nasal enema

Boo ya! I just completed my second nasal enema....first under no instruction from the wife. As some of you may know or just get by my writing, my wife is a borderline tree-hugger. I am fine with that. I has helped me out of my ignorant ways and on to doing bigger and better things for myself and environment. So by being a "tree hugger" she expermiments with "alternative" cures for things.

Anyway my wife has been using a neti pot for a few months now. I have been deathly afraid of this procedure. Yes, it's scary. You add some warm water to a "neti" pot and add some amount of salt. Not table salt but some cleansing shit. Then you tilt your head up and and insert the spout of this pot in your nose. Open your mouth and let it drain through the opposite nostril. I had decided to do the neti because I have been dealing with a lot of dust of late. Today was a really bad dusty day. I showered up and loosened things up and neti'd my ass off. I think I added too much salt because the second one burned like hell. My eyes are all red. I will be sure to take a picture of MYSELF doing this procedure for all of you to enjoy!

If you still don't get what I am talking about you should go here to see a real demonstration of this madness. It is pure craziness.

off of my soap box

Well, I am off of my hot button issues or as Peter Griffen says..."Things that grind my gears".

I am pro gay and a sympathizer of animals to a degree and trying to be more ecologically sound.

Enough!

My wife made some chili yesterday and it couldn't have come at a better time. It is a cold windy day out today. I hate days like these because it's sunny and looks great but is colder than a witches tit. Actually, it's not that cold. We have been spoiled with a mild winter up until about two weeks ago.

My son won't be home until Thursday afternoon/evening. I miss that booger! Last night I called him before I went to bed and had a wonderful little conversation with him. It eventually moved into beavers. I have no idea how or why he started to talk about beavers. That carried over to dams and the bad word damn. He kept saying how damn is a bad word and he shouldn't be saying dam when talking about beavers. I said it was ok to say dam when talking about beavers and thats it. It wasn't ok to say damn when talking about anything else. He kept intertwining the good dam and bad damn when talking to me. It was funny! It was like his free crad to say a bad word. It reminded me of an episode of 'The Simpsons' where Bart learns about hell in Sunday school and just starts using the word hell any chance he can.

Well, that is my life today. I am going to go get some chili and clean up a bit. What a life!

earthlings

earth.ling (urth ling), n. 1. An inhabitant of earth.Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1989

I am going to continue my ranting on issues that I have been faced with this week. It is animal rights or something along those lines.

We have been having movie night here at the Cackmandu hacienda everynight before bed. It was my lovely wifes turn to pick the movie and all she would day is that it was a movie with Joaquin Phoenix. I was hoping that it was 'Signs' or something like that. She popped it in and I immediatly knew what it was all about.

The movie was 'Earthlings'. It is a movie that shows very graphic video of slaughterhouses, puppy mills and many other corparations that use animals for human "benefit".

An inhabitant of earth covers all living things as far as I am concerned. Not just humans!

This movie is easily one of the Top 10 movies I have ever seen. It is gut wrenchingly honest, thought provoking and possibly life altering.

I am not a huge meat eater by choice. This movie kind of makes you wonder if you should eat meat ever again. I would almost put down in the vegan propaganda section but highly suggest the viewing of this movie. It's very graphic and tells the tale of animals through their eyes as they come to there demise to feed people all around the world.

I was especially saddened to see the pets part of the movie. The showed animals be euthanized with a shot and the vet petting them and within second the dog was limp on the table. I was sick to see the cheaper way of using a box filled with carbon monoxide and dogs and cats being lifted inside to a slow and agonizing death. I have 2 dogs and a cat and would never imagine enduring them to kind of treatment. This is why I will never buy a dog from a pet store. I have one pure breed Jack Russel and a mutt. They are amazing animals. They offer companionship and someone to talk to when I don't want to have a 2 sided converastion. My neighbors just bought a $1,500 dog and have already put that much into him because he is sick all the time. Shame on them.

I feel most bad for the people that went undercover to provide this video footage. These people live and die for the protection of animals. They put themselves in the front lines of these places to see these acts commited daily. Just so ignorant people like me can see the truth.

I highly suggest that anybody who reads this posting see the movie or at the very least go to the website. It will make you question yourself and way of life.

"This is the single most powerful and informative movie about society's treatment of animals. A must see for anyone who cares enough to know"- Woody Harrelson

I am not Mr. PETA or Mr. Vegan but now am faced with questions of my own being. I urge you to take down those glass walls and see this movie.

gay pride!

Below is a letter that was submitted to the local newspaper by a woman in my writers group. I am not sure of the pretext as to what fueled her to write this response to Mr. Boyd. I am hoping that they print it!

Dear Mr. Boyd,
I've written this letter four times over, and I admit each
version became less venomous. The issue of same sex marriage is a hot button for
me. It was with great emotion that I read J.W. because is letter to the editor in
the February15, 2006, Wednesdays edition of The Enterprise.

What are we
Americans afraid same sex marriage will cause? Why do want to censor what we
don't agree with? Does anyone honestly believe The Enterprise is promoting same
sex marriage? If so, how many stories has The Enterprise published regarding this
issue? Not many.

