All of them go together here. Every year, people come here without a clue as to how to survive living in the AZ sun and heat, have heat strokes and die. Every year, kids are left unattended by swimming pools or find their way into the back yard, fall into the pool and drown. The massacre has begun.
A 2 year old was left in the back of a car after a family coming home in 2 separate vehicles from church on Sunday. One thought the other had the baby. Dad went out to go to the store, put the car in reverse and yes, saw his 2 year old baby slumped over in the back seat. Dead. Man is going to be charged with - I think they said involuntary homicide.
Today, the owner of a large chain of movie theatres in these parts left his dog in his car, outside of course, while he went in to watch a movie. Okay, the dog didn't die. He left the windows open and allegedly came out several times to make sure the dog was okay. But, somebody flagged down police and he was cited anyway. Sometime sooner or later, somebody is going to see either a child left in a car at supermarket, bar or casino and somebody's going to see a dog left in a car at same said places and they are going to bust a window out of the car to save the child or dog's life.
It happens EVERY single year. A car can get up to 140 degrees inside with windows closed. I have only left my dogs in the car unattended a couple of times. In those cases, the car was left running, the emergeny brake was applied (heavily in case a dog accidently hit the shift lever) and the AC was cranking away. I was always within 50 feet of the car. Sounds crazy, well, the other folks around me at the time were commenting on the large dogs, not on me leaving them in the car unattended.
I won't do that now that my car's AC is not working. I won't even take them with me anywhere right now because they are large dogs and they get hot quickly. They are not left outside during the day now, either. I put them out in the morning before anyone gets up, but after that I call here and ask that they be let in. IF by some chance they were not to be let in, I have shade and a LOT of cool water for them to drink. They will survive - uncomfortably - and it's not against the law. Still, I do not like leaving giant dogs out in this heat.
The point is that this is all common sense, and the further point is that these people that engage in such must not have very much common sense. The family that just lost the 2 year old? An unimaginable price they are now paying for that man's forgetfulness, I don't wonder if that is sentence enough - he will never forget it, it will haunt him, he is probably having thoughts of suicide, he is in a hell that none of us can understand and none of us ever want to experience. The fires that are licking at his feet and coursing through his very being are more than any prison sentence will ever be able to attain in terms of punishment given.
Don't get me wrong from above statement: I am not saying the man is going to hell, rather, the man is already IN hell, an earthly version of it. These people LOVED that baby, this is apparent from the news stories. I don't wonder when the man gets to court if a jury wouldn't find against any prison time. He is already sentenced to a life of regret, hate towards himself, misery, grief - a list of adjectives combined together to make this man's life a walking hell, that's all there is to it.
But, how can you forget your own baby in the back seat of your car? To me, this unfathomable. It happened last year here, but - after hospital care and stay, the baby survived and is healthy. It happens EVERY year here, that's my point: where do these people come from? Still, instead of punishing him with prison time, the judge could make him serve thousands of hours of community time with the theme of going around talking to groups about the "importance" of making sure all of your kids are accounted for.
Well, whatever. I grieve in my own small way with this family. The throes of anguish right now in that family and extended family members is unimaginable.
The dog, however, survived. Is the dog as important as a human life? NO WAY. In fact, I thought about that baby's last - 30 minutes, hour. Can you imagine sitting in what is the same as an oven, roasting to death? No, I can't - I can't imagine the suffering that baby went through. But, is a dog's life important? Well, I love dogs, I can easily answer that: yes, to me, a dog's life is important, if nothing else, to the owners of that dog. It just doesn't equate to the life of a human being. You can easily get over the death of a dog compared to human death. There IS no easy way to get over the death of a loved one - human loved one - and especially in a circumstance such as this.
Moving on. Heat related. I had returned from doing a delivery early this afternoon and decided to go ahead and continue work on sweeping the asphalt. It was hot at the time - 105. When you are standing on asphalt, the sun bakes you from above. The asphalt is absorbing the heat and radiating it back up. After some 45 minutes of this, I started feeling funny. I had plenty of water, yes, but I was in the full sunlight.
I got out of the sunlight - got a lot done but I wasn't about to cook myself for the sake of keeping busy and having something to do. It became evident that I am still not quite acclimated to the heat yet. I CAN take that kind of abuse - but it takes a while.
Moving on. 6 of the 10 koi are dead. Since I have living goldfish in that pond that are in excellent condition, I am going to contact the seller and tell him these fish have died, please replace them. I had aquariums for years and years as a kid, I am accustomed to the care of fish. No, the trip those Koi had from NC to here, the water getting hot, that is what killed them. I do expect the man to replace them - if not - live and learn. I am not even sure any of the rest of them are still alive, only that their bodies aren't floating on the top of the water.
That's it for this one.
ben
Monday, June 28, 2010
Monday
There are times when Monday comes rolling around - Monday morning that is - and I absolutely do not feel like getting out of bed, much less going to work. Today is definitely one of those mornings. I dunno if it is just because I have been doing it for decades, but something automatic within turns on and forces me to go through the motions without thinking about it. In my situation, not going to work is not an option. Calling in sick when you're not sick? I don't think I've ever done that once in my entire life. Not about to start now.
News: North Korea is going to bolster nuke capacity. Just what, exactly, are they going to do with nuclear weapons? Bomb South Korea? Won't that destroy the environment on both sides of the "border" between them? Just curious. They spout off rhetoric to anyone that will listen, which apparently is enough for the news to report about it.
Funny that the BP oil disaster is falling off the main headlines - yet, the last time I heard anything, there is still a LOT of oil gushing into the Gulf of Mexico. Oh, it's still there, it just isn't main headlines anyomre for some reason. The virtual destruction of pristine shorelines is guaranteed at this point. How do you clean that junk out of the sand? Perhaps they can - but - they will be doing it for a long, long time. No, this is a catastrophe at best.
Our Governor Brewer definitely made a gaffe this time in her statements that most illegals coming over here are drug runners. Gonnnnnnnnng!!! Remember the Gong Show? I used to love that show! They're coming over here to find jobs, earn money and either send it back to families in Mexico or bring them all up here and live. I was reading a story yesterday - it was the story of a family of illegals that decided to move to Pennsylvania after this new immigration bill was past.
Amazing that the story tried to invoke sentiment for people that don't belong here. I read the entire story, some reporter had followed their plight from the beginning where they were throwing all their belongings away excepting what they could carry with them in their vehicle - to the trip to the ending in Pennsylvania. It was a "heartbreaking" type of story - I felt nothing. I didn't feel sorry for them, their words didn't evoke any anguish in my soul. If they don't want to feel like they are always on the run or that they may get caught at any time, all the time, I have 2 words for them: GO HOME.
These people continue to stay in the states and apparently feel they have some sort of right to stay here. It's truly amazing not only how these illegals think, but also the bleeding hearts that want to just allow all 11 million of them complete, free amnesty. Just let them have citizenship, notwithstanding the fact that there are a LOT of people from all over the world that would love to move to our country - legally - and are trying to do just that.
Whatever. When this week is over, I have a full week off. I haven't done that in ages. I am looking forward to getting up late. Doing nothing. Or doing something, who cares, it's staycation. I think I'll spend the week getting the house really clean - dun't want a dirty house for vacation, not that it is dirty now, but I want it sparkling and smelling nice just. Yes, that's the ticket, mind now filling with "wonderful" cleaning projects that I can start doing after work every day. Lol.
Work day is here, g'day.
ben
News: North Korea is going to bolster nuke capacity. Just what, exactly, are they going to do with nuclear weapons? Bomb South Korea? Won't that destroy the environment on both sides of the "border" between them? Just curious. They spout off rhetoric to anyone that will listen, which apparently is enough for the news to report about it.
