Friday
Now it's REALLY Friday, lol.
Yesterday was a very long day at work.
3 different trips, out until almost 4:00 pm.
Of course, today has almost nothing to do in the routing system, se la vie.
I haven't got much this morning. I woke up out of a really strange dream that I can't quite seem to shake from my head.
I was living in a house on the side of a large mountain with a bunch of relatives. That's strange in itself - who wants to live with their relatives? Anyway, one of my Koi ponds was up in a giant barn/garage like structure on the second floor. The thing caught on fire and I was, for whatever reason, trying to catch the fish and save them (In real life? the fish would burn! I ain't riskin' my life for fish!).
It was in a remote area of the wilderness, the house that is, but it was set on this REALLY steep mountainside. I remember leaving to get out of there as the house was burning, walking along a dirt road, looking up and see at the top of the mountain a wave of lava coming over it. The next thing I know, I'm climbing up a huge tree to escape the lava.
As I said, it was a strange dream. Why it's stuck in my head, no clue, usually dreams just fizzle out of my mind - but, obviously - not always. Not only that, the alarm clock had been going off for over a full minute before I finally woke up out of it!
Oh, Caleb's graduation. This should be lovely. My dad and my mom - who haven't seen each other since 1985 - will be "forced" to be in the same place, at the same time. Not only that, my brothers are coming. My brothers haven't spoken to my dad in like 6 years. I am guessing this whole situation is going to be VERY uncomfortable for all of them. Well, they don't HAVE to come. I guess they don't even have to sit together, I'm guessing they probably won't.
One thing that is good out of all of it: My brothers and mom are pitching in together to buy Caleb a brand new laptop as a gift. You can't beat that with a stick!!!
G'day.
ben
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Thursday 4/21/2011
Note: I had it stuck in my head this morning that it is Friday, when, in actuality, it is Thursday. Get to do a do-over tomorrow.
Friday
Performance review given out yesterday. Mostly good marks but with a black eye punched. Of course, the issue with the DOT giving me out warnings. I get pulled over frequently enough - in fact just a few days ago. But my truck was not inspected, just weighed. The truck was almost empty, they weighed two of the 5 axles and then moved me on.
Oh well. I am sure there are drivers all over the country that are getting this kind of junk and there isn't much you can do about it. There are also other drivers in my company that have received tickets with fines - I received no such thing.
But in this new era of new rules and regulations that have just come out, it almost makes no difference on your record whether it was a violation with a warning or a violation with a ticket and fine. You know, I have no control over god-attitude DOT officers, especially the 20-somethings that have attitude written all over themselves. This has been going on for decades, there is nothing new here.
They pull you over to find violations. They don't care how petty it is or the fact that it has nothing to do with "safety", they will write you up for a loose bolt on a passenger seat that no-one ever sits in. Companies with management that has no knowledge of the trucking industry and how DOT officers approach these situations simply point at the driver and blame you. You have to be perfect, but more: your truck has to be perfect as well.
I also got a mark on "communication". Yes, well, I have to say that I communicate with everyone in the company that I need to communicate with, when I need to communicate with them. I was asking about that and didn't get any specific instances - which is what I need to see whether I am really guilty of that or just because it's an inexperienced manager - who - btw - went through a divorce and would show up to work listless. I was dumped with the workload while he sat in his office with extreme depression. I didn't care about the workload, but he wasn't communicating with me - almost at all.
But, whatever. I can't change the review if I wanted to, I do care, but there is nothing I can do about it.
Regardless, there is a huge volume of work to do today, stuff got dumped into our routing system just before I was leaving to go home yesterday. I doubt it will all get finished - too much work in too little time to accomplish. I always try, of course, but I have enough experience to know what can be done with a 2 man crew and what can't be done.
As for right now? Go read the news.
G'day.
ben
Friday
Performance review given out yesterday. Mostly good marks but with a black eye punched. Of course, the issue with the DOT giving me out warnings. I get pulled over frequently enough - in fact just a few days ago. But my truck was not inspected, just weighed. The truck was almost empty, they weighed two of the 5 axles and then moved me on.
Oh well. I am sure there are drivers all over the country that are getting this kind of junk and there isn't much you can do about it. There are also other drivers in my company that have received tickets with fines - I received no such thing.
But in this new era of new rules and regulations that have just come out, it almost makes no difference on your record whether it was a violation with a warning or a violation with a ticket and fine. You know, I have no control over god-attitude DOT officers, especially the 20-somethings that have attitude written all over themselves. This has been going on for decades, there is nothing new here.
They pull you over to find violations. They don't care how petty it is or the fact that it has nothing to do with "safety", they will write you up for a loose bolt on a passenger seat that no-one ever sits in. Companies with management that has no knowledge of the trucking industry and how DOT officers approach these situations simply point at the driver and blame you. You have to be perfect, but more: your truck has to be perfect as well.
I also got a mark on "communication". Yes, well, I have to say that I communicate with everyone in the company that I need to communicate with, when I need to communicate with them. I was asking about that and didn't get any specific instances - which is what I need to see whether I am really guilty of that or just because it's an inexperienced manager - who - btw - went through a divorce and would show up to work listless. I was dumped with the workload while he sat in his office with extreme depression. I didn't care about the workload, but he wasn't communicating with me - almost at all.
But, whatever. I can't change the review if I wanted to, I do care, but there is nothing I can do about it.
Regardless, there is a huge volume of work to do today, stuff got dumped into our routing system just before I was leaving to go home yesterday. I doubt it will all get finished - too much work in too little time to accomplish. I always try, of course, but I have enough experience to know what can be done with a 2 man crew and what can't be done.
As for right now? Go read the news.
G'day.
ben
Wednesday 4/20/2011
Wednesday
Ummm, I always hate when I forget to update this blog and get the entries on comments to their own spot.
Oh well.
Brewer vetoes the requirement to check presidential candidate's credentials as to place of birth. Good. I don't like Obama, at all, but our state has enough contention going on to need to heap even more upon it. It is a useless waste of legislature's time to be drafting this kind of bill up and then going through all the motions to get it passed.
They have better things to do.
The price of food is continuing to rise. Especially seeing that scenario in the meat department at the local grocer's. Dairy products, too. In fact, just about everything. I'm beginning to wonder if some of this stuff I have been hearing for some time now isn't going to come to pass: food is going to get so expensive, some people aren't going to be able to afford to buy it. Others are going to be severely affected by it.
I dunno. I am not feeding a bunch of mouths right now so it really isn't affecting me that much. The trailer tenants are already complaining about it - they have limited finances and this kind of thing happening isn't helpful to their situation. I can always tell when they are down to their last pennies - they start eating mac and cheese or other types of noodles. I gave them a 3 pound package of ground beef yesterday, it was on sale.
But, the sales aren't that great - at least right now - as it is. That 3-pound pack at $6.19 on sale would have been around $2.50 in a similar sale only a year ago. The regular price of ground beef has soared, actually, to the point I don't even buy the stuff right now. If a good sale comes up on it anytime in the near future, I will be a lot of it.
Another example are the 5 pound chubs. A year ago, not even that long ago: $9.99 and you could get it much cheaper if it was on sale. Now? Over $13 for that same chub. That's a substantial rise in the price.
Things at work, completely changing the subject, are going in a - strange direction. I won't go into details, but even the feel of it is pretty much out there. I'm not sure what is going on, where it is leading to or what the final results will be, hold onto my seat and let's go for another roller coaster ride.
In reality, when times get rough in most societies, more people turn to God. I was just musing about that. I wonder if that's true in these current times. Especially America. The land of the free - and increasingly a lot of corruption at all levels. Meanwhile, people are homeless, hungry, broke. It's all around you, you may not see it because you haven't really looked. Or you may not WANT to see it. Who knows.
I am done with this one, as I seem to be wandering all over the place.
G'day.
ben
Ummm, I always hate when I forget to update this blog and get the entries on comments to their own spot.
Oh well.
Brewer vetoes the requirement to check presidential candidate's credentials as to place of birth. Good. I don't like Obama, at all, but our state has enough contention going on to need to heap even more upon it. It is a useless waste of legislature's time to be drafting this kind of bill up and then going through all the motions to get it passed.
They have better things to do.
The price of food is continuing to rise. Especially seeing that scenario in the meat department at the local grocer's. Dairy products, too. In fact, just about everything. I'm beginning to wonder if some of this stuff I have been hearing for some time now isn't going to come to pass: food is going to get so expensive, some people aren't going to be able to afford to buy it. Others are going to be severely affected by it.
I dunno. I am not feeding a bunch of mouths right now so it really isn't affecting me that much. The trailer tenants are already complaining about it - they have limited finances and this kind of thing happening isn't helpful to their situation. I can always tell when they are down to their last pennies - they start eating mac and cheese or other types of noodles. I gave them a 3 pound package of ground beef yesterday, it was on sale.
But, the sales aren't that great - at least right now - as it is. That 3-pound pack at $6.19 on sale would have been around $2.50 in a similar sale only a year ago. The regular price of ground beef has soared, actually, to the point I don't even buy the stuff right now. If a good sale comes up on it anytime in the near future, I will be a lot of it.
Another example are the 5 pound chubs. A year ago, not even that long ago: $9.99 and you could get it much cheaper if it was on sale. Now? Over $13 for that same chub. That's a substantial rise in the price.
Things at work, completely changing the subject, are going in a - strange direction. I won't go into details, but even the feel of it is pretty much out there. I'm not sure what is going on, where it is leading to or what the final results will be, hold onto my seat and let's go for another roller coaster ride.
In reality, when times get rough in most societies, more people turn to God. I was just musing about that. I wonder if that's true in these current times. Especially America. The land of the free - and increasingly a lot of corruption at all levels. Meanwhile, people are homeless, hungry, broke. It's all around you, you may not see it because you haven't really looked. Or you may not WANT to see it. Who knows.
I am done with this one, as I seem to be wandering all over the place.
G'day.
ben
Tuesday 4/19/2011
Tuesday
This will be a short(er) one. Not much time left before work.
The only item of interest is a conversation I had yesterday with Lynnette, one of the trailer dwellers.
She started telling me this story about the kid tenant - again. I had thought we had gotten past some of this stuff. Apparently and definitely not.
What she told me started to make me mad. She told me she was mopping the kitchen floor and that this kid came out -- and walked on the still wet floor. She asked him not to do that, can he wait 10 minutes until the floor dries? No, he replies, he his hungry.
So, you are so hungry that you can't wait a few minutes until the floor dries? Please? No, he replies again, I am hungry right now and I am not going to wait. The third request fell on deaf ears.
UNBELIEVABLE. WHAT planet did this kid drop in from? Planet EGO, apparently. I am god, I can do whatever I want, do not interfere with my activities.
It goes on. She has told him in the past to NOT start the dishwasher. He used to start the thing half full. Seriously, the machine wouldn't be even half full and there is he, wasting my electricity, hot water and those dishwasher tabs - which are expensive btw - on half a load of dishes. Apparently Lynnette's fuse blew on that one: Do not EVER start this machine again!! I guess she lectured him on the fact that I usually have the thing crammed full - more than she has ever seen anyone get into a machine and still have the dishes come out clean.
Well, as a matter of fact, that is true : )
This isn't the end. I was informed that he goes out my side door where the fish are to - allegedly - piss if he wakes up and the bathroom is being used. ?@!!!!!@#$@#$%Q$*@$)@$
Lynnette said basically he's being doing that since he moved in. I had no clue. I have never seen him going out there - not to do anything. Well, that door has a double deadbolt on it - meaning it is keyed on BOTH sides and yes, the door is now deadbolted shut.
Then there was the coup de grace. Imagine listening to all of this in one conversation. He got up yesterday morning and was having a cow about the bathroom being full. One moment of humor, yes, I was laughing. That's because fully 3 people in a row used the bathroom including taking showers - keeping him out and apparently complaining loudly to Lynnette.
