I was a bit surprised to come into work, get into the system and see alot of work for today. 4 deliveries - 2 of them in Casa Grande and some pickups. Nice, a good way to start out the week: busy and get the day over with quickly.
The world started with a bang this morning - 2 commuter trains in Brussels in a head-on collision; Clinton stating that the Revolutionary Guard is basically THE government in Iran (that IS a scary thought if true); The offensive they started in Afghanistan; and then, the comics: Biden mouthing off again. That guy is hilarious - every time he opens his mouth, he sticks his foot into it.
I do feel for the dead and wounded and families thereof of the train collision; I'm always worried for our troops in such potentially deadly situations in any war - I hate to see any of our boys and gals getting killed over there. Pray for them, folks, they need that kind of covering.
I am actually feeling pretty good this morning - the sniffles are gone, the headaches are low-keyed at this point and I am not coughing near as much as I was. Good sign, maybe I'll be 100% by the end of the week. Then I can get back to the business of working on that trailer and other projects around the house.
As for yesterday, I ended up pulling a lot of weeds out of the ground. The rains caused a mini forest of them to start growing everywhere. I know it sounds weird, but I always water the weeds and come back to them a half hour or more later - it loosens up the soil around the roots and I can pull the entire weed out - roots and all, instead of just the top of it coming out and having to deal with it again in a week or two.
My before-work time is almost up, gotta get offa here and get into working mode.
Later.
ben
Monday, February 15, 2010
Sunday, February 14, 2010
How Much Do You Spend On Groceries?!!
I was astounded - today really - when I started thinking about the staggering amounts of money I have spent on groceries in just the past 5 years. I was writing yesterday about my visit to Fry's Food Stores and the manager's agreeing to replace rotten chicken sight unseen. I said something about the conservative estimate I had spent at the place in the 5 years I have been going there - $25,000.00.
Perhaps one shouldn't look at food in such terms, but my gosh. If I really came up with an accurate amount, it would be much more than that in counting visits to other grocery stores such as Walmart Supercenters; Bashas; Safeway and occasionally Albertson's and Fresh & Easy. Did I throw in Smart & Final? Which also doesn't count the lunch I normally eat at work which is, normally, bought at Subway.
How much more have I spent, really? Double the amount I said - 25k - probably is more realistic.
I have had thoughts in the past about getting a freezer and buying meats when they are on ridiculous sale and freezing them - hopefully being able to get them wrapped for long-term freezing - this is something I am definitely going to revisit. In fact, I am definitely going to start looking. Meats are easily the highest cost food I buy. Lots of chicken and ground beef - and whatever else may be on sale.
I have bypassed pork for some time now - for whatever reason, it's extremely high priced per pound and I just don't believe pork should cost more than steak.
Long interlude. I got distracted, went outside and started pulling weeds - all the rain has caused weeds to sprout up everywhere. Gunshots just went off, 6 of them, somewhere near here. Last time I heard gunshots, I called the Phoenix police who gave me a hard time about it, as if I don't know the difference between a car backfiring and 6 shots from a handgun going off. I did not call this time. Why bother if they aren't going to believe you anyway.
The weekend is over. As normal, weekends fly by as if they never started. I'm not complaining, I love my weekends off. There is work to be done tomorrow, but I totally put it out of my head to the point that I don't remember what was in the truck routing system at work. I have a lot on my mind these days - time goes into a black hole somewhere and disappears. I am getting over the sickness - thank God - not 100% but definitely feeling better. I realized I got it from the new people wh have been sick since they got here. Their explanation - offered not asked - is that people get sick at the food pantries and such and don't go to doctors to get help, thereby handing the sickness out to everyone else because of close proximities at times to everyone else.
Well they are out of that situation so I hope they get better soon and all the coughing and hacking will disappear.
Anyway, I'm done for the day,
g'nite.
ben
Perhaps one shouldn't look at food in such terms, but my gosh. If I really came up with an accurate amount, it would be much more than that in counting visits to other grocery stores such as Walmart Supercenters; Bashas; Safeway and occasionally Albertson's and Fresh & Easy. Did I throw in Smart & Final? Which also doesn't count the lunch I normally eat at work which is, normally, bought at Subway.
How much more have I spent, really? Double the amount I said - 25k - probably is more realistic.
I have had thoughts in the past about getting a freezer and buying meats when they are on ridiculous sale and freezing them - hopefully being able to get them wrapped for long-term freezing - this is something I am definitely going to revisit. In fact, I am definitely going to start looking. Meats are easily the highest cost food I buy. Lots of chicken and ground beef - and whatever else may be on sale.
I have bypassed pork for some time now - for whatever reason, it's extremely high priced per pound and I just don't believe pork should cost more than steak.
Long interlude. I got distracted, went outside and started pulling weeds - all the rain has caused weeds to sprout up everywhere. Gunshots just went off, 6 of them, somewhere near here. Last time I heard gunshots, I called the Phoenix police who gave me a hard time about it, as if I don't know the difference between a car backfiring and 6 shots from a handgun going off. I did not call this time. Why bother if they aren't going to believe you anyway.
The weekend is over. As normal, weekends fly by as if they never started. I'm not complaining, I love my weekends off. There is work to be done tomorrow, but I totally put it out of my head to the point that I don't remember what was in the truck routing system at work. I have a lot on my mind these days - time goes into a black hole somewhere and disappears. I am getting over the sickness - thank God - not 100% but definitely feeling better. I realized I got it from the new people wh have been sick since they got here. Their explanation - offered not asked - is that people get sick at the food pantries and such and don't go to doctors to get help, thereby handing the sickness out to everyone else because of close proximities at times to everyone else.
Well they are out of that situation so I hope they get better soon and all the coughing and hacking will disappear.
Anyway, I'm done for the day,
g'nite.
ben
1 More Leaving.........
.............heading to Craigslist soon enough to start another tenant seeking campaing. This time, the one that's leaving is the ex-Marine. He is going to move in with his buddy that he is always hanging out with. Hardly unexpected, still undesirable. There is no such thing that I have found yet in keeping tenants. They are all temporary, they are in-between one thing and another.
Not the end of the world, especially since I have until the first of the month to find the next victim to live in my house : )
The downside is that that room is unfurnished. It seems much easier to find new tenants when having a furnished or near-furnished room than an empty one. Never-the-less, I have a couple of weeks to find this person - whoever he may be - and yes I totally prefer male tenants at this point in having a slew of bad luck with female tenants and ensuing chaos in several cases.
So, anyway, that will occupy time and my mind until I get a firm commitment on the room.
Today's doings will include at attempt to get the new paneling started in the trailer. It has become obvious - to me anyway, that the front of the trailer is going to take much longer to finish than the rear section that we have been working on. It's larger, there is flooring to replace and there is much more area of paneling to be replaced. I have also determined that every single window in that thing is going to have to be unscrewed pulled out and fresh caulking put on the metal frame between the window and the trailer's skin. The windows have been obvious leaking points from rain water getting in.
Fortunately, there is this modern miracle called a cordless drill. It takes those screws out in a hurry. Pulling the window away from the metal it is mounted on is pretty easy stuff, already did it on one window. There are fully 7 windows in that camper. The windows themselves are all in great condition - one of the selling points for me in getting that camper. Replacing those windows would be a pain at the very least.
I will say that the guy living in the thing is motivated to get this done. He is not, however, confident in installing the paneling and isn't even going to attempt it. That's okay by me, I am somewhat of a perfectionist and I would hate to have spent that money on that stuff only to find a half-@$$ed job done of installing it. the trailer is really a challenge - something different to do - that I am keeping tabs of how much money I am spending on the renovation. I am not going to have those people living in it forever. The man is a worker - he simply cannot find a job right now. Sooner or later, he will find one and hopefully make enough money to get their own apartment or something - and then I will be coaxing them out of it.
My thoughts are simply, if the job is done well enough on that trailer, can I turn a profit on it, even a small one, to make it worth trying it again? Maybe. At the price, this trailer was really a find. The roof, exterior metal and windows were all in good condition. I found a lot of trailers that were in crappy condition - leaking roofs to be precise. That is a deal-killer for me. A roof that has been leaking is going to take much more work in both fixing the roofand the damage it has done to the ceiling and everywhere else the water has gone.
Of course, if I found one that had a leaking roof but still has potential - at the right price it might be worth acquiring. It's neither here nor there, but as some readers know, I am always looking for legitimate ways to increase the fatness of my wallet. Right now it's pretty thin.
Anyway, this tenancy business is a constant battle. I did get a reprieve with the last 3, it was a good little while that I had 3 of them paying regularly and no-one leaving.
Umm, I have more I wanted to write about but - I want to get over to Craigslist and get the first ad published, it's just an urge that needs to be quelched.
C'yall later.
Oh, and thanks to Fin for turning me onto Feedjit - I saw it on his journal quite a while back and wanted it on mine. In recent times, I have seen the flags - on Feejit - from all sorts of different countries around the world and am attempting to be able to say which flag is from where before I put the cursor on it to tell me. Pretty cool, really.
ben
Not the end of the world, especially since I have until the first of the month to find the next victim to live in my house : )
The downside is that that room is unfurnished. It seems much easier to find new tenants when having a furnished or near-furnished room than an empty one. Never-the-less, I have a couple of weeks to find this person - whoever he may be - and yes I totally prefer male tenants at this point in having a slew of bad luck with female tenants and ensuing chaos in several cases.
So, anyway, that will occupy time and my mind until I get a firm commitment on the room.
Today's doings will include at attempt to get the new paneling started in the trailer. It has become obvious - to me anyway, that the front of the trailer is going to take much longer to finish than the rear section that we have been working on. It's larger, there is flooring to replace and there is much more area of paneling to be replaced. I have also determined that every single window in that thing is going to have to be unscrewed pulled out and fresh caulking put on the metal frame between the window and the trailer's skin. The windows have been obvious leaking points from rain water getting in.
Fortunately, there is this modern miracle called a cordless drill. It takes those screws out in a hurry. Pulling the window away from the metal it is mounted on is pretty easy stuff, already did it on one window. There are fully 7 windows in that camper. The windows themselves are all in great condition - one of the selling points for me in getting that camper. Replacing those windows would be a pain at the very least.
I will say that the guy living in the thing is motivated to get this done. He is not, however, confident in installing the paneling and isn't even going to attempt it. That's okay by me, I am somewhat of a perfectionist and I would hate to have spent that money on that stuff only to find a half-@$$ed job done of installing it. the trailer is really a challenge - something different to do - that I am keeping tabs of how much money I am spending on the renovation. I am not going to have those people living in it forever. The man is a worker - he simply cannot find a job right now. Sooner or later, he will find one and hopefully make enough money to get their own apartment or something - and then I will be coaxing them out of it.
My thoughts are simply, if the job is done well enough on that trailer, can I turn a profit on it, even a small one, to make it worth trying it again? Maybe. At the price, this trailer was really a find. The roof, exterior metal and windows were all in good condition. I found a lot of trailers that were in crappy condition - leaking roofs to be precise. That is a deal-killer for me. A roof that has been leaking is going to take much more work in both fixing the roofand the damage it has done to the ceiling and everywhere else the water has gone.
Of course, if I found one that had a leaking roof but still has potential - at the right price it might be worth acquiring. It's neither here nor there, but as some readers know, I am always looking for legitimate ways to increase the fatness of my wallet. Right now it's pretty thin.
Anyway, this tenancy business is a constant battle. I did get a reprieve with the last 3, it was a good little while that I had 3 of them paying regularly and no-one leaving.
Umm, I have more I wanted to write about but - I want to get over to Craigslist and get the first ad published, it's just an urge that needs to be quelched.
