It's literally been many months - close to half a year - since I've had a working printer. I have one sitting there - it won't print. The thing was knocked onto the floor thanks to dogs and it will not sync itself on the rail. I've looked on Craiglist I dunno how many times trying to find another one - this is old but works well enough, I though to find someone selling one so I could use my full in cartidges in it.
Only one find and the person advertised it too high - I could have bought a new printer for that money - and I told them so. They didn't care, too bad. I checked back several times - it wasn't sold.
Today I thought to do a search on all of this Cyber Monday junk and see if I could find a super deal. I went to a lot of websites before finding Office Max deal on an epson printer that is normally $149.99 selling for $69.99 with free shipping. Yes, I don't even have to go to the store. And yes, I bought it. I can't go without a printer, I have needed one on too many occasions. The printer I am getting is cool - it works through my wi-fi network, it's wireless and I won't have to worry about dogs pulling the wires on it - accidentally of course - and smashing it on the floor.
In fact, if I so opted - which I probably won't but just sayin' - this printer can be used by anyone in the house with a computer. Printers have come a long way, baby. I had no idea they were building them with wifi access, that's just weird, really.
I would have bought an extended warranty for at least a year - but there was none offered. It should be here before the week's end.
I have a new tenant - and this guy is a keeper if at all possible. Clean, quiet, normal. Works out - he has arms as big as my legs - getting to the point of motivating me to start working out again. He's paying weekly - I guess that's all he can afford. I'm going to sweeten the deal - I'm charging him $110 per week, I offered him $40 back at the end of the month if he stayed the entire month. I normally only charge $375 per month for that room - so I figure to offer him all the money down to $375 back if he stays - and pays of course - for the entire month. Meaning the 4th week he would pay all of $45.
He spent an hour cleaning that bedroom - moved the furniture, vacuuming, spray cleaner with paper towels, whatever he was doing in there he was cleaning like crazy. He brought my vacuum back out - the canister was FULL of dirt.
Ohhh that I could get more tenants like that. Well, really, one of my current tenants is here so infrequently, he really doesn't live here. The ex-Marine is leaving sooner or later - though he just paid up last month and ALL of this month. I'll take that and clean up some of his messes in the bathroom, which is basically his "major" fault.
I dunno, I am just happy that 3 rooms are rented and if one is emptied, I hope to be able to re-rent it quickly.
Anyway, a sigh of relief.
I am hopefully getting the washer and dryer set tomorrow. My manager - who is giving them to me for $50 - didn't bring them today because his help to get the machines into the vehicle didn't show up. I have loaded and removed washers and dryers in and out of pickups by myself. Pretty simple: Put a blanket on the bed; lay the machine down on it; slide it to the tailgate; slide it until it starts lowering; grab bottom of machine; slowly allow it to come down to the ground. No damage to truck, no damage to machine, walaah. Yes, I've done that with refrigerators as well. Not everyone, I guess, is as motivated about things like this as I am. I need the set, I will gladly unload them into my back yard by myself if no-one else is around and get the job done.
Well that's it. I got up at 4:00AM this morning, at work at 5, off work at 3 something, don't even remember. Have gotten nothing done around the house - don't care. When I'm this tired, I just do some basic cleaning around the house and that's it.
G'nite.
ben
Monday, November 30, 2009
Sunday, November 29, 2009
If I Accomplished Nothing Else..........
..........this weekend, today's event would have been enough. The man showed up with his bags and rented the room sight unseen. He didn't care. Very nicely dressed dude - on some pretty hard luck and bad times. The room isn't even available yet - won't be until tomorrow morning. He didn't care about that, either. He's living in a hotel, paying bookoo bucks to stay there and wants out of it. Yes, he handed over the first week's rent and I gave him a receipt, and yes, that money is non-refundable. I put his bags in my bedroom closet, locked them up. He said he would be back tomorrow and that was the end of that.
Amazing. That was much easier than most of these rentals. A woman called 10 minutes ago asking about the room, I forgot to take the ad down (now accomplished). Weekly rentals are a bit unnerving - especially having 2 of them now, since they can pretty much leave at anytime. Not that they can do that legally - there is minimum notice given by the state of AZ - but I allow for short notice. I am trying to get people in here.
Even better is that this man is paying $110 per week - $440 per month. I normally get $375 per month for that room, but weekly renters will always pay more.
Anyway, that is a sigh of relief - at least temporarily - until the next person leaves, which would be the ex-Marine, no date as a move-out day yet.
I HAVE accomplished quite a lot around here this weekend, stopped in the middle of it to fix turkey dinner. I have to say that cooking a turkey is the easy part, it's the part about getting all of that meat off of it that takes time. I clean that bird down to the last smithering of meat. What is not good for humans goes to the dogs - meat anyway, the bones are already in the trash. Excellent dinner, btw, a nice way to end the weekend.
Busy day at work tomorrow. I have to be there at 5:00am, meaning getting up around 4:00am. I don't really like getting up that early, but duty calls and the product has to be on the jobsite for month-end final push to get whatever we can out the door and onto the books. It just means I will get off even earlier, like at noon I believe. There are 3 deliveries - 2 of them large and one small. The truck is almost done being loaded, and this was another "Technical Load", I like to call it, where you are racking your brains attempting to figure out how to get all of that stuff onto the truck, have a safe load and be able get it all of at respective delivery spots without having to take anything else off to get at it.
So, I'm almost at the point of giving myself a pass for the rest of the day - almost. I have more I want to get done outside so - I'm headed out there in a few minutes to git-er done. It's just that I know next weekend I will be next to useless. There is company part on Saturday and our family's Thanksgiving get-together on Sunday. I won't get anything done excepting maybe laundry so - just want to get some things done around here today.
So there it is. Plenty done in the last several days including visiting my dad on Thanksgiving for dinner, I think I'll put in another hour or 2 and call it done for the weekend.
ben
Amazing. That was much easier than most of these rentals. A woman called 10 minutes ago asking about the room, I forgot to take the ad down (now accomplished). Weekly rentals are a bit unnerving - especially having 2 of them now, since they can pretty much leave at anytime. Not that they can do that legally - there is minimum notice given by the state of AZ - but I allow for short notice. I am trying to get people in here.
Even better is that this man is paying $110 per week - $440 per month. I normally get $375 per month for that room, but weekly renters will always pay more.
Anyway, that is a sigh of relief - at least temporarily - until the next person leaves, which would be the ex-Marine, no date as a move-out day yet.
I HAVE accomplished quite a lot around here this weekend, stopped in the middle of it to fix turkey dinner. I have to say that cooking a turkey is the easy part, it's the part about getting all of that meat off of it that takes time. I clean that bird down to the last smithering of meat. What is not good for humans goes to the dogs - meat anyway, the bones are already in the trash. Excellent dinner, btw, a nice way to end the weekend.
Busy day at work tomorrow. I have to be there at 5:00am, meaning getting up around 4:00am. I don't really like getting up that early, but duty calls and the product has to be on the jobsite for month-end final push to get whatever we can out the door and onto the books. It just means I will get off even earlier, like at noon I believe. There are 3 deliveries - 2 of them large and one small. The truck is almost done being loaded, and this was another "Technical Load", I like to call it, where you are racking your brains attempting to figure out how to get all of that stuff onto the truck, have a safe load and be able get it all of at respective delivery spots without having to take anything else off to get at it.
So, I'm almost at the point of giving myself a pass for the rest of the day - almost. I have more I want to get done outside so - I'm headed out there in a few minutes to git-er done. It's just that I know next weekend I will be next to useless. There is company part on Saturday and our family's Thanksgiving get-together on Sunday. I won't get anything done excepting maybe laundry so - just want to get some things done around here today.
So there it is. Plenty done in the last several days including visiting my dad on Thanksgiving for dinner, I think I'll put in another hour or 2 and call it done for the weekend.
ben
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Happy Thanksgiving!
Just want to take a moment to wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving and hope that you all will take a moment to reflect on the things you have in your life and give thanks to - whoever you give thanks to - I personally give thanks to the Lord God Almighty. And Jesus the Christ for hanging on a cross, shedding his blood and giving us all the opportunity to have eternal life. And, of course, the Holy Spirit, who is here with us, teaching us, comforting us and showing us the way.
I would go into it more, but I have limited time on this hotel computer - though no-one seems to be waiting to use it. I guess most people have laptops nowadays and the rooms have plug-ins for high-speed internet.
If I buy another computer, it will not be a laptop. It will be another desktop with a bit faster processor and a lot more ram and such.
Anyway, Caleb and I got here yesterday and visited everyone at my dad's house. They were, however, mostly drunk. Not my dad - he has a glass of wine here and there but drunkenness is not in the cards for him (thankfully). The 2 fathers of his wife's kids are a different story. They had been drinking for quite a while before we arrived and were yakking it up - and not letting other guests have much of anything to say.