I told Lynnette I would deal with him on the floor cleaning issue, what a freak. No, she exclaims loudly, do NOT do that!! She didn't want to be seen as a tattle tale. Well who cares? What's the kid going to do? I very reluctantly agreed to not say anything, but the issue of the dishwasher DID come up.
You see, it wasn't just that he started the machine, he started it with a casserole dish in there, a small one, but it was over the top of the telescoping thing that raises up when the machine starts and sprays water on the dishes on the upper rack. Without that, those dishes do not get clean. Further, he did not rearrange the silverware so that it wasn't all crammed into one compartment. Half of that didn't get clean and he also didn't arrange the dishes so that water could get through all of it.
I addressed him on that and flatly told him to never operate that machine again, did not say please or thank you, just don't touch it.
I have my own plan about forcing this kitchen floor issue. I will just clean the floor when he is home and hope that he comes out while the floor is wet. I have already had one show down with him about this quite some time ago. I had thought THAT situation had been taken care of.
That's it. My time is up anyway. There is actually more to the story with this kid, but, no biggies.
G'day.
ben
This will be a short(er) one. Not much time left before work.
The only item of interest is a conversation I had yesterday with Lynnette, one of the trailer dwellers.
She started telling me this story about the kid tenant - again. I had thought we had gotten past some of this stuff. Apparently and definitely not.
What she told me started to make me mad. She told me she was mopping the kitchen floor and that this kid came out -- and walked on the still wet floor. She asked him not to do that, can he wait 10 minutes until the floor dries? No, he replies, he his hungry.
So, you are so hungry that you can't wait a few minutes until the floor dries? Please? No, he replies again, I am hungry right now and I am not going to wait. The third request fell on deaf ears.
UNBELIEVABLE. WHAT planet did this kid drop in from? Planet EGO, apparently. I am god, I can do whatever I want, do not interfere with my activities.
It goes on. She has told him in the past to NOT start the dishwasher. He used to start the thing half full. Seriously, the machine wouldn't be even half full and there is he, wasting my electricity, hot water and those dishwasher tabs - which are expensive btw - on half a load of dishes. Apparently Lynnette's fuse blew on that one: Do not EVER start this machine again!! I guess she lectured him on the fact that I usually have the thing crammed full - more than she has ever seen anyone get into a machine and still have the dishes come out clean.
Well, as a matter of fact, that is true : )
This isn't the end. I was informed that he goes out my side door where the fish are to - allegedly - piss if he wakes up and the bathroom is being used. ?@!!!!!@#$@#$%Q$*@$)@$
Lynnette said basically he's being doing that since he moved in. I had no clue. I have never seen him going out there - not to do anything. Well, that door has a double deadbolt on it - meaning it is keyed on BOTH sides and yes, the door is now deadbolted shut.
Then there was the coup de grace. Imagine listening to all of this in one conversation. He got up yesterday morning and was having a cow about the bathroom being full. One moment of humor, yes, I was laughing. That's because fully 3 people in a row used the bathroom including taking showers - keeping him out and apparently complaining loudly to Lynnette.
I told Lynnette I would deal with him on the floor cleaning issue, what a freak. No, she exclaims loudly, do NOT do that!! She didn't want to be seen as a tattle tale. Well who cares? What's the kid going to do? I very reluctantly agreed to not say anything, but the issue of the dishwasher DID come up.
You see, it wasn't just that he started the machine, he started it with a casserole dish in there, a small one, but it was over the top of the telescoping thing that raises up when the machine starts and sprays water on the dishes on the upper rack. Without that, those dishes do not get clean. Further, he did not rearrange the silverware so that it wasn't all crammed into one compartment. Half of that didn't get clean and he also didn't arrange the dishes so that water could get through all of it.
I addressed him on that and flatly told him to never operate that machine again, did not say please or thank you, just don't touch it.
I have my own plan about forcing this kitchen floor issue. I will just clean the floor when he is home and hope that he comes out while the floor is wet. I have already had one show down with him about this quite some time ago. I had thought THAT situation had been taken care of.
That's it. My time is up anyway. There is actually more to the story with this kid, but, no biggies.
G'day.
ben
Monday 4/18/2011
Monday
Tax Day.
The day of Fear. The day the Federal Government through the Department of the Treasury via the IRS wants to instill the fear of man into you. File your tax returns or else.
I guess it's the whole fear thing that they try to convey that turns me off.
So here we go again with rising fuel prices. I mean, some parts of the country are already paying over $4 per gallon, it was $3.67 at a station I saw on the way to work today. They have you by the throat. You wanna drive, you will pay the price and there isn't a thing you can do about it. I have no choice. Well, I suppose there are always choices, but getting up at 3:30 am to ride a bike to work doesn't sound like much fun, neither does taking a bus that would take 2 to 2-1/2 hours to get to work. How high is it going to go, that is my question.
Here's some humor: the House has passed Ryan's bill to cut the deficit. Humorous because everyone knows it's not going to pass through the Senate and even if it did - Obama would most certainly veto it. I don't know about anyone else, but I would like to see a plan that, since it's going to take 10 years to do it - would call ALL of the deficit out, regardless of what that means cutting out of the FAR-too-long reach span of the Federal government.
The interest payments on our debt alone is staggering when put into visible numbers (versus "them" just talking about it in generic fashion). One thing I hope remains true: that the pressure is on from the American people - a lot of us anyway - to get this mindset that they can just spend as much as they want and it doesn't matter what we think - out of Washington. Good luck with Obama, right? lol. Still, there IS pressure. They can't just ignore the entire caucus anymore. Some people may hate the Tea Party, but that grouping of individuals has done more to force the issue of spending than any other grouping in modern history.
Just sit back and take a totally neutral look at the Federal government, the money it gets in on a yearly basis and the money it spends, including the interest to pay for the loans that we continually seem to be acquiring to keep the government's doors open. If you could get past party line and emotion in such a view, then perhaps you might start to see that regardless of who got us here and into this mess - something HAS to be done about it and now, not 10 years from now, now.
This mentality of living in debt and that it's somehow acceptable needs to go out the window. Statistics show that many Americans are paying down their personal debt - if they can - getting out of credit card debt and attempting to even save more.
I upped my 401k deductions to 5% so that I could realize the full benefits given by my company in their match. Dollar for dollar on the first 2 percent and 50 cents on the dollar on the 3 beyond that. It's free money and I ain't gettin' no pension. My only trepidation is the doomsayers forecasting that later this year, the stock market is going to take a dive again and so are your stocks.
Ahhh, well, I am going to probably dump all of my money into the safest venue I can find in the next month or so. I did that last time and I didn't lost near as much, percentage wise, as several people I know who said they lost almost everything. BUT, the same people came back a year later and said they had gotten it all back!
Regardless, work day approaches and there is some driving to do.
G'day.
ben
Tax Day.
The day of Fear. The day the Federal Government through the Department of the Treasury via the IRS wants to instill the fear of man into you. File your tax returns or else.
I guess it's the whole fear thing that they try to convey that turns me off.
So here we go again with rising fuel prices. I mean, some parts of the country are already paying over $4 per gallon, it was $3.67 at a station I saw on the way to work today. They have you by the throat. You wanna drive, you will pay the price and there isn't a thing you can do about it. I have no choice. Well, I suppose there are always choices, but getting up at 3:30 am to ride a bike to work doesn't sound like much fun, neither does taking a bus that would take 2 to 2-1/2 hours to get to work. How high is it going to go, that is my question.
Here's some humor: the House has passed Ryan's bill to cut the deficit. Humorous because everyone knows it's not going to pass through the Senate and even if it did - Obama would most certainly veto it. I don't know about anyone else, but I would like to see a plan that, since it's going to take 10 years to do it - would call ALL of the deficit out, regardless of what that means cutting out of the FAR-too-long reach span of the Federal government.
The interest payments on our debt alone is staggering when put into visible numbers (versus "them" just talking about it in generic fashion). One thing I hope remains true: that the pressure is on from the American people - a lot of us anyway - to get this mindset that they can just spend as much as they want and it doesn't matter what we think - out of Washington. Good luck with Obama, right? lol. Still, there IS pressure. They can't just ignore the entire caucus anymore. Some people may hate the Tea Party, but that grouping of individuals has done more to force the issue of spending than any other grouping in modern history.
Just sit back and take a totally neutral look at the Federal government, the money it gets in on a yearly basis and the money it spends, including the interest to pay for the loans that we continually seem to be acquiring to keep the government's doors open. If you could get past party line and emotion in such a view, then perhaps you might start to see that regardless of who got us here and into this mess - something HAS to be done about it and now, not 10 years from now, now.
This mentality of living in debt and that it's somehow acceptable needs to go out the window. Statistics show that many Americans are paying down their personal debt - if they can - getting out of credit card debt and attempting to even save more.
I upped my 401k deductions to 5% so that I could realize the full benefits given by my company in their match. Dollar for dollar on the first 2 percent and 50 cents on the dollar on the 3 beyond that. It's free money and I ain't gettin' no pension. My only trepidation is the doomsayers forecasting that later this year, the stock market is going to take a dive again and so are your stocks.
Ahhh, well, I am going to probably dump all of my money into the safest venue I can find in the next month or so. I did that last time and I didn't lost near as much, percentage wise, as several people I know who said they lost almost everything. BUT, the same people came back a year later and said they had gotten it all back!
Regardless, work day approaches and there is some driving to do.
G'day.
ben
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Sunday 4/17/2011
Plunked the tax forms into the mailbox on Friday - with extra stamps just in case on the Federal return envelope - and now wait for the s to hit the fan. I am just glad to get it sent out in time, if the IRS wants to dispute any or all of it, that does not, therefore, negate that it was sent out in time and they can't try to tell me that I don't get that 5k worth of credit. I can honestly say that until I actually have a check from the IRS in my hands, I don't expect or have any hope of getting ANY of it back. Rather, I expect them to try to find some way to not only not give me the money, but try to take more.
You may gather that I neither like the IRS nor do I trust them. Not after having read horror story, after horror story - etc. ad nauseum.
I have some people coming over in 4 hours or so to get some pond plants. I try to give them away versus cutting them and chucking them. They are all growing way too fast right now, that time of year I guess. Taking over almost one entire pond, there is PLENTY there to give away. Pond plants don't take a green thumb, either, just pluck them into pots, put them in the water, watch them grow.
Much time passed. 2 families came over separated by an hour and I got the plants in my pond thinned out greatly while listening to stories of people with ponds that they know nothing about. One family bought a short-sale home with a huge pond. The house had been vacated for well over a year. The pond, according to them, was dried up and there were numerous fish bodies and other stuff laying in it. I can't imagine a person who has gone to the trouble to install a very expensive pond and then just let the fish die in it. If I was losing my home and couldn't take my fish, I would give them away before just letting them sit in there to eventually die.
The second family was quite interesting. Parents and kids. The story was that they had gone on a pond tour, saw the ponds and were inspired. More to the point: the 16 year old boy wanted to put a pond in their back yard and began telling me how he spent 6 months digging it out by hand. The entire family was all ears while I was explaining the art of pond plants. I can actually see about half of that pond now without plants obscuring the view! It's a bit nicer to give the plants away than to just just the trimmings in the trash.
Umm, time's up. Work week en-queue.
G'nite.
ben
You may gather that I neither like the IRS nor do I trust them. Not after having read horror story, after horror story - etc. ad nauseum.
I have some people coming over in 4 hours or so to get some pond plants. I try to give them away versus cutting them and chucking them. They are all growing way too fast right now, that time of year I guess. Taking over almost one entire pond, there is PLENTY there to give away. Pond plants don't take a green thumb, either, just pluck them into pots, put them in the water, watch them grow.
