Let me just preface this by saying: THIS is one of the reasons I would LOVE to be OUT of this neighborhood!
The extra-large "man" living 2 houses down that spent 9 years in prison for selling drugs has now threatened my life, apparently.
I wasn't home when this happened, earlier today.
Mark (trailer tenant) was out talking with my next door neighbor - the one that just had his house burn down - when this idiot comes barging out of his house, beelining across my neighbor's yard to get to Mark. I wasn't there, so I'm just giving the story as I heard it. This guy starts in on Mark: You should leave the property now and all the other tenants should leave, too.
Why? Because "if another cat that I care for or like disappears, I am going to call my friends that are out of prison and they will come over and take care of him" - referring to me. So, it's worth killing or mauling a person because of ferral, stray cats? Lol. You probably can't tell, but I am not shaking in my boots. The man HAS no friends. The ONLY person I have ever seen go over to his house is his mother.
His mother is paying his way through what you would call his life. He doesn't work, he doesn't do anything. He sits around all day long, snooping. He is bored, I am sure, looking for and starting trouble is in his DNA. I have already had a couple of encounters with this idiot, but nothing with this kind of stated intention. I do not, however, believe him. He is the of the bully nature. I have seen this over and over again since he appeared seemingly out of nowhere, a new house was placed on that property and he started "living" in it. He wants people to fear him. Unfortunately for him, I have absolutely no fear, whatsoever, of this moron and further, I intend on pursing a course of action - all legal, yes - against him that will put a stop to this nonsense, at least coming towards me.
He is directing his bullying energies towards the wrong person. I don't care what else I have going on in my life, I will go out of my way to make sure that legal misery comes his way if he continues to pursue this course of action. A restraining order is the first thought that comes to my mind.
Anyway, Mark wasn't falling for this guy's BS, either. "If a cat comes onto my property, it doesn't belong there. If it is shitting and pissing all over the place and destroying property while it's at it....." on and on.
It never ceases to amaze me the crap that goes on in this neighborhood. If these people think I am going to sit around while their cats SHIT on my plants and destroy them, they have another thing coming. I don't give a rat's ASS about their free-roaming cats that go destroying other people's property, whose owners don't give a damn, one way or the other. I KNOW this because I have spoken with my next door neighbor about his cats - the guy whose house burned down.
He's living in a motorhome on the property. His 2 cats are with him. They come over to my front yard and crap and piss on my flowering, ground covering plants. A huge portion of those plants have been trampled and are dead. He joked about it 2 days ago: they're givers! They leave you a present when they visit! He was laughing, I was NOT. He then said something about my dogs - which is when I stated in somewhat harsh tones that "My dogs do not come over to your property and SHIT all over it". Maybe I should start taking bags of dog crap over there and dumping it in his pile of dirt and see how HE likes it.
Yes, the cats are the core issue here, or are they? No, in the case of the idiot. His issues go far beyond cats.
I have modus operandi to get him into trouble if I have to. Not just restraining orders. This guy has a short fuse, it doesn't take much to get him going.
I don't know, but after I got over my initial anger - the thoughts that came into my head of what to do with a person that is threatening me I won't print here or speak anywhere, frankly - and yes I just stayed in the house until calm, cool and collected returned - I came up with a plan. Of course, I have to wonder where this guy got his information from, because as far as catching cats goes, I haven't spoken it to anyone outside of my house.
This guy is also starting trouble with the people across the street. The guy across the street comes home, sometimes, in a city vehicle, doing whatever he's doing. So, this idiot says he shouldn't be doing that and that he is going to get him into trouble. Actually, his stupidity is going across the neighborhood, but, now that he has threatened both me and potentially my tenants, he has flipped the switch and now? I don't wish him good luck, I wish him good riddance as I am going to do everything in my power that is legal to either get him to leave the area or to shut the freak up, stay in his house and keep his junk to himself.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Thursday 3/31/2011
Thursday
I received something in the mail yesterday from Sierra Vista, where my dad lives. I opened it up and found a newspaper clipping with a picture of my dad in it. I about died: I thought it was an obituary! What did I miss?!! I started reading it and it quickly became evident that it was a write-up about him, what he has done in that community and the fact that he is moving out of that community to go live in an assisted living center in Tucson - a pretty good drive away from there.
It was a great article and a fitting farewell to a man that has poured out his life in terms of ministry to all kinds of people, from the homeless to the rich and wealthy and everything in between. It was cool to read this article, it was pretty long and it covered a lot of ground. I finally got an email back from him this morning: he is in the middle of moving and it is pretty much consuming him and his time.
My buddy Fin wrote an interesting comment to my last blog entry and it got me to thinking about this situation: whether to keep the house or short-sale it (or any of the other options available). What hit me is that I should get a big piece of paper, 11X15 anyway, write down pro's to moving on one side and con's on the other and start jotting it all down. In my mind, there is SO much to sort through in making such a decision. Writing it down in such fashion might help me to get a clearer picture of all of it.
Taxes. Moving right along with that portion of it. I have house fire totals listed with my version of that fair market value is of each item, the contents of the house that is. I am going to print out pics of the burned out structure, proof that yes, my house burned down along with the fire report. It's more than just that, though, the pics will verify that the house was a total loss. Not just a small fire, it was a BAD fire that caused the destruction by one of 3 methods: the fire itself; the intense heat that spread throughout the house and the extreme smoke damage that finished everything off.
I was thinking yesterday, though, what it would be like to still be in that house. Old, yes. Cheap - operative word. The mortgage payment was only $450 per month. No need for tenants and all that kind of aggravation. By now, I would have had the interior finished with a complete renovation, I had it about half done at the point of the fire.
Not crying over spilt milk, I was musing things. Now I have tenants to make up the difference. I do think that to make the quality of my life a bit better, I need to focuse on keeping good tenants and getting rid of the bad. To that end, the kid needs to go. I believe he needs to have one of those rude awakenings in life: go live with kids his own age and find out how they deal with his junk. In his mind, I'm sure he has already HAD a rude awakening - such as when he was yelling at me on the phone and I spit it back right into his face. But there's the rest of it, not worth going into here, just to say that it's more than I want to deal with.
Which reminds me, that old computer's monitor is kaput. Need to find a good used one somewhere. Lynnette uses it to try and find a job, plus doing surveys that actually do pay money to do them. I don't use it anymore, at all. It's an old behometh to me, but to everyone else that uses it, well, it's better than nothing.
Musing for today: over, work day is here.
G'day.
ben
I received something in the mail yesterday from Sierra Vista, where my dad lives. I opened it up and found a newspaper clipping with a picture of my dad in it. I about died: I thought it was an obituary! What did I miss?!! I started reading it and it quickly became evident that it was a write-up about him, what he has done in that community and the fact that he is moving out of that community to go live in an assisted living center in Tucson - a pretty good drive away from there.
It was a great article and a fitting farewell to a man that has poured out his life in terms of ministry to all kinds of people, from the homeless to the rich and wealthy and everything in between. It was cool to read this article, it was pretty long and it covered a lot of ground. I finally got an email back from him this morning: he is in the middle of moving and it is pretty much consuming him and his time.
My buddy Fin wrote an interesting comment to my last blog entry and it got me to thinking about this situation: whether to keep the house or short-sale it (or any of the other options available). What hit me is that I should get a big piece of paper, 11X15 anyway, write down pro's to moving on one side and con's on the other and start jotting it all down. In my mind, there is SO much to sort through in making such a decision. Writing it down in such fashion might help me to get a clearer picture of all of it.
Taxes. Moving right along with that portion of it. I have house fire totals listed with my version of that fair market value is of each item, the contents of the house that is. I am going to print out pics of the burned out structure, proof that yes, my house burned down along with the fire report. It's more than just that, though, the pics will verify that the house was a total loss. Not just a small fire, it was a BAD fire that caused the destruction by one of 3 methods: the fire itself; the intense heat that spread throughout the house and the extreme smoke damage that finished everything off.
I was thinking yesterday, though, what it would be like to still be in that house. Old, yes. Cheap - operative word. The mortgage payment was only $450 per month. No need for tenants and all that kind of aggravation. By now, I would have had the interior finished with a complete renovation, I had it about half done at the point of the fire.
Not crying over spilt milk, I was musing things. Now I have tenants to make up the difference. I do think that to make the quality of my life a bit better, I need to focuse on keeping good tenants and getting rid of the bad. To that end, the kid needs to go. I believe he needs to have one of those rude awakenings in life: go live with kids his own age and find out how they deal with his junk. In his mind, I'm sure he has already HAD a rude awakening - such as when he was yelling at me on the phone and I spit it back right into his face. But there's the rest of it, not worth going into here, just to say that it's more than I want to deal with.
Which reminds me, that old computer's monitor is kaput. Need to find a good used one somewhere. Lynnette uses it to try and find a job, plus doing surveys that actually do pay money to do them. I don't use it anymore, at all. It's an old behometh to me, but to everyone else that uses it, well, it's better than nothing.
Musing for today: over, work day is here.