I usually just back off in such situations, it's not worth trying to out talk someone who is quite inebriated and is enamored with the sound of their own voice - and that is exactly what I did. Instead, I spent time talking with dad and his wife and - it was freezing cold! They had a HUGE spread of food out there - of which I partook - but sparingly. I'm trying to get a handle on weight gain and make it go the opposite way. I give myself permission, however, to indulge today.
For that, I only had a bagel at their huge breakfast offering at this hotel. We are eating Thanksgiving dinner at noon-thirty - so that was enough for me. Caleb loves coming to these hotels with workout gyms and heated pools. It's sort of a mini-vacation excepting our stay here is limited to last night and we are checking out in about an hour and a half.
I haven't had any more inquiries about the room - but I only posted the ad once. Tomorrow one lady is supposed to visit and take a look. Another guy called from out of state - but I am going to re-run the ad.
That's about it, I think there are other people waiting to use this computer and I don't want to be a computer hog, so I am going to get offa here.
Hope you and yours have a wonderful day and a nice feast if you happen to celebrate the day.
ben
I would go into it more, but I have limited time on this hotel computer - though no-one seems to be waiting to use it. I guess most people have laptops nowadays and the rooms have plug-ins for high-speed internet.
If I buy another computer, it will not be a laptop. It will be another desktop with a bit faster processor and a lot more ram and such.
Anyway, Caleb and I got here yesterday and visited everyone at my dad's house. They were, however, mostly drunk. Not my dad - he has a glass of wine here and there but drunkenness is not in the cards for him (thankfully). The 2 fathers of his wife's kids are a different story. They had been drinking for quite a while before we arrived and were yakking it up - and not letting other guests have much of anything to say.
I usually just back off in such situations, it's not worth trying to out talk someone who is quite inebriated and is enamored with the sound of their own voice - and that is exactly what I did. Instead, I spent time talking with dad and his wife and - it was freezing cold! They had a HUGE spread of food out there - of which I partook - but sparingly. I'm trying to get a handle on weight gain and make it go the opposite way. I give myself permission, however, to indulge today.
For that, I only had a bagel at their huge breakfast offering at this hotel. We are eating Thanksgiving dinner at noon-thirty - so that was enough for me. Caleb loves coming to these hotels with workout gyms and heated pools. It's sort of a mini-vacation excepting our stay here is limited to last night and we are checking out in about an hour and a half.
I haven't had any more inquiries about the room - but I only posted the ad once. Tomorrow one lady is supposed to visit and take a look. Another guy called from out of state - but I am going to re-run the ad.
That's about it, I think there are other people waiting to use this computer and I don't want to be a computer hog, so I am going to get offa here.
Hope you and yours have a wonderful day and a nice feast if you happen to celebrate the day.
ben
Monday, November 23, 2009
Dogs Revisited/Fry's Food Stores
The neighbors to the east of me have apparently banished their dogs to the east side of THEIR house - since I am on their west side, that means I don't have to listen to those dogs barking all night long!! Yayyyyyyy! I wonder how long that is going to last?
I had thought they might have gotten rid of them since I haven't been hearing anything from them at all - but I saw the puppy peeking out the gate on the other side of their house yesterday. The dog actually likes me, but there is no way for me to pet the dog or give it the attention it badly needs. Those 2 dogs are totally neglected in terms of any kind of affection.
The German Shepherds on the other side are also, apparently - and hopefully NOT temporarily - being kept indoors at night as well.
Well, I bought my turkey at Fry's Food Stores yesterday. I was picking through the pile, looking for the largest one they had. If you're going to cook a turkey, you might as well cook a BIG turkey for all of that kind of work. The biggest one in there was a 15 pounder - 5 pounds shy of what I would have liked to have gotten (good English, aye?). I know the cashier from mobile home park days, of which neither she nor I (that's a little better English, doncha think?) live anymore, I was commenting about the lack of any large turkeys.
I was NOT complaining, though I was considering buying 2 of them since the sale price is 37 cents per pound. I have room in my freezer and even if I don't, there is room in the freezer at work here (here, cause' that's where I'm at right now and about to go to work for the day). She called to the back, talked to someone on the phone and a few minutes later - kablaaam! It's the dude that started trouble with me many months ago. Every time I'm in that store, he gives me the stares and glares routine. I simply smile back at him - life is too short to waste precious, internal resources on stupid people.
The look of shock on his face when he saw who he was bringing the turkey to was priceless, I ever-so-wish I had had my camera with me to eternalize that moment (now were getting into the really-good English, lol). He actually wasn't going to give me the turkey! He dropped his hand down with the turkey in it and started to walk to the back, I stopped him, said I'll take that and thank you so much, have a great day. He did not give me the same amenities in return, he instead grumbled, got a scowl on his face, muttered something else unintellible (and I'm sure I wouldn't want to know, anyway) and walked off.
Nice, huh? I didn't get management this time, not worth wasting my time. This is one miserable person whose misery started LONG before I ever showed up, I want no part of it. I guess he doesn't have to interact with the public too terribly much, which is a good thing for him cause' if he did, I would assume that, inevitably, customer service issues would arise.
Well, it's 2 minutes before I have to log-in, so I'm outta here.
Have a great day!
ben
I had thought they might have gotten rid of them since I haven't been hearing anything from them at all - but I saw the puppy peeking out the gate on the other side of their house yesterday. The dog actually likes me, but there is no way for me to pet the dog or give it the attention it badly needs. Those 2 dogs are totally neglected in terms of any kind of affection.
The German Shepherds on the other side are also, apparently - and hopefully NOT temporarily - being kept indoors at night as well.
Well, I bought my turkey at Fry's Food Stores yesterday. I was picking through the pile, looking for the largest one they had. If you're going to cook a turkey, you might as well cook a BIG turkey for all of that kind of work. The biggest one in there was a 15 pounder - 5 pounds shy of what I would have liked to have gotten (good English, aye?). I know the cashier from mobile home park days, of which neither she nor I (that's a little better English, doncha think?) live anymore, I was commenting about the lack of any large turkeys.
I was NOT complaining, though I was considering buying 2 of them since the sale price is 37 cents per pound. I have room in my freezer and even if I don't, there is room in the freezer at work here (here, cause' that's where I'm at right now and about to go to work for the day). She called to the back, talked to someone on the phone and a few minutes later - kablaaam! It's the dude that started trouble with me many months ago. Every time I'm in that store, he gives me the stares and glares routine. I simply smile back at him - life is too short to waste precious, internal resources on stupid people.
The look of shock on his face when he saw who he was bringing the turkey to was priceless, I ever-so-wish I had had my camera with me to eternalize that moment (now were getting into the really-good English, lol). He actually wasn't going to give me the turkey! He dropped his hand down with the turkey in it and started to walk to the back, I stopped him, said I'll take that and thank you so much, have a great day. He did not give me the same amenities in return, he instead grumbled, got a scowl on his face, muttered something else unintellible (and I'm sure I wouldn't want to know, anyway) and walked off.
Nice, huh? I didn't get management this time, not worth wasting my time. This is one miserable person whose misery started LONG before I ever showed up, I want no part of it. I guess he doesn't have to interact with the public too terribly much, which is a good thing for him cause' if he did, I would assume that, inevitably, customer service issues would arise.
Well, it's 2 minutes before I have to log-in, so I'm outta here.
Have a great day!
ben
Saturday, November 21, 2009
The Newest Tenant............
.....may already be leaving. Sucks. Good guy, easy to get along with. He came to Phoenix from NC specifically to go to ASU - Arizona State University. They are telling him he has to be here a year before he can get resident status - and get resident status rates. The difference? $3,000 and change per year for tuition for residents: over $19,000 per year for non-residents. OUCH!!! He's meeting with the Dean of whatever - admissions I guess - on Monday to see if he can somehow get a waiver.
If he can't, he says he's moving back to North Carolina and go to school there. He was telling me an amazing story of his first kill - off the coast of Somalia earlier. Yes, it was pirates, and the pirates were going to shoot off a rocket launcher it him and the boat he was in - he got the kill shot on that dude and that dude - is dead. I have no sympathy for those pirates and now they have made it much worse for themselves by killing that captain of the Maersk. You think the Chinese military is going to have any problem shooting first and asking questions later? I thought not.
Well, anyway, at least I will know soon whether he's leaving or not so I can get an ad up in time for month-end. It appears the ex-Marine is staying at least through December. The other guy I have no clue about. I would love for this guy to stay - he wants to do the work-for-reduced rent thing starting December and I have plenty for him to do. Whatever, I have resolved myself that this is just going to be an on-going thing: finding tenants. It's a transient world, it's a transient house apparently.
To another subject, Michael stopped in earlier to get the boys to go play football. When they returned, he dropped a bomb. Anthony wants to apologize and move back in. Lol. Lessee - broke my windows, threw rocks at me, made some of the most demoralizing statements I have ever heard - especially coming from a kid, doesn't work, doesn't go to school, smokes pot all day long, steals. That's a tough decision.