Much time passed. 2 families came over separated by an hour and I got the plants in my pond thinned out greatly while listening to stories of people with ponds that they know nothing about. One family bought a short-sale home with a huge pond. The house had been vacated for well over a year. The pond, according to them, was dried up and there were numerous fish bodies and other stuff laying in it. I can't imagine a person who has gone to the trouble to install a very expensive pond and then just let the fish die in it. If I was losing my home and couldn't take my fish, I would give them away before just letting them sit in there to eventually die.
The second family was quite interesting. Parents and kids. The story was that they had gone on a pond tour, saw the ponds and were inspired. More to the point: the 16 year old boy wanted to put a pond in their back yard and began telling me how he spent 6 months digging it out by hand. The entire family was all ears while I was explaining the art of pond plants. I can actually see about half of that pond now without plants obscuring the view! It's a bit nicer to give the plants away than to just just the trimmings in the trash.
Umm, time's up. Work week en-queue.
G'nite.
ben
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Friday 4/15/2011
Friday
Yayyyy, it's Friday!
This is hilarious: Arizona legislature okays birther bill - which requires any and all presidential candidates to prove via birth certificate or some other acceptable means that they were born in the United States.
The wild, wild, west. Well, whatever. I'm sure the opponents of this particular bill will do.....what? Tell everyone to boycott Arizona again? Lol. It still amazes me that one of our own state's senators actually got that going when the Immigration bill was being considered.
Ummm, I think I'll leave the realm of the politics - though I do find no small amount of amusement and entertainment from the bickering and bantering back and forth between the two parties about how we should - or apparently should not - reduce the nation's deficit.
Regardless, I am sending in one tax return today and probably go ahead and file this year's as well. Work on the other 2 years - of which I have the paper work sitting around somewhere, get it over with, wait for the IRS to start heck and heterdyne, I am sure. What's another round of drama in my life?
Went to the JROTC event last night where they hand out awards. Caleb got two of them. His final days of being on top of his particular world in High School are drawing to a close. Then he's off to new adventures. The ex was there, too, she snapped a pic of Caleb and I.
Almost scary. No more kids in the house? Maybe I need to go out and find a ready-made family, lol. I don't want any more babies, but I wouldn't mind doing the sports thing with baseball and all that over again with another one.
Anyway, no great plans for the weekend. I am, however, talking with a nice looking gal in email back and forth. I know she's nice lookin' cause she has sent me about a dozen different pics. This lady actually seems to be normal!! Christian, no drugs, doesn't smoke, don't know about kids, has a job, career, even money! Not that not having money is a disqualifier, but my wouldn't it be nice to find someone that is self supporting and isn't in want. I dunno, we're talking back and forth. Amazingly, this person replied to a Craigslist ad. I stopped doing those after several failed attempts last year to meet - anyone that has even a close semblance to being normal. But, whatever is in all of us that drives us to be with someone - got me going again. I didn't want to; pay for Match.com and was having no luck with Plenty of Fish, figured to try the freebie route again.
Umm, oh, the weekend. Well, probably the same routine. Caleb is gone to some sort of camp this weekend, I am still considering taking a day trip out of town just to get a new perspective - the mountains tend to do that for me.
G'day.
ben
Yayyyy, it's Friday!
This is hilarious: Arizona legislature okays birther bill - which requires any and all presidential candidates to prove via birth certificate or some other acceptable means that they were born in the United States.
The wild, wild, west. Well, whatever. I'm sure the opponents of this particular bill will do.....what? Tell everyone to boycott Arizona again? Lol. It still amazes me that one of our own state's senators actually got that going when the Immigration bill was being considered.
Ummm, I think I'll leave the realm of the politics - though I do find no small amount of amusement and entertainment from the bickering and bantering back and forth between the two parties about how we should - or apparently should not - reduce the nation's deficit.
Regardless, I am sending in one tax return today and probably go ahead and file this year's as well. Work on the other 2 years - of which I have the paper work sitting around somewhere, get it over with, wait for the IRS to start heck and heterdyne, I am sure. What's another round of drama in my life?
Went to the JROTC event last night where they hand out awards. Caleb got two of them. His final days of being on top of his particular world in High School are drawing to a close. Then he's off to new adventures. The ex was there, too, she snapped a pic of Caleb and I.
Almost scary. No more kids in the house? Maybe I need to go out and find a ready-made family, lol. I don't want any more babies, but I wouldn't mind doing the sports thing with baseball and all that over again with another one.
Anyway, no great plans for the weekend. I am, however, talking with a nice looking gal in email back and forth. I know she's nice lookin' cause she has sent me about a dozen different pics. This lady actually seems to be normal!! Christian, no drugs, doesn't smoke, don't know about kids, has a job, career, even money! Not that not having money is a disqualifier, but my wouldn't it be nice to find someone that is self supporting and isn't in want. I dunno, we're talking back and forth. Amazingly, this person replied to a Craigslist ad. I stopped doing those after several failed attempts last year to meet - anyone that has even a close semblance to being normal. But, whatever is in all of us that drives us to be with someone - got me going again. I didn't want to; pay for Match.com and was having no luck with Plenty of Fish, figured to try the freebie route again.
Umm, oh, the weekend. Well, probably the same routine. Caleb is gone to some sort of camp this weekend, I am still considering taking a day trip out of town just to get a new perspective - the mountains tend to do that for me.
G'day.
ben
Friday, April 15, 2011
Friday 4/15/2011
Friday
Yayyyy, it's Friday!
This is hilarious: Arizona legislature okays birther bill - which requires any and all presidential candidates to prove via birth certificate or some other acceptable means that they were born in the United States.
The wild, wild, west. Well, whatever. I'm sure the opponents of this particular bill will do.....what? Tell everyone to boycott Arizona again? Lol. It still amazes me that one of our own state's senators actually got that going when the Immigration bill was being considered.
Ummm, I think I'll leave the realm of the politics - though I do find no small amount of amusement and entertainment from the bickering and bantering back and forth between the two parties about how we should - or apparently should not - reduce the nation's deficit.
Regardless, I am sending in one tax return today and probably go ahead and file this year's as well. Work on the other 2 years - of which I have the paper work sitting around somewhere, get it over with, wait for the IRS to start heck and heterdyne, I am sure. What's another round of drama in my life?
Went to the JROTC event last night where they hand out awards. Caleb got two of them. His final days of being on top of his particular world in High School are drawing to a close. Then he's off to new adventures. The ex was there, too, she snapped a pic of Caleb and I.
Almost scary. No more kids in the house? Maybe I need to go out and find a ready-made family, lol. I don't want any more babies, but I wouldn't mind doing the sports thing with baseball and all that over again with another one.
Anyway, no great plans for the weekend. I am, however, talking with a nice looking gal in email back and forth. I know she's nice lookin' cause she has sent me about a dozen different pics. This lady actually seems to be normal!! Christian, no drugs, doesn't smoke, don't know about kids, has a job, career, even money! Not that not having money is a disqualifier, but my wouldn't it be nice to find someone that is self supporting and isn't in want. I dunno, we're talking back and forth. Amazingly, this person replied to a Craigslist ad. I stopped doing those after several failed attempts last year to meet - anyone that has even a close semblance to being normal. But, whatever is in all of us that drives us to be with someone - got me going again. I didn't want to; pay for Match.com and was having no luck with Plenty of Fish, figured to try the freebie route again.
Umm, oh, the weekend. Well, probably the same routine. Caleb is gone to some sort of camp this weekend, I am still considering taking a day trip out of town just to get a new perspective - the mountains tend to do that for me.
G'day.
ben
Yayyyy, it's Friday!
This is hilarious: Arizona legislature okays birther bill - which requires any and all presidential candidates to prove via birth certificate or some other acceptable means that they were born in the United States.
The wild, wild, west. Well, whatever. I'm sure the opponents of this particular bill will do.....what? Tell everyone to boycott Arizona again? Lol. It still amazes me that one of our own state's senators actually got that going when the Immigration bill was being considered.
Ummm, I think I'll leave the realm of the politics - though I do find no small amount of amusement and entertainment from the bickering and bantering back and forth between the two parties about how we should - or apparently should not - reduce the nation's deficit.
Regardless, I am sending in one tax return today and probably go ahead and file this year's as well. Work on the other 2 years - of which I have the paper work sitting around somewhere, get it over with, wait for the IRS to start heck and heterdyne, I am sure. What's another round of drama in my life?
Went to the JROTC event last night where they hand out awards. Caleb got two of them. His final days of being on top of his particular world in High School are drawing to a close. Then he's off to new adventures. The ex was there, too, she snapped a pic of Caleb and I.
Almost scary. No more kids in the house? Maybe I need to go out and find a ready-made family, lol. I don't want any more babies, but I wouldn't mind doing the sports thing with baseball and all that over again with another one.
Anyway, no great plans for the weekend. I am, however, talking with a nice looking gal in email back and forth. I know she's nice lookin' cause she has sent me about a dozen different pics. This lady actually seems to be normal!! Christian, no drugs, doesn't smoke, don't know about kids, has a job, career, even money! Not that not having money is a disqualifier, but my wouldn't it be nice to find someone that is self supporting and isn't in want. I dunno, we're talking back and forth. Amazingly, this person replied to a Craigslist ad. I stopped doing those after several failed attempts last year to meet - anyone that has even a close semblance to being normal. But, whatever is in all of us that drives us to be with someone - got me going again. I didn't want to; pay for Match.com and was having no luck with Plenty of Fish, figured to try the freebie route again.
Umm, oh, the weekend. Well, probably the same routine. Caleb is gone to some sort of camp this weekend, I am still considering taking a day trip out of town just to get a new perspective - the mountains tend to do that for me.
G'day.
ben
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Thursday 4/14/2011
Thursday
The US Navy has a LASER now? Lol!!! Captain Jean Luc Picard to Data: Fire lasers! I mean really, that's Star Trek type of stuff! I guess it's still apparently in testing mode or something, but that's quite the leap in technology - at least to me it is.
Planes and things having to do with them seem to pop up quite frequently in the news. Of which I am always fascinated, regardless. The senator that landed a Cessna on a closed runway that had construction personnel working on it at the time of his landing? Crazy!
Or air traffic controllers falling asleep on the job?!!! My gosh - those people make a LOT of money, THAT if nothing else oughtta make them stay awake for a job as important as that one! Heck, let ME take all the training and get in there, I'll become a night owl to rake in that kind of dough!!
Problems at work? Yes. I'm not sure where this one is going, either. I'm not going into it here, on a public website, viewable by anyone in the world, just junk.
2 of 3. I have 2 of the 3 things I needed to get out this week done. Child support and the loan modification documents - that had to be notarized AND had to have 2 witnesses. Next is the tax return. I have everything that I know of that I need to have to send it in, including the fire report which I obtained yesterday. I was amazed at how many units had been called out on that. In a 28 minute period of time, there had been 14 units dispatched.
I DID find it odd, though, that with all this detailed information they had on this, the "Received" time was not on that paper and the "Entered" time - the time between being received and entered into the system has "elapsed" showing as "error". It was less than 3 minutes from the time dispatched to the time the first unit was on scene - which makes sense since the nearest fire department is all of 2 blocks away. However, I remember thinking at the time that it was taking awfully long for them to get there - it appears from that paperwork the dispatcher apparently made an error in GETTING the fire department dispatched.
The house would not have been saved, but much more of my personal belongings would have if they had been there even a few minutes faster. It's ancient history now, no use crying over spilt milk, but I WOULD like to know what, exactly, happened.
Time's up.
G'day.
ben
The US Navy has a LASER now? Lol!!! Captain Jean Luc Picard to Data: Fire lasers! I mean really, that's Star Trek type of stuff! I guess it's still apparently in testing mode or something, but that's quite the leap in technology - at least to me it is.
