We just bought our third Roku and they are turning out to be a great little $50 investment. We are finding programming we didn't know existed and unlike cable television, it is not loaded with stupid commercials and infomercials. I can't imagine cable television will be around in another five years.
Conservatives wanted to control the FCC and made it wrong for the free showing of a boob or a vagina, much less a dangling penis, well, what do they got now? I hope they are happy with the world they have created for themselves. I am finding myself floating to the right because the liberal agenda is lost, but this is one of those where I side with them. I don't want to hear that the government needs to oversee what we see and block all possibilities of nudity while because they fear the NRA, somebody getting shot up can still be considered normal viewing in the middle of the day.
Anyways, I don't feel like standing on a soapbox and supporting my views, I will just gladly enjoy watching most of what I watch on the Roku. For those who still don't have one, it is about the size of an old stick of gum and plugs directly into one of the HDMI ports on the television. It then also has a power supply wire that gets plugged into an outlet. It will take a few minutes to set-up. You need to have Wi-fi and know your current password, and then it goes and downloads the latest updates to say Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, and now the Disney channel. We are paying for all these, we have Netflix and Hulu, Boy has Prime Video through Amazon and the Disney channel, which he got free as a promotion from Verizon phone, I think. It probably does add up to own a bunch of these services, but cable by itself is probably costing us close to $120 a month. I am unsure, but our bundle for cable, internet and house phone has slowly rolled past $200, much like Time Warner cable did when we got rid of it and we never went back. It is simply nostalgia keeping us tied to cable. Tonight, we bought a new Roku because the one in our room never did work quite right and I got tired of messing with it. The new one seemed to download new channels, some are free and one of them, seemed like regular cable with a schedule showing what was playing but by title, like comedy, drama, scary, and so on. I thought it was cable programming for awhile.
During the week, when Wife is in La Pryor working, we don't even turn on the cable box or the TVs, I spend any free time on YouTube on my laptop. The boys have "smart TVs" and download Netflix and Hulu and stuff, they removed the cable boxes from their rooms a couple years ago. We keep getting the offer to switch to Google fiber which is supposed to be faster than the internet we have, this might be the year we let it happen. I was holding on to my house number because it is still the first and only number I have had for our home, and I got it in 1991, but we haven't had a phone plugged into any wall outlets in like two years, we got tired of solicitors, and the freaking state troopers asking for money all the time. You get one chance on my cell phone, first I don't pick up from other states and if I do and you ask for shit, you get blocked.
It was funny, on that random channel we watched a movie we have seen before, but it was free, so there were commercials every now and then. We noticed the commercials were different, like Trojan condoms was every other commercial, and the commercials seemed more aggressively pointed at the consumer, like "buy it so you can be the BEST!!" They just seemed a little different.
Saturday, November 30, 2019
11/30/19 Flooring Getting Closer To Reality?
After being lazy most of the day (this was written Tuesday), Wife included, we got up and attempted to leave the house late in the day. I told Wife I was simply going to Home Depot for more AA batteries and she was welcomed to join me. We had eaten her breakfast, watched 2 of the 3 Star Wars: Mandalorian episodes, then napped until 5:00pm. I just get antsy if we don't do anything. Still, coming down and having to wait for everybody, we invited Javalina and he has to make a big production of getting dressed, I dove onto the mattress in the living room and fell asleep for another 20 minutes (that bed is so perfect, I get it why nobody puts mattresses in their living rooms as furniture).
After realizing we were just going to Lowe's and we were planning on picking up some pizzas on the way back, Javalina and Boy both decided not to join us. This was fine since they just tend to get bored and then they want to rush me. We got there and I wanted to go look at the flooring options, I am a bit OCD once I get my mind on something it is all I focus on. Wife wanted to walk like a happy couple through the Christmas stuff, and I reluctantly rolled my eyes, but figured we had plenty of time to just walk at a slow pace. We both discussed and liked the idea of replacing the tile in the showers, tile is horrible the way the edges get all gooky and dark, we are just not good at cleaning them. There are some products out there we will consider after we lay down some flooring.
Eventually, we got to the flooring and we did the same dance where Wife wants some cheap shit and I want something from the real hardwood or at least I'll settle on the engineered stuff if the real material is thick enough. We ended up in the Pergo section and I was pointing out styles I liked. I really like the acacia style, but I will take a hickory or other different wood, not oak, it seems to be too the standard for everyone and is a little "boring" for me. One if the choices I apparently liked was .88 cents a square foot while the ones around it were all $3.79 a square foot. Wife noticed that and said let's take that one right now, I will run home and get the Excursion while you get it down and go pay for it. Suddenly, it got real and I didn't want it because it was too cheap but that is not a good reason alone. She called a guy and he said it was cheaper because they were doing away with it. I was kind of glad they were out of it. He said the store in Kyle had a bunch of boxes of it, but it was not on sale. Knowing it would have been a steal made me want it, but it still seemed wrong and way too cheap.
It gave me an idea though. Lumber Liquidaters has a section of wall where they display all the small leftover batches they sell at discounted prices and if Wife is game, we might be able to pick up enough to do the two rooms up front at heavily discounted prices. We might get lucky, one of the plusses of living in a big city, I guess. We really do have to get up earlier though. Before the guy could tell us if they had the flooring in stock, they were already announcing that the store would be closing in ten minutes. I didn't even get a chance to walk through the tools and throw something in the basket, just because.
After realizing we were just going to Lowe's and we were planning on picking up some pizzas on the way back, Javalina and Boy both decided not to join us. This was fine since they just tend to get bored and then they want to rush me. We got there and I wanted to go look at the flooring options, I am a bit OCD once I get my mind on something it is all I focus on. Wife wanted to walk like a happy couple through the Christmas stuff, and I reluctantly rolled my eyes, but figured we had plenty of time to just walk at a slow pace. We both discussed and liked the idea of replacing the tile in the showers, tile is horrible the way the edges get all gooky and dark, we are just not good at cleaning them. There are some products out there we will consider after we lay down some flooring.
Eventually, we got to the flooring and we did the same dance where Wife wants some cheap shit and I want something from the real hardwood or at least I'll settle on the engineered stuff if the real material is thick enough. We ended up in the Pergo section and I was pointing out styles I liked. I really like the acacia style, but I will take a hickory or other different wood, not oak, it seems to be too the standard for everyone and is a little "boring" for me. One if the choices I apparently liked was .88 cents a square foot while the ones around it were all $3.79 a square foot. Wife noticed that and said let's take that one right now, I will run home and get the Excursion while you get it down and go pay for it. Suddenly, it got real and I didn't want it because it was too cheap but that is not a good reason alone. She called a guy and he said it was cheaper because they were doing away with it. I was kind of glad they were out of it. He said the store in Kyle had a bunch of boxes of it, but it was not on sale. Knowing it would have been a steal made me want it, but it still seemed wrong and way too cheap.
It gave me an idea though. Lumber Liquidaters has a section of wall where they display all the small leftover batches they sell at discounted prices and if Wife is game, we might be able to pick up enough to do the two rooms up front at heavily discounted prices. We might get lucky, one of the plusses of living in a big city, I guess. We really do have to get up earlier though. Before the guy could tell us if they had the flooring in stock, they were already announcing that the store would be closing in ten minutes. I didn't even get a chance to walk through the tools and throw something in the basket, just because.
Friday, November 29, 2019
11/29/19 Laziest Thanksgiving Ever, For Us?
Wife warned us that we would be heading to San Antonio at noon, so I planned all my night time shenanigans accordingly. I got up to do my usual at 3:00am and was up paying bills and doing blogs and learning more and more about these snowflakes on liberal arts colleges ruining the country with their whining. The more I hear, the farther to the right I am afraid I am going. But that is for another day.
I knew I had to get some sleep, so I turned off the laptop at 7:30am and went to bed, figuring I had already slept about 3-4 hours. I was glad to have woken up at 10:50am, Wife was still in the bathroom and hadn't yet started being a pain in the butt about waking up. We got going and dressed in very relaxed clothing, I mean warm-ups and t-shirts, we are not fancy peeps.
