There was no time to write this morning, I had to get on the clock pretty much shortly after I got into work.
To answer Fin: monetarily and even scenarily, there are a number of other countries that come highly recommended for retiring in. Low cost of living; low cost of housing - low everything.
I do not, at least at this point, feel very inclined to forsake my homeland to go live somewhere else on the cheap and live nice on the cheap. That view may very well change, of course, but at this point, I am forever an American that wants to live in America. This is regarding retirement and the - idea I guess - that I am not going to have enough at that point in time when I want/need to retire. It's QUITE a ways off until retirement, but I can't not think of it now.
I am now attempting to rent the 3rd room. A complete tenant change in getting tenants for all 3 rooms. The newest is a wonder, that's for sure.
"Big" meeting tomorrow. I suspect I will be dictated to and told how things are. I will be the professional I am in the industry I am in, but I have my doubts this situation is going to end at the local level. It MIGHT, who knows. I will hope that a good answer to this situation will come forth, but again, I think it will be a dictatorial and monologue and that I will "have" to listen. Whatever. I am ready for what-may-come. This is concerning work and I have yet to go into any of it.
I had a 75% expectation that this would occur. What? I cancelled my prepaid Orchard Bank card, which I only got to help boost my score to get the house loan - something I wish I could have waited on at this point - and reapplied today. This time, for a much better card without the prepaid requirement. Not to my surprise, they approved me for a card that is 5 times the amount that I had available credit for on the prepaid card. I don't really want a lot of credit cards, I do want something showing that I am making payments on time and keep the attempt to build credit alive and kicking.
They are attempting to tell me - the forecasters that is - that 2 Saturdays from now, it will get to 107 degrees for a high temperature. I totally and summarily reject the idea that nearer the end of September, it will still be hot enough to call it a day in June or July. Therefore, I predict their prediction is off the wall and and it will be MUCH cooler than that.
I'm tired. More to say but no desire to go into it now.
Later.
ben
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Tuesday
Was unable to do anything on here this morning: had to get to work as soon as I got to work, which is usually around 5:30 am, maybe a bit earlier. Busy day at work today, very busy. Worked almost 10 hours non-stop. Tomorrow looks to be the same.
My dad informed me yesterday that I am no longer the executor of his estate and that he is giving everything to his current wife. Nothing against me, she has paid his way quite a lot even though he has money - she gets a military pension or something from her former husband. The caveat to that is if she dies first, then it goes to me. I don't really spend a lot of time thinking about my parent's death. I have seen many others go through it and it looks to be an earthly form of hell, to say the least. When it happens, it happens and I expect to be a basket case for a while. Until then, just enjoy the fact that both my parents are alive, kicking and still moving about.
I think it's when they stop moving is when you start worrying. I think that's true of anyone at any age, but especially the older generation. They stop moving and it seems to me it's pretty much a downhill route after that - downhill to the grave.
My mother also informed me of her already written plans when she dies: A trust. There is no executor, I had thought she had left that to my oldest brother. Not. She left him power of attorney - that is, to end her life if she turns into a vegetable and she has expressed many times over that she does not want to exist in such a state. Pull the plugs and let it go. Easier said than done, I am sure.
She figures that if she left one of us as executor, there would be fighting and hate and this, that and the other thing. I actually wouldn't have cared if my oldest brother had been named executor of estate, it's my middle brother I would have a SERIOUS problem with. He already goes into hysteria when she gives something out of her collection to either me or my oldest brother, exclaiming that he should have received it. The fact of the matter is, I have not asked her for anything, she gives it of her own free will. The REAL fact of the matter is that he, my middle brother, has received some CHOICE things from our family's heritage and he has NOTHING to complain about.
HE is, undoubtedly, the basis of her concerns in this matter. So, she says from much experience dealing with other people's estates, she hopes we can all work it out together. It is really, to me, pretty much out in space to expect that we are all going to be able to work it out, but the caveat in this situation is this: a third goes to each of us. If we can't figure it out, "be prepared to shell out big bucks to take it to court". I've seen this as well. You can spend the money, if you have it and if you want to waste it, in the end, it would be easier and you would probably end up with a lot more if you just sat down at a table and negotiated it. But, my middle brother looks down on me as if I am a 2 year old. I don't expect that that day will go that well.
I got all of this news in the last 4 days, actually.
The only thing this has done for me is to light a fire under my feet: get to saving even more. I am at 5% taken out of my paychecks to 401k, that isn't going to change for now. I am only going that far with it because my company matches up to that point. I do not trust the stock market right now and I am only investing in some - hope - that in the end, it will not all disappear.
I started an automatic withdrawal out of my checking account into a savings account about 2 months ago. This funded by my recent merit-increase at work. I've decided I need to double it. I have had more hours at work on almost every paycheck for a month and a half now. I can do a secondary withdrawal at the same amount I already have withdrawing and if for some reason, it doesn't pan out, I can simply cancel it. Oh, well the extra money from the paychecks has actually gone to funding the under-payments and no-payments from now ex-tenants. The worst of the summer is over, the high electric usage will start to come down now. By the time winter arrives, I will be at least $250 per month less in electric usage and probably around $75 less in water usage.
I have 8 months of payments on the trailer. It will be reduced by 3 months when I sell the old one. I have had a couple of offers on it, but too lowball. I want at least $600 out of it and it will go straight to the people I owe the money to.
My mind is, of course, churning again. It's all about retirement. I guess I take in too much information sometimes about one, particular thing. I read about all the people that are retiring that are broke. They have not saved enough and are attempting to live off of Social Security. I can't even THINK about living off that low amount of money for my retirement years. It's simply out of the question. Not if I can do anything about it, and while I have my health, I am elevating the level of dedication towards it.
The issue is this: to have a place that is paid for when it is time to retire. This property? Not going to happen, but I don't want to retire here anyway. I am going to have to consider about how to get a property, up in the mountains, on payments, that I can afford. Preferably that has water and electricity or has the availability to get it.
I am sort of perplexed at this point. I can't rely on any kind of inheritance, this is what the experts tell you. Don't count on it, it may not happen. My retirement calculations have not included any inheritances. I have, however, done the calculations with SS benefits and without. The difference is substantial. Without SS benefits - of which I am paying a substantial amount of money into on a paycheck by paycheck basis.
I don't really want to go into this issue of whether it will be there when I need it - but it REALLY sucks to think that all of the money I have paid into that system might be totally in vain - and totally forced upon me. This isn't just a waste of my money, I consider it a THEFT of my money.
Not going there in this entry. Only focused on what I can do about my situation as it stands right now. Property, owned out and out, with some kind of livable structure on it. If I don't start focusing on this NOW - even if retirement is 20 years away - I am going to be SCREWED by the time that time gets here. Living under a bridge and asking for handouts. I do NOT live some sort of lavish lifestyle or a lifestyle beyond my means.
For this reason, the travel trailer I bought/am buying is probably going to stay on the property. I will get another one to take up to my mother's property. After that, my focus is going to be on finding and buying on payments a property somewhere that isn't just suitable for living, it's NICE for retiring on. The payments on some of the properties I have looked into are very low - this stuff is going cheap now with low or no down payment.
I'm not really - formulated - on this situation right now. This entered my head after my dad informed me of his intentions. I don't hold it against him, in fact, it really gave me reason to alter even more my plans.
That's it for now. I will considering and researching this issue starting now for some time to come. Hopefully within a year or so come to some kind of formulation of how to get to where I want to be. A second job is not out of the question - never has been - just not much available right now. Building a self-contained "casita" style room has floated around in my mind for some time. The place would be a kitchenette style thing with it's own, very-small bathroom with shower stall; a small kitchen and a living room that is also your bedroom.
I'm in full mode at this point. I have to come up with a clearly defined path of how to get to where I want to be in 20 years and that has proved to be difficult at best, it isn't getting any easier.
Enough.
I am going to bed early, these early-start work times and late end times get me good, though I can't say I don't like it, the paychecks are so much nicer : )
G'nite.
ben
My dad informed me yesterday that I am no longer the executor of his estate and that he is giving everything to his current wife. Nothing against me, she has paid his way quite a lot even though he has money - she gets a military pension or something from her former husband. The caveat to that is if she dies first, then it goes to me. I don't really spend a lot of time thinking about my parent's death. I have seen many others go through it and it looks to be an earthly form of hell, to say the least. When it happens, it happens and I expect to be a basket case for a while. Until then, just enjoy the fact that both my parents are alive, kicking and still moving about.
I think it's when they stop moving is when you start worrying. I think that's true of anyone at any age, but especially the older generation. They stop moving and it seems to me it's pretty much a downhill route after that - downhill to the grave.
My mother also informed me of her already written plans when she dies: A trust. There is no executor, I had thought she had left that to my oldest brother. Not. She left him power of attorney - that is, to end her life if she turns into a vegetable and she has expressed many times over that she does not want to exist in such a state. Pull the plugs and let it go. Easier said than done, I am sure.
She figures that if she left one of us as executor, there would be fighting and hate and this, that and the other thing. I actually wouldn't have cared if my oldest brother had been named executor of estate, it's my middle brother I would have a SERIOUS problem with. He already goes into hysteria when she gives something out of her collection to either me or my oldest brother, exclaiming that he should have received it. The fact of the matter is, I have not asked her for anything, she gives it of her own free will. The REAL fact of the matter is that he, my middle brother, has received some CHOICE things from our family's heritage and he has NOTHING to complain about.