Planes and things having to do with them seem to pop up quite frequently in the news. Of which I am always fascinated, regardless. The senator that landed a Cessna on a closed runway that had construction personnel working on it at the time of his landing? Crazy!
Or air traffic controllers falling asleep on the job?!!! My gosh - those people make a LOT of money, THAT if nothing else oughtta make them stay awake for a job as important as that one! Heck, let ME take all the training and get in there, I'll become a night owl to rake in that kind of dough!!
Problems at work? Yes. I'm not sure where this one is going, either. I'm not going into it here, on a public website, viewable by anyone in the world, just junk.
2 of 3. I have 2 of the 3 things I needed to get out this week done. Child support and the loan modification documents - that had to be notarized AND had to have 2 witnesses. Next is the tax return. I have everything that I know of that I need to have to send it in, including the fire report which I obtained yesterday. I was amazed at how many units had been called out on that. In a 28 minute period of time, there had been 14 units dispatched.
I DID find it odd, though, that with all this detailed information they had on this, the "Received" time was not on that paper and the "Entered" time - the time between being received and entered into the system has "elapsed" showing as "error". It was less than 3 minutes from the time dispatched to the time the first unit was on scene - which makes sense since the nearest fire department is all of 2 blocks away. However, I remember thinking at the time that it was taking awfully long for them to get there - it appears from that paperwork the dispatcher apparently made an error in GETTING the fire department dispatched.
The house would not have been saved, but much more of my personal belongings would have if they had been there even a few minutes faster. It's ancient history now, no use crying over spilt milk, but I WOULD like to know what, exactly, happened.
Time's up.
G'day.
ben
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Wednesday 4/14/2011
Wednesday
I'm starting to think about getting ready to go to bed last night when the cellphone rings. I hear this voice on the other end of the phone and immediately recognize it, notwithstanding the fact I haven't heard it in over 2 years.
Albert, my buddy from Little League days. We used to coach teams together, had our boys in the program and all the other stuff I did in that organization. Without going into an hour and a half of conversation of details, it was nice to hear from an old friend. I didn't have his telephone number and he apparently lost mine. He was at Albertson's yesterday - where my son works - went up to him and my son didn't recognize him!
Lol. I thought that amazing because we spent a LOT of time at ballfields together. But then recognition sparked: coach!
Okay, well anyway.
Quoted from a White House official: ""The president will advocate a balanced approach to controlling out of control deficits and restoring fiscal responsibility while protecting the investments we need to grow our economy, create jobs, and win the future,".
Since WHEN is Obama concerned with spending cuts? Or "fiscal responsibility"? PLEASE spare me. The ONLY reason he has jumped on that particular bandwagon is because he was on the LOSING side of the proposition!! More people, apparently, want out-of-control spending eliminated than don't!! So suddenly he is concerned about a situation that up until now, he didn't give a rat's @$$ about. Spend, spend, spend, his motto and the likes of him.
We are expected to live within our means - if we cannot - then we lose things, like houses and cars. I have no idea why the federal government and the ilk that run it think that that organization should be run any differently.
And let's can this talk of a democracy. We are a REPUBLIC, NOT a democracy. If you don't know the difference, look it up, there are definitions for it all over the web. There are important distinctions that make this - or should make this - a republic, not a democracy.
Just wanted to throw that out there.
I was reading the mortgage documents 2 days ago and it said: "Must be returned not later than April 15th". Yikes!! I thought I had until the end of the month to get that back in! I got to the bank yesterday to get a notary on all the paperwork, had to have 2 witnesses meaning - it isn't going to get sent out until this afternoon. Thank goodness for Federal Express! It's already prepaid, it will be sitting in their office tomorrow, fully a day in advance of the 15th.
Speaking of the 15th, tax day. Well, I guess they moved it up to the 18th. I'm getting mine postmarked by the 15th, I don't care, sounds like a nightmarish bad joke by the IRS: "Fooled ya, you were supposed to have it in by the 15th!" GONNNNNNNNNNG!!! You lose!!
I guess they wouldn't REALLY do that, but I don't trust that portion of the government as far as I can throw it - and considering I can't throw it anywhere, that tells you how much trust I have in it and the people that run it.
The paperwork is done, I still have to go to downtown Phoenix and get the proof that I actually did have a house fire. Today or tomorrow, either one, I'll get that piece of paper and that will be the end of it, send that stuff into the state and feds and then - let whatever trouble they want to start about it - begin!! I KNOW they aren't just going to let this pass by them, this is potentially audit material, couldn't care less, bring it on. I'm not going to get railroaded over by the IRS, not if I can help it.
Regardless, the work day almost here - not much to do, but there are some pickups that allegedly have to be done today.
G'day.
ben
I'm starting to think about getting ready to go to bed last night when the cellphone rings. I hear this voice on the other end of the phone and immediately recognize it, notwithstanding the fact I haven't heard it in over 2 years.
Albert, my buddy from Little League days. We used to coach teams together, had our boys in the program and all the other stuff I did in that organization. Without going into an hour and a half of conversation of details, it was nice to hear from an old friend. I didn't have his telephone number and he apparently lost mine. He was at Albertson's yesterday - where my son works - went up to him and my son didn't recognize him!
Lol. I thought that amazing because we spent a LOT of time at ballfields together. But then recognition sparked: coach!
Okay, well anyway.
Quoted from a White House official: ""The president will advocate a balanced approach to controlling out of control deficits and restoring fiscal responsibility while protecting the investments we need to grow our economy, create jobs, and win the future,".
Since WHEN is Obama concerned with spending cuts? Or "fiscal responsibility"? PLEASE spare me. The ONLY reason he has jumped on that particular bandwagon is because he was on the LOSING side of the proposition!! More people, apparently, want out-of-control spending eliminated than don't!! So suddenly he is concerned about a situation that up until now, he didn't give a rat's @$$ about. Spend, spend, spend, his motto and the likes of him.
We are expected to live within our means - if we cannot - then we lose things, like houses and cars. I have no idea why the federal government and the ilk that run it think that that organization should be run any differently.
And let's can this talk of a democracy. We are a REPUBLIC, NOT a democracy. If you don't know the difference, look it up, there are definitions for it all over the web. There are important distinctions that make this - or should make this - a republic, not a democracy.
Just wanted to throw that out there.
I was reading the mortgage documents 2 days ago and it said: "Must be returned not later than April 15th". Yikes!! I thought I had until the end of the month to get that back in! I got to the bank yesterday to get a notary on all the paperwork, had to have 2 witnesses meaning - it isn't going to get sent out until this afternoon. Thank goodness for Federal Express! It's already prepaid, it will be sitting in their office tomorrow, fully a day in advance of the 15th.
Speaking of the 15th, tax day. Well, I guess they moved it up to the 18th. I'm getting mine postmarked by the 15th, I don't care, sounds like a nightmarish bad joke by the IRS: "Fooled ya, you were supposed to have it in by the 15th!" GONNNNNNNNNNG!!! You lose!!
I guess they wouldn't REALLY do that, but I don't trust that portion of the government as far as I can throw it - and considering I can't throw it anywhere, that tells you how much trust I have in it and the people that run it.
The paperwork is done, I still have to go to downtown Phoenix and get the proof that I actually did have a house fire. Today or tomorrow, either one, I'll get that piece of paper and that will be the end of it, send that stuff into the state and feds and then - let whatever trouble they want to start about it - begin!! I KNOW they aren't just going to let this pass by them, this is potentially audit material, couldn't care less, bring it on. I'm not going to get railroaded over by the IRS, not if I can help it.
Regardless, the work day almost here - not much to do, but there are some pickups that allegedly have to be done today.
G'day.
ben
Tuesday 4/13/2011
Tuesday
Didn't work yesterday and got caught up in several things so - forgot to even write an entry.
One thing I got caught up in was the truck - work semi that is. My manager calls and tells me, late afternoon, that he had called the repair shop who informed him they couldn't fix the AC and couldn't do the DOT inspection because the trailer had a flat tire.
Excuse me? What kind of repair facility can't fix AC systems? They guaranteed us that they could!! And what nitwit working for a huge facility would come back and say because there is a flat tire the inspection can't be done? CALL A FREAKING TIRE COMPANY TO COME OUT AND FIX THE TIRE, THEN FINISH THE FREAKING INSPECTION.
Oh my gosh!!! I couldn't believe this nonsense I was hearing on the phone.
So, after all was said and done - and I made phone calls to the sales rep that handles our account - they call in a tire truck, fix the tire and complete the inspection. They cannot, however, fix the AC. I wasn't too happy about this guy's claim that they could, indeed, fix it and then find out they don't have the electronic equipment to figure out what's wrong with it. 2 days down, I informed him, for nothing? He did a 2-step, not a very fancy one, either. In other words, don't take responsibility for your own words, what a way to deal with customers.
So now - the AC still doesn't work and I have to go over there, get the truck and drive it all day long in what will start to get to be heated conditions, going up into the 90's later this week.
Well, anyway, I came into work this morning, got on my email and found that that tax company had finished the documents and it is ready to print. What a load of paperwork!! This isn't a 2 page EZ, this is 10 pages of whatever! Well, I will be sending that in - tomorrow probably, I have other things I have to get done today after work. Plus I still have to go get the proof of the fire from downtown.
The sticking point on this return is the claims for the destroyed contents of the house. If the IRS wants me to PROVE that I had a couch, a guitar, this that and the other thing, then this is going to get dicey. I have no such proof. Do you have proof of everything that is in your house? I guess I ought to think about taking pics of everything in my current house and uploading it online to HAVE such proof for insurance or tax information, if it ever came to that again.
So, 2 jets collide at an airport. That's crazy. Just taxiing they have an accident? My real interest is this news blip about the new 747 - what a behometh that thing is!! I have always been in love with that airplane ever since I was a little boy and getting my first ride on one between Pittsburgh and Phoenix. That thing was huge - and it was maybe 20% full on that flight. The only bummer was that I was sick - REALLY sick - that was when I also found out I am allergic to Pennicillin. Hives all over my body, 2 weeks of deathly ill nauseau and throwing up and all that fun stuff : ) such wonder memories, lol.
Ummm, time's up for today.
G'day.
ben
Didn't work yesterday and got caught up in several things so - forgot to even write an entry.
One thing I got caught up in was the truck - work semi that is. My manager calls and tells me, late afternoon, that he had called the repair shop who informed him they couldn't fix the AC and couldn't do the DOT inspection because the trailer had a flat tire.
Excuse me? What kind of repair facility can't fix AC systems? They guaranteed us that they could!! And what nitwit working for a huge facility would come back and say because there is a flat tire the inspection can't be done? CALL A FREAKING TIRE COMPANY TO COME OUT AND FIX THE TIRE, THEN FINISH THE FREAKING INSPECTION.
Oh my gosh!!! I couldn't believe this nonsense I was hearing on the phone.
So, after all was said and done - and I made phone calls to the sales rep that handles our account - they call in a tire truck, fix the tire and complete the inspection. They cannot, however, fix the AC. I wasn't too happy about this guy's claim that they could, indeed, fix it and then find out they don't have the electronic equipment to figure out what's wrong with it. 2 days down, I informed him, for nothing? He did a 2-step, not a very fancy one, either. In other words, don't take responsibility for your own words, what a way to deal with customers.
So now - the AC still doesn't work and I have to go over there, get the truck and drive it all day long in what will start to get to be heated conditions, going up into the 90's later this week.
Well, anyway, I came into work this morning, got on my email and found that that tax company had finished the documents and it is ready to print. What a load of paperwork!! This isn't a 2 page EZ, this is 10 pages of whatever! Well, I will be sending that in - tomorrow probably, I have other things I have to get done today after work. Plus I still have to go get the proof of the fire from downtown.
