Touring The Gulf Coast In A "Hybrid"
Well, we tossed the old Chrysler 300 into the shop at the local dealer today and agreed to give them something near a grand to replace some important parts in the power steering system under the hood.
I guess that as painful as that $1K sum is it's also the first money we've spent in 2-1/2 years except the purchase price and oil changes/tire rotations so that's pretty good in my book.
Did I mention that we just paid off the loan a year and a half early last week so we now live without a car payment?
After handing over the keys and signing the papers we had the courtesy driver haul us over to Hertz where we expected to pick up a "full sized" Chevy Impala.
Instead we drove off their lot with what I call a "mid sized" Toyota Camry.
The trunk space is surprisingly small because instead of suitcases this "Hybrid" has at least 25% of the available space taken up with giant batteries covered with plastic and carpet.
Has anyone seen and actually drove one of these things?
It took me five minutes to figure out how to start it, because when you "start it" instead of a key all you do is waive the little plastic lock button thingie at the dash and push a button.
Then you set there scratching your head the first couple of trys because the gasoline part of the "hybrid" drive system doesn't actually "start" when you push the "start button."
Then once you manage to shift into gear and start moving forward or reverse it feels sort of like driving a golf cart until you hit about 3-5 MPH when the engine fires up and the computer switches into over drive and off you go making Owl Gore and his tree hugging hippy followers smile knowing smiles of approval.
I swear it's pretty disconcerting at first to get used to, but we have eight days planned to enjoy the advantages or disadvantages of the latest modern automotive technology I guess.
Our route takes us south tomorrow to my beloved family farm home in Lower Alabama to celebrate my 50th birthday with my mother, then on to the Western Florida Gulf Coast for a group 50th birthday party with a bunch of my high school classmates over the long Labor Day weekend.
Of course Internet access will be slow and/or sporadic at best so please excuse any lapses in blogging between now and our return to the banks on the Mighty Tennessee River on September 8th.
And wish us safe travel...if you will...
Monday, August 31, 2009
Sunday, August 30, 2009
"My Grace Is Sufficient for You, For My Power Is Made Perfect In Weakness."
1 Corinthians Chapter 2, Verse 3
Please excuse me, because I'm not preaching.
I don't even go to church regularly these days, but still I like the Apostle Paul's words there...
When you look at all the crap going on around us it's somehow reassuring to hear that someone might actually be in charge that isn't elected in politics by the morons I saw walking around the local Mall this afternoon.
I, personally, am fortunate to have made it back home from our shopping trip without having been arrested for tearing some idiot's arm off and beating most of their entire family to death with it.
The older I get, it seems the less tolerant I am of "crowds" and "the general public." I'll probably never set foot in an amusement park or a NASCAR race or most football stadiums ever again because I can't help having laser beams exploding from my eyeballs and out of my butt when I witness the stuff you're forced to witness these days.
It's either because I just keep getting smarter and smarter else the aforementioned "general public" is continuing in a gradual spiralling descent into moronic pop cultural behavior which makes me want tokick the shit out of them knock some sense into them when they get in my way and waste my time with their inane endeavors spending money they don't have to spend.
I guess it's best I just stay home and let them all self destruct, except that the government keeps coming to my door asking for money to help buy houses and cars and health insurance and retirement while I continue to insist on living within my means.
Is it just me???
Please excuse me, because I'm not preaching.
I don't even go to church regularly these days, but still I like the Apostle Paul's words there...
When you look at all the crap going on around us it's somehow reassuring to hear that someone might actually be in charge that isn't elected in politics by the morons I saw walking around the local Mall this afternoon.
I, personally, am fortunate to have made it back home from our shopping trip without having been arrested for tearing some idiot's arm off and beating most of their entire family to death with it.
The older I get, it seems the less tolerant I am of "crowds" and "the general public." I'll probably never set foot in an amusement park or a NASCAR race or most football stadiums ever again because I can't help having laser beams exploding from my eyeballs and out of my butt when I witness the stuff you're forced to witness these days.
It's either because I just keep getting smarter and smarter else the aforementioned "general public" is continuing in a gradual spiralling descent into moronic pop cultural behavior which makes me want to
I guess it's best I just stay home and let them all self destruct, except that the government keeps coming to my door asking for money to help buy houses and cars and health insurance and retirement while I continue to insist on living within my means.
Is it just me???
Saturday, August 29, 2009
We STILL Have Katrina "Victims" FOUR YEARS Later?
And We're Spending Tax Money Encouraging Them To Move Back...
I hate the fact that the leftist liberal NBC network bought my formerly favorite "The Weather Channel."
I say that today they might as well rename the stupid thing this...