C'yall later.
Oh, and thanks to Fin for turning me onto Feedjit - I saw it on his journal quite a while back and wanted it on mine. In recent times, I have seen the flags - on Feejit - from all sorts of different countries around the world and am attempting to be able to say which flag is from where before I put the cursor on it to tell me. Pretty cool, really.
ben
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Today
I - couldn't stop myself. I went to work. But - it wasn't the kind of work that takes a lot of physical output. I'm saying this because I'm trying to put the lid on this sickness, bury it in it's coffin and say goodbye to it.
But there is just too much to do around here. I abandoned the idea of a fence around the plants on the southwest side of the house. I would have had to build the thing at least 4 feet tall and I just don't want that kind of thing back there. Instead, I put up chicken wire around each individual plant. The dogs want to walk along that fenceline - fine - they will be able to do it without trampling the plants.
Trampling the plants at this point would entail stepping into a circle with very sharp points sticking out the top. I'm not going to say it's dog-proofed, but I do have some level of confidence. They aren't after the plants, they could care less about them - they're after the fence. Someday - I'll either be off of this property and it won't matter or I will build a block fence there and the dogs will lose interest in whatever's behind the fence.
I then got to work on the travel trailer's bedroom. Specifically, cutting pieces of styrofoam to size and filling in the gaps. I was enjoying this work because I was nailing it. My cuts were just a little larger than the hole to fill - intentionally - to make a secure, tight fit. The bedroom is done - with insulation.
Now comes the difficult stuff. Cutting the panelling to size. This will be no easy affair. Windows/corners/outlets/angles. I intend on making cutouts for the angled pieces that simply defy my level of ability. I imagine precise measurements could be taken at various point along an angled cut to give precise cutting points - it would be far easier, imo, to simply take newspaper and tape and make a precise cutout of it, put it on the paneling, draw the outline and have a close enough cut. Any offage can be covered with molding.
I quit after getting the insulation done today. I will be in no hurry for the paneling. Meaning that yes, I will do the work, but no, I am not doing a rush job. I spent the money, I want it to look good. A pain in the @$$ - definitely - worth the outcome - definitely. These people living in it? The man has figured out I am going to get this done right regardless of the fact that they want to have it done. I would be pissed at myself for caving in to their desire to have the finished product. Won't they also be happy with a good looking, clean environment? Yes, I think so.
Done with this, long lapse - numerous things going on.
ben
But there is just too much to do around here. I abandoned the idea of a fence around the plants on the southwest side of the house. I would have had to build the thing at least 4 feet tall and I just don't want that kind of thing back there. Instead, I put up chicken wire around each individual plant. The dogs want to walk along that fenceline - fine - they will be able to do it without trampling the plants.
Trampling the plants at this point would entail stepping into a circle with very sharp points sticking out the top. I'm not going to say it's dog-proofed, but I do have some level of confidence. They aren't after the plants, they could care less about them - they're after the fence. Someday - I'll either be off of this property and it won't matter or I will build a block fence there and the dogs will lose interest in whatever's behind the fence.
I then got to work on the travel trailer's bedroom. Specifically, cutting pieces of styrofoam to size and filling in the gaps. I was enjoying this work because I was nailing it. My cuts were just a little larger than the hole to fill - intentionally - to make a secure, tight fit. The bedroom is done - with insulation.
Now comes the difficult stuff. Cutting the panelling to size. This will be no easy affair. Windows/corners/outlets/angles. I intend on making cutouts for the angled pieces that simply defy my level of ability. I imagine precise measurements could be taken at various point along an angled cut to give precise cutting points - it would be far easier, imo, to simply take newspaper and tape and make a precise cutout of it, put it on the paneling, draw the outline and have a close enough cut. Any offage can be covered with molding.
I quit after getting the insulation done today. I will be in no hurry for the paneling. Meaning that yes, I will do the work, but no, I am not doing a rush job. I spent the money, I want it to look good. A pain in the @$$ - definitely - worth the outcome - definitely. These people living in it? The man has figured out I am going to get this done right regardless of the fact that they want to have it done. I would be pissed at myself for caving in to their desire to have the finished product. Won't they also be happy with a good looking, clean environment? Yes, I think so.
Done with this, long lapse - numerous things going on.
ben
Fry's Food Stores
Yes, another entry about Fry's Food Stores, but this time I give them kudos. I bought some chicken leg quarters there earlier this week which had an expiration date of - use by today, actually. I opened it 2 days ago and that fowl smelled REALLY foul.
I don't do rotten chicken, no way, no how, no nothing. I kept forgetting to take it back with me to exchange it. So, today, I figured I would at least try asking and seeing if I could exchange it sight unseen. I rarely - and I mean rarely - return anything to Fry's. I think this dude I asked was actually the newest general manager of that store. I do miss Kim, the guy that was running that place for a long time. Apparently - coming from several store associates - Fry's has some sort of policy to move managers around every couple of years.
I will not give them kudos for that. I like the idea of knowing the people that work there and having some sort of business relationship. In the 5 years I have been going to that store, I estimate I have spent a minimum of 25 grand there. $500 minimum per month times 12 months times 5 years. That's actually 30k, my estimates are on the conservative side.
Regardless, I asked the manager about the chicken - do I have to bring back the rotten stuff or can I just get a fresh package sight unseen? I was totally honest about it, it was a package of the cheap stuff at 74 cents per pound, a loss of a little over 3 bucks for the package I had purchased. He walked with me to the back of the store, picked up a package, took it to the front, bagged it and said have a nice day.
I consider that good customer service. Prolly he didn't even have to do that, in fact I'm pretty sure they want to see either the receipt or the rotten merchandise. So, Fry's, hats off to you for today's visit. Amazingly, in the last few months, even a couple of workers that usually have some pretty consistent, sour attitudes have also brightened up considerably. Nice job. I was going to complain the other day about their 93% lean ground beef on sale for less than 2 bucks per pound - a good deal for that kind of meat - but I didn't feel like going to the trouble. Fry's seems to make a habit out of advertising something at a great sale price and then - not having the product available when you show up. No, they didn't have any - at all.
Anyway, onto Fry's Electronics. My attempted trip there today met with a 3/4 mile backup of traffic on Baseline road. My keyboard failed - again - had to replace it - again. I couldn't believe the amount of traffic, like rush hour on a weekday afternoon with people coming home from work. Took an entirely back route to the store which is less than 2 miles from my house. That store was PACKED with people. You'da thought it was Christmas in February. The line was over 100 feet long to pay.
I can only say my trips to anywhere today are over with. I have no desire, whatsoever, to fight that kind of traffic. This keyboard is different than my old one and I am finding it troublesome trying to get my fingers used to the smaller keys.
Anyway, I'm off to the back yard to finish a fencing project I started this morning. For all you Fry's execs that read this journal - I know of at least 2 when I post anything about Fry's Food Stores - thumbs up for today's visit.
G'day.
ben
I don't do rotten chicken, no way, no how, no nothing. I kept forgetting to take it back with me to exchange it. So, today, I figured I would at least try asking and seeing if I could exchange it sight unseen. I rarely - and I mean rarely - return anything to Fry's. I think this dude I asked was actually the newest general manager of that store. I do miss Kim, the guy that was running that place for a long time. Apparently - coming from several store associates - Fry's has some sort of policy to move managers around every couple of years.
I will not give them kudos for that. I like the idea of knowing the people that work there and having some sort of business relationship. In the 5 years I have been going to that store, I estimate I have spent a minimum of 25 grand there. $500 minimum per month times 12 months times 5 years. That's actually 30k, my estimates are on the conservative side.
Regardless, I asked the manager about the chicken - do I have to bring back the rotten stuff or can I just get a fresh package sight unseen? I was totally honest about it, it was a package of the cheap stuff at 74 cents per pound, a loss of a little over 3 bucks for the package I had purchased. He walked with me to the back of the store, picked up a package, took it to the front, bagged it and said have a nice day.
I consider that good customer service. Prolly he didn't even have to do that, in fact I'm pretty sure they want to see either the receipt or the rotten merchandise. So, Fry's, hats off to you for today's visit. Amazingly, in the last few months, even a couple of workers that usually have some pretty consistent, sour attitudes have also brightened up considerably. Nice job. I was going to complain the other day about their 93% lean ground beef on sale for less than 2 bucks per pound - a good deal for that kind of meat - but I didn't feel like going to the trouble. Fry's seems to make a habit out of advertising something at a great sale price and then - not having the product available when you show up. No, they didn't have any - at all.
Anyway, onto Fry's Electronics. My attempted trip there today met with a 3/4 mile backup of traffic on Baseline road. My keyboard failed - again - had to replace it - again. I couldn't believe the amount of traffic, like rush hour on a weekday afternoon with people coming home from work. Took an entirely back route to the store which is less than 2 miles from my house. That store was PACKED with people. You'da thought it was Christmas in February. The line was over 100 feet long to pay.
I can only say my trips to anywhere today are over with. I have no desire, whatsoever, to fight that kind of traffic. This keyboard is different than my old one and I am finding it troublesome trying to get my fingers used to the smaller keys.
Anyway, I'm off to the back yard to finish a fencing project I started this morning. For all you Fry's execs that read this journal - I know of at least 2 when I post anything about Fry's Food Stores - thumbs up for today's visit.
G'day.
ben
Saturday
I was reviewing my credit card statements this morning - I have been paying everything almost a full month in advance to ensure that I am not late on any payments - and am very nicely encouraged by the fact that 4 out of 5 of the accounts are coming to an end in terms of money owed and the use I got out of them for getting into this house.
There is one card, however, that has such high interest and loaded with so many fees - a $21.00 monthly, minimum payment only brings the principal amount down a few dollars. This - I find to be highly irritating. Not only that, but the card itself is no longer issued, the bank of Delaware or whatever the name of the company is dumped that card.
I have only myself to blame, of course, but still. I have tried several times to contact them and arrange a payoff on it. They refuse. Probably because I am talking to people in Delhi, India, not mainstreet America. I ended up contacting the bank itself to file a complaint. The complaint is simply that they had offered a substantial reduction to the amount owed on the card if I would simply make a one-time payment to get rid of the balance. Now, they are refusing to honor that deal. Note that at the end of the first year of use and the beginning of the second year, they dumped a $150 "annual fee" onto the card. THAT is what really got me cooking about this "card".
I will be calling that company - the bank itself, not the outsourced company that is being used to collect payments - until they get sick of my phone calls. They WILL, at the very least, respond to me and not dump me off onto a voice messaging system with a person that promises to "call back as soon as possible" - with ensuing phone call never being made. I am going to pay 2 of the other cards off - the balances are less than $100 now - and take the monthly payment money I was making on those cards and apply it to this card.
Even my Fingerhut account is getting close to a $100 balance. I usually pay more - sometimes much more - than the minimum monthly amount due. I want to keep my Capital One card; the Chevron-Texaco card; the Fingerhut account - but probably not the prepaid card. It only has a $200 limit - it's a prepaid account, I could just cancel the account, they would take the amount owed out of my "savings account" with them and that would end that card.
It was also nice to see that this month's monthly payments - including Direct TV and also Qwest high speed internet - are paid until next month. Child support also already paid and in the ex's account, the only other payment due this month is the car payment. Oh, water bill should be showing up sooner or later as well. Getting ahead feels so much better than always being behind.
I will be putting any more purchases for the trailer on hold until next month. The only exception would be if I could find a smoking deal on carpet. However, we are nowhere near the point of putting carpet in and there is enough material to keep busy for - weeks actually at the rate we are going. The walls - insulation and paneling - have to be installed and the leak-proofing has to be completed. Well, in order - leak-proofing before any new materials are put in there. The floor in the bedroom is done. Insulation in the floor, new wood, good to go.