The sticking point on this return is the claims for the destroyed contents of the house. If the IRS wants me to PROVE that I had a couch, a guitar, this that and the other thing, then this is going to get dicey. I have no such proof. Do you have proof of everything that is in your house? I guess I ought to think about taking pics of everything in my current house and uploading it online to HAVE such proof for insurance or tax information, if it ever came to that again.
So, 2 jets collide at an airport. That's crazy. Just taxiing they have an accident? My real interest is this news blip about the new 747 - what a behometh that thing is!! I have always been in love with that airplane ever since I was a little boy and getting my first ride on one between Pittsburgh and Phoenix. That thing was huge - and it was maybe 20% full on that flight. The only bummer was that I was sick - REALLY sick - that was when I also found out I am allergic to Pennicillin. Hives all over my body, 2 weeks of deathly ill nauseau and throwing up and all that fun stuff : ) such wonder memories, lol.
Ummm, time's up for today.
G'day.
ben
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Sunday 4/10/2011
I feel like with working out, some semblance of a normal life might actually be returning.
I want to go back to the mountains.
I have never had a connection with life such as I have always had with going off the trail, heading in whatever direction into a thick patch of trees and hiking on. Up until the time I got divorced, I can say that I took numerous excursions to the mountains - with friends or without. If without, with a dog or dogs.
I lost all of my camping equipment in that fire and I haven't replaced any of it.
I've got to start getting out of this big city and get out into the wilderness again. I'm going to have to get a small tent, a camp stove, a large cooler, at least one canteen and some other camping gear. It's hard to imagine the stuff I lost in that fire in terms of camping equipment. I had all kinds of stuff. Just for the tent alone? I had a 12 man tent, a 10 man tent, an 8 man tent and a couple of 2 man tents. I had air mattresses, several sleeping bags, battery operated lamps, all of it. I had 3 camp stoves, one of them white gas the other 2 were propane gas. Propane and gas lanterns. It's a long list.
It's hard to believe, looking back, that I have gotten so far away from that life I used to know and love. The greatest connection, though, up there in that wilderness, standing on the top of a huge mountain range that I had just spent half a day getting up to the top of - was always my connection with God. This isn't something, for me, that can be exchanged for something else. I spent my life camping - my first camping trip, according to my mother, was in her womb. I believe it, too, there are pictures that show her pregnant, sitting next to a tent on a grassy field next to some trees.
I don't really have the money to go out and buy all this stuff - some of the stuff you really have to have if you are going somewhere where there is nothing but trees and nature. So, maybe a day trip. Leave early, 2 hour drive, 6 hours of hiking, return home. Meaning, my son will have to give up my newer car for any such expedition, cause there is no way I am driving that old thing out of town. That old car is good for in-town and in-town only. I mean, maybe it would make it up there and back without a hitch, who knows, not worth finding out the hard way if it breaks down.
I want to do at least a day trip soon. I will take my Catahoula with me - no way I'm taking 400 pounds of dogs on the first trip - she is very agile, has endless energy and will love it. Actually, I want to go next weekend. I could even go tomorrow, but that would interfere with my son's getting to school unless I were to get up at the same time he's going to school, take him to school and then head on out. Umm, I'll have to think about that. I don't really care if it interferes with his using my car - as long as I get him to school he is only out of it one day.
I don't want to go off into tangents on this one, I'm done with this entry.
I want to go back to the mountains.
I have never had a connection with life such as I have always had with going off the trail, heading in whatever direction into a thick patch of trees and hiking on. Up until the time I got divorced, I can say that I took numerous excursions to the mountains - with friends or without. If without, with a dog or dogs.
I lost all of my camping equipment in that fire and I haven't replaced any of it.
I've got to start getting out of this big city and get out into the wilderness again. I'm going to have to get a small tent, a camp stove, a large cooler, at least one canteen and some other camping gear. It's hard to imagine the stuff I lost in that fire in terms of camping equipment. I had all kinds of stuff. Just for the tent alone? I had a 12 man tent, a 10 man tent, an 8 man tent and a couple of 2 man tents. I had air mattresses, several sleeping bags, battery operated lamps, all of it. I had 3 camp stoves, one of them white gas the other 2 were propane gas. Propane and gas lanterns. It's a long list.
It's hard to believe, looking back, that I have gotten so far away from that life I used to know and love. The greatest connection, though, up there in that wilderness, standing on the top of a huge mountain range that I had just spent half a day getting up to the top of - was always my connection with God. This isn't something, for me, that can be exchanged for something else. I spent my life camping - my first camping trip, according to my mother, was in her womb. I believe it, too, there are pictures that show her pregnant, sitting next to a tent on a grassy field next to some trees.
I don't really have the money to go out and buy all this stuff - some of the stuff you really have to have if you are going somewhere where there is nothing but trees and nature. So, maybe a day trip. Leave early, 2 hour drive, 6 hours of hiking, return home. Meaning, my son will have to give up my newer car for any such expedition, cause there is no way I am driving that old thing out of town. That old car is good for in-town and in-town only. I mean, maybe it would make it up there and back without a hitch, who knows, not worth finding out the hard way if it breaks down.
I want to do at least a day trip soon. I will take my Catahoula with me - no way I'm taking 400 pounds of dogs on the first trip - she is very agile, has endless energy and will love it. Actually, I want to go next weekend. I could even go tomorrow, but that would interfere with my son's getting to school unless I were to get up at the same time he's going to school, take him to school and then head on out. Umm, I'll have to think about that. I don't really care if it interferes with his using my car - as long as I get him to school he is only out of it one day.
I don't want to go off into tangents on this one, I'm done with this entry.
Saturday 4/9/2011
So, yesterday I paid for the service and am waiting for them to review it and then print out the 2007 tax form and send it in. On Monday, I will head down to the fire department administration building to pick up the copy of the fire report. This "proves" that my house burned down. I have pics as well of the extensive damage to the structure. Send it to the IRS and wait for - all H.... to break loose, I am sure. I do not like the IRS, I do not like the way they treat people and I most certainly do not like the one-sided advantage that they have over taxpayers.
It's the federal government, how are you going to win against them if you have a valid argument but don't have unlimited resources as they do to take you to court and win whatever judgment they want if it goes that far? Why can I go back only 3 years to claim taxes but they can go back - at least 7? Why does a taxpayer have to pay penalties and interest but the IRS does not?
What I DID do was spend the extra $50 to have that company represent me if there is, indeed, an audit. Money well spent, I will say, for the peace of mind of having some kind of help against the IRS if the help is needed. That extra $50 also gets a tax person to look over the return and make sure that it's good to go. Allegedly they have a 24 hour turn around time. I saw on the news the other day that the IRS is extending the deadline to the 18th because of some "local" holiday. Well whatever, I hope I don't even need that extra time.
Umm, timed out on this one yesterday, just posting it as is.
ben
It's the federal government, how are you going to win against them if you have a valid argument but don't have unlimited resources as they do to take you to court and win whatever judgment they want if it goes that far? Why can I go back only 3 years to claim taxes but they can go back - at least 7? Why does a taxpayer have to pay penalties and interest but the IRS does not?
What I DID do was spend the extra $50 to have that company represent me if there is, indeed, an audit. Money well spent, I will say, for the peace of mind of having some kind of help against the IRS if the help is needed. That extra $50 also gets a tax person to look over the return and make sure that it's good to go. Allegedly they have a 24 hour turn around time. I saw on the news the other day that the IRS is extending the deadline to the 18th because of some "local" holiday. Well whatever, I hope I don't even need that extra time.
Umm, timed out on this one yesterday, just posting it as is.
ben
Friday, April 8, 2011
Friday 4/8/2011
Friday
Got up late - got dressed, skipped half of my pre-work rituals and rushed to work. Still got 10 minutes left anyway : )
A government shutdown. Will it happen or not? I will certainly looking at the news on and off today to see what's going on with that mess. I heard one Democratic senator give and excuse yesterday as to why they didn't bother to pass a budget when then they had a super majority: they were too busy with the healthcare bill and other measures to have to bother with the budget.
Yes, well I'll bet they're kicking themselves now.
Umm, well limited time here. On the crisps of the weekend, I am paying for the taxes to be done and getting it sent through today. Either heading downtown Phoenix after work today or Monday for the fire investigator's report. Proof the fire even occured apparently must be included with the tax information. They called yesterday and said it was ready. That's a whole lot faster than what I was prepared for: up to 45 days it said online. $1.30 for the report, the only bummer is driving to downtown Phoenix to get it.
Oh well, a trip worth the time. Actually, it's not for from our main branch, if I get a chance I might even be able to stop by there on the way downtown. There isn't anything to do in the truck routing system today - but - the AC went on the semi 3 days ago and I don't drive vehicles without air conditioning in the summer time - which isn't too far away.
Call me spoiled, but when it's 110 degrees outside, imagine what it feels like in an un-air conditioned vehicle. Been there, done that, not interested. I insisted this thing get pushed up the priority ladder as I didn't want this problem existing if it's "only" 90 degrees outside. Still QUITE warm inside of a vehicle without AC.
I didn't think he would be so cheap. I can't comment on it on a public venue, so I won't. Just a bit unnerving a particular situation that I don't want to discuss in case there are certain eyeballs that may have found this page.....
Ummm, that's it. No great plans for the weekend, I usually don't have any, but I do have Monday off. I had to take a vacation day before the end of the month, I left it up to the powers that be which day would work best for them: Any Friday this month or any Monday so that I get a 3 day weekend. I didn't care which, honestly, and Monday actually works better - don't have a Monday work day? Indeed.
Next month I am taking 3 days off for Caleb's graduation: my dad is showing up the day before and I will have to transport him around that day, the day of the graduation which STARTS at 7:00 pm (kinda late, but I think the reasoning is that it will be warm by then, better to do it after sundown since it's probably an outside affair), and then take him back to the bus stop the next morning. That requires taking those days off - which will be worth it to see my dad.
Well, my time is up, time to get offa here.
G'day.
ben
Got up late - got dressed, skipped half of my pre-work rituals and rushed to work. Still got 10 minutes left anyway : )
A government shutdown. Will it happen or not? I will certainly looking at the news on and off today to see what's going on with that mess. I heard one Democratic senator give and excuse yesterday as to why they didn't bother to pass a budget when then they had a super majority: they were too busy with the healthcare bill and other measures to have to bother with the budget.
Yes, well I'll bet they're kicking themselves now.
Umm, well limited time here. On the crisps of the weekend, I am paying for the taxes to be done and getting it sent through today. Either heading downtown Phoenix after work today or Monday for the fire investigator's report. Proof the fire even occured apparently must be included with the tax information. They called yesterday and said it was ready. That's a whole lot faster than what I was prepared for: up to 45 days it said online. $1.30 for the report, the only bummer is driving to downtown Phoenix to get it.
Oh well, a trip worth the time. Actually, it's not for from our main branch, if I get a chance I might even be able to stop by there on the way downtown. There isn't anything to do in the truck routing system today - but - the AC went on the semi 3 days ago and I don't drive vehicles without air conditioning in the summer time - which isn't too far away.
Call me spoiled, but when it's 110 degrees outside, imagine what it feels like in an un-air conditioned vehicle. Been there, done that, not interested. I insisted this thing get pushed up the priority ladder as I didn't want this problem existing if it's "only" 90 degrees outside. Still QUITE warm inside of a vehicle without AC.
I didn't think he would be so cheap. I can't comment on it on a public venue, so I won't. Just a bit unnerving a particular situation that I don't want to discuss in case there are certain eyeballs that may have found this page.....
Ummm, that's it. No great plans for the weekend, I usually don't have any, but I do have Monday off. I had to take a vacation day before the end of the month, I left it up to the powers that be which day would work best for them: Any Friday this month or any Monday so that I get a 3 day weekend. I didn't care which, honestly, and Monday actually works better - don't have a Monday work day? Indeed.