"When Weather Kills Poor Folks Because Conservatives and Republicans DenyGlobal Warming Climate Change Channel."
Of course that name is hard to print in TV Guide and in online/TV listings...but still...
Seriously...hasn't anyone but me noticed the continuing slide by "The Weather Channel" into being a "Oh My God" there's wildfires and earthquakes and tornadoes and Hurricanes network?
Of course for years they've prided themselves in throwing Jim Cantori and Mike Sidell into the eye of each season's hurricanes but these days, particularly this quite Hurricane Season, they seem to just want to manufacture stories about potential future man made "Superstorms" while harping on past storms and the associated GOVERNMENT ENCOURAGED man made stupidity that caused loss of life and property damage.
For instance, while waiting for my latest dose of "Local on the Eights" I just had to wince my way through a "pseudo-weather story" about the four year anniversary of the liberal, sniveling, booger eating tree hugging pinko commie socialists' favorite storm...
HURRICANE KATRINA!!
Remember Hurricane Katrina?
How could anyone ever forget Hurricane Katrina...the storm conjured up by Karl Rove and George Bush to wipe out people too lazy to watch TV or listen to the Radio while electing stupid Governors and Corrupt Black Mayors and Congress persons.
...taking a big breath here boss...
So any way...I didn't really give a crap about today being the "anniversary" of that storm which legitimately smacked the hell out of the Mississippi Gulf Coast, but then they tossed out a bunch of facts that to this very minute continue to make my head spin near orbital rotational velocity and over pressurize at dangerous levels.
For instance, did you know that:
1. To date FEMA has generally wasted some part of over 7.8 BILLION taxpayer dollars in the state of Louisiana under the guise of "Hurricane Recovery Funding?"
2. To date FEMA has spent only 3 BILLION of innocent bystander's dollars in the state of By God Mississippi--while they really did take the brunt of the storm?
Or how about these Apples...
A. There are still about 1,668 "families" living free in FEMA trailers in Louisiana today...down from over 120,000 right after the much maligned inadequate government/BUSH response...
AFTER EVERYONE WAS TOLD TO GET THE HELL OUT BECAUSE THEY WERE MOSTLY LIVING BELOW SEA LEVEL IN 2005.
B. Mississippi has managed to run all but 441 of the government incapacitated dead beats out of FEMA housing after have 48,000 living in linear residential facilities (trailers) right after the storm actually made A DIRECT HIT ON THEIR AREA.
Now...
here is the coup de gras that caused me to start foaming at the mouth and spitting and throwing things at my TV screen...
The new kookie Weather Channel "Bimbo du jour" News Lady proudly reported that the City of New Orleans was recovering and the population was back to 77% of the "Pre-Katrina" levels...although rents were much higher and the Federal and State "authorities" were continuing programs to assist the residents in returning to their homes or home town (I'm paraphrasing of course.)
OK, let me get this straight...
We're paying for people to return to a city which exists below sea level--protected by taxpayer funded pumps and levies--while we also pay for many of these same people to live for free in taxpayer provided trailers while they wait on taxpayer funding to cover their rent so they can move back INTO A FLOOD AND HURRICANE PRONE AREA?
What?
Who?
When?
Where?
You'll have to excuse me because I HAVE TO GO FIND A COOLER FULL OF ICE WATER NOW AND SOAK MY HEAD.
That will be all...for now...dammit
I hate the fact that the leftist liberal NBC network bought my formerly favorite "The Weather Channel."
I say that today they might as well rename the stupid thing this...
"When Weather Kills Poor Folks Because Conservatives and Republicans Deny
Of course that name is hard to print in TV Guide and in online/TV listings...but still...
Seriously...hasn't anyone but me noticed the continuing slide by "The Weather Channel" into being a "Oh My God" there's wildfires and earthquakes and tornadoes and Hurricanes network?
Of course for years they've prided themselves in throwing Jim Cantori and Mike Sidell into the eye of each season's hurricanes but these days, particularly this quite Hurricane Season, they seem to just want to manufacture stories about potential future man made "Superstorms" while harping on past storms and the associated GOVERNMENT ENCOURAGED man made stupidity that caused loss of life and property damage.
For instance, while waiting for my latest dose of "Local on the Eights" I just had to wince my way through a "pseudo-weather story" about the four year anniversary of the liberal, sniveling, booger eating tree hugging pinko commie socialists' favorite storm...
HURRICANE KATRINA!!
Remember Hurricane Katrina?
How could anyone ever forget Hurricane Katrina...the storm conjured up by Karl Rove and George Bush to wipe out people too lazy to watch TV or listen to the Radio while electing stupid Governors and Corrupt Black Mayors and Congress persons.
...taking a big breath here boss...