Funny that the BP oil disaster is falling off the main headlines - yet, the last time I heard anything, there is still a LOT of oil gushing into the Gulf of Mexico. Oh, it's still there, it just isn't main headlines anyomre for some reason. The virtual destruction of pristine shorelines is guaranteed at this point. How do you clean that junk out of the sand? Perhaps they can - but - they will be doing it for a long, long time. No, this is a catastrophe at best.
Our Governor Brewer definitely made a gaffe this time in her statements that most illegals coming over here are drug runners. Gonnnnnnnnng!!! Remember the Gong Show? I used to love that show! They're coming over here to find jobs, earn money and either send it back to families in Mexico or bring them all up here and live. I was reading a story yesterday - it was the story of a family of illegals that decided to move to Pennsylvania after this new immigration bill was past.
Amazing that the story tried to invoke sentiment for people that don't belong here. I read the entire story, some reporter had followed their plight from the beginning where they were throwing all their belongings away excepting what they could carry with them in their vehicle - to the trip to the ending in Pennsylvania. It was a "heartbreaking" type of story - I felt nothing. I didn't feel sorry for them, their words didn't evoke any anguish in my soul. If they don't want to feel like they are always on the run or that they may get caught at any time, all the time, I have 2 words for them: GO HOME.
These people continue to stay in the states and apparently feel they have some sort of right to stay here. It's truly amazing not only how these illegals think, but also the bleeding hearts that want to just allow all 11 million of them complete, free amnesty. Just let them have citizenship, notwithstanding the fact that there are a LOT of people from all over the world that would love to move to our country - legally - and are trying to do just that.
Whatever. When this week is over, I have a full week off. I haven't done that in ages. I am looking forward to getting up late. Doing nothing. Or doing something, who cares, it's staycation. I think I'll spend the week getting the house really clean - dun't want a dirty house for vacation, not that it is dirty now, but I want it sparkling and smelling nice just. Yes, that's the ticket, mind now filling with "wonderful" cleaning projects that I can start doing after work every day. Lol.
Work day is here, g'day.
ben
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Sunday
Stepped outside and started to cook. More like melt. Decided to no stick around out there too long and came back inside. Curiosity - I had to go back out and see if any more of the little Koi had died. I couldn't find any bodies, I saw about 4 of them moving around. The lone Koi I have in the other pond? Well, I can't just leave him in there alone so I'm going to try and catch one of the others and put one in there with him. I also had to run down to the store and get some stuff that helps with stress - those Koi were flown in 2 days ago from North Carolina.
The man said the water was hot when he got them and that over 100 of them were dead. Transported home and into his tank, then transported to my house and into my pond. Yeah, I'd say that calls for a bit of shock treatment, I should have thought of that yesterday, perhaps I wouldn't have lost the one Koi. I'm already preferring Koi over Goldfish because of the longevity of Koi - up to 75 years. Goldfish, this guy claims, good for about 6 or 7 years and they're dead.
Hugely long interval. I mean, half the day and a trip with my manager to a person's house who is selling everything. He does not trust people and was apparently fearful of going alone - it was a Craigslist deal - with CL, who knows what's going to happen.
And now? I am going to bed early, I am tired and just want to go to sleep.
G'nite.
ben
The man said the water was hot when he got them and that over 100 of them were dead. Transported home and into his tank, then transported to my house and into my pond. Yeah, I'd say that calls for a bit of shock treatment, I should have thought of that yesterday, perhaps I wouldn't have lost the one Koi. I'm already preferring Koi over Goldfish because of the longevity of Koi - up to 75 years. Goldfish, this guy claims, good for about 6 or 7 years and they're dead.
Hugely long interval. I mean, half the day and a trip with my manager to a person's house who is selling everything. He does not trust people and was apparently fearful of going alone - it was a Craigslist deal - with CL, who knows what's going to happen.
And now? I am going to bed early, I am tired and just want to go to sleep.
G'nite.
ben
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Saturday
A person in Carefree is giving away his Koi and Goldfish today. I wish I had the desire to drive 40 miles one way to get them, free is always good.
No biggies, I just wanted to add some Koi with the goldfish I have in there already.
I haven't eaten since sometime yesterday afternoon, about 17 hours ago. No way do I want to get off track the weight that keeps falling off of me, I tend to kick it into high gear by not eating for a while and then eating very small portions. It has been working so far, see if it does any good by the time the weekend is over. I will not be able to weigh myself again until work Monday morning.
Female tenant left for 2 weeks. She is watching her mother's house while they are away on vacation. Gotta love the people that rent out a room in your house, then tell you they're going to be gone for 2 weeks and then hint at not paying rent since they won't be there. Not the first time, probably not the last. I refuse them every time. The room is rented whether you are staying here or not, that isn't my problem. I'm sorry you're having finanial difficulties, tell me about it, I have plenty and consistent, on-time payments are the only thing that are going to do anything for me right now.
Great sales on food at various supermarkets right now. This is when I wish I had a freezer, I would fill the thing up with cheap - but good - chicken breast and other goodies that are on huge sale. I will buy some, of course, but not that much.
There isn't much more I can do right now to save additional money on electricity. Only if everyone leaves - then I can turn the thermostat up 4 or 5 degrees. I do have a standing, posted rule at this point that no laundry is to be done between the hours of 10:00 pm and 6:00 pm to help keep the indoor heating down.
Well, the first month of hell heat is almost over - and from the records, June is the highest use of electricity, it tapers down a bit in July and August. Still, 2 more months of excessive energy use - this is going to be a struggle to make it through this unless, by some miracle, my company decides to give us our hours back. From the looks of it, that is one of those things you might all a pipe dream.
For the news, although it is going to be hell for many people, I am in full agreement with this money train running out and not extending unemployment benefits. Is anyone in the Federal government even the slightest bit afraid of the consequences of unbridled, runaway spending? Obviously not - excepting those Republicans that stood up against the unemployment free for all. Look, I have great sympathy for those people, but you're talking people that have been on unemployment for a long, long time now. Sooner or later, the gravy train has to end. I hope I don't ever have to face such, even gave some consideration to that before even writing this - I have contingency plans if it ever happened. Very unpleasant contingency plants, yes, but I do have a nuclear fallout plan that includes living in my own back yard and renting every room in the house.
Preposterous, maybe. If you have no money, you can't stay anywhere. You live on the streets. Well, I would rather live in my back yard than on the streets. Renting all 5 rooms would pay the mortgage, electricity and water. I don't know about anything else - keeping on internet and satellite might be a difficult road to ho.
However, in the industry I am in, junk, cheap jobs are available if nothing else. OTR is always there as well. Yup, life would suck, but it would be better than the alternatives. I can't imagine driving a big rig for $10 per hour, but there are those that are doing it.
Enough of that - though I expect the desperate people posting on Craigslist here, locally, to multiply exponentially. As for me, I am still considering paying off one of the 401k loans and getting another one. I owe around $800 on one and $1,200 on another. I have enough money in my 401k account that I could turn around and take out around $2,500 or so. You can only take out a percentage of what you have and that percentage drops every time you get a loan. Minus the $800 to pay it off to get another one, that's $1,700 left over. I have absolutely nothing for an emergency - which really, I'm in the middle of one right now. Financially, that is. I will be doing a new budget - again - haven't done one since the beginning of this year - and see what I need to do to stay afloat. Food is always a thing that can be "adjusted". Mac and cheese; cheap tuna fish; peanut butter that's on sale. Ramen noodles and hot dogs. Most of that junk is high sodium, fat calories and pure garbage, not so good for your health, but it is food. I am not saying I am there yet, I am going to do a realistic budget as soon as I'm done with this entry.