HE is, undoubtedly, the basis of her concerns in this matter. So, she says from much experience dealing with other people's estates, she hopes we can all work it out together. It is really, to me, pretty much out in space to expect that we are all going to be able to work it out, but the caveat in this situation is this: a third goes to each of us. If we can't figure it out, "be prepared to shell out big bucks to take it to court". I've seen this as well. You can spend the money, if you have it and if you want to waste it, in the end, it would be easier and you would probably end up with a lot more if you just sat down at a table and negotiated it. But, my middle brother looks down on me as if I am a 2 year old. I don't expect that that day will go that well.
I got all of this news in the last 4 days, actually.
The only thing this has done for me is to light a fire under my feet: get to saving even more. I am at 5% taken out of my paychecks to 401k, that isn't going to change for now. I am only going that far with it because my company matches up to that point. I do not trust the stock market right now and I am only investing in some - hope - that in the end, it will not all disappear.
I started an automatic withdrawal out of my checking account into a savings account about 2 months ago. This funded by my recent merit-increase at work. I've decided I need to double it. I have had more hours at work on almost every paycheck for a month and a half now. I can do a secondary withdrawal at the same amount I already have withdrawing and if for some reason, it doesn't pan out, I can simply cancel it. Oh, well the extra money from the paychecks has actually gone to funding the under-payments and no-payments from now ex-tenants. The worst of the summer is over, the high electric usage will start to come down now. By the time winter arrives, I will be at least $250 per month less in electric usage and probably around $75 less in water usage.
I have 8 months of payments on the trailer. It will be reduced by 3 months when I sell the old one. I have had a couple of offers on it, but too lowball. I want at least $600 out of it and it will go straight to the people I owe the money to.
My mind is, of course, churning again. It's all about retirement. I guess I take in too much information sometimes about one, particular thing. I read about all the people that are retiring that are broke. They have not saved enough and are attempting to live off of Social Security. I can't even THINK about living off that low amount of money for my retirement years. It's simply out of the question. Not if I can do anything about it, and while I have my health, I am elevating the level of dedication towards it.
The issue is this: to have a place that is paid for when it is time to retire. This property? Not going to happen, but I don't want to retire here anyway. I am going to have to consider about how to get a property, up in the mountains, on payments, that I can afford. Preferably that has water and electricity or has the availability to get it.
I am sort of perplexed at this point. I can't rely on any kind of inheritance, this is what the experts tell you. Don't count on it, it may not happen. My retirement calculations have not included any inheritances. I have, however, done the calculations with SS benefits and without. The difference is substantial. Without SS benefits - of which I am paying a substantial amount of money into on a paycheck by paycheck basis.
I don't really want to go into this issue of whether it will be there when I need it - but it REALLY sucks to think that all of the money I have paid into that system might be totally in vain - and totally forced upon me. This isn't just a waste of my money, I consider it a THEFT of my money.
Not going there in this entry. Only focused on what I can do about my situation as it stands right now. Property, owned out and out, with some kind of livable structure on it. If I don't start focusing on this NOW - even if retirement is 20 years away - I am going to be SCREWED by the time that time gets here. Living under a bridge and asking for handouts. I do NOT live some sort of lavish lifestyle or a lifestyle beyond my means.
For this reason, the travel trailer I bought/am buying is probably going to stay on the property. I will get another one to take up to my mother's property. After that, my focus is going to be on finding and buying on payments a property somewhere that isn't just suitable for living, it's NICE for retiring on. The payments on some of the properties I have looked into are very low - this stuff is going cheap now with low or no down payment.
I'm not really - formulated - on this situation right now. This entered my head after my dad informed me of his intentions. I don't hold it against him, in fact, it really gave me reason to alter even more my plans.
That's it for now. I will considering and researching this issue starting now for some time to come. Hopefully within a year or so come to some kind of formulation of how to get to where I want to be. A second job is not out of the question - never has been - just not much available right now. Building a self-contained "casita" style room has floated around in my mind for some time. The place would be a kitchenette style thing with it's own, very-small bathroom with shower stall; a small kitchen and a living room that is also your bedroom.
I'm in full mode at this point. I have to come up with a clearly defined path of how to get to where I want to be in 20 years and that has proved to be difficult at best, it isn't getting any easier.
Enough.
I am going to bed early, these early-start work times and late end times get me good, though I can't say I don't like it, the paychecks are so much nicer : )
G'nite.
ben
Monday, September 12, 2011
More
The "kid" tenant is gone. He called me today while I was at work asking if he could get away with a bit less than he owes. If I said no, I wanted all of it? I was afraid I would get nothing, so I just agreed to it. $39 less than what he owes is far less than what some other recent departures owe me. So, the debt is cancelled. Hey, he left a $10 jug of laundry detergent, I'll take that, too! Not that he either offered it or I asked.
The freshly-turned 21 year old resurfaced. He decided that for his 21st birthday, he was going to go to Las Vegas and drink. Not much gambling, apparently, I would guess some prostitution, but that's just a guess. The use of a prostitute, that is. Dunno, not my business, but lots of guys go up there just for that purpose.
Sold the MasterCool evaporative cooler just 10 minutes ago. I had it for sale on Craigslist and finally had someone show up, said wow, take it, didn't even try to talk me down in price. However, I was only asking $50 for it to get rid of it, I could have posted it at $100 and eventually got that out of it.
The trailer is getting bites on the ad, but no-one has come to look at it yet. However long it takes, I will keep running the ad until someone takes it.
Plenty more, just wanted to update my blog with the basics.
The freshly-turned 21 year old resurfaced. He decided that for his 21st birthday, he was going to go to Las Vegas and drink. Not much gambling, apparently, I would guess some prostitution, but that's just a guess. The use of a prostitute, that is. Dunno, not my business, but lots of guys go up there just for that purpose.
Sold the MasterCool evaporative cooler just 10 minutes ago. I had it for sale on Craigslist and finally had someone show up, said wow, take it, didn't even try to talk me down in price. However, I was only asking $50 for it to get rid of it, I could have posted it at $100 and eventually got that out of it.
The trailer is getting bites on the ad, but no-one has come to look at it yet. However long it takes, I will keep running the ad until someone takes it.
Plenty more, just wanted to update my blog with the basics.
Monday 9/12/2011
Monday
So, I received a series of emails over the weekend, apparently, on my work account. Concerning the situation at work that I have yet to go into here - and probably won't at least until it's over. A meeting has been scheduled is all I can say about that.
Rain. It apparently has been raining everywhere in this valley excepting.......anywhere near my house. My car was proof of that this morning: dirty rain. Ie: just enough drops of water to attract the blowing dust and make my car filthy.
Apparently, there is tension between the new roommate and the kid (27 years old, but that's beside the point). The kid told the woman not to run the fan in the bathroom. ??? This is what she claimed he told her - I have no doubts, frankly, that this kid is capable of saying such to people as he can be rather brash at times.
Did he say WHY you shouldn't run the fan? Apparently it makes too much noise. You know, the little ceiling fan that airs out bathrooms? So, if this thing is making a lot of noise, the answer is to replace it! What a phenomenal idea! A piece of brilliance if I do say so myself. It's amazing how crass people can be to each other, especially considering living in the same home and more so, considering it isn't THEIR home.
Whatever the case, I became engrossed in some Scripture I was reading online and have now run out of time.
G'day.
ben
So, I received a series of emails over the weekend, apparently, on my work account. Concerning the situation at work that I have yet to go into here - and probably won't at least until it's over. A meeting has been scheduled is all I can say about that.
Rain. It apparently has been raining everywhere in this valley excepting.......anywhere near my house. My car was proof of that this morning: dirty rain. Ie: just enough drops of water to attract the blowing dust and make my car filthy.
Apparently, there is tension between the new roommate and the kid (27 years old, but that's beside the point). The kid told the woman not to run the fan in the bathroom. ??? This is what she claimed he told her - I have no doubts, frankly, that this kid is capable of saying such to people as he can be rather brash at times.
Did he say WHY you shouldn't run the fan? Apparently it makes too much noise. You know, the little ceiling fan that airs out bathrooms? So, if this thing is making a lot of noise, the answer is to replace it! What a phenomenal idea! A piece of brilliance if I do say so myself. It's amazing how crass people can be to each other, especially considering living in the same home and more so, considering it isn't THEIR home.
Whatever the case, I became engrossed in some Scripture I was reading online and have now run out of time.
G'day.
ben
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Sunday 9/11/2011
So, when you think of 9/11, what do you think of?
You're either thinking of calling for emergency units - 911; you're thinking of the terrorist attack in New York in 2001; or in my case: you are thinking of your mother's birthday.
I finally got her age out of her mouth today, I wasn't sure: she turned 76. She's still driving; she's still moving around quite well; she still has a crystal clear presence of mind. I called her today and wished her a happy birthday and of course got into all kinds of discussion, but, I certainly am not regretting driving up there yesterday and visiting her.