So any way...I didn't really give a crap about today being the "anniversary" of that storm which legitimately smacked the hell out of the Mississippi Gulf Coast, but then they tossed out a bunch of facts that to this very minute continue to make my head spin near orbital rotational velocity and over pressurize at dangerous levels.
For instance, did you know that:
1. To date FEMA has generally wasted some part of over 7.8 BILLION taxpayer dollars in the state of Louisiana under the guise of "Hurricane Recovery Funding?"
2. To date FEMA has spent only 3 BILLION of innocent bystander's dollars in the state of By God Mississippi--while they really did take the brunt of the storm?
Or how about these Apples...
A. There are still about 1,668 "families" living free in FEMA trailers in Louisiana today...down from over 120,000 right after the much maligned inadequate government/BUSH response...
AFTER EVERYONE WAS TOLD TO GET THE HELL OUT BECAUSE THEY WERE MOSTLY LIVING BELOW SEA LEVEL IN 2005.
B. Mississippi has managed to run all but 441 of the government incapacitated dead beats out of FEMA housing after have 48,000 living in linear residential facilities (trailers) right after the storm actually made A DIRECT HIT ON THEIR AREA.
Now...
here is the coup de gras that caused me to start foaming at the mouth and spitting and throwing things at my TV screen...
The new kookie Weather Channel "Bimbo du jour" News Lady proudly reported that the City of New Orleans was recovering and the population was back to 77% of the "Pre-Katrina" levels...although rents were much higher and the Federal and State "authorities" were continuing programs to assist the residents in returning to their homes or home town (I'm paraphrasing of course.)
OK, let me get this straight...
We're paying for people to return to a city which exists below sea level--protected by taxpayer funded pumps and levies--while we also pay for many of these same people to live for free in taxpayer provided trailers while they wait on taxpayer funding to cover their rent so they can move back INTO A FLOOD AND HURRICANE PRONE AREA?
What?
Who?
When?
Where?
You'll have to excuse me because I HAVE TO GO FIND A COOLER FULL OF ICE WATER NOW AND SOAK MY HEAD.
That will be all...for now...dammit
Friday, August 28, 2009
Time To Make The Donuts Build The Walls
Back Cramming Lumber Into A Basement...
Well, I'm spending part of last week of my life under the age of 50 years being reminded that I'm OVER FORTY.
I sure feel like it.
I managed to get about seven hours sleep last night and I feel like I can manage to stagger through another six to eight hours of throwing lumber around our job site today.
I really want to finish the framing so the plumber and electrician can get in this weekend.
To accomplish that superhuman feat I have to have a complete crew on site at 8 AM.
Wish me luck...if you will...
Well, I'm spending part of last week of my life under the age of 50 years being reminded that I'm OVER FORTY.
I sure feel like it.
I managed to get about seven hours sleep last night and I feel like I can manage to stagger through another six to eight hours of throwing lumber around our job site today.
I really want to finish the framing so the plumber and electrician can get in this weekend.
To accomplish that superhuman feat I have to have a complete crew on site at 8 AM.
Wish me luck...if you will...
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Youth Tops Age And Beauty In The Construction Business
Every Time...
I arrived on site about 7:45 AM to find a big strong twenty year old kid with a face full of metal piercings and a bunch of obvious prison tattoos sweeping the concrete basement floor...
and no other carpenter to be found.
I was panicking as I looked at almost 400 sticks of lumber...nearly half 2"x6" and all of it ten foot or longer...all needing carrying thirty yards around the back of the house, cut to length, nailed together and stood up to form walls for two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a small galley kitchen and a living area making up the basement apartment for my client's handicapped father and his live in "caregiver."
I was amazed when my client jumped on the computer, put up an ad on Craigslist, and within a half hour had seven potential carpenters and a big strong thirty-something year old guy that knew his way around a tape measure and framing square better than I did on site by 9:30.
Sawdust proceeded to fly and the tattooed kid drug half the wood pile around back and by 1:30 I was dead tired from trying to keep up with my "crew" and we had near half the boards up in place around the perimeter concrete block walls.
I excused myself shortly thereafter leaving them to work another couple of hours unsupervised on some tasks I had identified, and now after a two hour nap I'm able to hold my head up and have enough strength left over to move my fingers around the keyboard.
Tomorrow's going to be a long day but if everyone shows up at 8 AM as agreed we should have 99% of the framing in place and "Grandmas favorite tree"--a giant 20" diameter log holding a steel beam holding the house up--sliced into manageable chunks and replaced with walls and two 6"x6" pressure treated wooden columns.
I hate to admit it, but I'm getting too old to get anywhere near a construction site without a suit and a white hard hat...it's time to leave the hammering and nailing to the younger men and settle for reading drawings and waiving my arms and pointing...
and saying "good job fellers..."
