It's a strange day here.
My now laid-off co-worker isn't here. Kind of eerie - we got along well and worked side-by-side for a couple of years now. I can't imagine what must be going through his head right now.
The change was certainly justified by the lack of numbers at this store - but it's true at all of our stores right now. I just can't help but think he and a million more like him are going to have an awfully difficult time finding a new job. It's getting pretty scary out there.
I'm definitely getting the gears grinding in my brain: what if the same thing happens to me?
Unemployment line would be first order of business, of course.
After that? I don't really want to think about the potential consequences.
But - I do want to get my old car in running order in case the unthinkable happens.
It needs a new battery, a harmonic balancer and some other, minor repairs.
I'm still considering paying off the 401k loan early and getting that money into a savings account where I can access it in case "something" happens. It's only 3 months away until it's paid off - but a lot can happen in the span of 3 months.
Meanwhile, I'm definitely moving forward with the stuff I'm doing to try and keep energy bills down this coming summer - which is just around the corner.
I just have this sick feeling in my gut this morning that I can't seem to shake. My mind tends to deal with extreme negativity in terms of news received in ways that are shown outwardly in a physical way.
Well, I'm just going to go about my business today and - eventually get over it.
ben
Monday, April 6, 2009
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Final
Tomorrow marks the first day I have worked at this company I am working at at a store with only 2 people manning it. That isn't a lot of people to take on that much duties. It isn't impossible right now, though - workload has been relatively light. I do figure that my workday will increase in volume to the point that there will be no - inventing things to do - type of scenarios.
I spent the afternoon visiting with people. It is very nice outside and I would far rather spend a weekend outside than sitting indoors. Those of you that are stuck inside during the winter? I do the same thing during the summer. I mean - really - the heat just gets too intense.
I also cemented 2 - 2X3X8 pieces of wood into the ground. I'll be able to hang my first trellis tomorrow or the next day and then work from there.
I'm just - not quite here. I'm still in the ozone about the things going on at work. Undoubtedly, there will be announcements tomorrow about everything that may be going beyond the "staff reduction". I dunno. I'm just happy to be employed right now and at the same time, loving the job I am working at.
Hope you all had a good weekend.
ben
I spent the afternoon visiting with people. It is very nice outside and I would far rather spend a weekend outside than sitting indoors. Those of you that are stuck inside during the winter? I do the same thing during the summer. I mean - really - the heat just gets too intense.
I also cemented 2 - 2X3X8 pieces of wood into the ground. I'll be able to hang my first trellis tomorrow or the next day and then work from there.
I'm just - not quite here. I'm still in the ozone about the things going on at work. Undoubtedly, there will be announcements tomorrow about everything that may be going beyond the "staff reduction". I dunno. I'm just happy to be employed right now and at the same time, loving the job I am working at.
Hope you all had a good weekend.
ben
Sunday
Always lovely to come out to a nice, quiet kitchen and living room. Only other living creatures in the area are dogs laying at my feet : )
My agenda today is nothing too terribly grand. I have to go buy 3 more bags of concrete for the posts I am putting in the ground to hold up the trellises. I decided to concrete them into the ground so I don't have to put the 2X4's too far in. That leaves the post far enough out of the ground to be covering most of the vertical portion of the wall they are intended to cover. Really, the hardest part of this "job" is just putting in the posts. Hanging the trellises will be easy - some wood screws up and down the trellis going into the wood beam and that's it. I will also treat the wood with some stuff I already have to keep it from rotting away too quickly due to the elements.
Other than that - I decided on an impromptu little get-together. Nothing grand, just a few people coming that want to eat. I still have some meat left-over from last weekend and want to use it. Which reminds me - I must get that stuff out of the freezer and start thawing it. There wasn't any great response - maybe 20 emails of which 10 were comments about what I am doing (good comments) and the rest saying they would like to come. Figure half of those won't show so, yes, just a small little gathering.
I also still have sodas leftover, plus some very good potato salad. Meaning I don't have to buy anything, just get it out, cook it and it's done.
Whatever. I have laundry and other duties to do today as well - gonna get at it.
Have a great day!
ben
My agenda today is nothing too terribly grand. I have to go buy 3 more bags of concrete for the posts I am putting in the ground to hold up the trellises. I decided to concrete them into the ground so I don't have to put the 2X4's too far in. That leaves the post far enough out of the ground to be covering most of the vertical portion of the wall they are intended to cover. Really, the hardest part of this "job" is just putting in the posts. Hanging the trellises will be easy - some wood screws up and down the trellis going into the wood beam and that's it. I will also treat the wood with some stuff I already have to keep it from rotting away too quickly due to the elements.
Other than that - I decided on an impromptu little get-together. Nothing grand, just a few people coming that want to eat. I still have some meat left-over from last weekend and want to use it. Which reminds me - I must get that stuff out of the freezer and start thawing it. There wasn't any great response - maybe 20 emails of which 10 were comments about what I am doing (good comments) and the rest saying they would like to come. Figure half of those won't show so, yes, just a small little gathering.
I also still have sodas leftover, plus some very good potato salad. Meaning I don't have to buy anything, just get it out, cook it and it's done.
Whatever. I have laundry and other duties to do today as well - gonna get at it.
Have a great day!
ben
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Afternoon
I sat outside for much of the afternoon.
I dug some holes for the trellises but decided I wanted to coat the 2X4's with some stuff to help preserve it before sinking it into the ground. They won't last forever, but - 5 - 10 years anyway. I also want to cement them into the ground, and I only have 1 bag of cement.
I also discovered that a 4X8 trellis stood upright is perfect for the area it's covering. I have 2 trellises, I will need at least 4 more plus 2X4's - but no hardware besides wood screws.
I'm still pretty dazed about today's revelation at work. There is, undoubtedly, more to come. I won't be "getting over" it this weekend, I will, instead, be thinking about the ramifications. It's not all bad. There is always opportunity. My opportunity is to shine even more - do whatever I can - work my ass off - get good attention versus negative - towards my efforts to make things work. I will be busy at this point. There will be no more boring days, I don't think anyway. Between my driving duties and undoubted new warehousing opportunities, it should get better in terms of day's spent working versus days spent trying to invent things to do.
3 boys laying around sleeping. Are they on drugs? Extremely doubtful. More like they stayed up way too late last night. Michael is vehemently opposed to drug use. My son and J.D. are all on the same page. Probably one of the reasons they hang out - they don't smoke weed like a mass of other kids are doing nowadays and have something in common. I am not naieve - obviously any or all of them could give into. I smoked pot in my teens for 7 years straight - I have a very keen sense of who's smoking. The signs are fairly obvious. No. J.D. is the straightest kid around - he sleeps alot. He comes over here and dozes off frequently. Currently laying on Michael's bed, totally passed out. Michael - currently laying on the couch - sleeping. Caleb - currently in his bedroom - sleeping. Not a normal event, no. But - I observed all 3 of them intently and saw no sign of drug use. I only say that because it is so very rampant - the free flow of drugs - in these parts.
As for me, I'm going to bed early. The day has had enough toll on me. I called my now ex-coworker - he had his cellphone turned off. Can always tell when it goes immediately to voice mail - that or the person is on the phone at the time of the intended call. I left a message and offered my condolences for the loss of his job and my hopes that he will be able to find another in short order. I feel very bad for him. He is married, doesn't have any kids, so - not that bad. His wife works and there is still income. I have listened to him talking about his home life intently for a couple of years now - he could definitely cut out more stuff and still be doing okay. Not that I wish that upon people - but when times get tough, it's time to toughen up. I have to sit here with a hide of alligator at times. The stuff the sometimes comes at me can be hard-to-take.
I mostly just let it bounce off of me and respond according to what the situation dictates. I only say that because I have 3 tenants - equating to strangers - living in here and the mix of personalities goes to all ends of the spectrum. Toughening up means doing things you don't want to do. That's all I'm saying.
And all I'm saying now? I'm heading to my bedroom cause' I want to get some stuff done tomorrow which doesn't leave room for idling around the kitchen.
ben
I dug some holes for the trellises but decided I wanted to coat the 2X4's with some stuff to help preserve it before sinking it into the ground. They won't last forever, but - 5 - 10 years anyway. I also want to cement them into the ground, and I only have 1 bag of cement.
I also discovered that a 4X8 trellis stood upright is perfect for the area it's covering. I have 2 trellises, I will need at least 4 more plus 2X4's - but no hardware besides wood screws.
I'm still pretty dazed about today's revelation at work. There is, undoubtedly, more to come. I won't be "getting over" it this weekend, I will, instead, be thinking about the ramifications. It's not all bad. There is always opportunity. My opportunity is to shine even more - do whatever I can - work my ass off - get good attention versus negative - towards my efforts to make things work. I will be busy at this point. There will be no more boring days, I don't think anyway. Between my driving duties and undoubted new warehousing opportunities, it should get better in terms of day's spent working versus days spent trying to invent things to do.