G'day.
ben
Wednesday 3/30/2011
Wednesday
Where does it end? I read and read and read all kinds of "expert" opinion on whether to keep a home, send in the keys, let them foreclose, short sale and now a "deed in lieu of foreclosure" action. The latest one I read was speaking about the last one, but then proclaimed going bankrupt may be a better option.
?!!!
It's all utter insanity. It doesn't matter which one of those you take, you are screwed, in terms of your credit rating and it's going to stay that way a long, long time.
I have struggled with this entire situation for some time now. What to do. At one point, I was settled to stay in the house and live with the loss of being underwater.
Yesterday, looking at the FMV published on the county's site, and seeing the house is now valued, by them anyway, at nearly HALF of what I actually owe on it? I'm pulling my hair out on this situation. I have no clear cut path to take here. It isn't a Y in the road, it's more like standing in the middle of an intersection with 8 roads leading out of it, none of the roads leading anywhere good.
In a case like this, when I don't know what to do - or more like can't decide what to do - I will do nothing. Stay in the house, eat the loss for now and see what comes down the road.
I just made the third payment of the 3-month trial in the HAMP modification. I don't know....what to do at this point.
I know what a lot of people are doing: stop making the payments and save the money. Stay in the house as long as possible until they come to boot you out. Minimum 6 months before that happens, a lot longer in many cases. In fact, I know a family that has not made a payment in over a year's time. Still in the house, but, they have been notified they have to be out by the end of next month.
Where does it end? I read and read and read all kinds of "expert" opinion on whether to keep a home, send in the keys, let them foreclose, short sale and now a "deed in lieu of foreclosure" action. The latest one I read was speaking about the last one, but then proclaimed going bankrupt may be a better option.
?!!!
It's all utter insanity. It doesn't matter which one of those you take, you are screwed, in terms of your credit rating and it's going to stay that way a long, long time.
I have struggled with this entire situation for some time now. What to do. At one point, I was settled to stay in the house and live with the loss of being underwater.
Yesterday, looking at the FMV published on the county's site, and seeing the house is now valued, by them anyway, at nearly HALF of what I actually owe on it? I'm pulling my hair out on this situation. I have no clear cut path to take here. It isn't a Y in the road, it's more like standing in the middle of an intersection with 8 roads leading out of it, none of the roads leading anywhere good.
In a case like this, when I don't know what to do - or more like can't decide what to do - I will do nothing. Stay in the house, eat the loss for now and see what comes down the road.
I just made the third payment of the 3-month trial in the HAMP modification. I don't know....what to do at this point.
I know what a lot of people are doing: stop making the payments and save the money. Stay in the house as long as possible until they come to boot you out. Minimum 6 months before that happens, a lot longer in many cases. In fact, I know a family that has not made a payment in over a year's time. Still in the house, but, they have been notified they have to be out by the end of next month.
That doesn't really answer the question, though, and I wonder about the ethics of staying in a house that you aren't paying for but enjoying the benefits of a free roof over your head, while you take that money and stuff it into savings. Perhaps that is a small piece of the puzzle as to why the economy is where it's at right now.
Of course, if you lose your job and you CAN'T make the payments, that might paint a different picture. What are you going to do, move out onto the streets? Desperation forces people to do things they normally would not.
I'm really quite clueless here as to what to do, going around in a large circle and coming back to the same point and question.
With that floating around in my head, I am still battling this tax situation. I am going to have to make a trip to downtown Phoenix to get a hard copy of the FMV for my old house before it burned down for tax purposes. The proof that the house burned down will take up to 45 DAYS to receive, but I can file the return without it, I may have to show that proof later on, but getting the return filed before the 15th is the goal. I may go to that department as well and see if I can get that expedited.
As for the contents of the house, I am supposed to put that as a separate loss, at least from what I am gathering. I don't know, but when I send in the tax return, I already have an itemized listing of the things I lost in that fire and how much I think it was worth at the time. I did that a long time ago and saved it in an email - which I am glad I did because the old computer has crashed several times since then and that information would have been lost. I would be racking my brains attempting to remember everything that was in that house at the time.
Now, proving that I had that stuff? Not possible. Maybe - now that I think about it - I might have pics on my Photobucket account - I think I took pics of everything and uploaded them. I'll have to go through the 1,000 photos I have on there and see. It would at least help. I do have pics on my Zillow account - just a few - that show the damage to the house from the outside, pretty bad stuff indeed.
Umm, work day is here and I am lost in a conundrum of thought concerning all of this.
ben
Of course, if you lose your job and you CAN'T make the payments, that might paint a different picture. What are you going to do, move out onto the streets? Desperation forces people to do things they normally would not.
I'm really quite clueless here as to what to do, going around in a large circle and coming back to the same point and question.
With that floating around in my head, I am still battling this tax situation. I am going to have to make a trip to downtown Phoenix to get a hard copy of the FMV for my old house before it burned down for tax purposes. The proof that the house burned down will take up to 45 DAYS to receive, but I can file the return without it, I may have to show that proof later on, but getting the return filed before the 15th is the goal. I may go to that department as well and see if I can get that expedited.
As for the contents of the house, I am supposed to put that as a separate loss, at least from what I am gathering. I don't know, but when I send in the tax return, I already have an itemized listing of the things I lost in that fire and how much I think it was worth at the time. I did that a long time ago and saved it in an email - which I am glad I did because the old computer has crashed several times since then and that information would have been lost. I would be racking my brains attempting to remember everything that was in that house at the time.
Now, proving that I had that stuff? Not possible. Maybe - now that I think about it - I might have pics on my Photobucket account - I think I took pics of everything and uploaded them. I'll have to go through the 1,000 photos I have on there and see. It would at least help. I do have pics on my Zillow account - just a few - that show the damage to the house from the outside, pretty bad stuff indeed.
Umm, work day is here and I am lost in a conundrum of thought concerning all of this.
ben
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Tuesday More
It's always fun to get new drive axle tires installed on a semi tractor. Number one because you are looking at close to $4,000.00 for 8 tires. No-one ever said maintaining a semi was cheap. However, the last 8 tires on that truck have been on there for a full 3 years - which is very good for a truck.
Number 2, cause' once you get on the freeway with that new rubber driving you forward? You're all OVER the place!! I'm serious, every time I have had new rubber on a truck, the thing is attempting to zig and zag everywhere. It usually takes a couple of WEEKS before that stops happening.
Taxes. Beginning to drive me crazy. I was on the phone with the IRS today after the online company I was in an online chat with said that this is a "very complex tax issue and you are better off calling them". So I did. The man I was talking with was cool enough, but he started reading from a publication, an IRS publication of course. Endless questions. I answered all of them I could. In the end? I have to be able to PROVE the fair market value of the home before it burned down. Lol.
The ONLY existing publication that I know of that I can actually get a hard copy of is from the county tax assessor's office. I don't know about where you live, but around these parts, a house is never given as much value as the market actually gives it. Which is a good thing, I guess, when it comes to paying property taxes, but in this case? Not good at all. I'm going to have to use it, I have no other choice.
BTW, next year, the county's FMV on my current home? Almost HALF of what I owe on it. Gag. If that IS the FMV, I am SCREWED. The only way to answer the question as to whether I should short sale this place and eat the bad credit for however many years is to have an appraisal done on it. Scary scenario, for me anyway.
The next question was about the contents of the house. I most assuredly hope that they don't think I should have to come up with receipts for every single thing I had in there. Do you have receipts for every piece of furniture, clothing, electronics, etc that you own? Oh, I am sure there are people out there that have all the stuff and probably have it in a safety deposit box. Not me. I am 99% convinced that I am going to be audited on this situation. I don't care, I am not going to lose all the money I can get out of it just for the fear of having to face the IRS. This may end up being a long, drawn-out process.
But, I am ready for that. I don't expect a check in the mail from them anytime soon. I do, instead, expect either phone calls demanding documentation or a letter saying I am being audited. Come what may, I am heading down this road because I must.
It's about this time in life where I wished I had a few thousand dollars in savings to be able to draw off of to get a real accountant, sit down with that person and have a face to face discussion about what is actually going to happen.
Oh well. I guess I could pay off the $463 loan on my 401K and then get another loan - but - there is a 30 day lapse between the time you pay off the loan and the time you can get another one. Too late : )
No, this is the only course of action I am financially able to take, it's the one I'm riding on, wish me luck!
ben
Number 2, cause' once you get on the freeway with that new rubber driving you forward? You're all OVER the place!! I'm serious, every time I have had new rubber on a truck, the thing is attempting to zig and zag everywhere. It usually takes a couple of WEEKS before that stops happening.
Taxes. Beginning to drive me crazy. I was on the phone with the IRS today after the online company I was in an online chat with said that this is a "very complex tax issue and you are better off calling them". So I did. The man I was talking with was cool enough, but he started reading from a publication, an IRS publication of course. Endless questions. I answered all of them I could. In the end? I have to be able to PROVE the fair market value of the home before it burned down. Lol.
The ONLY existing publication that I know of that I can actually get a hard copy of is from the county tax assessor's office. I don't know about where you live, but around these parts, a house is never given as much value as the market actually gives it. Which is a good thing, I guess, when it comes to paying property taxes, but in this case? Not good at all. I'm going to have to use it, I have no other choice.