Ex-Marine landed a new security job. The only thing that saved me from his lack of employment in terms of receiving monthly rent is the fact that he receives a check from the military every month for damage to his hearing while serving in the Marines. The newest guy? Seems pretty cool - I hope to be able to ask him today about anything that might be bothering him and try to address any issues - if at all possible.
Work? Who knows. I just continue to bust-@$$, keep a good attitude, work work work. I left early a couple of times this week - but only after all the deliveries were done - because I wasn't feeling well. Jury's out on how I feel today, I usually only start feeling it when I start working or doing something, and right now? I don't feel like doing anything. I sense that things are not all well in the land of my employer - numbers aren't exactly high - just the feeling that decisions are being made. What decisions affecting who, no clue. When companies do lay-offs, it's not like they broadcast that they are going to do it in advance or tell the affected individuals about the demise of their employment, either. That's standard, modus-operandi for most all corporations. I neither expect or want to be laid off from work. I can only hope the job situation continues, I'll take reduced hours over NO hours any day of the week, month or year. I can imagine the alternatives - not a pretty picture.
I do have a plan if such happens - ugly at best - to try and save my home from foreclosure if I lose my employment income. $1,000 per month in unemployment benefits to start with - but that's taxed, lol. I could easily see myself renting my master bed and bath out. My son wouldn't much care for it, but I would be moving into his room. I could get $500 a month for my bedroom and bath - it's large, a lot of room with a walk-in closet. I would still have a deficit to deal with - but at least I would be able to make the mortgage payment, keep the internet and satellite tv on (not for me - tenants will not stay without either of those 2 - either and both are equally important), water and electricity. The painted picture is actually not as bad as - people losing their homes and ending up living in apartments or - in many cases - having to move into someone else's house and rent out rooms. Craigslist is full of people advertising to rent a room - at a rate that is a give-away at best.
I understand these people are broke and destitute, but to take $250 per month for a room that is bringing $400 would not be doable in my situation. I am "giving" away help to those people in the trailer, that's as far as it goes for now. Even they are expected to pay for their own utilities - I demand that. No-one rides for free around here. I figure their $100 per month - $25 per week - pays for their usage of everything. They can figure whatever they want, but they would be on the streets right now and I am quite sure they understand that. If they stay, the amount they have to come up with will go up when they start running the AC on that trailer, and trust me, I have no doubts in my mind whatsoever that when it gets hot, they are going to cool that trailer. That is why I am making sure all walls and the flooring have a good amount of insulation going - try to get some kind of efficiency out of the use of it, but in the end, they are responsible and I will make sure that it happens - for payment for the amount of electricity they are using. I already know what my summer electricity usage is - I figure it to go at least $100 above that with that AC unit running out there.
Well, this entry grows long and I have some things I want to get done around here - mostly cleaning projects.
G'day.
ben
There is one card, however, that has such high interest and loaded with so many fees - a $21.00 monthly, minimum payment only brings the principal amount down a few dollars. This - I find to be highly irritating. Not only that, but the card itself is no longer issued, the bank of Delaware or whatever the name of the company is dumped that card.
I have only myself to blame, of course, but still. I have tried several times to contact them and arrange a payoff on it. They refuse. Probably because I am talking to people in Delhi, India, not mainstreet America. I ended up contacting the bank itself to file a complaint. The complaint is simply that they had offered a substantial reduction to the amount owed on the card if I would simply make a one-time payment to get rid of the balance. Now, they are refusing to honor that deal. Note that at the end of the first year of use and the beginning of the second year, they dumped a $150 "annual fee" onto the card. THAT is what really got me cooking about this "card".
I will be calling that company - the bank itself, not the outsourced company that is being used to collect payments - until they get sick of my phone calls. They WILL, at the very least, respond to me and not dump me off onto a voice messaging system with a person that promises to "call back as soon as possible" - with ensuing phone call never being made. I am going to pay 2 of the other cards off - the balances are less than $100 now - and take the monthly payment money I was making on those cards and apply it to this card.
Even my Fingerhut account is getting close to a $100 balance. I usually pay more - sometimes much more - than the minimum monthly amount due. I want to keep my Capital One card; the Chevron-Texaco card; the Fingerhut account - but probably not the prepaid card. It only has a $200 limit - it's a prepaid account, I could just cancel the account, they would take the amount owed out of my "savings account" with them and that would end that card.
It was also nice to see that this month's monthly payments - including Direct TV and also Qwest high speed internet - are paid until next month. Child support also already paid and in the ex's account, the only other payment due this month is the car payment. Oh, water bill should be showing up sooner or later as well. Getting ahead feels so much better than always being behind.
I will be putting any more purchases for the trailer on hold until next month. The only exception would be if I could find a smoking deal on carpet. However, we are nowhere near the point of putting carpet in and there is enough material to keep busy for - weeks actually at the rate we are going. The walls - insulation and paneling - have to be installed and the leak-proofing has to be completed. Well, in order - leak-proofing before any new materials are put in there. The floor in the bedroom is done. Insulation in the floor, new wood, good to go.
Ex-Marine landed a new security job. The only thing that saved me from his lack of employment in terms of receiving monthly rent is the fact that he receives a check from the military every month for damage to his hearing while serving in the Marines. The newest guy? Seems pretty cool - I hope to be able to ask him today about anything that might be bothering him and try to address any issues - if at all possible.
Work? Who knows. I just continue to bust-@$$, keep a good attitude, work work work. I left early a couple of times this week - but only after all the deliveries were done - because I wasn't feeling well. Jury's out on how I feel today, I usually only start feeling it when I start working or doing something, and right now? I don't feel like doing anything. I sense that things are not all well in the land of my employer - numbers aren't exactly high - just the feeling that decisions are being made. What decisions affecting who, no clue. When companies do lay-offs, it's not like they broadcast that they are going to do it in advance or tell the affected individuals about the demise of their employment, either. That's standard, modus-operandi for most all corporations. I neither expect or want to be laid off from work. I can only hope the job situation continues, I'll take reduced hours over NO hours any day of the week, month or year. I can imagine the alternatives - not a pretty picture.
I do have a plan if such happens - ugly at best - to try and save my home from foreclosure if I lose my employment income. $1,000 per month in unemployment benefits to start with - but that's taxed, lol. I could easily see myself renting my master bed and bath out. My son wouldn't much care for it, but I would be moving into his room. I could get $500 a month for my bedroom and bath - it's large, a lot of room with a walk-in closet. I would still have a deficit to deal with - but at least I would be able to make the mortgage payment, keep the internet and satellite tv on (not for me - tenants will not stay without either of those 2 - either and both are equally important), water and electricity. The painted picture is actually not as bad as - people losing their homes and ending up living in apartments or - in many cases - having to move into someone else's house and rent out rooms. Craigslist is full of people advertising to rent a room - at a rate that is a give-away at best.
I understand these people are broke and destitute, but to take $250 per month for a room that is bringing $400 would not be doable in my situation. I am "giving" away help to those people in the trailer, that's as far as it goes for now. Even they are expected to pay for their own utilities - I demand that. No-one rides for free around here. I figure their $100 per month - $25 per week - pays for their usage of everything. They can figure whatever they want, but they would be on the streets right now and I am quite sure they understand that. If they stay, the amount they have to come up with will go up when they start running the AC on that trailer, and trust me, I have no doubts in my mind whatsoever that when it gets hot, they are going to cool that trailer. That is why I am making sure all walls and the flooring have a good amount of insulation going - try to get some kind of efficiency out of the use of it, but in the end, they are responsible and I will make sure that it happens - for payment for the amount of electricity they are using. I already know what my summer electricity usage is - I figure it to go at least $100 above that with that AC unit running out there.
Well, this entry grows long and I have some things I want to get done around here - mostly cleaning projects.
G'day.
ben
Friday, February 12, 2010
Friday..........
..........at last. This work day will not be over fast enough - I have no plans of doing anything this weekend but resting and trying to get better. Or course, knowing me, those plans will be dashed in a crux of things going on around the house - but I WILL find time to rest.
There is little to do in the truck routing system - so I'm basically hoping to get some things done in terms of pickups and then get off early again to go home and sleep, such as I did yesterday.
My newest tenant said he got sick last month, got better and then got sick again, much as what has happened to me. His visit to the doctor confirmed that at first, he WAS sick but what he had after that were extreme allergies. I'll tell you what, if what I have now are allergies, it's the worst I have ever experienced in my entire life and it certainly doesn't FEEL anything like "mere" allergies. It would basically mean I would have to start taking allergy medication, a thing I do not want to do, because the side effects of those medications are as or almost as bad as simply putting up with the allergies themselves.
The only thing I can say is it was a nice run - about a year and a half of not getting extremely ill - the longest I think I have ever gone.
Ummm, anyway, the work day is almost here so - I'm offa here.
Later.
There is little to do in the truck routing system - so I'm basically hoping to get some things done in terms of pickups and then get off early again to go home and sleep, such as I did yesterday.
My newest tenant said he got sick last month, got better and then got sick again, much as what has happened to me. His visit to the doctor confirmed that at first, he WAS sick but what he had after that were extreme allergies. I'll tell you what, if what I have now are allergies, it's the worst I have ever experienced in my entire life and it certainly doesn't FEEL anything like "mere" allergies. It would basically mean I would have to start taking allergy medication, a thing I do not want to do, because the side effects of those medications are as or almost as bad as simply putting up with the allergies themselves.
The only thing I can say is it was a nice run - about a year and a half of not getting extremely ill - the longest I think I have ever gone.
Ummm, anyway, the work day is almost here so - I'm offa here.
Later.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Cafe World - 8: Neighbors
So, you're asking, what's the big hype about neighbors?
Well first off, I would like to dispel one "myth". The "experts" say you must have neighbors so you can visit them every day to get free Cafe World gold coins and points. True that - you can. You get 5 Cafe Points and 20 gold coins for each neighbor you visit.
I don't know about your computer, but mine takes half of forever to actually open up Cafe World: I simply do NOT have the time to visit hundreds of neighbors for some gold coins and points.
What are the pro's of having neighbors?
Depends on you, really.
I have neighbors that have been become internet friends on Facebook. We have discussions several times a week about things that aren't even related to Cafe World. That's pretty cool, really, some really great people, too.
If you want to level up, you can't do it without neighbors unless you want to pay CASH - real money - to do so. I refuse to spend money on a game like this, ridiculous.
You HAVE to have neighbors to hire for waiters/waitresses.
But for the gold coins and points? Great - if you have a gazillion hours a day to visit all of them. I am up to level 70 with 654,000 Cafe Points - I don't visit neighbors all day long and I am gaining at a comfortable rate on the game. Again, as in the last posting on this subject, I have read that Cafe World has 120 levels and then it's over.
Well first off, I would like to dispel one "myth". The "experts" say you must have neighbors so you can visit them every day to get free Cafe World gold coins and points. True that - you can. You get 5 Cafe Points and 20 gold coins for each neighbor you visit.
I don't know about your computer, but mine takes half of forever to actually open up Cafe World: I simply do NOT have the time to visit hundreds of neighbors for some gold coins and points.
What are the pro's of having neighbors?
Depends on you, really.
I have neighbors that have been become internet friends on Facebook. We have discussions several times a week about things that aren't even related to Cafe World. That's pretty cool, really, some really great people, too.
If you want to level up, you can't do it without neighbors unless you want to pay CASH - real money - to do so. I refuse to spend money on a game like this, ridiculous.
You HAVE to have neighbors to hire for waiters/waitresses.