I'm trying to motivate myself to get outside and start doing some stuff. I met up with Sugarcane/Kelly of KCL today and it was a nice time out. She's a very cool person - we ate at a diner which has some fine food and great service. Good times. But I was stuffed and still am - which usually slows down the idea of going outside and doing anything. Or inside for that matter.
No, the lazy button has been pushed on me and there is nothing pressing. I rarely take a day off on the weekends, but today is apparently going to be one of those days. When I do take a day off, I usually regret not having had gone into a flurry of activity and getting things done, but I don't think that will happen this time. I have been going for a long time now - every day doing something around here beyond work. Waterings can wait up to 3 days at this point, so that can even be put on hold today as well.
The only real thing I want to accomplish this weekend is get some new tennis shoes for casual junk and probably a decent pair of pants for my trip for Thanksgiving with the folks. It's going to be held at a fancy restaurant and I want to be semi-dressed up for the event.
So, I have made up my mind- nothing today. Undoubtedly, that will change. I will end up starting to clean the place up and doing my weekend cleaning so that I can have tomorrow to work outside.
Oh well, it was a nice plan, anyway.
ben
If he can't, he says he's moving back to North Carolina and go to school there. He was telling me an amazing story of his first kill - off the coast of Somalia earlier. Yes, it was pirates, and the pirates were going to shoot off a rocket launcher it him and the boat he was in - he got the kill shot on that dude and that dude - is dead. I have no sympathy for those pirates and now they have made it much worse for themselves by killing that captain of the Maersk. You think the Chinese military is going to have any problem shooting first and asking questions later? I thought not.
Well, anyway, at least I will know soon whether he's leaving or not so I can get an ad up in time for month-end. It appears the ex-Marine is staying at least through December. The other guy I have no clue about. I would love for this guy to stay - he wants to do the work-for-reduced rent thing starting December and I have plenty for him to do. Whatever, I have resolved myself that this is just going to be an on-going thing: finding tenants. It's a transient world, it's a transient house apparently.
To another subject, Michael stopped in earlier to get the boys to go play football. When they returned, he dropped a bomb. Anthony wants to apologize and move back in. Lol. Lessee - broke my windows, threw rocks at me, made some of the most demoralizing statements I have ever heard - especially coming from a kid, doesn't work, doesn't go to school, smokes pot all day long, steals. That's a tough decision.
I'm trying to motivate myself to get outside and start doing some stuff. I met up with Sugarcane/Kelly of KCL today and it was a nice time out. She's a very cool person - we ate at a diner which has some fine food and great service. Good times. But I was stuffed and still am - which usually slows down the idea of going outside and doing anything. Or inside for that matter.
No, the lazy button has been pushed on me and there is nothing pressing. I rarely take a day off on the weekends, but today is apparently going to be one of those days. When I do take a day off, I usually regret not having had gone into a flurry of activity and getting things done, but I don't think that will happen this time. I have been going for a long time now - every day doing something around here beyond work. Waterings can wait up to 3 days at this point, so that can even be put on hold today as well.
The only real thing I want to accomplish this weekend is get some new tennis shoes for casual junk and probably a decent pair of pants for my trip for Thanksgiving with the folks. It's going to be held at a fancy restaurant and I want to be semi-dressed up for the event.
So, I have made up my mind- nothing today. Undoubtedly, that will change. I will end up starting to clean the place up and doing my weekend cleaning so that I can have tomorrow to work outside.
Oh well, it was a nice plan, anyway.
ben
Friday, November 20, 2009
Quest For New Washer/Dryer Set
My washing machine is going to take a dive any day now. It's making a noise so loud I have to shut the door on that room to keep it down and the thing is shaking the entire house, literally.
I was at Home Depot yesterday getting yet another doggie door - this is the 4th one I believe - on warranty. I have an arrangement I have set with myself now - all receipts go into the trunk of my car. I will not lose them there, they will not get sun-bleached in there and I can FIND what I am looking for in there. I take the doggie door back in it's original box - yes I keep boxes until I figure that a product is good and I won't need to be taking it back - with receipt, get my money back and then go get another one.
Well, I'm in there and conversing with the lady at the counter where I was returning the door about the service at Home Depot. An older lady chimes in that it's because they are working there - it was all good - but I was being serious. Every time I go in there I get a hello, how ya doin', stuff like that -whereas before, I would get glares, stares and jeers. We had a pleasant conversation that went well beyond the time of the refund - there was no-one else there to return anything so I wasn't holding up any line.
I leave and go back, find the exact same doggie door at the exact same price. The older lady happens to be walking by me at the back of the store while I'm walking past the washers and dryers, lusting after the front load deals. Those washers use less water, less electricity and are just plain beautiful. What I was astounded by was the price tag: $400 - down from $800. They are on sale. She stopped and we started talking again. She was trying to talk me into buying one - I was considering it, but not seriously. After that, a guy walks up and pleasantly tries to talk me into buying another one that's on sale for $300. It's smaller, but he says the only difference between the other one is that the smaller one goes up to Queen sized comforters and not King sized. I don't have a king sized bed and I don't want one. However and generally, I usually opt for the larger sizes because of tenants dumping huge loads into the machines.
I said thanks, can't really afford it and left. I considered asking my dad for a loan to get the washer only - my dryer is working perfectly, it's the washer that is nose-diving - but I opted against that. I don't want to abuse the priviledge simply because he is a giving man. I really tried to think of any way I could come up with that kind of money. In actuality, I HAVE the money to pay for it, I don't want to spend it. I have a small emergency fund going that I would like to keep intact. If/when the washer I have now stops working, then it's an emergency - but that doesn't equate to a $400 machine when I can find something like what I have now for $100 to $200. I'm just thinking these machines are better built and the reduced use of electricity and water would be a great plus.
So, anyway, today I went to Craigslist and started my normal lowballing. Offers up to half off of what the advertiser is asking. I usually get some interesting replies to my offers - today is no exception and no, I haven't had any takers yet. I am not at the emergency/desperation level yet, I can offer less money and see if someone is desperate. I did that with the set I have now - just patiently waited and I ended up with those machines for $100 for the pair. I have no been particularly happy with the washer - it can eat clothes and pull out threading - but as long as it works, I am content to not spend money on something else.
I can safely say that I have gotten my money's worth and 10 times that out of these machines. I'm not complaining - the amount of laundry being done for 4 separate parties in one house can be substantial. I am going to go around Google for awhile and see if there are any payment places that might take some money down and payments thereafter. I briefly considered Aaron Rents - but they will want 24 payments at who knows what per month - probably around $100 or even more - and end up paying 3 times or more as much as the machine is worth. I would rather dig into $200 of emergency funds and get it over with than pay $2,400 for an $800 machine.
That's my latest quest. Get a machine at an obscene price - or - dump $400 out for that front loader plus another $99 for a 4 year extended warranty. It wouldn't be worth it in my situation to buy a brand new machine, knowing the amount of use it's going to get, and not get an extended warranty on it. I figure this is one extended warranty that would be worth getting.
That's it.
C'ya later.
ben
I was at Home Depot yesterday getting yet another doggie door - this is the 4th one I believe - on warranty. I have an arrangement I have set with myself now - all receipts go into the trunk of my car. I will not lose them there, they will not get sun-bleached in there and I can FIND what I am looking for in there. I take the doggie door back in it's original box - yes I keep boxes until I figure that a product is good and I won't need to be taking it back - with receipt, get my money back and then go get another one.
Well, I'm in there and conversing with the lady at the counter where I was returning the door about the service at Home Depot. An older lady chimes in that it's because they are working there - it was all good - but I was being serious. Every time I go in there I get a hello, how ya doin', stuff like that -whereas before, I would get glares, stares and jeers. We had a pleasant conversation that went well beyond the time of the refund - there was no-one else there to return anything so I wasn't holding up any line.
I leave and go back, find the exact same doggie door at the exact same price. The older lady happens to be walking by me at the back of the store while I'm walking past the washers and dryers, lusting after the front load deals. Those washers use less water, less electricity and are just plain beautiful. What I was astounded by was the price tag: $400 - down from $800. They are on sale. She stopped and we started talking again. She was trying to talk me into buying one - I was considering it, but not seriously. After that, a guy walks up and pleasantly tries to talk me into buying another one that's on sale for $300. It's smaller, but he says the only difference between the other one is that the smaller one goes up to Queen sized comforters and not King sized. I don't have a king sized bed and I don't want one. However and generally, I usually opt for the larger sizes because of tenants dumping huge loads into the machines.