As for 9/11, well, I watched a show this morning that followed the timeline that started at the time (real-time) of the attack and ended a bit after the second tower fell. I have watched nothing about it since. I have watched so much footage about 9/11 since 2001 that I really don't need to watch much more about it. I do not agree with the people who think it should go away, however. It was a changing point in our nation's history and I think it completely appropriate that it's 10 year anniversary should be recognized and recognized. I've just watched so much footage - all of it available, I think - in the last 10 years that I don't need to watch a whole day of it. People are still paying for it, I am completely empathetic and sympathetic towards every person that is however related to it.
As for today, well, the newest tenant apparently has gone the rounds of asking about me, specifically. I am not into tenants coming out and going on and on and on and on EVERY single time they come out. They can come in and out as they please, yes, to start an elongated, rambling conversation that is rather mindless, at least from my view of it, every time they come out is more than I want to deal with.
It was supposed to pour rain here today. Instead, we got 60 seconds of drops from the sky and that was the end of it. The entire summer has been that way. I wanted to put on shorts, go out in my bare feet and get drenched. Instead, I got tickled with enough rain to see the polka-dotted "aftermath" on the concrete.
Church. Took me an hour to convince myself I should go. I am never regretful that I went but still, it takes quite a lot for me to actually get dressed for the occasion and actually got out to the CAR, get into and drive over there.
Trailer. I need one for my mother's property. Be thinking about that one for a while. The season for going up there is about over. Winter is coming - though I wouldn't care going up there in the snow to be honest.
Done for now.
G'day.
ben
You're either thinking of calling for emergency units - 911; you're thinking of the terrorist attack in New York in 2001; or in my case: you are thinking of your mother's birthday.
I finally got her age out of her mouth today, I wasn't sure: she turned 76. She's still driving; she's still moving around quite well; she still has a crystal clear presence of mind. I called her today and wished her a happy birthday and of course got into all kinds of discussion, but, I certainly am not regretting driving up there yesterday and visiting her.
As for 9/11, well, I watched a show this morning that followed the timeline that started at the time (real-time) of the attack and ended a bit after the second tower fell. I have watched nothing about it since. I have watched so much footage about 9/11 since 2001 that I really don't need to watch much more about it. I do not agree with the people who think it should go away, however. It was a changing point in our nation's history and I think it completely appropriate that it's 10 year anniversary should be recognized and recognized. I've just watched so much footage - all of it available, I think - in the last 10 years that I don't need to watch a whole day of it. People are still paying for it, I am completely empathetic and sympathetic towards every person that is however related to it.
As for today, well, the newest tenant apparently has gone the rounds of asking about me, specifically. I am not into tenants coming out and going on and on and on and on EVERY single time they come out. They can come in and out as they please, yes, to start an elongated, rambling conversation that is rather mindless, at least from my view of it, every time they come out is more than I want to deal with.
It was supposed to pour rain here today. Instead, we got 60 seconds of drops from the sky and that was the end of it. The entire summer has been that way. I wanted to put on shorts, go out in my bare feet and get drenched. Instead, I got tickled with enough rain to see the polka-dotted "aftermath" on the concrete.
Church. Took me an hour to convince myself I should go. I am never regretful that I went but still, it takes quite a lot for me to actually get dressed for the occasion and actually got out to the CAR, get into and drive over there.
Trailer. I need one for my mother's property. Be thinking about that one for a while. The season for going up there is about over. Winter is coming - though I wouldn't care going up there in the snow to be honest.
Done for now.
G'day.
ben
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Saturday 9/10/2011
So, I went up to my mom's place up in the mountains today.
It was nice to see and visit with her.
Stayed about 5 hours.
I had hoped perhaps I could shoot of my SW40VE somewhere and
she was happy to oblige. So, all 6 of us - my mother, me and
4 large dogs (she has a Golden Retriever), went on a rather long
hike.
She wanted to go to where some other people had a target set up in the
creek down below and was positioned so that even a stray bullet would
simply hit the "wall" behind hit versus going off into never-never land.
I haven't shot a gun since I was a teenager. Let me just say that
right off the bat. I have seen the shooting range pictures: everyone has
ear protection. I had thought that was because of the multitude of guns
being shot off at the same time inside a building and that that was
the reason they needed such.
I loaded the magazine into the gun, pulled the - whatever back - got a
bullet into the chamber, aimed at the target and pulled the trigger.
The explosion of that gun going off was SO loud, I lost my grip on the gun
and the backlash tore a part of my thumbnail off. I was literally SHOCKED
at how LOUD that was! I mean, a person could easily go deaf shooting off
rounds without ear protection! That was it. One shot? We're done. Head to
wherever they sell those ear muffs and I already have ear plugs. With that much
noise, I am decided you need both to protection your eardrums.
But, anyway, all that did was make me want to head to the shooting range and fire
off 30 or 40 rounds and get a feel for the thing - with proper ear protection, lol.
Well, my brother and his wife live about 7 or 8 miles away in a small village in a
cabin and had invited her over to visit for the evening. She told them I was coming
up and would be over there later. I shouldn't say they live there, or should I? They
are, as far as I know, there every weekend.
So, it was good to see her. It REALLY made me want to move my RV trailer up THERE and
be able to hang out up there on the weekends. It is so tranquil and peaceful up there
and the air is - clean. The temp? It was cool, very nice. No, I am not getting rid of
Mark and Lynnette and I am not even suggesting that they should find their own place.
I am not really suggesting that they ever HAVE to leave, to be honest. But, if/when the
day comes, I will have the thing moved up there. If not by spring, I will have to consider
buying another one to put up there.
In reality, I consider Mark and Lynnette an asset to my property, not a liability or a
drain. I feel much more secure when I am not here that I have people I can trust to
watch over things. Especially with tenants - if something goes amiss, they can either
deal with it or call me to let me know what's going on. However, a conversation with my mother about property taxes and insurance got me to remembering that I was going to get liability/loss insurance on that trailer, I had totally forgotten about it.
As for the newest tenant? I have no desire to go there right now, only to say that a few - rules - had to be established. I will discuss that perhaps tomorrow, I just don't feel like going there right now.
Great day. The dogs are TOTALLY out of it and crashed out on the floor. I did that this time, if I go up there again this year before my mother closes it down - which will only be a few more weeks, it will be 1, 2 dogs at the most. I would take all 3 of them up there if I had a trailer up there and had a fenced area around it. My mom's trailer has a huge fenced off area where I can let them loose and not worry about them taking off.
I actually had thoughts about going up there again next weekend and camping out overnight, but, I have a different appointed date for next Saturday and that is something I am not going to miss out on, so maybe the weekend after if she is still up there.
So perhaps that's what my savings will go to, dunno. Umm, an RV trailer, that is. I don't tend to mess with savings until/if/when something happens that I have to use it - so far that hasn't happened an it's adding up quickly. If, by some miracle, I didn't have to touch it until Spring, there would be enough in there for something decent.
I attempted to find my brother's cabin today. I thought I saw his wife sitting out in the sun in a back yard, but I wasn't sure if it was her. I did not want to stop in, I just wanted to see what they had going there. I do believe it was her, actually, that I saw, what threw me off were the vehicles in the driveway. They own pickups, last time I heard, now my mother told me they had bought a small sedan. Yes, that is what was parked in the driveway. There is no way I would even try to stop and say hello with all of those dogs with me: my oldest brother hates my dogs. Whatever, I don't really care. My life has gone on without his presence for my entire adult life, excepting for a holiday here and there where we come together for 3 hours and that's the end of it. But, I did want to see what they had built. If I have a dream, it would be to have a place up in the mountains, away from this heated valley, where I could go hang out on weekends in the summer and enjoy the cool, fresh, mountain air.
Well this entry is getting long, so I am going to end it. More I would want to go into, but I don't want to write a novel here.
G'day.
ben
It was nice to see and visit with her.
Stayed about 5 hours.
I had hoped perhaps I could shoot of my SW40VE somewhere and
she was happy to oblige. So, all 6 of us - my mother, me and
4 large dogs (she has a Golden Retriever), went on a rather long
hike.
She wanted to go to where some other people had a target set up in the
creek down below and was positioned so that even a stray bullet would
simply hit the "wall" behind hit versus going off into never-never land.
I haven't shot a gun since I was a teenager. Let me just say that
right off the bat. I have seen the shooting range pictures: everyone has
ear protection. I had thought that was because of the multitude of guns
being shot off at the same time inside a building and that that was
the reason they needed such.
I loaded the magazine into the gun, pulled the - whatever back - got a
bullet into the chamber, aimed at the target and pulled the trigger.
The explosion of that gun going off was SO loud, I lost my grip on the gun
and the backlash tore a part of my thumbnail off. I was literally SHOCKED
at how LOUD that was! I mean, a person could easily go deaf shooting off
rounds without ear protection! That was it. One shot? We're done. Head to
wherever they sell those ear muffs and I already have ear plugs. With that much
noise, I am decided you need both to protection your eardrums.
But, anyway, all that did was make me want to head to the shooting range and fire
off 30 or 40 rounds and get a feel for the thing - with proper ear protection, lol.
Well, my brother and his wife live about 7 or 8 miles away in a small village in a
cabin and had invited her over to visit for the evening. She told them I was coming
up and would be over there later. I shouldn't say they live there, or should I? They
are, as far as I know, there every weekend.