We were on the road by about noon and surprisingly, it was very crowded on the highway, but traffic was moving quite fast. so we got there in good time. I made it at least to New Braunfels before falling asleep, but I think Wife might be drugging me as she turns on my seat warmer, wraps me in a small blanket and tells me shh, close your eyes. I only do as I am told.
We got there and everything was already done. It is quite nice that the younger sister is an actual cook and she likes to take charge of the kitchen. It was a pretty standard Thanksgiving meal with turkey, ham, stuffing, mashed potatoes, corn, cranberry jelly (from the can), and green beans. Oh and some crescent rolls that were so good, just loaded with butter flavor. We did the usual little prayer while we waited for one of Wife's cousins, then we sat down to eat.
I guess it's true that the turkey meal makes one sleepy, I wasn't even done and I knew I needed to lay down and fast. Wife saw it in my eyes and pointed me to her parent's room where I promptly napped for the next 3-4 hours. Wife made Javalina come wake me at one point so we could sing Happy Birthday (for his birthday) and I did not react well to it. We sang, I threw the finger at Wife for waking me, and I went right back to sleep. Wife knows me too well and hardly reacted.
It was nice to just lay and sleep until I got tired of it. I woke up when Wife was starting to talk about leaving and had some of the desserts. For some reason, this whole family that has never shown any interest in sports, was all wrapped up watching the Cowboys lose to the Bills. I sat on a smaller table over where they have the television and ate the cherry topped cheesecake, and the pumpkin pecan cheesecake and some black forest cake. The pistachio pudding is something Wife makes all the time, so I didn't get any but I did cut a piece of regular pumpkin pie and swallowed it whole.
The drive back was shockingly easy, for me. I sat down in the car, wrapped my legs with the little blanket and fell asleep before we made it out of the neighborhood. I woke up just as we got off the highway and turning into our neighborhood, so the trip was very nice. I ran in to poop and shower and then we stayed up watching TV shows we recorded and eating leftover turkey and desserts.
I knew I had to get some sleep, so I turned off the laptop at 7:30am and went to bed, figuring I had already slept about 3-4 hours. I was glad to have woken up at 10:50am, Wife was still in the bathroom and hadn't yet started being a pain in the butt about waking up. We got going and dressed in very relaxed clothing, I mean warm-ups and t-shirts, we are not fancy peeps.
We were on the road by about noon and surprisingly, it was very crowded on the highway, but traffic was moving quite fast. so we got there in good time. I made it at least to New Braunfels before falling asleep, but I think Wife might be drugging me as she turns on my seat warmer, wraps me in a small blanket and tells me shh, close your eyes. I only do as I am told.
We got there and everything was already done. It is quite nice that the younger sister is an actual cook and she likes to take charge of the kitchen. It was a pretty standard Thanksgiving meal with turkey, ham, stuffing, mashed potatoes, corn, cranberry jelly (from the can), and green beans. Oh and some crescent rolls that were so good, just loaded with butter flavor. We did the usual little prayer while we waited for one of Wife's cousins, then we sat down to eat.
I guess it's true that the turkey meal makes one sleepy, I wasn't even done and I knew I needed to lay down and fast. Wife saw it in my eyes and pointed me to her parent's room where I promptly napped for the next 3-4 hours. Wife made Javalina come wake me at one point so we could sing Happy Birthday (for his birthday) and I did not react well to it. We sang, I threw the finger at Wife for waking me, and I went right back to sleep. Wife knows me too well and hardly reacted.
It was nice to just lay and sleep until I got tired of it. I woke up when Wife was starting to talk about leaving and had some of the desserts. For some reason, this whole family that has never shown any interest in sports, was all wrapped up watching the Cowboys lose to the Bills. I sat on a smaller table over where they have the television and ate the cherry topped cheesecake, and the pumpkin pecan cheesecake and some black forest cake. The pistachio pudding is something Wife makes all the time, so I didn't get any but I did cut a piece of regular pumpkin pie and swallowed it whole.
The drive back was shockingly easy, for me. I sat down in the car, wrapped my legs with the little blanket and fell asleep before we made it out of the neighborhood. I woke up just as we got off the highway and turning into our neighborhood, so the trip was very nice. I ran in to poop and shower and then we stayed up watching TV shows we recorded and eating leftover turkey and desserts.
Thursday, November 28, 2019
11/28/19 Five Years Now?
I have now been writing a blog a day for five years straight. I am glad I am doing it, even if my readers have never gotten to more than about 100 or so on any particular blog. After doing it for two years, I considered stopping or at best cutting out the weekends. I still sometimes think of it and it is not the weekends, but the nights in which I work that seem the best candidates to cut, but I can't do it.
There are some nights that just suck and I can't think of anything new to get on about, but usually one of my boys is keeping me abreast of something new in their lives. Javalina is closest to me right now as he relies on me to pick him up and feed him after school. Some days I don't even see Boy, he is so busy with school and his love life. Still, eventually, we all end up back together. These next few weeks are the best. Wife and I are off Thanksgiving week, then we work for a couple of weeks and then another two weeks for Christmas and New Year's week. Three weeks off in the timespan of about a month and a half is great. I would hope for colder shittier weather to keep us tucked in at home, but it is Texas and we get what we get.
Javalina has now just turned 15 and he is on his way into becoming a young man. He is still very immature, but he is a good kid and means well. Boy has just been made an employee where he was an intern, so he is at a pretty interesting part of his life, almost reaching adulthood without dropping a kid.
Wife is taking some classes and we are hoping that she will be able to move back soon as all this back and forth on her part has gotten quite old. I can tolerate being without her all week, but then she comes in HOT and Bitchy sometimes, accusing us of not cleaning enough or keeping up with the house. It is a lot of house to keep up with, first of all, and I do work a full week too, it's not like I'm home all week fiddling with my gonads.
Girlie and her BF will be out in the next couple weeks, they have an apartment lined up in Kyle. It'll be interesting to have the house to ourselves and this year I also plan on replacing the floors, possibly room by room, to stay on budget.
So let's start another 365 days and see where we go. We have had too many brushes with hospitals and sickness, here's hoping we can stay healthy in 2020.
There are some nights that just suck and I can't think of anything new to get on about, but usually one of my boys is keeping me abreast of something new in their lives. Javalina is closest to me right now as he relies on me to pick him up and feed him after school. Some days I don't even see Boy, he is so busy with school and his love life. Still, eventually, we all end up back together. These next few weeks are the best. Wife and I are off Thanksgiving week, then we work for a couple of weeks and then another two weeks for Christmas and New Year's week. Three weeks off in the timespan of about a month and a half is great. I would hope for colder shittier weather to keep us tucked in at home, but it is Texas and we get what we get.
Javalina has now just turned 15 and he is on his way into becoming a young man. He is still very immature, but he is a good kid and means well. Boy has just been made an employee where he was an intern, so he is at a pretty interesting part of his life, almost reaching adulthood without dropping a kid.
Wife is taking some classes and we are hoping that she will be able to move back soon as all this back and forth on her part has gotten quite old. I can tolerate being without her all week, but then she comes in HOT and Bitchy sometimes, accusing us of not cleaning enough or keeping up with the house. It is a lot of house to keep up with, first of all, and I do work a full week too, it's not like I'm home all week fiddling with my gonads.
Girlie and her BF will be out in the next couple weeks, they have an apartment lined up in Kyle. It'll be interesting to have the house to ourselves and this year I also plan on replacing the floors, possibly room by room, to stay on budget.
So let's start another 365 days and see where we go. We have had too many brushes with hospitals and sickness, here's hoping we can stay healthy in 2020.
Wednesday, November 27, 2019
11/27/19 I Need To Quit Trying To Flip Over?
My folks were here this past weekend and although I seem distracted and out of it, I do enjoy having them here. I get a kick out of my dad being himself, kind of a pain in the ass possibly realizing it and doing it for fun, or oblivious to his actions, but still somewhat funny. His best one this time was at Logan's. He orders unsweet tea and while the waiter is trying to get the next drink order my dad is pointing at the middle of the table yelling "pinkies!" "Pinkies!" The waiter is trying to figure out what and my mom says he needs Sweet and Low (they come in the pink packages). This is funny even if my mom is embarrassed by her man spouting nonsense. My problem is only exposed when I have to interact with them because they are the only people I try to flip my way of living for.