I arrived on site about 7:45 AM to find a big strong twenty year old kid with a face full of metal piercings and a bunch of obvious prison tattoos sweeping the concrete basement floor...
and no other carpenter to be found.
I was panicking as I looked at almost 400 sticks of lumber...nearly half 2"x6" and all of it ten foot or longer...all needing carrying thirty yards around the back of the house, cut to length, nailed together and stood up to form walls for two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a small galley kitchen and a living area making up the basement apartment for my client's handicapped father and his live in "caregiver."
I was amazed when my client jumped on the computer, put up an ad on Craigslist, and within a half hour had seven potential carpenters and a big strong thirty-something year old guy that knew his way around a tape measure and framing square better than I did on site by 9:30.
Sawdust proceeded to fly and the tattooed kid drug half the wood pile around back and by 1:30 I was dead tired from trying to keep up with my "crew" and we had near half the boards up in place around the perimeter concrete block walls.
I excused myself shortly thereafter leaving them to work another couple of hours unsupervised on some tasks I had identified, and now after a two hour nap I'm able to hold my head up and have enough strength left over to move my fingers around the keyboard.
Tomorrow's going to be a long day but if everyone shows up at 8 AM as agreed we should have 99% of the framing in place and "Grandmas favorite tree"--a giant 20" diameter log holding a steel beam holding the house up--sliced into manageable chunks and replaced with walls and two 6"x6" pressure treated wooden columns.
I hate to admit it, but I'm getting too old to get anywhere near a construction site without a suit and a white hard hat...it's time to leave the hammering and nailing to the younger men and settle for reading drawings and waiving my arms and pointing...
and saying "good job fellers..."
Getting Hammered
With An Air Compressor...
Well, I have to go out and meet my new construction crew at 8 AM this morning.
I hope it's not a freak show but you never know in the construction business and some people might consider me a freak when they see me at first but any way...
I just hope the two guys are on time and reasonably capable but the owner hired them and all I have to do is get the lumber nailed together and in place reasonably square/plumb and I can almost do that by myself if it wasn't for the 10' ceiling height.
I have a few thousand dollars of tools loaded up in the Chrysler (the Suburban's not really road ready right now due to inactivity and neglect and besides the mileage sucks) and a big stack of wall panel drawings and we're gonna see if we can frame out this basement in TWO days instead of THREE.
Assuming the personalities aren't a problem I really love doing stuff like this..sort of like playing with a giant set of Tinker Toys and getting paid a modest sum for my efforts.
Doing the math this is somewhere around my tenth major residential construction effort including some stuff I've done for myself and friends and family and of course the Habitat for Humanity houses I built down in Georgia back in the late 1990's.
It's so much easier pushing nails into wood using pneumatics and based on my creaking, ever ageing knees and back I hope to come through the process only slightly worse for the wear.
Time now to do a little reading, smoke a cigar, and catch a couple hours nap before heading out.
Y'all have a lovely day and try to have at least half as much fun as I'm gonna have now...if you will...
Well, I have to go out and meet my new construction crew at 8 AM this morning.
I hope it's not a freak show but you never know in the construction business and some people might consider me a freak when they see me at first but any way...
I just hope the two guys are on time and reasonably capable but the owner hired them and all I have to do is get the lumber nailed together and in place reasonably square/plumb and I can almost do that by myself if it wasn't for the 10' ceiling height.
I have a few thousand dollars of tools loaded up in the Chrysler (the Suburban's not really road ready right now due to inactivity and neglect and besides the mileage sucks) and a big stack of wall panel drawings and we're gonna see if we can frame out this basement in TWO days instead of THREE.
Assuming the personalities aren't a problem I really love doing stuff like this..sort of like playing with a giant set of Tinker Toys and getting paid a modest sum for my efforts.
Doing the math this is somewhere around my tenth major residential construction effort including some stuff I've done for myself and friends and family and of course the Habitat for Humanity houses I built down in Georgia back in the late 1990's.
It's so much easier pushing nails into wood using pneumatics and based on my creaking, ever ageing knees and back I hope to come through the process only slightly worse for the wear.
Time now to do a little reading, smoke a cigar, and catch a couple hours nap before heading out.
Y'all have a lovely day and try to have at least half as much fun as I'm gonna have now...if you will...
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Ted Kennedy R.I.P.
I Didn't Agree With The Man...But At Least He Stood For Something
I just can't be mean and celebrate someone's death or suffering. I hope my peers on the center/right side of the Bloggosphere are equally respectful.