I said thanks, can't really afford it and left. I considered asking my dad for a loan to get the washer only - my dryer is working perfectly, it's the washer that is nose-diving - but I opted against that. I don't want to abuse the priviledge simply because he is a giving man. I really tried to think of any way I could come up with that kind of money. In actuality, I HAVE the money to pay for it, I don't want to spend it. I have a small emergency fund going that I would like to keep intact. If/when the washer I have now stops working, then it's an emergency - but that doesn't equate to a $400 machine when I can find something like what I have now for $100 to $200. I'm just thinking these machines are better built and the reduced use of electricity and water would be a great plus.
So, anyway, today I went to Craigslist and started my normal lowballing. Offers up to half off of what the advertiser is asking. I usually get some interesting replies to my offers - today is no exception and no, I haven't had any takers yet. I am not at the emergency/desperation level yet, I can offer less money and see if someone is desperate. I did that with the set I have now - just patiently waited and I ended up with those machines for $100 for the pair. I have no been particularly happy with the washer - it can eat clothes and pull out threading - but as long as it works, I am content to not spend money on something else.
I can safely say that I have gotten my money's worth and 10 times that out of these machines. I'm not complaining - the amount of laundry being done for 4 separate parties in one house can be substantial. I am going to go around Google for awhile and see if there are any payment places that might take some money down and payments thereafter. I briefly considered Aaron Rents - but they will want 24 payments at who knows what per month - probably around $100 or even more - and end up paying 3 times or more as much as the machine is worth. I would rather dig into $200 of emergency funds and get it over with than pay $2,400 for an $800 machine.
That's my latest quest. Get a machine at an obscene price - or - dump $400 out for that front loader plus another $99 for a 4 year extended warranty. It wouldn't be worth it in my situation to buy a brand new machine, knowing the amount of use it's going to get, and not get an extended warranty on it. I figure this is one extended warranty that would be worth getting.
That's it.
C'ya later.
ben
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Today
Amazing.
I'm talking with my manager this morning and he's telling me that when they cut jobs down to 24 people, then we can get our hours back.
???? We're now at 32 people - down over 40 - and they want it to go down 8 more? WHO are they going to get rid of and WHAT is the criteria going to be? I have no clue, but I have firmly decided that I better get my @$$ to the annual Christmas function whether I want to go or not.
I do not want to go. It's a 40 mile drive one way and then 40 miles back. Booze is usually flowing heavily and though it's usually a great time, I have no inclinations for such right now. I'm not the socialite I once was - by choice. I love talking with people, I can do parties, but I don't want to. I am not shy or intimidated or whatever - it's just where I'm at in life right now. I have always been referred to as the life of the party - the dude that can get people talking when it's all cold and silent. I have done it hundreds of times over - I hate a lifeless party and I want to see life in it.
I have not yet officially committed to going - and I will be going alone - but I feel if for nothing else that I best get there, make a good showing and have a good time. I will take a nice, fat cigar with me this time - the last Christmas parties had guys standing around smoking cigars and I had nothing. I was woefully deficient in such - I love to smoke a good cigar occasionally.
Oh, these are almost all great people, I have no problems with that. I think I'm in my version of a mid-life crisis. I don't want toys and huge houses and giant bankrolls (well Iwouldn't mind some things, I just am not in a mode 0f get them or die), I just want to hibernate in my cave. I have spent the last 32 years as a socialite - doing all kind of volunteerism and very outgoing - I'm not there right now. I believe it will come back to me, but a badly needed break - an extended one at that - is necessary right now. Burnt-out is actually a more accurate definer of my situation versus mid-life crisis, now that I think about it.
Life must take on a new direction - I have always done that. Do something until it is "conquerered" and move on. I have several ideas of such things - things I want to do and things I know I can succeed at. But - it's not time yet.
Work today. Okay, well, I go to a jobsite right next to the Superstition 60 freeway. I try to get into the site where they want product delivered - the turn from hell. I cannot possibly make a right turn into THAT situation, I would have had to take the semi into opposing lanes, cut off a lot of traffic and possibly create a "situation".
I determined the only way to get in there was to come from the other direction and make a left turn, giving me much more clearance on the turn and get into this very narrow drive that lead - from my view - nowhere. Yet, this is where the dude on the phone told me to go.
I go up the road, flip a Uey -come back and still have to tie up traffic making that turn as well. I get in there and see that it really DOES lead NOWHERE. A yard and then - a friggin' CANAL. I get out of the truck before I get myself so dug into this situation that it will take a half hour worth of backing up and pullups to get out of there, it was THAT bad - the worst place I have been in in a while, and that is saying something considering some of the stuff I have had to go into in recent times.
The man with the plan says yeah, go in there and then you can go out the back and onto a road that leads out of there. I am just not seeing it, but I haven't been in there. I'm always game for a challenge, though, so I just drive in there. It is such a small yard with vehicles everywhere, that I have to stop the truck and wait for all the equipment to move. Yes, they do see me coming and they do start hurrying to get their metal out of my way.
I'm in no hurry - and anyway - this particular contractor is HUGE business for us and right now, that means a lot. I get in there, get the pipe unloaded - and then do my usual walkaround.
I do an inspection of the truck and trailer every time I get out, I don't care if I'm only there 30 seconds, I will walk all the way around the truck to make sure the load is secure, the tires aren't flat - whatever. I've been in this business long enough to know things can happen without you knowing about it and you have to make visual inspections to identify any problems.
Well, this time, I did find something. I saw the mud flaps on my tractor on the ground. ???? I took a triple look at that until it registered that roger, Houston, we have a problem. Fortunately, I'm not in Apollo 13 headed for the moon, but still. The airbags were totally deflated and no, this tractor is not equipped with a dump valve. I'm a former truck mechanic, so I get on my back in my nice clothes, under the truck and start lookin' around.
Nothing visible. The levellor rod is intact. I tapped on the valve with a hammer to see if I could get it to release - I'm thinking right away a stuck valve. Nothing. I turn the truck off and evacuate the system - all of it - of pressurized air by opening the relief cocks on the air tanks - when that's done, turn the truck on and see if it will correct itself.
Nothing. Again and again. I finally give up on it - my ways aren't working. I contact the manufacturer to assess that my knowledge is still correct - driving a truck in that condition can damage the drive train. " We can't advise you on that". What a crock of BS. I just got off the phone with them after that. I call our fleet service contract - yes, you drive it, the drive axle is not on the plane it is intended and is at an angle going into the transmission that will TRASH the rear of that transmission, don't drive it.
Ironically, his service tech was at our main branch fixing a problem there, and yes, he would dispatch him to my location after he is done there.
So, resolving that and getting the truck out of the way and walking over to Starbuck's for a cup of joe - I wander back to the truck and look at this rear exit of theirs. Unbelievable. The chain link fenced yard ends and a canal starts with a narrow dirt "road" in between the 2 and I'm supposed to turn right out of that. Lol.
I decide to pull the truck out of that miserable thoroughfare - it is always quite amazing at what people that don't drive trucks think a truck can make it through. I already knew that to make it around that, the trailer axles would be going up over a giant heap of dirt - and I was not let down on that prospect.
Somewhere along this maneuver, the tractor woke up and decided that it needed it's airbags fully charged. Great. I have already been on the phone with half a doznen people concerning this situation because it was going to hold up a "we-need-it-right-now" delivery. Now I'm on the phone all over - it's good to go, at least for now: cancel the emergency roadside appointment; call the inside salesman; call my manager. I'm on the road and - not feeling good at all. I am losing entirely too much sleep and am at the point where I am going to be forced to start taking Ambien again - I cannot function like this.
Long day today, really. Got home and took a nap. Dogs were not happy - I could tell that my leaving them outside was not their first choice. Get over it, is all I can say about that and told them so, though I have serious doubts they actually understood me ; )
The vet's projection that their balls would grow to the size of grapefruits temporarily has yet to surface. There is some slight expansion, but they are almost flat. I really don't want to see them going through that, I believed the vet, but - I don't see it yet. I have no regrets in getting this procedure done, either. I had thoughts that - for some reason - I would regret it - but - what is there to regret? I thought about it - the family "name". No more Princes and no more Dukes. I'm good with that, there are plenty of Dane breeders out there making sure the supply line never goes empty. I am totally NOT into puppies, anyway.
As for here - I did not dig anymore holes as I had hoped I would today, instead, I just watered everything and devised a few plans.
And, I am very tired and am done with this entry.
G'nite.
Ben
I'm talking with my manager this morning and he's telling me that when they cut jobs down to 24 people, then we can get our hours back.
???? We're now at 32 people - down over 40 - and they want it to go down 8 more? WHO are they going to get rid of and WHAT is the criteria going to be? I have no clue, but I have firmly decided that I better get my @$$ to the annual Christmas function whether I want to go or not.
I do not want to go. It's a 40 mile drive one way and then 40 miles back. Booze is usually flowing heavily and though it's usually a great time, I have no inclinations for such right now. I'm not the socialite I once was - by choice. I love talking with people, I can do parties, but I don't want to. I am not shy or intimidated or whatever - it's just where I'm at in life right now. I have always been referred to as the life of the party - the dude that can get people talking when it's all cold and silent. I have done it hundreds of times over - I hate a lifeless party and I want to see life in it.