Next month I am taking 3 days off for Caleb's graduation: my dad is showing up the day before and I will have to transport him around that day, the day of the graduation which STARTS at 7:00 pm (kinda late, but I think the reasoning is that it will be warm by then, better to do it after sundown since it's probably an outside affair), and then take him back to the bus stop the next morning. That requires taking those days off - which will be worth it to see my dad.
Well, my time is up, time to get offa here.
G'day.
ben
Thursday 4/7/2011
Thursday
Has an odd ring to it - it's Thursday already. Okay. It sprinkled yesterday, a bit, it wan't supposed to rain at all. Not that I mind, I just wish the forecasters in this area would do a bit better job of determining what, exactly the weather is going to be. Saturday there are supposed to be thunderstorms, I'll welcome that.
Next door neighbor - the one to the east of me that calls the police for parking on the street and for them flipping me off......lol.......- I'm out there fiddling around on the east side of my house - I spend a lot of time over there since that's where 2 of my ponds are.
There is a portion of chain link fence that between our properties that juts out beyond the front of his house so that his driveway and front yard are exposed. Not by design, mind you, trust me, if I had the money to build a block fence all the way down that property on that side, I would build it 10 feet tall if the city would let me and 3/4's of the issues with those people would be done and over with.
Well, he comes walking up the driveway. I look up to see him looking at me - the feeling-eyes-staring-at-you feeling. So I looked at him in the eyes, right back. He throws up his hands, I mean, all the way up, like if the cops were pointing guns at you and you are surrendering.
If that's what he meant, I sincerely hope it is true and that it sticks. In other wars, stop the BS, stop calling the police because the police aren't going to DO anything. Not only that, but if they stop, I won't respond in kind. The only issue that would remain are the completely untrained dogs that bark and bark.....and bark..........
After that encounter was done, their dogs got beyond their make shift fencing and yes, started barking at me through the fence. "You need to deal with your dogs", I always say now very loudly towards their house. It works, too. Amazing, in about 30 seconds time, those dogs disappear and I don't usually hear anything again from them either the rest of the day or until the next day - when it starts all over again.
The old saying that money doesn't buy happiness isn't completely true. It has elements of truth to it, don't get me wrong, but there are situations where money can do wonders to restore peace. In this case, yes: a block fence would deal with much of this situation. About $500 worth of block, plus cement and of course the skilled labor to put it up.
Yeah, not exactly in the cards any time soon. It's a nice pipe dream, though. In fact, there are so many things I would love to do with that property........no use lamenting forever about it, I guess, I'm stuck there, though, for now anyway.
Now then, is the government going to "partially" shut down? If that's what it takes to even begin to start to get this debt and deficit under control, then so beit. In other words, get both sides to talk some REAL numbers, not just a few billion dollars. I mean, in terms of the federal government and the staggering debt we are loaded under right now, 61 billion dollars is like finding a penny on the street. Do you even pick it up? It's chump change - now the 4 trillion they are talking about attempting to get passed for 2012 is something entirely different.
Anyway, it is nice, at least from my view of it, to see that one party isn't able to just ram whatever they want through whenever they want to. I continue to ask the question, though: why didn't the Dems pass a budget when they had a Triangle control? They could have done whatever they wanted, the GOP wouldn't have been able to do anything about it, the only constraints would be voter approval or disapproval of whatever they might have done.
I take that back, there is a proposal that slashed SIX trillion dollars over the next 10 years. Now THAT is significant.
Whatever. Plenty to do today in the truck routing system, which is always a good thing - for me anyway as I hate not having something to do and having to "invent" things to do to pass the time.
G'day.
ben
Has an odd ring to it - it's Thursday already. Okay. It sprinkled yesterday, a bit, it wan't supposed to rain at all. Not that I mind, I just wish the forecasters in this area would do a bit better job of determining what, exactly the weather is going to be. Saturday there are supposed to be thunderstorms, I'll welcome that.
Next door neighbor - the one to the east of me that calls the police for parking on the street and for them flipping me off......lol.......- I'm out there fiddling around on the east side of my house - I spend a lot of time over there since that's where 2 of my ponds are.
There is a portion of chain link fence that between our properties that juts out beyond the front of his house so that his driveway and front yard are exposed. Not by design, mind you, trust me, if I had the money to build a block fence all the way down that property on that side, I would build it 10 feet tall if the city would let me and 3/4's of the issues with those people would be done and over with.
Well, he comes walking up the driveway. I look up to see him looking at me - the feeling-eyes-staring-at-you feeling. So I looked at him in the eyes, right back. He throws up his hands, I mean, all the way up, like if the cops were pointing guns at you and you are surrendering.
If that's what he meant, I sincerely hope it is true and that it sticks. In other wars, stop the BS, stop calling the police because the police aren't going to DO anything. Not only that, but if they stop, I won't respond in kind. The only issue that would remain are the completely untrained dogs that bark and bark.....and bark..........
After that encounter was done, their dogs got beyond their make shift fencing and yes, started barking at me through the fence. "You need to deal with your dogs", I always say now very loudly towards their house. It works, too. Amazing, in about 30 seconds time, those dogs disappear and I don't usually hear anything again from them either the rest of the day or until the next day - when it starts all over again.
The old saying that money doesn't buy happiness isn't completely true. It has elements of truth to it, don't get me wrong, but there are situations where money can do wonders to restore peace. In this case, yes: a block fence would deal with much of this situation. About $500 worth of block, plus cement and of course the skilled labor to put it up.
Yeah, not exactly in the cards any time soon. It's a nice pipe dream, though. In fact, there are so many things I would love to do with that property........no use lamenting forever about it, I guess, I'm stuck there, though, for now anyway.
Now then, is the government going to "partially" shut down? If that's what it takes to even begin to start to get this debt and deficit under control, then so beit. In other words, get both sides to talk some REAL numbers, not just a few billion dollars. I mean, in terms of the federal government and the staggering debt we are loaded under right now, 61 billion dollars is like finding a penny on the street. Do you even pick it up? It's chump change - now the 4 trillion they are talking about attempting to get passed for 2012 is something entirely different.
Anyway, it is nice, at least from my view of it, to see that one party isn't able to just ram whatever they want through whenever they want to. I continue to ask the question, though: why didn't the Dems pass a budget when they had a Triangle control? They could have done whatever they wanted, the GOP wouldn't have been able to do anything about it, the only constraints would be voter approval or disapproval of whatever they might have done.
I take that back, there is a proposal that slashed SIX trillion dollars over the next 10 years. Now THAT is significant.
Whatever. Plenty to do today in the truck routing system, which is always a good thing - for me anyway as I hate not having something to do and having to "invent" things to do to pass the time.
G'day.
ben
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Thursday 4/7/2011
Thursday
Has an odd ring to it - it's Thursday already. Okay. It sprinkled yesterday, a bit, it wan't supposed to rain at all. Not that I mind, I just wish the forecasters in this area would do a bit better job of determining what, exactly the weather is going to be. Saturday there are supposed to be thunderstorms, I'll welcome that.
Next door neighbor - the one to the east of me that calls the police for parking on the street and for them flipping me off......lol.......- I'm out there fiddling around on the east side of my house - I spend a lot of time over there since that's where 2 of my ponds are.
There is a portion of chain link fence that between our properties that juts out beyond the front of his house so that his driveway and front yard are exposed. Not by design, mind you, trust me, if I had the money to build a block fence all the way down that property on that side, I would build it 10 feet tall if the city would let me and 3/4's of the issues with those people would be done and over with.
Well, he comes walking up the driveway. I look up to see him looking at me - the feeling-eyes-staring-at-you feeling. So I looked at him in the eyes, right back. He throws up his hands, I mean, all the way up, like if the cops were pointing guns at you and you are surrendering.
If that's what he meant, I sincerely hope it is true and that it sticks. In other wars, stop the BS, stop calling the police because the police aren't going to DO anything. Not only that, but if they stop, I won't respond in kind. The only issue that would remain are the completely untrained dogs that bark and bark.....and bark..........
After that encounter was done, their dogs got beyond their make shift fencing and yes, started barking at me through the fence. "You need to deal with your dogs", I always say now very loudly towards their house. It works, too. Amazing, in about 30 seconds time, those dogs disappear and I don't usually hear anything again from them either the rest of the day or until the next day - when it starts all over again.
The old saying that money doesn't buy happiness isn't completely true. It has elements of truth to it, don't get me wrong, but there are situations where money can do wonders to restore peace. In this case, yes: a block fence would deal with much of this situation. About $500 worth of block, plus cement and of course the skilled labor to put it up.
Yeah, not exactly in the cards any time soon. It's a nice pipe dream, though. In fact, there are so many things I would love to do with that property........no use lamenting forever about it, I guess, I'm stuck there, though, for now anyway.
Now then, is the government going to "partially" shut down? If that's what it takes to even begin to start to get this debt and deficit under control, then so beit. In other words, get both sides to talk some REAL numbers, not just a few billion dollars. I mean, in terms of the federal government and the staggering debt we are loaded under right now, 61 billion dollars is like finding a penny on the street. Do you even pick it up? It's chump change - now the 4 trillion they are talking about attempting to get passed for 2012 is something entirely different.
Anyway, it is nice, at least from my view of it, to see that one party isn't able to just ram whatever they want through whenever they want to. I continue to ask the question, though: why didn't the Dems pass a budget when they had a Triangle control? They could have done whatever they wanted, the GOP wouldn't have been able to do anything about it, the only constraints would be voter approval or disapproval of whatever they might have done.
I take that back, there is a proposal that slashed SIX trillion dollars over the next 10 years. Now THAT is significant.
Whatever. Plenty to do today in the truck routing system, which is always a good thing - for me anyway as I hate not having something to do and having to "invent" things to do to pass the time.
G'day.
ben
Has an odd ring to it - it's Thursday already. Okay. It sprinkled yesterday, a bit, it wan't supposed to rain at all. Not that I mind, I just wish the forecasters in this area would do a bit better job of determining what, exactly the weather is going to be. Saturday there are supposed to be thunderstorms, I'll welcome that.
Next door neighbor - the one to the east of me that calls the police for parking on the street and for them flipping me off......lol.......- I'm out there fiddling around on the east side of my house - I spend a lot of time over there since that's where 2 of my ponds are.
There is a portion of chain link fence that between our properties that juts out beyond the front of his house so that his driveway and front yard are exposed. Not by design, mind you, trust me, if I had the money to build a block fence all the way down that property on that side, I would build it 10 feet tall if the city would let me and 3/4's of the issues with those people would be done and over with.
Well, he comes walking up the driveway. I look up to see him looking at me - the feeling-eyes-staring-at-you feeling. So I looked at him in the eyes, right back. He throws up his hands, I mean, all the way up, like if the cops were pointing guns at you and you are surrendering.
If that's what he meant, I sincerely hope it is true and that it sticks. In other wars, stop the BS, stop calling the police because the police aren't going to DO anything. Not only that, but if they stop, I won't respond in kind. The only issue that would remain are the completely untrained dogs that bark and bark.....and bark..........
After that encounter was done, their dogs got beyond their make shift fencing and yes, started barking at me through the fence. "You need to deal with your dogs", I always say now very loudly towards their house. It works, too. Amazing, in about 30 seconds time, those dogs disappear and I don't usually hear anything again from them either the rest of the day or until the next day - when it starts all over again.
The old saying that money doesn't buy happiness isn't completely true. It has elements of truth to it, don't get me wrong, but there are situations where money can do wonders to restore peace. In this case, yes: a block fence would deal with much of this situation. About $500 worth of block, plus cement and of course the skilled labor to put it up.
Yeah, not exactly in the cards any time soon. It's a nice pipe dream, though. In fact, there are so many things I would love to do with that property........no use lamenting forever about it, I guess, I'm stuck there, though, for now anyway.