BTW, next year, the county's FMV on my current home? Almost HALF of what I owe on it. Gag. If that IS the FMV, I am SCREWED. The only way to answer the question as to whether I should short sale this place and eat the bad credit for however many years is to have an appraisal done on it. Scary scenario, for me anyway.
The next question was about the contents of the house. I most assuredly hope that they don't think I should have to come up with receipts for every single thing I had in there. Do you have receipts for every piece of furniture, clothing, electronics, etc that you own? Oh, I am sure there are people out there that have all the stuff and probably have it in a safety deposit box. Not me. I am 99% convinced that I am going to be audited on this situation. I don't care, I am not going to lose all the money I can get out of it just for the fear of having to face the IRS. This may end up being a long, drawn-out process.
But, I am ready for that. I don't expect a check in the mail from them anytime soon. I do, instead, expect either phone calls demanding documentation or a letter saying I am being audited. Come what may, I am heading down this road because I must.
It's about this time in life where I wished I had a few thousand dollars in savings to be able to draw off of to get a real accountant, sit down with that person and have a face to face discussion about what is actually going to happen.
Oh well. I guess I could pay off the $463 loan on my 401K and then get another loan - but - there is a 30 day lapse between the time you pay off the loan and the time you can get another one. Too late : )
No, this is the only course of action I am financially able to take, it's the one I'm riding on, wish me luck!
ben
Tuesday 3/29/2011
Tuesday
Ummm, so I was waiting yesterday for the hailstorm that never materialized. The discussion around who has the phone and who is holding onto it got me going just a bit. But without going into all of that again, the phone issue never came up, interestingly enough. I do not expect that "trend" to last forever, however.
Yes, I like the insane injectures to yesterday's comments, lol. Oh well, I make no apologies. I'm not running down the streets proclaiming the end of the world, either.
Not much going on otherwise. I'm just trying to get this tax situation done and the only thing holding me back now is how to go about doing this "carry-over" stuff. I want to apply that 2007 loss to every single year I can apply it to - and get a MUCH larger tax return. Talking potentially thousands of dollars - and right about now, I could use - thousands of dollars, payment free, tax free, thank you.
Hey, it's past 8:00 am on the East coast right now, I could get into a live chat with them now. Indeed. However and first? I am listening to statements by upper level management about last fiscal year and projections for the upcoming fiscal year. I did a survey last month which gives you the opportunity to ask your questions of them - upper management. I have only one question: when am I going to get full-time hours back?
And I am going to press it. "We" just hired on a new salesman. Well, if we are in the position for hiring new people, then we SHOULD be in the position for paying out 40 hours per week, at least.
G'day.
ben
Ummm, so I was waiting yesterday for the hailstorm that never materialized. The discussion around who has the phone and who is holding onto it got me going just a bit. But without going into all of that again, the phone issue never came up, interestingly enough. I do not expect that "trend" to last forever, however.
Yes, I like the insane injectures to yesterday's comments, lol. Oh well, I make no apologies. I'm not running down the streets proclaiming the end of the world, either.
Not much going on otherwise. I'm just trying to get this tax situation done and the only thing holding me back now is how to go about doing this "carry-over" stuff. I want to apply that 2007 loss to every single year I can apply it to - and get a MUCH larger tax return. Talking potentially thousands of dollars - and right about now, I could use - thousands of dollars, payment free, tax free, thank you.
Hey, it's past 8:00 am on the East coast right now, I could get into a live chat with them now. Indeed. However and first? I am listening to statements by upper level management about last fiscal year and projections for the upcoming fiscal year. I did a survey last month which gives you the opportunity to ask your questions of them - upper management. I have only one question: when am I going to get full-time hours back?
And I am going to press it. "We" just hired on a new salesman. Well, if we are in the position for hiring new people, then we SHOULD be in the position for paying out 40 hours per week, at least.
G'day.
ben
Monday 3/28/2011
Monday
This situation in Japan is getting to be a bit much. They have BEEN talking a meltdown, but today was the first time I saw: "with global implications".
My ex-wife sent me a very long message that is being circulated around by a modern-day prophet. For the record, yes, I do believe there are prophets still walking the land, hear from the Lord and speak whatever the Lord impresses upon them to say.
If you don't believe that, well and fine, but when a particular individual is making specific predictions about things that are going to happen - such as the earthquake in Japan - and has been doing so for decades, perhaps one should give at least a teeny bit of credence to the possibility that, 1: God is alive, on the throne and is who He says He is in the Bible; 2: That yes, He does love His creation - meaning all of us; but 3: Is not a fan of sin because sinning is always against God, not for Him (but, admittedly, we have all engaged in such in some form or another, it's a big club, we're all on that particular boat); and 4: that there is a good possibility that He actually DOES speak through certain individuals.
Usually it's a warning of things to come that really go to a more urgent, underlying problem: Get your life right with the Lord, seek the Lord while He may be found and do a 180 in your life, because Jackson, there is some serious stuff coming down the pike.
The prediction of the earthquake in Japan is now followed by a prediction of an earthquake in California. Oh, that's a tough one, right? But this "word from the Lord" goes much further than that. Banks closing their doors, complete economic collapse, inability to access your money, bartering being the only means of acquiring goods for a time.
I'm not telling anyone what to do, I'm just going to up my preparedness status another notch - maybe several notches. This is not the first statements I have heard in recent times that the time is coming when money supply will be slowed or even stopped, buy gold (which I am not going to do, however), store up food. Buy seeds so you can grow your own food, get hunting gear to be able to kill for the meat, water sources and this that and the other thing.
I am not even saying get afraid of anything. What's going to come - will come regardless. I fully understand that some day, I am going to die, it's just a matter of when, where and how that event will happen. If I were to encourage anything in hearing these statements, it would be to seek the Lord, get right with Him and whatever else happens in this life isn't really going to matter that much. In the end, we all go and stand before Him and give an accounting - THAT is a bit fearful for me, I have lived far from a perfect life, to say the least.
Fortunately there is Christ, forgiveness can be found.
I am done, getting off the pulpit for now. Time to redirect my focus on the day's work that lies ahead. I haven't looked in the routing system, but I know there is at least one delivery - it's already loaded on the truck from last week.
G'day.
ben
This situation in Japan is getting to be a bit much. They have BEEN talking a meltdown, but today was the first time I saw: "with global implications".
My ex-wife sent me a very long message that is being circulated around by a modern-day prophet. For the record, yes, I do believe there are prophets still walking the land, hear from the Lord and speak whatever the Lord impresses upon them to say.
If you don't believe that, well and fine, but when a particular individual is making specific predictions about things that are going to happen - such as the earthquake in Japan - and has been doing so for decades, perhaps one should give at least a teeny bit of credence to the possibility that, 1: God is alive, on the throne and is who He says He is in the Bible; 2: That yes, He does love His creation - meaning all of us; but 3: Is not a fan of sin because sinning is always against God, not for Him (but, admittedly, we have all engaged in such in some form or another, it's a big club, we're all on that particular boat); and 4: that there is a good possibility that He actually DOES speak through certain individuals.
Usually it's a warning of things to come that really go to a more urgent, underlying problem: Get your life right with the Lord, seek the Lord while He may be found and do a 180 in your life, because Jackson, there is some serious stuff coming down the pike.
The prediction of the earthquake in Japan is now followed by a prediction of an earthquake in California. Oh, that's a tough one, right? But this "word from the Lord" goes much further than that. Banks closing their doors, complete economic collapse, inability to access your money, bartering being the only means of acquiring goods for a time.
I'm not telling anyone what to do, I'm just going to up my preparedness status another notch - maybe several notches. This is not the first statements I have heard in recent times that the time is coming when money supply will be slowed or even stopped, buy gold (which I am not going to do, however), store up food. Buy seeds so you can grow your own food, get hunting gear to be able to kill for the meat, water sources and this that and the other thing.
I am not even saying get afraid of anything. What's going to come - will come regardless. I fully understand that some day, I am going to die, it's just a matter of when, where and how that event will happen. If I were to encourage anything in hearing these statements, it would be to seek the Lord, get right with Him and whatever else happens in this life isn't really going to matter that much. In the end, we all go and stand before Him and give an accounting - THAT is a bit fearful for me, I have lived far from a perfect life, to say the least.
Fortunately there is Christ, forgiveness can be found.
I am done, getting off the pulpit for now. Time to redirect my focus on the day's work that lies ahead. I haven't looked in the routing system, but I know there is at least one delivery - it's already loaded on the truck from last week.
G'day.
ben
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Saturday - Taxes 3/26/2011
I've put off this 2007 tax return situation as long as it is going to go. I believe this is it, if I don't file it before April 15th, I lose it. Yes, every site I've gone to says I have until April 15th this year or it's done, totaled, history. Too much to lose - I don't have the money to use an accountant like I wanted to. I found a website that does "prior" tax returns. You file your information online and they do the rest, including having a tax professional (I don't know what that means in this day and age, it could be a person that took a 3 month course for all I know) - better than not doing it at all.
