the details, but it was awesome.

I bought a grill recently and so my cooking skills have expanded exponentially.

Some of our neighbors are recent Coe and Cornell College grads and so I am slowly gaining friends. The one roommate "Kari" is very pretty and cool. She runs marathons and I think I shall ask her out on a date soon. I'm such a nerd.

Work has been extreamly slow recently (which is a good thing overall, I suppose) and I have been working on Truck 1. This means that any fire in the city I will respond to. This also means we can go anywhere in the city regardless, so last shift we ate at Texas Roadhouse for dinner. AWESOME!

That is just about it for now, I promise I will keep updating the blog even if it takes a while. Hopefully we will figure out our internet situation soon. Take care y'all!

Nick

So our internet sucks here and we have been without for about 2 weeks now. J Dub is in charge of it so I hope he gets it fixed, maybe while he's out on RAGBRAI. Luckily Ive been using a near-by wireless network so I can go through my routine of internet sites to visit.
Chris was in Tipton today and I drove down to see him. I figured if I missed Chris in tipton, it would be enough for my family to shun me. He got an iPhone and although I wasn't that excited about it, I want to buy one really bad now. It is awesome, almost too awesome.
The other day I helped a guy I work with teach some fire classes out at Kirkwood. There guys are all wanting to be firefighters and asked me how many tries it took me to get hired in CR. I told them "just once", and they didn't like the the rest of the day. I remember when I was in their shoes, just like it was yesterday. Wait, it WAS just about yesterday.
Boring post, but wanted to keep this party going. I will post more in the near future.

A dearest apology, a birthday, and a socialist/time-doing/sex tape star

First off, I must deeply apologize to the Shreiber and Droll families. My eldest sister, Monica, and her family were in the Eastern Iowa area (more specifically, Tipton) and I did not go to see them. Why did I blow them off? do you ask? Well, other then a few insignificant errands, I completely forgot about it. My mom informed me of the visit a while ago, but for some reason I did not put it on my calender. (If it's not on one of my three calenders, it doesnt not exsist to me) And since our internet went down for a couple of days that week, I did not read her email reminding me of the visit. So do I blame my mom for this? No. I'm an idiot. Monica, Eric, Max, Jay and Ally, I am so sorry I missed you guys.
You see, I have gotten old enough to the point where I really want to see my neices and nephews. In college, they were semi-regular little people to me, it sounds bad but I was very immature and preoccupied. Now, I really miss those little rug-rats and I am sick to my stomach that I let this oppourtunity pass right through my fingers.

Also, I apologize to Meleah. Mia and I have a special bond together and I miss you a lot. So when she (you) sent me a not-so-nice email, I took it to heart and I'm sorry that I missed the event.

Also, Chris had his birthday a few days ago (I remember because it was on my calender) and while I was about to call him (most likey a huge surprise), I found out that he was in Washington DC, so I didn't bother. Crissy, tell Chris that I remembered and that I wish him a belated Happy Birthday.

And finally, Paris Hilton is a waste of space. I have to push down my murderous feelings toward the media on a regular basis when I think of all the time they have wasted covering her entire jail sentence. We have troops dying overseas and people dying from floods right here in America, yet they decide to cover every minute of Paris Hilton. I find it disgusting. Her sex tape wasn't even THAT great! Wow. As in the words of my sister Monica, Later Y'all!

Three week check-up

Alright, I'm not giving up on this Blog thing quite yet. I havn't posted in a while because I've been hella busy. (That's right, I just said hella) A lot of things have gone on and I plan to sum up the high-lights of the past 3 weeks so that my readers (my 3 sisters and my parents) know what is up in my life. Wow, it's been a while. Here we go...

1. The CRFD road race went really well. It was supposed to rain but it held off until the results ceremony (held inside). I got some flack for 'not doing anything' but it's not my fault because my only job as Assistant Race Manager (that's going on my resume) was to 'accept blame for everything that goes wrong, because as a rookie everything flows downhill.'


2. Worked my first 48 hour shift which went alright, but I am used to taking a nap when I get off work so the second day was a little rough in the morning.


3. Had a garage fire. Lots of fire. It was neat.


4. I was asked to help out with a training house burn in Palo. I had been to many house burns before but had never spent the entire day inside as an 'instructor' and let me tell you...even if you just sit inside and down actually do anything, breathing in air from a tank while sitting next to a big fire makes you sweat a lot and makes you tired. I was exhausted! It was awesome walking around as an 'instructor' though!