So, it was good to see her. It REALLY made me want to move my RV trailer up THERE and
be able to hang out up there on the weekends. It is so tranquil and peaceful up there
and the air is - clean. The temp? It was cool, very nice. No, I am not getting rid of
Mark and Lynnette and I am not even suggesting that they should find their own place.
I am not really suggesting that they ever HAVE to leave, to be honest. But, if/when the
day comes, I will have the thing moved up there. If not by spring, I will have to consider
buying another one to put up there.
In reality, I consider Mark and Lynnette an asset to my property, not a liability or a
drain. I feel much more secure when I am not here that I have people I can trust to
watch over things. Especially with tenants - if something goes amiss, they can either
deal with it or call me to let me know what's going on. However, a conversation with my mother about property taxes and insurance got me to remembering that I was going to get liability/loss insurance on that trailer, I had totally forgotten about it.
As for the newest tenant? I have no desire to go there right now, only to say that a few - rules - had to be established. I will discuss that perhaps tomorrow, I just don't feel like going there right now.
Great day. The dogs are TOTALLY out of it and crashed out on the floor. I did that this time, if I go up there again this year before my mother closes it down - which will only be a few more weeks, it will be 1, 2 dogs at the most. I would take all 3 of them up there if I had a trailer up there and had a fenced area around it. My mom's trailer has a huge fenced off area where I can let them loose and not worry about them taking off.
I actually had thoughts about going up there again next weekend and camping out overnight, but, I have a different appointed date for next Saturday and that is something I am not going to miss out on, so maybe the weekend after if she is still up there.
So perhaps that's what my savings will go to, dunno. Umm, an RV trailer, that is. I don't tend to mess with savings until/if/when something happens that I have to use it - so far that hasn't happened an it's adding up quickly. If, by some miracle, I didn't have to touch it until Spring, there would be enough in there for something decent.
I attempted to find my brother's cabin today. I thought I saw his wife sitting out in the sun in a back yard, but I wasn't sure if it was her. I did not want to stop in, I just wanted to see what they had going there. I do believe it was her, actually, that I saw, what threw me off were the vehicles in the driveway. They own pickups, last time I heard, now my mother told me they had bought a small sedan. Yes, that is what was parked in the driveway. There is no way I would even try to stop and say hello with all of those dogs with me: my oldest brother hates my dogs. Whatever, I don't really care. My life has gone on without his presence for my entire adult life, excepting for a holiday here and there where we come together for 3 hours and that's the end of it. But, I did want to see what they had built. If I have a dream, it would be to have a place up in the mountains, away from this heated valley, where I could go hang out on weekends in the summer and enjoy the cool, fresh, mountain air.
Well this entry is getting long, so I am going to end it. More I would want to go into, but I don't want to write a novel here.
G'day.
ben
Friday, September 9, 2011
Friday 9/9/2011
Friday
I have plans this weekend.
My plans, at least half the time, never seem to work out.
So, I will say I have a tentative proposal to myself to drive up to the rim and visit my mom. Her birthday is on Sunday, which is, yes, 9/11. That would have to happen tomorrow, as I am not much into Sunday trips anywhere.
Depending on which weather report you wish to believe - they never agree with each other on projected forecasts, Sunday will cool down to around 100 degrees high temp. This NEEDS to happen. It is also supposed to rain - heavily. That also NEEDS to happen and should have happened many times over during our monsoon season.
So, my room rental woes will continue on shortly. Mario is leaving soon enough. He just had his tonsils removed and is moving back to - Minnesota. I think I have said Michigan in the past, and that is incorrect, he is from Minnesota.
Regardless, round 3 of getting room mates. I have just replaced 2 of them - with no indication from either as to how long they might stay and I am not currently asking them that question. There are a lot of low-ballers out there: people who want a room that I might as well just give away to them for the amount they want to pay. $250 for a room with satellite, wifi, access to everything in the kitchen, utilities included and laundry privileges?
I don't think so. I already put up a homeless couple that really aren't homeless anymore, especially after getting that nicer 5th wheel RV trailer. They help me out, I am not complaining at all, I am simply stating the obvious: I don't need another set of those in my house. I also don't need another person doing "housecleaning" and all of that. Then there are the people who respond saying they will do the FWB thing - sexual favors. IN other words, I have a live-in sex toy to play with whenever I want? Even more amazingly these offers come from BOTH genders, lol. Then there are these people that are "naturists", they like to call themselves. They want to move into your house and then be able to walk aorund naked all the time!
This is only some of what you get when publishing posts in Craigslist offering a room for rent. The only person I am thinking of helping out right now is Kyle and he doesn't turn 18 until January. He has 3 jobs and has expressed interest in moving in after he gets to the age. He has obviously taken huge steps to straighten out his life - ie: he was doing heroin and whatever other drugs and on the run for some time. He also impregnated a girl and now has a baby. I guess that's why he's working 3 jobs, lol.
Anyway, work day approaches.
G'day.
ben
I have plans this weekend.
My plans, at least half the time, never seem to work out.
So, I will say I have a tentative proposal to myself to drive up to the rim and visit my mom. Her birthday is on Sunday, which is, yes, 9/11. That would have to happen tomorrow, as I am not much into Sunday trips anywhere.
Depending on which weather report you wish to believe - they never agree with each other on projected forecasts, Sunday will cool down to around 100 degrees high temp. This NEEDS to happen. It is also supposed to rain - heavily. That also NEEDS to happen and should have happened many times over during our monsoon season.
So, my room rental woes will continue on shortly. Mario is leaving soon enough. He just had his tonsils removed and is moving back to - Minnesota. I think I have said Michigan in the past, and that is incorrect, he is from Minnesota.
Regardless, round 3 of getting room mates. I have just replaced 2 of them - with no indication from either as to how long they might stay and I am not currently asking them that question. There are a lot of low-ballers out there: people who want a room that I might as well just give away to them for the amount they want to pay. $250 for a room with satellite, wifi, access to everything in the kitchen, utilities included and laundry privileges?
I don't think so. I already put up a homeless couple that really aren't homeless anymore, especially after getting that nicer 5th wheel RV trailer. They help me out, I am not complaining at all, I am simply stating the obvious: I don't need another set of those in my house. I also don't need another person doing "housecleaning" and all of that. Then there are the people who respond saying they will do the FWB thing - sexual favors. IN other words, I have a live-in sex toy to play with whenever I want? Even more amazingly these offers come from BOTH genders, lol. Then there are these people that are "naturists", they like to call themselves. They want to move into your house and then be able to walk aorund naked all the time!
This is only some of what you get when publishing posts in Craigslist offering a room for rent. The only person I am thinking of helping out right now is Kyle and he doesn't turn 18 until January. He has 3 jobs and has expressed interest in moving in after he gets to the age. He has obviously taken huge steps to straighten out his life - ie: he was doing heroin and whatever other drugs and on the run for some time. He also impregnated a girl and now has a baby. I guess that's why he's working 3 jobs, lol.
Anyway, work day approaches.
G'day.
ben
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Obama To Throw Away Another Half Trillion?
I don't really have much to say about this, except I hope that it is summarily rejected.
The government is not going to save the economy because it CAN'T save the economy and frankly, it doesn't EXIST to save the economy.
Fin and Bethany are going on vacation with a stopover in Phoenix. Stopover meaning the airplane lands here, they're here for a couple of hours and then they move on. I will be there to meet them both in person! I've only met a few "internet" friends in the past.
NFL football is back. I need not say more, I love NFL football and that's that.
Heat has not gone away - yet. 109 degrees today. Thank you, I was out in the sun sweating profusely on numerous occasions. When September ACTUALLY arrives with cooler temperatures, then the announcement will be made that September has arrived. I am actually getting to the point that I despise living in this city and would love nothing more than to get out of here.
My dad is talking about moving to San Antonio. Yikes. Well, nice knowing ya, dad, probably won't be seeing much of you if you do, indeed, move there. San Antonio Texas is quite the drive from here. Okay, about a thousand miles. In my 20's, I could drive 1,000 miles in a day. I'm not joking and I didn't have help and I did it many times over. I'm thinking about a day and a half, though I drive pretty fast, so who knows. He is seriously talking of moving there, more power to him. I am quite sure this has to do with his wife wanting to be closer to her kids than it has to do with anything, but it's his life.
I dunno. Life is taking some strange turns right now, I'm not exactly sure where all of this is going to end up.
One thing I am sure of? This entry is over.
G'nite.
ben
The government is not going to save the economy because it CAN'T save the economy and frankly, it doesn't EXIST to save the economy.
Fin and Bethany are going on vacation with a stopover in Phoenix. Stopover meaning the airplane lands here, they're here for a couple of hours and then they move on. I will be there to meet them both in person! I've only met a few "internet" friends in the past.
NFL football is back. I need not say more, I love NFL football and that's that.
Heat has not gone away - yet. 109 degrees today. Thank you, I was out in the sun sweating profusely on numerous occasions. When September ACTUALLY arrives with cooler temperatures, then the announcement will be made that September has arrived. I am actually getting to the point that I despise living in this city and would love nothing more than to get out of here.