I stand to get a good chunk of change. The house was a total loss so was almost everything that was inside of it.
I'm guessing once that's turned in, the IRS will gladly do the rest of the returns for me and, of course, try to invent a way to keep the money that is due me. That's the way they work : )
As for today - Direct TV coming over yet again. I have to get up and walk to the new DVR for the remote to work. NOT.
Been outside a couple of hours today already trimming back plants, dealing with the pond and picking up dead leaves. Back out in a few - I want to try to catch a couple more smaller fish out of the larger pond to put into the new pond setup out front. The medium sized pond? They are going at it again. I mean, I was out there trimming plants and hear all kinds of splashing in that pond going on. Sure enough, they are mating. I mean, busily mating. Lol.
Those are my plans for today - continue working on everything outside, there is plenty to do.
Have a great day!
ben
I stand to get a good chunk of change. The house was a total loss so was almost everything that was inside of it.
I'm guessing once that's turned in, the IRS will gladly do the rest of the returns for me and, of course, try to invent a way to keep the money that is due me. That's the way they work : )
As for today - Direct TV coming over yet again. I have to get up and walk to the new DVR for the remote to work. NOT.
Been outside a couple of hours today already trimming back plants, dealing with the pond and picking up dead leaves. Back out in a few - I want to try to catch a couple more smaller fish out of the larger pond to put into the new pond setup out front. The medium sized pond? They are going at it again. I mean, I was out there trimming plants and hear all kinds of splashing in that pond going on. Sure enough, they are mating. I mean, busily mating. Lol.
Those are my plans for today - continue working on everything outside, there is plenty to do.
Have a great day!
ben
Friday, March 25, 2011
Friday 2/25/2011
Friday
The kid tenant.
Unbelievable.
I'm in a conversation with Lynnette yesterday and this kid's name comes up. He's not really a kid - he's 27 years old - but he acts JUST like a little kid, and I don't mean in any good way, whatsoever.
I don't remember what got us there, but I was looking at her - he had obviously said something to her about me and she wasn't telling me, yet she wasn't exactly making it a secret, either.
What is it. She stated that he had stated to her the following: "Don't tell anyone I said this, but if I'm doing work around here, shouldn't that mean that I should get to use the computer?". Now what, exactly, was he referring to about this?
Meaning, that I should get up out of the computer chair and let him have at it whenever he sees fit. I busted out laughing when I heard this. He was dead serious, too. His "work" around the house? Empty out the dishwasher once or twice a week. Note that he uses a LOT of MY dishes. Regardless, even if he was "working" around the house, what gall this kid must have to think that he seriously should have the right to boot the computer's owner off of the computer.
Lynnnette said that when he said that, her jaw dropped. She then told Mario, as I have several times over - that the use of the computer is a priviledge.
She went on. She's sitting there in the morning doing her thing on my old computer. Mario comes along and tells her to get off of it, that he has work related stuff he must do on it. ???? Okaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay......
So, he checks his work schedule on line, looks at something else and then goes to YouTube.
I looked at Lynnette, who was obviously not happy about this situation and asked her how LONG does he keep her off of it? She wouldn't say. My first guess: HOURS???!!!! Yes. Lynnette sort of doesn't want to overstep her boundaries in my house, so she doesn't really do what her mind is telling her to do: my guess would be to tell Mario to bug off.
So I asked Lynnette why should would budge for him? I mean, when she's done, he can use the computer. That's it. Mario is on that stupid computer half the night anyway. I told her that the next time he does that - which will be this morning in a couple of hours or so - to tell him that she will be happy to let him use the computer, when she's done with it. I repeated that to let it sink in - yes, I am giving permission to tell him to go take a hike and further, if he has a problem with it, tell him to call me and I will educate him on the use of MY computer in MY house. But further, the simple respect that most people learn in life that he obviously has not.
Then we go to the issue of the phone. He takes the phone into his bedroom and it stays in there with him until he leaves, apparently. Mario's days in my house, I'm slowly coming to that line which once crossed, there is no return, are numbered I am guessing.
The second he starts s*** with me about computer use, that's the second he will be banned from using it, at all. Let him go find a rental room somewhere where the owner of the house just lets anyone use the computer.........yeah, GOOD LUCK.
So, I am half expecting a phone call this morning either from him or her concerning this situation which is quickly coming to a head.
The kid tenant.
Unbelievable.
I'm in a conversation with Lynnette yesterday and this kid's name comes up. He's not really a kid - he's 27 years old - but he acts JUST like a little kid, and I don't mean in any good way, whatsoever.
I don't remember what got us there, but I was looking at her - he had obviously said something to her about me and she wasn't telling me, yet she wasn't exactly making it a secret, either.
What is it. She stated that he had stated to her the following: "Don't tell anyone I said this, but if I'm doing work around here, shouldn't that mean that I should get to use the computer?". Now what, exactly, was he referring to about this?
Meaning, that I should get up out of the computer chair and let him have at it whenever he sees fit. I busted out laughing when I heard this. He was dead serious, too. His "work" around the house? Empty out the dishwasher once or twice a week. Note that he uses a LOT of MY dishes. Regardless, even if he was "working" around the house, what gall this kid must have to think that he seriously should have the right to boot the computer's owner off of the computer.
Lynnnette said that when he said that, her jaw dropped. She then told Mario, as I have several times over - that the use of the computer is a priviledge.
She went on. She's sitting there in the morning doing her thing on my old computer. Mario comes along and tells her to get off of it, that he has work related stuff he must do on it. ???? Okaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay......
So, he checks his work schedule on line, looks at something else and then goes to YouTube.
I looked at Lynnette, who was obviously not happy about this situation and asked her how LONG does he keep her off of it? She wouldn't say. My first guess: HOURS???!!!! Yes. Lynnette sort of doesn't want to overstep her boundaries in my house, so she doesn't really do what her mind is telling her to do: my guess would be to tell Mario to bug off.
So I asked Lynnette why should would budge for him? I mean, when she's done, he can use the computer. That's it. Mario is on that stupid computer half the night anyway. I told her that the next time he does that - which will be this morning in a couple of hours or so - to tell him that she will be happy to let him use the computer, when she's done with it. I repeated that to let it sink in - yes, I am giving permission to tell him to go take a hike and further, if he has a problem with it, tell him to call me and I will educate him on the use of MY computer in MY house. But further, the simple respect that most people learn in life that he obviously has not.
Then we go to the issue of the phone. He takes the phone into his bedroom and it stays in there with him until he leaves, apparently. Mario's days in my house, I'm slowly coming to that line which once crossed, there is no return, are numbered I am guessing.
The second he starts s*** with me about computer use, that's the second he will be banned from using it, at all. Let him go find a rental room somewhere where the owner of the house just lets anyone use the computer.........yeah, GOOD LUCK.
So, I am half expecting a phone call this morning either from him or her concerning this situation which is quickly coming to a head.
Okay, this conversation occured after Direct TV showed up. The guy comes in the house, we discuss the situation, he looks at the setup, says oh, you only have one line running to it, you know that I am going to have to run a second line, don't you? Sure, is it going to be free installation? Yes, he replies, the entire visit today is free. Thank you, please install the line however you see fit.
So, while he's doing that, my son shows up. The window in the car is down again and he can't quite figure out how to put his hand down inside the door and jimmy it back up.
I deal with that and then he starts pouring out this story that occured at Albertson's - where he works - the other day.
Seems like there's a 20-something that works there that is, apparently in the eyes of everyone but the manager of the store - at total jerk-off.
Situation: My son sees that this guy has abandoned his post at the self-checkout. There are 3 people that need help. My son gets on the intercom and calls for the attendant to please go to the station. This guy, the 20-something comes up to my son later, tells him not to do that again or "I'm going to kick you ass". Papa Ben doesn't like 20 year olds threatening his 17 year old son like that.
In fact, papa ben immediately wanted to go find that idiot, get in his face and tell the guy that his head is going to be shoved down his neck if he even looks at my son again. I tried to restrain myself, but as the story was told, it became apparent that this guy was dead serious about it. Caleb - my son - then said "I almost called you yesterday". I told him after the first incident with a customer that if he ever needed help, call me, or if it's bad enough, call the police. In fact, I told him yesterday, that "man" threatened a minor with assault, that is probably a jailable offense in itself.
I would really rather have police get involved in something like that than me. I am pretty sure I would go overboard and knock the guy on his @$$ without much conversation taking place. I'm not saying I'm a bad-@$$, but when it comes to property and family, all bets are off. Apparently management has told the guy to not even look at him funny, as I also informed Caleb: that guy starts trouble again, if you want my help, I'll be there in short order and yes, I will have a "conversation" with him. If you don't want my help, that's cool, but I am going to insist you call the police if there's another threat.
Caleb apparently got into it with this guy after the guy threatened him - he doesn't go around starting trouble, but when someone starts it with him, he flares up, to put it mildly. He inferred to the guy that "you don't want me calling my old man over here". That would be me, the dad. Lol. Okay, well, whatever.
