Leaving

My favorite waitress at Steak N Shake has found another job.  She will be working it and then 1 day on the weekend for a little bit.  Eventually once she sees that she can make it in her new job, she will leave SNS.  She has never worked in an office, so it will be a culture change but I think she will like it.  I am happy for her but not so happy for me.  However, life will go on and this too shall pass. 

I got the house cleaned early.  Kind of left me sitting around a bit wondering what to do.  I rebooted my TV equipment because of the guide, it didn’t show anything for this coming week.  I thought for sure the guide was broken but nope, it’s right.  I added some music related events recording manually but outside of that doesn’t look like any of my regular shows are on next week, which is kind of disappointing. 

Tomorrow we will bring in a new month and that means more work for me.  The first of the month is always a little hectic for me but I’ll manage to get it all under control. 

I got to spend a little time with Marv and that made him happy.  Gator has been all over me and the same for momma.  Clingy is the word for it but it’s okay.  They are my family and I am their provider.  I like the fact when I am in a room upstairs we all congregate together.  Last night was a little much before bed, so I had to kick everyone out.  I slept pretty good. 

That’s all I got, a little bored but I still have to shave & shower.  Then put in my pizza and getting ready for Monday.  At least I won’t be on-call any longer and that is something I always look forward to.  A break for 2 whole weeks and I only have to work 4 days this week.  So there is something to look forward to. 

Here’s to a great week ahead for you and for me!

Pie

Rain rain go away, don’t come back another day.  It’s a little soggy in my neck of the woods.  The temperatures feel much more like Winter than Spring but then again we are early in the season.  It was a good Saturday to spend in doors for the bulk of the morning.  I had my Gator for a paper weight laying on top of me, I kind of wish she would do that more often because it’s comforting to me.  She however wanted me to wake up and knew I was awake and ignoring her which made her decide to shuffle around on me.  I didn’t let it bother me but eventually I decide to give in. 

With that lunch was served for the cats.  I went back to my room and watched TV for a bit.  Then decided to get out and grab some lupper.  I hit up Cracker Barrel.  Had some Chicken Fried Chicken which was really good.  I decided to push it and ordered a piece of Buttermilk Pie.  It’s made with custard and buttermilk factors in some how.  When I first saw it on the menu a couple weeks back it didn’t sound good at all.  However, I figured today I would give it a try.  It was really sweet but good.  I had to eat it a bit slower than normal and they garnished it with fresh sliced Strawberry’s and a dollop of Whipped Cream on the side.  I was also hoping to get a glimpse of my waiter guy crush but he wasn’t around.  Ah well at least I had a good meal. 

When I was done I hit up the post office, nothing good or bad in the mail it was just the usual weekly pile up.  I was supposed to be going to get cat food but opted to come home instead.  The cats aren’t happy with me.  They have persuaded me to go back out and get their food even though we could go another day.  I will be doing that as soon as I am done with this post. 

The week is over with and I am thankful for that.  However, we have another one on tap and even though it’s only going to be 4 days it’s not something I look forward to.  However, it’s part of the circle of life I guess.  Work, Eat, Sleep. 

Bills are paid so I told the kids we can stay here another month.  Whoopie!  For some strange reason I am money ahead and one of my credit cards that is usually up actually has a $6 balance.  I hope this upward trend continues but I suspect it’s going to be short lived.  Still I am enjoying it.  Feels really nice. 

Friday is maintenance day on my vehicle.  Once that is done I think I will take a trip be it for a pizza or to the buffet.  I just need to get away and have a change of scenery even if it’s only for a couple hours.  I think it will do me good or so I hope.  As long as I don’t drop a bunch of money on maintenance I’ll be fine.  This is the time where they change filters and there is the question of how my 2 older tires are doing.  I also need a haircut, I should do that this weekend but feel like saving it for my day off. 

My DVR is empty because I cancelled my reoccurring recording of The Big Bang Theory.  The networks seem to rerun the series from the same point instead of starting at the very beginning.  I got tired of watch the same episodes over and over.  I have a few things recording tonight so that will give me something interesting to watch.  It is strange that with all of the channels and streaming content I have I still have problems finding something to watch.  It’s like picking out a restaurant. 

Oh the bidding war on my table saw ended.  I was too high and my brother gave up in frustration.  He tried to guilt me into lowering my price but I just dismissed it.  I imagine he won’t be in touch with me anytime soon because he isn’t happy with me but I could be wrong. 

Okay guess it’s time to grab that cat food.  Hope all is well in your neck of the woods. 

Dream a Little Dream

Hello friends and neighbors!

I am not sure why but last night I had a great dream about being in bed with Josh from Corbin Fisher.  It was hot, I remember he smelled really good.  It was so enjoyable and then … you guess it I woke up.  Fuck why couldn’t that go on for a few more hours?  I am eager to fall asleep again to see if my mind will pick up the dream where we left off.  Funny thing is Josh is one of my all time favorite models but he has been away from the business for a while.  I guess this really just says that I’m lonely and really need to have sex with another guy.  Perhaps it’s a dream before the real thing happens?  Hey I can only hope. 

In other news, it’s been an exhausting day.  Chasing down a guys failed login attempts to try to fix a problem he had.  I think we got it, but I’ll know more tomorrow.  Nothing like crying and copying in an executive to get some oil on the squeaky wheel.  For some reason I am just really wiped out.  I haven’t been sleeping the best but last night things were a little better, especially with the dream I had. 

I have had little interaction with the new guy, he’s been tied up with training and that is okay by me.  However, I’d like to build a rapport with him and get the awkwardness part out of the way. 

Joy my boss is officially coming to town.  I’m happy to meet him in person but after that he can just get back on an airplane and fly home.  Were having dinner together 1 night, he will be in late next month for 3 days.  Not horrible but I am sure it will be an interesting and long 3 days. 

My brother wants to buy a saw that my late spouse used to use in frequently.  I need to sell it but really don’t want to part with it.  It’s sentimental value plus it’s like a staple in the garage.  I suppose if we can make a quick deal and there isn’t a back and forth with a oh I’m waiting for money to come in BS then I’m okay with it.  But if this is going to play out over weeks then I’d just as soon he go to home depot.  I’m not fond of doing business with family because it always comes back to bite you or at least me.  Watch I’ll sell him the saw then he will chop off his finger and claim it’s all my fault because I sold him the saw. 