I work nights and that has been the case for the last 20+ years. I don't mind it, I like sleeping during the day, I like being up in the middle of the night. When it is just my family, meaning Wife and my boys, it is easy enough. Wife knows that I like to go eat and she knows that like a big baby after I eat, I like to take a nap. I will normally get up earlier than anyone and write these blogs and look at YouTube videos and whatever crap that interests me until the rest of the family joins me. This is when I am usually looking to fall asleep. I worked Sunday night (and I am a whore, if there is OT I will take it even if I am on vacation), but had told my mom I would get up and join them for breakfast/lunch. I got home at 7:00am, then I was up until 9:00am hoping my folks would get up. Once I laid down I didn't get up until noon. I barely caught them packing and leaving. My mom wasn't upset, she said to go back and get more sleep, but I still felt like I ignored them on their way out.
Once they were gone, we got together and went and had lunch at Chicken Express. Of course, when we finished I just wanted to come home and lay down. Honestly, I had only slept three hours, so I wasn't really being selfish or trying to sleep the day away, this is one of the sacrifices of working nightshift. I ended up sleeping most of the afternoon/evening away. Wife wanted to sit and watch TV in the living room after we cleaned up our bedroom a bit, but I just dropped on the mattress where my brother slept and I was out. I woke intermittently, to eat dinner, wife made a great spaghetti, and I watched a little TV as Wife came back and forth. As soon as everyone went upstairs (after midnight) and Wife sent Javalina back down to get me, I woke and then I was up for the night.
I ironed like 6 shirts for the boys, then I sat where Wife normally sits, it was a bit stuffy (she was asleep, it was around 3:00am). Then I started thinking of our bills and came back down to make sure everything had gotten paid. After this, I started watching YouTube videos and before I knew it, it was 8:00am and I forced myself to go to bed. It is about 1:00pm, Wife is making potato and sausage with eggs and depending on where we might go after, I might just take my big baby nap.
I work nights and that has been the case for the last 20+ years. I don't mind it, I like sleeping during the day, I like being up in the middle of the night. When it is just my family, meaning Wife and my boys, it is easy enough. Wife knows that I like to go eat and she knows that like a big baby after I eat, I like to take a nap. I will normally get up earlier than anyone and write these blogs and look at YouTube videos and whatever crap that interests me until the rest of the family joins me. This is when I am usually looking to fall asleep. I worked Sunday night (and I am a whore, if there is OT I will take it even if I am on vacation), but had told my mom I would get up and join them for breakfast/lunch. I got home at 7:00am, then I was up until 9:00am hoping my folks would get up. Once I laid down I didn't get up until noon. I barely caught them packing and leaving. My mom wasn't upset, she said to go back and get more sleep, but I still felt like I ignored them on their way out.
Once they were gone, we got together and went and had lunch at Chicken Express. Of course, when we finished I just wanted to come home and lay down. Honestly, I had only slept three hours, so I wasn't really being selfish or trying to sleep the day away, this is one of the sacrifices of working nightshift. I ended up sleeping most of the afternoon/evening away. Wife wanted to sit and watch TV in the living room after we cleaned up our bedroom a bit, but I just dropped on the mattress where my brother slept and I was out. I woke intermittently, to eat dinner, wife made a great spaghetti, and I watched a little TV as Wife came back and forth. As soon as everyone went upstairs (after midnight) and Wife sent Javalina back down to get me, I woke and then I was up for the night.
I ironed like 6 shirts for the boys, then I sat where Wife normally sits, it was a bit stuffy (she was asleep, it was around 3:00am). Then I started thinking of our bills and came back down to make sure everything had gotten paid. After this, I started watching YouTube videos and before I knew it, it was 8:00am and I forced myself to go to bed. It is about 1:00pm, Wife is making potato and sausage with eggs and depending on where we might go after, I might just take my big baby nap.
Tuesday, November 26, 2019
11/26/19 Just Mentioned This Snowflake Society?
Even before Carolla's article, I had mentioned a few weeks ago about the pussification of sports because of mama's protecting their babies from harm's way. I think that has bled into other aspects of the sports world. I wasn't even looking for anything in particular, just how bad the Longhorns lost this week after it seemed like they had their shit together for this season. The tragedy that had to be reported by one "Nancy" named Nick Bromberg of Yahoo Sports (really? Is that a thing?) was Volunteer's (Tennessee) Coach Pruitt Grabs Player's Jersey, Scolds Him After Penalty. Who gives a shit, first of all? Would you rather he pull him over and offer him a hot tea and they have a chat about his feelings and why he would reach out and grab a player of the opposite team in such a nefarious manner?
What the fuck? These players are playing at another level than you can imagine when you go out and play your Ultimate Frisbee, Bro. They have their ears pinned back and they are out there to kill, hoping to be seen as aggressive enough to get to the next level and play in the NFL where they can make their millions. Occasionally, a coach has to dial back a player and that is alright. By this point in the season, these players have spent the last 4-5 months living under the teachings and philosophy of these coaches. The coaches are a bigger influence and measuring stick for how these young men will turn out and contribute in the real world than their families back home, any coach that has run a program for awhile, probably hand selected the players on his team, he doesn't want to see idiot behavior on the field.
I was never a jock so I can't speak firsthand, but my younger son has been playing football for three seasons and even in the off-season him and his teammates "love" hitting each other as a means of showing love and affection. I get "bum-rushed" by my son who really seems to have too much testosterone in his teenage body at least once or twice a day. The boys of fall as they are called in that Kenny Chesney song don't feel pain like you or I do. Someone pulling on their jersey or even helmet is what they need to slow them down, sometimes. I asked my son specifically about a coach grabbing you by the jersey and pulling you, he said "in a game you are so jacked up by adrenaline and excitement, you might have a finger twisted back or a ripped nail and you don't really feel it. A coach has to grab you and shake you sometimes to get you out of that 1000 yard stare on the field." Would you rather the kid keep hitting the opponent's QB illegally over and over again? If we look you up, Mr. Bromberg, you are a Missouri alumni, so you have an interest in making the Tennessee coach look bad, shame on you.
The offending player probably benches 200-300 pounds, and has been playing since he was in pee-wee league, a combined 12-14 years of football, think of all the collisions and kick-offs where they just smash into each other and your candy ass is worried about a coach tugging on a jersey? Get the fuck out of here and let a coach coach. You go write about Thanksgiving dinners and how things are "heating up in the kitchen."
What the fuck? These players are playing at another level than you can imagine when you go out and play your Ultimate Frisbee, Bro. They have their ears pinned back and they are out there to kill, hoping to be seen as aggressive enough to get to the next level and play in the NFL where they can make their millions. Occasionally, a coach has to dial back a player and that is alright. By this point in the season, these players have spent the last 4-5 months living under the teachings and philosophy of these coaches. The coaches are a bigger influence and measuring stick for how these young men will turn out and contribute in the real world than their families back home, any coach that has run a program for awhile, probably hand selected the players on his team, he doesn't want to see idiot behavior on the field.
I was never a jock so I can't speak firsthand, but my younger son has been playing football for three seasons and even in the off-season him and his teammates "love" hitting each other as a means of showing love and affection. I get "bum-rushed" by my son who really seems to have too much testosterone in his teenage body at least once or twice a day. The boys of fall as they are called in that Kenny Chesney song don't feel pain like you or I do. Someone pulling on their jersey or even helmet is what they need to slow them down, sometimes. I asked my son specifically about a coach grabbing you by the jersey and pulling you, he said "in a game you are so jacked up by adrenaline and excitement, you might have a finger twisted back or a ripped nail and you don't really feel it. A coach has to grab you and shake you sometimes to get you out of that 1000 yard stare on the field." Would you rather the kid keep hitting the opponent's QB illegally over and over again? If we look you up, Mr. Bromberg, you are a Missouri alumni, so you have an interest in making the Tennessee coach look bad, shame on you.