3 boys laying around sleeping. Are they on drugs? Extremely doubtful. More like they stayed up way too late last night. Michael is vehemently opposed to drug use. My son and J.D. are all on the same page. Probably one of the reasons they hang out - they don't smoke weed like a mass of other kids are doing nowadays and have something in common. I am not naieve - obviously any or all of them could give into. I smoked pot in my teens for 7 years straight - I have a very keen sense of who's smoking. The signs are fairly obvious. No. J.D. is the straightest kid around - he sleeps alot. He comes over here and dozes off frequently. Currently laying on Michael's bed, totally passed out. Michael - currently laying on the couch - sleeping. Caleb - currently in his bedroom - sleeping. Not a normal event, no. But - I observed all 3 of them intently and saw no sign of drug use. I only say that because it is so very rampant - the free flow of drugs - in these parts.
As for me, I'm going to bed early. The day has had enough toll on me. I called my now ex-coworker - he had his cellphone turned off. Can always tell when it goes immediately to voice mail - that or the person is on the phone at the time of the intended call. I left a message and offered my condolences for the loss of his job and my hopes that he will be able to find another in short order. I feel very bad for him. He is married, doesn't have any kids, so - not that bad. His wife works and there is still income. I have listened to him talking about his home life intently for a couple of years now - he could definitely cut out more stuff and still be doing okay. Not that I wish that upon people - but when times get tough, it's time to toughen up. I have to sit here with a hide of alligator at times. The stuff the sometimes comes at me can be hard-to-take.
I mostly just let it bounce off of me and respond according to what the situation dictates. I only say that because I have 3 tenants - equating to strangers - living in here and the mix of personalities goes to all ends of the spectrum. Toughening up means doing things you don't want to do. That's all I'm saying.
And all I'm saying now? I'm heading to my bedroom cause' I want to get some stuff done tomorrow which doesn't leave room for idling around the kitchen.
ben
Saturday - Layoffs
I JUST got a call from my boss. My boss calling me on a Saturday morning at 11:00am is definitely not a normal thing - I braced myself. But not too much - if I were getting laid-off, they most certainly wouldn't do it over the phone. My company has a lot more class than that, I do believe.
So, I'm thinking - maybe an emergency that needs some material delivered somewhere? Or - the really bad stuff.
It was the really bad stuff. My friend/co-worker was laid off Friday after I left work for the weekend. I kind of had to sit down on that one. 2 reasons: I hate to see him lose his job - his family is already struggling, and 2, because after I listened to my boss, I realized I have just dodged another bullet. Kinda took the wind right out of me. Literally.
I'm really kind of phased and dazed right now. I don't know what to say. My friend and I have talked about the possibility of losing our jobs - the writing was on the wall. I have talked on here - just yesterday or the day before in fact - well it was in regards to the manager's meeting. I knew something was coming down the pike, and here it is. I don't know if anyone else was let go as well, but I wouldn't be surprised if that happened as well.
So, I'm just sitting here absorbing this. Our store is down to 2 people: my boss and I. The store has to have a driver - they don't operate without one. If one of our stores doesn't have a driver, that's cause that store is being shut down, which hasn't happened yet. I will be taking on alot more responsibility, undoubtedly, in counting freight and putting it away, pulling orders, and doing most everything. The boss is a worker - he won't just dump it all on me, but if we get busy, it could get interesting. Regardless, I'm going to rise to meet the challenge and hopefully continue to prove myself someone worth keeping, if that possiblity exists. The company is going to continue to downsize as the market "adjusts".
I'm glad I got some thing cleared out today, because now? I'm not going to do anything. I'm not sulking, it's more like I bullet just grazed my head and I survived, but now looking at what could have happened. My only response is that I'm a survivalist and I will do whatever I have to - within moral limits - to survive. I don't much care for that word - it has some sort of stigma with me in my mind for whatever reason - but - it's my reality and a lot more people's right now.
Well, anyway, I'm going to kick around the house and try to do some things that might just take all of this off of my mind. Wish me luck with that.
ben
So, I'm thinking - maybe an emergency that needs some material delivered somewhere? Or - the really bad stuff.
It was the really bad stuff. My friend/co-worker was laid off Friday after I left work for the weekend. I kind of had to sit down on that one. 2 reasons: I hate to see him lose his job - his family is already struggling, and 2, because after I listened to my boss, I realized I have just dodged another bullet. Kinda took the wind right out of me. Literally.
I'm really kind of phased and dazed right now. I don't know what to say. My friend and I have talked about the possibility of losing our jobs - the writing was on the wall. I have talked on here - just yesterday or the day before in fact - well it was in regards to the manager's meeting. I knew something was coming down the pike, and here it is. I don't know if anyone else was let go as well, but I wouldn't be surprised if that happened as well.
So, I'm just sitting here absorbing this. Our store is down to 2 people: my boss and I. The store has to have a driver - they don't operate without one. If one of our stores doesn't have a driver, that's cause that store is being shut down, which hasn't happened yet. I will be taking on alot more responsibility, undoubtedly, in counting freight and putting it away, pulling orders, and doing most everything. The boss is a worker - he won't just dump it all on me, but if we get busy, it could get interesting. Regardless, I'm going to rise to meet the challenge and hopefully continue to prove myself someone worth keeping, if that possiblity exists. The company is going to continue to downsize as the market "adjusts".
I'm glad I got some thing cleared out today, because now? I'm not going to do anything. I'm not sulking, it's more like I bullet just grazed my head and I survived, but now looking at what could have happened. My only response is that I'm a survivalist and I will do whatever I have to - within moral limits - to survive. I don't much care for that word - it has some sort of stigma with me in my mind for whatever reason - but - it's my reality and a lot more people's right now.
Well, anyway, I'm going to kick around the house and try to do some things that might just take all of this off of my mind. Wish me luck with that.
ben
Friday, April 3, 2009
Friday
Not a bad day at work. I had to load the semi this morning with 1180 feet of storm drainage pipe and some fittings to go with it and then deliver it to a jobsite in Casa Grande.
This is a new startup, so I hadn't been to this site before.
There was a HUGE problem with the entrance to this place. I got to the site and stopped in the right lane of the street with flashers blinking - very low traffic so no big deal. I look at the entrance - there is NO WAY - ANY vehicle is getting through there besides earth-moving equipment.
A loader operation looks at me and waves me down the street. Oh, okay, there's another entrance. Blaaaaaaahhhhh. The entrance? A friggin' dirt driving with barriers on either side and only wide enough for the truck. I had to swing into oncoming traffic lanes to make that turn. I go down 100 feet and am greeted by a fence with gate.
Problem? Yes. The gate is on the right side of the "road". The road is only barely wide enough for the truck. There IS no room to swing to get the trailer in there. I'm always game for a new challenge, I love that stuff. I got the truck and trailer angled in such a way that I got the truck in there - with less than an inch of space on one side and maybe an inch on the other, it was that tight.
Managers and big bosses were all in a meeting at the main branch today. I could guess what was being discussed and I'm 95% sure my guesses would be correct. I heard a bit of news, but - there is confidentiality in what is being discussed in those meetings, it's not being let out. "Stuff" is coming down the pike, that's a given. I'm bracing myself for whatever is to come. It's just granted that there are going to be more layoffs. I don't wish that on any of my co-workers - or myself - but - it's going to happen. I don't know who, I didn't hear this from anyone, I just feel it. Just like I felt it the last 2 times.
I'm also guessing they're going to be closing down the store in Buckeye. Purely a guess - but unless they get their numbers up out there, it's a given. As I said, I'm bracing myself. Plan B - would be move out of my bedroom, leave the furniture in there and rent out a furnished room for $500 a month. Plan B would include unemployment benefits if it came to that. Plan B would probably work for a while, anyway. Yes, I would be moving into my son's room, and I would be leaving it up to him whether he wanted to continue to come over or not. I will not lose my property without a serious battle first. To lose this property would mean losing the ideal of owning property - probably forever. My entire lifestyle would change dramatically. I would also have to lose the dogs, or at least the Danes and maybe the Dane mix.
I'm not scared - I have been in these places before. But I am apprehensive. There was obviously stuff talked about today in that meeting that is going to affect all of us, somehow. I can't get information that can't be given, so I'm just going to go to work on Monday and hope - I still have a job. As I said, I have been preparing my mind and being for whatever comes my way. Whatever is doled out, I will take it in, and if it's extremely negative - absorb it, dwell it on for a short time - and dump it. I simply can't afford emotion in such an economic atmosphere - certainly when it comes to finances, emotion is on hold. A clear thinking head is the only way through such things, emotion can so greatly taint the way a person thinks. I have been guilty of it in the past, but right now, not.
I will undoubtedly spend my weekend thinking about this. There is not getting around it. The news that another 600 hundred plus thousand jobs were shed last month was hardly anything to get joyous about. It just means the economy is nowhere near coming back to life, regardless of what Bernanke says. My company is no different - they're in survival mode. I am in survival mode. I am putting certain projects on hold and am going to dump at least a couple more hundred bucks into my savings account. The rainy day is coming - I feel it - I want to be at least somewhat prepared for it.
But, I already have those trellises and everything I need to put that stuff together, so I'm definitely going to do that. And the cheapest thing to do for blocking out the sun's hot rays on the west side of the house is the styrofoam, so I'm also going there as well. That wont' cost more than $40 or $50 total, money WELL spent to SAVE money on electricity.