Do most Americans fear same sex marriage because they
think allowing a small minority of U.S. citizens to marry will propagate
homosexuality? We don't choose our sexuality and so how could something that is
not chosen be selected? Do most Americans think marriage will be degraded any
further than heterosexuals, who currently divorce at an astounding ratio of 1:2,
have already tarnished the sanctity of marriage? Do Americans truly believe that
somehow same sex marriage might spread the HIV virus to a larger population? On
the contrary, monogamy would certainly reduce the reach of this deadly disease.

We're so ready to bring Judeo-Christian values into the mix and shout
that God is on our side, but in my view God isn't in the mix when we
accept intolerance. Our willingness to shut out those members of society that we
judge as too different from most Americans is unchristian-like.

Perhaps
most Americans believe we choose our sexuality, and when some humans choose to be
homosexuals, that's out of the norm and so we punish them, we exclude them. How
painful it must be to know you're something society hates and fears. How painful
it must be to hide yourself from friends, family, and clergyman. Then why would
human beings choose to put themselves through such pain, such anguish?

I
certainly never chose to be heterosexual. I never chose to have brown hair,or to
be 5'2". I was imbued with these characteristics. It's not my choice. We are
who our Creator made us to be.

As one who grew up in a Judeo-Christian
heterosexual household, my parents told me that Jesus preached love. I learned in
Sunday school that Jesus loved all. I learned in church that Jesus touched those
that the rest of society judged untouchable. He spoke to those that most people
would not speak to. He accepted everyone. And to make sure His beliefs on love
continued He left His disciples and those that wished to follow Him a message,
one of many:

"I command you to love each other in the same way that I
love you". John 15:12

As far as being American, I thought that meant
freedom for all. To deny any citizen of the U.S. rights that are afforded most
us, is not just, is not kind,and is not loving. Historically, we've disallowed
many minorities from accessing the rights given to citizens of the United States.
Fortunately, as the years passed our wiser ancestors recognized the injustices
and found tolerance in their hearts.

I too urge you to call your
congressional representative(s), your senators, and your local officials and ask
them to show some tolerance. For if we continue choosing fear over love,
ignorance over knowledge, and intolerance over acceptance, we have only to look
across the ocean to see what happens when a nation embraces intolerance.

I agree with 100% of this letter. Why are people afraid of gay men and women?
We have all heard the slurs of fag(got), homo, queer, dyke, lezbo and we may even be guilty of saying such words.

I have known a handful of gay people in my life and never thought less of them because they were attracted to the same sex. I have to admit that one of the funnest nights I ever had out was at a gay bar in Phoenix. Was kind of bummed I wasn't hit on.

If this is such a great country why can't the government and churches accept these people for what they are. They aren't different! There is no way in hell that gay people choose to be gay. You maypercentagery small percantage of the gay population that just choose to be gay due to events in their lives. Anyway, there is no fucking sanctity of marriage anymore. If two people love each other they should be allowed to be united in marriage as I am and millions of other heterosexuals in this country. It is just plain ignorance and mis-interpretations of the bible.

How can we make laws to be biased against other because of their sexual orientation? Pure bullshit!

My wife was some horiginallved in the orginal news story about gay men and women in this area. (which I am sure was a shocker since this is redneck country) She knows a few lesbian couples and was trying to get in touch with them so they could be interviewed for the story. I hope they were able to get a word in edge wise.
strengthmagine the strenght that it takes to come "out of the closet". They open themselvebigotrya world of biggotry and social norms that are against them. Yet they still come out and say who they and what they are. Knowing there will be repercussions from doing so.

So bottom line is I support gay marriage, rights and lifestyle. Because at the end of the day they are people just like me and you.

Lot's of humping

Just a crazy factoid that I just came across:

On Saturday, Feb. 25, at 7:16 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, the population here on this good Earth is projected to hit 6.5 billion people.

Some six years from now, on Oct. 18, 2012 at 4:36 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, the Earth will be home to 7 billion folks.

preachy, whiny, soap box standing, unwanted

I am going to be a bit preachy and take the time to stand on my soap box and rant about a few topics that I have been confronted with over the last week or so. I need to get a few things together and will eventually post them over the course of the day. It may offend and I am sorry if it does. I guess there are a few views that I want to share and get out there to my 3-4 readers.

it's official

It's official! I hate my job! Actually I don't! I was pulled to the side today by another worker and told to get out of dodge. Not a good sign. I have talked with 4 people and 4 people have told me to look for another job! I actually like my job. especially now. I am in a backroom cleaning, stacking, organizing (not my forte) and kicking ass. Today my boss said she was surprised at how much I had done. I was "ahead of schedule". What the hell? I am sorry that I work and have a goal set to get this shit organized and things that don't belong out of there. I should be done tomorrow if I really kick ass instead of jerk around a bit.