I have not yet officially committed to going - and I will be going alone - but I feel if for nothing else that I best get there, make a good showing and have a good time. I will take a nice, fat cigar with me this time - the last Christmas parties had guys standing around smoking cigars and I had nothing. I was woefully deficient in such - I love to smoke a good cigar occasionally.
Oh, these are almost all great people, I have no problems with that. I think I'm in my version of a mid-life crisis. I don't want toys and huge houses and giant bankrolls (well Iwouldn't mind some things, I just am not in a mode 0f get them or die), I just want to hibernate in my cave. I have spent the last 32 years as a socialite - doing all kind of volunteerism and very outgoing - I'm not there right now. I believe it will come back to me, but a badly needed break - an extended one at that - is necessary right now. Burnt-out is actually a more accurate definer of my situation versus mid-life crisis, now that I think about it.
Life must take on a new direction - I have always done that. Do something until it is "conquerered" and move on. I have several ideas of such things - things I want to do and things I know I can succeed at. But - it's not time yet.
Work today. Okay, well, I go to a jobsite right next to the Superstition 60 freeway. I try to get into the site where they want product delivered - the turn from hell. I cannot possibly make a right turn into THAT situation, I would have had to take the semi into opposing lanes, cut off a lot of traffic and possibly create a "situation".
I determined the only way to get in there was to come from the other direction and make a left turn, giving me much more clearance on the turn and get into this very narrow drive that lead - from my view - nowhere. Yet, this is where the dude on the phone told me to go.
I go up the road, flip a Uey -come back and still have to tie up traffic making that turn as well. I get in there and see that it really DOES lead NOWHERE. A yard and then - a friggin' CANAL. I get out of the truck before I get myself so dug into this situation that it will take a half hour worth of backing up and pullups to get out of there, it was THAT bad - the worst place I have been in in a while, and that is saying something considering some of the stuff I have had to go into in recent times.
The man with the plan says yeah, go in there and then you can go out the back and onto a road that leads out of there. I am just not seeing it, but I haven't been in there. I'm always game for a challenge, though, so I just drive in there. It is such a small yard with vehicles everywhere, that I have to stop the truck and wait for all the equipment to move. Yes, they do see me coming and they do start hurrying to get their metal out of my way.
I'm in no hurry - and anyway - this particular contractor is HUGE business for us and right now, that means a lot. I get in there, get the pipe unloaded - and then do my usual walkaround.
I do an inspection of the truck and trailer every time I get out, I don't care if I'm only there 30 seconds, I will walk all the way around the truck to make sure the load is secure, the tires aren't flat - whatever. I've been in this business long enough to know things can happen without you knowing about it and you have to make visual inspections to identify any problems.
Well, this time, I did find something. I saw the mud flaps on my tractor on the ground. ???? I took a triple look at that until it registered that roger, Houston, we have a problem. Fortunately, I'm not in Apollo 13 headed for the moon, but still. The airbags were totally deflated and no, this tractor is not equipped with a dump valve. I'm a former truck mechanic, so I get on my back in my nice clothes, under the truck and start lookin' around.
Nothing visible. The levellor rod is intact. I tapped on the valve with a hammer to see if I could get it to release - I'm thinking right away a stuck valve. Nothing. I turn the truck off and evacuate the system - all of it - of pressurized air by opening the relief cocks on the air tanks - when that's done, turn the truck on and see if it will correct itself.
Nothing. Again and again. I finally give up on it - my ways aren't working. I contact the manufacturer to assess that my knowledge is still correct - driving a truck in that condition can damage the drive train. " We can't advise you on that". What a crock of BS. I just got off the phone with them after that. I call our fleet service contract - yes, you drive it, the drive axle is not on the plane it is intended and is at an angle going into the transmission that will TRASH the rear of that transmission, don't drive it.
Ironically, his service tech was at our main branch fixing a problem there, and yes, he would dispatch him to my location after he is done there.
So, resolving that and getting the truck out of the way and walking over to Starbuck's for a cup of joe - I wander back to the truck and look at this rear exit of theirs. Unbelievable. The chain link fenced yard ends and a canal starts with a narrow dirt "road" in between the 2 and I'm supposed to turn right out of that. Lol.
I decide to pull the truck out of that miserable thoroughfare - it is always quite amazing at what people that don't drive trucks think a truck can make it through. I already knew that to make it around that, the trailer axles would be going up over a giant heap of dirt - and I was not let down on that prospect.
Somewhere along this maneuver, the tractor woke up and decided that it needed it's airbags fully charged. Great. I have already been on the phone with half a doznen people concerning this situation because it was going to hold up a "we-need-it-right-now" delivery. Now I'm on the phone all over - it's good to go, at least for now: cancel the emergency roadside appointment; call the inside salesman; call my manager. I'm on the road and - not feeling good at all. I am losing entirely too much sleep and am at the point where I am going to be forced to start taking Ambien again - I cannot function like this.
Long day today, really. Got home and took a nap. Dogs were not happy - I could tell that my leaving them outside was not their first choice. Get over it, is all I can say about that and told them so, though I have serious doubts they actually understood me ; )
The vet's projection that their balls would grow to the size of grapefruits temporarily has yet to surface. There is some slight expansion, but they are almost flat. I really don't want to see them going through that, I believed the vet, but - I don't see it yet. I have no regrets in getting this procedure done, either. I had thoughts that - for some reason - I would regret it - but - what is there to regret? I thought about it - the family "name". No more Princes and no more Dukes. I'm good with that, there are plenty of Dane breeders out there making sure the supply line never goes empty. I am totally NOT into puppies, anyway.
As for here - I did not dig anymore holes as I had hoped I would today, instead, I just watered everything and devised a few plans.
And, I am very tired and am done with this entry.
G'nite.
Ben
Blogs
FYI, I have at least 8 different blogs on numerous different sites. I have a couple of blogs that are for me only. No-one knows where they're at and I haven't seen them on any Google searches. I don't write on those very often - sorty of puking blogs - get it out of the system and move on.
The one I switched to recently is the same one I was using after JS crashed and really didn't know where to go on Wordpress. I consider that a sort of anonymous blog - some people know where it is, but it's all people that I know from JS or online anyway, so no big deal there.
I doubt I will ever totally abandon blogging, but there are definitely times where the "I don't feel like writing so I won't" atmosphere sets in and I'm done with it for awhile.
We are getting closer and closer to Christmas, that atmosphere has not set in, rather, somewhat of a disgust at what certain, other bloggers were doing got me to going to other places to write my entries.
As I said, just an FYI.
The newest tenant is - broke pretty much. He is a bartender - just out of the military as well - had a heckuva time finding work. When he finally did find a gig, it's pretty much minimum wage. He's a good guy and he's out putting in the applications all over the place, at least he's trying. This particular person is going to do the "work for reduced rent" scenario.
I have PLENTY of work I can keep him busy at around my house, that's a fact. There are odd jobs I don't want to do, really, which hopefully he has basic skills such as painting walls and pulling grass - junk like that. His rent will be $200 with the work, $375 without it. Judging from his sounds of desperation, I will be getting the work out of him - my ad stated a minimum of 25 hours per month. You break that down into an hourly wage, and it ain't much, but I made it clear on my ad what I was offering and ain't forcin' no-one to do it.
In fact, I made it VERY clear about how it's going to work. He's got this month paid up so he doesn't want to start until next month. All well and fine, if he's serious about it, I am going to have him keep a log of hours worked and what was done. This is the only way to keep track of it. The situation with Mary was intolerable, yes, but at the same time, she did probably 50 hours of work per month and she was still paying $400 per month for the room.
I've got myself half talked into letting her go on the lawsuit - the work she did on the front of the house remains and it was worth a lot more than the rent I took off every month. The only stickling point with her about letting her off the hook was her attempt to get police to arrest me by claiming that I had shoved her.
I don't shove ladies - or in her case a woman, ladies don't use meth in my book, women might, but not the ladies - I don't hit them, pull their hair, spit on them, whatever. That's kind of been a life-long thing for me, I doubt that will EVER change. It's pretty much a simple enough thing to walk away from a person or hang up the phone when someone is being abusive than to get angry and start thinking about a fight or violence.
The question must pose oneself when challenged to a fight is, which is harder? To walk away or stand there and fight? I'll tell you right now, it's much harder to walk away, oh yes it is. Especially if a person is taunting you, maybe throwing in the C-word: Coward, yellow-belly, lemonade-bleeding wimp - all that wonderful stuff. I have walked away from people saying that stuff to me. I have no doubt that if those people would have laid a finger on me, the outcome would have been different, but they didn't, it was all talk, and in the end, they have to live with their childishness and I am able to cope that I walked away from a cocky, mouthy, moron and not get into it.