I guess I should use what little energy I have left to get the trash ready.  Then I think I will try to find something to watch on TV and hope that I don’t fall asleep while watching TV.  I got in a small cat nap at work after lunch, there was a slight lull and a full belly and there was silence in the air it just happened and was enjoyable but I hate the waking up part.  Talk about back to reality. 

Hope all is well in your neck of the woods.  Off to do the garbage shuffle. 

Review–Leaving Neverland

Leaving Neverland is the 2 part HBO Documentary film about Michael Jackson and how he allegedly abused young boys.  If you have a weak stomach or get upset easily regarding the topic of child abuse, then this is not something you should watch.  There is a point where boys describe what they say Michael Jackson did to them.  It details how he lured them in and then pounced on them like a tiger hunting it’s prey.  It all sounds very plausible.  While it’s uncommon that the likes of an average kid would come into close personal contact of a star as famous Michael Jackson. 

My personal opinion is that I believe the boys who are now men and what they say happened.  It makes 100% sense to me.  I do feel very sorry for them because their lives and the lives of their families were changed forever.  I realize that Mr. Jackson isn’t alive to defend himself so this is kind of unfair but at the same time I don’t know that this would have been made public if he were alive.  His family stands behind him and defends him saying that this never took place.  A child’s imagination does run wild but there is no way those kids fabricated or manufactured their stories.  You have to heart them to understand what I am saying.

Wade Robson was one of those kids and he turned out to be a very successful young man because of his affiliation with Jackson.  Much to my surprise Robson is straight, married and had a child.  I was thinking that somehow he would have identified as gay.  He’s a handsome man and seems well rounded despite what happened to him. 

Oprah did a follow-up to the documentary and it too is available on HBO.  This is a very intensive look at things and will occupy a fair amount of your time.  Each of the 2 parts of the documentary were 2 hours in length and then Oprah’s follow up is 1 hour.  I watched them on a Sunday and then took in the documentary while I was at work on Monday. 

While I don’t focus on it, I was abused physically when I was a child.  So I understand the brain washing that comes with this, how you have to keep a secret and can’t tell anyone.  Problem is I don’t keep secrets about stuff like that and most of it was obvious by the evidence left on my body.  I identify with them and understand their pain.  The abuser plays tricks on your mind and really fucks with your head, that in and of it’s self is hard to overcome then combine it with what happened and you have quite the disaster.  It’s not just physical or sexual abuse but it’s mental abuse.  However, this is one tiny part of your life and if you dwell on it, it will eat you alive.  You have to move on and not look back.  It’s important to come to terms with what happened and to acknowledge it.  I can tell you that to this day there are lasting effects on me. 

The whole story is very sad and unfortunate.  It takes a lot of bravery to come forward and publicly admit what took place, especially when there is a famous person involved and it’s picked up by the media.  They sensationalize it and what was a problem becomes much larger and it’s all people are talking about. 

If you can deal with the subject matter, I recommend watching.  If you have seen it and/or do see it, please feel free to come back and comment let me know what you think. 

The search is over

The guy who was supposed to meet me today had something come up and couldn’t come out.  He said that he looked up my address on Google and that it would cost me around $40 to $50 to have my grass cut.  I was quick to mention to him that he was on the high end of the spectrum and that I would need to keep searching.  He really wanted me as a customer and asked me if I had someone cut my grass in the past.  I of course said yes and they charged me much less.  He said how does $35 sound.  I said you matched the price of the last guy so it’s a deal. 

Just when you think it can’t get any better, it does.  He then agreed to trim the bushes and clean up the yard for a mere $15.  He hasn’t seen the mess he was bidding on and I think he will be a little surprised when he actually shows up but this was his price. 

For everyone’s understanding I am sending him a letter to recap our conversation and I asked him to contact me if anything is incorrect.  He said nothing about a contract, said that he was bonded & insured.  So as long as he keeps up his end of the bargain I will keep up mine. 

I hope this works out and that I don’t have to go back searching for a new provider for this service again anytime soon.  I am just so thrilled that this is done, I am very happy.  We start in a few weeks once the grass grows.  Things are already starting to sprout and I see a little bit of green in the grass. 

Well back to house cleaning!

What’s up doc?

Greetings to anyone and everyone who might read this.  I hope your doing well and that life is treating you fairly.  I’d like to hope that it’s all rainbows and kittens in your world but I realize that might not be the case. 

I have another contractor coming tomorrow to give me an estimate on my yard projects.  Problem is that rain is in the forecast, they usually like to walk the yard and while they are free to do so I don’t want mud on my shoes.  So I’ll be on the sidewalk.  I hope to get a more competitive quote than the last guy, especially on the grass cutting.  There is no question the yard will need to be cleaned up before someone mows it.  I don’t mind paying at all but I want the cost to be reasonable and not inflated because someone wants to be opportunistic. 

I got a call from my buddy who is losing his job come the end of next week.  He asked if we could meet up for dinner.  While I didn’t want to I knew it would be good to get out so I said sure thing.  Oddly enough we got my favorite and highly attractive waiter.  He of course didn’t remember us but that’s fine.  The food was out quick and was pipping hot.  A little on the salty side but it was good.  I enjoyed looking at the waiters assets and just taking in the view, that was far better than the food.  What can I say I’m horny and lonely.  

My friend was talking to me about his separation agreement.  For those of you not familiar with such a document, it’s an agreement for you to waive any and all rights to sue or file any form of a complaint against your former employer.  In exchange for signing the document they agree to provide you with severance pay.  Sadly I have been given a couple of these documents in my lifetime.  It’s an opportunistic move by the employer to save their ass but they appeal to you that you’ll be getting money and that usually overrides most peoples concerns to be litigious.  In my friends cases his agreement shows who is impacted by the layoff and who isn’t impacted.  Oddly enough the people impacted are in their 60’s and the people not impacted are in their 40’s.  It looks like a clear case of age discrimination to me.  I encouraged him to speak with an attorney before he signs anything.  He is going to attempt to do just that this week.  They extended him back in January until now and given the fact that he has a lot of knowledge no one else their has I figured they would offer him one more extension to attempt to suck out every last morsel of knowledge he has, but that isn’t the case.  It sounds like his employer will be at a great loss when he walks out the door.  I know everything will come together and I figure that he will probably wind up signing the document just to get the money. 

