We have gotten our gym moved from a different building to the one I work at, so I am loving the accessibility. What I hate are the jerk-offs who need to plant themselves 3 feet away from where you are at. Why? The gym is a good space, maybe even a little bigger than the last one. I walk laps in the building too, 6 laps equal a mile, so it is easy to keep count of how much I walk a night. But even better, I walk past the gym, if there are too many in there, I'll just keep walking. Last week, I go in, there is one other person and he is stretching himself on the other side of the room. I go towards the free weights, and start doing curls. I didn't even get to ten and I get "Buddy, can I move your stuff..." In less than 30 seconds, with the gym empty, he decides he needs to come use the bench right next to me. I had placed my phone on it since I was standing by it, and I don't want to hit my phone with the weights going up and down against my legs and hips. All I can muster is "yeah, move my stuff, no problem." But WTF, we're going to both work in a space where you could barely park a small car? And there are identical benches a couple feet apart, but he needed the one by me. Freaking Anus.
Today, a similar thing, I am on the free weights minding my own business, then yoga boy shows up. Clap clap, he is very flexible, why does he need to set up his little stretch pad one bench over from where I am. There is a room dedicated for yoga/Pilates, get your ass in there, Buddy. This one wasn't as bad as the first night, but still, I maintain that the gym is a big room, why are these dudes setting up within 5 feet of me? Everybody has earphones, It's not like we are getting friendly bullshitting, these are guys serious about their exercise.
I've mentioned this before, like in restaurants when all the tables might be empty, but the people decide they should sit right next to me. I am not smiling and waving you over. On the contrary, specially if you got kids, you should self monitor, you know your kids suck and they're gonna get loud. Try and sit away from people.
So is it an internal magnet that pulls you towards some people, or are people so out of it, they don't notice when they almost sit on you? I need to get my own IPOD and music to hear, that way I can go through life too with no consideration for my fellow man. I'll just look up when I need something and say shitty stuff like "excuse you, can you move your shit?" I am obviously more important than you and I want this space. Wow, if that is how a-holes think, maybe I am on to something. I need to become more a-holey.
Wednesday, August 31, 2016
Tuesday, August 30, 2016
8/30/16 Looking Forward To Labor Day Weekend?
This past weekend went by too fast. With Wife getting back a little late and Chubs having a sleepover, Friday night was a blur. Saturday was just spent getting last minute things for school for Chubs. Sunday always sucks. Even Chubs had the perfect line to almost make me cry Saturday night. I went and told him to go to sleep Saturday night, it was about 4:30am. He said "no, if I go to sleep, I'm just going to wake up and it'll be Sunday and we'll have to go." He has been a little trooper, but now that he has sampled living here and there, he prefers here. He likes his quiet carefree life. Back at my Mom's, there is too much activity all the time. His last chance at possibly staying here lies in his brother. Boy still has no apartment, and if today's "interview" does not go well, he will be coming back home. If he does, it might start the ball rolling for a tiny possibility of Chubs coming back. I know that I miss my little Hambone, I would put up with the additional work and running around, but ultimately Boy has to be around. I can't leave him alone every night once I head off to work. We'll see.
Labor Day will have them here an additional day though, so we could even do something like go to SeaWorld, which Wife has been wanting to do. I kind of wanted to go to Katy Mills Mall, I love some shopping, and nothing's better than a giant circular mall. Even if we don't buy anything, I still love the smell of commerce. Chubs insists we are just going to stay home, and I might be game for that too, we do run around a lot, and it would be nice to just chill.
Sunday will be the Longhorns opening day kickoff, and they are playing Notre Dame, so it'll be a night game under the lights, my favorite to grill and watch on the big screen. This is the third year for Coach Strong, he needs to show an improved team this year, simply winning eight games won't be enough this year, UT has to start being relevant again. I am excited overall for the college football season to get going, it is the best time of the year to watch TV. This is why I put up a big screen in the living room.
Wife will leave Monday, so that makes the weekend a little better, knowing they will be here an extra night. The extra money has been great, even if at this point we have only seen one check, I know more are coming. I guess it has to, because it just started, but being without Chubs has been harder than I thought. I thought, "yeah, I'll be free to do as I want." But I am boring, I don't do shit. I have always been about teaching and without him, I have no one to pass on my bits of knowledge to every day.
Labor Day will have them here an additional day though, so we could even do something like go to SeaWorld, which Wife has been wanting to do. I kind of wanted to go to Katy Mills Mall, I love some shopping, and nothing's better than a giant circular mall. Even if we don't buy anything, I still love the smell of commerce. Chubs insists we are just going to stay home, and I might be game for that too, we do run around a lot, and it would be nice to just chill.
Sunday will be the Longhorns opening day kickoff, and they are playing Notre Dame, so it'll be a night game under the lights, my favorite to grill and watch on the big screen. This is the third year for Coach Strong, he needs to show an improved team this year, simply winning eight games won't be enough this year, UT has to start being relevant again. I am excited overall for the college football season to get going, it is the best time of the year to watch TV. This is why I put up a big screen in the living room.
Wife will leave Monday, so that makes the weekend a little better, knowing they will be here an extra night. The extra money has been great, even if at this point we have only seen one check, I know more are coming. I guess it has to, because it just started, but being without Chubs has been harder than I thought. I thought, "yeah, I'll be free to do as I want." But I am boring, I don't do shit. I have always been about teaching and without him, I have no one to pass on my bits of knowledge to every day.
Monday, August 29, 2016
8/29/16 School: The Only Way Out For You?
I have that bittersweet feeling all around me, as school has now started for everybody. Boy goes back to Texas State tomorrow. We still aren't sure about his living arrangements as the goof didn't take finding an apartment seriously enough during the summer. They do have a showing on Tuesday, so maybe that will solve their problem.
I say the only way out for you as Chubs had a sleepover on Friday and one of his friends got here a little earlier than Wife and Chubs, who were on their way from Crystal City. I asked him what he thought of his new school and how it was going and his response was "it's boring." I told him no, you have to be excited about school, think about it, if you were not in school, you might be working out in the fields or doing something horrible out in the heat. You have to treat school as a gift, you are being allowed to sit and learn instead of getting thrown outside doing something crappy for a few nickels. I don't think I made too much of a dent, but I know my kids think very differently of school. Chubs is not super excited about having to go to school down there, he did say he liked the DEAR program, which stands for Drop Everything And Read. He said since they haven't had a chance to go to the library, the science teacher was reading to them, and it was very interesting.
Studies have shown that even just getting a bachelor's degree improves the potential earnings of the student. The latest study in 2013 shows an increasing gap between college degreed and high school diploma, what used to be about $14,000 in the mid 80's is up to $17,500 for millennials in 2013. The study also shows that those with degrees are seeing unemployment rates of 3.8% vs. unemployment rates of 12.2% for those with just a high school diploma. Over a 40 year career, the college degreed will earn upwards of $840,000 than someone with just a high school diploma. These numbers alone should be inspiration enough for parents to make their kids make school a priority, yet time and again I see example upon example where school isn't even a topic people want to discuss.
Because we know what we know, we are being patient with Boy. He may end up taking six years to get his degree, but he is pursuing an engineering degree which itself should yield better pay, hopefully, in my pay range sooner than later. I have gotten into debates over this, but I could care less, a science/technical/engineering degree will and should make more money out in the real world. I am not saying other degrees aren't worthy, Wife started with a psychology degree which she followed with a master's in education, and now after sitting on that degree for about seven years, she is finally being rewarded for her hard work. My sister started with an English degree, followed that with classes to move up and is now Principal of the Junior High back home. Principals can and do make salaries near the $100,000 range, same as the position that Wife is doing as Director of Federal Funds, with a couple years experience.
So even if I am a little sad sitting here alone on a Sunday night, Wife will get her experience, and eventually get back to Austin, Boy will graduate and make us proud in a couple years, and Chubs is highly focused on his own, he already talks about being a geneticist, which might be a bigger field than it is right now, as gene therapy becomes more mainstream.
I say the only way out for you as Chubs had a sleepover on Friday and one of his friends got here a little earlier than Wife and Chubs, who were on their way from Crystal City. I asked him what he thought of his new school and how it was going and his response was "it's boring." I told him no, you have to be excited about school, think about it, if you were not in school, you might be working out in the fields or doing something horrible out in the heat. You have to treat school as a gift, you are being allowed to sit and learn instead of getting thrown outside doing something crappy for a few nickels. I don't think I made too much of a dent, but I know my kids think very differently of school. Chubs is not super excited about having to go to school down there, he did say he liked the DEAR program, which stands for Drop Everything And Read. He said since they haven't had a chance to go to the library, the science teacher was reading to them, and it was very interesting.
Studies have shown that even just getting a bachelor's degree improves the potential earnings of the student. The latest study in 2013 shows an increasing gap between college degreed and high school diploma, what used to be about $14,000 in the mid 80's is up to $17,500 for millennials in 2013. The study also shows that those with degrees are seeing unemployment rates of 3.8% vs. unemployment rates of 12.2% for those with just a high school diploma. Over a 40 year career, the college degreed will earn upwards of $840,000 than someone with just a high school diploma. These numbers alone should be inspiration enough for parents to make their kids make school a priority, yet time and again I see example upon example where school isn't even a topic people want to discuss.
Because we know what we know, we are being patient with Boy. He may end up taking six years to get his degree, but he is pursuing an engineering degree which itself should yield better pay, hopefully, in my pay range sooner than later. I have gotten into debates over this, but I could care less, a science/technical/engineering degree will and should make more money out in the real world. I am not saying other degrees aren't worthy, Wife started with a psychology degree which she followed with a master's in education, and now after sitting on that degree for about seven years, she is finally being rewarded for her hard work. My sister started with an English degree, followed that with classes to move up and is now Principal of the Junior High back home. Principals can and do make salaries near the $100,000 range, same as the position that Wife is doing as Director of Federal Funds, with a couple years experience.
So even if I am a little sad sitting here alone on a Sunday night, Wife will get her experience, and eventually get back to Austin, Boy will graduate and make us proud in a couple years, and Chubs is highly focused on his own, he already talks about being a geneticist, which might be a bigger field than it is right now, as gene therapy becomes more mainstream.
Saturday, August 27, 2016
8/28/16 Got A Yamaha For Chubs?
Well, after all my grandstanding about buying a Yamaha personal watercraft, Wife finally took the leash off me and sent me to the music store to buy a Yamaha saxophone for Chubs. Technically, we are renting, but even if it doesn't work for Chubs, I intend to keep the instrument as I had been wanting to buy a sax for me to play. Instruments are not cheap, this one, a student beginner version, was $2100. I added an extra mouthpiece, so Chubs and I don't have to share, and that was $240. Everything was expensive, I don't know how my parents just went along with this, maybe mine was $800 back in the day, but that is a lot of money. Even a box of 10 reeds was $32. I would buy a new reed once in a while at school. There was always great care with these, they were made of thin wood (reason it is called a woodwind instrument) but were supposed to last months. My parents did alright, but they had four kids in the house. I was trying to do like I like and just getting everything, but damn! Everything the guy suggested just looked like dollar signs after awhile.
But I am excited that Chubs is choosing to follow in my footsteps and play my instrument. Last year, he was talking about the clarinet, and I just made a face like when you taste something gross. Not to be sexist, but as I remember my favorite band director telling me "all the great instrumentalists have been men.", so even if he played clarinet he could be good at it, but back in our marching band at home, flutes and clarinets were for the girls. There was a time back in the jazz days of the 1940s when the clarinet was more popular and would even carry a song, but modern jazz doesn't really incorporate that sound anymore.
I have to control my urges to push him, he has to be comfortable with what he is doing. I was always competitive, when I saw there was a Jazz band which was much smaller and frequently had solo breaks for an individual to play something by himself, I needed to be part of that. I remember in every outing with the jazz band, I would have a solo, I loved that stuff. It was much harder to shine in the marching band, and then my sophomore year, I was asked to join the drum section to play the tri toms, three drums, set at different pitches. The drum section was pretty much filled with dodos, and the tri-toms required some ability to read music and lead. The rest of my time was spent with the orchestra band, so yeah, it was band year round and I loved the camaraderie and everything that it involved.
I don't want to get ahead of myself, and push Chubs, he has to want to do it, or he will be miserable as my brothers and sister were. I imagine he will be back in Austin by high school and if we still live here, he will be playing with the Akins band. They have gone and competed at the state level, so they have good people in there, and I have seen them practicing, they resemble our marching band, over 100 members out there. I won't get excited just yet, but I am staring at a brand new saxophone sitting on my kitchen table, so that is something, I hope.
But I am excited that Chubs is choosing to follow in my footsteps and play my instrument. Last year, he was talking about the clarinet, and I just made a face like when you taste something gross. Not to be sexist, but as I remember my favorite band director telling me "all the great instrumentalists have been men.", so even if he played clarinet he could be good at it, but back in our marching band at home, flutes and clarinets were for the girls. There was a time back in the jazz days of the 1940s when the clarinet was more popular and would even carry a song, but modern jazz doesn't really incorporate that sound anymore.
I have to control my urges to push him, he has to be comfortable with what he is doing. I was always competitive, when I saw there was a Jazz band which was much smaller and frequently had solo breaks for an individual to play something by himself, I needed to be part of that. I remember in every outing with the jazz band, I would have a solo, I loved that stuff. It was much harder to shine in the marching band, and then my sophomore year, I was asked to join the drum section to play the tri toms, three drums, set at different pitches. The drum section was pretty much filled with dodos, and the tri-toms required some ability to read music and lead. The rest of my time was spent with the orchestra band, so yeah, it was band year round and I loved the camaraderie and everything that it involved.
I don't want to get ahead of myself, and push Chubs, he has to want to do it, or he will be miserable as my brothers and sister were. I imagine he will be back in Austin by high school and if we still live here, he will be playing with the Akins band. They have gone and competed at the state level, so they have good people in there, and I have seen them practicing, they resemble our marching band, over 100 members out there. I won't get excited just yet, but I am staring at a brand new saxophone sitting on my kitchen table, so that is something, I hope.
8/27/16 San Marcos Might Make Me Take In More Kids?
Boy just let me know that that apartment he was fixing to move into in a couple weeks rejected them. Turns out, they make too much money as a group. For some stupid reason, even though the city exists primarily because it is a university city, it has a policy that apartments can only be rented as low income housing, or something like that. The exceptions for the bigger student apartments are that they rent by the bedroom, so each kid is responsible for a bedroom and they might share a kitchen and living room. Boy said this was cost prohibitive, as each kid is then responsible for the cost of a 1 bedroom apartment, or about $600 per head.
At this point, Boy can stay here, and save the money his grandparent's are sending him, for spring tuition and or other incidentals. Wife has been pushing his roommates to take the guest room we have upstairs. At first, I was hesitant because I don't want the house full of loitering kids, but if I already have the other kid living in the room downstairs, might as well make as much money from them right now. Wife isn't here most of the time, so it could almost feel like their apartment. I work all week, and I just end up hanging around my house for a couple hours in the afternoon, like from three to five.