My dad is talking about moving to San Antonio. Yikes. Well, nice knowing ya, dad, probably won't be seeing much of you if you do, indeed, move there. San Antonio Texas is quite the drive from here. Okay, about a thousand miles. In my 20's, I could drive 1,000 miles in a day. I'm not joking and I didn't have help and I did it many times over. I'm thinking about a day and a half, though I drive pretty fast, so who knows. He is seriously talking of moving there, more power to him. I am quite sure this has to do with his wife wanting to be closer to her kids than it has to do with anything, but it's his life.
I dunno. Life is taking some strange turns right now, I'm not exactly sure where all of this is going to end up.
One thing I am sure of? This entry is over.
G'nite.
ben
Thursday 9/8/2011
Thursday
There are only 2 things dominating my mind right now:
The never-ending summer and this situation at work.
Today's high is supposed to be 109 degrees. It's the 8th of SEPTEMBER, not JUNE!!!
I just sweat all day long while out at work. By the time I get home from work,I don't want to do anything.
There is a LOT to do on my property that I have put off for a while now because of this situation.
Now, IF the forecasters are right - which they seem to rarely accomplish - then Saturday marks the beginning of much cooler temperatures with a daytime high of 99 degrees. Won't hold my breath on that one, but certainly it would be nice.
As for work, I am not going to go into that here and that's that. Divulging that kind of information on a public website accessible by anyone in the world is probably not a good idea, therefore, I will mute myself on that one, at least for now.
One of the Danes decided that dumping in my bathroom last night was better than waking me up and "asking" to go outside, like they normally do when such needs arise. No democracy here, I threw both of them out for the rest of the night as I didn't know which one did it (though I have to say, Prince, the black Dane, definitely had that guilty look on his face). You might be the best sleeper on the planet, but I pretty much guarantee you that when that smells hits your nostrils? You aren't going to sleep through the night like that! That's the worst part: having to get up in the middle of a deep sleep and clean that mess up. Fortunately, it doesn't happen often.
Dunno what else, nothing really. Just biding time and taking one step at a time in this situation unfolding before me - see where it ends up!
ben
There are only 2 things dominating my mind right now:
The never-ending summer and this situation at work.
Today's high is supposed to be 109 degrees. It's the 8th of SEPTEMBER, not JUNE!!!
I just sweat all day long while out at work. By the time I get home from work,I don't want to do anything.
There is a LOT to do on my property that I have put off for a while now because of this situation.
Now, IF the forecasters are right - which they seem to rarely accomplish - then Saturday marks the beginning of much cooler temperatures with a daytime high of 99 degrees. Won't hold my breath on that one, but certainly it would be nice.
As for work, I am not going to go into that here and that's that. Divulging that kind of information on a public website accessible by anyone in the world is probably not a good idea, therefore, I will mute myself on that one, at least for now.
One of the Danes decided that dumping in my bathroom last night was better than waking me up and "asking" to go outside, like they normally do when such needs arise. No democracy here, I threw both of them out for the rest of the night as I didn't know which one did it (though I have to say, Prince, the black Dane, definitely had that guilty look on his face). You might be the best sleeper on the planet, but I pretty much guarantee you that when that smells hits your nostrils? You aren't going to sleep through the night like that! That's the worst part: having to get up in the middle of a deep sleep and clean that mess up. Fortunately, it doesn't happen often.
Dunno what else, nothing really. Just biding time and taking one step at a time in this situation unfolding before me - see where it ends up!
ben
Wednesday 9/7/2011
Wednesday
Well, I just threw a monkey wrench into the "plan" - can't and won't go into it here or anywhere else concerning work - at least for now. Until I know how this is going to go and where it's leading to, just going to bide my time, take the necessary actions and see what happens.
I don't really have anything else here. I am sort of lost in thought about all of this situation and how it's all going to turn out.
So, I won't drag on anymore with it.
G'day.
ben
Well, I just threw a monkey wrench into the "plan" - can't and won't go into it here or anywhere else concerning work - at least for now. Until I know how this is going to go and where it's leading to, just going to bide my time, take the necessary actions and see what happens.
I don't really have anything else here. I am sort of lost in thought about all of this situation and how it's all going to turn out.
So, I won't drag on anymore with it.
G'day.
ben
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Hot Days
I am SO sick of burning up in this heat! I just went outside a few minutes ago to turn the water off, it's well over 100 out there and it's almost 8:00pm!
Cooler times are coming, yes, but they should have already come by now!! August is NEVER that hot, much less September!!
I was up in Globe today, higher elevation in the mountains - it was QUITE warm and humid up there, as well! I did snap a few shots, however, of a fire burning on a mountain range that was even higher. Too bad I have absolutely no desire to go through the rigarmoroo of uploading photos right now. A lightning strike sparked the fire and apparently the fire officials have determined to let it burn itself out.
The contractor I was delivering to said it had been burning for a week. Well, if that's all the bigger it is going to get in a week's time, I can understand the decision to not take crews off of larger, more threatening fires to deal with this very small fire - though the smoke is visible for miles.
Umm, new tenant moving into tomorrow. Money is guaranteed, I'm not worried about that part of it. I'm not sure this person is all there. But, she is sweet enough. Only time will tell whether she will make a good fit here or not.
Ummm, whatever. Situation at work is going to be - messing with my head - for a while. I am waiting to hear back from the GM. That could be days or even weeks.
Anyway, I'm in good spirits, come what may.
G'nite.
ben
Cooler times are coming, yes, but they should have already come by now!! August is NEVER that hot, much less September!!
I was up in Globe today, higher elevation in the mountains - it was QUITE warm and humid up there, as well! I did snap a few shots, however, of a fire burning on a mountain range that was even higher. Too bad I have absolutely no desire to go through the rigarmoroo of uploading photos right now. A lightning strike sparked the fire and apparently the fire officials have determined to let it burn itself out.
The contractor I was delivering to said it had been burning for a week. Well, if that's all the bigger it is going to get in a week's time, I can understand the decision to not take crews off of larger, more threatening fires to deal with this very small fire - though the smoke is visible for miles.
Umm, new tenant moving into tomorrow. Money is guaranteed, I'm not worried about that part of it. I'm not sure this person is all there. But, she is sweet enough. Only time will tell whether she will make a good fit here or not.
Ummm, whatever. Situation at work is going to be - messing with my head - for a while. I am waiting to hear back from the GM. That could be days or even weeks.
Anyway, I'm in good spirits, come what may.
G'nite.
ben
Monday 9/6/2011
I'm not in a writing mood and haven't been since a situation developed at work on Friday. Nothing I am going into here, right now.
3 day weekend came and went seemingly as fast as a regular, 2-day weekend.
I was able to get the room rented yesterday, with the new person moving in on Thursday - and yes, I did get the money up front as I don't hold rooms. I had had a lot of response from an ad I ran - I think it was Sunday night. The thing about renting these rooms is getting an ad placed at the right time. Sounds weird but I just don't think people want to go through a bunch of ads, they just look at what's at the top and start replying.
Alberston's is running a buy 1, get 2 free deal on ribs. I basically fed the house yesterday in doing a BBQ, slow cooking it and serving with some other goodies. The other new tenant - the 20 year old - apparently was loving it as he went back for seconds.
I am now facing the loss of the other 20-something tenant as he is leaving either on the 11th or 12th of this month (he hasn't given me a definitive date, one of those 2 days according to him). He is going in this morning to get his tonsils removed - at the cost of Arizona taxpayers, lol, going to recover from it and then drive home to Michigan.
Obama - whatta piece of work. Hey, he has a great idea: spend MORE money!
I am facing some decisions at work - how far do I want to take a situation that was shoved in my face. I have a long memory, is all I can say about it.
That's it. I'm just going to read the news and then go to work after clocking in. The truck routing system is FULL of all kinds of stuff to do in there, most of it pickups but there is also 2 deliveries, one of them up to Globe.
G'day.
ben
3 day weekend came and went seemingly as fast as a regular, 2-day weekend.
I was able to get the room rented yesterday, with the new person moving in on Thursday - and yes, I did get the money up front as I don't hold rooms. I had had a lot of response from an ad I ran - I think it was Sunday night. The thing about renting these rooms is getting an ad placed at the right time. Sounds weird but I just don't think people want to go through a bunch of ads, they just look at what's at the top and start replying.
Alberston's is running a buy 1, get 2 free deal on ribs. I basically fed the house yesterday in doing a BBQ, slow cooking it and serving with some other goodies. The other new tenant - the 20 year old - apparently was loving it as he went back for seconds.
I am now facing the loss of the other 20-something tenant as he is leaving either on the 11th or 12th of this month (he hasn't given me a definitive date, one of those 2 days according to him). He is going in this morning to get his tonsils removed - at the cost of Arizona taxpayers, lol, going to recover from it and then drive home to Michigan.
Obama - whatta piece of work. Hey, he has a great idea: spend MORE money!
I am facing some decisions at work - how far do I want to take a situation that was shoved in my face. I have a long memory, is all I can say about it.
That's it. I'm just going to read the news and then go to work after clocking in. The truck routing system is FULL of all kinds of stuff to do in there, most of it pickups but there is also 2 deliveries, one of them up to Globe.