We get our new help desk guy on Monday and I am so looking forward to that.  Lots of things that would have fallen on his plate have fell on mine.  Not that I am incredibly busy but there are times when I just can’t stop what I am doing, so it’s good to know that little bit of a burden will be short lived.  The new guy gets time to get up to speed so I may get a couple more things but I don’t anticipate it.  I talked with our marketing department and got him some swag to help make him feel welcome.  Another person is going to make brownies and bring them in.  All of this is highly uncommon welcome for a new employee but we both have an appreciation for the work that position requires.  Hopefully, I gain a “friend” I say that in quotes because most people at work aren’t your friend it’s all about what you can do for them while your there and once your gone or their gone whichever comes first, most people part ways.  At least to have someone to talk with and talk a bit of shop with will be helpful, not sure how he will feel about that but it’s something that will shake out in time. 

I decided once again to jump back in the dating pool.  I am on a couple apps and I did take a look through Grindr just to see who was out there but quickly jumped off that ship.  I don’t want a hookup and that’s what Grindr is all about.  Nothing wrong with that but it’s just not for me.  My brother on the other hand doesn’t want to meet a girl in a bar and is skeptical of dating apps.  His biggest fear is putting his photo out there.  I get it and I had the same concern but if you live your life in fear you will never be happy or get what you want.  So might as well go for it, it’s not like you have anything to lose except for being lonely. 

I did get caught up on my sleep today.  I was up at 6a thanks to a certain bird outside of my window and Ms. Gator with her opera singing.  I checked out my blood sugar and it’s pretty good but not where I want it to be.  I am kind of anxious to see what my A1C looks like and in a month or two I will get those results.  Let’s just hope they are all good or while I don’t want to I think I am headed towards an injectable, which is super inconvenient and expensive not to mention a bit of a hassle.  Outside of my dinner with my friend, I had breakfast at Cracker Barrel.  It was really good and when I was done I wanted more pancakes but opted to leave instead of giving into my desire.  Then came home and got to take a nap from the sugar high. 

Not much on TV this week.  Live PD is on a break and so are some of the other shows I watch, not happy about that at all.  However, there is one new show on CBS called The Neighborhood with Cedric The Entertainer he is so funny but I am really into his neighbor Dave Johnson who is played by Max Greenfield.  I think but am not certain in real life that Max is gay but I can say for certain that he is fine looking! The show is quite enjoyable. 

I think I mentioned my appeal to get my sleeping medicine.  Well the document was sent out last Saturday and was ready for pickup on Tuesday.  I sent it via certified mail and they have yet to pick it up.  I am not happy about that but I’ll give them until this Tuesday and if it’s not picked up by then I will be sending a note via their website asking them to retrieve it.  Jesus they make this so difficult as it is then not to claim a simple piece of certified mail is ridiculous.  For the most part nothing good ever comes Certified Mail but there are rare occasions when that does happen.  In any case I just want proof they have the documents I sent.  If they fail to pick up the letter then I spent my money in vain and that will be just another disappointment. 

I’ve been watching my oil life slowly counting down, were at 24% and when it gets to 10% it’s important to have it changed soon but when it reaches 0% it’s mandatory and you have no more choices.  My goal is to never see 0% and thus far I have done a great job.  Problem right now is getting time off.  Being on-call time off is hard to obtain and I have a co-worker who needs a few days off as well.  I’ll get it sorted and this too shall pass.  I just want to be able to go back to the dealer instead of going through a quick lube place where they stick it in and break it off sideways. 

Believe it or not that is all of the news I can think to share at the moment.  It’s been an okay week.  I’ll be on-call next week and not looking forward to that.  We have an alert that is noise that is chirping with plenty of emails, we are working to stop it but in the meantime it’s irritation for all of us, especially the person who is on-call for the week.  I really hope next week goes well for you and for me.  Take care and keep on riding the train of life.  We will talk again soon. 

Bored

Work right now is kind of boring.  I am busy when I start my day but quickly plow through my tasks and then find myself with the remainder of the day on my hands.  Yesterday I was busy all morning long and couldn’t believe it was lunch time.  After that it was a slow roll down hill.  I try to be creative and find work to do but that isn’t panning out so well for me. 

When I leave at night I am exhausted and from nothing more than boredom.  I go home, find something to eat, sit on the couch and watch TV for a couple hours.  Then it’s time for bed and when I need to jump in bed I am not tired at all.  Which means I get to bed late and then pay the price in the morning. 

I don’t want to anger the gods or curse myself here but a little pick up in work would be nice.  Especially if it’s something I enjoy doing.

I got one bid on Sunday for my lawn projects and the guy was nice but jeez he wants $10 more than I am used to paying for mowing my small yard.  He may get the job to come clean up the yard.  As for the dead tree his price seems fair there is a little more to the job than I realized.  I am waiting for other people to come but thus far nothing.  Since I am dead set against hiring him to cut my lawn if I have to I will reach out to individual places on my own.  I prefer to use services like Home Advisor and Angie’s list where the people doing the work fight over themselves and try to out bid each other.  I hope to be a happier person once I have someone lined up for my projects and then all I have to do is come up with the money to pay them. 

Left work early yesterday and it was nice to come home in less traffic and not to have to worry about anyone bothering me.  However, once I arrived home stupid is on-call this week so he reached out to me.  He’s supposed to go to the boss for on-call questions but instead he came to me.  Fine, I helped him and instead of taking my advice [because he didn’t know how to do what I suggested] he did nothing and shoved it back in the persons face and made some half ass excuse about it being after hours.  I saw that this morning and it made my blood boil.  I did the work myself because I was curious.  I didn’t tell anyone that I did it, so it’s our secret.  Then I alerted the boss on what happened.  He should be chatting with him and that won’t be a fun conversation.  I just don’t know how much shit we have to put up with before we kick his sorry ass to the curb.  I am starting to think that he is bulletproof and no matter what he does or doesn’t do there are no consequences for him.  I mean I am really starting to wonder if that isn’t the case because this crap has been going on for well over a year and nothing has changed.  We get subtle memos, have meetings and try to encourage him but yet he fails time and time again.  I’ll be the first one to tell you I don’t know everything about my job but I have the nuts & bolts down pretty well to be able to function.  He was hired because he claimed to be a seasoned professional but he’s been nothing short of a joke.  Do I feel better?  Maybe a little bit but knowing that I still have to babysit is not a good feeling.  No one should have to watch me and I shouldn’t have to watch anyone else.  Will I get $$ because of my effort maybe something in the summer when raises come out but I don’t expect much.