The offending player probably benches 200-300 pounds, and has been playing since he was in pee-wee league, a combined 12-14 years of football, think of all the collisions and kick-offs where they just smash into each other and your candy ass is worried about a coach tugging on a jersey? Get the fuck out of here and let a coach coach. You go write about Thanksgiving dinners and how things are "heating up in the kitchen."
Monday, November 25, 2019
11/25/19 A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood? (Movie)
I really expected this movie to attract more people than it did. It was a very meager audience of maybe 5-6 people total in that theater (although it was the 9:30pm showing). I thought we were alone in the theater, just Wife and I until the end of the movie when both sets of people up on top started looking at their phones and one could see the glow of their screens.
I expected the movie to be about Mr. Rogers and his path from young nobody to TV personality. Instead, it was really about a guy tasked with writing about him and through him, we see how great a person like Mr. Rogers really is. My initial observation of the man tells me he has a little OCD or something where he isn't "normal", but probably touched by something and him being a bit on the spectrum, as they say. Time and again, they show him fascinated with any human that is a little different, but the attention he pays to them is not the kind of attention regular people give you. He really listens, like his focus goes 100% to that person or thing in front of him. He even has to have a "handler" to keep him moving in a crowd, otherwise it seems he would lock eyes with a person and want to stay there all day hearing their life story.
Lloyd works for Esquire magazine and he has been tasked with interviewing Mr. Rogers, of PBS fame. He thinks it is a fluff piece and he seems to be a kind of guy that only writes the "truth" in which he digs up the dirty reality and makes people look bad, was my interpretation. Mr. Rogers was warned and gladly accepted and even insisted on him interviewing him. They have a few different meetings, the first one leaves an incomplete feeling in Lloyd's mouth as it is between filming of the PBS show, but he wants more and in the subsequent days, Mr. Rogers calls his house and has a conversation with the wife who he has remembered all the details of their conversation and she is star struck. Mr. Rogers has noticed that Lloyd is not well, showing up with a bruised nose and upon finding out he was in a fight with his dad kind of goes on a mission to help him mend this broken relationship.
Lloyd wants to keep his life private and only focus on Mr. Rogers' story, but to have him open up, you must give of yourself too. Talking intimately with someone means you have to share too, it is not just a one way conversation. We are left wondering a bit about Mr. Rogers, he never really opens up about his "anger" and he seems to split his emotions into different puppet characters. The one cat that is shy seems to have a lot of interesting stuff "to unpack" as they say, but the story doesn't get into it.
In the end, Lloyd is better for meeting and getting to know Mr. Rogers. He mends his relationship with his dad who walked out on his mom when she got sick, admitting he was afraid and immature at the time. He is now trying to mend fences as he is sick and nearing his death. After briefly fighting him away, Lloyd accepts his father back into his life and seems because of that to loose the angry edge that has plagued him all his life.
It was touching and Tom Hanks was terrific, but it also played a little hollow to me. We didn't get to see Mr. Rogers lose his shit, throw any tantrums. He mentions that sometimes he feels blue and a way to feel better is to play all the "low tones" on a piano. In the end scene, he is sitting on a piano and after playing a delicate little tune, he moves over and smashes the "low tones", so there is something deeper to Mr. Rogers, but I guess that will remain private.
I ended up standing up since I thought it was just Wife and I (the other people were on the top most row and I didn't notice them until they had their phones light up after the movie). I think if I had sat through the whole movie, I probably would have fallen asleep, it was a little slow and although there were touching moments, you could see them coming, so I did tear up, but never got to bawling.
I expected the movie to be about Mr. Rogers and his path from young nobody to TV personality. Instead, it was really about a guy tasked with writing about him and through him, we see how great a person like Mr. Rogers really is. My initial observation of the man tells me he has a little OCD or something where he isn't "normal", but probably touched by something and him being a bit on the spectrum, as they say. Time and again, they show him fascinated with any human that is a little different, but the attention he pays to them is not the kind of attention regular people give you. He really listens, like his focus goes 100% to that person or thing in front of him. He even has to have a "handler" to keep him moving in a crowd, otherwise it seems he would lock eyes with a person and want to stay there all day hearing their life story.
Lloyd works for Esquire magazine and he has been tasked with interviewing Mr. Rogers, of PBS fame. He thinks it is a fluff piece and he seems to be a kind of guy that only writes the "truth" in which he digs up the dirty reality and makes people look bad, was my interpretation. Mr. Rogers was warned and gladly accepted and even insisted on him interviewing him. They have a few different meetings, the first one leaves an incomplete feeling in Lloyd's mouth as it is between filming of the PBS show, but he wants more and in the subsequent days, Mr. Rogers calls his house and has a conversation with the wife who he has remembered all the details of their conversation and she is star struck. Mr. Rogers has noticed that Lloyd is not well, showing up with a bruised nose and upon finding out he was in a fight with his dad kind of goes on a mission to help him mend this broken relationship.
Lloyd wants to keep his life private and only focus on Mr. Rogers' story, but to have him open up, you must give of yourself too. Talking intimately with someone means you have to share too, it is not just a one way conversation. We are left wondering a bit about Mr. Rogers, he never really opens up about his "anger" and he seems to split his emotions into different puppet characters. The one cat that is shy seems to have a lot of interesting stuff "to unpack" as they say, but the story doesn't get into it.
In the end, Lloyd is better for meeting and getting to know Mr. Rogers. He mends his relationship with his dad who walked out on his mom when she got sick, admitting he was afraid and immature at the time. He is now trying to mend fences as he is sick and nearing his death. After briefly fighting him away, Lloyd accepts his father back into his life and seems because of that to loose the angry edge that has plagued him all his life.
It was touching and Tom Hanks was terrific, but it also played a little hollow to me. We didn't get to see Mr. Rogers lose his shit, throw any tantrums. He mentions that sometimes he feels blue and a way to feel better is to play all the "low tones" on a piano. In the end scene, he is sitting on a piano and after playing a delicate little tune, he moves over and smashes the "low tones", so there is something deeper to Mr. Rogers, but I guess that will remain private.
I ended up standing up since I thought it was just Wife and I (the other people were on the top most row and I didn't notice them until they had their phones light up after the movie). I think if I had sat through the whole movie, I probably would have fallen asleep, it was a little slow and although there were touching moments, you could see them coming, so I did tear up, but never got to bawling.
Sunday, November 24, 2019
11/24/19 FInally Celebrated Mijo's Birthday?
It took an extra day, but we finally celebrated Mijo's birthday, he suggested going to eat at Pappadeaux for lunch. We went and ate probably around 3:00pm, and it was a good time, because everytime we have gone, that restaurant is always full. I think a lot of the normal people that would be eating there were distracted by the UT/Baylor football game. The game had started at 2:30pm, there were couples at most booths, most of the tables were empty. We got the biggest round table, which I like because you can see everyone, but it leaves the appetizers in a weird no man's land where they are just too hard to reach for.
Javalina took two of his friends that spent the night, which I enjoy doing, specially when you hear from then that they have never eaten at a place like this and they are just left saying "wow." Even cooler, the two guests were not playing around like girls that wouldn't taste anything. They were sampling everything they could get their hands on. I got fried oysters on my plate and they looked a little too gross for me, but the boys had them and one of them liked them so much, he took the half that my mom bit and put down when she decided she didn't like it. They also tried gator bites, squid and octopus on an appetizer plate, and then their meals. I thoroughly enjoyed everything, I try not ordering a fried platter, but then I am left liking the way they look. I ordered that and there were just too many fries making the plate look big.
We sang Happy Birthday there to Javalina and we left. He wanted to come home, but we went to Central Market to get some sort of cake to celebrate at home. We ended up getting individual pastries for everybody, which is a little weird because it ends up being mostly cupcakes and a few small round cheesecakes. It all worked out and by the time we were finished eating that delicacy, it was about time to go to the movies. Instead of going to Fiesta Texas, the boys opted to go watch Frozen 2. It seemed a little "gay", but the boys are still young at heart and they did have a good time. At the same time they were watching Frozen, we went and watched the Mr. Rogers Neighborhood movie. I thought Tom Hanks did a great job with the role, but I will talk about it on my next blog.