But for the gold coins and points? Great - if you have a gazillion hours a day to visit all of them. I am up to level 70 with 654,000 Cafe Points - I don't visit neighbors all day long and I am gaining at a comfortable rate on the game. Again, as in the last posting on this subject, I have read that Cafe World has 120 levels and then it's over.
Cafe World Tips - 7: Which Dishes To Prepare?
I have read all over the internet about which dishes you should prepare ot gain the most coins in the shortest period of time with what dishes.
They almost ALL use the burger dish as their prime example. Well, that's all fine and dandy, it takes 5 minutes to COOK - you can make all kinds of coins and eventually earn a lot of Cafe Points if you want to go that route.
However, be prepared to spend your days doing nothing but cooking hamburgers. What these people forget to tell you is the prep time to also include in making them - when you have 16 ovens that is going to double the total cooking time. It's a bit ridiculous to think you are going to sit around 10 hours a day or whatever cooking food constantly - meaning clicking your mouse over and over and over until you are - sick of it. I actually did that at the begining when I first started but got tired of that quickly.
Now? I use dishes that work for my schedule. I don't want to sit here endlessly playing the game. I do LIKE the game, but not THAT much. I have a life apart from Cafe World, don't you? I would like to hope so!
You also don't need a tips and tricks download for however much money they want for them - I wouldn't know cause' I never went that far on their sites that are offering such - to figure out which dishes give you maximum returns for your money - or coins in this case. Go through all the dishes currently offered, see how much it costs compared to how much the dish will end up making. It's very simple math.
However, I don't cook dishes just for the maximum return - I have dishes I cook because the timing is right on the hours it takes to cook them. My best example of that is the Crackling Peking Duck dish. It costs 900 coins and gives you a total of 3600 coins when all 900 servings are sold. That's only 3 coins per serving - it tells you all of this right there on the menu. The lure for me? It takes 18 hours to cook. I prepare and get cooking all 16 ovens of it around 8:00pm - an hour before I go to bed, when I come home from work, it's done and ready to go.
Cake is also good. 14 hour prep time - it doesn't spoil even though it's done several hours before I get home. That's another question folks have - about the spoilage. It appears the shorter the time it takes to cook the dish, the shorter time you have to get it to your counters. Let me say here that once you get a dish on your counter - it NEVER spoils. I currently have 285,000 servings of food on my counters - yes, I actually have that many. They never go bad. I could quit playing the game for a week and still have food on there to serve.
The thing you have to pinpoint is how you want to play the game. I want all 8 of my counters to have different foods on them. I cook different dishes every day to keep the numbers up. You might just want to find one dish that pays out a lot and keep cooking that continuosly. Or 2 dishes with the same objective.
You have to determine whether you want to be a slave to the stove or do you want to just spend a few minutes here and there cooking. There are dishes available that take 2 days to cook. Chips and guacamole I believe is 3 MINUTES.
That's it for this tip.
Edited:
Will be editing my tips as new information comes along or I simply am moving ahead on the game. I now have 12 counters and 18 ovens. I just acquired 4 new counters that Cafe World made available a couple of days ago, as well as 2 new stoves that also were unavailable until - a couple of days ago. I have food on all 12 counters. I use 3 of them for gift food and the rest are dishes that I have cooked. Eventually I'll have it back down to 1 counter with gift food and the other 11 all with food I have been cooking.
Also, there is a glitch in Cafe World that has been exposed by - computer geeks I'm guessing - it's called a clicker. I am not going to post sites on here for you to see, just do a Google search for Cafe World clicker and you will find as many sites as you want with the info on how to set it up. It basically cooks the food FOR you. You don't have to do anything. I personally don't want to degrade the game by doing that, so I am not going to set it up on my cafe.
Also, since this posting, Cafe World has listened to it's users and they have released all kinds of new dishes in the menu. Pretty cool, really, plus they are adding all kinds of new decorations you can use in your Cafe.
They almost ALL use the burger dish as their prime example. Well, that's all fine and dandy, it takes 5 minutes to COOK - you can make all kinds of coins and eventually earn a lot of Cafe Points if you want to go that route.
However, be prepared to spend your days doing nothing but cooking hamburgers. What these people forget to tell you is the prep time to also include in making them - when you have 16 ovens that is going to double the total cooking time. It's a bit ridiculous to think you are going to sit around 10 hours a day or whatever cooking food constantly - meaning clicking your mouse over and over and over until you are - sick of it. I actually did that at the begining when I first started but got tired of that quickly.
Now? I use dishes that work for my schedule. I don't want to sit here endlessly playing the game. I do LIKE the game, but not THAT much. I have a life apart from Cafe World, don't you? I would like to hope so!
You also don't need a tips and tricks download for however much money they want for them - I wouldn't know cause' I never went that far on their sites that are offering such - to figure out which dishes give you maximum returns for your money - or coins in this case. Go through all the dishes currently offered, see how much it costs compared to how much the dish will end up making. It's very simple math.
However, I don't cook dishes just for the maximum return - I have dishes I cook because the timing is right on the hours it takes to cook them. My best example of that is the Crackling Peking Duck dish. It costs 900 coins and gives you a total of 3600 coins when all 900 servings are sold. That's only 3 coins per serving - it tells you all of this right there on the menu. The lure for me? It takes 18 hours to cook. I prepare and get cooking all 16 ovens of it around 8:00pm - an hour before I go to bed, when I come home from work, it's done and ready to go.
Cake is also good. 14 hour prep time - it doesn't spoil even though it's done several hours before I get home. That's another question folks have - about the spoilage. It appears the shorter the time it takes to cook the dish, the shorter time you have to get it to your counters. Let me say here that once you get a dish on your counter - it NEVER spoils. I currently have 285,000 servings of food on my counters - yes, I actually have that many. They never go bad. I could quit playing the game for a week and still have food on there to serve.
The thing you have to pinpoint is how you want to play the game. I want all 8 of my counters to have different foods on them. I cook different dishes every day to keep the numbers up. You might just want to find one dish that pays out a lot and keep cooking that continuosly. Or 2 dishes with the same objective.
You have to determine whether you want to be a slave to the stove or do you want to just spend a few minutes here and there cooking. There are dishes available that take 2 days to cook. Chips and guacamole I believe is 3 MINUTES.
That's it for this tip.
Edited:
Will be editing my tips as new information comes along or I simply am moving ahead on the game. I now have 12 counters and 18 ovens. I just acquired 4 new counters that Cafe World made available a couple of days ago, as well as 2 new stoves that also were unavailable until - a couple of days ago. I have food on all 12 counters. I use 3 of them for gift food and the rest are dishes that I have cooked. Eventually I'll have it back down to 1 counter with gift food and the other 11 all with food I have been cooking.
Also, there is a glitch in Cafe World that has been exposed by - computer geeks I'm guessing - it's called a clicker. I am not going to post sites on here for you to see, just do a Google search for Cafe World clicker and you will find as many sites as you want with the info on how to set it up. It basically cooks the food FOR you. You don't have to do anything. I personally don't want to degrade the game by doing that, so I am not going to set it up on my cafe.
Also, since this posting, Cafe World has listened to it's users and they have released all kinds of new dishes in the menu. Pretty cool, really, plus they are adding all kinds of new decorations you can use in your Cafe.
Cafe World Tips 6 - How To Acquire Cafe Points
This isn't going to be a long entry, and neither is it going to be extremely revelatory.
That's because I don't do "cheats" - where you hack into the game and do something that Zynga will eventually find and patch - and possibly BAN YOU FOR LIFE from the game.
No, I figure out how to do the things I want to get done "legally".
So, you are playing this game against your friends, they are WAY ahead of you in Cafe Points and levels. How to catch up?
Here's my answer.
First, it's going to cost you gold coins - a lot of them. If you don't have many gold coins saved up, come back to this in the future after you have at least 500,000 of them.
Second, it's going to take some time. This isn't a 2 minute power-grab, depending on how many points you want to gain, it could take half an hour or a couple of days.
It's very simple, really. Buy some food to cook, prepare it and then delete it. Find the highest preparing points dish you currently have - while at the best money. I us Shu Mai Dumplings. For each preparation part of getting it ready to cook, you get 20 coins. Multiply that by 16 ovens, do it over and over and you can get thousands and thousands of points in a relatively short amount of time.
One of my neighbors is currently doing that RIGHT NOW as I am writing this. He was 200,000 points behind me, he is now 150,000 points ahead of me. In the last 4 hours he has gained at least 30,000 Cafe World Points. Okay, I can't say for sure he's doing it that way, but I'm guessing that's the case here. There may be a cheat out there to get points instantly - but he isn't getting them instantly and I have been to his cafe several times and noticed new dishes on the oven every time, so I'm probably right.
I just recently remodelled my cafe, so I only have 354,000 gold coins to work with right now. This neighbor will not do this forever, he will eventually quit, when he does, I'm going to go on the offensive and spend however much time it takes to catch up to him and pass him.
BTW, I was reading someone else's journal on this subject of Cafe World, apparently there is an end to it - level 120 and it's over. Don't quote me on that, but the man claims to have gone all the way through it. He also wrote up a Tips and Tricks tutorial - for sale of course.
For now, my tips are free!
That's because I don't do "cheats" - where you hack into the game and do something that Zynga will eventually find and patch - and possibly BAN YOU FOR LIFE from the game.
No, I figure out how to do the things I want to get done "legally".
So, you are playing this game against your friends, they are WAY ahead of you in Cafe Points and levels. How to catch up?
Here's my answer.
First, it's going to cost you gold coins - a lot of them. If you don't have many gold coins saved up, come back to this in the future after you have at least 500,000 of them.
Second, it's going to take some time. This isn't a 2 minute power-grab, depending on how many points you want to gain, it could take half an hour or a couple of days.
It's very simple, really. Buy some food to cook, prepare it and then delete it. Find the highest preparing points dish you currently have - while at the best money. I us Shu Mai Dumplings. For each preparation part of getting it ready to cook, you get 20 coins. Multiply that by 16 ovens, do it over and over and you can get thousands and thousands of points in a relatively short amount of time.
One of my neighbors is currently doing that RIGHT NOW as I am writing this. He was 200,000 points behind me, he is now 150,000 points ahead of me. In the last 4 hours he has gained at least 30,000 Cafe World Points. Okay, I can't say for sure he's doing it that way, but I'm guessing that's the case here. There may be a cheat out there to get points instantly - but he isn't getting them instantly and I have been to his cafe several times and noticed new dishes on the oven every time, so I'm probably right.
I just recently remodelled my cafe, so I only have 354,000 gold coins to work with right now. This neighbor will not do this forever, he will eventually quit, when he does, I'm going to go on the offensive and spend however much time it takes to catch up to him and pass him.
BTW, I was reading someone else's journal on this subject of Cafe World, apparently there is an end to it - level 120 and it's over. Don't quote me on that, but the man claims to have gone all the way through it. He also wrote up a Tips and Tricks tutorial - for sale of course.
For now, my tips are free!
The Stunning Blow
Iran's apparent stunning blow to the west was the announcement of the "fact" that they are now a "Nuclear State". I didn't find this stunning at all - apalling, maybe, if such is true, but hardly stunned. They claim they "don't need to enrich the fuel to 90%", claiming their intent is solely for power generation.
BS. If anyone thinks that Iran does not have a bloodlust hunger to manufacture and be able to use nuclear weapons, please simply look at both their past and the threats coming from no less than the land's own president. I need not go into all of that - if you don't know, then so some research and come back to the table with a valid argument.