I have no idea whether I am going to get a phone call about that situation today or not.
As for Direct TV: I got the new DVR, installed, set up, even set up to turn on and off the TV it is hooked up to, the service call and even an extra remote for free. He said he had this "extra" remote, do I want it? Yes, of course I dooooooo!
G'day.
ben
So, while he's doing that, my son shows up. The window in the car is down again and he can't quite figure out how to put his hand down inside the door and jimmy it back up.
I deal with that and then he starts pouring out this story that occured at Albertson's - where he works - the other day.
Seems like there's a 20-something that works there that is, apparently in the eyes of everyone but the manager of the store - at total jerk-off.
Situation: My son sees that this guy has abandoned his post at the self-checkout. There are 3 people that need help. My son gets on the intercom and calls for the attendant to please go to the station. This guy, the 20-something comes up to my son later, tells him not to do that again or "I'm going to kick you ass". Papa Ben doesn't like 20 year olds threatening his 17 year old son like that.
In fact, papa ben immediately wanted to go find that idiot, get in his face and tell the guy that his head is going to be shoved down his neck if he even looks at my son again. I tried to restrain myself, but as the story was told, it became apparent that this guy was dead serious about it. Caleb - my son - then said "I almost called you yesterday". I told him after the first incident with a customer that if he ever needed help, call me, or if it's bad enough, call the police. In fact, I told him yesterday, that "man" threatened a minor with assault, that is probably a jailable offense in itself.
I would really rather have police get involved in something like that than me. I am pretty sure I would go overboard and knock the guy on his @$$ without much conversation taking place. I'm not saying I'm a bad-@$$, but when it comes to property and family, all bets are off. Apparently management has told the guy to not even look at him funny, as I also informed Caleb: that guy starts trouble again, if you want my help, I'll be there in short order and yes, I will have a "conversation" with him. If you don't want my help, that's cool, but I am going to insist you call the police if there's another threat.
Caleb apparently got into it with this guy after the guy threatened him - he doesn't go around starting trouble, but when someone starts it with him, he flares up, to put it mildly. He inferred to the guy that "you don't want me calling my old man over here". That would be me, the dad. Lol. Okay, well, whatever.
I have no idea whether I am going to get a phone call about that situation today or not.
As for Direct TV: I got the new DVR, installed, set up, even set up to turn on and off the TV it is hooked up to, the service call and even an extra remote for free. He said he had this "extra" remote, do I want it? Yes, of course I dooooooo!
G'day.
ben
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Thursday 3/24/2011
Thursday
I hope I'm wrong, but I have the first indications that I may be coming down with what's been going around for quite a while now. My mother is very sick and has been for days - I've called her a couple of times to check in on her.
Last night's study group - the 2 hour round-table discussion that ended up in a $75 prepaid Visa debit card - was somewhat interesting, but not wildly entertaining. It was asking opinions about a website covering doctors and hospitals. There were printouts of views of these websites and we were to give our opinions on it.
There isn't much else to say about it, cause' that's all it was. I got my $75 card, thanked them and left. Yes, I would do another one of those roundtables if I were called and asked to do so, it's easy money.
Caleb has me beat: he has started to go to church, on his own, to a place that his mother isn't going to, either. It is the organization that wants him to go up to their facility in the mountains after school is over this summer and spend 2 months as a counsellor over youth. I'm guessing troubled youth or youth of needy families considering it's the Salvation Army.
I only think about going to church on Sundays but I pretty much don't go. It's an age-old story and long-time readers already know my reasons, no sense in going there again. If there was a church within a mile of my house that I thought I might be interested in going to, I would probably go. There's a huge Baptist church 2 blocks away of which I have absolutely no interest in, at all. There is some other church about 2 blocks away as well - not sure about that one.
It runs through my mind here and there, mostly on Sunday mornings.
Good for Caleb, is all I can say about that.
I have nothing else and anyway, it's almost time to start work.
ben
I hope I'm wrong, but I have the first indications that I may be coming down with what's been going around for quite a while now. My mother is very sick and has been for days - I've called her a couple of times to check in on her.
Last night's study group - the 2 hour round-table discussion that ended up in a $75 prepaid Visa debit card - was somewhat interesting, but not wildly entertaining. It was asking opinions about a website covering doctors and hospitals. There were printouts of views of these websites and we were to give our opinions on it.
There isn't much else to say about it, cause' that's all it was. I got my $75 card, thanked them and left. Yes, I would do another one of those roundtables if I were called and asked to do so, it's easy money.
Caleb has me beat: he has started to go to church, on his own, to a place that his mother isn't going to, either. It is the organization that wants him to go up to their facility in the mountains after school is over this summer and spend 2 months as a counsellor over youth. I'm guessing troubled youth or youth of needy families considering it's the Salvation Army.
I only think about going to church on Sundays but I pretty much don't go. It's an age-old story and long-time readers already know my reasons, no sense in going there again. If there was a church within a mile of my house that I thought I might be interested in going to, I would probably go. There's a huge Baptist church 2 blocks away of which I have absolutely no interest in, at all. There is some other church about 2 blocks away as well - not sure about that one.
It runs through my mind here and there, mostly on Sunday mornings.
Good for Caleb, is all I can say about that.
I have nothing else and anyway, it's almost time to start work.
ben
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
More Koi?
I get off work today and start heading for Glendale - west side basically - to get all these fish these people that are shutting down their pond said they have. They were going to give me all of them.
I was 1/3rd of the way there when I got a phone call from the lady I had discussed this with before. They had emptied the pond earlier in the day and found - 2 fish. 2 large Koi. Originally, there were about 40 fish in that pond. The lady lamented that heron had been coming to their yard frequently, but they thought the dogs were keeping the heron at bay and keeping them from actually getting at the fish.
She further lamented her shock to find only 2 fish left. Well, if they were large Koi, I was headed out there anyway. And yes, they are - about 17 inches long without using a measuring tape. Not in great condition - the water that the guy had them in, in a VERY small, plastic play pool was nasty. I was guessing not very good aeration in the original pond. Those 2 have been living in murky, green water for over a year. Okay, I know fish can live in that kind of condition, I just don't want MY fish living in that muck.
I have work to do. I put those 2 in the biggest pond - but I must thin that pond out and get some in the new setup out front and also maybe put a couple in the medium sized pond.
It wasn't a wasted trip - for free, those fish aren't exactly worthless. People are asking pretty good money for Koi that size. I mean, if she called me and said she had 2 goldfish, I wouldn't have bothered. Too far to drive for fish that I already have PLENTY of.
That's it.
G'nite.
ben
I was 1/3rd of the way there when I got a phone call from the lady I had discussed this with before. They had emptied the pond earlier in the day and found - 2 fish. 2 large Koi. Originally, there were about 40 fish in that pond. The lady lamented that heron had been coming to their yard frequently, but they thought the dogs were keeping the heron at bay and keeping them from actually getting at the fish.
She further lamented her shock to find only 2 fish left. Well, if they were large Koi, I was headed out there anyway. And yes, they are - about 17 inches long without using a measuring tape. Not in great condition - the water that the guy had them in, in a VERY small, plastic play pool was nasty. I was guessing not very good aeration in the original pond. Those 2 have been living in murky, green water for over a year. Okay, I know fish can live in that kind of condition, I just don't want MY fish living in that muck.
I have work to do. I put those 2 in the biggest pond - but I must thin that pond out and get some in the new setup out front and also maybe put a couple in the medium sized pond.
It wasn't a wasted trip - for free, those fish aren't exactly worthless. People are asking pretty good money for Koi that size. I mean, if she called me and said she had 2 goldfish, I wouldn't have bothered. Too far to drive for fish that I already have PLENTY of.
That's it.
G'nite.
ben
Wednesday 3/23/2011
Wednesday
Well what, did anyone think it was going to be free? Lol. Referring to the war in Libya and the U.S. presence there. I'm guessing the portion about us playing a "limited" role there has to do with the costs of war and the fact that we are already footing the bill for 2 other wars.
But, those subs and ships are already out there anyway. It's not like they just decided to put a whole "extra" fleet of ships out there to deal with Libya, those expenses were being incurred regardless. The missiles - totally different story, obviously.
Whatever. It will play out however it's going to go. If the coalition leaves before Qaddaffi, Qadaffi, Kadhafi - I have seen his name spelled so many different ways in the news, I have no idea which one is correct (and who cares, he's nothing more than a murderous tyrant).
So enough of that. I have a busy day today (and completely ignoring all the ludicrous, crazy and insane stuff that is being "reported" in the media right now). First - work - of course. Finally something in the truck routing system to do.
Uhh, manager just called - 20 minutes til' normal clock-in time, not so today. Anyway, after work, go get the Koi, after that, go to the survey study to earn a bit of extra cash.
With that, I'm off to the races!
ben
Well what, did anyone think it was going to be free? Lol. Referring to the war in Libya and the U.S. presence there. I'm guessing the portion about us playing a "limited" role there has to do with the costs of war and the fact that we are already footing the bill for 2 other wars.