Temp tenants are headed to Walmart to cash a check and give me money. They are outta here today or tomorrow morning, apparently they found an apartment. It's $75 I didn't have, they have only been here 4 or 5 days and they haven't been here that much. Straight to electricity is where that money plus the money the female tenant gave me last weekend will go. I hate living like this, but, I know that I am most certainly not in this boat alone.
And, I'm very glad not to be an occupant of another boat: unemployed and benefits running out this month. That would TRULY suck is all I can say about that. I truly feel for those people. I wish I had some extra funds that I could start up the feeding thing again, it's going to happen - people that at one time were bringing in 5 and 6 figures will be so desperate they will literally beg on Craigslist for food help. I can't currently justify spending the money it takes to have a large group of people over eating, I can't afford it right now.
Anyway, the bug is in, I must get to scribbling out my budget, what I am getting and what I need to do to float.
G'day.
ben
No biggies, I just wanted to add some Koi with the goldfish I have in there already.
I haven't eaten since sometime yesterday afternoon, about 17 hours ago. No way do I want to get off track the weight that keeps falling off of me, I tend to kick it into high gear by not eating for a while and then eating very small portions. It has been working so far, see if it does any good by the time the weekend is over. I will not be able to weigh myself again until work Monday morning.
Female tenant left for 2 weeks. She is watching her mother's house while they are away on vacation. Gotta love the people that rent out a room in your house, then tell you they're going to be gone for 2 weeks and then hint at not paying rent since they won't be there. Not the first time, probably not the last. I refuse them every time. The room is rented whether you are staying here or not, that isn't my problem. I'm sorry you're having finanial difficulties, tell me about it, I have plenty and consistent, on-time payments are the only thing that are going to do anything for me right now.
Great sales on food at various supermarkets right now. This is when I wish I had a freezer, I would fill the thing up with cheap - but good - chicken breast and other goodies that are on huge sale. I will buy some, of course, but not that much.
There isn't much more I can do right now to save additional money on electricity. Only if everyone leaves - then I can turn the thermostat up 4 or 5 degrees. I do have a standing, posted rule at this point that no laundry is to be done between the hours of 10:00 pm and 6:00 pm to help keep the indoor heating down.
Well, the first month of hell heat is almost over - and from the records, June is the highest use of electricity, it tapers down a bit in July and August. Still, 2 more months of excessive energy use - this is going to be a struggle to make it through this unless, by some miracle, my company decides to give us our hours back. From the looks of it, that is one of those things you might all a pipe dream.
For the news, although it is going to be hell for many people, I am in full agreement with this money train running out and not extending unemployment benefits. Is anyone in the Federal government even the slightest bit afraid of the consequences of unbridled, runaway spending? Obviously not - excepting those Republicans that stood up against the unemployment free for all. Look, I have great sympathy for those people, but you're talking people that have been on unemployment for a long, long time now. Sooner or later, the gravy train has to end. I hope I don't ever have to face such, even gave some consideration to that before even writing this - I have contingency plans if it ever happened. Very unpleasant contingency plants, yes, but I do have a nuclear fallout plan that includes living in my own back yard and renting every room in the house.
Preposterous, maybe. If you have no money, you can't stay anywhere. You live on the streets. Well, I would rather live in my back yard than on the streets. Renting all 5 rooms would pay the mortgage, electricity and water. I don't know about anything else - keeping on internet and satellite might be a difficult road to ho.
However, in the industry I am in, junk, cheap jobs are available if nothing else. OTR is always there as well. Yup, life would suck, but it would be better than the alternatives. I can't imagine driving a big rig for $10 per hour, but there are those that are doing it.
Enough of that - though I expect the desperate people posting on Craigslist here, locally, to multiply exponentially. As for me, I am still considering paying off one of the 401k loans and getting another one. I owe around $800 on one and $1,200 on another. I have enough money in my 401k account that I could turn around and take out around $2,500 or so. You can only take out a percentage of what you have and that percentage drops every time you get a loan. Minus the $800 to pay it off to get another one, that's $1,700 left over. I have absolutely nothing for an emergency - which really, I'm in the middle of one right now. Financially, that is. I will be doing a new budget - again - haven't done one since the beginning of this year - and see what I need to do to stay afloat. Food is always a thing that can be "adjusted". Mac and cheese; cheap tuna fish; peanut butter that's on sale. Ramen noodles and hot dogs. Most of that junk is high sodium, fat calories and pure garbage, not so good for your health, but it is food. I am not saying I am there yet, I am going to do a realistic budget as soon as I'm done with this entry.
Temp tenants are headed to Walmart to cash a check and give me money. They are outta here today or tomorrow morning, apparently they found an apartment. It's $75 I didn't have, they have only been here 4 or 5 days and they haven't been here that much. Straight to electricity is where that money plus the money the female tenant gave me last weekend will go. I hate living like this, but, I know that I am most certainly not in this boat alone.
And, I'm very glad not to be an occupant of another boat: unemployed and benefits running out this month. That would TRULY suck is all I can say about that. I truly feel for those people. I wish I had some extra funds that I could start up the feeding thing again, it's going to happen - people that at one time were bringing in 5 and 6 figures will be so desperate they will literally beg on Craigslist for food help. I can't currently justify spending the money it takes to have a large group of people over eating, I can't afford it right now.
Anyway, the bug is in, I must get to scribbling out my budget, what I am getting and what I need to do to float.
G'day.
ben
Friday, June 25, 2010
Weekend
Seeds.
I have been wanting to get some Australian Bottle Tree seeds for a while now. Well, actually I rather wanted a sapling, but - I just can't spend money right now. I am dumping money into electricity like a incinerator burning trash, it just disappears. It totally sucks, but right now, there is nothing I can do about it. If there are no tenants around, I turn the AC to a higher temp - like 5 degrees higher. I'll bring a fan out and aim it at my if I get warm, I don't really care that much. Take a cold shower. Whatever. But, there is pretty much always tenants around here. The ex Marine lost his job (due to his own lifestyle) and has no plans to work. Umm, lost the thought here - I bought some Australian Bottle Tree seeds on eBay for $4.99 today with free shipping. That came out of the refund from the bio-filter that eBay decided in my favor for the dispute I opened through eBay with the seller. Cheap and I am totally into this kind of thing. Plant some seeds and hope they grow!
He gave me this news several days ago with a grimmace on his face. I hope he doesn't think he's going to - get away with not paying the rent like he did last time this happened because I will tell him that it is unacceptable. He gets money from the military at the beginning of every month, he is leaving at the end of next month, there is no good reason that I can see to give leniency. A freebie month is out of the question. He didn't SAY that, I just got that feeling. A BAD feeling at that. Wait and see.
Hard day for dieting. Resistance is futile, what came to mind, anyway, but - I didn't give in, at least to the donuts. I absolutely LOVE cream filled donuts. The Bavarian cream stuff, not that white junk that tastes like your pouring sugar down your throat.
I was at the main branch - fully 3 dozen donuts including several of the cream filled style sitting there for whosoever. I envision myself drooling. I haven't had one in a long, long time. I had to make several trips into the area where those donuts were - I resisted.
Before that, I had eaten a Subway ham sandwich - no cheese, no heavy dressings. I wasn't hungry, but - I had plenty of room for one of those donuts. I got out of there. Later on, I was back at my branch. MORE donuts. Inventory today, several people there, they brought all kinds of goodies. It was pure heck to resist eating one of those things. They were buying lunch, did I want any? Yes, I could only say. I had a low fat/calorie fare but - I thought at the time and still thinking now - this is the extent of my eating for today. I can't eat anything else and still think I had a good day.