G'day.
ben
Friday, September 2, 2011
Friday 9/2/2011
Friday
On the cusp of a 3-day weekend.
Yesterday - 11 hours and 15 minutes of straight, non-stop work. Most of it in intense heat and most of that in the direct sunlight. The good thing is I got some OT that won't go away by sending me home early today. The reason is that there is too much to do in the system today, it will take at least until my normal quitting time to get all of it done.
I stopped by the urgent care place yesterday to get the results. Negative. Nothing wrong with you. Great, then what is this pain? Am I dreaming it? Am I making it up? Not hardly. I have been looking for a doctor, I will continue searching.
The idea that texting while driving shouldn't be completely and totally banned is nonsense. I heard this from some government "dude" yesterday and about threw up. I see this crap on the freeways every single day. You see someone swerving back and forth in front of you, almost guaranteed it's a person who is texting first and driving second.
Or the lady yesterday. Heavy, rush-hour traffic. She is keeping 2 hundred feet of space between her and the car in front of her so she can .........what else: text while driving. Her car is moving from one side of the lane to the other. She speeds up, slows down, speeds up, slows down. I have a great view from the perch it is sitting inside of a semi, I can see right down into cars and see what drivers are doing in there.
Of course, since we are going onto maddening habits that drivers do, let me just go into this one again. Stuck behind a vehicle for miles going 10, 15 even 20 miles per hour slower than the speed limit. Driving a semi, you can't just cut in and out of traffic, you are usually stuck behind a person like this for a long time waiting for traffic in the other lanes to clear.
So it was the other day. Stuck behind this person for 10 minutes going 55 in a 65 zone. When I FINALLY was able to get out from behind this driver, I sped up. Guess what? This person suddenly is going 70mph. It happens ALL the time, it is not an infrequent occurence.
Well whatever. Workday is almost here and there is quite a lot to get done. I'm still worn out from yesterday.
But, that is no excuse, right? lol
G'day.
ben
On the cusp of a 3-day weekend.
Yesterday - 11 hours and 15 minutes of straight, non-stop work. Most of it in intense heat and most of that in the direct sunlight. The good thing is I got some OT that won't go away by sending me home early today. The reason is that there is too much to do in the system today, it will take at least until my normal quitting time to get all of it done.
I stopped by the urgent care place yesterday to get the results. Negative. Nothing wrong with you. Great, then what is this pain? Am I dreaming it? Am I making it up? Not hardly. I have been looking for a doctor, I will continue searching.
The idea that texting while driving shouldn't be completely and totally banned is nonsense. I heard this from some government "dude" yesterday and about threw up. I see this crap on the freeways every single day. You see someone swerving back and forth in front of you, almost guaranteed it's a person who is texting first and driving second.
Or the lady yesterday. Heavy, rush-hour traffic. She is keeping 2 hundred feet of space between her and the car in front of her so she can .........what else: text while driving. Her car is moving from one side of the lane to the other. She speeds up, slows down, speeds up, slows down. I have a great view from the perch it is sitting inside of a semi, I can see right down into cars and see what drivers are doing in there.
Of course, since we are going onto maddening habits that drivers do, let me just go into this one again. Stuck behind a vehicle for miles going 10, 15 even 20 miles per hour slower than the speed limit. Driving a semi, you can't just cut in and out of traffic, you are usually stuck behind a person like this for a long time waiting for traffic in the other lanes to clear.
So it was the other day. Stuck behind this person for 10 minutes going 55 in a 65 zone. When I FINALLY was able to get out from behind this driver, I sped up. Guess what? This person suddenly is going 70mph. It happens ALL the time, it is not an infrequent occurence.
Well whatever. Workday is almost here and there is quite a lot to get done. I'm still worn out from yesterday.
But, that is no excuse, right? lol
G'day.
ben
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Thursday 9/1/2011
Thursday 9/1/2011
Well at least I'm not the only one thinking along these lines.
I have been saying for a couple of weeks now how hot it has been for this time of year. The temps are supposed to be dropping down into the low 100's range, instead, we are STILL slated for a 111 degree high today and tomorrow!
Apparently several records were set here for the month of August, including being right up there for the hottest month, ever, including all other months!
This is insanity and I demand that Mother Nature turn on the Air Conditioning! The COOL air conditioning, not the blooming HEATER!!
Let's take the projected highs into next week: 108; 109; 109; 108 and then it shows a high of 105 the next day. Absolutely unacceptable. Do you know what this heat is doing to my electric usage?!!!!!!
Okay, so it's hot, next. The tenancy blues.....are only going to get worse. The kid tenant is leaving on the 11th. He is going back home. Apparently he has had enough of Arizona, lol. Unfortunately, that will leave another room needing an occupant and I am already struggling with getting the other room rented. Whatever. I continue to have sporadic respond to my room rental ads and I haven't checked roommates.com account yet to see if there is any interest. Be doing that in a bit.
Well, busy looking day today. Yesterday was ridiculous. So, I'm out of here.....into the heat.
ben
Well at least I'm not the only one thinking along these lines.
I have been saying for a couple of weeks now how hot it has been for this time of year. The temps are supposed to be dropping down into the low 100's range, instead, we are STILL slated for a 111 degree high today and tomorrow!
Apparently several records were set here for the month of August, including being right up there for the hottest month, ever, including all other months!
This is insanity and I demand that Mother Nature turn on the Air Conditioning! The COOL air conditioning, not the blooming HEATER!!
Let's take the projected highs into next week: 108; 109; 109; 108 and then it shows a high of 105 the next day. Absolutely unacceptable. Do you know what this heat is doing to my electric usage?!!!!!!
Okay, so it's hot, next. The tenancy blues.....are only going to get worse. The kid tenant is leaving on the 11th. He is going back home. Apparently he has had enough of Arizona, lol. Unfortunately, that will leave another room needing an occupant and I am already struggling with getting the other room rented. Whatever. I continue to have sporadic respond to my room rental ads and I haven't checked roommates.com account yet to see if there is any interest. Be doing that in a bit.
Well, busy looking day today. Yesterday was ridiculous. So, I'm out of here.....into the heat.
ben
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Wednesday 8/31/2011
Wednesday
So, today is the big Cat Scan day.
Finally, someone agreed with me without having to asking them, they said: "the only thing I don't like about it is being exposed to radiation".
Thank you.
I have yet another interested party in the room and they are allegedly going to come over today to takealookatit.
Their nephew goes to the college which is all of 2 miles away from my house.
So, this big to-do with Quik-Trip, a large gas station/convenience store chain, is over. I cannot believe such a thing actually made it on the ballot. They wanted to build a gas station in the middle of a residential neighborhood. Not in a commercially zoned development, on a lot which was zoned for residential.
They lost. Kudos to my fellow Phoenicians for stopping this nonsense, let them build their gas stations where it is already zoned for such and out of the MIDDLE of a neighborhood.
End of month today. I always say that at the end of the month, cause' I look at the store's numbers to see where we're at. Not great, but not bad, either.
Interestingly, I found my new tenant's name in the Justice Court system. Actually, I found his name and apparently a couple of his friends in the same civil suit, a forcible detainer against them, filed by an apartment complex in Tempe less than 2 months ago. Ummm, I probably should have checked that before letting him move in, but oh well. He definitely has a job/income, so we'll see how this one turns out. I didn't say anything to him about it and probably won't, just interesting facts that you can find, for free, online, if you want to go through the pain of attempting to find it.
Finally, I'm curious as to what Iran is up to. I am sure Israel is, too. That is, sending a fleet to the Red Sea. Perhaps certain elements of this world love that nation and their rhetoric, I am guessing most of the civilized world does NOT and probably, their sending ships all over the place isn't going to be well received, either.
"
"The presence of Iran's army in the high seas will convey the message of peace and friendship to all countries," he said, according to the website."
Yeah? I don't think so. I think it will have the exact opposite effect. A nation's fleet getting that close to a country where it's president has stated that country - Israel - should be wiped off the face of the map is hardly going to elicit feelings of warmth, love and comaraderie.
G'day.
ben
So, today is the big Cat Scan day.
Finally, someone agreed with me without having to asking them, they said: "the only thing I don't like about it is being exposed to radiation".
Thank you.
I have yet another interested party in the room and they are allegedly going to come over today to takealookatit.
Their nephew goes to the college which is all of 2 miles away from my house.
So, this big to-do with Quik-Trip, a large gas station/convenience store chain, is over. I cannot believe such a thing actually made it on the ballot. They wanted to build a gas station in the middle of a residential neighborhood. Not in a commercially zoned development, on a lot which was zoned for residential.
They lost. Kudos to my fellow Phoenicians for stopping this nonsense, let them build their gas stations where it is already zoned for such and out of the MIDDLE of a neighborhood.
End of month today. I always say that at the end of the month, cause' I look at the store's numbers to see where we're at. Not great, but not bad, either.
Interestingly, I found my new tenant's name in the Justice Court system. Actually, I found his name and apparently a couple of his friends in the same civil suit, a forcible detainer against them, filed by an apartment complex in Tempe less than 2 months ago. Ummm, I probably should have checked that before letting him move in, but oh well. He definitely has a job/income, so we'll see how this one turns out. I didn't say anything to him about it and probably won't, just interesting facts that you can find, for free, online, if you want to go through the pain of attempting to find it.