If this does workout, I am going to be looking at a good chunk of change, in the twelve hundred dollar range, which will add up pronto to buy me some Seadoos or Yamaha PWC. Wife gave me a good idea to go and test drive these and the Hobie kayak that I was bitching about before the PWC became the most important things I ever need to own. I recall the guy at the place where they sell the Hobie kayaks that they do rent them out for the day. I am fixing to have every other Thursday off, so I can get up around noon and go mess around some lake for a couple hours, even if I don't end up buying, I could rent them regularly, I'll find out if I'm a kayak kind of dude. I've seen that there are places to rent a PWC out on the lake here and there, and Craigslist will have offers from independent guys willing to rent out their units for a day or a half day. This could be a way to get out there and see if I really like running around on one.
Kind of sucks, but in my head, there was going to be a line of wenches waiting to entertain me, so I needed Boy to scram and get to his apartment, but here we are in the real world. The little Duffus couldn't even get his apartment business in order so he'll probably be here chaperoning my free minutes that I have. If that is the case, I might as well make some money off of his peeps. I was generous in the past and let his friends stay here for free and all I got from that was ugly stares and being uncomfortable in my own home. I think at least I have learned and if I will be prevented from sitting in my birthday suit down in the living room, at least the little shits will fund my other fantasies and give me the money to buy more toys.
At this point, Boy can stay here, and save the money his grandparent's are sending him, for spring tuition and or other incidentals. Wife has been pushing his roommates to take the guest room we have upstairs. At first, I was hesitant because I don't want the house full of loitering kids, but if I already have the other kid living in the room downstairs, might as well make as much money from them right now. Wife isn't here most of the time, so it could almost feel like their apartment. I work all week, and I just end up hanging around my house for a couple hours in the afternoon, like from three to five.
If this does workout, I am going to be looking at a good chunk of change, in the twelve hundred dollar range, which will add up pronto to buy me some Seadoos or Yamaha PWC. Wife gave me a good idea to go and test drive these and the Hobie kayak that I was bitching about before the PWC became the most important things I ever need to own. I recall the guy at the place where they sell the Hobie kayaks that they do rent them out for the day. I am fixing to have every other Thursday off, so I can get up around noon and go mess around some lake for a couple hours, even if I don't end up buying, I could rent them regularly, I'll find out if I'm a kayak kind of dude. I've seen that there are places to rent a PWC out on the lake here and there, and Craigslist will have offers from independent guys willing to rent out their units for a day or a half day. This could be a way to get out there and see if I really like running around on one.
Kind of sucks, but in my head, there was going to be a line of wenches waiting to entertain me, so I needed Boy to scram and get to his apartment, but here we are in the real world. The little Duffus couldn't even get his apartment business in order so he'll probably be here chaperoning my free minutes that I have. If that is the case, I might as well make some money off of his peeps. I was generous in the past and let his friends stay here for free and all I got from that was ugly stares and being uncomfortable in my own home. I think at least I have learned and if I will be prevented from sitting in my birthday suit down in the living room, at least the little shits will fund my other fantasies and give me the money to buy more toys.
Thursday, August 25, 2016
8/26/16 Working For The Weekend?
That song has never been more appropriate than now, thanks, Loverboy. It does feel like I am working for the weekend since during the week I am just counting down to when Wife and Chubs will return and planning to see how much we can do in the roughly forty three hours they are here.
Planning is key, can't spend the weekend arguing over cleaning the house, so just lower the head, shut up and do all the shitty chores, as they say in the movies "all I wanna see is elbows and assholes". But once the house is clean, run to the store and get anything that is needed so we don't waste time getting stupid crap. Today, I went out and got a new bottle of dish detergent, two new packages of Dial soap. Since Chubs is planning a sleepover with his buddies from last year, I got him some sodas and Cheetos. He also requested Doritos, so I will get those tomorrow when I go get him pizzas from Papa Murphy's. If all goes well, there will be no running around, just us relaxing while he entertains his buddies up in his room. The sleepover will eat up Friday night, which is fine, Wife and I can go to our bedroom early and she likes to sit and catch up on her DVR shows while I am up, usually writing the next day's blog. Then maybe a little hot dog assembly time for a few minutes with Wifey.
Saturday we'll get up after 1pm or so, depending on how late we were up the night before. This Saturday we have an appointment to talk to the solar vendor again, hopefully get Wife to buy in. Boy and I could not find flaws in going with it. We should be done by 3pm or so, then we might go hunting for a couple more shirts/shorts for Chubs. He has a specific dress code, and so far he only has 5 shirts and four shorts for school. I like a couple more pieces, just in case. I am sure we will visit the mall and check out Dillard's and stuff.
If we are lucky, Boy will have gotten us some tickets to catch a movie late Saturday night, which of course, will have us sleeping late again on Sunday morning. That is fine, we have been sneaking in a lunch and then my peeps are gone again for the week. Last week was Don Dario's with my folks for brunch. This week maybe Mod Pizza or Zaxby's for their chicken, it is so yummy.
Next weekend will be Labor Day weekend, so they will be here an extra day, which we are already talking about maybe going to Katy Mills Mall, it is right outside Houston and it is fun because it has the Bass Pro Shops attached to it. Plus it is only two hours away, perfect for a day trip. And then the Longhorns play their first game of the season against Notre Dame on Sunday. Weird but perfect for my needs.
Planning is key, can't spend the weekend arguing over cleaning the house, so just lower the head, shut up and do all the shitty chores, as they say in the movies "all I wanna see is elbows and assholes". But once the house is clean, run to the store and get anything that is needed so we don't waste time getting stupid crap. Today, I went out and got a new bottle of dish detergent, two new packages of Dial soap. Since Chubs is planning a sleepover with his buddies from last year, I got him some sodas and Cheetos. He also requested Doritos, so I will get those tomorrow when I go get him pizzas from Papa Murphy's. If all goes well, there will be no running around, just us relaxing while he entertains his buddies up in his room. The sleepover will eat up Friday night, which is fine, Wife and I can go to our bedroom early and she likes to sit and catch up on her DVR shows while I am up, usually writing the next day's blog. Then maybe a little hot dog assembly time for a few minutes with Wifey.
Saturday we'll get up after 1pm or so, depending on how late we were up the night before. This Saturday we have an appointment to talk to the solar vendor again, hopefully get Wife to buy in. Boy and I could not find flaws in going with it. We should be done by 3pm or so, then we might go hunting for a couple more shirts/shorts for Chubs. He has a specific dress code, and so far he only has 5 shirts and four shorts for school. I like a couple more pieces, just in case. I am sure we will visit the mall and check out Dillard's and stuff.
If we are lucky, Boy will have gotten us some tickets to catch a movie late Saturday night, which of course, will have us sleeping late again on Sunday morning. That is fine, we have been sneaking in a lunch and then my peeps are gone again for the week. Last week was Don Dario's with my folks for brunch. This week maybe Mod Pizza or Zaxby's for their chicken, it is so yummy.
Next weekend will be Labor Day weekend, so they will be here an extra day, which we are already talking about maybe going to Katy Mills Mall, it is right outside Houston and it is fun because it has the Bass Pro Shops attached to it. Plus it is only two hours away, perfect for a day trip. And then the Longhorns play their first game of the season against Notre Dame on Sunday. Weird but perfect for my needs.
8/25/16 A Haven For Misfit Toys?
I don't know if there is something designating us as the island for the unfortunate or what, but we seem to attract people in need of help. A couple days ago, another of Boy's friends said he needed to talk to me. I was on my way to work, but I never refuse these boys when they say they need to see me. It turns out he did something pretty stupid at home, the details still don't even make sense to me, but apparently he fired his gun at his grandma's residence which is where he was staying and because of that, he was charged with something where he can't go back there for some time. It was just a couple weeks ago he had come over to talk to us about going off to join the army, but this whole scenario might put the stop to that.
Since my brother left last week, we have two empty rooms and really, the whole house is empty right now, other than Boy but he starts school in a couple weeks. I told him he should've come over right away after he said he has been staying in hotels but he can't continue doing that since he had quit his job in anticipation of going off to basic training in a couple weeks. He said he was starting a job yesterday (Tuesday), so he would have money to pay rent. I told him if it's for a couple days not to worry about it, but if he decided he wanted/needed to stay longer, then he can pay rent. I said I feel weird with the rent, but I do charge my brother $600, so that is the going rate. He mentioned he was talking to his girlfriend who he had broken up with a few weeks ago, which I figure at some point he'll run off to be with her, but I opened my door to him, he has always been a good kid, which we have known since he was in 7th grade with Boy.
Over the years we have had a few people stay with us, one kid for a whole year while Boy was in high school. He started slowly coming over, then staying until we'd run him off, then he said his dad didn't want him, so I told him he could stay, I don't know if he was blowing smoke up my ass, but eventually he forgot he was a guest and turned rude and disrespectful, for all we were doing for him, so we told him to leave.
Girlie has stayed with us for a few weeks at a time over the last couple of years. I don't think that will happen anymore, as it appears she too has moved along, or gotten smarter about hanging around. Anyways, I love having the big house, as it affords me the luxury to help people, if I want to. Other people have said that they thought about asking but felt weird so they didn't. Don't feel weird, specially if you are a hot chick and have a bad habit of walking around half nekkid, of course I'll help. It's what good people do.
Since my brother left last week, we have two empty rooms and really, the whole house is empty right now, other than Boy but he starts school in a couple weeks. I told him he should've come over right away after he said he has been staying in hotels but he can't continue doing that since he had quit his job in anticipation of going off to basic training in a couple weeks. He said he was starting a job yesterday (Tuesday), so he would have money to pay rent. I told him if it's for a couple days not to worry about it, but if he decided he wanted/needed to stay longer, then he can pay rent. I said I feel weird with the rent, but I do charge my brother $600, so that is the going rate. He mentioned he was talking to his girlfriend who he had broken up with a few weeks ago, which I figure at some point he'll run off to be with her, but I opened my door to him, he has always been a good kid, which we have known since he was in 7th grade with Boy.
Over the years we have had a few people stay with us, one kid for a whole year while Boy was in high school. He started slowly coming over, then staying until we'd run him off, then he said his dad didn't want him, so I told him he could stay, I don't know if he was blowing smoke up my ass, but eventually he forgot he was a guest and turned rude and disrespectful, for all we were doing for him, so we told him to leave.
Girlie has stayed with us for a few weeks at a time over the last couple of years. I don't think that will happen anymore, as it appears she too has moved along, or gotten smarter about hanging around. Anyways, I love having the big house, as it affords me the luxury to help people, if I want to. Other people have said that they thought about asking but felt weird so they didn't. Don't feel weird, specially if you are a hot chick and have a bad habit of walking around half nekkid, of course I'll help. It's what good people do.
Wednesday, August 24, 2016
8/24/16 I Shall Make The Sun My Bitch?
It is time to put that fat yellow a-hole to work for us. Every summer it beats the crap out of us, makes us stay indoors, spend tons of money on electricity, causes skin cancer, and even makes getting in your car a pain in the ass. I am preparing to flip the script and put the sun to work for me. I shall call you my Bitch, and you will call me Daddi.
Last week we had a vendor from a solar power company come by. Honestly, I gave her the time of day because she was cute and looked half dead in the heat. I invited her in and gave her a tea from the fridge to cool off. It seems Austin is in the midst of offering new incentives for residential households to install solar power to their houses. She needed to see our kilowatt hour usage and more or less the size of the house. She then took the data to her engineers and came back a few days later with an analysis and plans to best serve our house.
The first plan covers 61% of our power needs and comes out costing us $204 for twelve years or $171 for twenty years. This number was chosen because that is equivalent to 10Kw of power and that is as much incentive as City of Austin is giving per household. There are then federal grants that add another +$10,000 in cost savings. The unit costs a total of $24,000.
We could also opt for 100% coverage of our light bill, but that would not all be covered by the City of Austin grant, thus we would pay more upfront and as a total. This would cost us $354 for twelve years or $299 for twenty years. Yes, as Wife says, this seems pricey, but you have to remember to remove the light part of the City of Austin bill. That is easily $220 in the no AC time of the year or as much as $424 in the middle of summer. This would not include any of the other parts of the city bill, such as water, wastewater, trash, and such, so we could still expect a $170-$200 bill from the city.
The idea that the meter could run in reverse excites me. I want to produce power that the city will then take and use and thus, the city will owe me. This is all dependent on Wife agreeing to sign up for the service. There is no down payment, we do not get charged for the system until it is installed and proved that it is working. It adds value if we decided to sell the house, and it has a 25 year warranty. I cannot think of any real negatives, unless the whole thing is a scam, but we had a different group of guys today and they started by saying Austin has new energy incentives to get more people on solar power which was how the chick started and they were an entirely different company, but guys get no love, I sent them walking, pronto.
Last week we had a vendor from a solar power company come by. Honestly, I gave her the time of day because she was cute and looked half dead in the heat. I invited her in and gave her a tea from the fridge to cool off. It seems Austin is in the midst of offering new incentives for residential households to install solar power to their houses. She needed to see our kilowatt hour usage and more or less the size of the house. She then took the data to her engineers and came back a few days later with an analysis and plans to best serve our house.
The first plan covers 61% of our power needs and comes out costing us $204 for twelve years or $171 for twenty years. This number was chosen because that is equivalent to 10Kw of power and that is as much incentive as City of Austin is giving per household. There are then federal grants that add another +$10,000 in cost savings. The unit costs a total of $24,000.
We could also opt for 100% coverage of our light bill, but that would not all be covered by the City of Austin grant, thus we would pay more upfront and as a total. This would cost us $354 for twelve years or $299 for twenty years. Yes, as Wife says, this seems pricey, but you have to remember to remove the light part of the City of Austin bill. That is easily $220 in the no AC time of the year or as much as $424 in the middle of summer. This would not include any of the other parts of the city bill, such as water, wastewater, trash, and such, so we could still expect a $170-$200 bill from the city.
The idea that the meter could run in reverse excites me. I want to produce power that the city will then take and use and thus, the city will owe me. This is all dependent on Wife agreeing to sign up for the service. There is no down payment, we do not get charged for the system until it is installed and proved that it is working. It adds value if we decided to sell the house, and it has a 25 year warranty. I cannot think of any real negatives, unless the whole thing is a scam, but we had a different group of guys today and they started by saying Austin has new energy incentives to get more people on solar power which was how the chick started and they were an entirely different company, but guys get no love, I sent them walking, pronto.
Tuesday, August 23, 2016
8/23/16 The Voices (Movie-Hulu)
I saw this movie last week and I was confused as to whether it was meant to be a dark comedy or just a bad serial killer movie. The main character is played by Ryan Reynolds, who has recently been outstanding as Deadpool, and even before I thought he did well as Green Lantern. Between the two movies he did a few others, including this bad comedy. There are elements of dark comedy, such as the fact that he is dressed in overly bright pink overalls for his job as a bathtub manufacturer. He talks to the animals around him and they talk back to him. But then, there are just bits where they forgot it was a comedy and they go a little dark, as in the flashback where he helped his mother die. Taking the 2nd girl to the house he grew up in lasted too long and was just creepy.