My mom did have one slight meltdown and ended up yelling at me and my brother. When we got out of Central Market, it was already dark and she asked (very casually I thought) if I wanted to drive. I thought it was more to save her from following Wife, but I figured we were already at Ben White, so she should know more or less how to get home. After I eat any big meal, my eyes just close by themselves. After awhile, I wake to panicked voices and mom had missed the turn at Slaughter Lane from Manchaca and then she was upset and felt lost. She said at home that at night she has a hard time seeing. I thought it was a suggestion of "do I want to drive?" that is more of a required "someone else needs to drive." Anyways, we all got home safe but a little bit yelled at.
Javalina took two of his friends that spent the night, which I enjoy doing, specially when you hear from then that they have never eaten at a place like this and they are just left saying "wow." Even cooler, the two guests were not playing around like girls that wouldn't taste anything. They were sampling everything they could get their hands on. I got fried oysters on my plate and they looked a little too gross for me, but the boys had them and one of them liked them so much, he took the half that my mom bit and put down when she decided she didn't like it. They also tried gator bites, squid and octopus on an appetizer plate, and then their meals. I thoroughly enjoyed everything, I try not ordering a fried platter, but then I am left liking the way they look. I ordered that and there were just too many fries making the plate look big.
We sang Happy Birthday there to Javalina and we left. He wanted to come home, but we went to Central Market to get some sort of cake to celebrate at home. We ended up getting individual pastries for everybody, which is a little weird because it ends up being mostly cupcakes and a few small round cheesecakes. It all worked out and by the time we were finished eating that delicacy, it was about time to go to the movies. Instead of going to Fiesta Texas, the boys opted to go watch Frozen 2. It seemed a little "gay", but the boys are still young at heart and they did have a good time. At the same time they were watching Frozen, we went and watched the Mr. Rogers Neighborhood movie. I thought Tom Hanks did a great job with the role, but I will talk about it on my next blog.
My mom did have one slight meltdown and ended up yelling at me and my brother. When we got out of Central Market, it was already dark and she asked (very casually I thought) if I wanted to drive. I thought it was more to save her from following Wife, but I figured we were already at Ben White, so she should know more or less how to get home. After I eat any big meal, my eyes just close by themselves. After awhile, I wake to panicked voices and mom had missed the turn at Slaughter Lane from Manchaca and then she was upset and felt lost. She said at home that at night she has a hard time seeing. I thought it was a suggestion of "do I want to drive?" that is more of a required "someone else needs to drive." Anyways, we all got home safe but a little bit yelled at.
Saturday, November 23, 2019
11/23/19 What's My Age Again?
I rushed home yesterday to take Javalina to school. Mijo turned 15 and it was his birthday, and I wanted to drive him to school since I usually leave that to Boy but I do enjoy hearing him go on about anything, the boy can be entertaining. We usually listen to whatever but really I bounce between the alternative station and The Bridge, which plays soft rock of the 70s and 80s.
Yesterday, we were on the Alternative station and Blink 182 came on with "What's My Age, Again?" It is a cool little song about being in your early 20s and being a douchebag, not having matured yet to an adult. The song starts out with the protagonist making out with a girl....
Yesterday, we were on the Alternative station and Blink 182 came on with "What's My Age, Again?" It is a cool little song about being in your early 20s and being a douchebag, not having matured yet to an adult. The song starts out with the protagonist making out with a girl....
I took her out. It was a Friday night
I wore cologne to get the feeling right
We started making out, and she took off my pants
But then I turned on the TV
And that's about the time she walked away from me
Nobody likes you when you're 23
And are still more amused by TV shows
What the hell is ADD?
My friends say I should act my age
What's my age again?
What's my age again?
I wore cologne to get the feeling right
We started making out, and she took off my pants
But then I turned on the TV
And that's about the time she walked away from me
Nobody likes you when you're 23
And are still more amused by TV shows
What the hell is ADD?
My friends say I should act my age
What's my age again?
What's my age again?
After he pisses her off, he leaves and as he is driving home, decides to once again, be a jerk...
Anyways, this got me thinking and I told him now that you are turning 15, you are about to join the most hated human form, the male teenager. From a baby to an old man, male or female, there is no more despised version of human than what you just joined. Because of testosterone, you will be doing stupid shit for about the next ten years. All your little outbursts of "fuck you" and "fuck that" are just little baby steps of you going in that direction.
He responds with an "I'm not so bad. I say those things because I am in my safe space with you and I can be myself." I wasn't sure if he was fucking with me or being honest, but then he goes on a little rant cussing about the traffic and people around us and he catches himself "oh, that's what you probably mean, I get it now." I just said "mmm-hmm. I know I have a good ten years of stupid coming from you, amongst moments of brilliance, hopefully." We were then close to school and I dropped him off. He did have a good day, which I was glad, plenty of his friends seemed to know it was his birthday. And here is the rest of the lyrics to that song, it really is a great catchy song with the perfect 90s angst feeling...
Then later on, on the drive home
I called her mom from a pay phone
I said I was the cops, and your husband's in jail
This state looks down on sodomy
And that's about the time that bitch hung up on me
Nobody likes you when you're 23
And are still more amused by prank phone calls
What the hell is Call ID?
My friends say I should act my age
What's my age again?
What's my age again?
And that's about the time she walked away from me
Nobody likes you when you're 23
And you still act like you're in freshman year
What the hell is wrong with me?
I called her mom from a pay phone
I said I was the cops, and your husband's in jail
This state looks down on sodomy
And that's about the time that bitch hung up on me
Nobody likes you when you're 23
And are still more amused by prank phone calls
What the hell is Call ID?
My friends say I should act my age
What's my age again?
What's my age again?
And that's about the time she walked away from me
Nobody likes you when you're 23
And you still act like you're in freshman year
What the hell is wrong with me?
My friends say I should act my age
What's my age again?
What's my age again?
That's about the time that she broke up with me
No one should take themselves so seriously
With many years ahead to fall in line
Why would you wish that on me?
I never wanna act my age
What's my age again?
What's my age again?
What's my age again?
What's my age again?
What's my age again?
That's about the time that she broke up with me
No one should take themselves so seriously
With many years ahead to fall in line
Why would you wish that on me?
I never wanna act my age
What's my age again?
What's my age again?
What's my age again?
Friday, November 22, 2019
11/22/19 On Adam Carolla Taking On Snowflakes On College Campuses?
I think Adam is doing the Lord's work. Something needs to start the pendulum going in the opposite direction, and although I am much younger than Carolla, I fully agree that this generation has turned into quite the monster squad, full of self entitled douche nozzles and gold star heroes.
I have two boys we are raising together with my wife, and I have always treated my boys in a way that they know they are not out in the real world to act like they are special. I frequently remind them that out in the real world the two of you ain't shit and nobody wants to hear you being an expert at anything. Your job for the first 20 years of your life is to be a sponge and learn and absorb as much as possible from anyone wanting to teach you.
I find it hard to believe that some know nothing kid can take a stand and act like an authority on anything, especially a campus. Like Adam said, these kids were brought up with too much self-esteem. No 18 year old should think to himself, "I know more than anyone around here and that is wrong." Yes, if someone is trying to touch your bathing suit regions, go to town and sound the alarm, but just because someone has different thoughts than you does not mean they should be arrested. What these kids don't see is that when only their opinion is allowed to exist, well then you have created a hostile environment yourself.
When did just boycotting something go out of fashion? When I was a student at UT, there were talks of all kinds all the time. I was never interested in listening to anyone and thus I never attended any public discussions or campus shenanigans. Did I get hurt or lose anything of value? I don't think so. These so called snowflakes should just mind their own business, stop trying to save everyone.
I think this problem was exacerbated by the modern father disappearing from the nuclear family. As a father, I love my boys but I also smack them down when they are acting bigger than they are. I don't think mothers have that ability or it doesn't have the same effect. Mama's are good at telling their babies how great they are and how they will go out and conquer the world. I don't think a good mama would tell her kid "you don't know shit, that's why we are sending you to college." From my experience, mothers are the positive and dads are the negative in the to and fro that a kid should experience to reach a stable point which allows him/her the ability to weigh the value of any message picked up in the outside world. I think these "Snowflakes" have been fed way too much smoke up their collective asses and been told "you are my special Boy/Girl and you have a gift to give the world, You!" What we are getting is so much poop because come on, 20-somethings don't know shit except what they have been told.