But, those subs and ships are already out there anyway. It's not like they just decided to put a whole "extra" fleet of ships out there to deal with Libya, those expenses were being incurred regardless. The missiles - totally different story, obviously.
Whatever. It will play out however it's going to go. If the coalition leaves before Qaddaffi, Qadaffi, Kadhafi - I have seen his name spelled so many different ways in the news, I have no idea which one is correct (and who cares, he's nothing more than a murderous tyrant).
So enough of that. I have a busy day today (and completely ignoring all the ludicrous, crazy and insane stuff that is being "reported" in the media right now). First - work - of course. Finally something in the truck routing system to do.
Uhh, manager just called - 20 minutes til' normal clock-in time, not so today. Anyway, after work, go get the Koi, after that, go to the survey study to earn a bit of extra cash.
With that, I'm off to the races!
ben
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Tuesday 3/22/2011
Tuesday
In the case of Obama doing what he has done in basically starting a war with Libya - but through the UN Security Council, with the backing of the Arab League (for once), and apparently going to take a lessor role in the focus of who is running this campaign, I am going to have to agree that going through Congress first and having votes and all of that would not have been the greatest of ideas.
My reason being primarily because Gadhaffi's forces were about to go into Benghazi, wipe the place out, kill even more women, children and civilians, the onslaught would have been as brutal as the rest of it or more - and how long would have Congress sat on it's hands arguing back and forth over whether we should engage or not?
I mean, if the current "budget" problem is any indicator, Libya's rivers would be flowing red with blood and the thing would be over, Gadhaffi wins, a brutal - extremely brutal dictator stays in power after snubbing the world.
So, in this rare instance, I'll take Obama's side. I will not, however, take his side on him traipsing around South America when he should be in the Oval office/war rooms taking the position and role that is only his to take: Commander in Chief.
Off of that. I was glad yesterday that I decided against watering my plants last weekend. I had there was a chance of rain and sure enough - it rained nicely yesterday, soaking and saturating the ground, using tap water would have been a complete and total waste.
This Sissoo trees are putting whole new branches and they are growing quickly. It IS time to water the ground around those particular trees often and deep, yes. But when Mother Nature comes along and does it for me, for free, well, you can't go wrong with that.
My 3 fishies out front are terrified. At least from the way they are acting. I have put a nice water lily in there to cover some of the top of the water for a hiding place - but - although that pond is smaller in circumference than the other ponds, it is deeper, meaning the leaves have to make it back up to the surface. It shouldn't take long and then there will be nice coverage for them.
Tomorrow will be a busy day. I don't know about work-wise - I'm talking after work. I have an appointment to get all of those fish, leaving directly after work and heading straight out there. Bring the fish home, hopefully have the dude that wants some of them waiting there or showing up shortly after I arrive.
At 5:30, I have a Fieldwork Phoenix appointment - you go participate in a study group with other individuals and then you get paid a nice little sum for the time spent. 2 hours for $75. I don't make $37.50 per hour at work, might as well take advantage of it. A big plus about it is - the place is less than 2 miles from my house. I won't have to scramble to drive 20 miles or something to get there.
So, reminding myself, I have to get my buckets cleaned out and in the car for tomorrow's little adventure. There won't be much time in between the fish endeavor and going to the study group - but it's going to all happen if I have anything to say about it, which I do.
As for work, yesterday there was NOTHING in the truck routing system and it never changed. Today there is one delivery - albeit pretty far out east - that will eat up a couple of hours or so and that will be it for today unless something else comes up. We have been going pretty good for quite awhile all the way up until Friday and now? Dragggggggging along.
Oh well.
G'day.
ben
In the case of Obama doing what he has done in basically starting a war with Libya - but through the UN Security Council, with the backing of the Arab League (for once), and apparently going to take a lessor role in the focus of who is running this campaign, I am going to have to agree that going through Congress first and having votes and all of that would not have been the greatest of ideas.
My reason being primarily because Gadhaffi's forces were about to go into Benghazi, wipe the place out, kill even more women, children and civilians, the onslaught would have been as brutal as the rest of it or more - and how long would have Congress sat on it's hands arguing back and forth over whether we should engage or not?
I mean, if the current "budget" problem is any indicator, Libya's rivers would be flowing red with blood and the thing would be over, Gadhaffi wins, a brutal - extremely brutal dictator stays in power after snubbing the world.
So, in this rare instance, I'll take Obama's side. I will not, however, take his side on him traipsing around South America when he should be in the Oval office/war rooms taking the position and role that is only his to take: Commander in Chief.
Off of that. I was glad yesterday that I decided against watering my plants last weekend. I had there was a chance of rain and sure enough - it rained nicely yesterday, soaking and saturating the ground, using tap water would have been a complete and total waste.
This Sissoo trees are putting whole new branches and they are growing quickly. It IS time to water the ground around those particular trees often and deep, yes. But when Mother Nature comes along and does it for me, for free, well, you can't go wrong with that.
My 3 fishies out front are terrified. At least from the way they are acting. I have put a nice water lily in there to cover some of the top of the water for a hiding place - but - although that pond is smaller in circumference than the other ponds, it is deeper, meaning the leaves have to make it back up to the surface. It shouldn't take long and then there will be nice coverage for them.
Tomorrow will be a busy day. I don't know about work-wise - I'm talking after work. I have an appointment to get all of those fish, leaving directly after work and heading straight out there. Bring the fish home, hopefully have the dude that wants some of them waiting there or showing up shortly after I arrive.
At 5:30, I have a Fieldwork Phoenix appointment - you go participate in a study group with other individuals and then you get paid a nice little sum for the time spent. 2 hours for $75. I don't make $37.50 per hour at work, might as well take advantage of it. A big plus about it is - the place is less than 2 miles from my house. I won't have to scramble to drive 20 miles or something to get there.
So, reminding myself, I have to get my buckets cleaned out and in the car for tomorrow's little adventure. There won't be much time in between the fish endeavor and going to the study group - but it's going to all happen if I have anything to say about it, which I do.
As for work, yesterday there was NOTHING in the truck routing system and it never changed. Today there is one delivery - albeit pretty far out east - that will eat up a couple of hours or so and that will be it for today unless something else comes up. We have been going pretty good for quite awhile all the way up until Friday and now? Dragggggggging along.
Oh well.
G'day.
ben
Monday, March 21, 2011
Click on any pic to enlarge it.
Various recent photos. The last one is, yes, of the hummingbird that has been nesting, hatched the eggs and now is feeding the while still sitting on them, I guess keeping them warm. You have probably seen a hummingbird up close enough to realize how small they are - which should give you an idea of how small that nest is and further idea of how small the the freshly hatched birds are inside of it - 2 of them.
Ummm, first 2 pics are of the Water Iris. Today, it has 2 more blooms on it. Note the chair and the table right next to the above ground pond. I have spent considerable time sitting there pondering life, listening to water falling and looking at fish swimming with, of course, my dogs at my feet.
Tunnel on US 60 in the mountains.
2 pics of fire trucks on the night of my next door neighbor's house burning down.
Pic of a "typical" property in a town called San Carlos on the San Carlos Indian Reservation.
Tour bus filled with people coming at me on AZ 70 - I know that they call these people professional drivers, but from what I have seen, I have my doubts about many of them being coupled with that status and trepidation anytime one of them is coming at me on such a road, even if I am in a tractor-trailer rig.
Correction: This is just a motorhome. I don't even remember why I snapped a shot of it. I encountered several tour buses on the way back and thought from the smaller pic I had that it was one of them.
Pic of the scenic trip back from the Reservation, the bus is also on the trip back.
Monday 3/21/2011
Monday
The U.S. at war again. Oh, we may be clouding it under the veil of the UN Security Council. It might be lessened due to the fact that we are claiming not to be taking the primary role in the lead of the nations that have come together to stop Qadaffi's slaughter of his own people, but make no mistake: we are at war.
If bombing another nation's military outposts and strategic military locations such as military airfields, from the skies via Cruise missiles being shot from warships and submarines, B-52's dumping bombs and jet fighters taking out tanks doesn't count as acts of war - well we all know, this is war.
Question: what is the outcome? What if Qadaffi leaves? Who is going to take his place or what entity? What if Qaddifi lays down his arms and stops the slaughter? Then what? Are the "rebels" organized enough to take on the role of running that nation? If they get control, what are they going ot do with it? Are they going to have free elections?
Perhaps that is why the U.S. isn't taking the lead in this mess, moreso, though, the expense of running 3 wars at the same time. Perhaps Iraq is done and over with, perhaps not, but we still have a lot of people over there. Afghanistan will never be done, not until we just up and pull out. Libya? Who knows.
I am not against going in that nation and shutting down Qaddafi's military, not at all, as opposed to Afghanistan where I think we should pull up the stakes and get the bleep out of there. I just wonder if they think all of the ramifications through to possible endings. I'm sure those things are brought up, at the very least, in these negotiations for a joint military task to invade another country - even if only from the air.
Well enough of that. I have been following it closely since it started and will continue to watch. They certainly are making a big deal out of the fact that his compound has been destroyed.
