Weather Makes News On Slow Saturday
After spending the morning recounting the results of last night's weather related damage in downtown Atlanta, Fox News and most of the other TV media are now enjoying covering "Round II" of the events this afternoon as yet another severe thunderstorm blasts its way through the city.
During the 27 years I lived there it always amazed me how the north side of town could take a beating every spring and fall and the center of the city always managed to miss the action. I lived inches off of Windy Hill Road for much of my tenure in the area and we seemed to get a twister every two years or so--thus the name "windy hill..."
Being a son of the south I have a hard time getting all worked up over a little severe weather, as long as I have four walls and a roof over my head things usually work out OK in the end.
If you want excitement, try going through even a mild thunderstorm in a small boat in the middle of a lake or just off shore and you'll think having a house around you the equivalent of being in a stone fortress compared to the exposure you feel surrounded by thin sheets of aluminum and fiberglass.
Wait a minute...this just in...
Continuing in the perils of urban living, now FOX is talking about a crane collapse in downtown NY City, taking out a chunk of a five story building in the process.
Of course Republican and Democratic pundits will be sharpening their pencils and working up statements outlining four or five new government programs to address these hazards of living in the inner city.
Perhaps the "Clinton/Obama/McCain massive spending of taxpayer funds to make you safer from tornados and cranes program..."???
I hope you'll excuse me while I go trim my toenails now...
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Friday, March 14, 2008
Not Much Worse For The Wear
Last Remnants Removed...
Well, my doctor yanked (literally) thetube "pig tailed catheter" out of my abdomen this afternoon, shortly after I tipped the scales at a measly 218 pounds.
I don't recommend the diet for the faint of heart, but thus far I've dropped a little over 30 pounds in seven weeks.
I don't know about you, but I'm glad this ordeal is nearly over with. I feel a good rant coming on later.
Stay tuned...
Well, my doctor yanked (literally) the
I don't recommend the diet for the faint of heart, but thus far I've dropped a little over 30 pounds in seven weeks.
I don't know about you, but I'm glad this ordeal is nearly over with. I feel a good rant coming on later.
Stay tuned...
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Meanwhile...Back On My Sofa
Slowly But Steadily
Today was sort of a red letter day on my calendar, having yet another letter to the editor of our local newspaper, The Brunswick News, published--including a little sidebar quotation featuring my name on the front page.
Long time readers may remember that I actually applied for a position working part time for The News about three or so years ago, and then ended up withdrawing my application and blistering one of the local beat reporters over the paper's coverage of a story in which I was intimately involved.
I've only spoken to the editor once since then, but I take his past and ongoing usage of my commentary as an olive branch of peace in what was once a very sore spot in my nervous system.
They publish practically everything I submit, and today's piece represents somewhere near two dozen times I've managed to annoy the general public with my sharp whit and keen intellectual insight over the past four or five years.
Speaking of keen intellectuals, I also just received the used copy of William F. Buckley's famous work "Nearer My God" that I bought on Amazon a couple of weeks ago. I haven't had time to do anything other than glance at the cover and the inside text, but I'm looking forward to spending some time with Mr. Buckley in the near future.
Why don't YOU get on line or wander over to the library and check out some of his writing? If you've never read his work, I believe you will be quite surprised at the content of his character.
Today was sort of a red letter day on my calendar, having yet another letter to the editor of our local newspaper, The Brunswick News, published--including a little sidebar quotation featuring my name on the front page.
Long time readers may remember that I actually applied for a position working part time for The News about three or so years ago, and then ended up withdrawing my application and blistering one of the local beat reporters over the paper's coverage of a story in which I was intimately involved.
I've only spoken to the editor once since then, but I take his past and ongoing usage of my commentary as an olive branch of peace in what was once a very sore spot in my nervous system.
They publish practically everything I submit, and today's piece represents somewhere near two dozen times I've managed to annoy the general public with my sharp whit and keen intellectual insight over the past four or five years.
Speaking of keen intellectuals, I also just received the used copy of William F. Buckley's famous work "Nearer My God" that I bought on Amazon a couple of weeks ago. I haven't had time to do anything other than glance at the cover and the inside text, but I'm looking forward to spending some time with Mr. Buckley in the near future.
Why don't YOU get on line or wander over to the library and check out some of his writing? If you've never read his work, I believe you will be quite surprised at the content of his character.
Twisting The Dial On A World Full Of BS
Tuning In...By Tuning (Most Everything) Out
Thank GOD the NY Governor saved us maybe a few minutes of additional torture by resigning today.
Of course I don't expect the story to vaporize off the TV and out of the newspaper headlines, but still I offer my hearty "Thanks" shout out to "Gov. Spritz" for stepping up and being a man instead of a weasel about the matter.
Speaking of high government officials tangling with tawdry women, it seems that even our peaceful Muslim brothers in Iran aren't immune to the temptations of wicked women.
Tehran's police chief, Reza Zarei, has been arrested after he was found nude in a local brothel with six naked prostitutes, according to report on the Iranian Farda News...
Before he was arrested, Zarei was in charge of the programme for the 'moralisation of the city'.
It is alleged that in the past six months, hundreds of young people have been arrested in Iran for not respecting the Islamic code of behaviour.
I suspect that the lovely folks in Teran are likely to make the soon to be ex-police chief a little more uncomfortable than New York's now ex-governor.
I wonder what body part(s) are subject to removal in this instance?
Thank GOD the NY Governor saved us maybe a few minutes of additional torture by resigning today.