I have two boys we are raising together with my wife, and I have always treated my boys in a way that they know they are not out in the real world to act like they are special. I frequently remind them that out in the real world the two of you ain't shit and nobody wants to hear you being an expert at anything. Your job for the first 20 years of your life is to be a sponge and learn and absorb as much as possible from anyone wanting to teach you.
I find it hard to believe that some know nothing kid can take a stand and act like an authority on anything, especially a campus. Like Adam said, these kids were brought up with too much self-esteem. No 18 year old should think to himself, "I know more than anyone around here and that is wrong." Yes, if someone is trying to touch your bathing suit regions, go to town and sound the alarm, but just because someone has different thoughts than you does not mean they should be arrested. What these kids don't see is that when only their opinion is allowed to exist, well then you have created a hostile environment yourself.
When did just boycotting something go out of fashion? When I was a student at UT, there were talks of all kinds all the time. I was never interested in listening to anyone and thus I never attended any public discussions or campus shenanigans. Did I get hurt or lose anything of value? I don't think so. These so called snowflakes should just mind their own business, stop trying to save everyone.
I think this problem was exacerbated by the modern father disappearing from the nuclear family. As a father, I love my boys but I also smack them down when they are acting bigger than they are. I don't think mothers have that ability or it doesn't have the same effect. Mama's are good at telling their babies how great they are and how they will go out and conquer the world. I don't think a good mama would tell her kid "you don't know shit, that's why we are sending you to college." From my experience, mothers are the positive and dads are the negative in the to and fro that a kid should experience to reach a stable point which allows him/her the ability to weigh the value of any message picked up in the outside world. I think these "Snowflakes" have been fed way too much smoke up their collective asses and been told "you are my special Boy/Girl and you have a gift to give the world, You!" What we are getting is so much poop because come on, 20-somethings don't know shit except what they have been told.
Thursday, November 21, 2019
11/21/19 Javalina's Birthday Is Tomorrow?
Javalina is so hard to buy stuff for. He is almost an opposite of Boy. Boy just needs to hear that I am going to buy him something and he will add to the list before I ask him. Javalina would rather we save the money and not make a fuss, other than having whatever video games to keep up with his friends. He managed to make a list of some video games he would like, but it is only 4-5 games and by the time both grandparents pick out a game or two, the list will be down to maybe a game.
He came up with a radical idea last weekend, with our thinking of going back to Florida and the Disney parks this summer, he would like for us to take his not one, but three friends. We told him that was a bit much, then he started his dancing around that he would give us all his money we have in the closet to them their park tickets. There is that cost, but also fitting three extra boys in our car would be a stretch, specially since we are thinking of getting a new vehicle, possibly before the trip. It wouldn't be a big problem if I end up getting a new Expedition, but like I keep saying, fully loaded they are in the upper $60,000s, and Wife really wants to live a minimalist lifestyle. We will discuss that one I am sure much more before we get there.
I did go ahead and order him (or us) a body protector, so he can practice punching (me) in the body. I found a video on YouTube and it even withstands blows from a baseball bat and the wearer seems immune to the hits. This is something we were considering buying a year ago, but forgot when we went to the store because it is a product that must be ordered and not kept at Dick's Sporting Goods. He is more interested in the boxing aspect since his newest protégé started asking for advice on working out. One of the boys he wants to take to Florida is wanting to get into fitness and more specifically boxing, so Javalina has been giving him pointers and this gadget could be helpful so they could practice punching and working on combinations and stamina. It is hard work punching someone for three minutes at a time, like boxers do.
It is scary easy ordering stuff online, I can see how Boy has become slowly addicted to it. I wanted to keep shopping and getting stuff, but I couldn't think of anything else to buy. I just want this night to finish so I can start my week off. My folks will be here the first few days, so that should be nice. Wife comes in tonight and ends her week Friday in San Antonio for a bit. We will be a happy together family for a week. Sweetie was going to kidnap Boy for Thanksgiving, but now said her family is going out of town and the two of them will join us, so that is more goodness.
He came up with a radical idea last weekend, with our thinking of going back to Florida and the Disney parks this summer, he would like for us to take his not one, but three friends. We told him that was a bit much, then he started his dancing around that he would give us all his money we have in the closet to them their park tickets. There is that cost, but also fitting three extra boys in our car would be a stretch, specially since we are thinking of getting a new vehicle, possibly before the trip. It wouldn't be a big problem if I end up getting a new Expedition, but like I keep saying, fully loaded they are in the upper $60,000s, and Wife really wants to live a minimalist lifestyle. We will discuss that one I am sure much more before we get there.
I did go ahead and order him (or us) a body protector, so he can practice punching (me) in the body. I found a video on YouTube and it even withstands blows from a baseball bat and the wearer seems immune to the hits. This is something we were considering buying a year ago, but forgot when we went to the store because it is a product that must be ordered and not kept at Dick's Sporting Goods. He is more interested in the boxing aspect since his newest protégé started asking for advice on working out. One of the boys he wants to take to Florida is wanting to get into fitness and more specifically boxing, so Javalina has been giving him pointers and this gadget could be helpful so they could practice punching and working on combinations and stamina. It is hard work punching someone for three minutes at a time, like boxers do.
It is scary easy ordering stuff online, I can see how Boy has become slowly addicted to it. I wanted to keep shopping and getting stuff, but I couldn't think of anything else to buy. I just want this night to finish so I can start my week off. My folks will be here the first few days, so that should be nice. Wife comes in tonight and ends her week Friday in San Antonio for a bit. We will be a happy together family for a week. Sweetie was going to kidnap Boy for Thanksgiving, but now said her family is going out of town and the two of them will join us, so that is more goodness.
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
11/20/19 How Much Is Too Much?
I don't know why I am bothered by it, but Girlie's BF got a new job and it was fine the first week, he worked like we all do, no problems. He then paid me the rent for this month, a couple days late, but hey, I got my money, no problems with me. Then the second week, he hung out pretty much all week, saying he was offered VTO, Voluntary Time Off. I told him, but they just hired you, you can't have accumulated any time off at this point. He very confidently told me that it was for all employees. I then said you work for a package delivery company, you all should be going into the busiest time of the year with the holidays around the corner. He tried saying that "actually, this is the slowest time of year." He might have meant the weeks prior to Thanksgiving, because I know that cannot be true.
I have been asking other people around me, and they all think it is weird, not to mention that this is the 2nd week where he hasn't worked and is again on VTO at least for two of the days so far. So, in summary, an employee for three weeks and only worked the first week and now has been on VTO since. One of my coworkers said he should be careful and that it could all be a trick. Now that they know who doesn't like to work, come January when it is slow, he will probably be one of the first ones to be let go. I can see this being true, but he says he keeps calling and checking if it is alright, since his girl is nervous about him not working. Either way, I guess I have my money, they are scheduled to move out the first week of December, so I won't be hearing any more excuses on why he doesn't have the rent on time.
In talking about it, my coworker also brought up that that is in line with how this new generation is, nobody wants to work too hard and companies know it. He mentioned his daughters just getting a job recently, but she is taking a month off to go see the Netherlands or some shit like that. If her company doesn't like, she'll just look for another job. We have been working over 20+ years and none of us are that brazen to say "fuck it, I am going on vacay, they can all kiss my ass when I get back." I personally consider my job one of the most important characteristics of who and what I am. I do everything I can to leave a good impression, even after 20 years of good service. This is what pays for my house and everything in it, I can't treat it like an annoyance of my daily ritual.
I have been asking other people around me, and they all think it is weird, not to mention that this is the 2nd week where he hasn't worked and is again on VTO at least for two of the days so far. So, in summary, an employee for three weeks and only worked the first week and now has been on VTO since. One of my coworkers said he should be careful and that it could all be a trick. Now that they know who doesn't like to work, come January when it is slow, he will probably be one of the first ones to be let go. I can see this being true, but he says he keeps calling and checking if it is alright, since his girl is nervous about him not working. Either way, I guess I have my money, they are scheduled to move out the first week of December, so I won't be hearing any more excuses on why he doesn't have the rent on time.