If I understood correctly, he killed his mom who was trying to kill herself with pills anyway, he was recently released and under the care of a psychiatrist who he talked with regularly. He has a crush on the office hottie, and she seems to like him, but she's kind of a flake and when he asks her out, she says yes, but blows him off to go do something else. Later that night, her car won't start, in a stroke of coincidence, it is raining hard and Ryan's character is passing by his workplace and sees her. Even though he has been at a restaurant waiting for her eating all night, she suggests they go eat at a greasy burger place, he cheers up and agrees. On their way, he hits a deer, and the deer is making a commotion stuck through the glass asking him to kill him. Ryan, because he knows what the deer needs, does as he tells him and sticks a knife thru its neck. Blood fills the cabin of the truck and the girl runs into the woods. Ryan's character chases after her yelling to calm down. Unfortunately, he has the knife in his hand and stabs her, accidentally. Instead of trying to save her, he keeps stabbing her until she dies.
When he gets back home, his cat calls him stupid and tells him he needs to hide the body. He goes back to get it, and in the next scene, he has like 20 or 30 Tupperware type containers all bloody, and her head in the fridge. From his point of view the apartment looks ok, like he cleaned up all the blood, but that is not so. Eventually, the head starts talking and joking with him, but she demands a friend because she is lonely in the fridge during the day, so "she" suggests he kill her friend. When she gets to his apartment, she sees all the blood everywhere and realizes what happened. He then has no choice but to kill her, it was a little gruesome. But the next scene shows the two heads getting along as friendly as ever. A third coworker goes over as she has figured out what is happening and the same thing happens to her.
By this point the guys at the office get involved, they go over look around and see the girl's cars and they know he had something to do with their disappearances. Instead of him collecting more bodies, they actually play it smart and call the cops. At this point he has confessed to his psychiatrist what he has done but he decides to take her hostage. The cops show up in time to save her, and he attempts to escape out a hole in the wall which leads to the building next door, might be an apartment over a bowling alley or something. He kicks a gas line open in the escape and eventually the cops make everything blow up. He is in and out of consciousness, until he finds himself dancing with his mom, dad, and the three girls he killed.
The dog and cat banter was funny, his fantasy sequence when he was getting up the nerve to ask the hottie was good, but the rest of the movie was kind of bad, he killed way too many people. I really wanted to like it, normally I like this small independent type movies.
If I understood correctly, he killed his mom who was trying to kill herself with pills anyway, he was recently released and under the care of a psychiatrist who he talked with regularly. He has a crush on the office hottie, and she seems to like him, but she's kind of a flake and when he asks her out, she says yes, but blows him off to go do something else. Later that night, her car won't start, in a stroke of coincidence, it is raining hard and Ryan's character is passing by his workplace and sees her. Even though he has been at a restaurant waiting for her eating all night, she suggests they go eat at a greasy burger place, he cheers up and agrees. On their way, he hits a deer, and the deer is making a commotion stuck through the glass asking him to kill him. Ryan, because he knows what the deer needs, does as he tells him and sticks a knife thru its neck. Blood fills the cabin of the truck and the girl runs into the woods. Ryan's character chases after her yelling to calm down. Unfortunately, he has the knife in his hand and stabs her, accidentally. Instead of trying to save her, he keeps stabbing her until she dies.
When he gets back home, his cat calls him stupid and tells him he needs to hide the body. He goes back to get it, and in the next scene, he has like 20 or 30 Tupperware type containers all bloody, and her head in the fridge. From his point of view the apartment looks ok, like he cleaned up all the blood, but that is not so. Eventually, the head starts talking and joking with him, but she demands a friend because she is lonely in the fridge during the day, so "she" suggests he kill her friend. When she gets to his apartment, she sees all the blood everywhere and realizes what happened. He then has no choice but to kill her, it was a little gruesome. But the next scene shows the two heads getting along as friendly as ever. A third coworker goes over as she has figured out what is happening and the same thing happens to her.
By this point the guys at the office get involved, they go over look around and see the girl's cars and they know he had something to do with their disappearances. Instead of him collecting more bodies, they actually play it smart and call the cops. At this point he has confessed to his psychiatrist what he has done but he decides to take her hostage. The cops show up in time to save her, and he attempts to escape out a hole in the wall which leads to the building next door, might be an apartment over a bowling alley or something. He kicks a gas line open in the escape and eventually the cops make everything blow up. He is in and out of consciousness, until he finds himself dancing with his mom, dad, and the three girls he killed.
The dog and cat banter was funny, his fantasy sequence when he was getting up the nerve to ask the hottie was good, but the rest of the movie was kind of bad, he killed way too many people. I really wanted to like it, normally I like this small independent type movies.
Monday, August 22, 2016
8/22/16 The Rest Of My Birthday?
I knew Chubs was being too cool about going to school somewhere else. Yesterday, he broke down a little bit while saying goodbye on their way back to my mom's house, he had the faintest tears. I asked what was going on, and he said he didn't want to leave, that he wanted to go to school here. A couple of his friends had called saying they were going to miss him at school. By the time he finished saying that, tears were in full stream, and I felt guilty. It was mostly over money that I agreed with Wife that she should take this job so far away. I didn't take into consideration the fact that he wouldn't just be able to continue on his path, and stay here with me.
Boy could almost watch him, but I didn't want to give him that responsibility, he is in college and I want him free to enjoy his youth. For Chub's sake, I hope Wife can land a similar job back here within a year. I can go without Wife during the week, because of my night shift, we don't really sleep together, except on the weekends, but I did enjoy picking up Chubs every day and eating with him to catch up with him and find out how his day was. Like they say, we should enjoy the little things, we never know when they may be taken away from us. I know I complained in the past that my Chubs talked too much sometimes, but I am going to miss out hearing him every day, it will be my loss to bear.
After they left, I took a nap, not having much of anything better to do. I awoke an hour later, about 6:05pm, and a few minutes later the house doorbell rang. It was the girl selling solar panels for the house. I heard her pitch, and I was ready to sign, but Wife is overly cautious. She left me the info which I will show to Wife next weekend, and hopefully, she will come around.
She left by 7:00pm, and I promptly ran to Home Depot. While my Mom was here, I was talking to Wife that I wanted her to buy me a table saw for my birthday, so I could have the tools to cut and prep the wood floors. I said I also needed a miter saw which would cost another $100 or so, and my Mom said she could buy me that, and gave me the money at Sears when I showed them the tools.
Wife ever the worry wart said I should wait on spending on the table saw, considering they just messed with my hours at work, and they might continue cutting my hours even more. I hate the idea, but realistically, it could happen, I hate being so slow.
The only fun thing was Boy finally came home, he put in a lot of extra hours Sunday, and he said he got us tickets to see Sausage Party at 10:50pm. It was another movie, like Deadpool, where they were suggesting not bringing your kid to watch it. It started out a little crude with the food simulating a little sex here and there, but the ending battle was followed by an orgy comparable to the best/worst I have seen in actual porn.
Boy could almost watch him, but I didn't want to give him that responsibility, he is in college and I want him free to enjoy his youth. For Chub's sake, I hope Wife can land a similar job back here within a year. I can go without Wife during the week, because of my night shift, we don't really sleep together, except on the weekends, but I did enjoy picking up Chubs every day and eating with him to catch up with him and find out how his day was. Like they say, we should enjoy the little things, we never know when they may be taken away from us. I know I complained in the past that my Chubs talked too much sometimes, but I am going to miss out hearing him every day, it will be my loss to bear.
After they left, I took a nap, not having much of anything better to do. I awoke an hour later, about 6:05pm, and a few minutes later the house doorbell rang. It was the girl selling solar panels for the house. I heard her pitch, and I was ready to sign, but Wife is overly cautious. She left me the info which I will show to Wife next weekend, and hopefully, she will come around.
She left by 7:00pm, and I promptly ran to Home Depot. While my Mom was here, I was talking to Wife that I wanted her to buy me a table saw for my birthday, so I could have the tools to cut and prep the wood floors. I said I also needed a miter saw which would cost another $100 or so, and my Mom said she could buy me that, and gave me the money at Sears when I showed them the tools.
Wife ever the worry wart said I should wait on spending on the table saw, considering they just messed with my hours at work, and they might continue cutting my hours even more. I hate the idea, but realistically, it could happen, I hate being so slow.
The only fun thing was Boy finally came home, he put in a lot of extra hours Sunday, and he said he got us tickets to see Sausage Party at 10:50pm. It was another movie, like Deadpool, where they were suggesting not bringing your kid to watch it. It started out a little crude with the food simulating a little sex here and there, but the ending battle was followed by an orgy comparable to the best/worst I have seen in actual porn.
Sunday, August 21, 2016
8/21/16 My Birthday Weekend?
Today is my birthday, hip hip hazzah! My folks came up with my brother to help celebrate the special occasion. I am at a point in life where a birthday is just a point of reflection, not really a cause to celebrate and rock out.
Friday night, I decided I wanted to grill some meat so we wouldn't have to leave the house. Wife had to run back to Crystal City from La Pryor to pick up Chubs. My Mom had said they would be traveling possibly together with Wife or following right behind. But alas, I know my mother and I knew they wouldn't be packed and might even need to run a load in the washing machine. Wife got here right before 8pm and my folks were here an hour later. Boy had his crew here, we all ate about 9:30pm.
Saturday, Wife and I had to move fast in the morning. We had a timeshare which we decided we were not going to pay anymore after the second Spring Break of having trouble getting a condo to stay in. Once we stopped paying, the calls started and got more and more aggressive. I just do not answer my phone anymore. Anyway, last Saturday, we got a letter in the mail saying if we responded within 7 business days, we would be removed of any financial obligation. This is the kind of letter you don't ignore. The only problem is that it required a notary and Wife is three hours away. For anyone needing the service of a notary, UPS stores, such as the one on Slaughter Lane and Manchaca, have a notary working there daily, while they are open.
We then ran home, knowing our letter was in the mail and will be delivered by Monday afternoon, 1 day early. We ran up to North Austin to pick up blankets that Wife hands out to needy kids. We then headed back south to Teacher Heaven, my Mom wanted to shop for decorations for her room. Instead of an office, she has been given a classroom, so she has considerably a lot more space to fill and decorate. Boy then called that he was home, so we had to go pick him up, just as it started to rain and hard. By the time we got home, we had lost power to the house. Seemed appropriate, as I was about out of power myself, I came and laid down, Wife followed, Boy fell asleep, even my Mom napped. The power was out for about an hour. I got up to pee and all of a sudden, Chubs yelled, indicating the power was back on.
We then headed to the mall. Chubs got a haircut and a shirt at Buckle, Boy got a couple pants at Buckle and I hemmed and hawed about getting a table saw for my birthday. Wife talked me out of it, because that is what she does. We then drove home to pick up my brother, my Dad is still alive, but refuses to leave the house for dinner once the sun sets. We ate at Longhorn Steakhouse because it is the closest thing to the house that qualifies as a nice dinner. Happy Birthday to me.
Friday night, I decided I wanted to grill some meat so we wouldn't have to leave the house. Wife had to run back to Crystal City from La Pryor to pick up Chubs. My Mom had said they would be traveling possibly together with Wife or following right behind. But alas, I know my mother and I knew they wouldn't be packed and might even need to run a load in the washing machine. Wife got here right before 8pm and my folks were here an hour later. Boy had his crew here, we all ate about 9:30pm.
Saturday, Wife and I had to move fast in the morning. We had a timeshare which we decided we were not going to pay anymore after the second Spring Break of having trouble getting a condo to stay in. Once we stopped paying, the calls started and got more and more aggressive. I just do not answer my phone anymore. Anyway, last Saturday, we got a letter in the mail saying if we responded within 7 business days, we would be removed of any financial obligation. This is the kind of letter you don't ignore. The only problem is that it required a notary and Wife is three hours away. For anyone needing the service of a notary, UPS stores, such as the one on Slaughter Lane and Manchaca, have a notary working there daily, while they are open.
We then ran home, knowing our letter was in the mail and will be delivered by Monday afternoon, 1 day early. We ran up to North Austin to pick up blankets that Wife hands out to needy kids. We then headed back south to Teacher Heaven, my Mom wanted to shop for decorations for her room. Instead of an office, she has been given a classroom, so she has considerably a lot more space to fill and decorate. Boy then called that he was home, so we had to go pick him up, just as it started to rain and hard. By the time we got home, we had lost power to the house. Seemed appropriate, as I was about out of power myself, I came and laid down, Wife followed, Boy fell asleep, even my Mom napped. The power was out for about an hour. I got up to pee and all of a sudden, Chubs yelled, indicating the power was back on.
We then headed to the mall. Chubs got a haircut and a shirt at Buckle, Boy got a couple pants at Buckle and I hemmed and hawed about getting a table saw for my birthday. Wife talked me out of it, because that is what she does. We then drove home to pick up my brother, my Dad is still alive, but refuses to leave the house for dinner once the sun sets. We ate at Longhorn Steakhouse because it is the closest thing to the house that qualifies as a nice dinner. Happy Birthday to me.
Saturday, August 20, 2016
8/20/16 Idiots Still Mess With Texas?
We have had the slogan "Don't Mess With Texas" since 1986, and I am still amazed to see the smaller brain versions of humans throwing stuff out their windows, like the world is their trash can. What goes on in these people's heads that makes it ok to just lower the window and poof trash fairy made my ugly stuff disappear. No, Asshole, you just dumped it out for all of us behind you to run over it and spread it out even more.
It is similar as when I tell Boy to scan the yard for trash before he begins to cut the grass. "Nah, I'll do it my way." Instead of picking up a piece of paper, he runs over it and turns it into fluff that can't really be picked up, he just leaves a white patch of shit against the backdrop of green or yellow green if it is really hot.
Sometimes I'll see stuff fly out the back of a truck. On the one hand, they didn't just fling it into the street, but on the other hand, you should notice when things fly out the back and if so, get a container for trash, that wouldn't be hard to do. A few straps to a bucket with a snap on lid or a screw on lid to make sure it is staying on.
The worst of the people that throw stuff out their windows is the cigarette smoker. How come this animal has not learned that those patches of burned grass next to the road we see everywhere are caused by you and your fellow brethren? You see them all the time and you can even tell when they are going to do it. They'll suck and puff at the light, and right before they merge onto harder driving, like before the ramp to I-35, flick! You can see them do that double suck, and then arm extension and gone. I fucking hate that. I've seen them flick the cigarette at a light, then the butt dances around on the ground, seeing if there is anything flammable. I always think the patches of oil are going to light up, and catch on fire.
Right as we leave work, there is a burned area between the frontage and Highway 71. I hate to think that one of our own would do that, but knuckleheads exist everywhere. It has taken about a month and a half, but at least the grass is growing back, all this rain is helping.
Too bad we can't have the scenery we get to the east of Texas, with all the trees. I am guessing it has to do with the amount of rain we get here. Things get even rougher as you go west. Over there it is nothing but rocks and desert. Last thing we need is your trash dirtying up the place, so keep your stuff in your car, I'll keep my papers and wrappers in my truck until I clean my truck, and hopefully our state can look pretty once again.
It is similar as when I tell Boy to scan the yard for trash before he begins to cut the grass. "Nah, I'll do it my way." Instead of picking up a piece of paper, he runs over it and turns it into fluff that can't really be picked up, he just leaves a white patch of shit against the backdrop of green or yellow green if it is really hot.