Well one long hour to go or something close to it and then it will be time to head home to visit with the furry family.  I am sure they all want their dinner, lots of attention and just to be around me.  When you think of it from that perspective I am kind of a lucky guy.  However, when you look at it from the fact that I am all alone and this is my life, it’s depressing as hell. 

In other news I told you about the car jacking that happened close to my house.  Well now in the next town over there is a double murder.  I kind of feel like I am in crime city USA.  This stuff happens in the world I am just not used to it happening close to my home.  Very sad and heart breaking. 

That’s really all I got but I kind of think it’s enough.  Happy Tuesday everyone!  I hope you had a good day. 

Spring

I had some technical issues in publishing a post that I put together this morning.  So I figured I would make a second post after updating the header and theme of the blog. 

It’s a very lazy Sunday for me but I am about to get it in gear and get things done.  I started watching the 1st part of After Neverland which is a documentary on HBO about Michael Jackson and the boys he had inappropriate sexual relations with.  It’s not a big deal for me to watch but it does get into the nitty gritty of what happened and I realize that for some people it can be disturbing.  If the accusations that this film brings to life are true then it’s truly sad. 

So onward to cleaning house and being productive.  Going back to bed sounds like a much better idea but that isn’t an option as I have already taken in a nap.  I told Gator what time I needed to be up by and she made it happen.  Perhaps it’s a coincidence and perhaps it’s not.  All I can say is she is one smart fat little girl who loves her daddy or maybe she loves food – either way she loves someone or something. 

Talk again soon!

Frozen

While it’s supposed to be in the 50’s here this morning it started out in the 30’s and of course that is when I was out.  It’s not a horrible day but a couple of no so good things happened.  First, someone was in my parking spot at Steak N Shake.  Yes, I am like Shelton from the Big Bang Theory and I don’t like it when someone is in my spot.  Second, I ordered Chili 5 way with no onions and of course there was a slight peppering of onions.  That didn’t please me but I ate it anyway because I was hungry. 

The good news for the day is I saved $2 at the car wash by being an early bird.  It’s not much to write home about but it’s $2 more in my pocket.  I also was able to pick up a 12 pack of the new Orange Vanilla Coke Zero.  I look forward to enjoying my first can later this afternoon and hope that it’s all it’s cracked up to be. 

I got one person to bite for my lawn project.  We just spoke a few moments ago and he may be stopping by this afternoon to give me a bid.  I don’t want to hire the first person that comes along but it is tempting just to get it over with. 

I learned last night that around the corner from me there was an armed car jacking.  The police saw the car and a pursuit happened.  The dumb ass that took the car got stuck in a field.  He had no choice so he decided to have a shoot out with a police officer.  He hit the officer but the officer returned fire and killed him.  Kind of sad all over a car.  I could have easily been the victim because I wanted to go to the business where this took place but managed to talk myself out of it and am so glad I did.  The officer only had a minor injury and should be okay.  The odd part of all of this is they don’t know who the dead guy is, he had no id on him.  So that adds another level of complexity to the puzzle. 

Well I am on to finish up the laundry.  Finish watching 9 to 5 for the millionth time and enjoy the rest of my Sunday with the furry family.  Before I have to start cleaning the house and getting in gear for another mundane Monday. 

I hope all is well in your world and that the weather is warming up in your neck of the woods.  I don’t know about you but I am ready to shed my long sleeves and coat.  Speaking of which yesterday on my way home from that horrible food experience, a guy in spandex that was super revealing was out for a jog.  I was stopped at a light and never saw him coming but he passed by I watched his buns bouncing and thought my oh my that could be the ultimate desert.  I know I’m bad but hey it’s okay because I’m single.  

Best wishes for the week ahead, I hope we can all survive yet another week and maybe just maybe something good will happen to each of us,  every day this week to make the world a better place and bring a smile to our faces.  Cheers for now!

Saturday Happenings

Gator was so kind and let me sleep in a short amount of time this morning before she started serenading me.  As per usual I gave in because that is the only way to shut her up.  When I was staring at her in the hall way she was looking at me as if to say “come on bitch, let’s move it”.  I passed out breakfast for the cats and that made everyone happy.  Checked on my blood sugar and it’s decent but not where I’d like to see it.  Then put on some clothes and did a mobile check in with Cracker Barrel.  I was just about to walk out the door when Marvin started crying and I knew he was sick.  Breakfast came back up, he got sick last night as well.  So I am a little concerned.  I cleaned things up and then headed out the door. 

Breakfast was okay and I saw no hotties.  On to the Post Office nothing special in the mail.  Then on to the bank and finally back home.  Where I was able to rest and get in a nap as well as watch some TV and spend time with the family.  Everyone was happy that is until I woke up and then the pleas for lunch began.  So I passed out lunch.  Marvin had his lunch in my bedroom and he was chowing down.  Thankfully everything stayed down.  I have a watchful eye on him.  I think his problems stem from skipping medicine for a couple days.  The Thyroid does strange things and while he can tolerate being off his meds for the weekend I have to start back up Sunday night or were in trouble. 

So for the main event of the day.  Travel to eat at a new place.  My GPS routed me through a very rough area and the roads were filled with large potholes.  I was scared not only of getting robbed or car jacked but also having a flat tire.  Thankfully I made it with no issues other than a few bumps.  I walked in and it took a while for someone to wait on me, not to the point where I was ready to leave but I was close.  Then it took a while to get a waitress to stop by.  I ordered the pizza I wanted and it wasn’t very big at all.  Taste was average.  It was better than a Tombstone but I would have enjoyed a Tombstone much more.  I ordered bread pudding for desert and wow I shouldn’t have.  It was horrible.  I paid my tab and got out of there.  I don’t believe that I will be going back.  The food and atmosphere that I was looking for was just not there.  I don’t see what all of the rave reviews are about.  Ah well nothing ventured nothing gained.  I am proud of myself for going through with it and at least giving it a try. 

I made my way back home, stopped for pet food and then back to the furry family.  They were more than thrilled I finally came back because they were all hungry and looking forward to the vittles I brought home for them. 