They want to destroy Israel and the U.S. I have no idea how many times that rhetoric has been repeated, over and over, from the mouth of that president and others within the regime. I firmly believe Israel is in talks amongst themselves as to what their next move is. I would be thinking about destroying the facilities that are known to be used to enrich uranium. I probably wouldn't be asking the world for it's condonences since most of the world seems totally opposed to such.
Whatever. The scenario will play out as it's destined to be. I always fall back to God being in control - whether it's apparent or not - and His will be done on earth, as it is in heaven, period.
Work on the trailer continues. The rotten corner has almost totally been replaced with fresh, clean wood. It seems like he doesn't get much done until I come around and start looking at what to do next. I actually have done most of the work - he tries to cut corners and I don't want that s*** done. If I'm going to go to this much trouble, it's going to be done right. The leaks are going to be stopped and I will make sure that event occurs - every time it rains. The entire trailer is going to have fresh caulking put on EVERY single seam, I don't care how much of a pain in the @$$ it is. In a couple of more places where water has obviously gotten through, the screws on those seams will be removed, the seam will be pulled apart and fresh caulking will be put inside of those seams, virtually guaranteeing a leak-free environment.
We're working on the bedroom - and will have to completely finish it before moving anywhere else in the trailer since they are living in it already. This is one reason I was objecting to them moving in before I got it done - now there are bodies and "stuff" in the way. Not a huge ordeal - they can move that stuff when we get there and that will be that.
I'm still as sick as a dog. I felt like crap at work today. Breathing is a chore at best. Lungs are congested and it's probably bronchitis. Don't know, I'm resisting going to the doc cause' I hate spending the money. If/when it gets to the point I can't function - then I go to the doc, get whatever drugs. Came home today and slept. Got off early - as soon as I got back from all the running around, including another trip to Miami, I asked to go home and that was that.
Enough. The day grows long and I am going to bed early tonight. Friday tomorrow - hopefully not too long a day and I can come home and get some more rest. I have PLENTY of sick hours available - I could take 2 straight weeks off if needed. Not that I want to do that, just saying I could maybe get off a little early tomorrow as well.
ben
BS. If anyone thinks that Iran does not have a bloodlust hunger to manufacture and be able to use nuclear weapons, please simply look at both their past and the threats coming from no less than the land's own president. I need not go into all of that - if you don't know, then so some research and come back to the table with a valid argument.
They want to destroy Israel and the U.S. I have no idea how many times that rhetoric has been repeated, over and over, from the mouth of that president and others within the regime. I firmly believe Israel is in talks amongst themselves as to what their next move is. I would be thinking about destroying the facilities that are known to be used to enrich uranium. I probably wouldn't be asking the world for it's condonences since most of the world seems totally opposed to such.
Whatever. The scenario will play out as it's destined to be. I always fall back to God being in control - whether it's apparent or not - and His will be done on earth, as it is in heaven, period.
Work on the trailer continues. The rotten corner has almost totally been replaced with fresh, clean wood. It seems like he doesn't get much done until I come around and start looking at what to do next. I actually have done most of the work - he tries to cut corners and I don't want that s*** done. If I'm going to go to this much trouble, it's going to be done right. The leaks are going to be stopped and I will make sure that event occurs - every time it rains. The entire trailer is going to have fresh caulking put on EVERY single seam, I don't care how much of a pain in the @$$ it is. In a couple of more places where water has obviously gotten through, the screws on those seams will be removed, the seam will be pulled apart and fresh caulking will be put inside of those seams, virtually guaranteeing a leak-free environment.
We're working on the bedroom - and will have to completely finish it before moving anywhere else in the trailer since they are living in it already. This is one reason I was objecting to them moving in before I got it done - now there are bodies and "stuff" in the way. Not a huge ordeal - they can move that stuff when we get there and that will be that.
I'm still as sick as a dog. I felt like crap at work today. Breathing is a chore at best. Lungs are congested and it's probably bronchitis. Don't know, I'm resisting going to the doc cause' I hate spending the money. If/when it gets to the point I can't function - then I go to the doc, get whatever drugs. Came home today and slept. Got off early - as soon as I got back from all the running around, including another trip to Miami, I asked to go home and that was that.
Enough. The day grows long and I am going to bed early tonight. Friday tomorrow - hopefully not too long a day and I can come home and get some more rest. I have PLENTY of sick hours available - I could take 2 straight weeks off if needed. Not that I want to do that, just saying I could maybe get off a little early tomorrow as well.
ben
Thursday
Splinter in my finger nail? Still there. As much as I tried yesterday to dig that thing out of there, it wasn't budging. I have no desire to spend $50 to have a doc remove the thing, I'm going to leave it and see if it will eventually start to move out on it's own. Well, unless the pain gets too much, then I'll pay to have the thing removed. Cheaper to take a hammer and smash the fingernail so it comes off and the splinter comes out with it - but that probably wouldn't feel to good.
Newest residents - of the trailer that is - were gone all day yesterday, but resurfaced at night, came in and handed me $25. That's what I want from them - for now - to pay for their use of electricity and water: $25 per week. They were talking about getting a space heater - all well and fine, but that price per week will go up with it. It will also go up if they are here when it starts getting warm and they turn on the AC. Whatever the amount goes up every day for power use, that's what they're going to pay. However, I think I will see if I can locate a downdraft evap cooler - those things work well in certain months of the year when it's not too hot and the air is dry - keeps it as cool as AC without removing all the moisture.
The cleaning, however, did not start as they had promised - but - I'll give them a pass on that since they took their bicycles and rode clear over to Mesa to go to a thrift store they frequent. The store gives them freebies because they are homeless. They scored a couple of blankets and who knows what else. I forgot to tell them but will say something today about the fact that whatever they acquire, it needs to go inside the trailer as I will not tolerate outdoor storage of - junk. Been there, done that, bought the farm with those "other" people, never again. My "threat" will include fact of me simply throwing things in the trash can that I find laying about the yard, if, indeed, such happens. I don't get that these people are like that, but as with everything when dealing with the human element - especially that element being strangers living on your property - I find that I HAVE to spell things out VERY clearly and repeat it over and over until the message gets through.
As for the newest paying tenant, well I don't see him, at all. He leaves after I leave in the morning and returns very late - like 11 or even 12 pm at night. I want to talk to him to discuss whether there is anything that is not to his liking, and if so, what can we do to rectify it - I guess that will have to wait until the weekend.
I do have a few people living on my property at this point. 8 in total. Plus 4 dogs. Lol. I'm still quite amazed at the scripture that spoke directly to this situation that seemingly popped up right in front of my eyes yesterday. God certainly is capable of communicating with us - all of us - if we bother to listen and have the desire to do so. But that's another subject for another day. I was only speaking for myself and to myself about confirmation of whether doing this, or more like, allowing this, is anything headed in the right direction. My ex-wife believes I am a lost, evil, soul headed directly towards hell. I profess, here and now - publicly for the world to see - that Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior. I love Him, I know He loves me, that's really all there is to it. I attempt to try and do things in life that I hope He would find pleasing - though I know I also fall far short many times and no, I am not happy about those aspects of my life.
Oh well. Pick myself up, move on. And moving on I shall be - cause' work day approaches and I best be offa here.
C'yall later.
ben
Newest residents - of the trailer that is - were gone all day yesterday, but resurfaced at night, came in and handed me $25. That's what I want from them - for now - to pay for their use of electricity and water: $25 per week. They were talking about getting a space heater - all well and fine, but that price per week will go up with it. It will also go up if they are here when it starts getting warm and they turn on the AC. Whatever the amount goes up every day for power use, that's what they're going to pay. However, I think I will see if I can locate a downdraft evap cooler - those things work well in certain months of the year when it's not too hot and the air is dry - keeps it as cool as AC without removing all the moisture.
The cleaning, however, did not start as they had promised - but - I'll give them a pass on that since they took their bicycles and rode clear over to Mesa to go to a thrift store they frequent. The store gives them freebies because they are homeless. They scored a couple of blankets and who knows what else. I forgot to tell them but will say something today about the fact that whatever they acquire, it needs to go inside the trailer as I will not tolerate outdoor storage of - junk. Been there, done that, bought the farm with those "other" people, never again. My "threat" will include fact of me simply throwing things in the trash can that I find laying about the yard, if, indeed, such happens. I don't get that these people are like that, but as with everything when dealing with the human element - especially that element being strangers living on your property - I find that I HAVE to spell things out VERY clearly and repeat it over and over until the message gets through.
As for the newest paying tenant, well I don't see him, at all. He leaves after I leave in the morning and returns very late - like 11 or even 12 pm at night. I want to talk to him to discuss whether there is anything that is not to his liking, and if so, what can we do to rectify it - I guess that will have to wait until the weekend.
I do have a few people living on my property at this point. 8 in total. Plus 4 dogs. Lol. I'm still quite amazed at the scripture that spoke directly to this situation that seemingly popped up right in front of my eyes yesterday. God certainly is capable of communicating with us - all of us - if we bother to listen and have the desire to do so. But that's another subject for another day. I was only speaking for myself and to myself about confirmation of whether doing this, or more like, allowing this, is anything headed in the right direction. My ex-wife believes I am a lost, evil, soul headed directly towards hell. I profess, here and now - publicly for the world to see - that Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior. I love Him, I know He loves me, that's really all there is to it. I attempt to try and do things in life that I hope He would find pleasing - though I know I also fall far short many times and no, I am not happy about those aspects of my life.
Oh well. Pick myself up, move on. And moving on I shall be - cause' work day approaches and I best be offa here.
C'yall later.
ben
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Am I Doing The Right Thing?
Sometimes - maybe every time - I try to help someone, I am always asking myself - and God - whether I am doing the right thing in the particular case I am involved with. Does God ordain this? Is there something I am not seeing. Really, is this a mistake that I am going to pay for?
God is good and He is faithful. He answers you - in ways you may not even understand that it is Him that is responding to you. In this case, it was clearly evident to me that this is the right thing - for now, anyway, nothing on this earth, really, is ever permanent, it is all temporal.
So, in the case of these 2 individuals that are staying in the trailer, I found myself asking the question: Should I have let them come in here? Is this the right thing to do in this particular situation? Is this what God wants?
I received a letter from the organization that I gave money to to help people in Haiti. BTW, in a disaster situation such as theirs, unless authorities specifically say different, money is ALWAYS the best thing to give. You can give food and clothing and all that - if it is requested. There are many situations where material goods are not going to do any good - because those goods may take a long time to get there or may NEVER get there. Money is always good because organizations can, if nothing else - purchase goods from the nearest source to get material items necessary to any given location much faster. I have known this for a long, long time, but the situation in Haiti is evidence of such, at least to some degree.
The letter I received had a little piece of paper with the following scripture written on it:
Isaiah 58:7
They titled it: You Are Not Forgotten!
"Divide your bread with the hungry,
bring the homeless into the house,
when you see the naked cover him,
and do not divert your eyes from your own flesh."
A different version plus the scripture after it reads:
7"Is it not to (A)divide your bread with the hungry
And (B)bring the homeless poor into the house;
When you see the (C)naked, to cover him;
And not to (D)hide yourself from your own flesh?
8"Then your (E)light will break out like the dawn,
And your (F)recovery will speedily spring forth;
And your (G)righteousness will go before you;
The glory of the (H)LORD will be your rear guard.
9"Then you will (I)call, and the LORD will answer;
You will cry, and He will say, 'Here I am '
If you (J)remove the yoke from your midst,
The (K)pointing of the finger and (L)speaking wickedness,
10And if you (M)give yourself to the hungry
And satisfy the desire of the afflicted,
Then your (N)light will rise in darkness
And your gloom will become like midday.