Sometimes I'll see stuff fly out the back of a truck. On the one hand, they didn't just fling it into the street, but on the other hand, you should notice when things fly out the back and if so, get a container for trash, that wouldn't be hard to do. A few straps to a bucket with a snap on lid or a screw on lid to make sure it is staying on.
The worst of the people that throw stuff out their windows is the cigarette smoker. How come this animal has not learned that those patches of burned grass next to the road we see everywhere are caused by you and your fellow brethren? You see them all the time and you can even tell when they are going to do it. They'll suck and puff at the light, and right before they merge onto harder driving, like before the ramp to I-35, flick! You can see them do that double suck, and then arm extension and gone. I fucking hate that. I've seen them flick the cigarette at a light, then the butt dances around on the ground, seeing if there is anything flammable. I always think the patches of oil are going to light up, and catch on fire.
Right as we leave work, there is a burned area between the frontage and Highway 71. I hate to think that one of our own would do that, but knuckleheads exist everywhere. It has taken about a month and a half, but at least the grass is growing back, all this rain is helping.
Too bad we can't have the scenery we get to the east of Texas, with all the trees. I am guessing it has to do with the amount of rain we get here. Things get even rougher as you go west. Over there it is nothing but rocks and desert. Last thing we need is your trash dirtying up the place, so keep your stuff in your car, I'll keep my papers and wrappers in my truck until I clean my truck, and hopefully our state can look pretty once again.
Friday, August 19, 2016
8/19/16 Rattling The Pans?
Slowly but surely, I am becoming a full human. I have even been using the stovetop and cooking a few things here and there. I can't live on grilled cheese sandwiches, but they are delicious and so, I am making those regularly. Yesterday, I found SPAM single serving sizes at Target, so I bought a few just to check it out later. I was going to take Boy with me to eat today, even had a coupon for Jersey Mike's, two regular subs, two drinks, and two chips for $14.99, but he had a friend over and he wasn't interested. Chubs was always interested in lunch. Just saying.
I decided to try my SPAM singles. Put a skillet on medium heat, cut the 2 SPAM singles and slapped a slice of provolone cheese over the top once I had turned them over a couple times. Set up some toast, and I had a new tub of Pringles. I might just convince myself I am eating better than before. I just realized this is the sad scenario that happens to men when they divorce, all of a sudden they are taking care of themselves and eating shitty quick fix foods. At least mine is not because I have been cast aside, it's because I am greedy and wanted Wife making more money.
I have never been the cooking kind. I remember back in my UT days, my roommate liked cooking, he would make normal meals and I would wash the dishes and what not. If he wasn't around and I was fending for myself, I would very readily eat a can of tuna with a little mayo, or resort to cereals, I still rely on cereals a lot. I have Chocolate Chex and Apple Jacks for variety right now. Between this and the occasional stop at Whataburger, I will be fine. I turned off into Whataburger tonight, but there were ten cars in the drive thru, I looked at Jack In The Box and the same thing. I ended up driving through Southpark Meadows and just coming home.
I may not do well inside cooking, but I think I do very well on the grill outside. I am supposed to grill up some meat for tonight. My folks are coming up, along with Wife and Chubs. I figure I'll get the usual mix of meat: some fajitas, a little pork, some chicken wings, sausage, corn on the cob, and a couple potatoes or potato salad. I love the crispy parts, they don't even make it inside, I will just rip pieces off and eat them right off the grill. Is there a better smell in the world than the smell of meat cooking on the grill? I'm not asking you silly vegetarians who do not appreciate a good steak, I am asking my peeps here that enjoy real food, not food that food eats.
I decided to try my SPAM singles. Put a skillet on medium heat, cut the 2 SPAM singles and slapped a slice of provolone cheese over the top once I had turned them over a couple times. Set up some toast, and I had a new tub of Pringles. I might just convince myself I am eating better than before. I just realized this is the sad scenario that happens to men when they divorce, all of a sudden they are taking care of themselves and eating shitty quick fix foods. At least mine is not because I have been cast aside, it's because I am greedy and wanted Wife making more money.
I have never been the cooking kind. I remember back in my UT days, my roommate liked cooking, he would make normal meals and I would wash the dishes and what not. If he wasn't around and I was fending for myself, I would very readily eat a can of tuna with a little mayo, or resort to cereals, I still rely on cereals a lot. I have Chocolate Chex and Apple Jacks for variety right now. Between this and the occasional stop at Whataburger, I will be fine. I turned off into Whataburger tonight, but there were ten cars in the drive thru, I looked at Jack In The Box and the same thing. I ended up driving through Southpark Meadows and just coming home.
I may not do well inside cooking, but I think I do very well on the grill outside. I am supposed to grill up some meat for tonight. My folks are coming up, along with Wife and Chubs. I figure I'll get the usual mix of meat: some fajitas, a little pork, some chicken wings, sausage, corn on the cob, and a couple potatoes or potato salad. I love the crispy parts, they don't even make it inside, I will just rip pieces off and eat them right off the grill. Is there a better smell in the world than the smell of meat cooking on the grill? I'm not asking you silly vegetarians who do not appreciate a good steak, I am asking my peeps here that enjoy real food, not food that food eats.
Thursday, August 18, 2016
8/18/16 Eating Out Alone For The First Time?
I hate eating in public alone, I avoid it at all costs, but I couldn't today. Well, maybe I could, but Pizza Hut got the better of me. I took inventory in our kitchen and we were down to one more serving of cereal, a squirt of milk, 2 or 3 slices of ham, maybe 4 good slices of bread, and down to just diet Pepsi.
I love those single serving pizzas at Target, and the breadsticks are great, if they are fresh, luckily, they were. I sat there waiting for my pizza and I could overhear the DumDum having a conversation on the table next to me. It appeared she was more waiting for a ride than eating there, but there she was, sitting in my favorite table, ruining my day. I sat on another shitty table, I like the one in the corner because no one sits behind you and you have a view outside. Her conversation was funny because the "boyfriend" obviously doesn't give a shit about her, but she is going along with his crap. She wanted him to come pick him up, he was too busy playing video games. That is a sign future Brainiacs, if the guy prefers to play video games to coming to your rescue, that is a manchild, you should dispose of him properly and find someone better. I got my pizza and she kept coming at him, but nope, he must have been in a serious tournament with his buddies, good for him.
I almost offered her a ride, but I needed to shop and I have learned that no good deed goes unpunished. Helping people, as I have always done, doesn't make me feel better, it makes me see how helpless some people are, always. People in distress are always the same, so nah, I enjoyed my pizza and went on my shopping.
I figured I should text Boy, see if he needed anything in particular, he said sandwich material and sodas. This pissed me off because I had just decided to get Teas, they were buy 2 twelve packs, get one free. The sodas were buy 4 twelve packs for $12. I now had a basket that weighed over 100 pounds and nobody to help get the stuff off the car when I got home. Everything but the drinks fit in 1 big HEB paper bag, which helped a little. It still took me three or four trips to get everything off at the house.
Eating alone was not so bad, I had entertainment from that Twit, I wondered a bit about the bum who was sitting there charging way too many things on a wall outlet, so confidant he even left for a bit, with a laptop and other stuff just left on a table charging. He had the bum greasy look to him, maybe he wasn't. I should be good until the weekend, maybe I'll need to run to the store Sunday night.
I love those single serving pizzas at Target, and the breadsticks are great, if they are fresh, luckily, they were. I sat there waiting for my pizza and I could overhear the DumDum having a conversation on the table next to me. It appeared she was more waiting for a ride than eating there, but there she was, sitting in my favorite table, ruining my day. I sat on another shitty table, I like the one in the corner because no one sits behind you and you have a view outside. Her conversation was funny because the "boyfriend" obviously doesn't give a shit about her, but she is going along with his crap. She wanted him to come pick him up, he was too busy playing video games. That is a sign future Brainiacs, if the guy prefers to play video games to coming to your rescue, that is a manchild, you should dispose of him properly and find someone better. I got my pizza and she kept coming at him, but nope, he must have been in a serious tournament with his buddies, good for him.
I almost offered her a ride, but I needed to shop and I have learned that no good deed goes unpunished. Helping people, as I have always done, doesn't make me feel better, it makes me see how helpless some people are, always. People in distress are always the same, so nah, I enjoyed my pizza and went on my shopping.
I figured I should text Boy, see if he needed anything in particular, he said sandwich material and sodas. This pissed me off because I had just decided to get Teas, they were buy 2 twelve packs, get one free. The sodas were buy 4 twelve packs for $12. I now had a basket that weighed over 100 pounds and nobody to help get the stuff off the car when I got home. Everything but the drinks fit in 1 big HEB paper bag, which helped a little. It still took me three or four trips to get everything off at the house.
Eating alone was not so bad, I had entertainment from that Twit, I wondered a bit about the bum who was sitting there charging way too many things on a wall outlet, so confidant he even left for a bit, with a laptop and other stuff just left on a table charging. He had the bum greasy look to him, maybe he wasn't. I should be good until the weekend, maybe I'll need to run to the store Sunday night.
Wednesday, August 17, 2016
8/17/16 Little Houses On HGTV?
I love the idea of buying a little house, perhaps even for our land by Canyon Lake, but I hate the idea of being stuck in that small a space, even with just Wife for longer than a weekend at a time. I love how they add a loft to keep square footage down, but I would hate having to climb a clunky ladder to get to bed. A lot of these also seem to have "non flushing" toilets, which makes me think of taking a human dump on cat litter, it is still going to smell, specially if house is tiny.
Who decided we were done with the American way of "larger is better"? Fucking advertisers, all of a sudden, they get an idea crawling up their ass, and we must eat it like it tastes like sunshine and rainbows. I don't know anyone like the people on TV on those shows. "We want to downsize so we can experience life more. Great! These people all seem to have a friend with acreage who doesn't mind their freeloader friend setting up camp for free, I don't buy it. The only time people downsize is when they ain't getting it done. Dope husband can't hold a job because he drinks too much, or somebody got laid off. I fully realize it could happen to us, but I don't think I would totally flip and say "OK, now I will live in 150sq ft., 4000 was too much. Come on, you go back to a reasonable 1100 sq. ft. or so. Perhaps you move into a mobile home, those things new are still in the $40,000. That has to be better than what these tiny houses offer.
We actually did look at some of the larger tiny houses, the 1 bedroom cabins on wheels in the 400 sq. ft. size. They were between $38,000 and $48,000, depending on the options. I've been thinking for our land, the boys would have the loft upstairs, there is a bedroom with a queen size bed, a full kitchen and a small-ish living area. I think it would make a cute weekend retreat, but I couldn't sell everything and move in full time. We haven't done it because these mobile homes are not that mobile. They have wheels, but I can't just tow it with my truck, although the wheels save you from increasing taxes on the land, since it is not considered a permanent improvement on the land. We would also have to invest in a septic system, invest in bringing in the electricity from the back of the property, and hook up the city water. This is just another thought that circles around in my head of things to do. I hesitate to improve this land because I want waterfront, and at best this is waterfront adjacent, if I at least had a look of the lake, I might settle, but I need to improve the location of my vacation cabin before I go building.
Who decided we were done with the American way of "larger is better"? Fucking advertisers, all of a sudden, they get an idea crawling up their ass, and we must eat it like it tastes like sunshine and rainbows. I don't know anyone like the people on TV on those shows. "We want to downsize so we can experience life more. Great! These people all seem to have a friend with acreage who doesn't mind their freeloader friend setting up camp for free, I don't buy it. The only time people downsize is when they ain't getting it done. Dope husband can't hold a job because he drinks too much, or somebody got laid off. I fully realize it could happen to us, but I don't think I would totally flip and say "OK, now I will live in 150sq ft., 4000 was too much. Come on, you go back to a reasonable 1100 sq. ft. or so. Perhaps you move into a mobile home, those things new are still in the $40,000. That has to be better than what these tiny houses offer.
We actually did look at some of the larger tiny houses, the 1 bedroom cabins on wheels in the 400 sq. ft. size. They were between $38,000 and $48,000, depending on the options. I've been thinking for our land, the boys would have the loft upstairs, there is a bedroom with a queen size bed, a full kitchen and a small-ish living area. I think it would make a cute weekend retreat, but I couldn't sell everything and move in full time. We haven't done it because these mobile homes are not that mobile. They have wheels, but I can't just tow it with my truck, although the wheels save you from increasing taxes on the land, since it is not considered a permanent improvement on the land. We would also have to invest in a septic system, invest in bringing in the electricity from the back of the property, and hook up the city water. This is just another thought that circles around in my head of things to do. I hesitate to improve this land because I want waterfront, and at best this is waterfront adjacent, if I at least had a look of the lake, I might settle, but I need to improve the location of my vacation cabin before I go building.
Tuesday, August 16, 2016
8/16/16 Showing Self Control, Who Knew I Could?
With all this of Wife leaving to greater pastures, I am left with nary a thing to do. I don't have loads of free time, but I do like to feel like I accomplish small tasks which in the big picture add up to bigger things. So one thing we both agree on is that our carpet has seen better days. I would like to solve the problem by installing wood flooring. Yes, this is going to be a little expensive but not impossible. Wife, of course wants the cheapest variation, which means laying down plywood spray painted to look like wood, or that is what laminate flooring sounds to me. I want real hardwoods from trees taken out of the amazon rain forest, with names I can barely pronounce, not plastic imitators you order on Amazon.
I went scouting without Wife last week on Friday and found a beautiful wood at Lumber Liquidators, Acacia wood amongst the Bellawood products, the big name there for solid hardwoods. These are generally the priciest per square foot, going up to $10 or more. The Acacia was $5.59 and Bellawood was having a 15% sale, so it is down to $4.75. Pricey, but you get what you pay for. This manufacturer has a 100 year warranty, fully transferrable. Wife was more concerned about the cost. I am willing to do one small room at a time, so the cost doesn't overwhelm us. She said we needed to compare prices, so off to Lowe's we went. They have a laminate look alike of the acacia wood at $2.99, but I worry on the floor it'll look a little plastic-y. They also had an engineered wood that says it is acacia, but it is already at $3.99. I say just buy the pricier one, it'll have the longer warranty, and I will have peace of mind.
Just as I am building my empire piece by piece like Jenga, in come my jerks sliding on their knees knocking me and my wants to the dark corners of the room. Boy needs help with his tuition and books. Grandma said she would help him out with $1000, so yeaih Mom!!, we only need to buy a couple hundred worth of books. Chubs is starting band and he wants to be like Daddy. He wants to learn the saxophone. We went and priced some saxophones and DAMMMMM!!! Strait Music has a beginner sax at $2195, we can make payments of $65 a month. The other place had a few more varieties, but they were going for $2400. Shit, I went in there thinking I wanted two, a beginner and something a little nicer, for me. The price made me come back to earth and quick. So, I guess we are taking the flooring projects and waiting. I hate not having something to obsess over.
Oh well, last night I managed to clean Chub's room since he was gone. He had meet the teachers this week, and he needs all the introducing he can muster. Poor guy has to start in an entirely new city where he basically knows nobody. Good thing he is like his mother and he likes talking to anybody. He will make new friends in no time.