Heard from my friend who is loosing his job at the end of the month.  He just called to touch base and yammered on way longer than I wanted him too.  I got to hear information that I was told a month or more ago but didn’t bother to stop him.  My other friend who we do the holidays with sent me a text message that said thinking of you hope all is okay.  Yeah well I deleted that.  Fuck texting it’s not my preferred method for communication, if you want to talk to me pick up the phone.  I even let him know with my Christmas letter that I wanted to hear more from him by phone.  He apparently just doesn’t get it.  Finally of all people my brother called.  He has been wanting to buy a piece of fitness equipment from me and we have been talking about this for months.  I finally decided to bring an end to it and told him that it wasn’t for sale any longer.  He won’t have the money for it for a while and I am tired of the back and forth.  Plus pulling it apart and getting it out of here that is another problem.  So that’s that.  Once I broke the news to him he suddenly didn’t have a reason to talk to me and we ended our conversation.  I told him he could come over if he wanted to but well that’s just not his thing. 

I have watched a few things on Hulu.  I fucking hate commercials but I do like free so I just put up with it.  I saw the pilot episode of Family Matters.  Remember Urkel?  Yeah he wasn’t in the pilot.  Not sure when they introduced his character but I thought for sure he was there from day one and that wasn’t the case. 

Ever watch Drop The Mic?  I am recording an episode tonight David Faustino vs Joey Lawrence.  I had huge crushes on both of them when I was growing up.  My obsession with Joey well that was like nothing else, there is still a poster on my bedroom door of him.  He was a very sexy guy and then he grew up and got ugly.  What can I say age changes people.  Some people get better looking and other people well they don’t. 

Got feelers out for my outdoor home project of cleaning up the yard and the whole lawn mow & trim thing.  Interested to see how things go, hopefully I get someone who is within my price range and someone who does a good job.  It doesn’t have to look like a baseball field but just so things are trimmed and neat, I’ll be happy and so will my neighbors.  Woot!

I listened to my little voice this week.  It took me a couple days but I had a strong feeling that I needed to bring my Mont Blanc Rollerball home from work.  Not sure why exactly but it came home with me last night.  Funny thing is that it writes better at home than at work, how strange.  I have plenty of nice pens but my Mont Blanc’s that are real cost me a small fortune and I don’t want to lose a single one of them.  Even though I can only use one at a time they all mean something to me.  I’m thinking of buying knock off refills for my rollerballs they sell them on Amazon and they are super cheap compared to original MB refills. 

There are 4 things in this world that I really enjoy  - 1.  Men  2.  Sweets  3.  Fine Writing Instruments 4.  Nice Vehicles.  I’ve got everything in my life except for items #1 and I am working on fixing that but not sure if I will be successful. 

So there you have it Saturday Happenings.  Weather warmed up a little bit but it’s going to be back in the 30’s overnight and then warm up during the day.  No rain in the forecast for a couple days.  Nothing but sunshine which I think we all need and enjoy much more than the crappy weather we have had.  I’ll probably get the vehicle washed tomorrow after I fill the tank with gas.  I’m getting close to 30,000 mile service so there will be more money to give away.  Hope all is sunshine and rainbows in your world.  Cheers for now!

Free Hulu

Yesterday I received an email from Spotify letting me know that my subscription now includes free Hulu.  It’s the ad supported version but hey it’s free.  I am not a fan of Hulu but if your giving me something for free I might as well at least enroll, right?  Yep.  I’ve set up my account and logged in but have yet to watch anything.  I also got an alert when I logged into Spotify that my credit card on file was about to expire, so I fixed that.  Spotify is a great music service but I know their aim is podcasts.  I haven’t jumped on the podcast bandwagon but I know people that just love them. 

We had a high wind warning yesterday.  I was convinced once again that the large tree in the backyard was going to fall on the house.  Thankfully that didn’t happen.  The tree is very much alive but that doesn’t mean it won’t fall and someday that will probably happen.  Let’s just hope that I don’t own the place when that time comes. 

Got my bills paid last night.  I am continuing to battle with my health insurance company and have exhausted my appeals through their pharmacy benefit manager.  The PBM encouraged me to continue the appeals process but yet they have denied each and every request that I submit saying there is no coverage in place and cite the quantity limits the plan has imposed.  It’s not new information to me but it does meet the definition of Insanity.  Where you keep doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results.  I have played the game and am sending in a final appeal to the organization that governs my healthcare.  I hope that someone there gets my point and can help me. They are getting a 4 page letter that has been proofed by an attorney so hopefully it does the job.  Fingers crossed.  All I want is to be able to get them to cover my sleeping medicine, I don’t think that is unreasonable. 

Grr, I am just tired of facing one battle after another.  I’ve been fighting this or that and just want a vacation from battle.  I can certainly hope that things go better, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they will. 

It’s been a challenging week at work with the boss away.  Stupid missed someone's departure and Grouchy wanted to pick a fight with me and leveled an untrue accusation.  I was able to refute and win the argument [yeah me] but I am starting to wonder since I am now having issues with both of my co-workers if there isn’t something wrong with me.  The boss man will have a full in box when he gets back and it will take him days to dig out but that is the price you pay for going on vacation. 

So looking forward to grabbing a bite to eat at this new restaurant.  My mind is set on pizza and bread pudding but perhaps things will change with another review of the menu.  I just hope it’s good and worth the money and gasoline!  I am also looking forward to being lazy and doing what I want.  It’s a great feeling to be able to turn the phone off, lay in bed and either sleep or sit up and watch TV.  No one to tell me I can’t or say otherwise and knowing that I can’t be reached well that is the very best part.  I don’t stay in that mode very long but at least a few hours of solace is nice.  It’s the equivalent of jumping on an airplane and all is well once your flying but what goes up has to come down and then your back on the ground running 100mph. 

I did reach out to a landscaping company last weekend and they haven’t reached back out.  I don’t get it, you can’t possibly be that busy and not want a new customer.  I can’t sit and wait for the phone to ring, I have to line someone up because Spring is closer than I want it to be.  The bushes need to be trimmed, sticks and limbs that have fallen need to be picked up and sadly the grass will be growing again and will need to be cut.  Someone told me to install Astroturf or cover my yard in cement and paint it green and then I wouldn’t have any worries.  Both of those suggestions are helpful but cost prohibitive, so I’ll stick with what I have. 

Well back to the bump and grind.  I’ll chat with you all again soon.  Hope all is well in your world. 

