Archive for July, 2006

Joe and I decided to head out to Six Flags Great Adventure today. It was one of those days that really didn’t go as planned. We had originally invited my sister and her two friends after their trip to Mexico got ruined by Delta. I figured it’d be a nice way for them to get away for a day. Well, they all declined the offer. I also invited Maria, but you can guess how that ended, too.

The trip continued, however. We bought our tickets for $40 each and drove the hour and a half trip this morning to Jackson, New Jersey. When we got there, we made a decision that was expensive, but smart. I recommended that we set ourselves up with the park’s Gold Flash Pass system. It’s expensive, at about $50 a head, but you basically get to skip the lines. In two hours, we had been on something like 4 coasters and a water ride.

The coasters, that’s what you guys want to hear about, I know. The two big ones this year are Kingda Ka and El Torro. The former is a steel coaster that sends you from 0 – 128mph in just 3 seconds before shooting you up a 456′ 90° incline. You then come back down that same incline on the other side, twisting around the track as you do.

El Torro is a wooden coaster with many drops, including a 76° one to start you off. It’s fast and winding and exhilarating. I actually went on it twice just because it was so enjoyable. On that second ride, I had a woman next to me screaming “Oh Jesus” the entire time. It was pretty funny. Almost as funny as the people waiting on line for the estimated 2 hours while I walked right by them with the Flash Pass.

After starting our day on those two rides, we hit up Rolling Thunder, the Log Flume, and Nitro next. Nitro is definitely a sick ride that includes a very long trek to the 230′ peak. I was actually more scared of it than I was of Kingda Ka because of the fact I had time to let the reality of the ride set in. However, after the first drop and the realization that I had been here and done it before, I was fine. Joe, on the other hand, was not. Suffering from motion sickness yet again, he called it a day after getting sick for a second time. I felt really bad, though I did have to tease him how Kingda Ka and El Torro didn’t make him sick, but the log flume and Nitro, two rides we’ve been on before, got to him. He decided to call it a day from that point.

From there I went on some rides by myself. Nothing really worth mentioning in detail other than the two really cute girls on the Congo Rapids that managed to stay completely dry while I got drenched. If only their dad wasn’t sitting right next to me. We actually had a small conversation going about the Flash Pass until he cut in. Damn fathers.

We left the park at about 3pm. It was early, I know, but I got bored going on rides by myself and I could tell Joe was less than thrilled with sitting and waiting for me each time. It turns out we left at the perfect time. Massive thunder storms caught up with us as we were driving home and quickly became blinding as we got on the top level of the Verrazano bridge. It was raining so hard, you couldn’t see the water below the bridge. Hell, you couldn’t even see the white road lines on the bridge. We also think lightning hit the bridge at one point. I can’t imagine being caught in something like that at the park.

All in all, it was a fun day. It did cost us $90 a pop and neither of us got our full money’s worth (Joe got much less than I did, though), but it was a nice break from the normal. We want to do it again, but who knows how our schedules will work out.

I had no idea it’s been so long since my last journal entry. Next time, someone kick me in the ass and let me know.

It’s been an odd couple of weeks. In a way, I feel trapped outside of time, as if life is flying by me and I’m just unable to jump in and keep pace. I’ve found enjoyment in less and less and generally carry a very bland aura with me. It’s driving me nuts, but I have no idea how to fix it.

By this time, I’m guessing you’re wondering what the title means (if you weren’t, pretend). Well, in the past 3 weeks, two people have now offered to hook me up with some girl they know. Christa was one of these people and while the girl she wanted to hook me up with is nice, she’s just not someone I’d want anything with. No offense to her, really. Then, out of all people, Priscilla’s mom offers today (I was over trying to clean up a laptop). I don’t even want to know who she had in mind. I didn’t ask and I won’t let the issue go any further.

The question has to be asked though: Do I look that desperate for a chick? I’m trying (and failing) to make things work with Maria. Either way, though, I don’t want anyone else involved in my love life. Third party intervention drives me nuts and here these people are, assuming they know me and just butting in. Yes, I know they mean well, but I’m a jerk off and it just bugs me. Let me screw things up on my own, please.

Man, I’m pretty sure I used to be pretty decent at dealing with people. More and more lately, though, I just feel so cut off from the world. I shut down without ever giving anyone (including the chick customer trying to flirt with me at work) a chance. I could blame society, but they’re too busy fucking themselves over anyway.

This has been a lot of random crap, huh? I guess I know why people haven’t been clamoring for an entry.

I’m sitting at home when I should have been spending some time with Maria, finally. Of course, like usual, she says one thing and does another. Her phone is off so I can’t even get past a damn voicemail. It’s every moment like this that I ask myself why I don’t just quit and try things with someone else. What’s my driving motivation? Why do I refuse to give up?

Honestly, I’m not entirely sure of that answer. Obviously, she’s beautiful and a good person, but is that enough? Should a person not allow themselves to have expectations? I want time to see if this could work for real, but I never get it. Why do I stick around and continue to try and fail over and over? To most people, it would make no sense.

I guess some of it comes down to not wanting to lose out on something I want. I’m not always the most motivated person in the world, but I can be stubborn when it comes to something I want. On top of that, I’m always curious. Not only can I not succeed, I can’t figure out why I keep failing. It drives me crazy. I need to have or know, one or the other. Either way, it would be an end to the mystery and continuous cycle. Maybe that’s what I really need: a definitive conclusion. No loose ends. No questions unanswered. Maybe that’s why I don’t quit. Damn, how I wish I could…