As I type this, my thermostat says 51 degrees.  Yep, my heater finally died, and thank God a new one is being installed tomorrow.  This is the third night it's been like this.  Even with space heaters it's like a refrigerator in here.  Gee, and I wonder why I can't get over this cold.  There is nothing like waking up in the morning to a house that's a brisk 45 degrees...absolutely nothing like it.  I swear, it's no wonder every muscle aches because when I get up I feel like I'm in some pseudo rigor mortis.  Not to sound like some kind of phone-sex operator, but I'm presently wearing a long sleeve shirt with a t-shirt over it, and a sweatshirt on top of all that.  I've got on two pairs of socks, my black warm-up pants and long underwear.  Oh, and a black stocking cap.  The only way I can warm up is to get in the shower, so before I go to bed I stand in there for about 10 minutes, then instantly dive under the blankets hoping to insulate my body's warmer core temperature.  When the heater went out the other night, I ran out and bought a small heater.  I knew if I got a couple of them and then tried to return them, I'd run into a problem, so I only got one.  Oh, the box made it sound like if I put the thing in the middle of a room I would feel like I was on some tropical island somewhere because it blows warm air out in a 360 degree radius.  Well it works great....if you're within about two feet of it!  So I have the stove open and carry this little heater to whatever room I'm in.  When this new heater is installed tomorrow, I'm going to come home from work and run it at about 85 degrees and lay around in a pair of shorts.  I am so sick of being cold.

Originally I was going to write something about me hating Valentine's Day and blah blah blah...but what's the point?  There's not one.  I think it's pretty obvious how cynical I am about relationships, so I'll leave it alone.  I've been with someone on Valentine's Day, and there have been some where I have been alone and it makes no difference...I hate that day.  I don't need Hallmark telling me to do something special for the one I care about.  I like to surprise her and do something nice on an oddball day when it's not expected, but that's me.  Why do I need a day circled on the calendar to tell me "oh, today I need to buy flowers and plan a nice dinner out"?  I'm perfectly capable of doing that any other day of the year because I honestly love doing nice things for the one I care about.  Oh I know, sappy as heck, but it's true.  In fact, I can say that I know the birthdays of any girl I've dated more than a couple of times.  Yep, it's true.  Once I commit something to memory, it's there.  But enough on all this, I don't want to sound like I'm writing a personals ad...hahaha.  So how will I spend it this year?

Last year on Valentine's Day, me and some friends went to Hooters and took advantage of the "buy 10 wings and get 10 free" deal on Tuesday nights.  Plus, "Saw 2" came out on DVD that day, so we were going to pig out and go watch a cool movie.  For some reason, and I really don't know why since I honestly never do anything like this, I asked for our waitress' phone number and she gave it to me after telling me she could get fired for giving it out.  Yeah, I'm worth it...hahaha.  I really have no clue why I did that because I never ask for a girl's phone number without finding out something about her.  Of course later on I realized she had the personality of a doorknob.  Sure, she was VERY attractive, but I don't care how hot they are...if there isn't a brain and a personality then I want nothing to do with them.  Anyway, this year will be better.  I have to go to San Diego for a business trip on Monday and Tuesday, but when I get back Wednesday its time for some Muay Thai training!  Yep, while some dudes are trying to figure out the perfect evening, I'll be learning how to kick some ass!  I really don't know how much more of an anti-Valentine's Day I could have and it shall rock!  I am consumed with this training.  In fact, I have been VERY sick this week...horrible chest cold, sinus infection, you name it.  But I still went to class so I could watch even though all I wanted to do was lay down.  I didn't want to miss out on anything.  The coolest thing is that not only are we training in Muay Thai, but the class also involves Ju-Jitsu to learn some takedowns and grappling.  The one class I did participate in this week was awesome.  We started on kicking, and I have to say that when you set there for several minutes connecting with a heavy bag full-force with your shin, you get a wee bit sore, but it was worth it.  What really ticked me off this week was the class I couldn't participate in because of how crappy I felt.  I sat there and watched the grappling moves and everything else, and truly felt like I was missing out.  As sore as I was this past week, and how physically demanding the class is, it pissed me off I was so sick I couldn't do it.  I wanted to do the grappling move to twist the guy into an armbar, I wanted to learn the reversal, I wanted to practice countering someone who has their knee on your chest and how to flip it around to where you have them in a leg-lock.  I swear, just in the couple of classes I've had, I have learned an amazing amount.  This doesn't mean I could step into the UFC octagon by any means, but I'm completely amazed at how technical it all is.  It's not just about who the tougher guy is, it's about who knows what they are doing.  It's all about knowing the moves, the technique in executing those moves, and thinking.  Any drunk redneck can fight...but when there is someone who knows HOW to fight that person will win all the time regardless of size.  I'm twice the size of some guys in my class, but I also know they could kick my ass when I watch their technique.  Granted, every now and then there's some big dude who is a complete psycho who could waste anyone, but that kind of person is very rare.  My instructor is shorter than I am, but he would kick my ass in about 20 seconds...if even that long.  I love going to class.  How much more primal can it get?  A room full of guys learning how to fight...and not just fight but incapacitate someone quickly.  It's beyond awesome, and I'm fascinated every time by watching some of the guys in the classes going on around me.  For instance tonight, there was a Ju-Jitsu class and also a guy doing boxing training with his own trainer.  Oh I know, this probably sounds like some gay fantasy...but I say all of this with a staunch record of heterosexuality.  I took a second to look around, and here I am in a room full of guys learning how to take someone out.  Completely awesome.

Now the next time I write something, it's going to be a bit of a reality show.  I know a lot of people read my stuff for some strange reason.  I guess I'm just that entertaining...haha.  Anyway, I have to fly next week for this business trip and the company is giving me a laptop PC.  Well I absolutely HATE flying.  Oh it has nothing to do with a fear of it at all, I really dig planes, it has to do with every thing else involved in flying.  The lines, the check-in, the old woman next to me with horrid perfume, and the fact I can't smoke.  Seriously, it takes so much mental energy for me to stay calm while flying it's exhausting.  Ok, you should know by now how much I hate movie theaters...take my neurosis about that and multiply it by a thousand.  Yes, I get that bad.  I'm trapped in some cramped little chair for hours and I can't smoke and the old woman's perfume stinks and I can't just get up and walk around because I'm hyperactive as heck so I need to but I can't and then when we land I have to wait for everyone to get their crap out of the overhead compartments while in my brain I'm screaming "LET ME OUT OF HERE!!!!"  I guess it's the control freak in me, because on a plane I can't just come and go as I please.  On a side note, one good thing about being a control freak is that you don't want to go to jail, so at least my abnormalities keep me from doing a lot of stuff out of a fear of jail...hahaha.  Well that and the whole "salad tossing" stuff, but I don't need to get into all that.  Anyway, since I'll have a laptop and a lot of time to kill on the plane, I figured I would basically write about all the stuff that is just making me crazy on the flight while it's actually happening.  I think it will be entertaining.  After all, I love to laugh at myself and how ridiculous I get sometimes, so maybe it will alleviate the stress.  I do think it will be the read, so stay tuned sportsfans!