So, anyway, we'll see how the work-for-reduced-rent scenario goes. If he finds a better paying job, I doubt he'll want anything to do with that. In fact, if he finds the money he's trying to get - by getting into a place where bartenders are walking home with anywhere between $200-$400 per night, he'll undoubtedly end up getting his own place. I actually hope I can get at least one month out of him, though, I have some things I have put off simply because I have a plate full of projects right now.
Changing the subject, today is the first official day that the dogs are banished to the great outdoors when I'm away at work. I was watching video surveillance yesterday and that sealed it. They were in my living room, rough-housing. The Dane mix was up on my couch - a thing she KNOWS I hate her doing, standing there with this defiant look on her face. The Danes walked around their living room, smelled one of my indoor plants - and yes - they lifted their legs.
THAT is IT. When I saw that, that sealed their fate. They will never be allowed in the house while I'm gone again - not unless I can figure out a way to get all the smell out of there and get them to stop the activity. For now, they are dogs, they can handle it. I put a nice strip of carpeting out on the cement for them to lay on, that's the best I'm going to do. I'm imagining the only way I will be able to get the behavior to change is to get rid of the carpeting in that living room and go ahead and install the ceramic tile I want to put in there.
Money, of course, is stopping me from doing that. We figured it out - about $800 for the materials to get it done. Totally out of the question right now. I have a savings account where I'm putting a little here and there into it - nothing grand but it's there to eventually fund a project or 2 that I want to get done around there. Frankly, the economy's going to have to come back up and my hours are going to have to be reinstated before any serious projects are going to occur. The drip system is almost totally paid for, I just have to get the work done.
Well, the work day approacheth and thankfully, there IS something to do in there that should eat up the day - or most of it anyway.
ben
The one I switched to recently is the same one I was using after JS crashed and really didn't know where to go on Wordpress. I consider that a sort of anonymous blog - some people know where it is, but it's all people that I know from JS or online anyway, so no big deal there.
I doubt I will ever totally abandon blogging, but there are definitely times where the "I don't feel like writing so I won't" atmosphere sets in and I'm done with it for awhile.
We are getting closer and closer to Christmas, that atmosphere has not set in, rather, somewhat of a disgust at what certain, other bloggers were doing got me to going to other places to write my entries.
As I said, just an FYI.
The newest tenant is - broke pretty much. He is a bartender - just out of the military as well - had a heckuva time finding work. When he finally did find a gig, it's pretty much minimum wage. He's a good guy and he's out putting in the applications all over the place, at least he's trying. This particular person is going to do the "work for reduced rent" scenario.
I have PLENTY of work I can keep him busy at around my house, that's a fact. There are odd jobs I don't want to do, really, which hopefully he has basic skills such as painting walls and pulling grass - junk like that. His rent will be $200 with the work, $375 without it. Judging from his sounds of desperation, I will be getting the work out of him - my ad stated a minimum of 25 hours per month. You break that down into an hourly wage, and it ain't much, but I made it clear on my ad what I was offering and ain't forcin' no-one to do it.
In fact, I made it VERY clear about how it's going to work. He's got this month paid up so he doesn't want to start until next month. All well and fine, if he's serious about it, I am going to have him keep a log of hours worked and what was done. This is the only way to keep track of it. The situation with Mary was intolerable, yes, but at the same time, she did probably 50 hours of work per month and she was still paying $400 per month for the room.
I've got myself half talked into letting her go on the lawsuit - the work she did on the front of the house remains and it was worth a lot more than the rent I took off every month. The only stickling point with her about letting her off the hook was her attempt to get police to arrest me by claiming that I had shoved her.
I don't shove ladies - or in her case a woman, ladies don't use meth in my book, women might, but not the ladies - I don't hit them, pull their hair, spit on them, whatever. That's kind of been a life-long thing for me, I doubt that will EVER change. It's pretty much a simple enough thing to walk away from a person or hang up the phone when someone is being abusive than to get angry and start thinking about a fight or violence.
The question must pose oneself when challenged to a fight is, which is harder? To walk away or stand there and fight? I'll tell you right now, it's much harder to walk away, oh yes it is. Especially if a person is taunting you, maybe throwing in the C-word: Coward, yellow-belly, lemonade-bleeding wimp - all that wonderful stuff. I have walked away from people saying that stuff to me. I have no doubt that if those people would have laid a finger on me, the outcome would have been different, but they didn't, it was all talk, and in the end, they have to live with their childishness and I am able to cope that I walked away from a cocky, mouthy, moron and not get into it.
So, anyway, we'll see how the work-for-reduced-rent scenario goes. If he finds a better paying job, I doubt he'll want anything to do with that. In fact, if he finds the money he's trying to get - by getting into a place where bartenders are walking home with anywhere between $200-$400 per night, he'll undoubtedly end up getting his own place. I actually hope I can get at least one month out of him, though, I have some things I have put off simply because I have a plate full of projects right now.
Changing the subject, today is the first official day that the dogs are banished to the great outdoors when I'm away at work. I was watching video surveillance yesterday and that sealed it. They were in my living room, rough-housing. The Dane mix was up on my couch - a thing she KNOWS I hate her doing, standing there with this defiant look on her face. The Danes walked around their living room, smelled one of my indoor plants - and yes - they lifted their legs.
THAT is IT. When I saw that, that sealed their fate. They will never be allowed in the house while I'm gone again - not unless I can figure out a way to get all the smell out of there and get them to stop the activity. For now, they are dogs, they can handle it. I put a nice strip of carpeting out on the cement for them to lay on, that's the best I'm going to do. I'm imagining the only way I will be able to get the behavior to change is to get rid of the carpeting in that living room and go ahead and install the ceramic tile I want to put in there.
Money, of course, is stopping me from doing that. We figured it out - about $800 for the materials to get it done. Totally out of the question right now. I have a savings account where I'm putting a little here and there into it - nothing grand but it's there to eventually fund a project or 2 that I want to get done around there. Frankly, the economy's going to have to come back up and my hours are going to have to be reinstated before any serious projects are going to occur. The drip system is almost totally paid for, I just have to get the work done.
Well, the work day approacheth and thankfully, there IS something to do in there that should eat up the day - or most of it anyway.
ben
Friday, November 6, 2009
Temporary Reprieve
I am taking a sabbatical from posting either here or on KCL.
I am posting on another site that I opened up earlier this year.
My friends from Australia and New York and others are welcomed to inquire where if so desired.
My reasons - will not be explained here and that's that end of that.
This is only temporary - but I cannot give anyone a date of my "return".
I am still reading journals and logging in and all of that, just not posting on these sites.
I am posting on another site that I opened up earlier this year.
My friends from Australia and New York and others are welcomed to inquire where if so desired.
My reasons - will not be explained here and that's that end of that.
This is only temporary - but I cannot give anyone a date of my "return".
I am still reading journals and logging in and all of that, just not posting on these sites.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Wednesday
A very long day preceded by a rather sleepless night. I kept having some pretty nightmarish types of dreams and kept waking up. I mean, some bad stuff. I dunno what's going on in my life right now besides all the normal chaos, but it isn't exactly pleasant to have those types of dreams coming at you every time you go back to sleep.
The new tenant - is hardly ever here. I am wondering if he is just using this as a temp place to find something else. I have no clue. He works afternoons to late night doing pizza delivery runs. I have a few leads on the empty room - I'm not sure I want to wait for this guy who says he's coming Friday to leave a deposit to move in the next Friday. He has a LOT of issues in his life with his wife he is separating from and 3 kids. I don't want to continue to hear he is putting this off indefinitely.
I had mind to get some things done outside today, but I decided against doing anything but some light house-cleaning. Though, if I get a hankering, I might go out and dig some holes and plant some trees.
Really, I'm pretty out of it, I think I will keep this one short.
Take care.
ben
The new tenant - is hardly ever here. I am wondering if he is just using this as a temp place to find something else. I have no clue. He works afternoons to late night doing pizza delivery runs. I have a few leads on the empty room - I'm not sure I want to wait for this guy who says he's coming Friday to leave a deposit to move in the next Friday. He has a LOT of issues in his life with his wife he is separating from and 3 kids. I don't want to continue to hear he is putting this off indefinitely.
I had mind to get some things done outside today, but I decided against doing anything but some light house-cleaning. Though, if I get a hankering, I might go out and dig some holes and plant some trees.
Really, I'm pretty out of it, I think I will keep this one short.
Take care.
ben
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Tuesday
Busy day at work. Got out of town around 6:00 am for some early deliveries, back at 9 am for another delivery, then back again for another delivery and yet again for yet another delivery. Sorta went that way today. In recent times, seems like we get a lot more business near the beginning of the month than near the end.
Tomorrow doesn't have too much - but neither did today and it ended up cranking all day long.