Of course I don't expect the story to vaporize off the TV and out of the newspaper headlines, but still I offer my hearty "Thanks" shout out to "Gov. Spritz" for stepping up and being a man instead of a weasel about the matter.
Speaking of high government officials tangling with tawdry women, it seems that even our peaceful Muslim brothers in Iran aren't immune to the temptations of wicked women.
Tehran's police chief, Reza Zarei, has been arrested after he was found nude in a local brothel with six naked prostitutes, according to report on the Iranian Farda News...
Before he was arrested, Zarei was in charge of the programme for the 'moralisation of the city'.
It is alleged that in the past six months, hundreds of young people have been arrested in Iran for not respecting the Islamic code of behaviour.
I suspect that the lovely folks in Teran are likely to make the soon to be ex-police chief a little more uncomfortable than New York's now ex-governor.
I wonder what body part(s) are subject to removal in this instance?
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Reflections Off A Dirty Mirror
Blurry Images From The Past Predict The Future?
Well, it's the end of day 35 in the latest episode of "Crappy Health Chronicles" and I am most definitely ready for this show to END...and SOON.
Besides being an officially confirmed addict to Oxycodone, I still have a tube sticking out of my right abdomen, a severely limited choice of diet, and I suspect that if I muster all of the strength in my body and spirit I MIGHT be able to make it from the sofa to the mailbox and back in under three minutes.
Other than that, everything is just peachy down here on our little island. Some good news is I believe that I've dropped about 25 pounds off the old pre-illness girth, and with any luck another five or ten pounds might be shaved off during the balance of the slow recovery process.
Perhaps the weirdest part of this ordeal is, although it seems to have gone on forever in some respects, it others it seems just like yesterday that I was wandering in the emergency room for the first time. There are HUGE gaps in my memory, and I'm having trouble filing away things I dreamed about versus things (conversations, events, etc.) that actually happened to me in the process.
One thing that looks the same all the time to me is the stupidity being written and broadcast in the lamestream media regarding the Presidential election. I've officially washed my hands of the process because I need all the strength I can muster just to get myself launched on the new track I've chosen back into the 9 to 5 workforce in a new city and state.
I'm just lucky things have worked like that they have and I still have a chance to get myself squared away medically--there's still a possibility that things could fall apart and I'll lose the new job because of medical issues.
I'm too dang young to be sidelined by medical disability, and I'm far, far away from being financially solvent enough to pay for sitting on my butt all day doing nothing for another twenty or thirty years.
Thank God for Social Security, and all the new Government programs...I guess.
Where do I go to get in line and sign up?
Well, it's the end of day 35 in the latest episode of "Crappy Health Chronicles" and I am most definitely ready for this show to END...and SOON.
Besides being an officially confirmed addict to Oxycodone, I still have a tube sticking out of my right abdomen, a severely limited choice of diet, and I suspect that if I muster all of the strength in my body and spirit I MIGHT be able to make it from the sofa to the mailbox and back in under three minutes.
Other than that, everything is just peachy down here on our little island. Some good news is I believe that I've dropped about 25 pounds off the old pre-illness girth, and with any luck another five or ten pounds might be shaved off during the balance of the slow recovery process.
Perhaps the weirdest part of this ordeal is, although it seems to have gone on forever in some respects, it others it seems just like yesterday that I was wandering in the emergency room for the first time. There are HUGE gaps in my memory, and I'm having trouble filing away things I dreamed about versus things (conversations, events, etc.) that actually happened to me in the process.
One thing that looks the same all the time to me is the stupidity being written and broadcast in the lamestream media regarding the Presidential election. I've officially washed my hands of the process because I need all the strength I can muster just to get myself launched on the new track I've chosen back into the 9 to 5 workforce in a new city and state.
I'm just lucky things have worked like that they have and I still have a chance to get myself squared away medically--there's still a possibility that things could fall apart and I'll lose the new job because of medical issues.
I'm too dang young to be sidelined by medical disability, and I'm far, far away from being financially solvent enough to pay for sitting on my butt all day doing nothing for another twenty or thirty years.
Thank God for Social Security, and all the new Government programs...I guess.
Where do I go to get in line and sign up?
Monday, March 10, 2008
Back Among The Living
Cash Resurrects Spirits
No...I've not been in the hospital.
No...I'm not dead.
I was simply forced to take an unplanned weekend Internet hiatus since the $350 per night cottage we inhabited didn't have a functioning high speed connection.
I offer the fact that I only turned on the computer for about ten minutes over a three day period as further evidence of my mental cleansing and ongoing response to my physical maladies.
There have been days when I would have moved out of a rental or pitched some kind of fit if the Internet connection didn't work as advertised, but this weekend for some reason rest was ahead of following sHrillary and Obama's latest schoolyard antics.
On the real estate investment front, we exited the closing proceedings from the sale of my vacant land over in Brunswick. I TRIPLED MY investment on a net cash basis in less than five years...
Not bad for a amateur, eh?
No...I've not been in the hospital.
No...I'm not dead.
I was simply forced to take an unplanned weekend Internet hiatus since the $350 per night cottage we inhabited didn't have a functioning high speed connection.
I offer the fact that I only turned on the computer for about ten minutes over a three day period as further evidence of my mental cleansing and ongoing response to my physical maladies.
There have been days when I would have moved out of a rental or pitched some kind of fit if the Internet connection didn't work as advertised, but this weekend for some reason rest was ahead of following sHrillary and Obama's latest schoolyard antics.
On the real estate investment front, we exited the closing proceedings from the sale of my vacant land over in Brunswick. I TRIPLED MY investment on a net cash basis in less than five years...
Not bad for a amateur, eh?