11"And the (O)LORD will continually guide you,
And (P)satisfy your desire in scorched places,
And (Q)give strength to your bones;
And you will be like a (R)watered garden,
And like a (S)spring of water whose waters do not fail.
12"Those from among you will (T)rebuild the ancient ruins;
You will (U)raise up the age-old foundations;
And you will be called the repairer of the (V)breach,
The restorer of the streets in which to dwell.
If you want reasons to feed the hungry and in this case, help the homeless, just go to the Word. You will find it over and over and over throughout Scripture. I have given to hungry when I was totally broke - just because of the redundancy of the theme in the Word: God wants those of us that can help the hungry - TO help the hungry. You can choose to believe whatever you wish. I am not your Judge, would never pretend to be. I only speak for myself. I have my own faults and failings, I have my own junk to answer for, I need not look at someone else's dirty laundry.
It never ceases to amaze me how I am always confirmed on such things. That text of scripture was in an envelope asking for more help for Haiti, not for a couple living in a travel trailer in my side yard, yet it spoke volumes to me, simply because it said what it said and came at the EXACT time I was looking for an answer. Contrary to what my ex-wife and many of her friends believe, I am not the godless, soul-less, lost infidel that has been proclaimed many times over. The enemy of my soul is to blame for those accusations - he is the accuser of the brethren as the Scripture states. No, I have the Lord in my thoughts every day - literally every day. I am sometimes feeling very bad about my own state of being, other times rejoicing for the good fortunes of others - always thanking Him for another day of living and breathing air on His creation - the earth and all that that entails.
I need not explain myself to others, I don't feel that at all. In fact, I have no problems telling people that I have otherwise homeless people living on my property. I get some interesting looks and responses. No, this is my blog and this is where I vent, release, speak out and describe my daily life. People will judge me behind my back about doing such - they don't deserve it, why help them - they can help themselves; tell them to go get jobs.
Walk a mile in another man's shoes, that's what I think, that's what I say, or something like it or - something much more blunt. I was speaking my mind as a teen. On the mission field it became more entrenched. Now? Lol.
G'day.
ben
God is good and He is faithful. He answers you - in ways you may not even understand that it is Him that is responding to you. In this case, it was clearly evident to me that this is the right thing - for now, anyway, nothing on this earth, really, is ever permanent, it is all temporal.
So, in the case of these 2 individuals that are staying in the trailer, I found myself asking the question: Should I have let them come in here? Is this the right thing to do in this particular situation? Is this what God wants?
I received a letter from the organization that I gave money to to help people in Haiti. BTW, in a disaster situation such as theirs, unless authorities specifically say different, money is ALWAYS the best thing to give. You can give food and clothing and all that - if it is requested. There are many situations where material goods are not going to do any good - because those goods may take a long time to get there or may NEVER get there. Money is always good because organizations can, if nothing else - purchase goods from the nearest source to get material items necessary to any given location much faster. I have known this for a long, long time, but the situation in Haiti is evidence of such, at least to some degree.
The letter I received had a little piece of paper with the following scripture written on it:
Isaiah 58:7
They titled it: You Are Not Forgotten!
"Divide your bread with the hungry,
bring the homeless into the house,
when you see the naked cover him,
and do not divert your eyes from your own flesh."
A different version plus the scripture after it reads:
7"Is it not to (A)divide your bread with the hungry
And (B)bring the homeless poor into the house;
When you see the (C)naked, to cover him;
And not to (D)hide yourself from your own flesh?
8"Then your (E)light will break out like the dawn,
And your (F)recovery will speedily spring forth;
And your (G)righteousness will go before you;
The glory of the (H)LORD will be your rear guard.
9"Then you will (I)call, and the LORD will answer;
You will cry, and He will say, 'Here I am '
If you (J)remove the yoke from your midst,
The (K)pointing of the finger and (L)speaking wickedness,
10And if you (M)give yourself to the hungry
And satisfy the desire of the afflicted,
Then your (N)light will rise in darkness
And your gloom will become like midday.
11"And the (O)LORD will continually guide you,
And (P)satisfy your desire in scorched places,
And (Q)give strength to your bones;
And you will be like a (R)watered garden,
And like a (S)spring of water whose waters do not fail.
12"Those from among you will (T)rebuild the ancient ruins;
You will (U)raise up the age-old foundations;
And you will be called the repairer of the (V)breach,
The restorer of the streets in which to dwell.
If you want reasons to feed the hungry and in this case, help the homeless, just go to the Word. You will find it over and over and over throughout Scripture. I have given to hungry when I was totally broke - just because of the redundancy of the theme in the Word: God wants those of us that can help the hungry - TO help the hungry. You can choose to believe whatever you wish. I am not your Judge, would never pretend to be. I only speak for myself. I have my own faults and failings, I have my own junk to answer for, I need not look at someone else's dirty laundry.
It never ceases to amaze me how I am always confirmed on such things. That text of scripture was in an envelope asking for more help for Haiti, not for a couple living in a travel trailer in my side yard, yet it spoke volumes to me, simply because it said what it said and came at the EXACT time I was looking for an answer. Contrary to what my ex-wife and many of her friends believe, I am not the godless, soul-less, lost infidel that has been proclaimed many times over. The enemy of my soul is to blame for those accusations - he is the accuser of the brethren as the Scripture states. No, I have the Lord in my thoughts every day - literally every day. I am sometimes feeling very bad about my own state of being, other times rejoicing for the good fortunes of others - always thanking Him for another day of living and breathing air on His creation - the earth and all that that entails.
I need not explain myself to others, I don't feel that at all. In fact, I have no problems telling people that I have otherwise homeless people living on my property. I get some interesting looks and responses. No, this is my blog and this is where I vent, release, speak out and describe my daily life. People will judge me behind my back about doing such - they don't deserve it, why help them - they can help themselves; tell them to go get jobs.
Walk a mile in another man's shoes, that's what I think, that's what I say, or something like it or - something much more blunt. I was speaking my mind as a teen. On the mission field it became more entrenched. Now? Lol.
G'day.
ben
Wednesday
So, it's supposed to rain again - today or tomorrow don't remember when. This state has been under a drought for years - and years now - the question was posed on the news as to whether we are out of the drought yet. It has been raining up north for some time now - that is where our lakes and underground reservoirs are that mostly feed the Phoenix area. No, was the answer, but we're almost there. Well I ain't no meteorologist and I am no scientist of any kind, but I'd say if the reservoirs are filled and the lakes are all filled up - that's a pretty good sign that we're well on our way out of it. Some of the lakes had fallen to record low levels to the point they appeared to be drying up altogether.
I have hardly been watering my plants in the last few months - between winter and not needing as much watering and Mother Nature doing a lot of the watering for me - well, my water bill is way down. I'm bracing myself for the summer to come and am starting to dump money onto the power card reader as often as I can to try and get ahead - want to have $400 on there by June and have a jump on the high electric usage coming my way. Oh, and of course the water usage goes WAY up in the summer.
So, these new people moved in - let the dogs out, I got mad, very mad considering they were told in advance about that s*** and not leaving the gate open, but it's hopefully good now. They ARE very clean people. I will give them that much, they are what they said they were in that arena. The woman has thoroughly scrubbed that trailer inside and even though the thing is far from finished, at least it's clean in there.
Today, that kind of cleaning starts in my house. I just did that kind of cleaning middle of last week - this is part of the trade-off - they pay for their use of utilities plus cleaning projects. The guy, of course, is working on the trailer trying to get the thing done. It'll be a while, is all I can say. There is alot of work to do to make it leak-free, rotten-wood free and electrical system good. I am seeing people that are very happy to be off of the streets and could care less if the thing is done or not. I ran them an electrical line, gave them a small lamp, an inflatable bed. They already had their own microwave in there and I'm going to let them use the refrigerator I have in my room - I haven't needed to use it since Ken was found unconscious in his bedroom - the mooching/theiving of my drinks is long since gone. That will take care of most of their needs. The big issue after the trailer is done is whether to dig a trench and run a sewer line or not. I say yes - he says who's going to dig the trench? Okay, 110 plus feet of trench is a lot - but - I could either rent a Ditch-Witch and have it done in short manner or hire a couple of people off of the street corners to do it by hand. Neither here nor there, no priority at this point is being given to it simply because there is so much other stuff to get done first and because they have access to the bathroom in-house.
I'm still laughing at Obama and his statement that he'll "meet GOP halfway" on healthcare. WHERE were such statements not even a month ago, when he and all the Dems were sitting there, smugly and defiantely meeting behind closed doors "knowing" they would get mostly whatever they wanted in that bill? I saw nothing but pure arrogance and grandstanding - I hope the bill totally dies and they start something new - something that doesn't have enough dollar bills attached to it that you could build a path to Pluto with the ensuing waste.
The head cold goes on. The continual runny nose - goes down my throat and into my lungs at night, mornings are hell. Hard to breath, takes half the morning before I feel "good" again. I have a lot of driving to do today, I hope I am feeling up to the "challenge". Mostly highway driving, though, not so bad as all city type of driving.
As for this entry, it's history cause' I'm running out of time before time to sign in to work.
G'day.
ben
I have hardly been watering my plants in the last few months - between winter and not needing as much watering and Mother Nature doing a lot of the watering for me - well, my water bill is way down. I'm bracing myself for the summer to come and am starting to dump money onto the power card reader as often as I can to try and get ahead - want to have $400 on there by June and have a jump on the high electric usage coming my way. Oh, and of course the water usage goes WAY up in the summer.
So, these new people moved in - let the dogs out, I got mad, very mad considering they were told in advance about that s*** and not leaving the gate open, but it's hopefully good now. They ARE very clean people. I will give them that much, they are what they said they were in that arena. The woman has thoroughly scrubbed that trailer inside and even though the thing is far from finished, at least it's clean in there.
Today, that kind of cleaning starts in my house. I just did that kind of cleaning middle of last week - this is part of the trade-off - they pay for their use of utilities plus cleaning projects. The guy, of course, is working on the trailer trying to get the thing done. It'll be a while, is all I can say. There is alot of work to do to make it leak-free, rotten-wood free and electrical system good. I am seeing people that are very happy to be off of the streets and could care less if the thing is done or not. I ran them an electrical line, gave them a small lamp, an inflatable bed. They already had their own microwave in there and I'm going to let them use the refrigerator I have in my room - I haven't needed to use it since Ken was found unconscious in his bedroom - the mooching/theiving of my drinks is long since gone. That will take care of most of their needs. The big issue after the trailer is done is whether to dig a trench and run a sewer line or not. I say yes - he says who's going to dig the trench? Okay, 110 plus feet of trench is a lot - but - I could either rent a Ditch-Witch and have it done in short manner or hire a couple of people off of the street corners to do it by hand. Neither here nor there, no priority at this point is being given to it simply because there is so much other stuff to get done first and because they have access to the bathroom in-house.
I'm still laughing at Obama and his statement that he'll "meet GOP halfway" on healthcare. WHERE were such statements not even a month ago, when he and all the Dems were sitting there, smugly and defiantely meeting behind closed doors "knowing" they would get mostly whatever they wanted in that bill? I saw nothing but pure arrogance and grandstanding - I hope the bill totally dies and they start something new - something that doesn't have enough dollar bills attached to it that you could build a path to Pluto with the ensuing waste.
The head cold goes on. The continual runny nose - goes down my throat and into my lungs at night, mornings are hell. Hard to breath, takes half the morning before I feel "good" again. I have a lot of driving to do today, I hope I am feeling up to the "challenge". Mostly highway driving, though, not so bad as all city type of driving.
As for this entry, it's history cause' I'm running out of time before time to sign in to work.