There are other things, but I am rather consumed by what's going on at work right now. Then again, so are alot of you/us. Money is so tight, that I am going to switch semi-trailers on Monday instead of them buying new tires for it. They have a trailer sitting there that is not being used and it has very good tires on it. The trailer I'm dragging all over creation right now has tires down to the wear bars. Wear bars are simply a piece of raised rubber stuck in the grooves of the tire. When you get to that bump, your tires are out of DOT specs and if you are caught, your truck will be put out-of-service and you will have to have that vehicle either towed out of there or have the tires replaced right there on the side of the road. I don't really care which trailer I pull, so no big deal to me. As long as it has slider rails for the winches on both sides of the trailer. If it does not (I don't remember on that trailer), it's a huge pain in the @$$ to work with. Maybe see if they could just take the tires off of that trailer and put them on the one I am using now.
Anyway, my son called, it's time to go pick him up and Michael just called wanting to be picked up at the Jack In The Box just down the street from where Caleb is.
Hasta la vista!
ben
This is a new startup, so I hadn't been to this site before.
There was a HUGE problem with the entrance to this place. I got to the site and stopped in the right lane of the street with flashers blinking - very low traffic so no big deal. I look at the entrance - there is NO WAY - ANY vehicle is getting through there besides earth-moving equipment.
A loader operation looks at me and waves me down the street. Oh, okay, there's another entrance. Blaaaaaaahhhhh. The entrance? A friggin' dirt driving with barriers on either side and only wide enough for the truck. I had to swing into oncoming traffic lanes to make that turn. I go down 100 feet and am greeted by a fence with gate.
Problem? Yes. The gate is on the right side of the "road". The road is only barely wide enough for the truck. There IS no room to swing to get the trailer in there. I'm always game for a new challenge, I love that stuff. I got the truck and trailer angled in such a way that I got the truck in there - with less than an inch of space on one side and maybe an inch on the other, it was that tight.
Managers and big bosses were all in a meeting at the main branch today. I could guess what was being discussed and I'm 95% sure my guesses would be correct. I heard a bit of news, but - there is confidentiality in what is being discussed in those meetings, it's not being let out. "Stuff" is coming down the pike, that's a given. I'm bracing myself for whatever is to come. It's just granted that there are going to be more layoffs. I don't wish that on any of my co-workers - or myself - but - it's going to happen. I don't know who, I didn't hear this from anyone, I just feel it. Just like I felt it the last 2 times.
I'm also guessing they're going to be closing down the store in Buckeye. Purely a guess - but unless they get their numbers up out there, it's a given. As I said, I'm bracing myself. Plan B - would be move out of my bedroom, leave the furniture in there and rent out a furnished room for $500 a month. Plan B would include unemployment benefits if it came to that. Plan B would probably work for a while, anyway. Yes, I would be moving into my son's room, and I would be leaving it up to him whether he wanted to continue to come over or not. I will not lose my property without a serious battle first. To lose this property would mean losing the ideal of owning property - probably forever. My entire lifestyle would change dramatically. I would also have to lose the dogs, or at least the Danes and maybe the Dane mix.
I'm not scared - I have been in these places before. But I am apprehensive. There was obviously stuff talked about today in that meeting that is going to affect all of us, somehow. I can't get information that can't be given, so I'm just going to go to work on Monday and hope - I still have a job. As I said, I have been preparing my mind and being for whatever comes my way. Whatever is doled out, I will take it in, and if it's extremely negative - absorb it, dwell it on for a short time - and dump it. I simply can't afford emotion in such an economic atmosphere - certainly when it comes to finances, emotion is on hold. A clear thinking head is the only way through such things, emotion can so greatly taint the way a person thinks. I have been guilty of it in the past, but right now, not.
I will undoubtedly spend my weekend thinking about this. There is not getting around it. The news that another 600 hundred plus thousand jobs were shed last month was hardly anything to get joyous about. It just means the economy is nowhere near coming back to life, regardless of what Bernanke says. My company is no different - they're in survival mode. I am in survival mode. I am putting certain projects on hold and am going to dump at least a couple more hundred bucks into my savings account. The rainy day is coming - I feel it - I want to be at least somewhat prepared for it.
But, I already have those trellises and everything I need to put that stuff together, so I'm definitely going to do that. And the cheapest thing to do for blocking out the sun's hot rays on the west side of the house is the styrofoam, so I'm also going there as well. That wont' cost more than $40 or $50 total, money WELL spent to SAVE money on electricity.
There are other things, but I am rather consumed by what's going on at work right now. Then again, so are alot of you/us. Money is so tight, that I am going to switch semi-trailers on Monday instead of them buying new tires for it. They have a trailer sitting there that is not being used and it has very good tires on it. The trailer I'm dragging all over creation right now has tires down to the wear bars. Wear bars are simply a piece of raised rubber stuck in the grooves of the tire. When you get to that bump, your tires are out of DOT specs and if you are caught, your truck will be put out-of-service and you will have to have that vehicle either towed out of there or have the tires replaced right there on the side of the road. I don't really care which trailer I pull, so no big deal to me. As long as it has slider rails for the winches on both sides of the trailer. If it does not (I don't remember on that trailer), it's a huge pain in the @$$ to work with. Maybe see if they could just take the tires off of that trailer and put them on the one I am using now.
Anyway, my son called, it's time to go pick him up and Michael just called wanting to be picked up at the Jack In The Box just down the street from where Caleb is.
Hasta la vista!
ben
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Thursday
Today was my kind of day - at work that is.
Driving all over the place, delivering this, picking up that - driving the semi.
Of course, not all is rosy out there. The number of idiots driving on the roads in the Phoenix area undoubtedly surpasses the number of sane people behind the wheel. I couldn't tell you how many times I was cut off - extremely cut off - by morons that just HAD to get around the truck - slam on their brakes and then make a right hand turn directly in front of me........or making sudden lane changes in traffic without warning and stuffing their vehicle DIRECTLY in front of the truck.
If those people had any clue how dangerous that is - maybe they wouldn't do it. I would love to see states force people to go through driver training which includes videos and pictures of what happens to vehicles when they cut off trucks ..........and it doesn't turn out too well. I've seen the videos and the pics: trucks that have run clean over the car; trucks whose front axles are buried in the back seat of the car; cars that have been turned literally into a pancake. They don't live through those sorts of things.
Indeed. Tomorrow is Friday and I fully expect rental payments from 2 tenants. Mary already paid hers. Mary also planted the flowers she bought yesterday and they are nice. I offered to pay her back for them - to preclude any future junk - and when that was rejected, I offered to pay half. It's a donation. All well and fine - as long as it doesn't become an issue somewhere down the road. Everyone here is on the bi-weekly payment plan.
I expect problems, however, from one particular tenant who has allegedly been sent home early from work - like every day this week. Today? He's home and offered no explanation. Not that I need one - until it's time to pay the rent, which would be tomorrow. I have become somewhat calloused in the arena of paying rent and paying it on-time - especially considering I collect security deposits from everyone. Don't pay your rent? Homeless shelter is in downtown Phoenix. I don't mean to sound cruel, but I have had enough with people playing games with rental payments.
However, this guy has yet to miss a beat. However again - even if he covers the rent, he will have little left over, I am imagining, to eat with. There is much information I am leaving out here - but it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what's going to start unfolding......and what's already been happening. It's one of the reasons I have 3 tenants in here - when one starts having "financial issues" - I don't have to go into a panic and start wondering how I am going to pay bills. Or get behind on the mortgage. Or whatever.
On another note, my dad sent me yet another $100.00. He sent me an email and told me he would send me money on a regular basis (no, I didn't ask for it, but I certainly won't be turning it down) to help me through this economic crisis. I'm guessing now that I will be receiving a $100.00 check from him every month, since it was a month ago that I received the first one. He has a pension and some other thing that gives him money every month and assuming social security. Again - I'm very happy both my parents are well-off enough that I don't have to worry about them in that aspect.
Now? Daily routine - clean up dog crap. I watered plants yesterday but I am going to go out there and water certain plants again. Oh, and the other arguments put in my brain concerning my dad's money: 1. Transfer it to my ING savings account. 2. More Palomino Gold granite. I don't have enough coverage. 3. Dump it onto the power card reader.
I'll be thinking about that for a while before I make a decision - but not a long while. Like - today and possibly into tomorrow. Too many things need done around here.
As for now, I'm signing off of this one and bidding you a good evening.
ben
Driving all over the place, delivering this, picking up that - driving the semi.
Of course, not all is rosy out there. The number of idiots driving on the roads in the Phoenix area undoubtedly surpasses the number of sane people behind the wheel. I couldn't tell you how many times I was cut off - extremely cut off - by morons that just HAD to get around the truck - slam on their brakes and then make a right hand turn directly in front of me........or making sudden lane changes in traffic without warning and stuffing their vehicle DIRECTLY in front of the truck.
If those people had any clue how dangerous that is - maybe they wouldn't do it. I would love to see states force people to go through driver training which includes videos and pictures of what happens to vehicles when they cut off trucks ..........and it doesn't turn out too well. I've seen the videos and the pics: trucks that have run clean over the car; trucks whose front axles are buried in the back seat of the car; cars that have been turned literally into a pancake. They don't live through those sorts of things.