Sprung Forward

Like everyone else I spring forward this morning.  I was late in getting to bed because of all of the sleep I got on Saturday.  I went through all of my usual Sunday routines.  Took time to get my haircut and opted for the shampoo just because of who was taking care of me.  This lady knows how to shampoo.  Plus I got a hair & scalp treatment no extra charge.  It was an okay time. 

I noticed a guy working at the grocery store.  Oddly enough he was by the Bananas and I was wondering to myself I wonder what his Banana looks like.  It took a while but I eventually got a rear view and oh my he’s really fine.  I didn’t approach him just observed from a far.  That is getting more difficult to just watch a good looking guy walk on by.  I honestly don’t want the rejection or to suffer any embarrassment.  We all know that I have the courage to do it because I have done it before and I guess now I am a little gun shy [no pun intended]. 

There were a couple of alerts that fired off today and I had to investigate but thankfully nothing serious.  I look forward to what I hope is a quiet and uneventful evening.  I look forward to The Circus and watching the Season Finale of Shameless where Fiona rides off into the sunset.  I doubt that I will still be awake but Last Week Tonight with John Oliver sounds good as well.  I got caught up in the Netflix/CNN series 2000 which was a review of the year and several others.  I’ve watched this series starting back with the 60’s and worked my way forward.  It’s really awesome and I got some additional insight and understanding that I didn’t previously have. 

I’ve managed to get all of my tasks/chores done.  I of course worked in a nap!  I should have done the dishes last night but instead I started them this morning.  I was so well put together that I forgot to include the utensils but managed to get them in before the soap dropped.  So it’s all good. 

Spent some quality time with Marv this afternoon letting him nap on the couch and hold my arm hostage.  It took a long while for him to get into a deep sleep but once he did I was able to get my arm free.  I felt really bad because he was dreaming and running after something and I moved to get up and that woke him up.  He wasn’t happy either.  However, it was time for supper and I couldn’t get that if I stayed on the couch. 

All of the clocks and timers have been adjusted.  I didn’t do my watch yet but I don’t wear it that often.  The main thing is my alarm clock and the clock in the car.  Tested my home alarm even though the time isn’t right on the display eventually it will get an update.  Not sure why ADT can’t seem to get it together for older equipment.  I know for sure if I upgraded I wouldn’t have that problem but I also wouldn’t have the sweet fee for monitoring I have now and that is what makes looking at the wrong time okay. 

What did you do today?  Got all of your clocks adjusted?  How’s your body adapting to the change?  Tomorrow will be interesting and it will be nice to drive home in the day light.  We have rain coming on Tuesday or I would have gotten a car wash today.  No sense in throwing my money away.  I hope your doing great and things are going well.  I’ll talk with you all again soon.  Be well!

The Weekend Again

Yes we made it to the weekend again!  I survived a week without a buddy at work and I heard that his replacement has been hired.  Should be another couple weeks and then I will meet a new guy.  From what I hear we are close in age range and have similar professional views.  I hope we get along.  It would also be nice if he was cute but I really don’t want a love connection at work.  That could get messy. 

We are presently dealing with a wind storm, we had rain and thunderstorms earlier in the day.  There are power lines down everywhere.  There is also a large number of fires breaking out.  The largest is at what used to be a former night club.  Tonight is a horrible night to be a firefighter because they are all busy and doing dangerous work. 

I kind of pissed the day away by staying in bed for as long as I could.  Then getting up and feeding the cats.  Back to TV and then eventually back to bed.  I finally rolled out of bed for good a little after 1p.  Then had potato chips and chocolate chip cookies for breakfast.  I watched TV for a while and then at 3  I ventured out.  I got the mail, a meal at Cracker Barrel.  Saw my favorite good looking waiter.  I wished I was in his section but that didn’t happen.  Next weekend it just might!  Then I went to grab cat food and came back home.  What a dull life I lead.  I did watch some really good porn as well. 

It’s time change weekend so tomorrow I will be all fucked up.  The cats will also need a couple days to adjust but we will get through this.  I think this is a horrible practice and that we should just have a universal time so we don’t do this back and forth thing and fuck with our circadian rhythms. 

Marv’s medicine came today along with one of my sleeping medications.  I unfortunately still have a fight going in trying to get both of my medications.  It is an arduous task and the process is clearly designed to exhaust you in the hopes you will either give up or let too much time lapse so you have to start all over again.  I fully expect to have to exhaust the process and am unsure if I will get the exception I need in order to get both medicines filled.  The problem is they both fall in the same drug class and my plan is limiting the quantity of pills based on the class of the drug instead of treating each prescription individually they look at them together.  

I got a reminder email that my Pandora subscription will be renewing later this month.  I opted to change credit cards and when I logged into a large banks website to get an alias credit card # I was once again told that they had problems with my email.  I have exhausted all of the emails accounts that I have and they have problems with each of them.  So I opted to grab a Gmail account just to accommodate this bank and have forwarded it to my main email account.  Thus far it’s worked hopefully there won’t be further problems if there is I will be contacting them for assistance because this is bullshit.  I give you a valid email you should be able to send mail to the account w/o a problem.  Everyone else that I do business does and there are no issues.  Can you tell I am a little upset? 

Since the temperatures are starting to warm up, were getting rain I’d say we are getting closer to spring.  I bit the bullet and submitted an on-line request to get a quote for bush trimming and to get a dead tree out of the backyard.  The dead tree will pull out with ease  Then I asked the same company for a quote on cutting the grass.  Hopefully they get back with me next week and we can strike a deal.  If not then I have 2 other companies to reach out to.  I really don’t want to have to reach out to multiple companies and juggle this.  I’d like to just get it over with, sort of like taking a band-aid off of a wound.  You know it’s gonna hurt so do it quickly and minimize the pain. 

Tomorrow will be breakfast out, grocery shopping and time for a haircut.  Yeah doing the haircut chore on Sunday when they first open is the best.  There isn’t anyone around usually on a Sunday morning so it’s easy in and easy out.  I hope I have the same luck tomorrow.

Looking forward to ending my on-call shift and working with out my boss being around all week.  I hope I am not bored to tears but at the same time afforded a break from the usual day to day bullshit that happens when he is around.  I really would like a fast moving week. 

I hope that you are doing well and life is being kind to you.  Cheers for now. 

Humping Day

Thus far I have made it 3 days into the week and am ready to go on vacation.  This morning was especially tough to get going.  I think it’s the cold weather and warm bed syndrome.  You know when your so comfortable all you want to do is sleep but you know you shouldn’t because other responsibilities are nagging at you. 