I just can't be mean and celebrate someone's death or suffering. I hope my peers on the center/right side of the Bloggosphere are equally respectful.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Vista Crashed THREE TIMES SINCE NOON YESTERDAY
I Want To Send Bill Gates An Invoice...
Dammit...I'm Trying to do some CAD drawings of wall panel framing and I just lost a couple hours worth of work...
The computer monitor is covered with spit and I think that it's time to go outside and read "Atlas Shrugged" and maybe smoke a Cigar.
I swear techhology is goin' to kill me before it's all over with...
Dammit...I'm Trying to do some CAD drawings of wall panel framing and I just lost a couple hours worth of work...
The computer monitor is covered with spit and I think that it's time to go outside and read "Atlas Shrugged" and maybe smoke a Cigar.
I swear techhology is goin' to kill me before it's all over with...
Monday, August 24, 2009
The New Phone Books Are Here Wire's Here
Wierd Steve Martin Movie References...
I'm still right behind Mr. Martin for the title role in the his early 1980's film"The Jerk"...but all you Bankers and Lawyers are safe for now....
(or maybe not...don't test me)
I'm still right behind Mr. Martin for the title role in the his early 1980's film"The Jerk"...but all you Bankers and Lawyers are safe for now....
(or maybe not...don't test me)
Hearding Herding Cats
Bankers & Lawyers Will Be The Death Of Me...
Today's bitching and complaining has to do with my bankers and other people's Lawyers.
Ready?
I almost went back to school to be a Patent Attorney some years ago, but then I decided it would be a bad idea because I'd be forced to commit suicide after killing all of the other lawyers within range of a 30-06 rifle once I finally went insane dealing with stupid "non-standard standards" and rules and "traditions."
I've just spent the past week and one half trying to expedite losing my ass in a real estate deal which was supposed to close last Thursday.
By closing one would generally expect to have all of the paperwork completed and more importantly...
FUNDS WOULD BE DISTRIBUTED.
As it sits right now I've handled making all of the copies of materials on my end, paying to overnight them to the Georgia coast on Wednesday, only to find myself...the OWNER OF THE PROPERTY...as the only person which hasn't been paid as of 1:25 PM four calendar days after closing.
The buyer's Lawyer has been paid.
The buyers real estate agent has picked up their check.
My friend Bruce...my Agent/Broker called to say he had his check...
But I...
THE SO CALLED OWNER?
I'm still waiting for a stupid wire transfer which is costing me $5 to receive a five figure balance and my bankers say they don't have it and that if it doesn't show up by 3 PM it won't be credited to my account until tomorrow.
Five days late.
What kind of crap is it that I can deposit a potentially rubber check and the funds are available immediately, but I PAY to have funds electronically, securely transferred from a law firm that had the money last Friday to my account, and the bankers get away acting like they have to decipher the da Vinci code to get the money into my account?
Are they hauling stone coins from Easter Island or Gold Bullion from Spain and Central America?
All I know is that it's a good thing all of my guns are in the next state in a closet or you might see me on CNN slobbering on myself as the "authorities" describe the scene...
dammit...
Today's bitching and complaining has to do with my bankers and other people's Lawyers.
Ready?
I almost went back to school to be a Patent Attorney some years ago, but then I decided it would be a bad idea because I'd be forced to commit suicide after killing all of the other lawyers within range of a 30-06 rifle once I finally went insane dealing with stupid "non-standard standards" and rules and "traditions."
I've just spent the past week and one half trying to expedite losing my ass in a real estate deal which was supposed to close last Thursday.
By closing one would generally expect to have all of the paperwork completed and more importantly...
FUNDS WOULD BE DISTRIBUTED.
As it sits right now I've handled making all of the copies of materials on my end, paying to overnight them to the Georgia coast on Wednesday, only to find myself...the OWNER OF THE PROPERTY...as the only person which hasn't been paid as of 1:25 PM four calendar days after closing.
The buyer's Lawyer has been paid.
The buyers real estate agent has picked up their check.
My friend Bruce...my Agent/Broker called to say he had his check...
But I...
THE SO CALLED OWNER?
I'm still waiting for a stupid wire transfer which is costing me $5 to receive a five figure balance and my bankers say they don't have it and that if it doesn't show up by 3 PM it won't be credited to my account until tomorrow.
Five days late.
What kind of crap is it that I can deposit a potentially rubber check and the funds are available immediately, but I PAY to have funds electronically, securely transferred from a law firm that had the money last Friday to my account, and the bankers get away acting like they have to decipher the da Vinci code to get the money into my account?
Are they hauling stone coins from Easter Island or Gold Bullion from Spain and Central America?
All I know is that it's a good thing all of my guns are in the next state in a closet or you might see me on CNN slobbering on myself as the "authorities" describe the scene...
dammit...