Finally, I'm curious as to what Iran is up to. I am sure Israel is, too. That is, sending a fleet to the Red Sea. Perhaps certain elements of this world love that nation and their rhetoric, I am guessing most of the civilized world does NOT and probably, their sending ships all over the place isn't going to be well received, either.
"
"The presence of Iran's army in the high seas will convey the message of peace and friendship to all countries," he said, according to the website."
Yeah? I don't think so. I think it will have the exact opposite effect. A nation's fleet getting that close to a country where it's president has stated that country - Israel - should be wiped off the face of the map is hardly going to elicit feelings of warmth, love and comaraderie.
G'day.
ben
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Really?
Yes, as a matter of fact, this is who I am and this is my blog. I have sent a few - very few - people that I know in "real life" to my blog - only because they insisted on it. I don't actually promote it to anyone, at all. Not that I don't want readers, just that - well - dunno, really. Have to give it some thought.
Okay, I take that back. There are certain things that I write about on this blog that I know will cause' people to visit from around the world. That would include my Cafe World entries and various other discussion. You would be surprised at how many people come here looking for information about how to buy antibiotics for your dogs without a prescription. I'll give Fin the credit for finding out about Feedjit and the information it gives...........
Caleb. He is back at work, the same place he quit before going to the mountains - but - left on good terms. They wanted him back and they really like him. So that's cool.
We got into a rather lengthy conversation today about customer service, what good customer service entails and my rather candid remarks about customer service I receive frequently that is - very poor. More like terribly s*****, but we need not go there, I guess. I don't remember the low level of customer service across the board when I was younger and the world didn't believe everyone was out to get each other...........
He went back to that guy that threatened to kick his @$$ before he quit and went to work as a counselor at the youth camp for Salvation Army in the mountains. I will NEVER forget my son telling me this story of a 29 year old threatening to beat up my, at the time, 17 year old son. The feelings that that invoked were - rage; anger; go give the guy a toothless jaw. I didn't give into those feelings, thankfully, but I will definitely admit I HAD those feelings.
Caleb was lamenting about this guy's lack of work ethic. He goes to the Starbucks - in-store - and flirts with the ladies working there and abandons his post. His post is the customer service desk! I can't even imagine going to that desk and not finding anyone there during it's open hours. I mean, I can imagine it: MANAGEMENT, PLEASE, would be my first reaction if I had to wait there more than a couple of minutes without anyone showing up.
Caleb has no love for this guy and asked if I would show up. NO, I said, not to start an altercation with this man because of his threats. But, I could show up and go to the customer service desk to ask for help. I can think of several things I can go to the desk for. The point? The management of that place never forced him to apologize to my son for threatening him. They didn't fire him. They didn't do SQUAT. This guy continues on with the SAME crap!!
It will have to be a legitimate reason to call for this guy's management, but that will be easy: apparently he abandons post frequently and has to be called back on the store intercom several times per shift.
Okay, I take that back. There are certain things that I write about on this blog that I know will cause' people to visit from around the world. That would include my Cafe World entries and various other discussion. You would be surprised at how many people come here looking for information about how to buy antibiotics for your dogs without a prescription. I'll give Fin the credit for finding out about Feedjit and the information it gives...........
Caleb. He is back at work, the same place he quit before going to the mountains - but - left on good terms. They wanted him back and they really like him. So that's cool.
We got into a rather lengthy conversation today about customer service, what good customer service entails and my rather candid remarks about customer service I receive frequently that is - very poor. More like terribly s*****, but we need not go there, I guess. I don't remember the low level of customer service across the board when I was younger and the world didn't believe everyone was out to get each other...........
He went back to that guy that threatened to kick his @$$ before he quit and went to work as a counselor at the youth camp for Salvation Army in the mountains. I will NEVER forget my son telling me this story of a 29 year old threatening to beat up my, at the time, 17 year old son. The feelings that that invoked were - rage; anger; go give the guy a toothless jaw. I didn't give into those feelings, thankfully, but I will definitely admit I HAD those feelings.
Caleb was lamenting about this guy's lack of work ethic. He goes to the Starbucks - in-store - and flirts with the ladies working there and abandons his post. His post is the customer service desk! I can't even imagine going to that desk and not finding anyone there during it's open hours. I mean, I can imagine it: MANAGEMENT, PLEASE, would be my first reaction if I had to wait there more than a couple of minutes without anyone showing up.
Caleb has no love for this guy and asked if I would show up. NO, I said, not to start an altercation with this man because of his threats. But, I could show up and go to the customer service desk to ask for help. I can think of several things I can go to the desk for. The point? The management of that place never forced him to apologize to my son for threatening him. They didn't fire him. They didn't do SQUAT. This guy continues on with the SAME crap!!
It will have to be a legitimate reason to call for this guy's management, but that will be easy: apparently he abandons post frequently and has to be called back on the store intercom several times per shift.
Tuesday 8/30/2011
Tuesday
So, uhh, this pain in my side isn't exactly going away. I figured it would pass through and I would just get it over with.
So, tomorrow after work I am going in for the CT scan, find out for sure whatever is going on in there and - hopefully get it dealt with.
This thing is actually waking me up at night and keeping me awake, hence the desire to get it dealt with, sooner versus later.
Lots going on in this world. Too much to keep up with all of it. I have been watching some of the 911 shows that Nat Geo has been showing, but Bush interview is a classic as far as I'm concerned, I've watched it twice now. You don't really see much of Bush on the airwaves anymore - I wonder how many Secret Service agents he has to have around him when he goes out, considering the extreme hatred that apparently still exists against him? I don't get it and let it go, is all I can say about that.
What is the irony of all of these US states that are being flooded with more water than they could ever use right now in contrast to other US states that are in severe drought? Oh, that you could just "ship" the water from one state to another.
For that and since the Federal government loves to waste tax payer money, I propose a giant pipeline be installed from one side of the country to the other. 3,000 miles of ductile iron pipe, at least 5 foot diameter, costing what, $200 per foor just for the pipe? Plus the cost of labor and any easement lawsuits. Oh, and pumps, fittings and all the rest of it. I bet you could dump a trillion dollars just into a project like that! Look at all the jobs it would create!
We could bring the state of Texas right out of it's drought condition and pump all of it's lakes and reservoirs full of water from various rivers throughout the US. A preposterous idea? No more so than dumping a trillion dollars into the economy and seeing it vanish into thin air, with no more result than - having had wasted a trillion dollars.
My project, at least, would have some kind of result!! I'm not being serious here, folks.
The work day is here. I was sleeping so hard when the alarm went off this morning - considering I spent half the night tossing and turning attempting to get comfortable - yes, this reminds me the first time I had kidney stones - that the alarm clock had been going off fully 8 minutes before I finally woke up. I don't think the dogs were too happy about it.
Ummm, that's it and.....
g'day.
ben
So, uhh, this pain in my side isn't exactly going away. I figured it would pass through and I would just get it over with.
So, tomorrow after work I am going in for the CT scan, find out for sure whatever is going on in there and - hopefully get it dealt with.
This thing is actually waking me up at night and keeping me awake, hence the desire to get it dealt with, sooner versus later.
Lots going on in this world. Too much to keep up with all of it. I have been watching some of the 911 shows that Nat Geo has been showing, but Bush interview is a classic as far as I'm concerned, I've watched it twice now. You don't really see much of Bush on the airwaves anymore - I wonder how many Secret Service agents he has to have around him when he goes out, considering the extreme hatred that apparently still exists against him? I don't get it and let it go, is all I can say about that.
What is the irony of all of these US states that are being flooded with more water than they could ever use right now in contrast to other US states that are in severe drought? Oh, that you could just "ship" the water from one state to another.
For that and since the Federal government loves to waste tax payer money, I propose a giant pipeline be installed from one side of the country to the other. 3,000 miles of ductile iron pipe, at least 5 foot diameter, costing what, $200 per foor just for the pipe? Plus the cost of labor and any easement lawsuits. Oh, and pumps, fittings and all the rest of it. I bet you could dump a trillion dollars just into a project like that! Look at all the jobs it would create!
We could bring the state of Texas right out of it's drought condition and pump all of it's lakes and reservoirs full of water from various rivers throughout the US. A preposterous idea? No more so than dumping a trillion dollars into the economy and seeing it vanish into thin air, with no more result than - having had wasted a trillion dollars.
My project, at least, would have some kind of result!! I'm not being serious here, folks.
The work day is here. I was sleeping so hard when the alarm went off this morning - considering I spent half the night tossing and turning attempting to get comfortable - yes, this reminds me the first time I had kidney stones - that the alarm clock had been going off fully 8 minutes before I finally woke up. I don't think the dogs were too happy about it.
Ummm, that's it and.....
g'day.
ben
Monday, August 29, 2011
Tenant/IRS
I had a potential renter show up over here an hour or so ago. I knew he was coming, I didn't know he had just flown in from Ohio. He looked around the house and then the "yard" area. No grass. No. No grass. Just the pockets of it growing that I don't want. I love grass, don't get me wrong, but in these parts at this time of year? A yard of grass is watering it daily and mowing it frequently. If you don't water it daily in the heat, it's either going to die or it's not going to look very good.