Productive weekend - yes. Did I get everything done? Of course not. But I was busy outside. The pond in the front is up and running. It needs more fish in it, I have to buy a much larger net to catch the fish in the other pond. That or just find more free goldfish, lol.
I was out there much of the day yesterday - listening to that neighbor's dog barking incessantly. He stands at the fence and barks, and barks and barks. They won't do anything about it unless........call it juvenile if you like, but my peace is more important to me than however my actions might come off to the rest of the world. I make my dogs shut up, I do not allow them to stand there barking back.
After the line was crossed - no specific thing, just have had enough of listening to a dog that can not and will not shut up - I went to the fence and shouted very loudly: SHUT YOUR DOG UP OR I AM GOING TO TURN ON THE MUSIC!!!
It was 30 seconds later that the noise stopped and the dog was behind the secondary fence they put up. They followed my lead - I put up a secondary fence shortly after my new house was finished and I was living on the property. JUST because of my dogs getting into fence fights with their dogs. They didn't care, of course until I had had enough of it and started taking whatever actions I could that aren't just out and out breaking the law. Calling the police, animal control, the city, none of that did any good.
I mean, what are you supposed to do, live in misery because of someone else's BS? I think not. My boombox answer to this scenario has worked out quite well and I have only had to do it 2 or 3 times now. The last time I did it, I left that thing on for a couple of hours at full blast. That was - a couple of months ago?
Well, it's Monday, there is nothing to do in the truck routing system - which is never a good start to a work week. Gag. Oh well.
G'day.
ben
The U.S. at war again. Oh, we may be clouding it under the veil of the UN Security Council. It might be lessened due to the fact that we are claiming not to be taking the primary role in the lead of the nations that have come together to stop Qadaffi's slaughter of his own people, but make no mistake: we are at war.
If bombing another nation's military outposts and strategic military locations such as military airfields, from the skies via Cruise missiles being shot from warships and submarines, B-52's dumping bombs and jet fighters taking out tanks doesn't count as acts of war - well we all know, this is war.
Question: what is the outcome? What if Qadaffi leaves? Who is going to take his place or what entity? What if Qaddifi lays down his arms and stops the slaughter? Then what? Are the "rebels" organized enough to take on the role of running that nation? If they get control, what are they going ot do with it? Are they going to have free elections?
Perhaps that is why the U.S. isn't taking the lead in this mess, moreso, though, the expense of running 3 wars at the same time. Perhaps Iraq is done and over with, perhaps not, but we still have a lot of people over there. Afghanistan will never be done, not until we just up and pull out. Libya? Who knows.
I am not against going in that nation and shutting down Qaddafi's military, not at all, as opposed to Afghanistan where I think we should pull up the stakes and get the bleep out of there. I just wonder if they think all of the ramifications through to possible endings. I'm sure those things are brought up, at the very least, in these negotiations for a joint military task to invade another country - even if only from the air.
Well enough of that. I have been following it closely since it started and will continue to watch. They certainly are making a big deal out of the fact that his compound has been destroyed.
Productive weekend - yes. Did I get everything done? Of course not. But I was busy outside. The pond in the front is up and running. It needs more fish in it, I have to buy a much larger net to catch the fish in the other pond. That or just find more free goldfish, lol.
I was out there much of the day yesterday - listening to that neighbor's dog barking incessantly. He stands at the fence and barks, and barks and barks. They won't do anything about it unless........call it juvenile if you like, but my peace is more important to me than however my actions might come off to the rest of the world. I make my dogs shut up, I do not allow them to stand there barking back.
After the line was crossed - no specific thing, just have had enough of listening to a dog that can not and will not shut up - I went to the fence and shouted very loudly: SHUT YOUR DOG UP OR I AM GOING TO TURN ON THE MUSIC!!!
It was 30 seconds later that the noise stopped and the dog was behind the secondary fence they put up. They followed my lead - I put up a secondary fence shortly after my new house was finished and I was living on the property. JUST because of my dogs getting into fence fights with their dogs. They didn't care, of course until I had had enough of it and started taking whatever actions I could that aren't just out and out breaking the law. Calling the police, animal control, the city, none of that did any good.
I mean, what are you supposed to do, live in misery because of someone else's BS? I think not. My boombox answer to this scenario has worked out quite well and I have only had to do it 2 or 3 times now. The last time I did it, I left that thing on for a couple of hours at full blast. That was - a couple of months ago?
Well, it's Monday, there is nothing to do in the truck routing system - which is never a good start to a work week. Gag. Oh well.
G'day.
ben
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Water Iris
I had absolutely no idea, whatsoever, that one variety of plant that I have been growing in my pond is a water Iris. That's because there haven't BEEN any flowers coming out of any of them up until 24 hours ago.
I knew something was up several days ago when I saw these round shoots that seemingly appeared out of nowhere. The plant itself is nothing but these tall, thin and semi-wide leaf-like things. I thought they looked good enough in themselves. I have 3 of these things growing in 2 ponds. When I saw the tubular shoots coming up, my first thought was: does this thing also bloom? That is because I have a couple of other types of plants that do the same thing - leaves are thin, stalk type affairs, flowers come up in separate, tubular shoots.
Umm, 2 nights ago nothing, the next day 2 flowers in full bloom. Absolutely beautiful.
So, someone is standing at that side door, looking at the flowers and telling me they were Irises. I could not for the life of me remember the name of that particular flower until she said something. That was Lynnette, who also said at least 3 times that "they are very hard to grow".
I had to laugh. Perhaps dry ground based versions of this plant are hard to grow, there isn't anything that I have planted in the water that wasn't QUITE easy to grow. More like weeds, do nothing and they will still grow like crazy.
I spent half this morning on the phone with Direct TV, I spent several hours working on the new pond including transferring some plants from the large pond to the new one and also -- well -- catching fish in that larger pond isn't that easy with a small net. I caught 3 goldfish and called it quits, the water was cloudly and all kinds of junk flowing around in it. I also took back one very large goldfish that I first caught, put in the small pond and realized she wasn't like it at all. She is HUGE with eggs. I actually thought the smaller pond would be a better environment for her, but, I changed my mind and put her back in with the old population.
I then started pruning trees. Just the Sissoo's. There are obvious points on branches where life meets death. Yes, I cut back quite a bit of several trees back, lots more to go. In fact, this process of dealing with this winter's unusually and extremely cold nights with it's ensuing destruction of plant and tree life is going to take some time. Much more than I expected. I am glad this is a thing to do now at the end of winter and not at the beginning of hell summer.
The pond out front? Several more wheelbarrows of dirt left to haul out there and some decorative arranging of rocks and such and it is at least good to go for now.
The treatment of people. Interesting topic. How do I treat people, how am I treated.
I must needs get ready for the work week.
ben
I knew something was up several days ago when I saw these round shoots that seemingly appeared out of nowhere. The plant itself is nothing but these tall, thin and semi-wide leaf-like things. I thought they looked good enough in themselves. I have 3 of these things growing in 2 ponds. When I saw the tubular shoots coming up, my first thought was: does this thing also bloom? That is because I have a couple of other types of plants that do the same thing - leaves are thin, stalk type affairs, flowers come up in separate, tubular shoots.
Umm, 2 nights ago nothing, the next day 2 flowers in full bloom. Absolutely beautiful.
So, someone is standing at that side door, looking at the flowers and telling me they were Irises. I could not for the life of me remember the name of that particular flower until she said something. That was Lynnette, who also said at least 3 times that "they are very hard to grow".
I had to laugh. Perhaps dry ground based versions of this plant are hard to grow, there isn't anything that I have planted in the water that wasn't QUITE easy to grow. More like weeds, do nothing and they will still grow like crazy.
I spent half this morning on the phone with Direct TV, I spent several hours working on the new pond including transferring some plants from the large pond to the new one and also -- well -- catching fish in that larger pond isn't that easy with a small net. I caught 3 goldfish and called it quits, the water was cloudly and all kinds of junk flowing around in it. I also took back one very large goldfish that I first caught, put in the small pond and realized she wasn't like it at all. She is HUGE with eggs. I actually thought the smaller pond would be a better environment for her, but, I changed my mind and put her back in with the old population.
I then started pruning trees. Just the Sissoo's. There are obvious points on branches where life meets death. Yes, I cut back quite a bit of several trees back, lots more to go. In fact, this process of dealing with this winter's unusually and extremely cold nights with it's ensuing destruction of plant and tree life is going to take some time. Much more than I expected. I am glad this is a thing to do now at the end of winter and not at the beginning of hell summer.
The pond out front? Several more wheelbarrows of dirt left to haul out there and some decorative arranging of rocks and such and it is at least good to go for now.
The treatment of people. Interesting topic. How do I treat people, how am I treated.
I must needs get ready for the work week.
ben
Direct TV - AGAIN
I wrote a week or so ago about getting a new DVR from Direct TV for free, with no contract imposed. It took me quite a bit of talking to quite a number of individuals to get it.
I went to record on it yesterday - push the record button - nothing happened. All of my equipment is "older", meaning I have no clue what a new DVR or a new standard receiver would look like. What I received was not a DVR, I found out quickly, it's a standard receiver.