Monday Musings
I Don't Know Nuthin New....
I'm happy to report that I didn't do a damn thing this weekend...
unless you count sitting and drinking and cooking to entertain family guests in town for the weekend and the Bristol NASCAR race.
I did produce a load of ham and asparagus crepes for breakfast yesterday morning, and followed that up with a giant cast iron skillet full of marinated skirt steak and chicken at dinner time--served up with tortillas to make Fajitas (along with colored bells and onions) which everyone including the Turbo Pup chowed down on.
I'm so far behind on my Internet reading and news watching that I'll probably spend 'til noon today catching up on what's going on out there in the rest of the world.
Until then..y'all have a nice day...if you will...
I'm happy to report that I didn't do a damn thing this weekend...
unless you count sitting and drinking and cooking to entertain family guests in town for the weekend and the Bristol NASCAR race.
I did produce a load of ham and asparagus crepes for breakfast yesterday morning, and followed that up with a giant cast iron skillet full of marinated skirt steak and chicken at dinner time--served up with tortillas to make Fajitas (along with colored bells and onions) which everyone including the Turbo Pup chowed down on.
I'm so far behind on my Internet reading and news watching that I'll probably spend 'til noon today catching up on what's going on out there in the rest of the world.
Until then..y'all have a nice day...if you will...
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Friday, August 21, 2009
Always The Bridesmaid...
Never The Bride
I'mhappy sorry to report that I learned I'm the "Number Two" candidate for the job down in "the Atlanta Metro Area" that I interviewed for earlier this week.
I'm also happy to report that as a result Pat and Missy the Turbo Pup and I will continue to be allowed to live herein Mayberry in Knoxtown on the banks of the Mighty Tennessee River for the foreseeable future.
Good God but I had forgotten how insane the traffic is there in north Atlanta/Norcross.
And it NEVER lets up.
We drove out of town on Wednesday morning at 6:30 AM across the top end "perimeter" Interstate 285 and I swear we needed a few thousand logos and a fancy paint job and a roll cage and helmets on our heads like we were running in a NASCAR race because anyone going less than 75 was basically A BRIDGE or obstacle to the passing drivers.
Four to Six lanes bumper to bumper screaming down the interstate to a halt at Roswell road where someone had blown a tire.
We got back home to find the home Internet down and the so called "legal firm" in Brunswick putzing around finishing the real estate closing document package LATE as usual so I've been busy yelling at Comcast and holding my head in a bucket full of melting ice trying to keep it from exploding for the past 36 hours...thus the silence here on the WWW.
The good news is I have ongoing responsibilities with my forensic injuneering work including a new project at a university in New England and I'm going to run over and help frame out the lumber on my basement design project next week and we have company coming to town for the NASCAR race at Bristol, TN and once the stupid attorneys get my funds wired over I can start adding onto the Turbo Pup's deck and put in a new kitchen floor.
In the middle of all that ruckus my high school class of 1977 is meeting down on the Florida Gulf coast (Owl Gore Hurricanes permitting) over labor Day to celebrate every one's 50th birthday...so we pretty much have a busy month of stuff to do ahead of us without packing up and moving back to Atlanta.
Just like moving here from our little island on the Georgia coast was a major transformation, the move to Atlanta and taking on the responsibility as project manager of a $140,000,000 fluidized bed boiler project would have been a mental and physical cultural shock which possibly I wasn't prepared to accept...
and as Doris Day used to say...
Que Sera Sera...
I'm
I'm also happy to report that as a result Pat and Missy the Turbo Pup and I will continue to be allowed to live here
Good God but I had forgotten how insane the traffic is there in north Atlanta/Norcross.
And it NEVER lets up.
We drove out of town on Wednesday morning at 6:30 AM across the top end "perimeter" Interstate 285 and I swear we needed a few thousand logos and a fancy paint job and a roll cage and helmets on our heads like we were running in a NASCAR race because anyone going less than 75 was basically A BRIDGE or obstacle to the passing drivers.
Four to Six lanes bumper to bumper screaming down the interstate to a halt at Roswell road where someone had blown a tire.
We got back home to find the home Internet down and the so called "legal firm" in Brunswick putzing around finishing the real estate closing document package LATE as usual so I've been busy yelling at Comcast and holding my head in a bucket full of melting ice trying to keep it from exploding for the past 36 hours...thus the silence here on the WWW.
The good news is I have ongoing responsibilities with my forensic injuneering work including a new project at a university in New England and I'm going to run over and help frame out the lumber on my basement design project next week and we have company coming to town for the NASCAR race at Bristol, TN and once the stupid attorneys get my funds wired over I can start adding onto the Turbo Pup's deck and put in a new kitchen floor.