I went scouting without Wife last week on Friday and found a beautiful wood at Lumber Liquidators, Acacia wood amongst the Bellawood products, the big name there for solid hardwoods. These are generally the priciest per square foot, going up to $10 or more. The Acacia was $5.59 and Bellawood was having a 15% sale, so it is down to $4.75. Pricey, but you get what you pay for. This manufacturer has a 100 year warranty, fully transferrable. Wife was more concerned about the cost. I am willing to do one small room at a time, so the cost doesn't overwhelm us. She said we needed to compare prices, so off to Lowe's we went. They have a laminate look alike of the acacia wood at $2.99, but I worry on the floor it'll look a little plastic-y. They also had an engineered wood that says it is acacia, but it is already at $3.99. I say just buy the pricier one, it'll have the longer warranty, and I will have peace of mind.
Just as I am building my empire piece by piece like Jenga, in come my jerks sliding on their knees knocking me and my wants to the dark corners of the room. Boy needs help with his tuition and books. Grandma said she would help him out with $1000, so yeaih Mom!!, we only need to buy a couple hundred worth of books. Chubs is starting band and he wants to be like Daddy. He wants to learn the saxophone. We went and priced some saxophones and DAMMMMM!!! Strait Music has a beginner sax at $2195, we can make payments of $65 a month. The other place had a few more varieties, but they were going for $2400. Shit, I went in there thinking I wanted two, a beginner and something a little nicer, for me. The price made me come back to earth and quick. So, I guess we are taking the flooring projects and waiting. I hate not having something to obsess over.
Oh well, last night I managed to clean Chub's room since he was gone. He had meet the teachers this week, and he needs all the introducing he can muster. Poor guy has to start in an entirely new city where he basically knows nobody. Good thing he is like his mother and he likes talking to anybody. He will make new friends in no time.
Monday, August 15, 2016
8/15/16 Suicide Squad, Good Summer Fun?
We went and saw Suicide Squad Friday night. We decided to take a chance and do some tight rope timing. Wife takes about three hours to get here from her job. Friday, Boy got us tickets to watch the movie, and we had a choice for 8:10pm or 11:30pm. It worked out perfectly, Wife gassed up the car during lunch, went potty at 4:00 and was driving out of the parking lot at 4:37pm. We couldn't do anything but wait, so in the meantime, we vacuumed, took out the trash from all the bathrooms, and kitchen, swept and cleaned the kitchen counters, and lit some candles. Wife showed up perfectly at 7:30pm. She just had enough time to go potty once again and then we were off to the movies.
Suicide Squad is a weird take on super heroes. The question is asked what would we do if Superman (in a world where Superman exists) decided he was going to kidnap the president? One of the government's finest decides we can "sick" a bunch of "bad guys" with powers and abilities on a given situation. They are all fitted with a pill sized grenade in their necks to keep them under control and unfortunately for the indian who attempts to run off, it is shown how it works and his head is blown off.
The Squad is almost immediately led by the Will Smith character, Deadshot. He is very simply, a shooter that never misses with a gun. The glue of the team and "Oh My Goodness!!!" what a looker, Margot Robbie, as Harley Quinn, she dials up the sex tart all the way past dangerous. She is as they say, a hot mess with her platinum blond hair, her make-up is red on one side, blue on the other, hot go-go shorts, and even the sexy shirt reads "Daddy's Little Slugger, and carries the image home since she carries a bat to fight with. There is a Mexican with the ability to control fire, a lizard looking man who can breath under water, an Australian thief, who is pretty good with a knife and boomerang, and a witch who causes all the trouble in the first place.
The witch is being controlled because they have her heart in a separate box, but the witch devises a plan, the government lady who plans all this has the heart and for no reason given to us, another "voodoo doll". This other doll has her brother and he comes out and becomes a major pain in the ass to contain.
For their first mission, the team has to go in and neutralize the witch and her brother, these two consider themselves gods and they have plans to take over the world. While all this is going on, the Joker is running in and out causing his own set of problems, as Harley Quinn is the love of his life, and he wants her back at any cost. Batman is also in and out, but not the hero this time, although they did show him capturing Deadshot and Harley Quinn.
This is DC Comic's response to the Marvel Franchise which has shown that putting a bunch of super heroes together can be a good thing. Batman Vs. Superman was a stupid idea because we love both those guys and they have always been our heroes, this was a better effort on their part. We have heard Aquaman is coming next year, along with the Flash, and Wonder Woman. These could all be interesting, if done well.
Suicide Squad is a weird take on super heroes. The question is asked what would we do if Superman (in a world where Superman exists) decided he was going to kidnap the president? One of the government's finest decides we can "sick" a bunch of "bad guys" with powers and abilities on a given situation. They are all fitted with a pill sized grenade in their necks to keep them under control and unfortunately for the indian who attempts to run off, it is shown how it works and his head is blown off.
The Squad is almost immediately led by the Will Smith character, Deadshot. He is very simply, a shooter that never misses with a gun. The glue of the team and "Oh My Goodness!!!" what a looker, Margot Robbie, as Harley Quinn, she dials up the sex tart all the way past dangerous. She is as they say, a hot mess with her platinum blond hair, her make-up is red on one side, blue on the other, hot go-go shorts, and even the sexy shirt reads "Daddy's Little Slugger, and carries the image home since she carries a bat to fight with. There is a Mexican with the ability to control fire, a lizard looking man who can breath under water, an Australian thief, who is pretty good with a knife and boomerang, and a witch who causes all the trouble in the first place.
The witch is being controlled because they have her heart in a separate box, but the witch devises a plan, the government lady who plans all this has the heart and for no reason given to us, another "voodoo doll". This other doll has her brother and he comes out and becomes a major pain in the ass to contain.
For their first mission, the team has to go in and neutralize the witch and her brother, these two consider themselves gods and they have plans to take over the world. While all this is going on, the Joker is running in and out causing his own set of problems, as Harley Quinn is the love of his life, and he wants her back at any cost. Batman is also in and out, but not the hero this time, although they did show him capturing Deadshot and Harley Quinn.
This is DC Comic's response to the Marvel Franchise which has shown that putting a bunch of super heroes together can be a good thing. Batman Vs. Superman was a stupid idea because we love both those guys and they have always been our heroes, this was a better effort on their part. We have heard Aquaman is coming next year, along with the Flash, and Wonder Woman. These could all be interesting, if done well.
Saturday, August 13, 2016
8/14/16 I Wanted It All, Suck It Up?
I wanted it all, this is what I get. First, I wanted a pool we don't use that is forever turning green, gotta go out there and clean it or risk my freaking neighbor reporting me yet again to the city inspectors. I wanted the big yard, guess I'll have to cut it now, keep it in tip top shape or the Home Owner's Association will send me a letter, and the shitty neighbor will report me to the city. I wanted a hot tub, I need to get out and clean it before I start home-growing my own Zyka carriers, and the shitty neighbor reports me to the city. I wanted a fancy new truck, shoot, I don't change the oil until it tells me to do so, and yesterday it started telling me to do so NOW!!! Every time you turn it on after the truck decides it's time, it lets you know, like a soggy diaper spilling out its side, the screen is all lit black and yellow with its warning sign. I'm sure if my neighbor noticed it, she would figure a number to call and report me.
Now that Wife is gone, I notice we have a big house and not just to show off. I am always chasing those jackals on summer break to pick up after themselves, and boy howdy, is there a lot of carpet to vacuum. Why are there always dishes in the sink? I have my plastic cup from Wendy's, where I ate this afternoon here in my hand, yet I see seven new glasses and four plates, and a bowl of half eaten cereals. I am at work twelve and a half hours and then I sleep six hours, I need more than five or six hours a day just to keep up with my jerks who still aren't sure how a broom works, or why the trash needs to go outside.
Still, I told Wife I would do a better job than her at keeping this house under control. I didn't realize my enemies would be the ones I love the most. Oh well, today (Thursday night) I only work four hours, which means I have an extra eight hours to catch up. This is what I get for being cute and draining the hot tub this morning after it started turning green and then running to give the truck an oil change, which seemed like the only way to turn off its crying display of "oil end of life, service soon." I told Boy to start a load in the wash, I am sure I will have a few loads to fold and put away, as well as vacuum the downstairs which Chubs might get as an assignment, if he wants to stay up all night.
I just have to turn the enemy against itself without them realizing they are cleaning after themselves, that is how one reaches nirvana. Teach the dirt to cleanse itself, teach the trash to dispose of itself, teach the clothes, to fold themselves. Or yell like a maniac until they realize they will help.
Now that Wife is gone, I notice we have a big house and not just to show off. I am always chasing those jackals on summer break to pick up after themselves, and boy howdy, is there a lot of carpet to vacuum. Why are there always dishes in the sink? I have my plastic cup from Wendy's, where I ate this afternoon here in my hand, yet I see seven new glasses and four plates, and a bowl of half eaten cereals. I am at work twelve and a half hours and then I sleep six hours, I need more than five or six hours a day just to keep up with my jerks who still aren't sure how a broom works, or why the trash needs to go outside.
Still, I told Wife I would do a better job than her at keeping this house under control. I didn't realize my enemies would be the ones I love the most. Oh well, today (Thursday night) I only work four hours, which means I have an extra eight hours to catch up. This is what I get for being cute and draining the hot tub this morning after it started turning green and then running to give the truck an oil change, which seemed like the only way to turn off its crying display of "oil end of life, service soon." I told Boy to start a load in the wash, I am sure I will have a few loads to fold and put away, as well as vacuum the downstairs which Chubs might get as an assignment, if he wants to stay up all night.
I just have to turn the enemy against itself without them realizing they are cleaning after themselves, that is how one reaches nirvana. Teach the dirt to cleanse itself, teach the trash to dispose of itself, teach the clothes, to fold themselves. Or yell like a maniac until they realize they will help.
Friday, August 12, 2016
8/13/16 Bums Aren't Holy Beacons?
I used to care about people and hoped everyone would and could pursue a path to success. That is some naïve thinking. First of all, most people are freaking lazy, stupid, manipulative, and looking for the easy way out. Fuck that, or good luck with that philosophy. I still believe those with the most toys in the end win. I know I can't take it with me, but goddam does that mean it is better to sit on my fat ass and hum with the fan or since I am doing alright, I should calm down as I have been told and let others have their turn? Ha. Wife was laughed at after she went back to school and her efforts did not seem like they were paying off, I will just blame it on timing, she graduated right at the worst time when the market crashed in 2008. It has taken awhile but she is on her way, we are sacrificing a little for a year or two, but she will end up on top, she won't stop until she ends up with a six figure salary. That is what you do, you work hard, sitting on your ass breathing fumes all day never helped no one.
Anyways, in the last two days I have seen some of my dizzy friends on Facebook worrying about the bums. One wanted a pat on the back because she stopped and bought tacos for one guy who has a regular spot at a corner on her path to work. She also bought food for the man's dog. Sorry, but if you can't afford to feed yourself, you shouldn't then add more responsibilities like the welfare of an animal. Of course, the saps here in Austin probably feed this guy better to make sure the dog eats. She even managed to add a picture of the guy, and he looks pretty healthy to me, even the dog looks like it has hardly missed a meal. I say give the man some dignity and let him live anonymously, why put him on the spotlight, "look, I fed this guy, I am awesome." I don't like it.
The other ditz was complaining that it was going to be 112 today, we should give the homeless cash so they can buy water. Really, that is what they would buy? Hmm, funny how her friend then responded that she has tried, but they don't want water. What is a necessity for someone is not a necessity for others. You don't have to wonder what they want, they want alcohol and/or drugs. You think they are worried about getting back home, feeding their kids? Nah. A lot of these people have mental problems as well, I am more worried about this pretty little Ditz getting raped by mingling with a crowd already telling her to fuck off. But, some people you just can't teach, they must experience life, good luck Sweetie Peetie.
The bums that work the corner there at Slaughter and I-35 own that Whataburger, every time I go in there to eat with my Chubs, we see a stream of them walking in and out with the same Whataburger cup getting refill upon refill. I don't understand why they allow this shit, but I told Chubs Sunday night was the last time we are going there. Half the time we go in it's "hey man, can you help me out with something to eat?" No, it has become easy to say because I have to say it all the time. It is the same guys, that is their job. Some are younger than me, get off your lazy ass and get a fucking job.
Anyways, in the last two days I have seen some of my dizzy friends on Facebook worrying about the bums. One wanted a pat on the back because she stopped and bought tacos for one guy who has a regular spot at a corner on her path to work. She also bought food for the man's dog. Sorry, but if you can't afford to feed yourself, you shouldn't then add more responsibilities like the welfare of an animal. Of course, the saps here in Austin probably feed this guy better to make sure the dog eats. She even managed to add a picture of the guy, and he looks pretty healthy to me, even the dog looks like it has hardly missed a meal. I say give the man some dignity and let him live anonymously, why put him on the spotlight, "look, I fed this guy, I am awesome." I don't like it.
The other ditz was complaining that it was going to be 112 today, we should give the homeless cash so they can buy water. Really, that is what they would buy? Hmm, funny how her friend then responded that she has tried, but they don't want water. What is a necessity for someone is not a necessity for others. You don't have to wonder what they want, they want alcohol and/or drugs. You think they are worried about getting back home, feeding their kids? Nah. A lot of these people have mental problems as well, I am more worried about this pretty little Ditz getting raped by mingling with a crowd already telling her to fuck off. But, some people you just can't teach, they must experience life, good luck Sweetie Peetie.
The bums that work the corner there at Slaughter and I-35 own that Whataburger, every time I go in there to eat with my Chubs, we see a stream of them walking in and out with the same Whataburger cup getting refill upon refill. I don't understand why they allow this shit, but I told Chubs Sunday night was the last time we are going there. Half the time we go in it's "hey man, can you help me out with something to eat?" No, it has become easy to say because I have to say it all the time. It is the same guys, that is their job. Some are younger than me, get off your lazy ass and get a fucking job.
8/12/16 Do Little Boys Wear Down?
Wife has been back home where we grew up for a couple weeks now and we are getting the hang of things. Chubs is holding on to his room for dear life. I feel a little bad for him, I love my little fat boy and I wish he could stay here, but my brother is already fiddling with his eject button, life is getting hard for him having to pay rent, save him Mama!! Chubs will go quietly into that good night because he is a good boy and does as he is told. But goddam, when you come out on the other side of that three hour drive, they are building jocks by the truckload and as young as they can get them out of diapers. I guess when there isn't anything going on in town, you create your own entertainment. The law already frowns on fighting roosters which Mexicans love and fighting dogs which other cultures love, but the law ain't ever told no man his kid can't dream and do what the monsters and gods do on TV.
Let them set up a system where they start ever younger, and strengthen these little tools, I mean children, and turn them into athletes. Let the machine run 365 days out of the year, shit if Bo Jackson could be a star in two sports why can't Juan Martinez? I was just talking to Wife Sunday night, my folks were babysitting my sister's younger boy, they went out somewhere out of town to go let the older boy play a little league game somewhere that required them getting back pretty late. Monday they were already talking about signing up for pee wee football and that starting up, as soon as that ends, basketball starts, I believe there is a thin season of soccer, then baseball in the summer. If we could get a frozen pond from up north shipped down south, my nephew would be a skater as well, sneaking in hockey too.