5. I moved from the 'grandma house' that I lived in with Josh (another rookie that owned it) into a condo with another firefighter (Jason, a 27 year old firefighter that is into biking, drinking wine, and has multiple girlfriends) It's nicer/newer, $150 cheaper, closer to a shopping/eating district, and I dont get made fun of for being gay (no one likes Josh) or 'sleeping my way to the top' (Josh's dad is an assistant chief). However, my social life is still pretty inactive and I am still in love with Netflix.


6. Went to Chicago with Brad Peck and stayed with his brother, Nate. Went to a White Sox game (it was 'Mullet Night', explaining the picture shown above that he decided to send to Meleah), went out a lot, stopped by the Chicago fire station where they filmed the movie Backdraft, and went shooting in Indiana at a gun range.


7. Went to Ames fire school.

That is pretty much the past 3 weeks summed up. I am still alive, all is well, and I promise that I will update my blog more often now that I finally have internet in my new place. Cheers!

The 5K commith

I'm going to say right away that I am not a good runner anymore. Sure I had my days, 3 time state champion, EIHC conference record holder, current record holder of 2 Tipton High events, NCAA national qualifier...
Sorry about that, have to relive the glory days when you havn't done anything good as of recent.
Anywho, during my training I was talking to our special operations captain (big runner) about...well, running.
So when the 7th annual CRFD 5K came around, Captain Dall put me and another firefighter in charge. As a rookie. Ive never even ran in this race, let alone help run it.
So now the race is Saturday and Im very nervous about how it will go. I had to go around and as businesses to donate doorprizes (which I hate), talk to people on the phone (which I hate), and do all the crappy busy work (eh, wasn't that bad). The cool thing is that I work that day so for the whole morning I don't have to work. Which saying that outloud, sucks because I love work. Although...Rookie of the Year, here I come baby!

The Homeless shouldn't play with matches...or maybe they should.

I need some job security what with Cedar Rapids "restructuring" and chopping off city jobs like a crazed Donald Trump on Meth. So if you are a homeless man...sorry, person...reading this in the city library then keep up the good work! To warm yourself up on those chilly summer nights, why not start a fire in a house? I commend your arson-ess (?) spirit!

Here is a link to the CR Gazette article convering the last house fire I had on the 16th. There is a video under the picture. If you watch it, and see the guy slamming open the side door, Im the second firefighter that goes into the house once the door is open.

http://www.gazetteonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070516/NEWS/70516054&SearchID=73281383448106

I'm in love with John Cusack

I finally got around to watching Say Anything and I have to say that it has propelled John into the upper echelon of my favorite all-time actors, along with Zach Braff, Jeremy Piven, and Jesus. Looking back, I have realized that every movie he has been in I have enjoyed thoroughly. So here is my favorite John Cusack films (that I’ve seen) in order from excellent(1) to good(10).

1. Grosse Point Blank
2. Say Anything
3. High Fidelity
4. Serendipity
5. America’s Sweethearts
6. Being John Malcovich
7. Con Air
8. Runaway Jury
9. Pushing Tin
10. Identity

Telemarketers can go to hell, and I think I actually mean it

I am not a man that is strong willed. One time Discovery Card called me and after 30 min on the phone I had signed up for a Discovery Card. They are so perssistant and for some reason unknown, I form a relationship with these people and give in. Like I said, I have no testicular fortitude.

So I called this company because evey week they would send me a note informing me that my truck warranty would be up soon. I got worried that they were implying something and so I called. They are basically a supplemental insurance company and after 30 minutes on the the phone (including the telephone guy 'asking his manager' about a discount) I had signed up for it. I asked dad about this type of thing because it sounded fishy. He said "it sounds a little fishy, I would cancel."

Cut to today. I called to cancel and once I got to the person that could help me (4 people in), this lady and I discussed my budget, my future, and my family. I told her I was buying a house, told her I live 3 bocks from work; I tired everything. Finally, after (not kidding) 18 minutes later she told me how I can cancel. I need to send this sheet back into their company with my name, date, reason for quiting (which makes me think they will send more crap my way), and I have to get it notorized! I'm a wussy.

The Colbert Report Vs. The Daily Show

When CNN went onto the air in late 1980 (one year later then ESPN), people thought it was nuts to have a 24 hour news channel. Then came Comedy Central in 1991 and again, it was asinine to have a fulltime comedy network. Little did we know that in 1999, comedy would surpass news.
I started to watch The Daily Show back in the day (which was a Wednesday, by the way) when the host was Craig “enlightened frat boy” Kilborn and he was still asking movie stars 5 Questions. I do not include 1996-1999 (Kilborn years) as the start of The Daily Show as we know it now. Let us start with the debate.