Sunday night in the middle of the night or more like early Monday morning at 2a my dream started to include this beep.  I woke up and the beep was still there.  Wouldn’t you know it the alarm backup battery was dying.  It beeps to warn you the battery is low.  I got it silenced. 

Monday was a pretty good day.  I got my home phone & tv rate locked down for another 12 months.  It’s a whopping $1 cheaper but hey I’ll take it because I know there were rate increases that would have gone into effect.  Plus my home phone was limited to 200 minutes but now I am unlimited and it’s cheaper.  I found that Amazon has the alarm battery cheap but since I needed it now, I paid a slightly higher price and went to Batteries Plus.  They gave me 10% off because I ordered on-line but they don’t price match anyone.  I wanted to borrow their battery and then take it back but honestly it’s a lot of extra work and it didn’t cost that much more.  Score – what I would call a good day.  Got a lot accomplished. 

Tuesday was the day I was waiting for.  A package was to arrive and that it did.  The contents were adult in nature.  I had a rocking’ good time last night.  I never thought a toy could make that much difference but for some reason this did.  I got it on sale and didn’t drop a bunch of money, it was my treat to me.  I also heard back from the mail order pharmacy or PBM.  We have been playing phone tag for days.  All they could tell me was sorry but we have to follow your plan.  You have an appeals process to follow.  Thus far I have filed the initial request and a first appeal.  I need to file a second appeal and if that is denied then I can file an appeal with my plan for an exception.  I was encouraged to do this but honestly I don’t think it will pay off.  I will however play the game and see what happens, I mean it can’t hurt anything.  It’s frustrating. 

Right now I am at work and there is little more than an hour to go.  I am bored and ready to leave like I was an hour ago.  I had breaks in the day but they haven’t lasted long.  Now it’s like one huge big break.  Although there is an issue that I am working with my boss, so he will probably call in a bit.  It’s low priority stuff.  Boss man goes on vacation on Friday and will be out for a little more than a week.  That will be a nice break for all of us.  Meetings and phone calls that would normally take place won’t happen at all, thank God. 

Marv seems a little better but he is still crying out.  I give him attention and then one of the other two suffer from FOMO and they start calling out.  It’s like a cat circus I tell you but I do enjoy them.  Gator came to bed with me last night and once I fell asleep she left me like Marv used to do.  I discovered I was by myself when I woke up and I closed the door and back to bed I went. 

So there you have it a mid-week update with some extra information you probably didn’t need or want but you go it anyway.  Hope your warm and well.  Hang in there winter is on it’s way out and eventually we will warm up and thaw out.  Cheers!

Snowy Sunday

I was up at 2a and no snow.  I was up at 7a and there was snow.  Problem is Gator wouldn’t let me go back to sleep.  So I rose from the bed and passed out breakfast for the crew.  The snow is still coming down now and it’s almost 10:30a.  When I left the house around 8:30a it was to the point of getting messy.  By the time I had my breakfast and chatted with my favorite waitress it was starting to get bad.  I went grocery shopping and 1/2 way through the store I started the car to warm it up.  I made it through the rest of the store and trudged my way to loading the groceries in and just after I did that the motor shut off.  That was 15 minutes.  I started it right back up and made my way to the gas station.  The credit card reader was iced up, so I had to clear it out and insert my card a couple times.  The gas nozzle it’s self was covered with snow.  I brushed it off but I know for sure some water/moisture got in my tank.  The tank is full and then some.  So I have no worries.  I made my way home and had a couple of fish tailing incidents which were kind of fun since there wasn’t anyone around but that could have easily gone bad.  By this time it was really best to head the travel advisory and stay in doors.  So I am glad to be home, warm and the car is thawing out in the garage. 

I need to even up the air pressure in the tires and do not look forward to that task.  It is getting close to oil change and maintenance time, which won’t be cheap.  This will be the one where they change the filters.  Not exactly sure how they will rotate the tires but that needs to be done.  It sounds like one of them is out of balance at least to me.  I’ve been looking at new vehicles and found one that is identical to mine just has more features and is a model year newer.  Retail the estimate payment is lower than what I am paying now.  Kind of makes me interested.

I actually looked at apartments last night online.  There is a place I pass on my way home and it doesn’t look like much from the outside but my it’s really nice on the inside.  Luxury living at $1,400 per month.  Yeah and there isn’t any equity building so that is not an option because it’s rental only.  It does look nice and they do offer a lot of things including a pool and movie theater but I don’t want to pay that for rent.  I found another place that isn’t far from my house and it would be a townhome but they charge a $30 cat deposit and then $30 month rent per cat in addition to your rent.  Yeah that’s not going to happen either.  I get the deposit part but paying rent for having an animal live with you that is bullshit.  At least it’s the same price for a cat or dog but still it’s bullshit.  I am not moving but the thought is as tempting as getting a new vehicle. It was interesting to see what was out there and maybe it’s something I will do at some point in time.  Right now I am staying put the mortgage payment is comfortable it’s the maintenance that I don’t like. 

So my plans for the rest of the day are to piddle, clean house, shave & shower.  Then make a pizza and watch some TV.  A usual lazy Sunday and who knows I could even squeeze in a nap. 

Tomorrow will start an on-call week for me.  We had a device fail last week so it’s been slightly busier than normal but hopefully things will settle down.  I have plenty in my own job to keep me busy without additional problems cropping up.  My boss published our operations guide and basically it states the obvious for what is required on our job and how we are supposed to treat each other.  It’s all common sense stuff that shouldn’t have to be written out.  However, reading it I can tell that there were other situations and incidents that occurred without my knowledge.  I think this is a last ditch effort to CYA and put it in writing before they actually send someone packing.  I can’t say that I know that for certain but it’s an assumption and I could be entirely wrong.  I can tell you that it is overwhelmingly frustrating and beyond my comprehension why we have tolerated bad behavior for so long.  I think that if it was me being the fuck up that I would have been kicked to the curb a long time ago.  For some reason they are willing to keep passing out one more chances and it works for a while then a fuck up happens and were back to square one.  It’s like the definition of insanity you keep doing the same thing over and over again but expecting different results.  Not gonna happen. 