I like that my brother in law is involved in his son's life, but I worry the poor kid will be worn down to a nub before any of it matters. The kid is in 2nd or 3rd grade, it is a while before he gets to junior high and start playing in what matters, for city pride. Maybe I am wrong, shoot, maybe we start seeing more Hispanic names in the NFL because of all these efforts. That would be something. Maybe the scouts for MLB stop scouting outside the US when we can show that we can home grow our own athletes.
I just hope Chubs can stay as interested in reading and learning while he is down there, my hopes for my boys is they both grow up with superb thinking and reasoning skills, never saw where running helped anyone do a better job unless you were an errand boy. Entertaining the masses will come if he decides he wants to play, but it will not be year round, he needs to have time to reflect and do other things. And he mentioned he wants to play saxophone which means 1, we'll be shopping for saxophones this weekend and 2, sports may not even be a thing in our house, and that is all right with me.
Let them set up a system where they start ever younger, and strengthen these little tools, I mean children, and turn them into athletes. Let the machine run 365 days out of the year, shit if Bo Jackson could be a star in two sports why can't Juan Martinez? I was just talking to Wife Sunday night, my folks were babysitting my sister's younger boy, they went out somewhere out of town to go let the older boy play a little league game somewhere that required them getting back pretty late. Monday they were already talking about signing up for pee wee football and that starting up, as soon as that ends, basketball starts, I believe there is a thin season of soccer, then baseball in the summer. If we could get a frozen pond from up north shipped down south, my nephew would be a skater as well, sneaking in hockey too.
I like that my brother in law is involved in his son's life, but I worry the poor kid will be worn down to a nub before any of it matters. The kid is in 2nd or 3rd grade, it is a while before he gets to junior high and start playing in what matters, for city pride. Maybe I am wrong, shoot, maybe we start seeing more Hispanic names in the NFL because of all these efforts. That would be something. Maybe the scouts for MLB stop scouting outside the US when we can show that we can home grow our own athletes.
I just hope Chubs can stay as interested in reading and learning while he is down there, my hopes for my boys is they both grow up with superb thinking and reasoning skills, never saw where running helped anyone do a better job unless you were an errand boy. Entertaining the masses will come if he decides he wants to play, but it will not be year round, he needs to have time to reflect and do other things. And he mentioned he wants to play saxophone which means 1, we'll be shopping for saxophones this weekend and 2, sports may not even be a thing in our house, and that is all right with me.
Wednesday, August 10, 2016
8/11/16 Guns And Ammo?
The times they are a changing. I used to think I was anti guns, they scared me, honestly, but in this day and age, either you carry to defend or hope the cops just happen to be around. This thought was born just a couple days ago, when Boy's friend came over, he was carrying a handgun in a holster riding a bit high up near to his armpits. This is the kid who has decided to join the army, he always wanted to join the Marines, but they told him no because of all his tattoos. That makes no sense to me, a young man can join your group where he stands a higher percentage than being a civilian that he will be fired upon by enemy forces, but only if he has never had ink placed under his skin. Stupidity on both sides, I told him to cut it out with the tattoos, but of course, nobody listens to me. Still, his tattoos are as American as apple pie. A barb wire, an eagle and a Texas state on the arms. He is a mess further in, but that is all in people's taste. I especially don't like seeing them on pretty girls, guys aren't judged the same way, sorry, but it is true. Anyways...
I looked over to Boy and said you're all gun this and that, get your license to carry. If there is ever an asshole on campus trying to cause mayhem, I hope he is filled with holes from all directions from citizens with concealed carry licenses. Teach a sumbitch to start with himself if he wants to kill a bunch of people. I have to agree with the pro gun guys that you can't be the bully on the playground with a gun if you don't know who else on that playground might also be packing.
Not knowing much about handguns, last Christmas I bought Boy a small Smith and Wesson because he was going to get certified to conceal carry and this was about the smallest of the 9mm versions they had. Apparently, the gun is too small for his hand, so I told him to give it to Wife, she needs to learn to carry it and shoot it now that she is going to be running back and forth so far away. I need to take Boy in with me to Cabela's and just let him choose although I know that means he'll end up with something twice as expensive as what Santa bought him. I think I even want a revolver for me in the near future. Boy jokes I should get the 50 cal handgun, but I'd be scared it would break my wrist if I wasn't careful, it is a large handgun. I will stick with the Smith and Wesson name as it is a popular brand, and I don't want to skimp on something that could save my life one day. I like the idea of getting a size that will shoot the .410 shotgun shells, as a shot of pellets will spread and hit a larger path, and if shot inside the house, hopefully be contained within to avoid hurting someone outside. I would of course want a couple solid rounds in there because we've all seen the videos, somebody out of their minds on drugs isn't going to stop just because you put a hole in him. I still have to decide between the simplicity of a revolver with only 5 or 6 rounds, or a magazine option which could mean as many as 12 rounds, but uhh, even cops who handle these guns fuck up all the time and unintentionally shoot when they didn't mean to.
I looked over to Boy and said you're all gun this and that, get your license to carry. If there is ever an asshole on campus trying to cause mayhem, I hope he is filled with holes from all directions from citizens with concealed carry licenses. Teach a sumbitch to start with himself if he wants to kill a bunch of people. I have to agree with the pro gun guys that you can't be the bully on the playground with a gun if you don't know who else on that playground might also be packing.
Not knowing much about handguns, last Christmas I bought Boy a small Smith and Wesson because he was going to get certified to conceal carry and this was about the smallest of the 9mm versions they had. Apparently, the gun is too small for his hand, so I told him to give it to Wife, she needs to learn to carry it and shoot it now that she is going to be running back and forth so far away. I need to take Boy in with me to Cabela's and just let him choose although I know that means he'll end up with something twice as expensive as what Santa bought him. I think I even want a revolver for me in the near future. Boy jokes I should get the 50 cal handgun, but I'd be scared it would break my wrist if I wasn't careful, it is a large handgun. I will stick with the Smith and Wesson name as it is a popular brand, and I don't want to skimp on something that could save my life one day. I like the idea of getting a size that will shoot the .410 shotgun shells, as a shot of pellets will spread and hit a larger path, and if shot inside the house, hopefully be contained within to avoid hurting someone outside. I would of course want a couple solid rounds in there because we've all seen the videos, somebody out of their minds on drugs isn't going to stop just because you put a hole in him. I still have to decide between the simplicity of a revolver with only 5 or 6 rounds, or a magazine option which could mean as many as 12 rounds, but uhh, even cops who handle these guns fuck up all the time and unintentionally shoot when they didn't mean to.
8/10/16 Sounds Like My Brother Is Gone?
I don't know what exactly happened, but all of a sudden my brother comes up this weekend with news that he is considering going back home. He has only been in Austin through the summer, and I don't think he has tried very hard at all to get a better paying job than shitty ass re-stocker at Wal-Mart. Wife kept suggesting a few different jobs, and as much as he says he wants this and that, he won't actually apply for the jobs. I really feel like breaking a computer over his head, because he can say his computer is super slow, but then he has no problem sitting all night in Boy's room playing whatever video games they play.
My idiot family will say that I am just interested in taking rent from him, but that is not it. I really wanted to see him succeed, he has a degree, and he is a smart person, he just lacks self confidence. This is the second time he has lived with us, but I am not even sure he was into being here. He may have come to get away from my brother's constant busting balls about him not working. For some weird reason, my mom would rather have him home unemployed thinking about what he is going to do than letting him have a shitty job like he does here paying me rent.
He says he is going to try and be a substitute teacher back in Crystal City. If he uses this as a means to become a teacher and then maybe some day even an administrator, then I give him my full support. If he is going to flounder around and waste everyone's time, then I don't understand what my mom was thinking, because this has her name all over it. He flatly told me he has no plans to go back to school, but maybe a couple semesters would do him good. His degree is in criminal justice, which I don't think can be used to teach any specific class, but maybe with a couple semesters he could be fully qualified to teach History or Social Studies. At the very least, he will need to get teacher certified eventually or he will just be substitute teacher, and that does not pay quite the same as what teachers make. As a substitute, he said they would be paying him from $70 to $100 a day. If he becomes certified, I frequently hear teachers starting in the $45k region.
Oh well, the big city is not for everybody. I love living up here, even with Wife and Chubs not here with me during the next year or two, I simply see it as a temporary challenge. I love having variety to eat in all the restaurants, having access to the mall and shopping if we need anything. I love the lakes, Lake Travis and Canyon Lake, both about 40 min away, and Decker Lake about 20 min away. Of course, my brother is welcome to go and come back, as he wants, but it is only fair, in any real world, rent must be paid. Hmm, now I am going to have two empty guest rooms, if only I could get some hotties to move in and walk around half-naked for me, that would definitely help me survive living alone while Boy goes back to his college apartment, now my brother goes back home, and Wife and Chubs are living away... waah!
My idiot family will say that I am just interested in taking rent from him, but that is not it. I really wanted to see him succeed, he has a degree, and he is a smart person, he just lacks self confidence. This is the second time he has lived with us, but I am not even sure he was into being here. He may have come to get away from my brother's constant busting balls about him not working. For some weird reason, my mom would rather have him home unemployed thinking about what he is going to do than letting him have a shitty job like he does here paying me rent.
He says he is going to try and be a substitute teacher back in Crystal City. If he uses this as a means to become a teacher and then maybe some day even an administrator, then I give him my full support. If he is going to flounder around and waste everyone's time, then I don't understand what my mom was thinking, because this has her name all over it. He flatly told me he has no plans to go back to school, but maybe a couple semesters would do him good. His degree is in criminal justice, which I don't think can be used to teach any specific class, but maybe with a couple semesters he could be fully qualified to teach History or Social Studies. At the very least, he will need to get teacher certified eventually or he will just be substitute teacher, and that does not pay quite the same as what teachers make. As a substitute, he said they would be paying him from $70 to $100 a day. If he becomes certified, I frequently hear teachers starting in the $45k region.
Oh well, the big city is not for everybody. I love living up here, even with Wife and Chubs not here with me during the next year or two, I simply see it as a temporary challenge. I love having variety to eat in all the restaurants, having access to the mall and shopping if we need anything. I love the lakes, Lake Travis and Canyon Lake, both about 40 min away, and Decker Lake about 20 min away. Of course, my brother is welcome to go and come back, as he wants, but it is only fair, in any real world, rent must be paid. Hmm, now I am going to have two empty guest rooms, if only I could get some hotties to move in and walk around half-naked for me, that would definitely help me survive living alone while Boy goes back to his college apartment, now my brother goes back home, and Wife and Chubs are living away... waah!
Tuesday, August 9, 2016
8/9/16 They All Cower Before My Sting?
So it's a couple weeks before school starts, Wife has been pretty much hyped up to work since we got back from Florida, just one slight thing went through the cracks, until today. Chubs had a few immunization shots he needed in order to register for school. Since I don't do anything during the day, why don't I get off my fat ass and go spend a couple hours with the less fortunate and wait to see a doctor. It's not that bad, but I still was surrounded by what I assume are stay at home moms and their kids. This wouldn't bother me too much if I didn't remember Wife sleeping away like three weeks before she left. She could have dealt with this bullshit any of those days, and let me sleep.
Anyways, nobody cares about that. We usually go to CVS and take care of stuff like this. I like how the further west you go on Slaughter, the blonder the hair gets on people. It was one blond mama after another, except for the weirdo in pink hair, but this is Austin. It was not that packed but everybody that went in there took like 40 minutes. Maybe it was due to them running on one physician's assistant, or it is not close enough for registration of student's here to be in a rush.
It turned out Chubs was due for 4 immunizations, two were mixed together, so he got a total of three shots. He could have got a fourth shot for the flu, but my insurance said no and I was being cheap, and did not feel like paying $35 for a shot that in the past I feel has made me sick for a 50/50 chance of not getting sick.
My big hammy is up to 225 pounds and standing at 5ft 2in at age 11. He is going to be a lot of man when he grows up. Just this weekend, both Wife and Chubs were standing in the bathroom barefoot and I commented to her that he was already taller than her. She had always said she was 5ft 3in, so when the nurse/PA was going to measure him I said 5ft 4in, she said nope. So, either wife has been lying trying to sneak a couple inches on me, or gravity has started doing what it does and it has started the shrinking process on her. Back to the shots, they came fast once she set them up as shots from the little bottles. I wanted to catch him in the action, but she was quite fast and even caught him talking mid sentence and boom. First shot was out of the way. On the second shot, I noticed she had to lean into it, and Chubs was hurt by it. She said yeah, that one tends to burn, it goes in thick. She didn't let him think about it too much, she put it down and struck him a third time. All poor Chubs could do was flex his arms back and forth. At least he didn't cry. She got all our paperwork in order and we were on our way at like 4:45pm.
Anyways, nobody cares about that. We usually go to CVS and take care of stuff like this. I like how the further west you go on Slaughter, the blonder the hair gets on people. It was one blond mama after another, except for the weirdo in pink hair, but this is Austin. It was not that packed but everybody that went in there took like 40 minutes. Maybe it was due to them running on one physician's assistant, or it is not close enough for registration of student's here to be in a rush.
It turned out Chubs was due for 4 immunizations, two were mixed together, so he got a total of three shots. He could have got a fourth shot for the flu, but my insurance said no and I was being cheap, and did not feel like paying $35 for a shot that in the past I feel has made me sick for a 50/50 chance of not getting sick.
My big hammy is up to 225 pounds and standing at 5ft 2in at age 11. He is going to be a lot of man when he grows up. Just this weekend, both Wife and Chubs were standing in the bathroom barefoot and I commented to her that he was already taller than her. She had always said she was 5ft 3in, so when the nurse/PA was going to measure him I said 5ft 4in, she said nope. So, either wife has been lying trying to sneak a couple inches on me, or gravity has started doing what it does and it has started the shrinking process on her. Back to the shots, they came fast once she set them up as shots from the little bottles. I wanted to catch him in the action, but she was quite fast and even caught him talking mid sentence and boom. First shot was out of the way. On the second shot, I noticed she had to lean into it, and Chubs was hurt by it. She said yeah, that one tends to burn, it goes in thick. She didn't let him think about it too much, she put it down and struck him a third time. All poor Chubs could do was flex his arms back and forth. At least he didn't cry. She got all our paperwork in order and we were on our way at like 4:45pm.
Sunday, August 7, 2016
8/8/16 Star Trek Beyond (Movie)
After wearing ourselves out shopping for boats Saturday afternoon, I came home and took a nap after we talked with One of Boy's high school friends who stopped by to say hi. He informed us he had joined the army and was fixing to leave Sept 17. I feel conflicted about his decision, but it is his and he is a grown ass man. Right out of high school I really felt like talking him out of this decision, he was in ROTC and they had him all pumped up to join the marines as soon as he graduated. What for? These fucking wars in the middle east have no rhyme or reason, we are not spreading democracy, we are simply fucking with people because when you have a military larger than the next 24 countries combined you kind of need to use it. Anyways, it has been five years since they graduated from high school, and if he feels that is his best move, then good luck with that. After about an hour and a half of visiting, I excused myself and came upstairs to take a nap, we had tickets for the movies at 11:15pm. We got out at 1:30am, I like that.