So, 3 more hours of awakedness. I cannot get my mind off of food. I look at the gains that I have made and THAT is what is keeping me on track. I will NOT eat again today. I last ate at 1:00 pm - but I have HAD my calorie limit for the day, I can't afford to eat anymore. BTW, it's almost 7:00pm and it is also past my 6:00 pm limit for eating. Yes, I have several restrictions on my eating - not TOO many but the restrictions I have simply cannot be crossed. Eye on the prize: get lean again. 6 or 8 pack belly. Obesity related medical problems - negated. I am not obese, I have no intentions on letting myself get anywhere near that. I was close, I guess, at 212 pounds - a full 30 pounds over my life-long adult weight before I started gaining. I hit that weight on the scale and reality set in: either do something NOW or turn into - something you don't want to look like, be or have to deal with.
I came home today and saw a large river rock propped up next to the trailer outside my house. Entertaining, lol. It has professionally scribed numbers on it: my street address plus "1/4" next to it. They're saying another 2 months before they leave. They also told me the other day that "I saved them". They were headed for the streets and literally had nowhere to go when I bought that trailer for them to live in. I'm glad things are turning around for them. I bid them well. No hard feelings them leaving, I would do the same thing in their situation. Yes, I am considering helping someone else that would want the thing.
The situation is not going to be given to the first taker. I don't want a lazy-ass person wanting to mooch. It was months before I got these current folks this trailer. I had 25 conversations with them plus a coupl days of him working over here before they EVER got the nod to move onto the property. Work ethic is mandatory. Whether they are working or not, not the point, they must have that attitude and lifestyle. There are still VERY few jobs to be had in this area - one of the worst hit in the nation.
Ponds. I have 4 large goldfish. One of them is much larger than the rest. When it comes feeding time, he/she is a bully. They all go FAR away from this character while he's going crazy going all over the place looking for the food. He is, in fact, a total pig. I have compensated for it - I put food at both ends of the pond when feeding them. He cannot be at both places at the same time. It's fun to watch, regardless. Pond was cool enough to not have to worry about floating, fried fish when getting home from work.
Heat. I am slowly getting re-accustomed to extreme heat. It was 113 today. I both worked in it and sat out in it when I got home from work. I have to "reorganize" my mind. Heat is a good thing, I tell myself. Driving home in a hell-hot car, I imagined how nice it was. I was lightly sweating and the air moving over my flesh from the open windows kept me cool. I thought that and believed it, that's all I needed. Tunes turned up, drown out any negativity in the thought realm. Enjoy the ride, who cares how hot it is. It's ALL in the mind, really. Car AC may not even get fixed this summer - my finances are that bad - might as well get used to it. I'm not complaining or whining - just writing in my diary. It is what it is. The house is cool, the electricity is on, the water is on, there is food in the refrigerator, for that, I am grateful.
A week away from my 1 week vacation. Mom said her property is available if I wanted to get out of Phoenix. If she's up there, I will take a day trip to visit her. Maybe stay overnight. Not necessarily desirable as I no longer have tents. Yes, I would rather tent out than stay in a small trailer with mother. Nothing against mother, but - it would just be more "comfortable" that way.
It's Friday evening and I'm done with this entry.
ben
I have been wanting to get some Australian Bottle Tree seeds for a while now. Well, actually I rather wanted a sapling, but - I just can't spend money right now. I am dumping money into electricity like a incinerator burning trash, it just disappears. It totally sucks, but right now, there is nothing I can do about it. If there are no tenants around, I turn the AC to a higher temp - like 5 degrees higher. I'll bring a fan out and aim it at my if I get warm, I don't really care that much. Take a cold shower. Whatever. But, there is pretty much always tenants around here. The ex Marine lost his job (due to his own lifestyle) and has no plans to work. Umm, lost the thought here - I bought some Australian Bottle Tree seeds on eBay for $4.99 today with free shipping. That came out of the refund from the bio-filter that eBay decided in my favor for the dispute I opened through eBay with the seller. Cheap and I am totally into this kind of thing. Plant some seeds and hope they grow!
He gave me this news several days ago with a grimmace on his face. I hope he doesn't think he's going to - get away with not paying the rent like he did last time this happened because I will tell him that it is unacceptable. He gets money from the military at the beginning of every month, he is leaving at the end of next month, there is no good reason that I can see to give leniency. A freebie month is out of the question. He didn't SAY that, I just got that feeling. A BAD feeling at that. Wait and see.
Hard day for dieting. Resistance is futile, what came to mind, anyway, but - I didn't give in, at least to the donuts. I absolutely LOVE cream filled donuts. The Bavarian cream stuff, not that white junk that tastes like your pouring sugar down your throat.
I was at the main branch - fully 3 dozen donuts including several of the cream filled style sitting there for whosoever. I envision myself drooling. I haven't had one in a long, long time. I had to make several trips into the area where those donuts were - I resisted.
Before that, I had eaten a Subway ham sandwich - no cheese, no heavy dressings. I wasn't hungry, but - I had plenty of room for one of those donuts. I got out of there. Later on, I was back at my branch. MORE donuts. Inventory today, several people there, they brought all kinds of goodies. It was pure heck to resist eating one of those things. They were buying lunch, did I want any? Yes, I could only say. I had a low fat/calorie fare but - I thought at the time and still thinking now - this is the extent of my eating for today. I can't eat anything else and still think I had a good day.
So, 3 more hours of awakedness. I cannot get my mind off of food. I look at the gains that I have made and THAT is what is keeping me on track. I will NOT eat again today. I last ate at 1:00 pm - but I have HAD my calorie limit for the day, I can't afford to eat anymore. BTW, it's almost 7:00pm and it is also past my 6:00 pm limit for eating. Yes, I have several restrictions on my eating - not TOO many but the restrictions I have simply cannot be crossed. Eye on the prize: get lean again. 6 or 8 pack belly. Obesity related medical problems - negated. I am not obese, I have no intentions on letting myself get anywhere near that. I was close, I guess, at 212 pounds - a full 30 pounds over my life-long adult weight before I started gaining. I hit that weight on the scale and reality set in: either do something NOW or turn into - something you don't want to look like, be or have to deal with.
I came home today and saw a large river rock propped up next to the trailer outside my house. Entertaining, lol. It has professionally scribed numbers on it: my street address plus "1/4" next to it. They're saying another 2 months before they leave. They also told me the other day that "I saved them". They were headed for the streets and literally had nowhere to go when I bought that trailer for them to live in. I'm glad things are turning around for them. I bid them well. No hard feelings them leaving, I would do the same thing in their situation. Yes, I am considering helping someone else that would want the thing.
The situation is not going to be given to the first taker. I don't want a lazy-ass person wanting to mooch. It was months before I got these current folks this trailer. I had 25 conversations with them plus a coupl days of him working over here before they EVER got the nod to move onto the property. Work ethic is mandatory. Whether they are working or not, not the point, they must have that attitude and lifestyle. There are still VERY few jobs to be had in this area - one of the worst hit in the nation.
Ponds. I have 4 large goldfish. One of them is much larger than the rest. When it comes feeding time, he/she is a bully. They all go FAR away from this character while he's going crazy going all over the place looking for the food. He is, in fact, a total pig. I have compensated for it - I put food at both ends of the pond when feeding them. He cannot be at both places at the same time. It's fun to watch, regardless. Pond was cool enough to not have to worry about floating, fried fish when getting home from work.