I passed through an accident scene on a 2-lane highway this morning - problem is, I didn't see what was on fire. LOTS of fire trucks and related equipment and personnel, but it was too dark to see what had happened. When I came back through that way, they had completely shut the highway down, making traffic go through the outskirts of a residential area of Sacaton in the reservation. I don't know who thought up the idea to track that much traffic through dirt roads in an area with kids - the roads were narrow and I had to take up the oncoming side to make the turns.
People weren't being so giving, so I just pulled up there and waited for them to back up. That or NEVER move. So these people are throwing up their hands and reluctantly backing up - I would have NEVER made that turn with the amount of traffic that was coming through there if I had just waited until it was clear to go. Dunno what to say, folks, trucks are big, large pieces of heavy equipment. They bring you food, clothing, parts to fix your car, materials to build and repair your houses. Do they get in your way? Of course they do, but not intentionally. We can't just maneuver around corners like in a car or pickup truck.
On the same kind of note, this morning on the same highway where I assume there was a death - they rarely shut down a highway like that unless someone died and they have to do an investigation. Oh, well anyway, a pickup truck comes barreling down a side road that stops at the highway I'm on. State Route 87 to be precise. I'm going 65 mph in a ....65mph zone. This guy drives right through the stop sing - probably going 25 mph through that thing, right out in front of me. I'm flashing my headlamps trying to get him to get out of the way, I just went into the oncoming lane since there was nothing coming to pass him.
This person decides to speed up and play games as I'm ahead of him and getting close to being able to pull back over. This is one of those deals where the person neither wants to let you pass NOR let you slow down to get back behind the person, the person who just cut you off BADLY in their vehicle. Now a vehicle IS coming from the opposite direction, I have my signal on, I just started coming over. I will not get into a head-on collision. I would far rather shove this guy's vehicle right off the road (assuming it's a guy) then kill an innocent person.
These are not games worth playing - I wasn't playing the game here, this guy was. I will never be able to figure out why people drive like that. Do they not realize they are risking their own lives? Maybe they just don't think it will happen - they can do anything they want to and that's the end of it. The accident where the dead person is - guessing anyway, haven't heard anything on the news yet - was the same kind of thing. Right at a side road that stops at the main highway. Undoubtedly, someone pulled out in front of an on-coming vehicle. There was thick, black smoke everywhere. It was eerie looking.
So, much further down the road- this driver stuck behind me and we pass through the accident zone - I have to slow down for a truck that is turning in front of me. After he turns, it takes my truck forever to get back up to speed, this guy comes zooming around me, flipping me off. The epitome and heighth of arrogance and aggressive driving.
Whatever. Just another day driving a truck in the Phoenix metro area. I fully expect this crap and I try to prepare for it before it happens. When my truck is heavily loaded, I go below the speed limit - like 5 to 10 miles per hour slower - I stay out of the way of faster traffic and try to keep a HUGE distance between my truck and whatever's in front of me. If something happens in my lane ahead of me and that truck is anything even close to 40 tons, there is hell to pay if I don't have enough distance to slow down, and trust me, a truck needs a LOT of distance to get stopped or slowed down enough.
Enough. I called the guy that committed to the room today - he said he still wanted to move in, but.....always a but in things with Craigslist ad respondants - he can't move in until next Friday instead of this Friday - but again - he'll come over this Friday and hand over $400. Okay, I said, thinking it's only 3 days away, might as well see if he's on the up and up. If not - well it's just such a game with people trying to get them to even show up when they say they are, and then if they do, getting them to actually just move in. I hate it, but I have no choice in the matter. Another whatever. It wears me out sometimes trying to get and keep people in here. You never know when a person is going to move out. It just happens - bam and they're gone.
I don't quite understand why money has to be SUCH an issue in life, but one thing I know: I'm totally not alone in that department. The ex-Marine is supposed to pay me Thursday and this new guy - no clue how long he's staying - but if is staying, handing over another $100 Friday or Saturday. It's float money, sort on the tilting towards sinking side. I'm getting a few extra hours at work on each paycheck, every little bit helps. Spending money on anything but food, electricity, bills or gasoline is pretty much cancelled at this point. It's the only way I can survive right now with only 2 tenants.
Anyway, enough. I am going to go to bed early again tonight - not sleeping terribly well at night but I tend to feel better in the morning when I go to sleep earlier, I still wake up but I get more sleep in.
G'nite.
ben
Tomorrow doesn't have too much - but neither did today and it ended up cranking all day long.
I passed through an accident scene on a 2-lane highway this morning - problem is, I didn't see what was on fire. LOTS of fire trucks and related equipment and personnel, but it was too dark to see what had happened. When I came back through that way, they had completely shut the highway down, making traffic go through the outskirts of a residential area of Sacaton in the reservation. I don't know who thought up the idea to track that much traffic through dirt roads in an area with kids - the roads were narrow and I had to take up the oncoming side to make the turns.
People weren't being so giving, so I just pulled up there and waited for them to back up. That or NEVER move. So these people are throwing up their hands and reluctantly backing up - I would have NEVER made that turn with the amount of traffic that was coming through there if I had just waited until it was clear to go. Dunno what to say, folks, trucks are big, large pieces of heavy equipment. They bring you food, clothing, parts to fix your car, materials to build and repair your houses. Do they get in your way? Of course they do, but not intentionally. We can't just maneuver around corners like in a car or pickup truck.
On the same kind of note, this morning on the same highway where I assume there was a death - they rarely shut down a highway like that unless someone died and they have to do an investigation. Oh, well anyway, a pickup truck comes barreling down a side road that stops at the highway I'm on. State Route 87 to be precise. I'm going 65 mph in a ....65mph zone. This guy drives right through the stop sing - probably going 25 mph through that thing, right out in front of me. I'm flashing my headlamps trying to get him to get out of the way, I just went into the oncoming lane since there was nothing coming to pass him.
This person decides to speed up and play games as I'm ahead of him and getting close to being able to pull back over. This is one of those deals where the person neither wants to let you pass NOR let you slow down to get back behind the person, the person who just cut you off BADLY in their vehicle. Now a vehicle IS coming from the opposite direction, I have my signal on, I just started coming over. I will not get into a head-on collision. I would far rather shove this guy's vehicle right off the road (assuming it's a guy) then kill an innocent person.
These are not games worth playing - I wasn't playing the game here, this guy was. I will never be able to figure out why people drive like that. Do they not realize they are risking their own lives? Maybe they just don't think it will happen - they can do anything they want to and that's the end of it. The accident where the dead person is - guessing anyway, haven't heard anything on the news yet - was the same kind of thing. Right at a side road that stops at the main highway. Undoubtedly, someone pulled out in front of an on-coming vehicle. There was thick, black smoke everywhere. It was eerie looking.
So, much further down the road- this driver stuck behind me and we pass through the accident zone - I have to slow down for a truck that is turning in front of me. After he turns, it takes my truck forever to get back up to speed, this guy comes zooming around me, flipping me off. The epitome and heighth of arrogance and aggressive driving.
Whatever. Just another day driving a truck in the Phoenix metro area. I fully expect this crap and I try to prepare for it before it happens. When my truck is heavily loaded, I go below the speed limit - like 5 to 10 miles per hour slower - I stay out of the way of faster traffic and try to keep a HUGE distance between my truck and whatever's in front of me. If something happens in my lane ahead of me and that truck is anything even close to 40 tons, there is hell to pay if I don't have enough distance to slow down, and trust me, a truck needs a LOT of distance to get stopped or slowed down enough.
Enough. I called the guy that committed to the room today - he said he still wanted to move in, but.....always a but in things with Craigslist ad respondants - he can't move in until next Friday instead of this Friday - but again - he'll come over this Friday and hand over $400. Okay, I said, thinking it's only 3 days away, might as well see if he's on the up and up. If not - well it's just such a game with people trying to get them to even show up when they say they are, and then if they do, getting them to actually just move in. I hate it, but I have no choice in the matter. Another whatever. It wears me out sometimes trying to get and keep people in here. You never know when a person is going to move out. It just happens - bam and they're gone.
I don't quite understand why money has to be SUCH an issue in life, but one thing I know: I'm totally not alone in that department. The ex-Marine is supposed to pay me Thursday and this new guy - no clue how long he's staying - but if is staying, handing over another $100 Friday or Saturday. It's float money, sort on the tilting towards sinking side. I'm getting a few extra hours at work on each paycheck, every little bit helps. Spending money on anything but food, electricity, bills or gasoline is pretty much cancelled at this point. It's the only way I can survive right now with only 2 tenants.
Anyway, enough. I am going to go to bed early again tonight - not sleeping terribly well at night but I tend to feel better in the morning when I go to sleep earlier, I still wake up but I get more sleep in.
G'nite.
ben
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Sunday
The car-selling neighbor got a new dog. He's infatuated with German Shepherds. Shepherds like to bark. THis morning at 6:00am, that dog was on the hill in the back of my neighbor's house looking over both my fence and the neighbor behind me. It was barking incessantly. I went out there and told it to shut up - which it did until I went back inside and then it started all over again. Put my shoes on, went back out but by then, my neighbor had finally call the dog in. I was going to blast it with that noise making thing and if that didn't do it, spray it with cold water.