I like the idea of the Star Trek movies, and the scenery is usually top notch. The beginning has the crew and the Enterprise headed to a deep space restocking space station after a slight skirmish with a small band of lion looking people. On the space station, which reminded me of the twisting and turning cities in Inception, as the whole thing appears to be in a giant glass looking globe the size of a small moon and the city is almost set up like a river flowing and moving the USS Enterprise is getting restocked, a distress call comes in from some alien life form saying her ship had been taken prisoner in an uncharted nebula. Capt. Kirk of course volunteers his crew and ship to go save the prisoners. They are ambushed and the USS Enterprise is torn to shit. The ship's attacking them were small and appeared to be made out of rocks which pierced the hull and everything fairly easy. The Capt. ordered everyone to abandon ship, but every escape pod gets taken to the nearby planet by the drones.
Capt Kirk and some key other characters escaped capture, and of course devise a plan to escape the planet. Lucky for them, they find Jaylah, whose crew and family had been taken in the same way and now has as her home an older space ship hidden from the bad guys with mirror devices. It just needed a little love from Chekov, and before the end of the movie, the back up ship is ready to travel to space. It turns out the bad guy has gotten hold of some weapon that eats people up or dissolves them into nothing. I don't understand why there aren't more bad guys on the planet, but once they decided they are going to save the captured personnel, the plan works like a charm, of course. Even with an old motorcycle to make Capt. Kirk look more cool, I thought it was a little cheesy.
Once they have everybody, the space ship that is over 100 years old and has been sitting exposed to weather and even rocks growing on it, is ready to fly, no big deal. I thought it was lame that old time rock and roll was used to kill the bad guys, but oh well. Of course, the movie is never over until Capt. Kirk has had one more chance to show everyone how cool he is. He talks to the bad guy trying to get him to come around and surrender but of course in the end, the bad guy must be bad and the good guys win. Star Trek is cheesy and fun that way, never mind the millions and billions of dollars in damage to ship after ship, they'll be back in another USS Enterprise in a couple months.
I like the idea of the Star Trek movies, and the scenery is usually top notch. The beginning has the crew and the Enterprise headed to a deep space restocking space station after a slight skirmish with a small band of lion looking people. On the space station, which reminded me of the twisting and turning cities in Inception, as the whole thing appears to be in a giant glass looking globe the size of a small moon and the city is almost set up like a river flowing and moving the USS Enterprise is getting restocked, a distress call comes in from some alien life form saying her ship had been taken prisoner in an uncharted nebula. Capt. Kirk of course volunteers his crew and ship to go save the prisoners. They are ambushed and the USS Enterprise is torn to shit. The ship's attacking them were small and appeared to be made out of rocks which pierced the hull and everything fairly easy. The Capt. ordered everyone to abandon ship, but every escape pod gets taken to the nearby planet by the drones.
Capt Kirk and some key other characters escaped capture, and of course devise a plan to escape the planet. Lucky for them, they find Jaylah, whose crew and family had been taken in the same way and now has as her home an older space ship hidden from the bad guys with mirror devices. It just needed a little love from Chekov, and before the end of the movie, the back up ship is ready to travel to space. It turns out the bad guy has gotten hold of some weapon that eats people up or dissolves them into nothing. I don't understand why there aren't more bad guys on the planet, but once they decided they are going to save the captured personnel, the plan works like a charm, of course. Even with an old motorcycle to make Capt. Kirk look more cool, I thought it was a little cheesy.
Once they have everybody, the space ship that is over 100 years old and has been sitting exposed to weather and even rocks growing on it, is ready to fly, no big deal. I thought it was lame that old time rock and roll was used to kill the bad guys, but oh well. Of course, the movie is never over until Capt. Kirk has had one more chance to show everyone how cool he is. He talks to the bad guy trying to get him to come around and surrender but of course in the end, the bad guy must be bad and the good guys win. Star Trek is cheesy and fun that way, never mind the millions and billions of dollars in damage to ship after ship, they'll be back in another USS Enterprise in a couple months.
8/7/16 Shopping For A New Water Toy?
I find it hard to believe Wife is going along with me, usually she doesn't even want to lift her head to look at my laptop when I'm looking at boats. Boy thinks he has won and I have moved on from the Jetskis, but I may have one or two more tricks up my sleeve. Today, we spent a few hours driving to a couple places that sell boats and asking questions. Our first stop was at Ski Dock which I went because they sell the Yamaha boats I showed a couple days ago. They must have had three of the variations, and they ranged from $55,000 to over $75,000.
This is the kind of boat for me. The guy said because of the engines and how they operate, all we have to do is change the oil, one time after 10 hours of break-in, and then after that to change it again after 100 hours. It was a service best left for them to do, and I think I would let them. The engines are inside a compartment under the seats located in the back, I doubt it would be easy for my big ass to sneak in there without stepping on something and breaking it. The sales guy was actually very patient, he took us to the back of the store, almost like a service area and showed us a number of boats. I am still sticking with wanting a 24 foot variation. I think we could do something in the $60,000 range, and that affords a lot of options. He showed us a boat as it was with the tower that they add it runs around $64,000, but with incentives and this and that we could probably end up around $58,000. I walked out feeling that was the boat for us, but since we passed Sail and Ski, and it was open, I headed there next.
Chubs was not having my shenanigans today. He said no! no! no! dad, I need to eat, I don't want to spend all day starving, Wife said to just pick him up something and he'll be all right. We passed by a McDonald's and I said screw it, let's eat. Ski Dock closed at 5:00pm, and it was 3:30pm. I figured if Sail And Ski is open the same hours, we should still have 30 to 40 minutes to check it out. And Chubs is right, I am always pushing and rushing, and then we go all day without eating. It was nice, the McDonald's was empty and fairly clean, plus now Wife playing visitor, she is much more chilled. She has not been that pain in the ass she used to be, and I love it. After we ate, I almost thought she would be bored and ready to go do something else, but she said go, we are already all the way out here, I thought cool.
Sail And Ski is actually open to 6:00pm, so we had even more time to look around. They carry a couple different brands including Bayliner, and they had pontoons, namely the Harris brand. I was thinking I did not want Bayliner for a second boat, but I really liked a deck boat they had, Element XR7. It came with a 200HP outboard and very open layout. I could see all of us fitting, and I really love that they add the double bimini tops so everyone has shade wherever they sit.
Wife really liked the pontoon boats they had. They even had the elusive double decker boat we saw at the boat show on the water, but it sold for $95,000, not including a trailer. They had a very nice laid out Harris Pontoon boat that was a 24 footer with a huge 250HP engine for $75,000, then the sales guy said he could also get the same layout, but on a 21 foot platform, for right at $60,000. This boat would only have a 150HP engine which sounds a bit underpowered.
I was honestly shocked by Wife, when she said, we should just get the $75,000 pontoon, we can give $20,000 down and go from there. I think it is a bit much for a pontoon boat, and I am still open to the personal watercraft idea. Wife will not be living here for the following year, at least. That means, we could only use the boat together on Saturday afternoon.
This is the kind of boat for me. The guy said because of the engines and how they operate, all we have to do is change the oil, one time after 10 hours of break-in, and then after that to change it again after 100 hours. It was a service best left for them to do, and I think I would let them. The engines are inside a compartment under the seats located in the back, I doubt it would be easy for my big ass to sneak in there without stepping on something and breaking it. The sales guy was actually very patient, he took us to the back of the store, almost like a service area and showed us a number of boats. I am still sticking with wanting a 24 foot variation. I think we could do something in the $60,000 range, and that affords a lot of options. He showed us a boat as it was with the tower that they add it runs around $64,000, but with incentives and this and that we could probably end up around $58,000. I walked out feeling that was the boat for us, but since we passed Sail and Ski, and it was open, I headed there next.
Chubs was not having my shenanigans today. He said no! no! no! dad, I need to eat, I don't want to spend all day starving, Wife said to just pick him up something and he'll be all right. We passed by a McDonald's and I said screw it, let's eat. Ski Dock closed at 5:00pm, and it was 3:30pm. I figured if Sail And Ski is open the same hours, we should still have 30 to 40 minutes to check it out. And Chubs is right, I am always pushing and rushing, and then we go all day without eating. It was nice, the McDonald's was empty and fairly clean, plus now Wife playing visitor, she is much more chilled. She has not been that pain in the ass she used to be, and I love it. After we ate, I almost thought she would be bored and ready to go do something else, but she said go, we are already all the way out here, I thought cool.
Sail And Ski is actually open to 6:00pm, so we had even more time to look around. They carry a couple different brands including Bayliner, and they had pontoons, namely the Harris brand. I was thinking I did not want Bayliner for a second boat, but I really liked a deck boat they had, Element XR7. It came with a 200HP outboard and very open layout. I could see all of us fitting, and I really love that they add the double bimini tops so everyone has shade wherever they sit.
Wife really liked the pontoon boats they had. They even had the elusive double decker boat we saw at the boat show on the water, but it sold for $95,000, not including a trailer. They had a very nice laid out Harris Pontoon boat that was a 24 footer with a huge 250HP engine for $75,000, then the sales guy said he could also get the same layout, but on a 21 foot platform, for right at $60,000. This boat would only have a 150HP engine which sounds a bit underpowered.
I was honestly shocked by Wife, when she said, we should just get the $75,000 pontoon, we can give $20,000 down and go from there. I think it is a bit much for a pontoon boat, and I am still open to the personal watercraft idea. Wife will not be living here for the following year, at least. That means, we could only use the boat together on Saturday afternoon.
Saturday, August 6, 2016
Friday, August 5, 2016
8/5/16 Wife Said "Go Ahead, Get A New Boat"
I've been kicking around the idea of buying a couple jetskis or personal watercraft, figuring I could buy one soon and another before next summer comes around. Boy has been pushing back a lot, he does not like the idea. Today, he was even being shitty saying something to the effect of "if you're going to spend money foolishly because you have reached a midlife crisis, buy a BMW Z4 or a pontoon boat." I don't understand him getting his panties in a bunch, when I am sure he would benefit the most from us having a couple jetskis for use whenever.
Some of the drawbacks though are that the Yamahas which I had been told could carry three people or 1000 pounds, really only hold 530 pounds, and Chubs and I is already more than that. I also had visions of fishing with my dad on these, but Boy says Grandpa is so lame, if he falls in the water, he wouldn't be strong enough to get back up. Even with a step in the back of the watercraft. Then he takes a stab at me, saying I would have problems too. I just say "shut it, Putz, my arms are way stronger than yours." But I do worry a bit, I've been seeing videos and some of those jetskis seem hellbent on flipping over when they are just sitting there, like a bike, they need to be going to be stable.
Maybe it is Wife's way of shutting me up, but all of a sudden today while driving to work and telling her I took Boy to look at the Yamaha PWC, and he could have cared less, she told me to just forget about them and get a boat for us. I told her fine, but I thought we didn't want to get more into financing so many things. She said "yeah, but we are almost done with the RV." We owe less than $7000 on it, and we should have about that amount of money in a couple weeks, plus I intend to sell the VW bug and my old boat. If I get about $4000 a piece, that could be an easy $15,000 to use for a healthy down payment. We still don't even know Wife's exact new payment, as she won't get her first check until mid-august from her new school, but I am hoping for a real healthy check. I believe the school is even paying for her insurance, which means a savings of over $300 a month. That might be enough for my boat payment. I told her, if I am getting a new boat, it is going to be something nice. I like the Yamaha boats in the 24foot range, but they vary from about $45000-$75000. That might be a bit much. I'll keep looking and decide during the January boat show.
Some of the drawbacks though are that the Yamahas which I had been told could carry three people or 1000 pounds, really only hold 530 pounds, and Chubs and I is already more than that. I also had visions of fishing with my dad on these, but Boy says Grandpa is so lame, if he falls in the water, he wouldn't be strong enough to get back up. Even with a step in the back of the watercraft. Then he takes a stab at me, saying I would have problems too. I just say "shut it, Putz, my arms are way stronger than yours." But I do worry a bit, I've been seeing videos and some of those jetskis seem hellbent on flipping over when they are just sitting there, like a bike, they need to be going to be stable.
Maybe it is Wife's way of shutting me up, but all of a sudden today while driving to work and telling her I took Boy to look at the Yamaha PWC, and he could have cared less, she told me to just forget about them and get a boat for us. I told her fine, but I thought we didn't want to get more into financing so many things. She said "yeah, but we are almost done with the RV." We owe less than $7000 on it, and we should have about that amount of money in a couple weeks, plus I intend to sell the VW bug and my old boat. If I get about $4000 a piece, that could be an easy $15,000 to use for a healthy down payment. We still don't even know Wife's exact new payment, as she won't get her first check until mid-august from her new school, but I am hoping for a real healthy check. I believe the school is even paying for her insurance, which means a savings of over $300 a month. That might be enough for my boat payment. I told her, if I am getting a new boat, it is going to be something nice. I like the Yamaha boats in the 24foot range, but they vary from about $45000-$75000. That might be a bit much. I'll keep looking and decide during the January boat show.
Thursday, August 4, 2016
8/4/16 Why Don't We Get Summers Off?
I was left thinking yesterday. It used to be Wife got about two months off from work during the summer when school let out. I always thought it sucked for her coworkers because she would get time off and everyone else was left behind to continue working. All of a sudden, she is doing the same thing, and her being gone actually makes me feel like I don't get a summer off.
With her in the house and getting up at two in the afternoon, there was no mistaking that we were in the middle of summer and that somehow this time was different. Now that she is a Big Fart over there, she will not get summer off, which I think kind of sucks, but hey, what about us? We don't even get a week or two off, and really, I think it would benefit us all to shut down for a little while. We almost do it during the Christmas break, we are mostly allowed to take as much time as we want. I have always been a whore for the almighty dollar, but this might be when I finally start changing. It doesn't help that we are not very busy and I honestly feel like I am stuck in Groundhog Day prepping the same goddam sample every night.
Who would it hurt if we shut down for a week? Would we lose money, would our customers understand and be willing to wait? They wait when a tool goes down and it takes a few days to fix it. I am probably just babbling, I got up around 3:00pm and went to eat lunch with Chubs and uhhh, that heat just farts in your face when you open the front door. I sit in my truck, and the thermometer reads 104 or 105. Fuck!! I hate that it just burns until the truck AC starts really doing it's job. It sucks that school starts in September, but at least the days of being in the 100s disappear too, so we all wish for September to roll around. Goodbye summer, hello fall. At least we have football then too.
I think I am going to miss Wife's lazy days. I think I felt her being lazy, she would whisper in my ear to stay home and be lazy with her, although I never actually do it, it still feels freeing that I could. With her gone and so far away, I am not even sitting down during my lunch break. I am trying to keep the house in order, so I make something to eat and I clean the kitchen, get the clothes over by the washing machine. I will try to have all the dirty stuff washed Thursday, so I can put it away Friday afternoon. That way, Wife doesn't even see it, and yes, I'll be able to say, "I can handle our big house all by my lonesome."