The vet just called Marv’s blood work is back.  Turns out his Thyroid level is way down.  He was at at a 18.5 and now he is at a 7.  They like for it to be under 4.  While I did change up his medicine for a while I eventually went back to a normal dose and while he isn’t where he needs to be he isn’t far out of whack.  So they would like for me to increase a little bit but I think were going to stay where were at now.  The blood work cost the most but it also gave me the most peace of mind.  The results weren’t expected until Monday and I am super surprised that they came back so quickly.  Now I will need to wait a bit and then go get Momma’s blood drawn to check out her Thyroid. 

Well almost time to swap loads of laundry and then go curl up in front of the TV with the children.  I hope that your all staying warm, enjoying what is left of the weekend and are well.  I’ll chat with you again soon.  Here’s hoping for some more good news to share. 

Movie Review–Madea’s Family Funeral

I left the house a little late and got in the theatre just in time for the movie previews to start.  That seemed endless as per usual.  There were a couple of films that I am interested in.

The smell of nachos and popcorn filled the theatre.  The audience was more black than white.  Everyone acts differently when they are in public.  Some people didn’t heed the warning about talking and cell phones, which made this a less than desirable experience but I still managed to have a good time for the $12 that came off of my gift card.  Wow the price of admission.  Who can afford snacks? 

I had my eye on this black couple who seemed to really be having a good time.  The man would laugh, jump and clap.  The woman would just laugh.  It made the movie a little more enjoyable.

The movie sent a strong message about being brave, never giving up and living for you.  There was plenty of humor mixed with serious content.  It was great and kind of sad that the Mable “Madea” Simmons character won’t continue with additional movies.  There was strong sexual content/humor in the movie and it’s not a kid appropriate movie but despite that some people brought their kids.  I would love to see how they explain S&M to their kids. 

This is a movie that I would give 6 out of 10 stars to.  It’s worth seeing regardless if you view it in the theatre or in your own home once it makes it way to pay per view & streaming services.

After the movie I wanted to treat myself to dinner and thought Chinese food sounded really good.  I drove to my favorite place knowing they were open for hours.  Much to my surprise when I got there they were closed.  My bladder was full so I started thinking of options and each time I would pick a place I talked myself out of it.  I wound up coming home and having frozen lasagna for supper.  Not exactly what I had planned but it was better than going hungry.  

Super Saturday

It’s 3 in the afternoon and I have accomplished quite a bit for a Saturday.  Got woke up early by Gator.  Passed out breakfast for the children.  Checked my blood sugar.  Reviewed my phone.  Got dressed and went out for breakfast.  Came home and took Marv to the vet.  Came home and took a nap.  Fed the beggars lunch.  Went to grab the mail.  Grabbed cat food and hit up Sam’s club.  Then back home.  Filled the water softener to the brim with 3 bags of salt I got.  Went through the mail.  Ordered medicine on-line for Marv.  Surfed and downloaded porn.  Reviewed mail [email and physical mail] and started this entry.  Yeah, I know uncommon for me, especially on a Saturday. 

I’m passing time because I am going to the movies.  The new Tyler Perry Madea Funeral Movie is out.  I could use a laugh, it’s been a very trying week.  Then I will be treating myself to supper not 100% on where I want to go but I’ll figure it out. 

Marv’s visit at the vet took much longer than I expected and also costed way more than I had planned for.  The vet believes that Marv has dementia and that he is also in a little bit of pain from his knee.  To help with this we are trying Gabapentin.  I know it will make him sleep a little more but my main thing is I need the incessant meowing to stop.  Plus it would be helpful if he went back to using the litter box 100% of the time.  Its not only annoying but also heart breaking.  I had his blood drawn to check on his thyroid level.  I don’t know that I will make any changes to his medicine but I need to know that overall internally his systems are working and there isn’t something that is going to jump out and bite us.  He’s an older cat and we are on a downward slide but I want to maximize the time we have together and I don’t want him suffering.  Right now life is pretty good for him and we have a great rapport – we love each other and it shows.  I know that eventually all 3 of them are going to pass but I really don’t like thinking about it but as hard as try to out run it, the fact keeps hunting me down and staring me in the face. 

Friday was a little rough because my co-worker left.  He cut out super early and didn’t really say much of a goodbye like I had planned.  I don’t know that we will stay in touch but it’s kind of up to him.  I will certainly miss him.  I think he made an impulse decision and that it’s going to bite him pretty hard.  However, that remains to be seen.  Right now he has his blinders on.  He walked away from a sure thing for a job that had the potential for raises as well as a promotion but his choice.  I get you have to take care of yourself.  He doesn’t seem to think loyalty in staying with one employer pays off and that your years of service mean nothing to a company.  While I mostly agree wit him on that, there are some employers like mine who really do care and they reward you for staying.  The days of the gold watch and pension are gone but I think what I have right now is as close as one can get to that.  If I do look for another opportunity I will certainly look for those same qualities in an employer.  We truly do take care of our people at the end of the day, it’s a little less care than when I started but the principal is still there.

So they have filled 2 of the 3 vacancies.  The last one being the open position in my office.  There is an interview scheduled for Monday and it sounds like they plan to hire this guy provided he passes the sniff test.  He sounds perfect because he’s from here, moved, came back and is working remote.  He thinks his presently employment will end abruptly and is trying to get in front of that before it happens.  He likes what he does and has no aspiration of climbing the ladder, so basically it sounds like if you treat him well and pay him a decent salary you will have an employee for life.  I know nothing else about him but hopefully if he does get the gig we get along and can be pals like I was with the last guy. 

We are supposed to have one hell of a snow storm later this evening and into tomorrow.  As long as it’s only snow it doesn’t bother me.  Mix in ice and I have a HUGE problem.  I plan to go about my regular routine tomorrow grabbing breakfast, grocery shopping and filling up the gas tank.  Then home for the rest of the day.  I like Winter and I also hate Winter.  I am mentally ready for Spring but not financially ready.  Like it or not Spring is around the corner followed swiftly by Summer.  The two things I look forward to is not having to wear a coat and hat as well as driving to and from work in daylight.  People lose their minds driving in the dark and as I age I am not a huge fan of night time driving.  I can still do it but it’s not my favorite thing. 

Okay so I am off to enjoy what is left of the day and hopefully go see a great movie.  Best part is it’s not costing me anything because my boss got me a gift card at Christmas Time.  So this will be really nice!  I hope things are going well for you and that your staying warm.  Take care and we shall talk again soon.