Heat. I am slowly getting re-accustomed to extreme heat. It was 113 today. I both worked in it and sat out in it when I got home from work. I have to "reorganize" my mind. Heat is a good thing, I tell myself. Driving home in a hell-hot car, I imagined how nice it was. I was lightly sweating and the air moving over my flesh from the open windows kept me cool. I thought that and believed it, that's all I needed. Tunes turned up, drown out any negativity in the thought realm. Enjoy the ride, who cares how hot it is. It's ALL in the mind, really. Car AC may not even get fixed this summer - my finances are that bad - might as well get used to it. I'm not complaining or whining - just writing in my diary. It is what it is. The house is cool, the electricity is on, the water is on, there is food in the refrigerator, for that, I am grateful.
A week away from my 1 week vacation. Mom said her property is available if I wanted to get out of Phoenix. If she's up there, I will take a day trip to visit her. Maybe stay overnight. Not necessarily desirable as I no longer have tents. Yes, I would rather tent out than stay in a small trailer with mother. Nothing against mother, but - it would just be more "comfortable" that way.
It's Friday evening and I'm done with this entry.
ben
Friday
Friday! Not only is it Friday, it is also our company's bi-annual inventory. Meaning everything is counted, all of it. I am exempt. All drivers in our company - for whatever reason - are exempt as well.
"Singapore sentenced a Swiss man to three strokes of a cane and five months in prison on Friday for spray-painting graffiti on a subway car."
I wonder what would happen to the crime rate in America in general if we did such things here? Remember the teenaged kid that was over there and got hit with the cane for vandalism?
Interesting stuff. The Obama administration, however and which is plastered all over the news every single day, is not interesting stuff to me. Maddening at times, yes, interesting, definitely not. How much damage to the economy, deficit and national debt will this guy inflict before he finally leaves office?
The weekend: dunno. I got off work yesterday, drove home in a hot car and I felt sick. I still haven't adjusted to the heat yet. It was, allegedly, 114 degrees yesterday. I was working in it most of the day. I did nothing outside yesterday after I got home excepting to water plants that needed watering. Some of my tomatoes are starting to turn red. Dunno when to pick them. Maybe leave them on the vine until they are ripe, not sure. I just don't want bugs getting into them and such.
I have plenty to do outside, that's a fact, just don't know if I will gain muster to actually do any of it, especially the D word - digging out that hole.
Some dude sent me an email through Craigslist yesterday saying he has an 8x11 pond kit for sale for $800. R U serious? This guy is out of his mind. I must have left an ad up because I haven't run any lately, that just came out of the blue. What I found amusing is that you can get the same, exact thing on eBay for less than $200. Lol. I mean, it's the EXACT same thing - it's pic and manufacturer on eBay are identical to the pic the guy sent me. Funny the scams people attempt to put on others. I neither have $800 OR $200 to spend on such, so it was a moot point to me anyway.
Well, work day approaches. Haven't looked in truck routing system, dunno what, if anything is in there but I'm about to find out.
Have a great day!
ben
"Singapore sentenced a Swiss man to three strokes of a cane and five months in prison on Friday for spray-painting graffiti on a subway car."
I wonder what would happen to the crime rate in America in general if we did such things here? Remember the teenaged kid that was over there and got hit with the cane for vandalism?
Interesting stuff. The Obama administration, however and which is plastered all over the news every single day, is not interesting stuff to me. Maddening at times, yes, interesting, definitely not. How much damage to the economy, deficit and national debt will this guy inflict before he finally leaves office?
The weekend: dunno. I got off work yesterday, drove home in a hot car and I felt sick. I still haven't adjusted to the heat yet. It was, allegedly, 114 degrees yesterday. I was working in it most of the day. I did nothing outside yesterday after I got home excepting to water plants that needed watering. Some of my tomatoes are starting to turn red. Dunno when to pick them. Maybe leave them on the vine until they are ripe, not sure. I just don't want bugs getting into them and such.
I have plenty to do outside, that's a fact, just don't know if I will gain muster to actually do any of it, especially the D word - digging out that hole.
Some dude sent me an email through Craigslist yesterday saying he has an 8x11 pond kit for sale for $800. R U serious? This guy is out of his mind. I must have left an ad up because I haven't run any lately, that just came out of the blue. What I found amusing is that you can get the same, exact thing on eBay for less than $200. Lol. I mean, it's the EXACT same thing - it's pic and manufacturer on eBay are identical to the pic the guy sent me. Funny the scams people attempt to put on others. I neither have $800 OR $200 to spend on such, so it was a moot point to me anyway.
Well, work day approaches. Haven't looked in truck routing system, dunno what, if anything is in there but I'm about to find out.
Have a great day!
ben
Thursday, June 24, 2010
A Mexican, an Arab,and an Arizona girl are in the same bar.
When the Mexican finishes his beer, he throws his glass in the air, pulls out his pistol, and shoots the glass to pieces.
He says, 'In Mexico , our glasses are so cheap we don't need to drink with the same one twice.'
The Arab, obviously impressed by this, drinks non-alcohol beer (cuz he's a Muslim!), throws it into the air, pulls out his AK-47, and shoots the glass to pieces.
He says, 'In the Arab World, we have so much sand to make glasses that we don't need to drink with the same one twice either.'
The Arizona girl, cool as a cucumber, picks up her beer, downs it in one gulp, throws the glass into the air, whips out her 45, and shoots the Mexican and the Arab. Catching her glass, setting it on the bar, and calling for a refill, she says, 'In Arizona , we have so many illegal aliens that we don't have to drink with the same ones twice.'
God Bless Arizona!!
When the Mexican finishes his beer, he throws his glass in the air, pulls out his pistol, and shoots the glass to pieces.
He says, 'In Mexico , our glasses are so cheap we don't need to drink with the same one twice.'
The Arab, obviously impressed by this, drinks non-alcohol beer (cuz he's a Muslim!), throws it into the air, pulls out his AK-47, and shoots the glass to pieces.
He says, 'In the Arab World, we have so much sand to make glasses that we don't need to drink with the same one twice either.'
The Arizona girl, cool as a cucumber, picks up her beer, downs it in one gulp, throws the glass into the air, whips out her 45, and shoots the Mexican and the Arab. Catching her glass, setting it on the bar, and calling for a refill, she says, 'In Arizona , we have so many illegal aliens that we don't have to drink with the same ones twice.'
God Bless Arizona!!
Thursday
Grinning and bearing it. The heat, that is. I'm in it on and off all day long. Yesterday after getting home, I went outside to water stuff - like walking from the inside of a refrigerator into a blast furnace. I caught myself again leaving the water on - this time 20 minutes past the necessary time instead of 10 hours.
Anyway, newest temp tenants are interesting individuals. To say the least. Young, too. Like late teens or early 20's, didn't ask, don't really care that much. The trailer tenants gave an approximately 2 month move-out date. So, no bother to run an ad, I did once to see what kind of response I would get - quite a lot actually for a junky old trailer (and it was described exactly as it is, which is why a surprising response). Well, it's not total trash, not at this point, but there still isn't any carpet in there. I have passed by a few ads in Craigslist to get some for free - just didn't feel like and all of those people's stuff is in there, it would be a major ordeal to get all of their belongings out of there and to put carpet in it. Might as well wait until they move out.
I am not even sure I am floating in the financial sense right now. Sorta of a below water and come up for air type of deal. Not a pretty place to be in , really. I still have not heard from the army reservist - which will, definitely, start eating at me because I need the income from that room. Sure, these temporary people are going to hand me some money on Saturday (allegedly, anyway) but I need a long-term person in there, especially facing the fact that the ex-Marine is moving out at the end of next month.