Indeed. Tomorrow is Friday and I fully expect rental payments from 2 tenants. Mary already paid hers. Mary also planted the flowers she bought yesterday and they are nice. I offered to pay her back for them - to preclude any future junk - and when that was rejected, I offered to pay half. It's a donation. All well and fine - as long as it doesn't become an issue somewhere down the road. Everyone here is on the bi-weekly payment plan.
I expect problems, however, from one particular tenant who has allegedly been sent home early from work - like every day this week. Today? He's home and offered no explanation. Not that I need one - until it's time to pay the rent, which would be tomorrow. I have become somewhat calloused in the arena of paying rent and paying it on-time - especially considering I collect security deposits from everyone. Don't pay your rent? Homeless shelter is in downtown Phoenix. I don't mean to sound cruel, but I have had enough with people playing games with rental payments.
However, this guy has yet to miss a beat. However again - even if he covers the rent, he will have little left over, I am imagining, to eat with. There is much information I am leaving out here - but it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what's going to start unfolding......and what's already been happening. It's one of the reasons I have 3 tenants in here - when one starts having "financial issues" - I don't have to go into a panic and start wondering how I am going to pay bills. Or get behind on the mortgage. Or whatever.
On another note, my dad sent me yet another $100.00. He sent me an email and told me he would send me money on a regular basis (no, I didn't ask for it, but I certainly won't be turning it down) to help me through this economic crisis. I'm guessing now that I will be receiving a $100.00 check from him every month, since it was a month ago that I received the first one. He has a pension and some other thing that gives him money every month and assuming social security. Again - I'm very happy both my parents are well-off enough that I don't have to worry about them in that aspect.
Now? Daily routine - clean up dog crap. I watered plants yesterday but I am going to go out there and water certain plants again. Oh, and the other arguments put in my brain concerning my dad's money: 1. Transfer it to my ING savings account. 2. More Palomino Gold granite. I don't have enough coverage. 3. Dump it onto the power card reader.
I'll be thinking about that for a while before I make a decision - but not a long while. Like - today and possibly into tomorrow. Too many things need done around here.
As for now, I'm signing off of this one and bidding you a good evening.
ben
Dear Self...........
..........do you remember the trellises you bought weeks ago now and are sitting out there, waiting for you to install?
Dear Brain:
Oh, yes, I remember that now!
Self: Well, when are you going to GET to DOING that project?
Brain: Ummm, I had totally forgotten about it.
Self: List of things to do this weekend: Trellis installation.
Brain: Well you don't have to be PUSHY about!
Yes - it just totally eluded me - that project I bought the parts for and did nothing with.
I'll be working on that this weekend.
I have other things on the backburner: Have done nothing with this list of names from last weekend - however - I didn't expect to do anything until this weekend.
Anyway - have a great day!
ben
Dear Brain:
Oh, yes, I remember that now!
Self: Well, when are you going to GET to DOING that project?
Brain: Ummm, I had totally forgotten about it.
Self: List of things to do this weekend: Trellis installation.
Brain: Well you don't have to be PUSHY about!
Yes - it just totally eluded me - that project I bought the parts for and did nothing with.
I'll be working on that this weekend.
I have other things on the backburner: Have done nothing with this list of names from last weekend - however - I didn't expect to do anything until this weekend.
Anyway - have a great day!
ben
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Wednesday
Don't ask me why, cause' I really don't know - I slept terribly last night.
I was so out of it today, I'm still surprised I made it through work. Especially considering there wasn't much of anything going on. I HATE when I can't sleep.
I came home and passed out for 40 minutes and then forced myself to get up so I wouldn't just sleep for hours and then - have the same problem again tonight.
There isn't much "news" here. Well, there is a problem with a certain tenant that I have written about on here before - and it isn't Mary - who appears to be behaving quite nicely for the time being. A particular person who isn't making enough money to support his "habits" and still eat and such - is therefore - taking other people's food - and such.
Smoking and drinking are vices. These are not things that a person should expect other people to support for them. Well, I'm just not feeling very energetic right now - as I haven't in 2 or 3 days now - so I'll rest it for a later date. Though - the situation is coming to a head.
I suppose, now that I think about it, there are a lot of things going on - but I have absolutely no energy to write about it. I forced myself to do freeweights this afternoon regardless of how I felt - and that pretty much cashed me of energy. I don't really look like I've been working out all that much as far as visual confirmation is concerned - but I have been easing into the freeweights. Eventually the grown muscle will increase the metabolism will burn calories will reduce fat. I have tried dieting - but I have always known that dieting alone doesn't really work that well. You must couple it with exercise, and more specifically - weight training/resistance training is the best - though I totally prefer freeweights over resistance machines any day.
If you look at people that diet and do cardio exercises but don't do any weight/resistance training - well - the comparison to someone that is dieting; weight training and doing cardio workouts is palpable. Not dissing cardio - it's very good for you - but in terms of dumping fat - it's only a piece of the pie.
Anyway, I'm still slowly getting back on track concerning exercise.
As for this day? Done.
G'nite.
ben
I was so out of it today, I'm still surprised I made it through work. Especially considering there wasn't much of anything going on. I HATE when I can't sleep.
I came home and passed out for 40 minutes and then forced myself to get up so I wouldn't just sleep for hours and then - have the same problem again tonight.
There isn't much "news" here. Well, there is a problem with a certain tenant that I have written about on here before - and it isn't Mary - who appears to be behaving quite nicely for the time being. A particular person who isn't making enough money to support his "habits" and still eat and such - is therefore - taking other people's food - and such.
Smoking and drinking are vices. These are not things that a person should expect other people to support for them. Well, I'm just not feeling very energetic right now - as I haven't in 2 or 3 days now - so I'll rest it for a later date. Though - the situation is coming to a head.
I suppose, now that I think about it, there are a lot of things going on - but I have absolutely no energy to write about it. I forced myself to do freeweights this afternoon regardless of how I felt - and that pretty much cashed me of energy. I don't really look like I've been working out all that much as far as visual confirmation is concerned - but I have been easing into the freeweights. Eventually the grown muscle will increase the metabolism will burn calories will reduce fat. I have tried dieting - but I have always known that dieting alone doesn't really work that well. You must couple it with exercise, and more specifically - weight training/resistance training is the best - though I totally prefer freeweights over resistance machines any day.
If you look at people that diet and do cardio exercises but don't do any weight/resistance training - well - the comparison to someone that is dieting; weight training and doing cardio workouts is palpable. Not dissing cardio - it's very good for you - but in terms of dumping fat - it's only a piece of the pie.
Anyway, I'm still slowly getting back on track concerning exercise.
As for this day? Done.
G'nite.
ben
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Can any computer genius please tell me something about these wireless networks?!...
I have a router sending out the signal to 2 computers in my house. My computer is directly wired - doesn't use the router signal being "sent through the air" to get internet.
The question is, is someone else on one of the computers in my house able to see what I am doing on my computer? This question has been bothering me for some time now, just wondering what the reality of it is. I pay bills and such online and really do not want someone else in here getting access to bank account numbers.
I have a router sending out the signal to 2 computers in my house. My computer is directly wired - doesn't use the router signal being "sent through the air" to get internet.
The question is, is someone else on one of the computers in my house able to see what I am doing on my computer? This question has been bothering me for some time now, just wondering what the reality of it is. I pay bills and such online and really do not want someone else in here getting access to bank account numbers.
Vet takes down flag that is flying UNDER a mexican flag
The video speaks for itself.
A nice day today at work. There was nothing yesterday in the truck routing system for deliveries this morning, but when I got to work, well, totally different story. Long story short- I was all over the place. Phoenix; Valley Farms and Florence. Took most of the day to accomplish. Today is end of month - we're going to get out whatever we can.
Folks, if someone calls you tomorrow and tells you you won a million dollars, or that your car has just been stolen, or whatever - remember - it's April Fool's Day! Lol, I always play tricks on numerous people and usually am quite successful at getting them all riled up - APRIL FOOL'S!!!!
Just thought I'd throw that in there - many people forget about that particular day and then end up on the receiving end of a joke. Knowledge in advance? You could take THEM for a ride and dream up your own counter-offensive. For example, someone calls and tells you your car has just been stolen. "It's okay, I have the car booby-trapped with a bomb. It will detonate shortly and they will not even have the chance to wish that they hadn't fooled with MY car". Something mundane like that.
Anyway, something that has been milling around my head for months now - getting those Danes neutered. I finally found a place that isn't freakin' out of this world for the price: $150 per dog. They have a set price for dogs up to 70 pounds and then a buck per pound after that. The cheapest I found before this? Almost $300 per dog. Just because they are so large. Definitely thinking of how to come up with that money and get Duke done first. Duke has some temperamental issues that I think neutering would take care of.
So - now - I have to come up with a date for a meeting for a potential Neighborhood Association for those individuals that were interested to come over, have a little BBQ, see if we can come to some kind of agreement on forming a board of directors and at least get the thing rolled out.
I'm just going through the list of things here - not gonna take too long on this entry, either.
In fact, I'm pretty much done here.
I have some things I need to get done outside.
ben
The video speaks for itself.
A nice day today at work. There was nothing yesterday in the truck routing system for deliveries this morning, but when I got to work, well, totally different story. Long story short- I was all over the place. Phoenix; Valley Farms and Florence. Took most of the day to accomplish. Today is end of month - we're going to get out whatever we can.