With her in the house and getting up at two in the afternoon, there was no mistaking that we were in the middle of summer and that somehow this time was different. Now that she is a Big Fart over there, she will not get summer off, which I think kind of sucks, but hey, what about us? We don't even get a week or two off, and really, I think it would benefit us all to shut down for a little while. We almost do it during the Christmas break, we are mostly allowed to take as much time as we want. I have always been a whore for the almighty dollar, but this might be when I finally start changing. It doesn't help that we are not very busy and I honestly feel like I am stuck in Groundhog Day prepping the same goddam sample every night.
Who would it hurt if we shut down for a week? Would we lose money, would our customers understand and be willing to wait? They wait when a tool goes down and it takes a few days to fix it. I am probably just babbling, I got up around 3:00pm and went to eat lunch with Chubs and uhhh, that heat just farts in your face when you open the front door. I sit in my truck, and the thermometer reads 104 or 105. Fuck!! I hate that it just burns until the truck AC starts really doing it's job. It sucks that school starts in September, but at least the days of being in the 100s disappear too, so we all wish for September to roll around. Goodbye summer, hello fall. At least we have football then too.
I think I am going to miss Wife's lazy days. I think I felt her being lazy, she would whisper in my ear to stay home and be lazy with her, although I never actually do it, it still feels freeing that I could. With her gone and so far away, I am not even sitting down during my lunch break. I am trying to keep the house in order, so I make something to eat and I clean the kitchen, get the clothes over by the washing machine. I will try to have all the dirty stuff washed Thursday, so I can put it away Friday afternoon. That way, Wife doesn't even see it, and yes, I'll be able to say, "I can handle our big house all by my lonesome."
Wednesday, August 3, 2016
8/3/16 What Happened To Summer?
We had been so focused on Wife getting this new job and making sure we didn't lose an opportunity for her to climb the ladder that honestly we pretty much missed out on this summer. I was talking with Chubs yesterday, he stayed in Austin this week, he wanted to hang out at home, he only has a couple more weeks before he has to start school in a new city. He said he was fine with Mama getting her new job but that this summer kind of sucked because we always go here and there and we go swimming. Last year we had the beach and Schlitterbahn season tickets, or other years we do other stuff. This year we had the build up to Florida, and then while up there she was offered the new job which she started last week, and thus summer ended too quickly for Wife. Chubs kind of has to go along with her and he may have two or three more weeks before school starts, he is already feeling himself being pulled towards Crystal City.
Because my folks are in the middle of renovating their kitchen, we can't even go and make it homely for my Wife and Chubs yet. Wife and I talked of taking a bed down there, and Chubs will eventually have his own room, but because the kitchen is all 2x4s and exposed roof right now, it is hard to reach the guest room by the kitchen which will be Wife's room eventually. For now, Chubs and Wife are sharing the smallest of the bedrooms, and that is fine, but Chubs did complain about wanting a bigger TV. I told him we'd get him one, but since it is so crowded with both of them there, Wife wants me to wait before I show up with some giant TV to hang on the wall. I figure it's the least I can do for our boy being a little trooper and not bitching about such a big change in his life at this point.
Wife said we can do whatever Labor Day Weekend, but what can we do? I am still leery of the beach and the flesh eating bacteria. I don't have the best feet, and cutting my toenail for the lifelong ingrown only left my left toe feeling like an open sore, not that it bleeds, but it don't feel right. Without a boat, we are not going to go to the lake, it is not as much fun from the shoreline. Used to be, we could rent the public swimming pool down in Crystal for the evening. That could be fun, specially since most of the family is there, just have a big BBQ and swim for an evening. It would be hard to include Boy, he does work the weekends, and he is getting close to his comic cons and whatevers. I don't know, maybe Peter Parker's Uncle Ben was right in regards to Wife: "With bigger power comes bigger responsibility." Our fun will have to wait while she transitions from bringing home the Baco's chips to bringing home some real bacon, as Carolla says.
Because my folks are in the middle of renovating their kitchen, we can't even go and make it homely for my Wife and Chubs yet. Wife and I talked of taking a bed down there, and Chubs will eventually have his own room, but because the kitchen is all 2x4s and exposed roof right now, it is hard to reach the guest room by the kitchen which will be Wife's room eventually. For now, Chubs and Wife are sharing the smallest of the bedrooms, and that is fine, but Chubs did complain about wanting a bigger TV. I told him we'd get him one, but since it is so crowded with both of them there, Wife wants me to wait before I show up with some giant TV to hang on the wall. I figure it's the least I can do for our boy being a little trooper and not bitching about such a big change in his life at this point.
Wife said we can do whatever Labor Day Weekend, but what can we do? I am still leery of the beach and the flesh eating bacteria. I don't have the best feet, and cutting my toenail for the lifelong ingrown only left my left toe feeling like an open sore, not that it bleeds, but it don't feel right. Without a boat, we are not going to go to the lake, it is not as much fun from the shoreline. Used to be, we could rent the public swimming pool down in Crystal for the evening. That could be fun, specially since most of the family is there, just have a big BBQ and swim for an evening. It would be hard to include Boy, he does work the weekends, and he is getting close to his comic cons and whatevers. I don't know, maybe Peter Parker's Uncle Ben was right in regards to Wife: "With bigger power comes bigger responsibility." Our fun will have to wait while she transitions from bringing home the Baco's chips to bringing home some real bacon, as Carolla says.
Tuesday, August 2, 2016
8/2/16 So I Think I Want To Write A Book?
I have been playing with the idea of writing a book for awhile. Wife always encourages me, and at first I thought I wanted to do it because of the money, but the reality is that only the written word survives time. I love walking through a bookstore and seeing so many familiar names from long ago. I want that, I know it is a bit narcissistic, but I think I got a couple stories in me, and I feel now that I will have tons of free time to myself, I can focus on that. It would be the cat's pajamas to survive on the printed page for generations to read me long after I am gone. After all, isn't that what we all want, immortality?
I started writing a kind of self examination thing, and before I knew it, three hours flew by. I wrote about seven pages, not to say they were great, but I thought it was a strong beginning. There is no gain in describing my book idea, I don't need naysayers, I have a couple of those voices already in my head. I really want this time apart from Wife to yield something more than her getting a fancy title, which is great for her, but I need to challenge myself more. I'm doing the same thing day and day out for the last twenty years or so. The pay is great and the work is ok, but I have more to give, I think.
I have some ideas for stories, I just worry that books go on and on. I don't know if I can stay focused and carry a story idea for a couple hundred pages. I do want to say that Charles Bukowski just gets me going. If you type in google to list the raunchiest dirtiest writers, his name comes up first. That is hero material to me. He doesn't just describe sex, that would get boring after a while. He describes the stench of the whorehouse he visits, you can feel his greasy skin at the lack of showering, you can smell the wide ass on the whore changing the sheets on his bed which he will no doubt be banging in a minute and declaring one of the best lays he ever had. He almost in all his stories mentions himself in the interactions and not as the tough guy winner. He gets beat up frequently, life shits on him, he is comfortable admitting he is a drunk, and when life gets too complicated, he just jumps on a bus or train and heads to the next town.
I love the idea of just being me, I can write a story like that, not that I have had adventures on trains or even busses, but I've had an adventure or two, and my mind can take a three and turn it into a seven or eight, if need be. I started reading his Most Beautiful Woman In Town this week, and I love how it flows from one short story to another. He doesn't get bogged down by having to carry a storyline and plot, he just has to say what he does about a given time, then it ends.
I started writing a kind of self examination thing, and before I knew it, three hours flew by. I wrote about seven pages, not to say they were great, but I thought it was a strong beginning. There is no gain in describing my book idea, I don't need naysayers, I have a couple of those voices already in my head. I really want this time apart from Wife to yield something more than her getting a fancy title, which is great for her, but I need to challenge myself more. I'm doing the same thing day and day out for the last twenty years or so. The pay is great and the work is ok, but I have more to give, I think.
I have some ideas for stories, I just worry that books go on and on. I don't know if I can stay focused and carry a story idea for a couple hundred pages. I do want to say that Charles Bukowski just gets me going. If you type in google to list the raunchiest dirtiest writers, his name comes up first. That is hero material to me. He doesn't just describe sex, that would get boring after a while. He describes the stench of the whorehouse he visits, you can feel his greasy skin at the lack of showering, you can smell the wide ass on the whore changing the sheets on his bed which he will no doubt be banging in a minute and declaring one of the best lays he ever had. He almost in all his stories mentions himself in the interactions and not as the tough guy winner. He gets beat up frequently, life shits on him, he is comfortable admitting he is a drunk, and when life gets too complicated, he just jumps on a bus or train and heads to the next town.
I love the idea of just being me, I can write a story like that, not that I have had adventures on trains or even busses, but I've had an adventure or two, and my mind can take a three and turn it into a seven or eight, if need be. I started reading his Most Beautiful Woman In Town this week, and I love how it flows from one short story to another. He doesn't get bogged down by having to carry a storyline and plot, he just has to say what he does about a given time, then it ends.
Monday, August 1, 2016
8/1/16 First Weekend Of Our New Life?
I thought this first weekend of our new lifestyle worked out pretty good. Wife was off on Friday as they were on their last week of summer schedule, so as soon as she got off, she went and picked up Chubs and headed up here. As it was, I was working a short week, so I just worked four hours and completed my forty hour week. I was done by 9:00pm and Wife got into town about 9:30pm. I quickly ran to Central Market to get some breads and snacks, thinking we would just stay in, but the boys decided they were hungry so we headed out to eat. I wanted some fajitas, so we headed to one Mexican place, but it was closed, then we tried another and it was closed. I said screw it, and we headed to IHOP, knowing it is open all night.
Wife had plenty to talk about, and Chubs had plenty to say too. It was nice, dinner went by fast. We slept in late, and got up around 1:00pm. Eventually, we headed to Woods Fun Center, which I already talked about and that led us to Kia and Wife's new car. I love that we took care of that. We both wanted to wait until we had more money for a down payment, but like I said earlier, I don't like other people having to "save" my wife because I am too far away. We still have the VW Bug and my mom showed interest in buying it back. I want some money for it which will be my starting nest egg for my first of two Seadoos for next summer. If I can get $4000 there and another $4000 for my old boat, I am almost there to one Personal Water Craft. If I get lucky, I may be able to have enough money for both PWC by the spring. We shall see, Wife is also planning on saving money for our vacation next summer.
Friday night we managed to go to the movies at Alamo Drafthouse to see Ghostbusters. It was ok, but I will admit I dozed off near the end of the movie. We did not eat all day, as the plan had been to go see the Seadoos and then eat, but we got distracted looking at cars, then trying to get it. At the movies, I ordered popcorn, soda, and a pepperoni pizza, Chubs ordered the chicken wings and an order of fries. Wife ordered a pizza and a pretzel. I drank 2 sodas and had about two bowls of popcorn, after that, I just could not stay awake. Chubs kept hitting me as my snoring was quite loud, but it was no use. The movie was funny up until I watched, but I could see the BS where the gov't is trying to hide the "ghost" problem until it becomes such a large problem that they can't..... blah. I still love going to the movies, sorry I fell asleep.
Sunday was a blur, we slept until almost 2:00pm, I woke up and Wife was already up and running the shower waiting for hot water. She showered and said she wanted to leave soon so she could stop at her mom's for awhile. This week, Chub decided to stay home. I checked with Boy to make sure he was going to be around all week, he bitched a bit, but said he would. Wife left after we ate at Zaxby's, and she headed to her folks, they loved her new car. I headed back to Austin and napped for awhile.
I ended up going to HEB at 7:00pm to get food since both boys are going to be here under my watch for the week. Getting back, I yelled at Boy for a bit, because he insists on being ungrateful and generally a little shit. He told me he wanted some steaks they sell at Sam's, but they don't sell them at HEB, and all the steaks I saw were way too expensive for him to cook with his friends. I don't buy steaks if I have to pay $9.00 a steak for us, and I am certainly not doing it for some knuckleheaded 20 year olds. I got a mix like I usually get for us, a little pork, a little beef, some chicken wings, and sausage. He tells me, "ehh, I'll go get steaks tomorrow, I'm not making that shit." Of course that was met with a "well fuck you then, it's what we eat when we make BBQ, I was doing you a favor." He kept an attitude going for a while, probably because I woke his Highness, but that is what I get for running to the store and letting them take it easy here at the house.
Wife had plenty to talk about, and Chubs had plenty to say too. It was nice, dinner went by fast. We slept in late, and got up around 1:00pm. Eventually, we headed to Woods Fun Center, which I already talked about and that led us to Kia and Wife's new car. I love that we took care of that. We both wanted to wait until we had more money for a down payment, but like I said earlier, I don't like other people having to "save" my wife because I am too far away. We still have the VW Bug and my mom showed interest in buying it back. I want some money for it which will be my starting nest egg for my first of two Seadoos for next summer. If I can get $4000 there and another $4000 for my old boat, I am almost there to one Personal Water Craft. If I get lucky, I may be able to have enough money for both PWC by the spring. We shall see, Wife is also planning on saving money for our vacation next summer.
Friday night we managed to go to the movies at Alamo Drafthouse to see Ghostbusters. It was ok, but I will admit I dozed off near the end of the movie. We did not eat all day, as the plan had been to go see the Seadoos and then eat, but we got distracted looking at cars, then trying to get it. At the movies, I ordered popcorn, soda, and a pepperoni pizza, Chubs ordered the chicken wings and an order of fries. Wife ordered a pizza and a pretzel. I drank 2 sodas and had about two bowls of popcorn, after that, I just could not stay awake. Chubs kept hitting me as my snoring was quite loud, but it was no use. The movie was funny up until I watched, but I could see the BS where the gov't is trying to hide the "ghost" problem until it becomes such a large problem that they can't..... blah. I still love going to the movies, sorry I fell asleep.
Sunday was a blur, we slept until almost 2:00pm, I woke up and Wife was already up and running the shower waiting for hot water. She showered and said she wanted to leave soon so she could stop at her mom's for awhile. This week, Chub decided to stay home. I checked with Boy to make sure he was going to be around all week, he bitched a bit, but said he would. Wife left after we ate at Zaxby's, and she headed to her folks, they loved her new car. I headed back to Austin and napped for awhile.
I ended up going to HEB at 7:00pm to get food since both boys are going to be here under my watch for the week. Getting back, I yelled at Boy for a bit, because he insists on being ungrateful and generally a little shit. He told me he wanted some steaks they sell at Sam's, but they don't sell them at HEB, and all the steaks I saw were way too expensive for him to cook with his friends. I don't buy steaks if I have to pay $9.00 a steak for us, and I am certainly not doing it for some knuckleheaded 20 year olds. I got a mix like I usually get for us, a little pork, a little beef, some chicken wings, and sausage. He tells me, "ehh, I'll go get steaks tomorrow, I'm not making that shit." Of course that was met with a "well fuck you then, it's what we eat when we make BBQ, I was doing you a favor." He kept an attitude going for a while, probably because I woke his Highness, but that is what I get for running to the store and letting them take it easy here at the house.
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