The Daily Show with John Stewart

Winning both Peabody Awards (awards given out to journalist excellence) and Emmy Awards (they give these things out to anyone), The Daily Show became popular after it’s intense Indecision 2000 coverage in…2000. The show has published one of the best books ever printed in America: The book and has propelled such public figures as Steve Carell (The 40 Year Old Virgin, The Office) and Stephen Colbert (see below). It has had such guests as Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, Al Gore, Colin Powell, John Kerry, and John Edwards (which announced this cadency for the President of the United States of America on The Daily Show). John Stewart (Half Baked) became popular after calling-out conservative pussy-boy Tucker Carlson on his show Crossfire. "You're on CNN! The show that leads into me is puppets making crank phone calls! What is wrong with you?"
It averages 1.4 million viewers.

The Colbert Report with Stephen Colbert

The Colbert Report is the younger, sexier yet dumber, cousin of The Daily Show. It’s more flamboyant yet less intelligent that John Stewart, but is gaining more attention the more it shows itself off by insulting the President at Correspondents Association Dinners.
Stephen Colbert, a "well-intentioned, poorly informed, high-status idiot", got his start on, where else, The Daily Show back in the day (Wednesday). Instead of taking real news and relying on excellent writers to come up with spectacular clip-cutting and joke-writing, Stephen Colbert takes a page form Bill O’Reilly and focuses the attention entirely on himself. Colbert’s “Truthiness” has led him to become the mascot for the Saginaw Spirit Junior Hockey League (Steagle Colbeagle the Eagle) and the show tracks his adopted baby, “Stephen Jr.”, a bald eagle that has traveled up to Canada and back down to The States. It has a 1.13 million viewer following.

Both shows are based around “infotainment”. They were also the basis for my final “thesis” paper at Central College. A new form of Infotainment: The Daily Show pushes further to blur the line between news and entertainment. Both shows have won awards like the Peabody and the Emmy Award, but which is better?

Part 2: Coming Soon

Old-Timer

Monday morning I was sleeping soundly in a comfortably warm bed when I was awoken by a fire alarm. I was at work, and there was a fire. Instead of jumping out of bed and running to the fire truck like I would do in Tipton and in Pella, I was hoping it wasn't in our district because I wanted to continue sleeping. Ive been on the job for 8 months and already I am cherishing sleep over a rockin' good house fire. This worries me. I have roughly 33 more years on the job before I can retire, that's a lot of night-time fires. I just don't understand why house fires and drunken bar-fights have to happen during the night. I still got all excited once we got to the fire but my bed was pretty darn comfortable. But I'm tired, so I will head to bed.

I called it

Back when I was a little youngin', spending my warm summer days inside playing NASCAR on our Mac computer, I often wondered to no one in particular why Nike or other companies didn't sponsor NASCAR. I mean they put their logo on everything else and NASCAR is like the lazy-man's advertising billboard. Well my friends, call me Nostradamus because that day has arrived.

Puma has started to create and promote products for NASCAR like gloves and driving boots. Like NASCAR drivers need to have special boot for driving a car. Shoot, I do it every day in regular shoes.

In this day and age of "Vagasil: The official vaginal cream of the NBA" I find it goofy that it took this long for them to get into the NASCAR game. NASCAR is a $4 billion dollar market* and I knew, even as a young child, that NASCAR would be a good market to be in. What, Rednecks can't buy $120 sneakers?** I should have gotten into advertising.

*-statistic I just made up

**-The good people at "Blogger" and Dicky Jay Industries deeply apologize to all rednecks and their familys. We fully understand that the red neck income is higher then most people realize and regret any harmdoing. Hey, at least you aren't white trash. you can atleast afford to buy the cars you put up on blocks in your front yard!***

***-Again, we apologize to all White Trash and their non-branching family tree. Hey, at least you have a job.

Inaugural Post

Alright, here we go.
Since this whole blogging thing has infiltrated the Miller family, I figured I would be the first male of the bunch to throw his hat into the ring. Do I have a wife? No. Kids? No. Do I live an interesting life that will provide me with multiple stories to share with others? Not really. I can't guarantee that it will be interesting or that I will even keep it up. But what the hell.