Folks, if someone calls you tomorrow and tells you you won a million dollars, or that your car has just been stolen, or whatever - remember - it's April Fool's Day! Lol, I always play tricks on numerous people and usually am quite successful at getting them all riled up - APRIL FOOL'S!!!!
Just thought I'd throw that in there - many people forget about that particular day and then end up on the receiving end of a joke. Knowledge in advance? You could take THEM for a ride and dream up your own counter-offensive. For example, someone calls and tells you your car has just been stolen. "It's okay, I have the car booby-trapped with a bomb. It will detonate shortly and they will not even have the chance to wish that they hadn't fooled with MY car". Something mundane like that.
Anyway, something that has been milling around my head for months now - getting those Danes neutered. I finally found a place that isn't freakin' out of this world for the price: $150 per dog. They have a set price for dogs up to 70 pounds and then a buck per pound after that. The cheapest I found before this? Almost $300 per dog. Just because they are so large. Definitely thinking of how to come up with that money and get Duke done first. Duke has some temperamental issues that I think neutering would take care of.
So - now - I have to come up with a date for a meeting for a potential Neighborhood Association for those individuals that were interested to come over, have a little BBQ, see if we can come to some kind of agreement on forming a board of directors and at least get the thing rolled out.
I'm just going through the list of things here - not gonna take too long on this entry, either.
In fact, I'm pretty much done here.
I have some things I need to get done outside.
ben
Monday, March 30, 2009
Monday
Amazingly, I woke up feeling pretty good this morning. Just reaffirmed to me that having a party like that on a Saturday is a far better idea than doing it on a Sunday.
I called Target today attempting to get them to "fix" the problem that was created by the defective product they sold me. I bought that grill, what - in November? That thing is only 4 months old! Maybe 5, I don't really remember.
Yes, I fixed the problem by buying a new regulator valve for it, but who would expect to have to replace something like that so soon after buying a grill like that? That thing should last next to forever. Target was unyielding. I called corporate - they couldn't have cared less how much trouble their attitude towards helping me with my problem caused in not just selling me a valve - or even giving me one - off a floor model.
I'm not done with that, yet, but I have no desire to follow through with that today. Amana probably has some kind of manufacturer's warranty on it which I will try next. I just couldn't believe Target's apathetic attitude towards a situation that they could have easily fixed without all the attitudinal problems.
Anyway, I was pretty much busy at work all day - driving to Casa Grande, back to the yard, then to northwest Phoenix; then to our main branch near downtown Phoenix and then back to the yard again.
I also decided to give away some of the leftover food. I figured since people donated money for this affair, the only right thing to do is to give it to people that need it. Doesn't take long around these parts to find hungry people.
Anyway, I don't have writer's block, but I'm kinda worn-out and I'm going to go take a kick-back in my bedroom.
C'yall later.
ben
I called Target today attempting to get them to "fix" the problem that was created by the defective product they sold me. I bought that grill, what - in November? That thing is only 4 months old! Maybe 5, I don't really remember.
Yes, I fixed the problem by buying a new regulator valve for it, but who would expect to have to replace something like that so soon after buying a grill like that? That thing should last next to forever. Target was unyielding. I called corporate - they couldn't have cared less how much trouble their attitude towards helping me with my problem caused in not just selling me a valve - or even giving me one - off a floor model.
I'm not done with that, yet, but I have no desire to follow through with that today. Amana probably has some kind of manufacturer's warranty on it which I will try next. I just couldn't believe Target's apathetic attitude towards a situation that they could have easily fixed without all the attitudinal problems.
Anyway, I was pretty much busy at work all day - driving to Casa Grande, back to the yard, then to northwest Phoenix; then to our main branch near downtown Phoenix and then back to the yard again.
I also decided to give away some of the leftover food. I figured since people donated money for this affair, the only right thing to do is to give it to people that need it. Doesn't take long around these parts to find hungry people.
Anyway, I don't have writer's block, but I'm kinda worn-out and I'm going to go take a kick-back in my bedroom.
C'yall later.
ben
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Sunday
About 45 minutes before the party started, I went out to fire up the grill and start cooking chicken. Grill won't start. I had it going earlier full tilt - what the heck? Finally, one little line of flame coming out of one of three burners. Tried to turn on the other two - nothing.
It was obviously the regulator valve - I tapped it. Tapped it again, and again, and again. I'm starting to get very nervous. I run down to Target where I got the grill - they don't sell the regulators separately but they have several of the same model on the floor with the valve. I ask a manager if they would sell me the one off the grill - they can always order another one for it. Nope. Can I speak to the store manager? Store manager comes out - geek looking dude - explains that those models are all for sale.
Great, I said, I don't need a whole new BBQ, I just need the regulator valve with the hose assembly. I further explained 100 people were showing up to my place in less than 30 minutes for a big party, pleeeeeeaaaaassssseeeeee help me. Nope. Wouldn't budge. Informed me to go to Lowe's or Home Depot. I don't have time for that, I need a fix right now! I was not happy with this individual and let him know about it. We rob parts off of things at our place frequently for our customers and just order replacement parts for whatever we took the part off of.
I'm walking out of that store a rather unhappy individual - Home Depot and Lowe's are 6 and 7 miles away consecutively - and would have to go through a lot of traffic and lights to get there. I remembered there's an Ace Hardware in the same strip mall the Target is at and hoped beyond hope that they sell those valves. Sure enough - they had a whole selection of them, and yes, one of them the same as the one on my grill.
Racing back to the house - there is already 20 people there by the time I get there - plus 3 different news medias, lol. A bunch of people showed up from the Craiglist ad and even more people showed up from the flyers I had sent out around my neighborhood. A guy showed up and played some excellent music on electric guitar with amplifiers and all that sort of stuff - he played continuously for 3 hours, only taking a 15 minute break. Very cool. People brought all kinds of great food as well. A tremendous outpouring and a lot of people came.
Anyway, after grilling for a while, I went ahead and started talking with everyone. Got names and addresses of those that came that were interested in getting something going in terms of a neighborhood association - about 15 of them. Quite a lot of interest, it turns out - and a lot of talk about the "other" thing that has been going on, the Neighborhood Watch thing. The guy that runs that thing - which is pretty much non-existent now - is a total control freak. Whatever. Anyway, I informed everyone I would send out a letter to everyone for a day to come over to my place, have a little git-together, and discuss forming the Association - whose name is already supplied by the name of the community we are in - and see what kinds of ideas and desires come up. Many agreed with me about trying to get some landscaping done on properties that have nothing but dirt and weeds.
I still have a lot of meat left-over - going to freeze the beef but I'm cooking up the rest of the chicken later today on the grill. Nothing like BBQ'ed chicken! I figured I over-bought on the meat department, but also figured I would have a well stocked freezer full of stuff for future reference. In all, I think I received about $240 in donations towards the party, plus a lot of food was brought over here. The party was a blast. 2 news medias left without even taking interviews - a "breaking story" they told someone which turned out to be a buy holding someone hostage for ransom but then gave up and - basically turned out to be a dud story, lol. The remaining reporter was there for hours - taking video and yes, they did a story, but on a different network than the first story.
Whatever the case, the party started at 3:00 pm and ended after 8:00. I figured it to be the perfect starting time and a good ending time - I am not a late-night person. There was a group of about 15 people that hung out after everyone else left - the partiers, lol - who stayed for several hours after the festivities had died down.
Will I do it again? Not sure. I think my focus now is going to be on the Association that I would like to see get going around here. Thinking parties for the immediate community on an on-going basis - depending on turnout - is just what the doctor ordered. The blog for that party is still getting numerous hits, so I will probably write up my version of a story for the event on there. Eventually, I will set up a website for the Association - with a lot of help that is, no web-designer here - and let the Craigslist party thing go into fading history.........though I would love to host a Thanksgiving dinner later on this year - provided I'm still employed and still have tenants, the house and all of that - as I have done on a limited basis in the past.
Enough. It was a great party : )
ben
It was obviously the regulator valve - I tapped it. Tapped it again, and again, and again. I'm starting to get very nervous. I run down to Target where I got the grill - they don't sell the regulators separately but they have several of the same model on the floor with the valve. I ask a manager if they would sell me the one off the grill - they can always order another one for it. Nope. Can I speak to the store manager? Store manager comes out - geek looking dude - explains that those models are all for sale.
Great, I said, I don't need a whole new BBQ, I just need the regulator valve with the hose assembly. I further explained 100 people were showing up to my place in less than 30 minutes for a big party, pleeeeeeaaaaassssseeeeee help me. Nope. Wouldn't budge. Informed me to go to Lowe's or Home Depot. I don't have time for that, I need a fix right now! I was not happy with this individual and let him know about it. We rob parts off of things at our place frequently for our customers and just order replacement parts for whatever we took the part off of.
I'm walking out of that store a rather unhappy individual - Home Depot and Lowe's are 6 and 7 miles away consecutively - and would have to go through a lot of traffic and lights to get there. I remembered there's an Ace Hardware in the same strip mall the Target is at and hoped beyond hope that they sell those valves. Sure enough - they had a whole selection of them, and yes, one of them the same as the one on my grill.