In the middle of all that ruckus my high school class of 1977 is meeting down on the Florida Gulf coast (Owl Gore Hurricanes permitting) over labor Day to celebrate every one's 50th birthday...so we pretty much have a busy month of stuff to do ahead of us without packing up and moving back to Atlanta.
Just like moving here from our little island on the Georgia coast was a major transformation, the move to Atlanta and taking on the responsibility as project manager of a $140,000,000 fluidized bed boiler project would have been a mental and physical cultural shock which possibly I wasn't prepared to accept...
and as Doris Day used to say...
Que Sera Sera...
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Back Toward The Turbo Pup Compound...
Employed Or Unemployed?
After a 2-1/2 hour series of interviews Tuesday in one office, we have a 6 AM Departure for home scheduled, with hopes of hearing good news later today.
My recruiter said the last guy lasted about an hour, so I hope the extended nature of our discussions was positive.
It seemed so to me.
Then there's to be a flurry of activity with the Thursday Coastal real estate closing with E-mailing of forms and Notary's and wire transfers.
The good news is that I'm a richer man on Friday regardless the outcome of this latest adventure I guess.
Wish Me luck...if you will...
After a 2-1/2 hour series of interviews Tuesday in one office, we have a 6 AM Departure for home scheduled, with hopes of hearing good news later today.
My recruiter said the last guy lasted about an hour, so I hope the extended nature of our discussions was positive.
It seemed so to me.
Then there's to be a flurry of activity with the Thursday Coastal real estate closing with E-mailing of forms and Notary's and wire transfers.
The good news is that I'm a richer man on Friday regardless the outcome of this latest adventure I guess.
Wish Me luck...if you will...
Monday, August 17, 2009
Live From Hotlanta
I'm Torn With The Prospect Of Moving Back...
Well, we made the drive from Knoxtown to Norcross in the Atlanta suburbs in time to meet with an owner and a real estate agent about finding a house in the area.
I've thus far kept to myself the fact that I have an interview for a KILLER JOB with an international engineering company tomorrow at 9 AM. I survived a phone interview last week and they've been looking at me since last April and if they hire me I'll be making 40% more money than I've ever made in my career.
Of course that's the only way anyone will ever get me back into this giant traffic jam they call Metro Atlanta--BRIBE ME WITH TONS OF CASH.
Any way, we've run around and looked at eight "pet friendly" houses for lease because I learned my lesson buying a house in a town where I didn't need one without a job to go with it...and that's sort of what the Turbo Pup compound became when my old company closed down last December.
Sitting around in my underwear all day as an independent insulting injuneer and forensic nerd is certainly fun and somewhat profitable, but no one at my house is making enough money to retire any time soon and it's time to get down to business and make some real dough to replace that I've frittered away over the past eight or nine years living in Florida and on boats and islands on the Georgia Coast.
This position will strain my professional beach bum mentality but if they offer I'm afraid I'm going to have to accept.
The pony tail may have to go also.
Wish me luck...if you will...
Well, we made the drive from Knoxtown to Norcross in the Atlanta suburbs in time to meet with an owner and a real estate agent about finding a house in the area.
I've thus far kept to myself the fact that I have an interview for a KILLER JOB with an international engineering company tomorrow at 9 AM. I survived a phone interview last week and they've been looking at me since last April and if they hire me I'll be making 40% more money than I've ever made in my career.
Of course that's the only way anyone will ever get me back into this giant traffic jam they call Metro Atlanta--BRIBE ME WITH TONS OF CASH.
Any way, we've run around and looked at eight "pet friendly" houses for lease because I learned my lesson buying a house in a town where I didn't need one without a job to go with it...and that's sort of what the Turbo Pup compound became when my old company closed down last December.
Sitting around in my underwear all day as an independent insulting injuneer and forensic nerd is certainly fun and somewhat profitable, but no one at my house is making enough money to retire any time soon and it's time to get down to business and make some real dough to replace that I've frittered away over the past eight or nine years living in Florida and on boats and islands on the Georgia Coast.
This position will strain my professional beach bum mentality but if they offer I'm afraid I'm going to have to accept.
The pony tail may have to go also.
Wish me luck...if you will...
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Leaf Blowers & Hurricanes
Can't Live With Them...I Say We Maim & Disfigure The People Responsible...
Meanwhile, in local news, the lawn guy stopped by a day late this week to provide me with my $40 worth of noise, dust, and mental torture.
We covered the Turbo Pup's pool the day before because we saw him drive by, but then he pulled a magic trick and disappeared after only cutting a couple of adjacent lawns.