Meanwhile, I'm battling a losing war with my dogs peeing all over the living room when I'm gone. That's what Mimi's legacy will be her - her dog peeing everywhere and now my dogs peeing all over it. The dogs are now banished to the great outdoors when I leave for work - or anywhere else for that matter. I just spent another hour with my new carpet cleaning machine getting that stuff up and out of the carpet. None-too-happy about it, I brought each of the Danes over, stuck their nose in where one of them had freshly pissed while I went to the store this morning, snapped them both while their snouts were in the piss and now? They can spend this beautiful day outside. All of that is cleaned up and I bought some stuff from Walmart to allegedly get the smell out permanently so they won't continue to pee in those areas.
We'll see about that. I'm still going to just keep them outside during the day when at work. The doggy door is closable, it has a solid piece of plastic you can slide down into it that keeps them from coming or going out, whichever you're trying to accomplish.
My trip to Walmart was spurred by the need for a pair of steel-toed boots. I just dont have $120 right now to buy a good pair from Red Wing or Iron Age. Both of those companies have excellent, comfortable boots that last at least a year. I figure this Walmart stuff will last 3 months if I'm lucky, but I have no choice right now. I have to have steel-toed boots for work. I had no sour incidences today at Walmart and neither was I looking for any.
Now that I have all of that finished, I'm headed to the great outdoors myself to continue one with laying the drip system piping and getting the dirt back over top of it so I can do something else. I'm kinda wanting to get the jist of this project over with and leave me with only having to put the emitters on the small tubing and finish the manifolds. Fortunately, the water usage has decreased dramatically to the point I don't have to water everything every day. There are some things I am watering every day, yes, just to keep the amazing growth of them going - mainly the Sissoo trees - but much of everything else is getting less water.
The new tenant is - here - but is in his room and haven't seen him since yesterday afternoon. His friends came over while he wasn't here - I agreed to it only because he had to be out of the place they were at by sometime yesterday - and finished moving his stuff in. I talked at length with them since they wanted to visit with the Danes - I'm getting the feeling these guys - all of them - are gay. I'm neither a gay hater or basher, at the same time, I really don't think I want that kind of "activity" going on in my house. I'm not SURE they're gay, I'm just getting the feeling from the way they are talking - the guesstures, how they stand - a lot of tell-tale signs that alone mean nothing but when combined together with enough other signs - probably my guess is right. Another interesting story of renting rooms, if this is true, you'll probably be seeing some rather interesting reading material from me on here.
The temp tenant called today - from Texas - saying his house wasn't ready to move in yet, could he stay another night when he gets back today? He's flying back. He offered another $25 for the extra night, of which I immediately agreed to. I don't have the room rented - yet - any money I can get from it, even one night's worth, I'll take. I responded to everyone that called or emailed yesterday and the day before, this guy that moved in is the only one that actually showed up. I take it back, there is a guy that wants to come over today or tomorrow. Have to be tomorrow if they're looking to move right away, I can't rent out a room that has someone else's stuff in there. I had thought the temp tenant had taken all of his things out of the room and had only left his trailer, I was wrong. I went into his room - he has a room full of stuff in there. An amazing amount, really, I had no idea he had brought so much stuff into the house. Very organized individual, makes very good money, too. Those are the kinds of people you will never be able to keep as tenants - they are only using a place like mine to stay at until they find their own place.
So, the search continues and I am going to be writing another CL ad here in a few minutes. The stuff I bought from Walmart to eliminate urine smell from carpet has a very pleasant odor to it - it's filling the entire living room and kithcen. The dogs will not be coming in here until that is all dried up, as the directions say. Then, smell the area and see if you can detect any odor. Unfortunately, my nose isn't near as good as a dog's and I'm simply considering treating all areas twice.
Nothing else, really. I did almost all of my weekend cleaning yesterday since I was having potential renters over and - I don't really know if a clean house had any effect on this new renter or not - but I like to have a clean house regardless so it's time well spent.
Oh, I've found the culprit - one of the smoke detectors in my house goes off frequently - at night especially - when there's nothing smoking - nothing being cooked. It just goes off. I assume a defective detector and have bought a new one to replace it. There isn't anything that currently goes on around here that is more annoying than having a very loud, high-pitched/shrill noise going off in your bedroom.
Anyway, I better get to getting, I have plenty I want to get done today and the clock hasn't stopped ticking for me.
C'yall later.
ben
Meanwhile, I'm battling a losing war with my dogs peeing all over the living room when I'm gone. That's what Mimi's legacy will be her - her dog peeing everywhere and now my dogs peeing all over it. The dogs are now banished to the great outdoors when I leave for work - or anywhere else for that matter. I just spent another hour with my new carpet cleaning machine getting that stuff up and out of the carpet. None-too-happy about it, I brought each of the Danes over, stuck their nose in where one of them had freshly pissed while I went to the store this morning, snapped them both while their snouts were in the piss and now? They can spend this beautiful day outside. All of that is cleaned up and I bought some stuff from Walmart to allegedly get the smell out permanently so they won't continue to pee in those areas.
We'll see about that. I'm still going to just keep them outside during the day when at work. The doggy door is closable, it has a solid piece of plastic you can slide down into it that keeps them from coming or going out, whichever you're trying to accomplish.
My trip to Walmart was spurred by the need for a pair of steel-toed boots. I just dont have $120 right now to buy a good pair from Red Wing or Iron Age. Both of those companies have excellent, comfortable boots that last at least a year. I figure this Walmart stuff will last 3 months if I'm lucky, but I have no choice right now. I have to have steel-toed boots for work. I had no sour incidences today at Walmart and neither was I looking for any.
Now that I have all of that finished, I'm headed to the great outdoors myself to continue one with laying the drip system piping and getting the dirt back over top of it so I can do something else. I'm kinda wanting to get the jist of this project over with and leave me with only having to put the emitters on the small tubing and finish the manifolds. Fortunately, the water usage has decreased dramatically to the point I don't have to water everything every day. There are some things I am watering every day, yes, just to keep the amazing growth of them going - mainly the Sissoo trees - but much of everything else is getting less water.
The new tenant is - here - but is in his room and haven't seen him since yesterday afternoon. His friends came over while he wasn't here - I agreed to it only because he had to be out of the place they were at by sometime yesterday - and finished moving his stuff in. I talked at length with them since they wanted to visit with the Danes - I'm getting the feeling these guys - all of them - are gay. I'm neither a gay hater or basher, at the same time, I really don't think I want that kind of "activity" going on in my house. I'm not SURE they're gay, I'm just getting the feeling from the way they are talking - the guesstures, how they stand - a lot of tell-tale signs that alone mean nothing but when combined together with enough other signs - probably my guess is right. Another interesting story of renting rooms, if this is true, you'll probably be seeing some rather interesting reading material from me on here.
The temp tenant called today - from Texas - saying his house wasn't ready to move in yet, could he stay another night when he gets back today? He's flying back. He offered another $25 for the extra night, of which I immediately agreed to. I don't have the room rented - yet - any money I can get from it, even one night's worth, I'll take. I responded to everyone that called or emailed yesterday and the day before, this guy that moved in is the only one that actually showed up. I take it back, there is a guy that wants to come over today or tomorrow. Have to be tomorrow if they're looking to move right away, I can't rent out a room that has someone else's stuff in there. I had thought the temp tenant had taken all of his things out of the room and had only left his trailer, I was wrong. I went into his room - he has a room full of stuff in there. An amazing amount, really, I had no idea he had brought so much stuff into the house. Very organized individual, makes very good money, too. Those are the kinds of people you will never be able to keep as tenants - they are only using a place like mine to stay at until they find their own place.
So, the search continues and I am going to be writing another CL ad here in a few minutes. The stuff I bought from Walmart to eliminate urine smell from carpet has a very pleasant odor to it - it's filling the entire living room and kithcen. The dogs will not be coming in here until that is all dried up, as the directions say. Then, smell the area and see if you can detect any odor. Unfortunately, my nose isn't near as good as a dog's and I'm simply considering treating all areas twice.
Nothing else, really. I did almost all of my weekend cleaning yesterday since I was having potential renters over and - I don't really know if a clean house had any effect on this new renter or not - but I like to have a clean house regardless so it's time well spent.
Oh, I've found the culprit - one of the smoke detectors in my house goes off frequently - at night especially - when there's nothing smoking - nothing being cooked. It just goes off. I assume a defective detector and have bought a new one to replace it. There isn't anything that currently goes on around here that is more annoying than having a very loud, high-pitched/shrill noise going off in your bedroom.
Anyway, I better get to getting, I have plenty I want to get done today and the clock hasn't stopped ticking for me.
C'yall later.
ben
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