Racing back to the house - there is already 20 people there by the time I get there - plus 3 different news medias, lol. A bunch of people showed up from the Craiglist ad and even more people showed up from the flyers I had sent out around my neighborhood. A guy showed up and played some excellent music on electric guitar with amplifiers and all that sort of stuff - he played continuously for 3 hours, only taking a 15 minute break. Very cool. People brought all kinds of great food as well. A tremendous outpouring and a lot of people came.
Anyway, after grilling for a while, I went ahead and started talking with everyone. Got names and addresses of those that came that were interested in getting something going in terms of a neighborhood association - about 15 of them. Quite a lot of interest, it turns out - and a lot of talk about the "other" thing that has been going on, the Neighborhood Watch thing. The guy that runs that thing - which is pretty much non-existent now - is a total control freak. Whatever. Anyway, I informed everyone I would send out a letter to everyone for a day to come over to my place, have a little git-together, and discuss forming the Association - whose name is already supplied by the name of the community we are in - and see what kinds of ideas and desires come up. Many agreed with me about trying to get some landscaping done on properties that have nothing but dirt and weeds.
I still have a lot of meat left-over - going to freeze the beef but I'm cooking up the rest of the chicken later today on the grill. Nothing like BBQ'ed chicken! I figured I over-bought on the meat department, but also figured I would have a well stocked freezer full of stuff for future reference. In all, I think I received about $240 in donations towards the party, plus a lot of food was brought over here. The party was a blast. 2 news medias left without even taking interviews - a "breaking story" they told someone which turned out to be a buy holding someone hostage for ransom but then gave up and - basically turned out to be a dud story, lol. The remaining reporter was there for hours - taking video and yes, they did a story, but on a different network than the first story.
Whatever the case, the party started at 3:00 pm and ended after 8:00. I figured it to be the perfect starting time and a good ending time - I am not a late-night person. There was a group of about 15 people that hung out after everyone else left - the partiers, lol - who stayed for several hours after the festivities had died down.
Will I do it again? Not sure. I think my focus now is going to be on the Association that I would like to see get going around here. Thinking parties for the immediate community on an on-going basis - depending on turnout - is just what the doctor ordered. The blog for that party is still getting numerous hits, so I will probably write up my version of a story for the event on there. Eventually, I will set up a website for the Association - with a lot of help that is, no web-designer here - and let the Craigslist party thing go into fading history.........though I would love to host a Thanksgiving dinner later on this year - provided I'm still employed and still have tenants, the house and all of that - as I have done on a limited basis in the past.
Enough. It was a great party : )
ben
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Saturday
Woke up this morning and started right in on stuff that I didn't finish yesterday. Still more to go - but - fortunately - I have several hours before the party starts. I kinda got a little unsettled that I might not have enough propane in the tank for all of this cooking, so I'm headed out in a bit to get it filled all the way up.
Another trip to Fry's - forgot to get several bags of chips and probably a few more sodas too.
Ice run.
Still have 40 or 50 more hamburger patties to make.
Probably waited a little long to start that pork roast. It was MUCH bigger than I thought - the thing takes up the entire slow cooker. Started that at 6:00 am - so by the time the party starts, it's 9 hours worth of cooking, shouldn't take near that long to cook through and be in the "fall apart" stage, especially on high - but - the last couple of roasts I did in there were not near as big as this monster. Hope it's done by party-time is all I can say about that. It only takes maybe 10 or 15 minutes worth of prep to pull the pork apart, get the fat off of it, dump a bottle or more of some of my favorite BBQ sauce into it - and it's ready to go.
3 heads of cabbage worth of coleslaw, lol. That took an hour in itself. Mary made up 40 or more patties last night with her "special" ingredients - which are Russian dressing/honey BBQ sauce and Teriyaki sauce. The rest of the burgers are just going to be plain ole' burgers for those that don't want all the stuff in there.
Pretty much, besides a trip to the store and the propane place and doing some cutting and patty forming - it's ready. Oh, and another person donated more money to the cause! What an amazing thing this is turning out to be.
Ummm, anyway, the race began this morning and I really don't have time to linger here - hope you all have a great Saturday and a wonderful weekend!
ben
Another trip to Fry's - forgot to get several bags of chips and probably a few more sodas too.
Ice run.
Still have 40 or 50 more hamburger patties to make.
Probably waited a little long to start that pork roast. It was MUCH bigger than I thought - the thing takes up the entire slow cooker. Started that at 6:00 am - so by the time the party starts, it's 9 hours worth of cooking, shouldn't take near that long to cook through and be in the "fall apart" stage, especially on high - but - the last couple of roasts I did in there were not near as big as this monster. Hope it's done by party-time is all I can say about that. It only takes maybe 10 or 15 minutes worth of prep to pull the pork apart, get the fat off of it, dump a bottle or more of some of my favorite BBQ sauce into it - and it's ready to go.
3 heads of cabbage worth of coleslaw, lol. That took an hour in itself. Mary made up 40 or more patties last night with her "special" ingredients - which are Russian dressing/honey BBQ sauce and Teriyaki sauce. The rest of the burgers are just going to be plain ole' burgers for those that don't want all the stuff in there.
Pretty much, besides a trip to the store and the propane place and doing some cutting and patty forming - it's ready. Oh, and another person donated more money to the cause! What an amazing thing this is turning out to be.
Ummm, anyway, the race began this morning and I really don't have time to linger here - hope you all have a great Saturday and a wonderful weekend!
ben
Friday, March 27, 2009
Friday
This whole party thing is turning into something that has gone to proportions I never even thought of.
Number 1, I had not thought that the news media would be even one iota interested in something like this. Number 2, that they would actually run the story, and number 3 - this story is being run locally all over the nation! That's just plain CRAZY! I'm serious - I'm getting emails from people all over the place about seeing me the news from everywhere!
What's next, Oprah?
Whatever the case, I have enough meat now to feed a small army - just in case a small army's worth of people show up. Literally, I could feed at least 150 people with the brats; hamburger meat; pork and chicken I have been acquiring at sale prices, of course, from various supermarkets.
Today is going to be crazy as well. I have a HUGE thing of coleslaw to make, going to make up 75 hamburger patties in advance; cook the pork and make the pulled pork BBQ; and whatever else - such as more cleaning and such outside. Mary has been a tremendous help in the last few days in that arena in helping with the east side of the house and basically doing things that I - simply won't have time for. I have just about everything I need, I am hoping others will bring what they said they will bring to shore it up. Well, even if no-one brought anything, guaranteed the gut will be full for whoever is going to eat.
The neighborhood association thing is what I need to focus on as well.
Anyway, I will (well, I don't really know) write later - I have to go get Caleb and Michael at Caleb's mom's house, stop at Costco again cause I didn't get enough hamburger buns and stop at Safeway as well for another couple of things worth of chicken.
Wish me luck!
ben
Number 1, I had not thought that the news media would be even one iota interested in something like this. Number 2, that they would actually run the story, and number 3 - this story is being run locally all over the nation! That's just plain CRAZY! I'm serious - I'm getting emails from people all over the place about seeing me the news from everywhere!
What's next, Oprah?
Whatever the case, I have enough meat now to feed a small army - just in case a small army's worth of people show up. Literally, I could feed at least 150 people with the brats; hamburger meat; pork and chicken I have been acquiring at sale prices, of course, from various supermarkets.
Today is going to be crazy as well. I have a HUGE thing of coleslaw to make, going to make up 75 hamburger patties in advance; cook the pork and make the pulled pork BBQ; and whatever else - such as more cleaning and such outside. Mary has been a tremendous help in the last few days in that arena in helping with the east side of the house and basically doing things that I - simply won't have time for. I have just about everything I need, I am hoping others will bring what they said they will bring to shore it up. Well, even if no-one brought anything, guaranteed the gut will be full for whoever is going to eat.
The neighborhood association thing is what I need to focus on as well.
Anyway, I will (well, I don't really know) write later - I have to go get Caleb and Michael at Caleb's mom's house, stop at Costco again cause I didn't get enough hamburger buns and stop at Safeway as well for another couple of things worth of chicken.
Wish me luck!
ben
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Thursday
Ummm.......I'm kind of curious as to the blog I started for the free dinner party as to how all these people from all OVER the place are finding that blog? It isn't just the Phoenix area anymore, the feedjit I put on that blog is showing people viewing it from coast to coast and even Canada! It was a local news story and I doubt it is going to get any further than that - I just don't get it.
Sometimes the internet confounds me as to how things happen through it.
Well, anyway, both Safeway and Bashas are having sales on fresh chicken breast - bone in. Safeway at 99 cents a pound, Bashas at 77 cents per pound. I went to both. I think Safeway meat to be better quality - the Bashas stuff was "previously" frozen, it said on the label - but in actuality, it was still quite frozen and taking it's time thawing.
I'm taking a break from the relentless pace I have been inflicting upon myself. Tomorrow is going to be a marathon of making hamburger patties; cooking a picnic roast, going to yet more stores and getting semi-ready for the party. Since the party doesn't actually start until 3:00 pm, I will have a good portion of the day Saturday to finalize prep for the party. Oh, and I am making more homemade coleslaw - that is quite the endeavor in itself!