In talking about it, my coworker also brought up that that is in line with how this new generation is, nobody wants to work too hard and companies know it. He mentioned his daughters just getting a job recently, but she is taking a month off to go see the Netherlands or some shit like that. If her company doesn't like, she'll just look for another job. We have been working over 20+ years and none of us are that brazen to say "fuck it, I am going on vacay, they can all kiss my ass when I get back." I personally consider my job one of the most important characteristics of who and what I am. I do everything I can to leave a good impression, even after 20 years of good service. This is what pays for my house and everything in it, I can't treat it like an annoyance of my daily ritual.
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
11/19/19 Javalina, The Muse?
It turns out that Javalina is not only really into his idea of being a supreme athlete, but he might be a little contagious as he tells me. One of his close friends from Kinder has not played football, but has expressed an interest in learning the ins and outs of working out. I thought it was a bit funny that other kids see Javalina as an expert when I see him as a novice and one who doesn't listen very well.
In fact, it probably made my day last week when he was telling me after trying to explain why you do certain things a certain way to his friend that is looking for assistance in weight training. He said "all of a sudden I felt like how you must feel when you keep telling me over and over and I am trying to do it my own way, not really listening." It is very annoying, I don't know how you can put up with me. I just tell him I keep telling myself "you are an immature child, give him space and teach him bit by bit." He doesn't like it, but he gets it a little better now.
His friend said he is more interested in boxing and karate, but he thinks that he is fat, but he is not. The kid is an inch or two taller than Javalina but only weighs 180 pounds. Javalina is a beefy 223 pounds, but he carries it well. Javalina has goals for next year, based on football. He wants to be squatting like 300 pounds and benching at least 225 pounds. All the other stuff is just dressing in the big scheme of things. His friend is more looking to show off six pack of abs. I told Javalina, his frined needs to focus on sit-ups and crunches, along with running for endurance. I am not sure if he just wants a boxer's physique or if he really wants to learn how to fight. I tell Javalina to tell the kid to start coming over so he can work out with my boy on the weights and the punching bag.
Javalina mentioned I used to lift weights and was up in the 300 pound range on the bench press and the kid now has it in his head that I am going to make fun of him. That is not how it works, there might be some teasing, but it is all in good fun, and he must learn that everyone is on their own path. You can't expect to look exactly like your friend because you do the same exercises. All body types are vastly different.
In fact, it probably made my day last week when he was telling me after trying to explain why you do certain things a certain way to his friend that is looking for assistance in weight training. He said "all of a sudden I felt like how you must feel when you keep telling me over and over and I am trying to do it my own way, not really listening." It is very annoying, I don't know how you can put up with me. I just tell him I keep telling myself "you are an immature child, give him space and teach him bit by bit." He doesn't like it, but he gets it a little better now.
His friend said he is more interested in boxing and karate, but he thinks that he is fat, but he is not. The kid is an inch or two taller than Javalina but only weighs 180 pounds. Javalina is a beefy 223 pounds, but he carries it well. Javalina has goals for next year, based on football. He wants to be squatting like 300 pounds and benching at least 225 pounds. All the other stuff is just dressing in the big scheme of things. His friend is more looking to show off six pack of abs. I told Javalina, his frined needs to focus on sit-ups and crunches, along with running for endurance. I am not sure if he just wants a boxer's physique or if he really wants to learn how to fight. I tell Javalina to tell the kid to start coming over so he can work out with my boy on the weights and the punching bag.
Javalina mentioned I used to lift weights and was up in the 300 pound range on the bench press and the kid now has it in his head that I am going to make fun of him. That is not how it works, there might be some teasing, but it is all in good fun, and he must learn that everyone is on their own path. You can't expect to look exactly like your friend because you do the same exercises. All body types are vastly different.
Sunday, November 17, 2019
11/18/19 Finally Test Drove An SUV?
Saturday was a weird "have to get out of the house day" due to Boy having a "Friendsgiving" at home. Everything went well for them, other than they started cooking their turkey sometime after noon. It is a good thing that Wife was here to help them, they did not defrost it and were attempting to do it in the microwave, it was a medium 16 pounder, so it fit.
After napping away most of the afternoon, we headed out with the idea of going to test drive a Hyundai Palisade, the sister vehicle to the KIA Telluride.Wife suggested heading out to Kyle instead of going to the same old location on the motor mile. I thought the change might be interesting. Before we stopped there, we saw Griffin Ford and wound up in there. The prices were ridiculous at Ford. I love the new Expeditions, but come on, the two I saw were $74,000 and $75,000. Who can afford that? I then thought of the Ford Explorer and there was one inside in the showroom. It was $51,000. I saw a couple other outside and the prices didn't come down that much. Several others were even more expensive. Maybe there was a sale price to discount, but nobody came out to tell us this. I still think the F-250 is the best looking truck and I walked up to one randomly, but the price was $70,000. I then saw a red one which I really think I would like a red F-250 for my next car, but this one was $73,000.
I decided it was not my night to look, so I then thought maybe we'll be buying Javalina a car before I get something. He mentioned he liked the Mustangs, so we started looking for a basic one. The 5.0Mustangs were all at $50,000. There was a convertible at $38,000 which seemed like a bargain compare to the other prices but come on. The cheapest we could get was $31,000 for the Mustangs, but that is way to much to spend on a car for a kid.
We left, kind of disgusted by what they want to call small town prices. We headed over to Hyundai, but we were sure it was closed, the lights were all so dim. We still approached and saw people moving around inside through the few windows, so we got off. We met a salesman, Bo and he was a riot. He had us laughing after a few minutes. He said they have not been able to keep any Palisades in stock, with 7 coming this week on a truck, six are already sold. He did have one with leather and almost loaded for $41,000. We asked to test drive and it drove like butter. I was going over 70 on the frontage road and had not realized that. I liked it more than I thought I would. They will have some Limited's which are loaded and even have AWD, all wheel drive, for $46,000. There wasn't much comparison to do with Ford, these seemed like human prices. I hate this time of year, though, it was super dark and hard to see the vehicles in a good light.
After napping away most of the afternoon, we headed out with the idea of going to test drive a Hyundai Palisade, the sister vehicle to the KIA Telluride.Wife suggested heading out to Kyle instead of going to the same old location on the motor mile. I thought the change might be interesting. Before we stopped there, we saw Griffin Ford and wound up in there. The prices were ridiculous at Ford. I love the new Expeditions, but come on, the two I saw were $74,000 and $75,000. Who can afford that? I then thought of the Ford Explorer and there was one inside in the showroom. It was $51,000. I saw a couple other outside and the prices didn't come down that much. Several others were even more expensive. Maybe there was a sale price to discount, but nobody came out to tell us this. I still think the F-250 is the best looking truck and I walked up to one randomly, but the price was $70,000. I then saw a red one which I really think I would like a red F-250 for my next car, but this one was $73,000.
I decided it was not my night to look, so I then thought maybe we'll be buying Javalina a car before I get something. He mentioned he liked the Mustangs, so we started looking for a basic one. The 5.0Mustangs were all at $50,000. There was a convertible at $38,000 which seemed like a bargain compare to the other prices but come on. The cheapest we could get was $31,000 for the Mustangs, but that is way to much to spend on a car for a kid.
We left, kind of disgusted by what they want to call small town prices. We headed over to Hyundai, but we were sure it was closed, the lights were all so dim. We still approached and saw people moving around inside through the few windows, so we got off. We met a salesman, Bo and he was a riot. He had us laughing after a few minutes. He said they have not been able to keep any Palisades in stock, with 7 coming this week on a truck, six are already sold. He did have one with leather and almost loaded for $41,000. We asked to test drive and it drove like butter. I was going over 70 on the frontage road and had not realized that. I liked it more than I thought I would. They will have some Limited's which are loaded and even have AWD, all wheel drive, for $46,000. There wasn't much comparison to do with Ford, these seemed like human prices. I hate this time of year, though, it was super dark and hard to see the vehicles in a good light.