G'day.
ben
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Tuesday
Sleep issues.
Dunno.
I will be going to the doc's later on this month for the physical that I missed a few months ago, will definitely be discussing with him sleep issues and please check and make sure there aren't any problems that I don't know about that might be causing it.
I can say that I slept better last night than the night before, I can also say that I am sick again - with something different than I had just 2 weeks ago. This is a head cold type of thing. Yesterday I took an hour and a half "nap" after work just to get me to feeling better.
There is only one delivery in the truck routing system - things are slowing down for whatever reason. I have been very busy doing deliveries; pulling orders; doing transfers for at least a couple of months running, now all of the sudden that business is coming to a screeching halt. There is, however, plenty to do around the yard and shop as some things have been neglected - mostly cleaning issues - because of the business factor.
New tenant moved in last night after I went to bed. I only know this because his rather nice pickup truck is parked out front. All 3 tenants at this point have vehicles - meaning parking on the street. I would feel a little "bad" about it, but since everyone else around my house seems to have 3 plus vehicles, I won't lose sleep over THAT, maybe other things, but not that. I will be asking the new tenant if there were any unacceptable noise levels coming from the living room. I always ask a new tenant moving into that particular room about any noise because, of course, it's right next to the living room. I can "fix" issues like that pretty easily: tell whatever kid/s that are out here to shut the bleep up and turn the TV down. I have gone so far in the past as to simply remove the card out of the satellite receiver - which renders the thing useless and nowadays, you can't even receive local channels without a box for converting digital signals.
I still could kick myself for not having some insulation put into the wall between the living room and that bedroom. I had thought about it at the time of having that house constructed but - I forgot and it was too late when I realized the memory lapse. I knew I would be needing at least one tenant, maybe more - I have found, however, wall treatments that might work as well. You simply put the treatment next to wherever offending noises are originating - a TV for example - and it allegedly bounces the noise back towards the offender instead of through the wall.
Anyway, work day approaches and I'm outta here.
ben
Dunno.
I will be going to the doc's later on this month for the physical that I missed a few months ago, will definitely be discussing with him sleep issues and please check and make sure there aren't any problems that I don't know about that might be causing it.
I can say that I slept better last night than the night before, I can also say that I am sick again - with something different than I had just 2 weeks ago. This is a head cold type of thing. Yesterday I took an hour and a half "nap" after work just to get me to feeling better.
There is only one delivery in the truck routing system - things are slowing down for whatever reason. I have been very busy doing deliveries; pulling orders; doing transfers for at least a couple of months running, now all of the sudden that business is coming to a screeching halt. There is, however, plenty to do around the yard and shop as some things have been neglected - mostly cleaning issues - because of the business factor.
New tenant moved in last night after I went to bed. I only know this because his rather nice pickup truck is parked out front. All 3 tenants at this point have vehicles - meaning parking on the street. I would feel a little "bad" about it, but since everyone else around my house seems to have 3 plus vehicles, I won't lose sleep over THAT, maybe other things, but not that. I will be asking the new tenant if there were any unacceptable noise levels coming from the living room. I always ask a new tenant moving into that particular room about any noise because, of course, it's right next to the living room. I can "fix" issues like that pretty easily: tell whatever kid/s that are out here to shut the bleep up and turn the TV down. I have gone so far in the past as to simply remove the card out of the satellite receiver - which renders the thing useless and nowadays, you can't even receive local channels without a box for converting digital signals.
I still could kick myself for not having some insulation put into the wall between the living room and that bedroom. I had thought about it at the time of having that house constructed but - I forgot and it was too late when I realized the memory lapse. I knew I would be needing at least one tenant, maybe more - I have found, however, wall treatments that might work as well. You simply put the treatment next to wherever offending noises are originating - a TV for example - and it allegedly bounces the noise back towards the offender instead of through the wall.
Anyway, work day approaches and I'm outta here.
ben
Monday, February 8, 2010
Monday
What a hellish day at work. I didn't sleep well last night plus my nose started running sometime yesterday - the 7-1/2 hours at work today did not go by "fast" by an stretch of the imagination. I just got done with an hour and a half nap - I forced myself to get back up or my sleep will REALLY be messed with tonight. I had plenty I wanted to get done today after work - put it all on hold for today, anyway.
New tenant has accelerated his move-in plans - he was going to move in Thursday, instead he just called and said he would be showing up around 9 or 10 tonight. I'm shrugging my shoulders - he paid the rent for the rest of the month, he can come and go as he pleases. I totally forgot to get him to sing a rental contract, though, need to get that done. This guy is a temporary tenant by his own statement. Didn't really care, just get the room filled, that is always my main objective. He didn't really know when he would be moving out - he is having marital problems and it was suggested by whoever is counselling them that they split apart for a while - undetermined amount of time - a month, 6 months, who knows.
Commendable that they are at least trying counselling before - splitting up. I tried that route for several years with my ex, but the fact of the matter is that both sides have to be willing to meet in the middle, if not, you can set up camp at the counsellor's office and live there and it isn't going to change anything.
Guy didn't show up to work on the trailer today - but I really have no set schedule from him for when he's going to show and when not. He still has the business of going out and doing odd-jobs wherever he can so he can continue to stay at the cheap hotel he's at until the trailer is ready for move-in. At the rate the trailer is going, it's going to be a while. Regardless, I am not paying for his hotel stay or even contributing towards it - my part in this was getting the trailer and spending as little money as possible in renovating it. I have located materials for it, I just need to get them here. Right now there is plenty to do in just removing rotted wood and replacing it. That's mostly work, not money as materials are either very cheap or - in this case - have found good, used materials for free.
I don't know - I feel like I'm sick again but with something else. I don't know what this constant, runny nose business is buy my head is not feeling right and this - sucks really. Oh well, that's life and complaining about junk like that doesn't really do any good excepting for the venting release.
Lastly - another political rant. Obama, of course. Now, suddenly, he wants to bring the republicans to the negotiating table in regards to "his" health care plan. Gee, isn't that wonderful, he totally snubbed them during this ENTIRE process, even after he was called to the table by CNN, who said he broke a campaign promise that the doors would be open and he would invite CNN in to video the entire proceedings.
Personally, if I were one of the dissed Republicans - which are all of them - I would tell him to go jump in a lake. Let the freakin' thing die and let them start something that is TRULY bi-partisan - but AFTER this small issue of millions of unemployed Americans is dealt with, shouldn't that really be the priority right now? This guy's priorities are definitely on a different planet as far as I'm concerned. This just isn't the time to start talking a trillion - or trillions is probably the end of the story - dollars being spent on a health care overhaul when the entire system is broken - the financial system that is.
Rant over. Just that I gagged when I saw the news report of Obama calling the "other side" to the table after all of this time totally - and I do mean TOTALLY - DISSING them and dissing them badly.
I'm done - for now anyway. I haven't really had much time to look at the news today and I want to see what's going on in this world right now.
ben
New tenant has accelerated his move-in plans - he was going to move in Thursday, instead he just called and said he would be showing up around 9 or 10 tonight. I'm shrugging my shoulders - he paid the rent for the rest of the month, he can come and go as he pleases. I totally forgot to get him to sing a rental contract, though, need to get that done. This guy is a temporary tenant by his own statement. Didn't really care, just get the room filled, that is always my main objective. He didn't really know when he would be moving out - he is having marital problems and it was suggested by whoever is counselling them that they split apart for a while - undetermined amount of time - a month, 6 months, who knows.
Commendable that they are at least trying counselling before - splitting up. I tried that route for several years with my ex, but the fact of the matter is that both sides have to be willing to meet in the middle, if not, you can set up camp at the counsellor's office and live there and it isn't going to change anything.
Guy didn't show up to work on the trailer today - but I really have no set schedule from him for when he's going to show and when not. He still has the business of going out and doing odd-jobs wherever he can so he can continue to stay at the cheap hotel he's at until the trailer is ready for move-in. At the rate the trailer is going, it's going to be a while. Regardless, I am not paying for his hotel stay or even contributing towards it - my part in this was getting the trailer and spending as little money as possible in renovating it. I have located materials for it, I just need to get them here. Right now there is plenty to do in just removing rotted wood and replacing it. That's mostly work, not money as materials are either very cheap or - in this case - have found good, used materials for free.
I don't know - I feel like I'm sick again but with something else. I don't know what this constant, runny nose business is buy my head is not feeling right and this - sucks really. Oh well, that's life and complaining about junk like that doesn't really do any good excepting for the venting release.
Lastly - another political rant. Obama, of course. Now, suddenly, he wants to bring the republicans to the negotiating table in regards to "his" health care plan. Gee, isn't that wonderful, he totally snubbed them during this ENTIRE process, even after he was called to the table by CNN, who said he broke a campaign promise that the doors would be open and he would invite CNN in to video the entire proceedings.
Personally, if I were one of the dissed Republicans - which are all of them - I would tell him to go jump in a lake. Let the freakin' thing die and let them start something that is TRULY bi-partisan - but AFTER this small issue of millions of unemployed Americans is dealt with, shouldn't that really be the priority right now? This guy's priorities are definitely on a different planet as far as I'm concerned. This just isn't the time to start talking a trillion - or trillions is probably the end of the story - dollars being spent on a health care overhaul when the entire system is broken - the financial system that is.
Rant over. Just that I gagged when I saw the news report of Obama calling the "other side" to the table after all of this time totally - and I do mean TOTALLY - DISSING them and dissing them badly.
I'm done - for now anyway. I haven't really had much time to look at the news today and I want to see what's going on in this world right now.
ben
Sunday, February 7, 2010
New Orleans Saints Win The Super Bowl!!
Yeeeeeehaaaaaaaaaw!
That was a GREAT game!!!
Freakin' Colts dominated the first half, but the Saints came back in the second half, ran over the top of the colts and dominated for a second-half win to take the game. Ohhh yeah, I'm always for a good game of football even if my favorite team isn't in the picture.
I'm not saying Manning is a sucky QB, but I am saying that the Saints won the game, there are going to be NO accusations of "they stole the game" BS such as what happened with the Steelers last year, and anyone that thinks that can go blink off.
Hats off to the Saints!
That was a GREAT game!!!
Freakin' Colts dominated the first half, but the Saints came back in the second half, ran over the top of the colts and dominated for a second-half win to take the game. Ohhh yeah, I'm always for a good game of football even if my favorite team isn't in the picture.
I'm not saying Manning is a sucky QB, but I am saying that the Saints won the game, there are going to be NO accusations of "they stole the game" BS such as what happened with the Steelers last year, and anyone that thinks that can go blink off.
Hats off to the Saints!
Couple of things
First off, the room is rented. That was pretty fast. This is not a long-term renter, but I don't really care, get the room rented out as fast as possible. I've got a $200 for the rest of the month. It's not a full month's worth in terms of what I would normally get, but - I try to give incentives to get people to move in here.
I have decided to re-arrange my living room so that the TV's are not against that bedroom wall where he will be staying. I went in there just now to hear what kind of noise levels are to be heard with the tv on loud - which it is daytime hours but I mandate night hours it be turned WAY down - I think the best answer is to simply move them away from the wall there and deal with it that way.
Second, I was pleasantly surprised to find a message in my Facebook box from an old, old friend - a person I have not seen in 25 years. We parted ways after "growing up" - he went to the military, I ended up on the mission field. Two completely different lifestyles - not that one is better than the other, but we lost contact. We used to hang out ALL the time. He was one of my best friends from high school days.