Ummm, that's just a short break. I am going back outside in a few minutes to attempt to finish the east side of my house pulling out the constant barrage of weeds that grow coming from my "neighbor's" yard.
Gotta cut this off - too much to do.
ben
Sometimes the internet confounds me as to how things happen through it.
Well, anyway, both Safeway and Bashas are having sales on fresh chicken breast - bone in. Safeway at 99 cents a pound, Bashas at 77 cents per pound. I went to both. I think Safeway meat to be better quality - the Bashas stuff was "previously" frozen, it said on the label - but in actuality, it was still quite frozen and taking it's time thawing.
I'm taking a break from the relentless pace I have been inflicting upon myself. Tomorrow is going to be a marathon of making hamburger patties; cooking a picnic roast, going to yet more stores and getting semi-ready for the party. Since the party doesn't actually start until 3:00 pm, I will have a good portion of the day Saturday to finalize prep for the party. Oh, and I am making more homemade coleslaw - that is quite the endeavor in itself!
Ummm, that's just a short break. I am going back outside in a few minutes to attempt to finish the east side of my house pulling out the constant barrage of weeds that grow coming from my "neighbor's" yard.
Gotta cut this off - too much to do.
ben
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
News
Ineresting.
I went to Costco and met up with the reporter and his camera-man. They were VERY nice individuals - I was impressed. Very well dressed, professional - and young. 20 somethings. Which was even more impressive- no diss on 20 somethings, but the current casting of that age out there today? Ummm - I won't comment.
All they wanted to do was follow me around the store and get video shots. It was a little awkward having a cameraman running in front of me, behind me all around - getting all kinds of shots. I mean - people were looking at me, I'm sure thinking: 'who's THIS guy?' I really didn't buy that much, either. I only went there for the hot dog and hamburger buns - they have great deals on that stuff. I also ended up buying a 32-pack of cans of Coke and a 24 pack of cans of Arizona Green Tea and a 15 pack of brats. What's a BBQ without brats? Not kids brats, either! Umm, yes, there are going to be plenty of kids at the party - no diss on them, either.
It became obvious that the news media - at least this one - is seeking out good stories. There's so much negativity going on right now. What do you want to report? AIG and the bonuses? A 3 plus trillion dollar budget? Maybe the millions of jobless people? The millions more losing their homes? Then there's the status-quo stuff that is always happening: Murders, rape, incest, sick stuff. They came back to my house, took some footage, asked me some questions, news at 10:00. Literally.
What do I want to accomplish? No agendas, at least not at first. Then I thought: gee, what if people watched that and thought to themselves: I can do that, too! Heck, might start a trend! People inviting total strangers to their house from their immediate communities to have some kind of "happening" together. Agenda: just have a good time, meet new people, talk about stuff going on, but let's not mope, please.
I didn't get to Bashas - but I will be going tomorrow and Friday and stocking up on that chicken. BBQ'ed chicken is quite wonderful, especially when smothered in good BBQ sauce.
I'm done.
Have a great evening!
ben
I went to Costco and met up with the reporter and his camera-man. They were VERY nice individuals - I was impressed. Very well dressed, professional - and young. 20 somethings. Which was even more impressive- no diss on 20 somethings, but the current casting of that age out there today? Ummm - I won't comment.
All they wanted to do was follow me around the store and get video shots. It was a little awkward having a cameraman running in front of me, behind me all around - getting all kinds of shots. I mean - people were looking at me, I'm sure thinking: 'who's THIS guy?' I really didn't buy that much, either. I only went there for the hot dog and hamburger buns - they have great deals on that stuff. I also ended up buying a 32-pack of cans of Coke and a 24 pack of cans of Arizona Green Tea and a 15 pack of brats. What's a BBQ without brats? Not kids brats, either! Umm, yes, there are going to be plenty of kids at the party - no diss on them, either.
It became obvious that the news media - at least this one - is seeking out good stories. There's so much negativity going on right now. What do you want to report? AIG and the bonuses? A 3 plus trillion dollar budget? Maybe the millions of jobless people? The millions more losing their homes? Then there's the status-quo stuff that is always happening: Murders, rape, incest, sick stuff. They came back to my house, took some footage, asked me some questions, news at 10:00. Literally.
What do I want to accomplish? No agendas, at least not at first. Then I thought: gee, what if people watched that and thought to themselves: I can do that, too! Heck, might start a trend! People inviting total strangers to their house from their immediate communities to have some kind of "happening" together. Agenda: just have a good time, meet new people, talk about stuff going on, but let's not mope, please.
I didn't get to Bashas - but I will be going tomorrow and Friday and stocking up on that chicken. BBQ'ed chicken is quite wonderful, especially when smothered in good BBQ sauce.
I'm done.
Have a great evening!
ben
Wednesday
I surprised myself at just how much time I spent just cleaning the kitchen and dining area last night. The newer tenant was being sociable - so we talked for a couple of hours. She's a pretty cool lady I will have to say just from the few conversations that we've had so far. It's always nice when something that you have no clue whether it's going to work out or not - does.
So - apparently there is yet another new blogging site that numerous JS'ers are migrating to. I haven't even given it consideration. I went over there and it looks nice enough - but I just got settled in here! I guess if enough of the old-timers go over there, I'll end up there too, but for now - I'm here. I might just start up a blog with one of my favorites user names just to be able to have it.
In other "news", I am going to meet the news in about 20 minutes from now. BTW, I've had some money donated for this party and with the people that are bringing stuff with them, I will be out very little. Which is good - I didn't want this thing to set me too far back. I AM going to go to Basha's, however, and buy as much 77 cent per pound chicken breast as they will let me walk out of there with. Some of it will go to the party - some of it will be getting to hang out in my freezer for future reference. Interestingly enough, I just found out yesterday that there is a Basha's only 3 or 4 miles from my house. I had thought the nearest one was clear over on the other side of Tempe - the reason I don't go there, even for good sales. It's out of the way.
That's bone-in chicken breast, yes, but for that kind of money - stock up! lol. About 30 pounds of that stuff would be nice - though it's likely they have a limit. I could go back tomorrow and get more if I need it. I wish I had an upright freezer at this point - my freezer is always jammed full of stuff and I always am wanting to buy sale stuff and try to pack even more in there.
I'm not sure about the news - I tend to freeze up in front of cameras like that. I have been in front of cameras numerous times throughout my life - just try to relax I guess, it's only a party, after all. Not only that, I really don't know HOW they found out about it. It's not like it was an grandiose thing - it was just a simple ad. I don't know if someone alerted them to it - I mean, why else would they be going through the free ads on Craigslist?
Dunno, but - I guess today's interview is actually going on the news - today! lol. I thought they were just going to do a piece for future reference after the party is over, but if I heard the guy right, that's not the intention at all.
No big deal. Mostly, I just like meeting new people and - having a good time while doing it, of course.
Well, gotta git.
C'yall later!
ben
So - apparently there is yet another new blogging site that numerous JS'ers are migrating to. I haven't even given it consideration. I went over there and it looks nice enough - but I just got settled in here! I guess if enough of the old-timers go over there, I'll end up there too, but for now - I'm here. I might just start up a blog with one of my favorites user names just to be able to have it.
In other "news", I am going to meet the news in about 20 minutes from now. BTW, I've had some money donated for this party and with the people that are bringing stuff with them, I will be out very little. Which is good - I didn't want this thing to set me too far back. I AM going to go to Basha's, however, and buy as much 77 cent per pound chicken breast as they will let me walk out of there with. Some of it will go to the party - some of it will be getting to hang out in my freezer for future reference. Interestingly enough, I just found out yesterday that there is a Basha's only 3 or 4 miles from my house. I had thought the nearest one was clear over on the other side of Tempe - the reason I don't go there, even for good sales. It's out of the way.
That's bone-in chicken breast, yes, but for that kind of money - stock up! lol. About 30 pounds of that stuff would be nice - though it's likely they have a limit. I could go back tomorrow and get more if I need it. I wish I had an upright freezer at this point - my freezer is always jammed full of stuff and I always am wanting to buy sale stuff and try to pack even more in there.
I'm not sure about the news - I tend to freeze up in front of cameras like that. I have been in front of cameras numerous times throughout my life - just try to relax I guess, it's only a party, after all. Not only that, I really don't know HOW they found out about it. It's not like it was an grandiose thing - it was just a simple ad. I don't know if someone alerted them to it - I mean, why else would they be going through the free ads on Craigslist?
Dunno, but - I guess today's interview is actually going on the news - today! lol. I thought they were just going to do a piece for future reference after the party is over, but if I heard the guy right, that's not the intention at all.
No big deal. Mostly, I just like meeting new people and - having a good time while doing it, of course.
Well, gotta git.
C'yall later!
ben
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Tuesday
Mediocre day at work, in terms of amount of things to do. A couple of deliveries, some pickups and pulling an order to take to a new jobsite in Casa Grande. In fact, they are finally building a WalMart down there. Rumors from numerous indivduals that live down there that I have spoken to over the years have indicated the town council simply did not want a WalMart in Casa Grande. I can think of a few reasons why a small town wouldn't want such a thing - but - apparently WalMart has finally won out and is building a new store. One assumes a complete store the size of the moon................