The electric bill is what's totally killing my finances right now. I can't just not have electricity and I ain't turning off the AC, though it isn't exactly winter in there it IS cool enough. I figure eventually I am going to get a Mastercool evap cooler and think about using that when it will cool the place enough to do so.
Anyway, I got started late today - meaning I'm ending this early : )
G'day.
ben
Anyway, newest temp tenants are interesting individuals. To say the least. Young, too. Like late teens or early 20's, didn't ask, don't really care that much. The trailer tenants gave an approximately 2 month move-out date. So, no bother to run an ad, I did once to see what kind of response I would get - quite a lot actually for a junky old trailer (and it was described exactly as it is, which is why a surprising response). Well, it's not total trash, not at this point, but there still isn't any carpet in there. I have passed by a few ads in Craigslist to get some for free - just didn't feel like and all of those people's stuff is in there, it would be a major ordeal to get all of their belongings out of there and to put carpet in it. Might as well wait until they move out.
I am not even sure I am floating in the financial sense right now. Sorta of a below water and come up for air type of deal. Not a pretty place to be in , really. I still have not heard from the army reservist - which will, definitely, start eating at me because I need the income from that room. Sure, these temporary people are going to hand me some money on Saturday (allegedly, anyway) but I need a long-term person in there, especially facing the fact that the ex-Marine is moving out at the end of next month.
The electric bill is what's totally killing my finances right now. I can't just not have electricity and I ain't turning off the AC, though it isn't exactly winter in there it IS cool enough. I figure eventually I am going to get a Mastercool evap cooler and think about using that when it will cool the place enough to do so.
Anyway, I got started late today - meaning I'm ending this early : )
G'day.
ben
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
So, Mexico is going to sue Arizona, aye?
Good, let the lawsuits being. First, let’s sue Mexico for not stopping the flows of illegals coming from their borders over into ours. The suit will be for the money it is costing us to deal with it – if ever so ineffectively as it currently stands. It’s just a ridiculous notion that another country is suing a neighboring country for that neighboring country’s, state’s, laws. They have absolutely ZERO iota business sticking their nose into our own internal affairs and I hope whatever documentation that are attempting to pass through the courts is simply thrown out.
However, in today's news, a real concern to me is Iran's plan to send a "blockade busting ship" to the Gaza strip. Does Iran believe Israel is simply going to roll over and play dead when that ship attempts to go through there? Is this going to be the official end to the word war and beginning of a real war between Israel and Iran? There is NO way Israel can let that ship go through there, period. It would give Iran all that much more the belief that they can simply roll over Israel. It's guaranteed that if Iran really does send a ship through there, the entire world is going to be watching. I imagine U.S. ships being not too terribly afar off, either. Far enough to not be involved in the engagement, close enough to - be ready for whatever. No, this is troubling news at best.
Diet. I'm stuck around 195 pounds. This has happened 2 or 3 times now on this diet - get to a plateau and then figure out how to bust through it. Usually a few days of starvation are involved. Today I will try eating half a sub sandwich instead of the full sized thing and probably having a light, chicken based meal late this afternoon. The goal will be to shed another 7 pounds and get my body back into the 180 range. If I do that, I will throw myself a little party. Lol. 189 - that's the next goal, get it to 189. I definitely have the motivation. Plus, it's hot and I lose my appetite when I'm outside working.
"Good Samaritan". That's what the ad said on Craigslist. 2 people came into town, one of them is going to sign up with the Navy, they need a place until Saturday when they are getting their own apartment and will be able to pay whoever for the days they spent at their house. I bit. Why not? If they pay, great, I got 5 or 6 more days worth of room rental out of it, if they don't, then I lose a bit of water and electric use. Gruesome as it sounds, I like to give a sidebar to these temporary people: there are guns in the house, if you intend on being the next Craigslist killer, intend on dying while attempting it. I say it sort of jokingly, but I do say something to that effect. The ex-Marine has a gun that will do the Dirty Harry "blow your head clean off" style. I have a much smaller gun - but - a gun is a gun. The only problem with these people is the fact that they showed up so late. I was ready to go to bed, and actually did. Had to show them the whole rigarmoroo and get full names and ID and all that junk.. .....yes, I want ID in case they do something I have at least something to give to police besides video surveillance footage.
My weeklong vacation is starting to appear on the horizon. The end of work next Friday will be the beginning of it, the end of it will be returning to work 10 days later. I have no plans, it's definitely a staycation considering my financial situation - doesn't bother me. I haven't taken serious time off in several years now. A couple here, 3 there, yes, but a good, week's worth of no work? I need it. I mean, I might take Caleb and some friends to Big Surf - both Caleb and I love that place. Ride the waves all day long on rafts and crash over top of people, it's great fun. The only bad part is at the end of the day and your skin is all chafed and bruised because of the collisions. I do wear a t-shirt, though, to keep from getting sunburned. Of course, Caleb should be starting his new job anytime now, I have no idea what his schedule is going to be.
Well, the work day approaches and I have plenty to do today including a trip to Casa Grande - haven't been there in a while.
G'day.
ben
Good, let the lawsuits being. First, let’s sue Mexico for not stopping the flows of illegals coming from their borders over into ours. The suit will be for the money it is costing us to deal with it – if ever so ineffectively as it currently stands. It’s just a ridiculous notion that another country is suing a neighboring country for that neighboring country’s, state’s, laws. They have absolutely ZERO iota business sticking their nose into our own internal affairs and I hope whatever documentation that are attempting to pass through the courts is simply thrown out.
However, in today's news, a real concern to me is Iran's plan to send a "blockade busting ship" to the Gaza strip. Does Iran believe Israel is simply going to roll over and play dead when that ship attempts to go through there? Is this going to be the official end to the word war and beginning of a real war between Israel and Iran? There is NO way Israel can let that ship go through there, period. It would give Iran all that much more the belief that they can simply roll over Israel. It's guaranteed that if Iran really does send a ship through there, the entire world is going to be watching. I imagine U.S. ships being not too terribly afar off, either. Far enough to not be involved in the engagement, close enough to - be ready for whatever. No, this is troubling news at best.
Diet. I'm stuck around 195 pounds. This has happened 2 or 3 times now on this diet - get to a plateau and then figure out how to bust through it. Usually a few days of starvation are involved. Today I will try eating half a sub sandwich instead of the full sized thing and probably having a light, chicken based meal late this afternoon. The goal will be to shed another 7 pounds and get my body back into the 180 range. If I do that, I will throw myself a little party. Lol. 189 - that's the next goal, get it to 189. I definitely have the motivation. Plus, it's hot and I lose my appetite when I'm outside working.
"Good Samaritan". That's what the ad said on Craigslist. 2 people came into town, one of them is going to sign up with the Navy, they need a place until Saturday when they are getting their own apartment and will be able to pay whoever for the days they spent at their house. I bit. Why not? If they pay, great, I got 5 or 6 more days worth of room rental out of it, if they don't, then I lose a bit of water and electric use. Gruesome as it sounds, I like to give a sidebar to these temporary people: there are guns in the house, if you intend on being the next Craigslist killer, intend on dying while attempting it. I say it sort of jokingly, but I do say something to that effect. The ex-Marine has a gun that will do the Dirty Harry "blow your head clean off" style. I have a much smaller gun - but - a gun is a gun. The only problem with these people is the fact that they showed up so late. I was ready to go to bed, and actually did. Had to show them the whole rigarmoroo and get full names and ID and all that junk.. .....yes, I want ID in case they do something I have at least something to give to police besides video surveillance footage.