Now then, is the government going to "partially" shut down? If that's what it takes to even begin to start to get this debt and deficit under control, then so beit. In other words, get both sides to talk some REAL numbers, not just a few billion dollars. I mean, in terms of the federal government and the staggering debt we are loaded under right now, 61 billion dollars is like finding a penny on the street. Do you even pick it up? It's chump change - now the 4 trillion they are talking about attempting to get passed for 2012 is something entirely different.
Anyway, it is nice, at least from my view of it, to see that one party isn't able to just ram whatever they want through whenever they want to. I continue to ask the question, though: why didn't the Dems pass a budget when they had a Triangle control? They could have done whatever they wanted, the GOP wouldn't have been able to do anything about it, the only constraints would be voter approval or disapproval of whatever they might have done.
I take that back, there is a proposal that slashed SIX trillion dollars over the next 10 years. Now THAT is significant.
Whatever. Plenty to do today in the truck routing system, which is always a good thing - for me anyway as I hate not having something to do and having to "invent" things to do to pass the time.
G'day.
ben
Wednesday 4/6/2011
Wednesday
I'm sorta hoping the police events yesterday will be it for, sayyyyy, at least another year? But if that neighbor threatens me again, I'm calling the police again. That neighbor STILL has his blinds drawn and doors shut. He was talking smack yesterday: "The police won't do anything", apparently that didn't translate into him acting quite so cocky when they actually showed up and started knocking on his door and windows.
As for the neighbors on the OTHER side, nothing is new there, either. I mean, I still don't quite get what they thought the police would be able to do to me for responding back to THEM flipping ME off. I didn't call the police on them for making rude gestures, lol. I waited out there last night for quite a while to see if they had anything further to say to me after their discussion with that guy and his wife - they did not.
Whatever. I received a very nice and interesting reply from the general manager yesterday concerning a quesstion I had posed to him: Do you have any idea when, possibly, corporate might decide to go ahead and restore our hours? It was a several day gap from the time I sent that email to the time I received a reply, but I was glad to get one.
I will not go into specific details of what a GM is saying in an email to an employee - just cause' this is the internet and I don't want to go there publicly, but it was a good reply and though I may not be getting my hours back now, eventually - if/when the economy comes back - I will. I can also get more hours if the situation warrants it, ie: we're having a strong month at our branch and the allotted hours simply aren't enough to get everything done. Last month certainly did not qualify for that, the month before did and I did end up getting a few extra hours on a couple of paychecks.
Sooo, I never did find the paperwork I was looking for for my taxes. I am going to request the paperwork from the company that had processed my payments but - I am sure it won't be found and given to me in time. So, next paycheck being days away, I am going to go ahead and have the tax preparing company go ahead and process it and send it in hopefully early next week. Just want it in before the 15th.
I've read in several places/different authors that later on this year? Good possibility stocks are going to tank again. I've received some pretty decent returns on the various groups I dumped my 401k money into, but I think by July, if I keep hearing this stuff, I am pulling it all out of high risk junk and putting it into the "safest" risk group available. I don't want to go through what a lot of us did the last time: watch the gains disappear. I'd rather take a loan out on it and at least get the money rather than lose it to market volatility. But I don't think I'm going that far with it: just need to get it into a safer house and see what happens this summer or later this year.
That's it. I wrote enough in this blog yesterday, not getting carried away with it today. I mean, there IS the budget and the fact that the 2 sides are butting heads. My question remains, though, since the Dems are pushing the issue: Why didn't they create a budget BEFORE they lost all of their power to, basically, do whatever they want? They can blame GOP all they way, but in reality, they HAD their chance to do whatever they wanted with it and they did NOTHING.
Okay, enough of that. OH, well, it's regarding a cousin, nothing bad, just never had any real conversation with her until last week when she messaged me on Facebook and we started talking.
Have to go into that some other blog entry.
G'day.
ben
I'm sorta hoping the police events yesterday will be it for, sayyyyy, at least another year? But if that neighbor threatens me again, I'm calling the police again. That neighbor STILL has his blinds drawn and doors shut. He was talking smack yesterday: "The police won't do anything", apparently that didn't translate into him acting quite so cocky when they actually showed up and started knocking on his door and windows.
As for the neighbors on the OTHER side, nothing is new there, either. I mean, I still don't quite get what they thought the police would be able to do to me for responding back to THEM flipping ME off. I didn't call the police on them for making rude gestures, lol. I waited out there last night for quite a while to see if they had anything further to say to me after their discussion with that guy and his wife - they did not.
Whatever. I received a very nice and interesting reply from the general manager yesterday concerning a quesstion I had posed to him: Do you have any idea when, possibly, corporate might decide to go ahead and restore our hours? It was a several day gap from the time I sent that email to the time I received a reply, but I was glad to get one.
I will not go into specific details of what a GM is saying in an email to an employee - just cause' this is the internet and I don't want to go there publicly, but it was a good reply and though I may not be getting my hours back now, eventually - if/when the economy comes back - I will. I can also get more hours if the situation warrants it, ie: we're having a strong month at our branch and the allotted hours simply aren't enough to get everything done. Last month certainly did not qualify for that, the month before did and I did end up getting a few extra hours on a couple of paychecks.
Sooo, I never did find the paperwork I was looking for for my taxes. I am going to request the paperwork from the company that had processed my payments but - I am sure it won't be found and given to me in time. So, next paycheck being days away, I am going to go ahead and have the tax preparing company go ahead and process it and send it in hopefully early next week. Just want it in before the 15th.
I've read in several places/different authors that later on this year? Good possibility stocks are going to tank again. I've received some pretty decent returns on the various groups I dumped my 401k money into, but I think by July, if I keep hearing this stuff, I am pulling it all out of high risk junk and putting it into the "safest" risk group available. I don't want to go through what a lot of us did the last time: watch the gains disappear. I'd rather take a loan out on it and at least get the money rather than lose it to market volatility. But I don't think I'm going that far with it: just need to get it into a safer house and see what happens this summer or later this year.
That's it. I wrote enough in this blog yesterday, not getting carried away with it today. I mean, there IS the budget and the fact that the 2 sides are butting heads. My question remains, though, since the Dems are pushing the issue: Why didn't they create a budget BEFORE they lost all of their power to, basically, do whatever they want? They can blame GOP all they way, but in reality, they HAD their chance to do whatever they wanted with it and they did NOTHING.
Okay, enough of that. OH, well, it's regarding a cousin, nothing bad, just never had any real conversation with her until last week when she messaged me on Facebook and we started talking.
Have to go into that some other blog entry.
G'day.
ben
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Even MORE Police
So, today is just one of those days. I haven't had to deal with police around in here in quite a while, but - it was inevitable that it happened. It was crazy that it happened on both sides of me, but, this isn't a normal neighborhood and there is more trailer trash that lives, with that kind of mindset, than normal people.
Per the guy that threatened me, well he has had his blinds shut and lights off all night. Trust me when I say that that is definitely NOT normal for him. He doesn't want to get visited by the police, period.
Per the other side? Earlier, after the police left, I was out on the other side of the house - where the guy called the police today on my tenant for parking - wrong - apparently. I said "how's it going?". I have tried several times to end this with him, he doesn't want to end anything. He looked at me, shook his head and walked off.
I shrugged it off - they have been that way for 6 years now, certainly wasn't unexpected. 2 hours later? Their dog got out - again. I didn't see it, but I assumed it jumped over the fence, into my yard, trampled more plants and then went running down the street. My dogs alerted me to it - they let out a bark and then I went to see what was going on. The woman was chasing the dog, the dog doesn't listen to anyone because it is completely untrained, she finally caught up to it.
Well, I was watching this from the inside of my yard, looking over the gate. I said nothing, made no gestures, no facial movements, didn't do anything to even let them know I was looking. This guy comes running up to her - directly across the street from my house, grabs the dog, looks over at my gates, sees me and flips me off. The woman also flips me off and starts rattling off in Spanish.
I yelled out: "I'm going to call Sheriff Joe" and other things, I did not flip them off back. Fast forward 45 minutes and who is out front again? 3 more Phoenix police officers, looking for the owner of the house - me. The cop started trying to give me a hard time based on those people's word, I was having none of it. He tried 3 times to "dominate" me, is what I called it and I backed him off all 3 times. I'm not the dude starting this trouble, they started it at the beginning and they start it every single time since then.
This officer makes all kinds of statements but wouldn't let me speak. He kept cutting me off and then told me I was interrupting him. Okay, I'll let you finish, officer, whatever you have to say. Several minutes later, I asked him if I could speak now? Then I was able to explain my side of the story. In the end? He wants us to keep to ourselves. Yup, I replied, I completely ignore them unless they start something with me. I don't WANT wars with neighbors, but they leave no choice.
This has been my day since I got home from work.
Per the guy that threatened me, well he has had his blinds shut and lights off all night. Trust me when I say that that is definitely NOT normal for him. He doesn't want to get visited by the police, period.
Per the other side? Earlier, after the police left, I was out on the other side of the house - where the guy called the police today on my tenant for parking - wrong - apparently. I said "how's it going?". I have tried several times to end this with him, he doesn't want to end anything. He looked at me, shook his head and walked off.
I shrugged it off - they have been that way for 6 years now, certainly wasn't unexpected. 2 hours later? Their dog got out - again. I didn't see it, but I assumed it jumped over the fence, into my yard, trampled more plants and then went running down the street. My dogs alerted me to it - they let out a bark and then I went to see what was going on. The woman was chasing the dog, the dog doesn't listen to anyone because it is completely untrained, she finally caught up to it.
Well, I was watching this from the inside of my yard, looking over the gate. I said nothing, made no gestures, no facial movements, didn't do anything to even let them know I was looking. This guy comes running up to her - directly across the street from my house, grabs the dog, looks over at my gates, sees me and flips me off. The woman also flips me off and starts rattling off in Spanish.
I yelled out: "I'm going to call Sheriff Joe" and other things, I did not flip them off back. Fast forward 45 minutes and who is out front again? 3 more Phoenix police officers, looking for the owner of the house - me. The cop started trying to give me a hard time based on those people's word, I was having none of it. He tried 3 times to "dominate" me, is what I called it and I backed him off all 3 times. I'm not the dude starting this trouble, they started it at the beginning and they start it every single time since then.
This officer makes all kinds of statements but wouldn't let me speak. He kept cutting me off and then told me I was interrupting him. Okay, I'll let you finish, officer, whatever you have to say. Several minutes later, I asked him if I could speak now? Then I was able to explain my side of the story. In the end? He wants us to keep to ourselves. Yup, I replied, I completely ignore them unless they start something with me. I don't WANT wars with neighbors, but they leave no choice.
This has been my day since I got home from work.
The Police
I called my house from work today to let Lynnette know to go ahead and turn on the AC. Today's high - 90 degrees. She starts telling about how the cops were at my house today. It's been quite a while since any of that has happened, I haven't missed it, either. "Why were they there?".
The next door neighbor - the illegal aliens basically - called the police because on of my tenant's cars' was parked about 7 inches beyond my property line. The car was not blocking the neighbor's driveway, a fire hydrant or otherwise obstructing anything. The police came pounding on my gate and the newest tenant was the "offender". He went out there - the cops allegedly got an attitude with him (in these parts, that would not be surprising), he just got in and moved it.
I decided to put an end to this. I have never heard that parking on a street is in any way, shape or from illegal unless the car is parked illegally: ie: on the sidewalk; too far from the curb; too close to a fire hydrant; blocking a public right of way; blocking a thoroughfare or blocking a driveway. I called the police. They always have an officer available to answer these types of questions.
The officer was incredulous at first and then start laughing. No, there is no law that says you can't park in front of someone else's house, unless of course you are illegally blocking something. He went on for several minutes - and then couldn't believe that officers had told the tenant to move the car. I don't know, but I got the same story from that tenant when I got home. He just moved it, he said and already stated, because he didn't want to get into it with them.