I am rather pissed that I don't get paid more. I am starting a whole new program and building it from the ground up and won't advance or even get paid that much more anytime soon. I now feel like a 9 year old boy in Indonesia...working for pennys a day. I still haven't even worked enough to cover my medical coverage yet. Not to mention taxes.

I will just keep plugging along and unfuck their stockrooms in the meantime. I am really hoping to hear back from that oil place soon. I was called today and was asked to send them my high school diploma. The company doing my background check doesn't leave to many stones unturned I guess. So fingers are crossed with that.

I called the oil place today to write down how the schedule works again. It really isn't too bad but not fun on the family life. The good thing is that I gate fifty-cent pay hike for working afternoons and $1 for working midnights. So there is the potential to be making up to $4 more an hour than what I am making now. Not to mention there is advancement within this place. So I would be getting paid more money as I worked my way up. Plus, the guy I chatted with sounded eager for my background check to come back soon...so maybe I could work for them??

Well, enough about me and my rotating jobs. Just wish me luck and as always I will keep you posted on my wonderful life.

1st day

Today was my first day of work. All in all not too bad! I was kind of sent off to do my own thing today. Which was a good thing.

I am just not to sure how I should take some of my fellow workers advice. "Look ourt for #1" and "I would start looking for another job". What the fuck is that?

Me and my wife have already decided that if the oil place calls, we will go with them. We don't talk about it though as not to jinx it.

I will be getting my own office and computer. I get the normal 2-15 minute breaks throughout the day and a 1 hour lunch break. 90 minutes of doing shit! Oh well! I took a look around today and know that I can save them a ton of room. They have shit from 1992 there. So yeah, that can go. From my basic idea of the job I am sure I will be saving them some money down the road. Not to mention, my boss keeps telling me if I want this or that she can get it for me because they have so much money in it. Fuck, send some of that my way and there won't be a problem. What do I know?

Oh well, I am off to go make some salmon and have some wine with the missus as soon as she gets home. I need a nap!

chick moments are for guys too

Well, after my last whining I submerged myself into a nice bath and read a little bit. I just needed a hot bath and some time to relax. I guess we'll see how work goes and see if the oil place will even call to hire me. I just saw how much they actually intend on paying me. $20,000 a year! Considering when we first talked about it it was close to $24,000 a year. I was happy with that and guessed it was about that.

Maybe it's my fault a bit since I didn't have the balls to firm up the amount when asked during the interview. For once I was a sackless douche bag. Now I am fucked because of it. I just wanted to work and assumed that I was still in the $24k range.

Wish me luck as I start work tomorrow at 8a.m. I am sure that I won't really do anything until Monday! I have a buttload of paperwork to go thru and submit to be on the payroll and get bennies rolling.

So to anybody having a bad day I suggest letting all of your troubles go down the drain of a tub.
I had an insanly hot bath and was sweating my ass off. I couldn't take it any longer. Plus, I was excited to use a Burt's Bees shampoo bar that my wife bought me. So I am now feeling minty clean and ready to chill and go to bed early tonight.

I will have to take another quick shower this evening to shave. You know to get my face nice and warm so I can shave easier. Maybe I will just wait till tomorrow so I can have an extra close shave. Oh yeah, I am also not going to be getting a haircut anytime in the near future. I have been getting my haircut every 2-3 weeks for the last 9 years. I am going to let it go a while.

What to do what to do?

Man oh man, I have been rethinking this whole college job thing. It's a job yes! It will barely get us by though. I don't think I will be able to put ANY money away and am really going to be living pay check to pay check...I know that's the American way but fuck! If the oil place offers me a job, I think I will take that. It will get us back on our feet faster in hopefully out of this shithole state. No offense to the residents of Maryland...but I really fucking hate it here!

Sure I will be working shifts and what not but I will be making more money and trying to move ahead instead of being stuck here. I am so pissed at myself today! I am a perpetual fuck up and would consider myself a failure up to this point in my life. I have zero to show for anything of 28 years of existence on this planet!

I get so pissed when I talk with freinds back home and hear about them planning on buying houses and getting toys. Not to mention going on vacations and shit! My family deserves that stuff to. I am the one that should be providing that to them. Am I? Not even fucking close! FUCK!

Or I can tough it out at the college and have quite a few lean years ahead of me hoping that it will all work out for me in the end. What the fuck am I supposed to do? This college thing is decent but for what I am getting paid I am getting screwed. At least at the oil place I won't really be doing anything. But then college will be 100X harder to accomplish! I hate life sometimes. Wish things were just spelled out for me. Screw Robert Frost and the road less traveled BS!

Enough whining! I will keep you updated as soon as I know what the fuck I am doing. I start work tomorrow at the college! I am not as gung ho as one would imagine! I am a bitter asshole today! I can't believe they expect me to have a family on this type of pay! It boggles my mind!

funny to me

I have come across a few things in the past few weeks that have kind of made me laugh a bit. I am not really sure if you will think they are funny but I do and I want to share them with you.

First is this whole Dick Cheney "accidental" shooting. I am not making light of what happned to old Mr. Harry Wittington. It is a serious matter and he is lucky to be alive. I am glad to see that the VP took responsiblity for his actions...albiet a few days later. Instead of this being a PR nightmare Cheney should take the ball and run with it.I think it would be a good time for him to become the poster boy for gun safety. I am pro gun and all but not NRA fanatic. I just think it may be good for him to start a program about being safe and having fun. That is just my thoughts on the matter. It could turn the whole thing upside down and make him look like a saint instead of a hillbilly. It would be a responsible thing. I am sure that he's not too concerned with responsibility. Instead he is now the butt of jokes and loses even more credibility. Again, I am sure he doesn't care.

I am sure he is fine with being only the second Vice President to have shot a man. The first being Aaron Burr who shot and killed Alexander Hamiliton in a duel on July 11, 1804. So here's to you Mr. Vice President. So from here on out he has made his mark in history as far as VP's go.

He will now just have to be happy bieng a "gangsta" and live with that for the rest of his life. I am just glad that his pal didn't die because he was a reckless asshole. I just find this shirt to be very funny and would love to get one. It may be one of my first buys as soon as I get a paycheck. It would be a welcome addition to my non-existent wardrobe.

The next thing that I find funny and downright gut busting. Is the fact that Toyota is going to be placing a car into NASCAR and the Busch series starting next year.
I hate NASCAR ! I just don't get it! I am sure it's a great sport if you can call it a sport. I just think it's great that a japanese car will be racing now. It is sure to get all of the fans of NASCAR pissy. I hope that Toyota can be competitive within the first couple of years.

I guess I like anything that goes against the norm. It has been nothing but American cars for as long as NASCAR has been around. I guess Toyota has some trucks in the truck series. I wish them well and find this to be some of the greatest news I have sen to date on NASCAR! I thought today being the Daytona 500 and all, it would be a great day to post this.

as promised

I am submitting for your enjoyment--my DVD collection.

While I was writing down the list I was wondering what impressions you may get from reading the list of movies? I put things like movies, books and medicine cabinets into the same category. You can learn alot about someone by just snooping at these simple items. So in no particular order is my collections:

1. Charlie and The Chocolate Factory (new and old)
2. Finding Nemo
3. L.A. Confidential
4. Suicide Kings
5. Pirates of The Carribean
6. Dances With Wolves
7. Heat
8. Peter Pan
9. A Bug's Life
10. Elf
11. Meatballs
12. The Magnificent Seven
13. I Spit On Your Grave
14. Stuck On You
15. Lion King 1 1/2
16. Easy Rider
17. Natural Born Killers
18. House Of 1,000 Corpses
19. Blues Brothers
20. E.T.
21. Office Space
22. Dazed and Confused
23. Old School
24. Dumb and Dumber
25. Death Race 2000
26. Nightmare Before Christmas
27. Last Of The Mohicans
28. Fast Times at Ridgemont High
29. Ju-On (Japanese version of The Grudge)
30. Killer Klowns From Outter Space
31. Mystic River
32. Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle
33. Road Trip
34. Stir of Echos
35. The Crow
36. Freaks
37. Armageddon
38. Anchorman
39. Kingpin
40. Singles
41. Usual Suspects
42. 50 First Dates
43. Big Fish
44. High Fidelity
45. Punch-Drunk Love
46. Texas Chainsaw Massacre (new)
47. Slums of Beverly Hills
48. Anger Management
49. Fargo
50. Resevoir Dogs
51. Pulp Fiction
52. Joe Dirt
53. Very Bad Things
54. Even Knievel
55. Homeward Bound
56. Fox and The Hound
57. Land Before Time
58. Toy Story 1 and 2
59. Rad
60. Lion King
61. Spongebob Sqaurepants--The movie
62. Spongebob Sqaurepants--Selected episodes
63. A Clockwork Orange
64. Death to Smoochy
65. Big Daddy
66. American History X
67. Lolita
68. American Pie 1-3
69. Evil Dead
70. Kill Bill 1 and 2
71. Redneck Zombies
72. The Toxic Avenger
73. Stigmata
74. Frida
75. South Park--The movie
76. Simpatico
77. Joe Cocker in Concert
78. Seasame Street 25th Birthday
79. Iron Eagle
80. Mr. Deeds
81. Lord of The Rings--Animated
82. Sixteen Candles
83. Pieces
84. Escape From Alcatraz
85. The Goonies
86. Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
87. Out Cold
88. Too Young To Die
89. Slap Shot
90. Godfather Trilogy
91. Back To The Future Trilogy
92. The Simpsons seasons 1-5
93. Family Guy season 1-3
94. Underworld
95. A Few Good Men
96. Casino
97. The Green Mile
98. Varsity Blues
99. Forrest Gump
100. Van Wilder
101. Mystery, Alaska
102. UHF
103. Best of Will Ferrell 1 and 2
104. Tombstone
105. Saving Private Ryan
106. Ringu (Japanese version of The Ring)

So There you have it! So it seems that I have 100+ DVD's in my collection. In making this list I see that I am missing a few DVD's that I wish I had. One of those being, 'The Big Lebowski'. I wish I had that movie today. Would be a great movie to watch. Well, now that I have a job I can go and buy it again.

I have been meaning to use this thing I have seen on another blog and be able to log in my library of books. That will be a huge undertaking. Will take me forever just to write down everybook. Guessing I would just do a few shelves at a time.

So what if any impression do you get from this collection of movies?

For MY viewing pleasure

Four entries in a single day? That has to be close to a record. Anyway, since I have been out of work, I have had to cut bills and sadly one of the first to go was the TV. It's not a coincidence that the remote is phallic in shape. I have a decent library of DVD/video. Which for your enjoyment tomorrow, and give you something to look forward to, I will leave a list of my movies.

Moving right along, me and my neighbor have been having a video exchange for the last few weeks and tonight I borrowed some movies to watch over the weekend. I am getting bored with my PS2 anyway.

SO for MY viewing pleasure I am going to be watching, not any any specific order.

1. Sneakers
2. Jeremiah Johnson
3. Schindlers List
4. Patton

That should be enough boob tube time to fry my brain over the course of the next few days. I am so glad that I have a job so I can buy DVD's again. It was bad last weekend when I was having a Tom Hanks day. I watched 'The Green Mile', 'Saving Private Ryan', and 'Forrest Gump'. So, I guess I will have a mini Robert Redford movie-thon and then jump into a World War II movie-thon.

Have a good weekend and be safe.

meathead

So I am a 'meathead'! I am a man and am sure that most if not all of card carrying members of manhood are neanderthals or knuckle draggers at some point. I am sure that all or most women think their husbands are idiots! I am of course no exception.

Last week while driving home I was listening to the wonderful sportstalk radio (sportstalk 980 on the AM dial in Maryland) and they were talking about the gambling issues in hockey. HOCKEY! I love hockey! I am from Minnesota where we take a week off for state tournaments of hockey or they don't teach and we watched it on TV in the classroom. So I felt obligated to call in and voice my opinion. I did the whole "First time caller. Long time listener.", thing. I guess I had said some good things because now these radio personalities were asking me questions. I was more impressed with hearing from the host of the show--John Thompson.

He is a legend in college sports and especially in this area. He was the coach of the Georgtown Hoyas. I was just thrilled! I had to tell someone.

I called my wife.

"Why are you telling me this?" My wife asked.

"I don't really know." I replied rejected.

"You're a meathead! Don't ever call me to tell me you were on a sports talk radio show again."

I hung up and was happy as hell that I talked to these guys and was actually on the radio. I still have no clue as to why I called my wife. I knew she could have given two shits about it. Why are men so stupid? I should have called my buddy in Wisconsin and told him.

So I'm a meathead! Pretty much the story of my life.

"Brushing me off"

I am in the blogging mood today I guess. Actually I have had lots to say but never seem to find the time or willingness to come and post. So lucky for you, depending on you look at it, I am blogging my ass off today.

As you know I have known I have had a job for a week or so. Well, I have been keeping that a secret from the wonderful people at the post office. So I could possibly work their on Saturdays and bring in some extra cash. I was also getting paid to go to training. Is it bad that I didn't tell them right away? I don't think so. I was supposed to start tomorrow.

I called the wonderful postmaster and told her that I was done with my training and she jumps right in to tell me the plans she has for me. One being able to let an older woman who can't hera out of one of her ears go in for an operation to get it fixed. I had to stop her and tell her that I was offered two jobs TODAY and had to decide which one.

This is when it got fun.

She flipped out and and asked, "So you're just going to brush me off?" I was like whoa! You knew I was looking for a job when you interviewed me. Plus, all I have been hearing the last two weeks in training is how they expect to keep people like me working for them. "People like me", meaning substitute mail men/women. I wasn't guaranteed 40 hours a week and wasn't getting any bennies with the job. What the hell did she want me to do? I have a wife and a kid.

I had told her that and she eventually calmed down and wished me luck. I am bummed I can't work there on Saturdays at least. It goes againts what she can have on hand as far as subs and regular employees. She didn't want to waste a spot on me...I can't blame her. She said she would mail my check to me when she gets it. That is a plus, I am guessing it will be around $600 maybe a bit more.

Do you think it's any wonder why old Cliff drank? Where the term "going postal" comes from? I mean really I have a way better opportunity with the college. Granted it may have been a dick move on my part but I hardly "brushed" her off. I called and told her. This makes her shorthanded for God knows how many more weels/months but maybe the USPS should look at losing the subs. I found greener pastures and went to graze.

Scared

I actually have a few things to post about today but have found that it's not a good idea to be posting about a lot of crap in one entry. So I will start off with an incident that happened to me way to early in the start of my day.
I was driving up the road to do my final day of training for postal training. I learned how to drive and park a mail truck. Anyway, I had to leave pretty early today to make it up to this place in College Park/Hyatsville, Maryland area. That means I had to get up early and be on the road before the sun was coming up...6:30'ish.

The radio in my car sucks and only gets AM stations and since I live in the sticks the sports station (which reminds of another post I have been meaning to post) doesn't come in until I am up the road about 20-30 minutes. So I am cruising along listening to static and every once in a while get to hear broken up pieces of the radio show.

The radio is now starting to come in and I am drifting off into manly heaven and listening to sportstalk radio. I put my cruise on and drive my happy ass up to training. I get passed my an older lady in a caddy. I think nothing of it and drive along. She starts to go slower and I drive past her. The sun wasn't quite up yet so it was still kind of dark. Not to mention it was kind of overcast and gray out. As I go past her I look over and see a face looking at me, it was of a young girl, of maybe 8-10. She had bright red hair and a ghostly white face. She was just staring at me. It gave me chills and my sphincter actually tightened up. I sped up and never looked back.

Why the hell are kids so freaky? Not a good way to start my day!

Of course

I have been pondering the decisions that I have been having to make these last few days. I am happy with my choice for the college. Long term it helps Team Cackmandu out. Short term it helps keep my family connected.

I am confident in my choice and am looking forward to taking this next step in my so called life. By no means am I am back on my feet, but I am in the right direction. I think it will all work out in the end and hopefully some day get the hell out of this state.

Of course I have nothing much to add to this. Just know that from now on I will not be whining about too much anymore. I am going to be moving forward and with that I think will bring out a more humorous side. I know, I know, how many times have I said that? Too many! I am working on some ideas and as soon as I can work them out I will be posting them here or adding them to my next story for my writers group.

Peace out and chat soon!!

life

I have one more day of training left. I would have been done today but I was a bonehead and left my license at home when I needed it to drive a damn mail truck. So I now have to drive 90 minutes up the road during morning taffic and do this training.

I am debating on when I should tell the post office about me being hired on at the college. I am thinking tomorrow after 100% completion of training. It may seem a little suspect but I am supposed to start work next Wednesday. Makes sense that I do it ASAP.

Well, I am tired as hell, I will write more later today. Oh yeah, good stuff the wife is starting to post comments here.

Drum roll please.....

I am going to take the college job! It pays less and offers little to no advancment. Why would I take that job? I interviewed for the petroleum place and wasn't too excited about their shifts. I would be basically working a different shift every week. That sucks! There is no way I would want to do that. I would rather be a 8-5 guy and go from there. So I will be settle for the college and have yet to tell the postal people that I will not be able to be their full time fill in guy. I can now only work Saturdays for them.

So that is what is up in my world. Feels good to know that starting next Wednesday, I will be having a job again. It has been 9 months today that I left the Navy. Insane!

Happy Valentines day to all of you lovebirds....

Sock it to me

Well, we had the fierce snowstorm that was predicted and I am not wowed by it. My wife had wanted me to drive her to work today but the roads were good enough for her to drive on. I am not sure of the offical number but I would say that we had about 3-4" of the white stuff. Nothing to get all spazzy about.

My son is missing out. He is in NJ with my mother-in-law and she can't get around as well as she used to. Plus, it has been such a mild winter that we didn't send snow boots or snowpanst with him. He is a tough cookie and will do fine without them. I just wish he was here. Last year, I wound up going to the hospital showing off for my wife and son. I am a douche bag! The ambulance had to come and everything.

Well, other than the snow, nothing new to report here. I am still up in the air as to which job I should choose should the opportunity arise. I am just going to roll with it. Funny how a few months ago I would have been happy to make a decision as to which job I would want. As always, I will keep you updated on my pathetic life....soon to be up and running life again.

how can that be

I am just wondering how my fortunes have turned? Is it because I had my ultra-religious neighbor perform an unwanted prayer in my house? I am almost afraid to tell him that I was offered the job. I am sure that he would just go hog wild and say, "I told you so!". Fuck off!

Anyway, I don't have much to post today. Not much going on. I went and looked at the new place we are considering moving to. It's nice but VERY cramped. We'll see how that goes. Oh yeah, plus if we move in and I get a job at the petroleum place I can ride my bike to work.

The weather is supposed to turn to crap this afternoon and snow. I am sure that the grocery stores are empty and everybody will be inside tonight. Crazy! I am hoping for the snow but doubt that we will get the 3-5" they are calling for. I can only hope.

My dog Ceasar is hurt again. He wimpered in our bed yesterday and hobbled out of bed. Hope he gets better in a few days like last time. Just wonder what the hell it is that triggers this.

Oh well, I am off to go clean and do whatever it is I do. Peace in the middle east!

on the fence

Shit! What a life. I have been offered basically 3 jobs in the last 2 weeks. The first being a driver for a non profit organization that deals with disbaled people. The second, is the post office which I have been in training for the last week and still have another to go. Third job being the college. Which isn't promised but am guessing that my references will give me a glowing review.

Yesterday, I was called about another job. I would be working at a local petroleum plant here. The benifits are just as good as the college and the pay is slightly higher. I am guessing that advancement there would be a bit better than the college as well.

Here is my dilemma, I want to work at the college because then I can go to school there after 6 months of employment. I will make about $500 less a month than if I were to be hired at the petroleum place. More money=back on our feet faster. Less money=cheaper higher education costs.

Any suggestions?

staying put....for now

I decided to go back on my thoughts and called the college that I have been waiting to hear back from. As luck would have it, I was put thru to the lady I needed to chat with and she basically told me that I have a job. She needs to call my references and then she will get back to me. I am guessing that I will do ok with that part. I just recently had very good luck with my references.

They pay is a few thousand short than what I had thought it was going to be but will have to suffer for that. I think with me being an employee of the college I think I can go there now. Not exactly the school I would want to attend but beggers can't be choosers. It's a very nice liberal arts school tucked away in the "boonies". I was looking at the majors there and am considering English as a major. I know! It won't do much for me but it will give me a degree and then I can move on and do something else and then go to school for something more useful.

I am pretty excited! I am thinking I will continue with training and even go to the job for a few days and then let them down gently. I know it sucks but I want to get a few more pennies from them before I make my move. I am going to see if I can do Saturdays or something. We'll see.

I am also going to be looking at a house in better area this weekend. Things may be looking up again soon!

SHINE ON YOU CRAZY DIAMOND!!

Oh what a day

Man alive! I am tired. I have been going to this training/orientation for the last 3 days and it has been a test of my patience. I have been waking up at 6a.m. and having to drive a little over an hour there. Not bad but not fun! I have been getting paid for a full 8 hours and have been getting out at about 2 p.m. every day. Today was a lucky day and was out at 11a.m.

I now have to go some where else for more training some where else...even further. It's only 2 days so that isn;t so bad. Then I will have some more training at a closer location but it starts at 7a.m. I really need to get back in the mind frame of WORKING!! I am not a morning person and am guessing that I will have to suck that up if I want to be part of the working class.

So that's what I have been up to these last few days. I am still hoping to hear back from the college and see what the does for me. I called them this morning but the lady I was supposed to talk with wasn't there so I left a message. I still haven't heard back from her and am getting anxious. Do I call her back? Would that be too pushy? I am living on the edge of my seat. Like I said, I thought the interview went well. I think I said all of the right things. Who knows?

Nothing much else to report. My son has been shipped off to NJ to stay with my mother-in-law. I miss him big time. He was my little sidekick! Where ever and what ever I did during the day, the boy came along. I am guessing we will be getting him back in about a week or so.

We are also looking at moving soon. I need a cheaper place to live so I can get ahead again. I am not sure where I can find something decent in this area that doesn't have a crack whore or drug dealer nearby.

Catch you later when I have a better idea as to what I want to post about. Been working and need to catch up on some of the Mr. Mom things around i.e dishes, laundry.

The way I see it

I am not really sure how much of my tax dollars...I know I haven't paid taxes in a few months... I am kind of glad I haven't! When I do pay taxes again I hope that not even a quarter of a penny goes to NASA. What a crock it is. Is anybody excited about space exploration any more? I would welcome another lunar landing. I don't even mind the Hubble telescope. I may even throw in the Mars rover. But I in no way support them if they are going to be dumping old Russian space
suits into outter space with a small radio transmitter attached to it. What does that do? It gives the geeks at NASA something to while the astronauts sleep. Not to mention thise HAM radio guys. I mean really, couldn;t we have at least flown a colony of ants or something into space. Maybe even see what the effect of weightlessness does to chapstick. Anything but send this space suit out there.

It had stopped giving signals but is now back at it. Wonderful! What do I know though I am just some slug on planet earth that doesn't give two farts about space exploration. It has lost it's allure that I think it once held. I am sure I am a minority here but that is just the way I see it.
I would like to see an average Joe like Homer there up in space. Wouldn't that make the space program something excitable? I remember 20 years ago sitting in class watching the Challenger take off. Why? Because I was in school and they were about to send the first teacher i.e. Average Joe into space. They need that again. Would make it a helluva a lot more entertaining to watch a reality show--The Next American Astronaut. I would watch it. I would vote for a guy just like Homer.

Well that's my 2 cents. I am off to do nothing. Yes Super bowl XL is going to be on soon but I have to TV so I am inable to watch the biggest sporting event of the year. Go Steelers!

Holy Kow!

Well, I had a meeting I had to be at this morning at 7 a.m. What a crock of shit! Don't they know I haven't worked in months? I am a hurting unit today. Didn't get to bed till close to 2 a.m. and then had to get up and listen to stuff I had no idea about.

So here is my employment plan for the next week or so. I have to go to training/orientation for the next 2 weeks in various places around the state. Total crap! I do get paid by the hour to sit through this though. I will have to see if I can get paid mileage as well.

Anyway, I am still really hoping that I hear back from the local college about the job I interviewed for on Tuesday. I thought that interview went very well and hope they did too. So, while I am in training next week I will be hoping to hear back from these people. If not, no big deal, I am already in training/orientation for another job. I am covered job wise.

The drawbacks are that with the one I have training for I don't get beniefits and I am kind of on call as far as filling in for people so not really full time. No benifits. Good pay with potential to make really good money.

The college job is 40 hours a week with possibility to work overtime. The pay is ok. The bennies are great. I would take this job with me making less money just because of the fact of the bennies. Not to mention I think I can attend college for next to nothing. So that will help me out with my 5 year plan regarding education. The thing is that it's a liberal arts school so what I want to major in isn't really offered so I am going to take the next best thing and move forward.

How does that plan sound? Good? Just keep your fingers crossed that the college calls me back. Regardless, I am calling them back on Wednesday. It will have given them a week and a day to figure out who they are going to hire. As always will keep you posted!

reason # 156

I am not sure if I hate the area I live in 100%. I do know that we have had 1 substantial snowfall this year. That was gone in about 2-3 days. Today it is mid 60's and t-shirt weather. It's February 3rd! I can't believe how nice it is today. Me and my son just came back from playing at the park. There wasn't any other parents with their kids there. Such a shame. It was so damn nice.

I would say that the lack of snow and cold is reason #156 as to why I don't like living here. I enjoy snow and cold weather. I am guessing that winter is over and we are heading into spring here in the mid-atlantic region. I know it will get colder but this is dumb.

The one good thing about it is that I have cheaper natural gas bills than I had expected. My last bill was around $30. That is doable on a fixed income.

Only in America

I hate George W. Bush with a passion. I think he is corrupt and has no clue as to what the fuck he is doing. After his lame state of the union the douche bag flew down to Nashville, TN and packed the Grand Ole Opry full of his redneck, ultra conservative, bible thumping supporters. I just can't stand the look on his face. Everything about this guy oozes kick me.

I have no idea how they could pack the place. Among the crowd were several country music stars, including Barbara Mandrell, Larry Gatlin, Lee Greenwood, Lorrie Morgan and the Oak Ridge Boys. Did you say Oak Ridge Boys? Well shit, let me head on down and see the stupid president.

It is nice to see that Bush has a sense of humor. Bush joked that he should have given the State of the Union at the hall. "How cool would it be to give a State of the Union address in a Porter Wagoner outfit?"

Did this shock you? It did me. First I had no idea who Porter Wagoner was. Second, can he get any stupider? I am sorry but I don't want my president talking about how "cool" it would be to give the biggest speech that he gives each year to be in a country western music hall. What an ass!
This is Porter Wagoner! Our yee-haw president thought that it would be "cool" to address the nation dressed like a fucking pinata and discuss the issues of America. Has he no clue as to the fact that nobody likes him?

Gimmick whore

I am the first to admit it that I am a gimmick whore. I will see a commercial for a new product and instantly think of a million uses for it. Just ask my wife as to why I have a box of over 200 knives hidden in our closet. I thought it would be a good investment. Well it turns out that a bunch of other people did too.

I think the biggest gimmick whore I know is my mother-in-law. She has everyting! If you see a half-hour infomercial she has it. If it is one of those quick ads you could consider "as seen on TV" she has it. She is getting up there in age so she has the grappler things to pick things up. She has the compression bags. Which by the way I do to.

While I was up there for Christmas she gave me some slippers. Not just any ordinary slippers that will keep my feet warm. I pair of red plaid, frilly dust mop bottoms ones. They don't fit my feet all that well and aren't as warm as my other slippers. Plus, I am afraid that I would be collecting too much stuff on them. We have a dog that sheds about a pound of fur a day and that would be all over the bottom of my slippers. I know, that's what they are used for. But I don't actually want them for that.

My wife would actually prefer that I wear them. Seems that she doesn't like how I walk at all. I was yelled at for pounding my feet when I walked and she wanted that to stop since we live in an apartment. I agreed so I kind of turned to shuffling my feet. Well, that turns out not to be so good either since it makes a swoosh swoosh noise with every shuffle. That seems to bother just her. With the dust-mate 2006 I can shuffle as quiet as a mouse and collect pet dander. So I guess I should start wearing these so I don't have to get yelled at for my walking patterns and I can clean at the same time.

jazzed

It is 47 seconds away from being midnight and I am still up. What is that all about? I am usually asleep by now. I think I am all jazzed about a story idea I have. I seem to get really excited about writing anything after these writers meetings. I just wrote a simple liitle story for myself as a writing excercise and kind of had the feeling that people liked what I had and should maybe expand and bring closesure to it. So, I wrote myself some notes of things I want in there and we will see wha's up.

I think I will go read and slowly drift away to a magical place.

time flies

i have another writers meeting this evening and can't believe that it has been a month already. I submitted something lame. I had higher hopes for what I was going to submit but it didn't seem to be that way. I really need to write a lot more of this stuff down. I was just doing some practice writing with this piece and wanted to see how it went. Next month I will submit something that I am whole heartedly commited to.

What's up with the 5 comments I got on the SHEM post a few days ago?

Is religion falling out of graces with people these days? This topic came up on my wonderful journey with my douche bag long lost father when we went back to MN for my brothers funeral. My father asked what religion I was and I had told him athiest (probably more agnostic) and he almost flipped out. I was raised lutheran. He wanted me to be raised catholic. I simply told him that if he was around I would have been.

Wish me luck!