My weeklong vacation is starting to appear on the horizon. The end of work next Friday will be the beginning of it, the end of it will be returning to work 10 days later. I have no plans, it's definitely a staycation considering my financial situation - doesn't bother me. I haven't taken serious time off in several years now. A couple here, 3 there, yes, but a good, week's worth of no work? I need it. I mean, I might take Caleb and some friends to Big Surf - both Caleb and I love that place. Ride the waves all day long on rafts and crash over top of people, it's great fun. The only bad part is at the end of the day and your skin is all chafed and bruised because of the collisions. I do wear a t-shirt, though, to keep from getting sunburned. Of course, Caleb should be starting his new job anytime now, I have no idea what his schedule is going to be.
Well, the work day approaches and I have plenty to do today including a trip to Casa Grande - haven't been there in a while.
G'day.
ben
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Tuesday
Driving to work this morning. Pass through an intersection. Gas station coming up on right. Pickup truck is driving down the center lane. Pickup truck starts heading towards the gas station - on his left, my right. I now have a pickup truck in my lane, coming directly at me. This freak apparently thought he could somehow "beat" me. Instead, I am slamming on my brakes and making evasive manuevers. This pickup starts fishtailing and sliding all over the place. I had no idea which way to go - to the left or right of him. Experts say always head right, but he was going right and left. I opted for the center lane - he guns it into the gas station, we BARELY miss each other.
What a way to start a day. News and my take. The Times Square Bomber - the idiot that was going to blow up Times Square admitted his guilt "100 times over" and declares that we are going to be attacked - America that is - if we don't leave muslim nations alone. The man is a traitor and should be treated as such. I am quite serious when I say he should either be shot or hanged to death. Anyone that can stand that brazenly in a court room and speak about our nation that way while at the same time having had attempted to end who knows how many lives through a bomb - yes, I believe that person to be a traitor, let him come to a traitor's death.
Fremont, Nebraska votes to make it illegal to rent to illegals or hiring them. Of course, the ACLU has piped up, vowing to sue. Okay, I expect that. But what happens if 100 communities do the same thing? Does the ACLU have the resources to go suing 100 different communities? Meanwhile, there are actual travel advisories in the southern portion of our state - Arizona - warning people that it is dangerous to be anywhere in that vicinity and you are probably going to save your life if you leave and leave now (my version of it). Why are we fighting in Afghanistan, someone please explain this to me? I know the original idea was to go in and find Osama bin Laden, but a war? We have a war starting on our border. The violence is escalating. Now a local police force has been threatened by Mexican drug cartels. That's AMERICAN police, not Mexican. I ask the question again: WHAT is it going to take for this worthless Obama administration to get off their asses, make some decisions and get some HELP down here?
Call me a racist, I could care less. This has nothing to do with bigotry or racism. It is now, more and more, having to do with VIOLENCE enacted by these people WHO DON'T BELONG HERE.
My diet is working. I continue to say that because it is true. It is sometimes VERY hard to keep driving by Wendy's, Burger King, McDonald's, Jack In The Box - all of them - and keep on driving on by. When I'm hungry, well I used to stop wherever and try to find something that didn't have too much fat calories and junk in it. Well, at all of those places listed above, none of them have anything actually good for you. Even their salads are heaped with fat calories in the meat they put into it. Heck, sometimes I just WANT a good ole' burger. Can't do it, not now anyway. I now simply starve myself until I either find a Subway or I am going home from work for the day. To date, Subway is the only place I know of where I can have the sandwich built to my specs. I have been opting for oven roasted chicken for a sandwich or tuna for the salad. The tuna does home some calories in it, I'm not going to say it doesn't. They are using mayo in the mix for it.
However, even with that, I have found that it is not negatively effecting my diet. I just don't put any dressings on it and I don't have any cheese. Yes, I am still on the no-cheese kick. It was the single-most important thing that I eliminated from my diet that started to cause the turn-around in weight loss to occur. I was looking at calorie content of mustard yesterday - zero calories. If you can't have a thing you like on your sandwich, try something different, so I've been having them put mustard on it. It's good, nothing great, but good. That and red wine vinegar.
At home, I have discovered the virtues of using balsamic vinegar. That stuff is really good on a lot of cooking ventures!! I bought the cheap stuff, when I'm through with the current bottle I'm going to buy the good stuff.
And, of course, I am giong to continue to search out tasty recipes - trying to get away from beef a bit more than I have. Red meat - heart - not the greatest combo apparently. I love chicken anyway.
Work day approaches. Appalling - to me anyway - and on a final note - that the IRS is "considering" taxing money given to those that are being financially harmed by the BP oil spill.
I guess I shouldn't be surprised.
G'day.
ben
What a way to start a day. News and my take. The Times Square Bomber - the idiot that was going to blow up Times Square admitted his guilt "100 times over" and declares that we are going to be attacked - America that is - if we don't leave muslim nations alone. The man is a traitor and should be treated as such. I am quite serious when I say he should either be shot or hanged to death. Anyone that can stand that brazenly in a court room and speak about our nation that way while at the same time having had attempted to end who knows how many lives through a bomb - yes, I believe that person to be a traitor, let him come to a traitor's death.
Fremont, Nebraska votes to make it illegal to rent to illegals or hiring them. Of course, the ACLU has piped up, vowing to sue. Okay, I expect that. But what happens if 100 communities do the same thing? Does the ACLU have the resources to go suing 100 different communities? Meanwhile, there are actual travel advisories in the southern portion of our state - Arizona - warning people that it is dangerous to be anywhere in that vicinity and you are probably going to save your life if you leave and leave now (my version of it). Why are we fighting in Afghanistan, someone please explain this to me? I know the original idea was to go in and find Osama bin Laden, but a war? We have a war starting on our border. The violence is escalating. Now a local police force has been threatened by Mexican drug cartels. That's AMERICAN police, not Mexican. I ask the question again: WHAT is it going to take for this worthless Obama administration to get off their asses, make some decisions and get some HELP down here?
Call me a racist, I could care less. This has nothing to do with bigotry or racism. It is now, more and more, having to do with VIOLENCE enacted by these people WHO DON'T BELONG HERE.
My diet is working. I continue to say that because it is true. It is sometimes VERY hard to keep driving by Wendy's, Burger King, McDonald's, Jack In The Box - all of them - and keep on driving on by. When I'm hungry, well I used to stop wherever and try to find something that didn't have too much fat calories and junk in it. Well, at all of those places listed above, none of them have anything actually good for you. Even their salads are heaped with fat calories in the meat they put into it. Heck, sometimes I just WANT a good ole' burger. Can't do it, not now anyway. I now simply starve myself until I either find a Subway or I am going home from work for the day. To date, Subway is the only place I know of where I can have the sandwich built to my specs. I have been opting for oven roasted chicken for a sandwich or tuna for the salad. The tuna does home some calories in it, I'm not going to say it doesn't. They are using mayo in the mix for it.
However, even with that, I have found that it is not negatively effecting my diet. I just don't put any dressings on it and I don't have any cheese. Yes, I am still on the no-cheese kick. It was the single-most important thing that I eliminated from my diet that started to cause the turn-around in weight loss to occur. I was looking at calorie content of mustard yesterday - zero calories. If you can't have a thing you like on your sandwich, try something different, so I've been having them put mustard on it. It's good, nothing great, but good. That and red wine vinegar.
At home, I have discovered the virtues of using balsamic vinegar. That stuff is really good on a lot of cooking ventures!! I bought the cheap stuff, when I'm through with the current bottle I'm going to buy the good stuff.
And, of course, I am giong to continue to search out tasty recipes - trying to get away from beef a bit more than I have. Red meat - heart - not the greatest combo apparently. I love chicken anyway.