But, you see, when I got home from work, got out of my car and headed for my gate to go into my house to inquire about this, a totally different scenario unfolded. The guy 2 houses down that told Mark, the trailer tenant, to move out and tell the rest of the tenants to move out because he is going to have me taken care of came barreling over to the fence - crossing the property with the house that burned down and is already been removed. I took one look at the look on his face and I informed him before he said anything that I did not want to talk to him and that was that. He started to say something about cats, I interrupted him: "I hear you have been threatening me about this cat situation". Bluntly, matter-of-factly stated.
"You going to threaten me now?". Back and for a few more times and he finally stated: "If anything happens to the cats, something's going to happen to you". I informed him that I would be calling the police immediately. He said they wouldn't do anything. I know, I thought but didn't say, but he's and ex-con, spent 9 years in prison for drug dealing, he is going to freak out if the police come to his door and starts giving him a hard time about threatening neighbors.
Oh, yes, I did call the police and yes, they came out. I described the whole scenario to them, they informed me what I already knew, but: I asked them to please go over there and have whatever conversation with this guy. They were none to happy to oblige, especially when they heard he was an ex-con - there for selling meth. So, they went over there. The guy had pulled down his blinds and left. Oh, the cops can't do anything? Lol. They came walking back by - no car in the driveway? I asked. No. Oh, then he's not there, he took off. What kind of car does he drive..............we'll be in this area all night long, we'll stop back by later if the car is there.
Oh, and they specifically stated this: if the animal is in your yard, you catch it and it doesn't have identification on it, then yes, you can take it wherever and release it. They started in on not killing cats - I guess everyone automatically thinks that, if you are going to catch it, you are going to kill it. The thought, truly and honestly, has never crossed my mind. I just want it away from MY property, that's all I care about.
The cat trap will be loaded with tuna fish and it will be out tonight. I will get rid of any cats that come on my property, period. I will take it far enough away that it will find a new life, somewhere else. The river bottom is my first thought. Water and pigeons, what more does a cat need?
That's it.
ben
The next door neighbor - the illegal aliens basically - called the police because on of my tenant's cars' was parked about 7 inches beyond my property line. The car was not blocking the neighbor's driveway, a fire hydrant or otherwise obstructing anything. The police came pounding on my gate and the newest tenant was the "offender". He went out there - the cops allegedly got an attitude with him (in these parts, that would not be surprising), he just got in and moved it.
I decided to put an end to this. I have never heard that parking on a street is in any way, shape or from illegal unless the car is parked illegally: ie: on the sidewalk; too far from the curb; too close to a fire hydrant; blocking a public right of way; blocking a thoroughfare or blocking a driveway. I called the police. They always have an officer available to answer these types of questions.
The officer was incredulous at first and then start laughing. No, there is no law that says you can't park in front of someone else's house, unless of course you are illegally blocking something. He went on for several minutes - and then couldn't believe that officers had told the tenant to move the car. I don't know, but I got the same story from that tenant when I got home. He just moved it, he said and already stated, because he didn't want to get into it with them.
But, you see, when I got home from work, got out of my car and headed for my gate to go into my house to inquire about this, a totally different scenario unfolded. The guy 2 houses down that told Mark, the trailer tenant, to move out and tell the rest of the tenants to move out because he is going to have me taken care of came barreling over to the fence - crossing the property with the house that burned down and is already been removed. I took one look at the look on his face and I informed him before he said anything that I did not want to talk to him and that was that. He started to say something about cats, I interrupted him: "I hear you have been threatening me about this cat situation". Bluntly, matter-of-factly stated.
"You going to threaten me now?". Back and for a few more times and he finally stated: "If anything happens to the cats, something's going to happen to you". I informed him that I would be calling the police immediately. He said they wouldn't do anything. I know, I thought but didn't say, but he's and ex-con, spent 9 years in prison for drug dealing, he is going to freak out if the police come to his door and starts giving him a hard time about threatening neighbors.
Oh, yes, I did call the police and yes, they came out. I described the whole scenario to them, they informed me what I already knew, but: I asked them to please go over there and have whatever conversation with this guy. They were none to happy to oblige, especially when they heard he was an ex-con - there for selling meth. So, they went over there. The guy had pulled down his blinds and left. Oh, the cops can't do anything? Lol. They came walking back by - no car in the driveway? I asked. No. Oh, then he's not there, he took off. What kind of car does he drive..............we'll be in this area all night long, we'll stop back by later if the car is there.
Oh, and they specifically stated this: if the animal is in your yard, you catch it and it doesn't have identification on it, then yes, you can take it wherever and release it. They started in on not killing cats - I guess everyone automatically thinks that, if you are going to catch it, you are going to kill it. The thought, truly and honestly, has never crossed my mind. I just want it away from MY property, that's all I care about.
The cat trap will be loaded with tuna fish and it will be out tonight. I will get rid of any cats that come on my property, period. I will take it far enough away that it will find a new life, somewhere else. The river bottom is my first thought. Water and pigeons, what more does a cat need?
That's it.
ben
Tuesday 4/5/2011
Tuesday
Hmmmm, well one thing seems to be for sure: there are no cats coming through my side yard at this point in time. I can say this with confidence, though I wasn't able to say such before as I used to see them running through there frequently.
Here's something I haven't seen before: a breakaway from Somalia - called Somalialand, has it's own coastguard and they actually patrol the sea attempting to catch the pirates! The story goes on to say that they are using an old boat that has only one running engine and that they strip 2 or 3 other old engines for parts to keep it running. They have caught 84 pirates since 2007.
Hellllllooooooo. I mean, the least we can do is give them a couple of boats in the fleet that are going to be retired or something, yes? Oh, they say, governments are afraid the boats are going to end up in pirate hands. Give them a chance, that's all. Don't have to give them brand new boats. Make them accountable for them and see what happens.
Whatever. My last 3 entries have all been completely about Cafe World, regular readers can totally ignore those entries as they are directed toward the uneducated masses of people that start up playing that game on a daily basis, have no clue what they are doing and search the internet for information. I keep somewhat of a tab on those entries - of which I have quite a few now - just by looking at Feedjit every day and seeing if any of it's getting visited, which it does. I've become somewhat of an expert at that game at this point. Which is quite meaningless in the overall, grand scheme of things, but I do like to help out whenever possible, and oh, could you throw a buck or two at me for having gone to the trouble of writing it all out? Hmm, well I haven't gone that far with it, but still.
The female trailer tenant is "desperate", she said yesterday. She has been looking for a job for months. She takes odd cleaning jobs here and there, wherever she can find them. But she is looking for steady, part or full-time work, whatever she can find. I can't really help her out any more than I have - she has full access to the Magic Jack phone and she has full access to the old computer which, for the moment anyway, still works fine just for using on the internet. I replaced the fan in that old bugger last weekend, gotta look at the motherboard.
It is showing signs - signs that it is eventually going to die. I priced out cheap, new motherboards and cpu's, about $100 for a decent combo. Plus memory. There is nothing ever cheap about building a computer or even using parts off of one to build another. I can use the hard drive off of it, DVD player, probably not the power supply, the fan is new could use that, I can't use the memory, either, which really sucks. I paid almost $100 for the memory in that machine, but it is for DDR application and I don't think they even make DDR adapted motherboards anymore, it's either DDR2 or DDR3.
I'm no expert at computers, but after having built my first one, I found it remarkably easier than I thought it would be. The hardest part is deciding what you are going to put into it. On a system where I would only install 2 gigs of RAM, I have Windows XP which - it appears - you can install on as many machines as you like without Microsoft trying to stop you. Apparently that OS is finally old enough that they don't care about it anymore. Which is nice, I have a disc with that system on it, still have the security code for it and it works perfectly well : ) Not only that, but for a system with only 2 gigs of RAM? Waste of money to get Windows 7, it isn't that much better than XP (IMO). Windows 7 is good for when you want to use over 4 gigs of RAM, then, XP doesn't handle it. It only goes up to 4 gigs.
The things you learn when you delve into the complete unknown. If there was any money to be made off of building new computers, I would be all over it - but - there is not, not that I can see, anyway, but it's always good to have that knowledge in considering building your own. You get a much better machine for less money than a manufactured system.
Anyway, work day is almost here and there is a hefty order in the truck routing system that wasn't in there yesterday when I left........nice to have something to keep me occupied throughout the day at work : )
G'day.
ben
Hmmmm, well one thing seems to be for sure: there are no cats coming through my side yard at this point in time. I can say this with confidence, though I wasn't able to say such before as I used to see them running through there frequently.
Here's something I haven't seen before: a breakaway from Somalia - called Somalialand, has it's own coastguard and they actually patrol the sea attempting to catch the pirates! The story goes on to say that they are using an old boat that has only one running engine and that they strip 2 or 3 other old engines for parts to keep it running. They have caught 84 pirates since 2007.
Hellllllooooooo. I mean, the least we can do is give them a couple of boats in the fleet that are going to be retired or something, yes? Oh, they say, governments are afraid the boats are going to end up in pirate hands. Give them a chance, that's all. Don't have to give them brand new boats. Make them accountable for them and see what happens.
Whatever. My last 3 entries have all been completely about Cafe World, regular readers can totally ignore those entries as they are directed toward the uneducated masses of people that start up playing that game on a daily basis, have no clue what they are doing and search the internet for information. I keep somewhat of a tab on those entries - of which I have quite a few now - just by looking at Feedjit every day and seeing if any of it's getting visited, which it does. I've become somewhat of an expert at that game at this point. Which is quite meaningless in the overall, grand scheme of things, but I do like to help out whenever possible, and oh, could you throw a buck or two at me for having gone to the trouble of writing it all out? Hmm, well I haven't gone that far with it, but still.
The female trailer tenant is "desperate", she said yesterday. She has been looking for a job for months. She takes odd cleaning jobs here and there, wherever she can find them. But she is looking for steady, part or full-time work, whatever she can find. I can't really help her out any more than I have - she has full access to the Magic Jack phone and she has full access to the old computer which, for the moment anyway, still works fine just for using on the internet. I replaced the fan in that old bugger last weekend, gotta look at the motherboard.
It is showing signs - signs that it is eventually going to die. I priced out cheap, new motherboards and cpu's, about $100 for a decent combo. Plus memory. There is nothing ever cheap about building a computer or even using parts off of one to build another. I can use the hard drive off of it, DVD player, probably not the power supply, the fan is new could use that, I can't use the memory, either, which really sucks. I paid almost $100 for the memory in that machine, but it is for DDR application and I don't think they even make DDR adapted motherboards anymore, it's either DDR2 or DDR3.
I'm no expert at computers, but after having built my first one, I found it remarkably easier than I thought it would be. The hardest part is deciding what you are going to put into it. On a system where I would only install 2 gigs of RAM, I have Windows XP which - it appears - you can install on as many machines as you like without Microsoft trying to stop you. Apparently that OS is finally old enough that they don't care about it anymore. Which is nice, I have a disc with that system on it, still have the security code for it and it works perfectly well : ) Not only that, but for a system with only 2 gigs of RAM? Waste of money to get Windows 7, it isn't that much better than XP (IMO). Windows 7 is good for when you want to use over 4 gigs of RAM, then, XP doesn't handle it. It only goes up to 4 gigs.
The things you learn when you delve into the complete unknown. If there was any money to be made off of building new computers, I would be all over it - but - there is not, not that I can see, anyway, but it's always good to have that knowledge in considering building your own. You get a much better machine for less money than a manufactured system.
Anyway, work day is almost here and there is a hefty order in the truck routing system that wasn't in there yesterday when I left........nice to have something to keep me occupied throughout the day at work : )
G'day.
ben
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