I made the decision early on not to have grass, and then later decided on a small patch of it. The dogs ruined it and I decided that decorative landscaping rock is the way to go. As many other Phoenicians also do.
So we come back inside and talking for a while. He was honest, if nothing else: the inside of your house is beautiful, the outside, I don't like it. Why? There's no grass!! Yes, I can imagine coming from Ohio you are used to seeing grass EVERYWHERE. You will see grass here, yes, but you will definitely NOT see it everywhere. The common landscaping theme here is very nice looking, decorative landscaping rock.
Many homes that do have grass don't have their entire property surrounded with it. They'll have a patch of it for looks. There are areas with irrigation that have entire properties surrounded with grass, yes. There are houses that install the sprinkler systems and have grass all around, yes, but the majority of landscaping in the Phoenix area is rock, not grass.
Just an FYI. He wasn't happy with it, no biggies. I'll be happy to get a 3rd renter in here, yes, but I am not desperate - or if I was - I wouldn't show it to a potential renter, that's for sure.
I had another call today that wanted to come see it tomorrow. He asked a lot of questions, which I happily answered all of them. He sounded comfortable with it and we set tomorrow for him to come over and that was the end of that call. 2 minutes later, he calls back: Do you have dogs? I'm afraid of dogs. My ads plainly state that not only do I have dogs, I have very LARGE dogs. It's conspicuous, it's plainly stated. Well, that put that guy off.
I have yet another guy that might come over, but only if I'm awake. He wants to show up at 9:00 pm.
So, this room is being stubborn. I'll get it rented, of that I am confident, I just don't know how much longer it will take. It's near the end of the month, I am hoping to get increased hits because people are looking to move at the end of any given month.
IRS. Well, their site said my refund would be sent on the 26th. So today, I was thinking, hmmm: maybe it will get here? Nooooooo, no way are they that efficient. I get home and check my mail: 3 checks for the 3 years that I filed.
I ended up with more than I expected out of that haul, so, good to get something to buffer the account a bit.
That's it.
G'nite.
ben
I made the decision early on not to have grass, and then later decided on a small patch of it. The dogs ruined it and I decided that decorative landscaping rock is the way to go. As many other Phoenicians also do.
So we come back inside and talking for a while. He was honest, if nothing else: the inside of your house is beautiful, the outside, I don't like it. Why? There's no grass!! Yes, I can imagine coming from Ohio you are used to seeing grass EVERYWHERE. You will see grass here, yes, but you will definitely NOT see it everywhere. The common landscaping theme here is very nice looking, decorative landscaping rock.
Many homes that do have grass don't have their entire property surrounded with it. They'll have a patch of it for looks. There are areas with irrigation that have entire properties surrounded with grass, yes. There are houses that install the sprinkler systems and have grass all around, yes, but the majority of landscaping in the Phoenix area is rock, not grass.
Just an FYI. He wasn't happy with it, no biggies. I'll be happy to get a 3rd renter in here, yes, but I am not desperate - or if I was - I wouldn't show it to a potential renter, that's for sure.
I had another call today that wanted to come see it tomorrow. He asked a lot of questions, which I happily answered all of them. He sounded comfortable with it and we set tomorrow for him to come over and that was the end of that call. 2 minutes later, he calls back: Do you have dogs? I'm afraid of dogs. My ads plainly state that not only do I have dogs, I have very LARGE dogs. It's conspicuous, it's plainly stated. Well, that put that guy off.
I have yet another guy that might come over, but only if I'm awake. He wants to show up at 9:00 pm.
So, this room is being stubborn. I'll get it rented, of that I am confident, I just don't know how much longer it will take. It's near the end of the month, I am hoping to get increased hits because people are looking to move at the end of any given month.
IRS. Well, their site said my refund would be sent on the 26th. So today, I was thinking, hmmm: maybe it will get here? Nooooooo, no way are they that efficient. I get home and check my mail: 3 checks for the 3 years that I filed.
I ended up with more than I expected out of that haul, so, good to get something to buffer the account a bit.
That's it.
G'nite.
ben
Monday 8/29/2011
Monday
Well I got lost in a sea of online news and here it is, only a few minutes before work start. I can say one thing here: I am getting really tired of seeing the bright red advisory on the weather site I go to stating that Phoenix is yet again under a heat advisory.
They tell you to stay indoors. Great, if you have an office job.
Craigslist scammers are getting a little better at their replies to ads. Instead of the humanitarian nurse moving from London, now it's someone that is local that is getting a job here, moving from other state. Or they are from the area you are in and are just looking to move to another room.
But, the scammers writing those ads are mostly from other countries and it's easy to spot their spelling errors and grammatical "inflections" that only come from a foreignor.
Allegedly, however, 2 people are wanting to come look at the room today. We'll see how that pans out.
I watched George W. Bush on the Nat Geo channel last night giving a run through of what the day was like on 9/11. It was pretty amazing stuff, but I am not a Bush hater. Bush haters STILL blame him for the economic mess we are in.
Anyway, work day here.....
g'day.
ben
Well I got lost in a sea of online news and here it is, only a few minutes before work start. I can say one thing here: I am getting really tired of seeing the bright red advisory on the weather site I go to stating that Phoenix is yet again under a heat advisory.
They tell you to stay indoors. Great, if you have an office job.
Craigslist scammers are getting a little better at their replies to ads. Instead of the humanitarian nurse moving from London, now it's someone that is local that is getting a job here, moving from other state. Or they are from the area you are in and are just looking to move to another room.
But, the scammers writing those ads are mostly from other countries and it's easy to spot their spelling errors and grammatical "inflections" that only come from a foreignor.
Allegedly, however, 2 people are wanting to come look at the room today. We'll see how that pans out.
I watched George W. Bush on the Nat Geo channel last night giving a run through of what the day was like on 9/11. It was pretty amazing stuff, but I am not a Bush hater. Bush haters STILL blame him for the economic mess we are in.
Anyway, work day here.....
g'day.
ben
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Saturday 8/27/2011
A few things.
New tenant moved in yesterday. Seems to be a cool, easy-going person. Only time tells if a person is actually going to make a good fit.
Second room remains unrented, though I have a couple of prospects.
Third room - the dude that is already here. He says he may have to move back to Minnesota. Well it would certainly be interesting, if nothing else, to have to do a total swap-out of tenants. A pain in the @$$ is a more colorful and accurate description.
So, an old friend from missionary days flew in from Vegas to reconnect with my ex. But, she wanted to meet up with me, too - really cool lady, haven't seen her since the late 80's. So at 11:00 am, we are going out to visit at a restaurant. That should be fun - I hope anyway. Not exactly sure where we are going.
At 3, there is the company end-of-fiscal-year party. Don't really want to go just because it is so far away, but, I signed up for it so I will spend at least a couple of hours there and then leave. At least this one starts early - they have started much later in times past.
So, a busy day today, I think. But not a bad thing. What I'm really "waiting" for is the end of this miserable heat wave/hot tempatures that just keeps coming and coming. I have put off yard work at this point until it cools down considerably. I'm tired of sweating like a pig in mire out there trying to get stuff done. Of course, I have no choice but to keep up with the fish ponds - but the rest of it? Can WAIT.
I haven't heard from my dad, I have no idea how he's faring in North Carolina with this reunion they are having. I wrote him an email but haven't heard anything back yet.
Well, I gotta get ready to go. Appleebee's is the place we are going to. I like some of Appleebee's food, though they don't exactly have a calorie friendly menu - so I will have to take a look online and see what I can get away with without blowing the fat intake for the day too much.
G'day.
ben
New tenant moved in yesterday. Seems to be a cool, easy-going person. Only time tells if a person is actually going to make a good fit.
Second room remains unrented, though I have a couple of prospects.
Third room - the dude that is already here. He says he may have to move back to Minnesota. Well it would certainly be interesting, if nothing else, to have to do a total swap-out of tenants. A pain in the @$$ is a more colorful and accurate description.
So, an old friend from missionary days flew in from Vegas to reconnect with my ex. But, she wanted to meet up with me, too - really cool lady, haven't seen her since the late 80's. So at 11:00 am, we are going out to visit at a restaurant. That should be fun - I hope anyway. Not exactly sure where we are going.
At 3, there is the company end-of-fiscal-year party. Don't really want to go just because it is so far away, but, I signed up for it so I will spend at least a couple of hours there and then leave. At least this one starts early - they have started much later in times past.
So, a busy day today, I think. But not a bad thing. What I'm really "waiting" for is the end of this miserable heat wave/hot tempatures that just keeps coming and coming. I have put off yard work at this point until it cools down considerably. I'm tired of sweating like a pig in mire out there trying to get stuff done. Of course, I have no choice but to keep up with the fish ponds - but the rest of it? Can WAIT.
I haven't heard from my dad, I have no idea how he's faring in North Carolina with this reunion they are having. I wrote him an email but haven't heard anything back yet.
Well, I gotta get ready to go. Appleebee's is the place we are going to. I like some of Appleebee's food, though they don't exactly have a calorie friendly menu - so I will have to take a look online and see what I can get away with without blowing the fat intake for the day too much.
G'day.
ben
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