Work day approaches. Appalling - to me anyway - and on a final note - that the IRS is "considering" taxing money given to those that are being financially harmed by the BP oil spill.
I guess I shouldn't be surprised.
G'day.
ben
Monday, June 21, 2010
Cafe World Tip 19: Cafe Slow - Updated: Windows Registry
G'day to all the chefs.
This is going to be a much shorter entry about Cafe World - and the 3rd (at least) posting I have made about the Cafe running very slowly.
First off, a recap on my other tips to speed up your computer and what might help:
1. Defrag
2. Clear the Cache (frequently)
3. CHKDSK (check the disk)
4. Reboot.
None of that worked today. My cafe was running SO slowly, it was almost torturous. I have competition in having a lot of neighbors and I want to keep ahead of all of them, having my cafe running so freakin' slow that I really can't play the game.
So, I tried restoring the registry to an earlier point a few days ago. It worked magnificently - but didn't last. Today, I did it again. After doing all the rest of that stuff listed above, this was like a miracle. My cafe was running at normal (awesome) speeds again!!
The following is how to do the operation - this is for Windows only, copied and pasted right off of Microsoft Support site (very easy to do, not time consuming, yes the computer will reboot, but definitely worth the effort if you are having problems and have tried everything else):
_____________________________________________________
Manual steps to restore the registry in Windows XP
Use System Restore to undo registry changes in in Windows XP
Click Start, click Run, type %SystemRoot%\System32\Restore\Rstrui.exe, and then click OK.
On the Welcome to System Restore page, click Restore my computer to an earlier time (if it is not already selected), and then click Next .
On the Select a Restore Point page, click the system checkpoint. In the On this list select the restore point area, click an entry that is named "Guided Help (Registry Backup)," and then click Next. If a System Restore message appears that lists configuration changes that System Restore will make, click OK.
On the Confirm Restore Point Selection page, click Next. System Restore restores the previous Windows XP configuration and then restarts the computer.
Log on to the computer. When the System Restore confirmation page appears, click OK..
_____________________________________________________
The question, of course, is - WHAT date to restore it to? I went to the furthest date back that was available - and will do that everytime now. Yes, I will restore the thing as often as I need to, it only takes a few minutes and makes the game SO much funner to play!
I have also considered reinstalling Windows and then creating a restore point right there, at the installation date. This would renew registry to pristine conditions. For now, I am not going to do that - the results of restoring the registry have been so freakin' wonderful, I don't need to do that.
I have seen all over the internet sites that want you to pay them for their software to clean up the registry for you - why bother? Just do it yourself, restore!!
This is going to be a much shorter entry about Cafe World - and the 3rd (at least) posting I have made about the Cafe running very slowly.
First off, a recap on my other tips to speed up your computer and what might help:
1. Defrag
2. Clear the Cache (frequently)
3. CHKDSK (check the disk)
4. Reboot.
None of that worked today. My cafe was running SO slowly, it was almost torturous. I have competition in having a lot of neighbors and I want to keep ahead of all of them, having my cafe running so freakin' slow that I really can't play the game.
So, I tried restoring the registry to an earlier point a few days ago. It worked magnificently - but didn't last. Today, I did it again. After doing all the rest of that stuff listed above, this was like a miracle. My cafe was running at normal (awesome) speeds again!!
The following is how to do the operation - this is for Windows only, copied and pasted right off of Microsoft Support site (very easy to do, not time consuming, yes the computer will reboot, but definitely worth the effort if you are having problems and have tried everything else):
_____________________________________________________
Manual steps to restore the registry in Windows XP
Use System Restore to undo registry changes in in Windows XP
Click Start, click Run, type %SystemRoot%\System32\Restore\Rstrui.exe, and then click OK.
On the Welcome to System Restore page, click Restore my computer to an earlier time (if it is not already selected), and then click Next .
On the Select a Restore Point page, click the system checkpoint. In the On this list select the restore point area, click an entry that is named "Guided Help (Registry Backup)," and then click Next. If a System Restore message appears that lists configuration changes that System Restore will make, click OK.
On the Confirm Restore Point Selection page, click Next. System Restore restores the previous Windows XP configuration and then restarts the computer.
Log on to the computer. When the System Restore confirmation page appears, click OK..
_____________________________________________________
The question, of course, is - WHAT date to restore it to? I went to the furthest date back that was available - and will do that everytime now. Yes, I will restore the thing as often as I need to, it only takes a few minutes and makes the game SO much funner to play!
I have also considered reinstalling Windows and then creating a restore point right there, at the installation date. This would renew registry to pristine conditions. For now, I am not going to do that - the results of restoring the registry have been so freakin' wonderful, I don't need to do that.
I have seen all over the internet sites that want you to pay them for their software to clean up the registry for you - why bother? Just do it yourself, restore!!
Monday
It was a strange (or more like: miraculous) thing to wake up this morning and find absolutely NO kids in the house whatsoever. The female tenant had her bedroom door open. Dunno about you, but I find that to be very odd behavior at best. Another female tenant used to leave her bedroom door open as well - and that turned into a very BAD situation. The only thing I can say is that if a person complains about noise while leaving their bedroom door open, perhaps it's time to go find a new place to live.
Whatever. Tenant issues - as long as I have tenants, there will be issues. The ex-Marine is leaving (stated anyway) at the end of next month. Still no word on whether the Army reservist is coming back or not (however, she continues to have her mail sent to my house, I assume she is coming considering she also has a tax refund check sitting there waiting for her). If she does not show, I'm returning all of that mail - a rather large stack of it - to sender.
Regardless of tenants, the kid situation started to get way out of line. School's out, apparently my house was going to be the local kid hangout. Although that doesn't bother me, the noise levels DID. I went out once last night and informed them if the noise levels did not die down considerably, all electronics would be shut off and they would all be leaving, my son would be going to his bedroom, thanks for playing, have a great day.
THAT shut them up. They know that not only will I do it, I will LEAVE it that way for several days.
Whatever. I slept very well last night - first time in quite a while - meaning I'm even more tired this morning. That should pass as the day moves on and I get to working, which starts in just a few minutes.
Oh, I did smoke a cigar and eat my wonderful steak with mushrooms, pearl onions and tomatoes slathered in balsamic vinegar with spices thrown in. I did marinate the steak in a mixture of the vinegar with beer and other things to soften it up a little. Absolutely delicious if I do say so myself, and yes, I do say so, lol.
G'day.
ben
Whatever. Tenant issues - as long as I have tenants, there will be issues. The ex-Marine is leaving (stated anyway) at the end of next month. Still no word on whether the Army reservist is coming back or not (however, she continues to have her mail sent to my house, I assume she is coming considering she also has a tax refund check sitting there waiting for her). If she does not show, I'm returning all of that mail - a rather large stack of it - to sender.
Regardless of tenants, the kid situation started to get way out of line. School's out, apparently my house was going to be the local kid hangout. Although that doesn't bother me, the noise levels DID. I went out once last night and informed them if the noise levels did not die down considerably, all electronics would be shut off and they would all be leaving, my son would be going to his bedroom, thanks for playing, have a great day.
THAT shut them up. They know that not only will I do it, I will LEAVE it that way for several days.
Whatever. I slept very well last night - first time in quite a while - meaning I'm even more tired this morning. That should pass as the day moves on and I get to working, which starts in just a few minutes.
Oh, I did smoke a cigar and eat my wonderful steak with mushrooms, pearl onions and tomatoes slathered in balsamic vinegar with spices thrown in. I did marinate the steak in a mixture of the vinegar with beer and other things to soften it up a little. Absolutely delicious if I do say so myself, and yes, I do say so, lol.
G'day.
ben
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