I just spent another 2 hours on the phone with a bunch of people that denied me the request to send out a DVR, as was promised, and yes, you can have this standard receiver back. One supervisor did get to the point of "well, we can do this: send you out a new DVR for free, BUT, you will have to commit to another 2 year agreement.".
No, no and double no. This is NOT what was agreed to when I was speaking with the disconnection department and after quite a bit of time wasted, I ended back at the disconnection department again. The first woman "reviewed" my account and agreed that there was nothing they could do: it's a new DVR with the 2 year commitment or it's nothing. Plus she threw in there that the receiver that I had already received automatically re-instated a new, 2 year commitment. BS. That got me going, as the original conversation with the person that was giving it to me specifically stated that there would BE no 2 year commitment.
All along, however, I have offered that if they want to replace ALL of my equipment, I would be happy to commit to 2 years again. Nothing doing. For whatever reason, they are not interested in doing that. Meaning that every time one of my receivers fails, I am going to have to go through all of this as I refuse to buy equipment from them that they are giving out to new customers for free. If I am forced to buy a receiver, it will be either off of Craigslist or Ebay. That way, I own the blooming thing and I am not forced into a contract that has ALL KINDS of strings attached to it, been there done that.
Further, if I have a contract, I don't have near the leverage I have now without one. I can disconnect any time without any thought of being charged for it. It's just a tool that I can use: send me the equipment free or goodbye.
I was going to just end the call - she said she would be "happy" to disconnect my service ?!!! if I wanted to today. I got her supervisor on the phone. Instead of railing on the woman that thinks it's gleeful fun to disconnect customers, I asked the man I was talking to a simple question: was the conversation I had had with the gentleman almost 2 weeks ago about getting a free DVR with no contract recorded? Yes, sir, it would be available for review. Then, I stated, I suggest you review that recording, because it is spelled out in that conversation to the nth degree that I was to get a new DVR, for free, with no 2 year commitment. The ONLY caveat is that it would be treated as a leased DVR and I would have to return it if I ever cancel my service with Direct TV.
Well who cares about that? What am I going to do with it if/when I cancel the service? It is useless with any other company and I don't CARE if I own it or not. In fact, NOT owning it is better: they will have to replace it for free if it ever breaks.
They like putting people on hold - for extended lengths of time. One guy put me on hold twice, for at least 5 minutes per, without any sound. He obviously wanted me to hang up as I was asking for something that he didn't want to do.
Regardless, this situation might be over now. I say might because I don't consider it a done deal until I have the new DVR sitting there, hooked up, activated and another call to Direct TV to ensure that there is NO contract automatically occurring.
This time, however, they are sending out a tech. Why? I guess they want to know for sure that the one I have is defective. Yes, it's defective. Hook it up, it puts these blips and lines on the TV. It's junk.
I don't care if they send out a tech, but the recorded conversation with the confirmation department included that there is no contract, no fee for the tech to come out and that the DVR is free.
Thank you.
ben
I went to record on it yesterday - push the record button - nothing happened. All of my equipment is "older", meaning I have no clue what a new DVR or a new standard receiver would look like. What I received was not a DVR, I found out quickly, it's a standard receiver.
I just spent another 2 hours on the phone with a bunch of people that denied me the request to send out a DVR, as was promised, and yes, you can have this standard receiver back. One supervisor did get to the point of "well, we can do this: send you out a new DVR for free, BUT, you will have to commit to another 2 year agreement.".
No, no and double no. This is NOT what was agreed to when I was speaking with the disconnection department and after quite a bit of time wasted, I ended back at the disconnection department again. The first woman "reviewed" my account and agreed that there was nothing they could do: it's a new DVR with the 2 year commitment or it's nothing. Plus she threw in there that the receiver that I had already received automatically re-instated a new, 2 year commitment. BS. That got me going, as the original conversation with the person that was giving it to me specifically stated that there would BE no 2 year commitment.
All along, however, I have offered that if they want to replace ALL of my equipment, I would be happy to commit to 2 years again. Nothing doing. For whatever reason, they are not interested in doing that. Meaning that every time one of my receivers fails, I am going to have to go through all of this as I refuse to buy equipment from them that they are giving out to new customers for free. If I am forced to buy a receiver, it will be either off of Craigslist or Ebay. That way, I own the blooming thing and I am not forced into a contract that has ALL KINDS of strings attached to it, been there done that.
Further, if I have a contract, I don't have near the leverage I have now without one. I can disconnect any time without any thought of being charged for it. It's just a tool that I can use: send me the equipment free or goodbye.
I was going to just end the call - she said she would be "happy" to disconnect my service ?!!! if I wanted to today. I got her supervisor on the phone. Instead of railing on the woman that thinks it's gleeful fun to disconnect customers, I asked the man I was talking to a simple question: was the conversation I had had with the gentleman almost 2 weeks ago about getting a free DVR with no contract recorded? Yes, sir, it would be available for review. Then, I stated, I suggest you review that recording, because it is spelled out in that conversation to the nth degree that I was to get a new DVR, for free, with no 2 year commitment. The ONLY caveat is that it would be treated as a leased DVR and I would have to return it if I ever cancel my service with Direct TV.
Well who cares about that? What am I going to do with it if/when I cancel the service? It is useless with any other company and I don't CARE if I own it or not. In fact, NOT owning it is better: they will have to replace it for free if it ever breaks.
They like putting people on hold - for extended lengths of time. One guy put me on hold twice, for at least 5 minutes per, without any sound. He obviously wanted me to hang up as I was asking for something that he didn't want to do.
Regardless, this situation might be over now. I say might because I don't consider it a done deal until I have the new DVR sitting there, hooked up, activated and another call to Direct TV to ensure that there is NO contract automatically occurring.
This time, however, they are sending out a tech. Why? I guess they want to know for sure that the one I have is defective. Yes, it's defective. Hook it up, it puts these blips and lines on the TV. It's junk.
I don't care if they send out a tech, but the recorded conversation with the confirmation department included that there is no contract, no fee for the tech to come out and that the DVR is free.
Thank you.
ben
Friday, March 18, 2011
Pond Stuff
The liner did show up today. I was going to install it and put some new fish into it - but - I decided on changing the game plan. I am going to fill on the hole were the water line was fixed - so I am going to have to wheelbarrow quite a number of loads from the back of the property to the front to do that.
The point is to make it as level as possible, and the side of the pond where the repair on the water line was done is not level. I will need to bring the dirt level up to at least the bottom of the pond on that side of it to make it level.
The other reason I changed my mind is that I realized that I do not want to put any Koi in that pond. It will be, at least at first, goldfish only.
I say that because I acquired 3 more Koi today. I am totally uninterested in goldfish at this point- I have plenty of them and don't want anymore, Koi are way cooler looking. Today's score was a butterfly Koi and then 2 - whatever kind of Koi they are. Underfed, apparently. I put them in the larger pond, came back later, threw some Koi pellets in there and that butterfly Koi went crazy. I think it overfed itself. It looked like it hadn't eaten in a long time the way it was feeding. That one is about 6 inches long, the other 2 are around 3 plus inches long.
The smaller ones were trying to inhale the pellets, but they kept ejecting them, assuming they are too large. I tried putting in goldfish flakes but they ignored them and kept going after the Koi pellets.
Well, tomorrow, I am thinking anyway, I will be putting the liner in the pond, filling up the hold, leveling out the pond, filling it up with water, getting the pump and filter going, etc etc etc. Put some fish stress stuff on there that also helps the fish adapt to new water. Catch goldfish out of the large pond, dump them in there. Put some plants in there - this will be a weekend project, at least.
But, I am at my bedtime. Even on weekends, I mostly go to bed early.
G'nite.
ben
The point is to make it as level as possible, and the side of the pond where the repair on the water line was done is not level. I will need to bring the dirt level up to at least the bottom of the pond on that side of it to make it level.
The other reason I changed my mind is that I realized that I do not want to put any Koi in that pond. It will be, at least at first, goldfish only.
I say that because I acquired 3 more Koi today. I am totally uninterested in goldfish at this point- I have plenty of them and don't want anymore, Koi are way cooler looking. Today's score was a butterfly Koi and then 2 - whatever kind of Koi they are. Underfed, apparently. I put them in the larger pond, came back later, threw some Koi pellets in there and that butterfly Koi went crazy. I think it overfed itself. It looked like it hadn't eaten in a long time the way it was feeding. That one is about 6 inches long, the other 2 are around 3 plus inches long.
The smaller ones were trying to inhale the pellets, but they kept ejecting them, assuming they are too large. I tried putting in goldfish flakes but they ignored them and kept going after the Koi pellets.
Well, tomorrow, I am thinking anyway, I will be putting the liner in the pond, filling up the hold, leveling out the pond, filling it up with water, getting the pump and filter going, etc etc etc. Put some fish stress stuff on there that also helps the fish adapt to new water. Catch goldfish out of the large pond, dump them in there. Put some plants in there - this will be a weekend project, at least.
But, I am at my bedtime. Even on weekends, I mostly go to bed early.
G'nite.
ben
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