Lessee...

Yesterday was a day where I dealt with online order buttons that kept disappearing, reappearing, and disappearing again... UPS actually delivered a package via "Ground" service in 4 days, and they delivered a package via "3 Day Select" in 1 day (go figure)... I get attacked by chunks of salt (at least, I hope it was salt) about half a meter in diameter on the highway going to work...

Yeah... that was one strange day.

First of all... yes, I intend to strangle Wascy =P The pop'n music 8 SP preorder is acting weird - the button keeps disappearing, then coming back. I was -really- pissed about this the first time we noticed, as it looked like both Wascy and I had missed out on it entirely due to him not ordering it a month ago like he said he would... got into a lengthy rant made even longer by a kick/ban, which got me pissed off even worse. It should be a channel op's responsibility to give a WARNING before taking administrative action, even if the ban did last for only 5 or so seconds. Anyways, after the dust cleared on that (normal conversation didn't resume until hours later), we discovered the order button had reappeared, and we rushed in to order ^^;

Went to sleep, woke up, did more timing. I had wanted to finish with the Travelogue extras a LONG time ago, but I wasn't able to finish before having to go to Suncoast. I also kept getting distracted by the UPS trucks - two deliveries were made. The first guy rang the bell quickly (indicative of them leaving a package behind without requiring a signature), and I got upstairs in time to see him leave. It was the SanDisk stuff I had ordered from Amazon - a 256mb CompactFlash card, and a USB reader for CompactFlash/SmartMedia. I tried the reader first - just like it claims, no drivers whatsoever were needed for my XP OS - only took about a minute to load all the drivers up, and it was ready to go. I also swapped out the 32mb card that came with the digicam, and threw the 256mb in. So, now I have two 256mb cards and a 32mb - should be plenty for AX as long as I don't plan to shoot too many pics in 4 megapixel.

Later, I checked up on the UPS tracker pages I had open in Firebird - the Amazon tracker reported the package as delivered (obviously), but then I checked the tracker for the Saishuuheiki Kanojo game LE... and THAT reported as delivered, too. And, indeed, when I went upstairs to check the front porch, the box containing the Saikano game and the LE figure was waiting for me outside. This time, the bell hadn't been rung, so it had been there for a while. I unpacked it and inspected the figure - noting that it was half the size I had been expecting. Real shame, too... I would have killed to have that figure with the same size and level of articulation as the figure that came with the first DVD + box. It's still a gorgeous figure, nonetheless... unfortunately, it's probably staying in the box, as I've had incredibly bad luck with deforming PVC plastic.

I ended up running off to work - and, having not eaten, I stopped by Wendy's as usual. Yes, the same one that messed up my late-night order last time. This time was the exact opposite - I was prompted for an order almost right away, and it was taken down quickly and perfectly. I drove up, got to the first window to pay, gave him the cash, and - very impressively - he already had the amount of change I needed in his hand, and didn't even have to reach into the cash drawer to retrieve it. Drove up to the second window to pick up the food, and it was also ready almost instantaneously. I think I was in and out in just under two minutes, including the time it takes to drive in and out of that little center where the Wendy's building is (which has the worst entrance/exit design EVER).

I actually go to work relatively on time, too, and there were less idiots on the road as usual. Of course, I missed a long-assed red left-turn light, and I ended up going straight and doing an illegal U-turn to get to where I needed to go, but it worked out. (Disclaimer: I do not advocate illegal U-turns in any way.) Made it to I-270, which was pretty standard, except for one part where there seemed to be large white rock-shaped substances bouncing around the road, hitting cars as they passed. Yes, I ran right into several of them. I REALLY hope they were salt chunks. I didn't notice any dents on my hood afterwards, luckily. No clue where they came from - presumably, a truck had accidentally unloaded them some time before.

Work was pretty typical. I was lucky I picked up food beforehand, since Dan did not see fit in letting me have a break. He doesn't know about the fast metabolism thing, apparently. I did buy some things, though - and I once again forgot the $30 rewards certificate, so I had to pay it all. -_- My card is acting really weird - the register had us do a phone authorization, but it still worked. There's something weird going on with it - konamistyle didn't accept the card at all, and DeepDiscountDVD actually CANCELLED my order because they were declined of a charge. THAT I'm a bit pissed about, since apparently they don't give you the option of actually contacting them and having them try again, they just cancel any outstanding items left in the order and pretend they have no obligation to fulfill it. -_- They're definitely getting a pissed-off call about that tomorrow - and it takes a lot for me to PHONE in to an online store.

I was quite hungry again by the end of our shift, and we actually got out at a sane hour for once (though he can speed things up significantly by doing more tasks before the gate goes down). I ended up heading over to GameStop and keeping Calvin company as he and an associate there closed. GameStop takes -forever- to close. I found a great PS2 travel case they have that I need to pick up before leaving for AX - as I do plan to take my PS2 with me. The case even has an openable compartment in the back so you can boot the system without removing it from the case - very nifty. (Though I wonder if the case prevents proper ventillation that way.)

Got home, finally finished up the Travelogue extras, and did some work on the Interview extra. Hopefully, my check will arrive before I leave for AX so I can deposit it and pay off a large chunk of my credit card balance before I leave. That'll help the mysterious declines, even though I'm nowhere near my credit limit. The balance isn't due until the 14th of July, anyways, and I've already paid the minimum due.

I'm probably going to go try out the Saikano game for a little bit before heading to sleep, then I'll do yet more timing. I still have two more 45 minute eps to go after finishing the Interview extra - though, amusingly, each 13 minute extra has more timed events than the 45 minute eps themselves.