Then Friday we uncovered the pool to do some maintenance and sit around in it and sure enough here he comes again ...at lunch time rather than the usual 4 PM, and we had to recover the pool and I had to stop work on my never ending front porch refinishing project. (As a side note I'm happy to report that I finished that month long epic task just in the last hour.)
Any way, I had my head stuck in the computer and didn't pay attention, and dang it if the rocket scientist lost his mind again and forgot these words...
DON'T USE THE LEAF BLOWER IN THE CARPORT.
I was out there just now putting things away and straightening up in anticipation of being in Atlanta/St. Simons this week and having guests this coming weekend and EVERYTHING was covered with lawn clippings and dust.
I swear I'm going to buy a leaf blower, find out where this guy lives, and every time he leaves home I'm going to collect everything I sweep up here in and on my stuff and take it over to his house blow it all in through his dryer & stove hood vents.
And speaking of blowing, I see where we have our third named storm in a week out there in the Atlantic, as the Cape Verdi part of the "official" (I accept no imitations) 2009 Atlantic Hurricane season gets underway.
Owl Gore and his Hippy followers probably have had to change their underwear a couple of times this weekend as they watch the Weather Channel.
"...three storms...that'l teach Rove and Rogers and Bush and all those climate change "Deniers..."
I predict this season to be similar to one of the first seasons that we lived down on St. Simons Island...quite in June & July, then it blasted our socks off in August and September with a whole bunch of little bitty piss ant sized Hurricanes and larger Tropic Storms that rained all over Florida and delivered the Georgia Coast a glancing blow a couple of three times.
It actually made for a bit of sinister macabre excitement as you had to think about buying generators and plywood and whether to pack up and bail out inland or just move the cars to higher ground on the mainland and "ride that sucker out..."
Today I find myself safely blasting the climate change jihadi infidels from a safe distance here on the banks of the Mighty Tennessee River while my generator sits in the basement, unopened, still shrink wrapped in it's original packaging.
If you're on the coast and need one I'll make you a deal (retail x 3) but you have to come pick it up...which sort of eliminates the need in the first place.
Regards...Y'all...
Meanwhile, in local news, the lawn guy stopped by a day late this week to provide me with my $40 worth of noise, dust, and mental torture.
We covered the Turbo Pup's pool the day before because we saw him drive by, but then he pulled a magic trick and disappeared after only cutting a couple of adjacent lawns.
Then Friday we uncovered the pool to do some maintenance and sit around in it and sure enough here he comes again ...at lunch time rather than the usual 4 PM, and we had to recover the pool and I had to stop work on my never ending front porch refinishing project. (As a side note I'm happy to report that I finished that month long epic task just in the last hour.)
Any way, I had my head stuck in the computer and didn't pay attention, and dang it if the rocket scientist lost his mind again and forgot these words...
DON'T USE THE LEAF BLOWER IN THE CARPORT.
I was out there just now putting things away and straightening up in anticipation of being in Atlanta/St. Simons this week and having guests this coming weekend and EVERYTHING was covered with lawn clippings and dust.
I swear I'm going to buy a leaf blower, find out where this guy lives, and every time he leaves home I'm going to collect everything I sweep up here in and on my stuff and take it over to his house blow it all in through his dryer & stove hood vents.
And speaking of blowing, I see where we have our third named storm in a week out there in the Atlantic, as the Cape Verdi part of the "official" (I accept no imitations) 2009 Atlantic Hurricane season gets underway.
Owl Gore and his Hippy followers probably have had to change their underwear a couple of times this weekend as they watch the Weather Channel.
"...three storms...that'l teach Rove and Rogers and Bush and all those climate change "Deniers..."
I predict this season to be similar to one of the first seasons that we lived down on St. Simons Island...quite in June & July, then it blasted our socks off in August and September with a whole bunch of little bitty piss ant sized Hurricanes and larger Tropic Storms that rained all over Florida and delivered the Georgia Coast a glancing blow a couple of three times.
It actually made for a bit of sinister macabre excitement as you had to think about buying generators and plywood and whether to pack up and bail out inland or just move the cars to higher ground on the mainland and "ride that sucker out..."
Today I find myself safely blasting the climate change jihadi infidels from a safe distance here on the banks of the Mighty Tennessee River while my generator sits in the basement, unopened, still shrink wrapped in it's original packaging.
If you're on the coast and need one I'll make you a deal (retail x 3) but you have to come pick it up...which sort of eliminates the need in the first place.
Regards...Y'all...
Josh Blue...Disabled Comedian
Laugh Along With Me
I caught this guy once late at night on TV and couldn't remember his name...but I found him tonight.
Check him out in these videos:
I caught this guy once late at night on TV and couldn't remember his name...but I found him tonight.
Check him out in these videos:
