Vacation # 1 - DONE

I survived another Christmas.  I got $25 gift certificate to Outback Steakhouse and I’m going there with my friends on January 2nd.  Looking forward to Alice Springs Chicken, A Sweet Potato and a nice salad with either Ranch or Honey Mustard.  Their salads are the best!  The dinner at my friends house was okay.  The prime rib was a bit more done this year but still full of fat.  I honestly didn’t eat much.  I stayed a lot longer than I wanted to.  I never did make it to the movies.  I stopped by my mom’s house and chatted with the clan.  No gifts were exchanged, but I came prepared with twenty dollars in my wallet.  It was an okay time.  I got home about 11pm.  The children were not happy, despite me telling them that I would be home late. 

I did take plenty of naps and had cats on top of me, in bed with me and in the same room as me.  I spent some extra alone time with Bear and he enjoyed it.  He loves attention any way he can get it.  He knows how to work it and work me.  I don’t feel bad for giving in.  I actually feel bad that I don’t give him enough attention.  He is still using his pads, so much that I went to Sam’s club and got some replacements, so I am ready for when I run out.  I learned that is the place to go, they are way cheaper there.  The best time to shop is on Friday night about an hour before closing.  You will have the place to yourself and can breeze in and out. 

I picked up food for the children at the pet food store on Friday.  Got ink and paper for me from the office store.  Headed down to Target and picked up cat litter and toiletries.  Then hightailed it to Red Lobster where I learned they no longer have Lobster Rolls.  That ruined my plan.  I did have some Swordfish and it was okay.  The portion size was small for what I paid.  Not sure that I will do that again.  I saw a cute waiter guy there.  Made it home and unloaded. 

Saturday I went out in the rain to another grocery store that I don’t frequent that often.  I was on the hunt for Frozen Steak N Shake burgers and/or melts.  They didn’t have them.  They did carry Chili Cheese Fries, which I purchased.  I didn’t look at the instructions on how to make them until I got home and damn it’s a lot of work.  So they went into the freezer.  I put together my steam mop and got the kitchen sparking again.  Of course with LB around it doesn’t last long.  He is a very sloppy eater.  I think 1/2 of it goes in his stomach and the other 1/2 goes on the floor.  He doesn’t always clean the floor.  At least now if he does there will be no worries about chemicals, it’s all clean naturally with steam.  That is peace of mind for me. 

I got the nicer IP Camera installed and even punched a hole in the firewall so that I can view, talk and listen to the children from anywhere.  Foscam makes the nicer camera that I have.  They do an awesome job and they walk you through everything step by step.  The only gotcha was that there was no CD included like the manual said.  Easy enough a quick Google and I had it downloaded.  Most everything is available on the net, you just have to know what to search for.

Since there is nothing on I have been watching Queer As Folk on NetFlix.  Brings back memories and helps pass the time.  This morning the fun ended as tomorrow is Monday.  I really wish I had used my 3 days for next week and then I would have a heaping helping of time off.  However, 3 days to work isn’t that bad, especially if it’s only 2 1/2 that is provided we get out early on Wednesday. 

I purchased Dragon Naturally Speaking for myself.  I always though it was a neat product.  My late partner wanted it.  I got it installed and setup.  Then started using it and it was frustrating.  The dictation thing is nice but I know how to type and it’s easier to compose by typing than it is by dictating.  You have to tell it every little thing you want it to do.  Where to put a space, comma, bold this, underline that.  Plus it screwed with the overall performance of my machine.  I could no longer get the calculator to launch.  So I uninstalled it, packaged it up and it’s sitting on the shelf.  Money wasted but who knows maybe I will find someone to give it to or maybe some day I will give it a 2nd chance. 

Oh yeah, I made my final car payment on Friday.  I forgot that I have a rubber stamp for disputes such as this.  It says “ Endorsement constitutes FULL & FINAL SETTLEMENT  of any & all claims against me.”  I don’t use it that often and forgot that I had it.  However, a friend of mine helped jog my memory by telling me to write them a check, I would have a receipt and it would actually cost them more to process the check than what it was worth.  I went in and the lady was just beside herself.  She asked me why I stamped the check and I told her it’s because someone didn’t know how to do their job, so I have to waste my time and fork over 90 cents.  She was all apologetic.  I told her not your fault, but after all you did ask.  She confirmed my mailing address and said that the title would be mailed out within 2 weeks.  Yeah, lets hope so.  I have a printed receipt from them with my name and account information on it that shows my balance is $0 and I am hanging on to that until the day I get the title in my hand.  I really wasn’t happy about the whole thing, but it’s water under the bridge now.

I did the usual breakfast and grocery shopping today.  I picked up a Red Barron Mexican Pizza.  It was a little spicy but really good.  I cooked it a bit too long, but it wasn’t burnt so all is well.  I added some sour cream to a couple pieces and that was like heaven.  I need me some real honest to goodness Mexican food and the sooner the better.  This afternoon I was watching a documentary about a hospital for under privileged people.  I believe it was called Waiting Room.  It started off a little interesting but it was so boring I actually fell asleep for about 15 minutes.  Thankfully one of the children woke me up.  Once I woke up I changed and put on an episode of SNL.  I see a man wearing some fanny pack type of deal in blue, he approaches my door and rings the bell.  He heard the music from the TV and rang a second time.  Then he walked away and stood in the front yard trying to peek in the house as I screamed NO SOLICITORS means you, dumb fuck!  He left quickly.  I don’t get that the sign is affixed to the front door because myself and my late partner hate with a passion door to door sales.  People always think that doesn’t apply to them, why is what I wonder.  I mean when I see a sign that says DO NOT ENTER I don’t stand there and say well that is for everyone else.  I guess I need a more specific sign that says something like unless your the Police, Fire Department or an Invited Guest GO THE FUCK AWAY.  Maybe that would drive the point home.  Stupid people – even during the holidays they are out in full force. 

Yesterday I was listening to a tech podcast where they take call ins for computer problems.  It’s a great way to keep my skills up.  Anyway this guy got a tablet.  He apparently got the FBI Money Pack Virus which puts up a screen that purports to be the FBI and says that they see your guilty of dealing in Child Porn and that if you pay them via Western Union Money Packs they will let you go.  He got so frustrated with seeing that screen and his inability to fix it that he hit his new tablet with a hammer.  Thankfully for me I was at a stop light and not in a store.  I just burst out with laughter.  That was the funniest damn thing I have heard in a long time.  First of all it’s malware and it’s very fixable.  Second, if the FBI arrests you they won’t let you buy your way out with any form of money, that is called bribery.  You may get to post bail but you will have to go to trial.  This piece of malware has been around for a while but apparently there really is a sucker born every minute.  I feel some what sorry for the guy but more sorry for the tablet that he smashed into bits. 

I got a rebate card in the mail which helped me accomplish some things and one of those was to give myself a 1 month subscription to porn aka Corbin Fisher.  I just love some of his models.  The fact that I can download and save scenes and photos on my hard drive well that is an extra perk.  After the month there will be no re-bill because the card is empty.  I used the rest of it for groceries.

Now the main holiday is over with and it’s back to work.  I will be thinking of my finances and the year ahead.  I hope that next year is one in which I can get ahead, save and make progress.  Not sure what kind of Monday I will have and I’ve got a transplanted co-worker so it’s going to be an interesting Monday.  Not sure if I will be able to blog or not.  Besides that I am so far behind in watching You Tube videos.  That could easily take up my entire lunch hour, provided I get the whole hour. 

I hope you had a great Christmas.  Got the gifts you wanted and were able to be with those that you love.  Also that you had some great food and hopefully some naps.  Hang in there we will be ringing in a New Year in a few short days.  2015 feels strange to type that because like you I am not getting any younger.  Talk with you peeps later.