So, we wrote back and forth a little - there is too much to discuss in emails to get caught up = we both came to that conclusion and decided to meet up somewhere. Well that somewhere is next weekend. He wrote me and asked if I ever do any shooting and if I wanted to go to the shooting range. I was floored by that statement, because my bro bought Caleb a .22 rifle for Christmas and I was planning on taking him to a nearby shooting range - a private club but the range is open to the public for a $10 fee per visit. HE is a MEMBER of that club and wants to meet up Saturday. Wow, is all I can say about that, talk about - fate - whatever you want to call it. He is a grandfather already, he sent me a pic of him holding a newborn.
Hopefully this will be a cool, good reunion and maybe we can pick up where we left off, sort of.
I went to town on that trailer today. The guy didn't show up and he wanted to do something that I was opposed to: leave some rotten wood on the floor that has black mold. He just wanted to screw wood over top of it. It took me a good half hour of prying and such, but I got that junk out of there. The resulting repair will be a GOOD repair, not some half-@$$ junk. I will have to keep an eye on him - he's in a hurry to get the thing finished and get moved in here. I understand where he's coming from, but I have repeatedly said I want the job done right the first time. You do not want to be living in a thing that has black mold, period. So, when he come back, he will find that the repair job will actually be easier than what he was proposing and the rot and mold will be gone. Anything else he tries to smooth over he will find me coming along behind him and doing whatever it takes to make it a good repair. We are going to work on sealing up any leaks - the roof is good but there are leaks on the sides where there are seams that have come apart on the outer skin of the trailer. Mostly, that simply entails a caulking gun and caulking. Already bought. I want him to do the jist of the repairs - I am going to focus on the electrical outlets since he says he doesn't know squat about electricity and also I am going to install the new paneling since he also said he doesn't feel comfortable doing that, either.
Superbowl Sunday. It really SHOULD be an excellent game, I hope so. I am rooting for the Saints - but it's all good, neither one is my team, but the Saints have this one shot at it. It may never come again. I only hope it's a close games and that the refs make good calls and that they catch all the junk that might be happening with fouls, especially.
Well, that's it. I did my work on the trailer, got my rent check and now I'm finally going to have the chance to do some rock work out the east side of the house.
G'day.
ben
I have decided to re-arrange my living room so that the TV's are not against that bedroom wall where he will be staying. I went in there just now to hear what kind of noise levels are to be heard with the tv on loud - which it is daytime hours but I mandate night hours it be turned WAY down - I think the best answer is to simply move them away from the wall there and deal with it that way.
Second, I was pleasantly surprised to find a message in my Facebook box from an old, old friend - a person I have not seen in 25 years. We parted ways after "growing up" - he went to the military, I ended up on the mission field. Two completely different lifestyles - not that one is better than the other, but we lost contact. We used to hang out ALL the time. He was one of my best friends from high school days.
So, we wrote back and forth a little - there is too much to discuss in emails to get caught up = we both came to that conclusion and decided to meet up somewhere. Well that somewhere is next weekend. He wrote me and asked if I ever do any shooting and if I wanted to go to the shooting range. I was floored by that statement, because my bro bought Caleb a .22 rifle for Christmas and I was planning on taking him to a nearby shooting range - a private club but the range is open to the public for a $10 fee per visit. HE is a MEMBER of that club and wants to meet up Saturday. Wow, is all I can say about that, talk about - fate - whatever you want to call it. He is a grandfather already, he sent me a pic of him holding a newborn.
Hopefully this will be a cool, good reunion and maybe we can pick up where we left off, sort of.
I went to town on that trailer today. The guy didn't show up and he wanted to do something that I was opposed to: leave some rotten wood on the floor that has black mold. He just wanted to screw wood over top of it. It took me a good half hour of prying and such, but I got that junk out of there. The resulting repair will be a GOOD repair, not some half-@$$ junk. I will have to keep an eye on him - he's in a hurry to get the thing finished and get moved in here. I understand where he's coming from, but I have repeatedly said I want the job done right the first time. You do not want to be living in a thing that has black mold, period. So, when he come back, he will find that the repair job will actually be easier than what he was proposing and the rot and mold will be gone. Anything else he tries to smooth over he will find me coming along behind him and doing whatever it takes to make it a good repair. We are going to work on sealing up any leaks - the roof is good but there are leaks on the sides where there are seams that have come apart on the outer skin of the trailer. Mostly, that simply entails a caulking gun and caulking. Already bought. I want him to do the jist of the repairs - I am going to focus on the electrical outlets since he says he doesn't know squat about electricity and also I am going to install the new paneling since he also said he doesn't feel comfortable doing that, either.
Superbowl Sunday. It really SHOULD be an excellent game, I hope so. I am rooting for the Saints - but it's all good, neither one is my team, but the Saints have this one shot at it. It may never come again. I only hope it's a close games and that the refs make good calls and that they catch all the junk that might be happening with fouls, especially.
Well, that's it. I did my work on the trailer, got my rent check and now I'm finally going to have the chance to do some rock work out the east side of the house.
G'day.
ben
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Today
Umm, that would be Saturday. Taking yesterday off work was very nice. I spent several hours outside putting grass, weeds and distributing the landscaping rock behind the plants. That is the area where the grass is growing through the fence from the "neighbor's" yard - I ended up putting down thick, black plastic sheets over top of the ground so that any future grass or weeds won't have a chance and yes, sometimes that stuff can grow right through the rocks.
Now, that may not sound exciting to anyone, but I thoroughly enjoy spending time outside on whatever project I may have going, and right now, I have plenty of them. In fact, no new outside projects to be started until I finish what I have going - which will take some time to accomplish.
Anyway, I have to make a trip to Home Depot this morning to get a bit for the cordless drill - those old trailers use a square head bit for screws. Strange stuff and I don't think they use those anymore. I also am going to buy more PVC cement and attempt to get at least one row of the drip system actually working. It's actually ready to go as far as the emitters and line in the ground, I just have to finish the header. In fact, 2 full rows of plants worth of line has been installed - I have been putting that off. Summer is approaching - not quite here yet - but I don't want to have to stand out there for hours this coming summer watering plants. Right now I guess my motivation has waned because I have a lot of other stuff going on and I hardly have to spend any time watering plants at all. After the recent, drenching rains, the ground that is in mostly shade all day long is STILL moist - that rain was last week.
I just got through watching a news clip online of a local sheriff who was standing there, on TV, telling people to stand up against the speed cameras on the freeways in a protest they are having later on today. I will not be going - it's way north Phoenix and though I hate those cameras, not enough to drive THAT far. His advice if you receive one of those tickets? Tear it up and drop it into the trash can. Really, that IS what he said!! And LOTS of people are doing just that. They give the stastics every month, I think last month was in the low 20% range of people that had actually paid the ticket, everyone else? Blowing it off.
..........and then there's the anti-whaling ship that apparently just got into a collision with one of the Japanese whaling ships. Where, exactly, is this going to end? Envisioning scenes of sinking ships..........
Well, whatever. I have things to do and the day isn't growing any younger - later!
Now, that may not sound exciting to anyone, but I thoroughly enjoy spending time outside on whatever project I may have going, and right now, I have plenty of them. In fact, no new outside projects to be started until I finish what I have going - which will take some time to accomplish.
Anyway, I have to make a trip to Home Depot this morning to get a bit for the cordless drill - those old trailers use a square head bit for screws. Strange stuff and I don't think they use those anymore. I also am going to buy more PVC cement and attempt to get at least one row of the drip system actually working. It's actually ready to go as far as the emitters and line in the ground, I just have to finish the header. In fact, 2 full rows of plants worth of line has been installed - I have been putting that off. Summer is approaching - not quite here yet - but I don't want to have to stand out there for hours this coming summer watering plants. Right now I guess my motivation has waned because I have a lot of other stuff going on and I hardly have to spend any time watering plants at all. After the recent, drenching rains, the ground that is in mostly shade all day long is STILL moist - that rain was last week.
I just got through watching a news clip online of a local sheriff who was standing there, on TV, telling people to stand up against the speed cameras on the freeways in a protest they are having later on today. I will not be going - it's way north Phoenix and though I hate those cameras, not enough to drive THAT far. His advice if you receive one of those tickets? Tear it up and drop it into the trash can. Really, that IS what he said!! And LOTS of people are doing just that. They give the stastics every month, I think last month was in the low 20% range of people that had actually paid the ticket, everyone else? Blowing it off.
..........and then there's the anti-whaling ship that apparently just got into a collision with one of the Japanese whaling ships. Where, exactly, is this going to end? Envisioning scenes of sinking ships..........
Well, whatever. I have things to do and the day isn't growing any younger - later!
Friday, February 5, 2010
February 5th, 2010
The number of the day and the month of the day is particularly endearing to me, since it is my birthday - my 46th this time - and I do intend on enjoying the day even if I have plenty to get done today. What can I say, I have an empty room and that takes priority over most things in life - get a person in there and get them paying rent. I had thought that an increase in the number of birthdays would negatively affect my - thoughts about it - but really, after I hit 40 the rest of them haven't done much. I think perhaps hitting 50 might be a bit of a drag, but who knows.
I am not going to linger here long, I have a bathroom to clean and carpet to vacuum along with dusting. The kitchen is clean - I always keep it clean cause' I don't want cockroaches and the only way to combat them is to make sure there aren't any food particles laying ANYWHERE - meaning, yes, you even have to pull the oven out and clean under there periodically. Having an exterminator come once a month doesn't hurt either. I had thought I wouldn't be able to afford one, but I came to the conclusion I can't afford not to have one come. The company charges me $40 per month and sometimes they tell me that I can skip a month and it should be okay - so I do that to save some money. However, I've had them here 3 months running, with a super charged spraying last month and the month before to kill the ticks outside.
I'm already feeling the pinch from not getting one tenant's payments - he owes me for 2 weeks now going on 3. That is the tenant that is in CA and finally wrote back saying to go ahead and rent the room. Darn straight, I can't afford not to. It would have been nice if he would have let me known this before the beginning of this month, it always takes longer to find someone after the beginning of the month has passed. OH, that reminds me, I have to get all of his stuff out of there this morning as well. Good thing he doesn't have that much stuff to begin with. Some clothes in the closet and miscellaneous things - shouldn't take more than half an hour or so to get it out of there and then vacuum the floor and clean whatever needs cleaning.
Well, now that I just added that to my list, I better get moving, the potential tenant is coming at noon and it's already almost 8:00am.
C'ya later!
ben
I am not going to linger here long, I have a bathroom to clean and carpet to vacuum along with dusting. The kitchen is clean - I always keep it clean cause' I don't want cockroaches and the only way to combat them is to make sure there aren't any food particles laying ANYWHERE - meaning, yes, you even have to pull the oven out and clean under there periodically. Having an exterminator come once a month doesn't hurt either. I had thought I wouldn't be able to afford one, but I came to the conclusion I can't afford not to have one come. The company charges me $40 per month and sometimes they tell me that I can skip a month and it should be okay - so I do that to save some money. However, I've had them here 3 months running, with a super charged spraying last month and the month before to kill the ticks outside.
I'm already feeling the pinch from not getting one tenant's payments - he owes me for 2 weeks now going on 3. That is the tenant that is in CA and finally wrote back saying to go ahead and rent the room. Darn straight, I can't afford not to. It would have been nice if he would have let me known this before the beginning of this month, it always takes longer to find someone after the beginning of the month has passed. OH, that reminds me, I have to get all of his stuff out of there this morning as well. Good thing he doesn't have that much stuff to begin with. Some clothes in the closet and miscellaneous things - shouldn't take more than half an hour or so to get it out of there and then vacuum the floor and clean whatever needs cleaning.
Well, now that I just added that to my list, I better get moving, the potential tenant is coming at noon and it's already almost 8:00am.
C'ya later!
ben
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