I am meeting up with the news media tomorrow at Costco. They wanted to do a small blurp on the stuff I am buying and even a showing of some of the things I have already acquired for this party. At the moment, I have enough ground beef to make 120 hamburgers, a big enough pork picnic roast to end up with enough to make at least 20 to 30 pulled pork BBQ sandwiches, some chips and other odds and ends. I continue to get emails from people wanting to come. Friday after work will be spent making hamburger patties, cutting up onions, cooking that pork roast - probably put that thing in the slow cooker before I go to work on low and then turn it on high when I get home if it isn't done yet.
Presently, I am cleaning my refrigerator and doing a spring-cleaning version of cleaning in my kitchen. Basically just wanted to take a break from the work I have already done today after work - which includes pulling a lot of grass and weeds from the east side of the house. I am SO very tired of that continuous crap having to be done over there, simply because my next-door-neighbor is your basic SLOB and has no desire to take care of his property - AT ALL. I have much to do out there before this party - even though I mostly will not be having anyone out there, I still want it looking nice.
So, this is really a very short break as I have a couple more hours of work I want to accomplish before quitting for the day. Basically - finish this kitchen.....
LONG interval. I have scrubbed the kitchen up and down, talked with the new tenant for hours, and I'm done.
ben
I am meeting up with the news media tomorrow at Costco. They wanted to do a small blurp on the stuff I am buying and even a showing of some of the things I have already acquired for this party. At the moment, I have enough ground beef to make 120 hamburgers, a big enough pork picnic roast to end up with enough to make at least 20 to 30 pulled pork BBQ sandwiches, some chips and other odds and ends. I continue to get emails from people wanting to come. Friday after work will be spent making hamburger patties, cutting up onions, cooking that pork roast - probably put that thing in the slow cooker before I go to work on low and then turn it on high when I get home if it isn't done yet.
Presently, I am cleaning my refrigerator and doing a spring-cleaning version of cleaning in my kitchen. Basically just wanted to take a break from the work I have already done today after work - which includes pulling a lot of grass and weeds from the east side of the house. I am SO very tired of that continuous crap having to be done over there, simply because my next-door-neighbor is your basic SLOB and has no desire to take care of his property - AT ALL. I have much to do out there before this party - even though I mostly will not be having anyone out there, I still want it looking nice.
So, this is really a very short break as I have a couple more hours of work I want to accomplish before quitting for the day. Basically - finish this kitchen.....
LONG interval. I have scrubbed the kitchen up and down, talked with the new tenant for hours, and I'm done.
ben
Monday, March 23, 2009
Monday
Busy enough day at work to keep me occupied without having to dread the "what am I going to invent to do now" syndrome.
Tomorrow has some deliveries - maybe take up half the morning - after that I don't know.
What really "stank" was last night. Apparently, a 50 pound bag of dog food I got from Fry's is somehow bad. THREE dogs puking all over the place. Freakin' threw their @$$es right out of the house and - well I cleaned it up best I could and then did the carpet cleaner today when I got home - which got all of it up.
I'm getting psyched about the party. News15 called yet again today. The guy is reading the ads/blog I put up. I was very hesitant about it - the guy sounds nice enough and he says that personally, he thinks it's a great thing. I got over it - why not? A lady that came to the last party - that I asked her opinion about the news coming - said she thought it would be good to get this kind of thing out in the open. I've been on the news numerous times throughout my life -mostly on missionary types of things - never really had any "bad" experiences with the news media on a personal level.
But sometimes they go "digging". Usually that's on the political side of things, though, trying to dig up whatever junk they can about any given candidate.
So, I'll just come right out and say what I did in my teens, as I have said it on my blogs before. I am certainly NOT proud of what I did, but I didn't hurt or kill or rape anyone - not making light of my crime, but I paid the penalty to society, which was to repay for the damages done and went on probation for 6 months. I stole a video game from a place I was working at. It was a stupid, dumb, idiotic thing to do, yes it was. Mostly, my teenaged life was a waste. I could go into it - but it would take a book and I just don't feel like it right now. And anyway, it's unimportant - to me anyway. It's ancient history that I NEVER did over. When I stood before that judge - struck a plea agreement - he sat there looking at my stupid self, stroking his beard. When he said: "I'm tempted", I about pee'd my pants. The instant revelation came to me: plea bargains are NON-binding on judges, they can do whatever they want in that courtroom, including sending you to prison.
I was terrified. Now? I want to go back and thank that judge. It was a turning point in my life. If there's one thing I do not want to have happen, it's to lose my freedom. A few years after that, I gave my life to the Lord (Jesus Christ, that is) and life has never been the same. I went on the mission field only 8 months after becoming a Christian - and saw some incredibly remarkable, amazing things.
But, the truth is now told. Not that I haven't told it before - over and over - especially to emloyers. Some employers want to know all of your criminal background, others want to go back X amount of years. Mine was 27 years ago.
Whatever. I trust this to be a good experience and expect it will come out that way. I have to tell you folks that some of the emails I am continuing to get from people are enough to make you start crying. People losing beautiful, nice homes, losing both jobs in a family structure, being forced to live on food stamps and move in with whomever in their family lines will let them in. I received one today that really did start a stream of tears.
Ummm - well, I'm going to change the subject. I came home from work today and finished the landscaping rock project. I estimate I need another 3 tons or so of granite rock to give full coverage. I have about a 2 inch covering - I want at least 3 if not 4 inches. Plus there is still a small area with no coverage. Then there's the east side of the house - not going there right now. I would need about 4 tons over there for good coverage - but it's probably going to be different colored rock. Other projects take precedence. So does paying bills. And anyway, I am going to install a wandering pathway through there first, before dumping any gravel on there.
The weather here has reverted back to unbelievably beautiful. The way it should be at this time of the year. It's very cool in my house right now - windows and sliding glass door open - and the breeze is blowing. Sun is just starting to go down and the birds are still singing! Crazy nice!
Take care, everyone!
ben
Tomorrow has some deliveries - maybe take up half the morning - after that I don't know.
What really "stank" was last night. Apparently, a 50 pound bag of dog food I got from Fry's is somehow bad. THREE dogs puking all over the place. Freakin' threw their @$$es right out of the house and - well I cleaned it up best I could and then did the carpet cleaner today when I got home - which got all of it up.
I'm getting psyched about the party. News15 called yet again today. The guy is reading the ads/blog I put up. I was very hesitant about it - the guy sounds nice enough and he says that personally, he thinks it's a great thing. I got over it - why not? A lady that came to the last party - that I asked her opinion about the news coming - said she thought it would be good to get this kind of thing out in the open. I've been on the news numerous times throughout my life -mostly on missionary types of things - never really had any "bad" experiences with the news media on a personal level.
But sometimes they go "digging". Usually that's on the political side of things, though, trying to dig up whatever junk they can about any given candidate.
So, I'll just come right out and say what I did in my teens, as I have said it on my blogs before. I am certainly NOT proud of what I did, but I didn't hurt or kill or rape anyone - not making light of my crime, but I paid the penalty to society, which was to repay for the damages done and went on probation for 6 months. I stole a video game from a place I was working at. It was a stupid, dumb, idiotic thing to do, yes it was. Mostly, my teenaged life was a waste. I could go into it - but it would take a book and I just don't feel like it right now. And anyway, it's unimportant - to me anyway. It's ancient history that I NEVER did over. When I stood before that judge - struck a plea agreement - he sat there looking at my stupid self, stroking his beard. When he said: "I'm tempted", I about pee'd my pants. The instant revelation came to me: plea bargains are NON-binding on judges, they can do whatever they want in that courtroom, including sending you to prison.
I was terrified. Now? I want to go back and thank that judge. It was a turning point in my life. If there's one thing I do not want to have happen, it's to lose my freedom. A few years after that, I gave my life to the Lord (Jesus Christ, that is) and life has never been the same. I went on the mission field only 8 months after becoming a Christian - and saw some incredibly remarkable, amazing things.
But, the truth is now told. Not that I haven't told it before - over and over - especially to emloyers. Some employers want to know all of your criminal background, others want to go back X amount of years. Mine was 27 years ago.
Whatever. I trust this to be a good experience and expect it will come out that way. I have to tell you folks that some of the emails I am continuing to get from people are enough to make you start crying. People losing beautiful, nice homes, losing both jobs in a family structure, being forced to live on food stamps and move in with whomever in their family lines will let them in. I received one today that really did start a stream of tears.
Ummm - well, I'm going to change the subject. I came home from work today and finished the landscaping rock project. I estimate I need another 3 tons or so of granite rock to give full coverage. I have about a 2 inch covering - I want at least 3 if not 4 inches. Plus there is still a small area with no coverage. Then there's the east side of the house - not going there right now. I would need about 4 tons over there for good coverage - but it's probably going to be different colored rock. Other projects take precedence. So does paying bills. And anyway, I am going to install a wandering pathway through there first, before dumping any gravel on there.
The weather here has reverted back to unbelievably beautiful. The way it should be at this time of the year. It's very cool in my house right now - windows and sliding glass door open - and the breeze is blowing. Sun is just starting to go down and the birds are still singing! Crazy nice!
Take care, everyone!
ben
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