11/17/19 Losing My Shit At Don Dario's?
I have always been capable of being a loud and angry person, but usually my self control keeps me at bay. That was not the case this morning when I lost my marbles on a poor employee at Don Dario's who was doing nothing more than his job.
The day started early for me as it usually does on the weekends. I got up at 5:50am to go pee and could not believe how cold the room was, Wife loves leaving a window open when it is cool. I had even turned off the ceiling fans and had a small heater warming up the air in the room, making it nice and toasty in there to sleep during the week when she is at my mom's. All that goes out the window when she gets here, she likes it freezing, so I try to tolerate it. Anyway, I got up at that hour and kind of went back to bed playing my WWF and looking through my phone for other cool nudie pics. At 8:00am, I actually decided I was done sleeping an did get up and put my warm-ups on along with my other warm gear since Wife had asked me to go and get her oil changed which I decided to do.
It was a cool morning, but the sun was out and soon it didn't feel too bad. I got the oil changed and decided on also changing the transmission fluid which is supposed to be done at 60,000 miles but it hadn't been done and the car is at 114,000 miles. Total coast was $225, but car is good for awhile and that little box has been a trooper for Wife, taking her everywhere she needs to be. I got out of there and noticed it was quite dirty. Although the chance of rain said 40% online, I took a chance since the skies were clear and blue. Other than the multiple cracks on the windshield, the car could be mistaken for a much newer car when it is clean.
Right on cue when I walked in the house after drying the car with my chamois and wax stuff, Wife texted if I wanted to go eat breakfast. I said sure but of course, Javalina needs about an hour to shower and whatever in the bathroom. We decided on Don Dario's mostly because IHOP was packed and I really wanted pancakes and eggs with bacon. I always think it is too noisy and today it got the best of me. They were sitting everybody close together over in the left corner of the restaurant. I should have been fine, but we were right next to a table with a bunch of kids and some brain dead "adults." The kids specially the boys which were about 4 feet away from me kept getting up and every time he did, CREAKKKK!!!! went the wooden legs against the bare concrete. Over and over again. My mom says I am easily triggered by noises because I work alone and my kids are not noisy, so I am not used to it, but either way CREAKKKK!!! every few minutes. Then they go to leave and the adults push all the in, CREAKKK!! times 4-5.
I stayed cool, Wife kept telling me stories and although I joke they are all "talk talk compliance, talk talk compliance." She can tell a good one now and then. Just as I am getting comfortable finally, the guy that cleans the table comes around and CREAKKK!!! on all the chairs as he takes all the plates and wipes the tables down. By now Wife notices that I am agitated, but still keeps going on her story. We kind of decide to go when another guy comes around to move the tables, the party with all the kids had 3-4 tables lines up together and he was separating them. CREAKKK!!! from each chair, never mind the louder sound of the metal legs scraping on the concrete. I was up and in spanish took the chair he was about to grab and dragged it left and right to make the CREAKKK!!! sound and basically said in Spanish "fuck man, you can't hear the fucking noise the chairs make every fucking time you drag them." And at this point the dragging away from me caused the chair to jump ut of my hands and it flew over like if I had thrown it at him. I apologized quickly, I wasn't trying to hit him, but I picked it up and continued my rant about the noise. Wife could not find a place to hide and Javalina was even more embarrassed. I felt better for getting it off my mind.
When we got home, I went and called my Mom who agreed with me that she would have done the same, then I called my brother and he said he recently did the same thing at McDonald's, yelling at employees for being mildly brain dead. Feels good to be a part of a like minded family.
The day started early for me as it usually does on the weekends. I got up at 5:50am to go pee and could not believe how cold the room was, Wife loves leaving a window open when it is cool. I had even turned off the ceiling fans and had a small heater warming up the air in the room, making it nice and toasty in there to sleep during the week when she is at my mom's. All that goes out the window when she gets here, she likes it freezing, so I try to tolerate it. Anyway, I got up at that hour and kind of went back to bed playing my WWF and looking through my phone for other cool nudie pics. At 8:00am, I actually decided I was done sleeping an did get up and put my warm-ups on along with my other warm gear since Wife had asked me to go and get her oil changed which I decided to do.
It was a cool morning, but the sun was out and soon it didn't feel too bad. I got the oil changed and decided on also changing the transmission fluid which is supposed to be done at 60,000 miles but it hadn't been done and the car is at 114,000 miles. Total coast was $225, but car is good for awhile and that little box has been a trooper for Wife, taking her everywhere she needs to be. I got out of there and noticed it was quite dirty. Although the chance of rain said 40% online, I took a chance since the skies were clear and blue. Other than the multiple cracks on the windshield, the car could be mistaken for a much newer car when it is clean.
Right on cue when I walked in the house after drying the car with my chamois and wax stuff, Wife texted if I wanted to go eat breakfast. I said sure but of course, Javalina needs about an hour to shower and whatever in the bathroom. We decided on Don Dario's mostly because IHOP was packed and I really wanted pancakes and eggs with bacon. I always think it is too noisy and today it got the best of me. They were sitting everybody close together over in the left corner of the restaurant. I should have been fine, but we were right next to a table with a bunch of kids and some brain dead "adults." The kids specially the boys which were about 4 feet away from me kept getting up and every time he did, CREAKKKK!!!! went the wooden legs against the bare concrete. Over and over again. My mom says I am easily triggered by noises because I work alone and my kids are not noisy, so I am not used to it, but either way CREAKKKK!!! every few minutes. Then they go to leave and the adults push all the in, CREAKKK!! times 4-5.
I stayed cool, Wife kept telling me stories and although I joke they are all "talk talk compliance, talk talk compliance." She can tell a good one now and then. Just as I am getting comfortable finally, the guy that cleans the table comes around and CREAKKK!!! on all the chairs as he takes all the plates and wipes the tables down. By now Wife notices that I am agitated, but still keeps going on her story. We kind of decide to go when another guy comes around to move the tables, the party with all the kids had 3-4 tables lines up together and he was separating them. CREAKKK!!! from each chair, never mind the louder sound of the metal legs scraping on the concrete. I was up and in spanish took the chair he was about to grab and dragged it left and right to make the CREAKKK!!! sound and basically said in Spanish "fuck man, you can't hear the fucking noise the chairs make every fucking time you drag them." And at this point the dragging away from me caused the chair to jump ut of my hands and it flew over like if I had thrown it at him. I apologized quickly, I wasn't trying to hit him, but I picked it up and continued my rant about the noise. Wife could not find a place to hide and Javalina was even more embarrassed. I felt better for getting it off my mind.
When we got home, I went and called my Mom who agreed with me that she would have done the same, then I called my brother and he said he recently did the same thing at McDonald's, yelling at employees for being mildly brain dead. Feels good to be a part of a like minded family.
Saturday, November 16, 2019
11/16/19 Celebrating Early?
Boy gave me the best news yesterday, when he casually mentioned that he had just gotten his offer letter at work. I asked him if this was his invitation to become a permanent employee and he said yes. I congratulated him, shook his hand and hugged him. I have been worried about him because his degree is within reach, yet obstacles keep getting in the way. A couple weeks ago he mentioned he was not able to get into that last class he needed next semester, so now he can't graduate until the next semester, which means another year of waiting. This was unsettling to me.
I guess his workplace is happy enough with his progress that even with the one class short, which they will allow him the time to take the class when he needs to without having to make the time up, they still see enough value that they offered him a very competitive salary. I don't want to divulge his salary, but he is on par with both Wife and I, starting in January. He will also have free insurance, 401k, and work will keep paying for his parking pass, which Sweetie mentioned costs them $400 a month since it is downtown, I thought it was that much for the year, wow!
I am so proud of Mijo, he has had to work hard to overcome his dyslexia, which we have never let him use as a crutch from life, but man, his writing can be atrocious. Somehow or other, he has found a way to make it work. The one man at his work who gave him a hard time about it, actually told him he wouldn't work out in the programming field because of his dyslexia, was reprimanded at the time and has now been let go. I say good, let the old dinosaur go suck it at home.
This brings up the conversation I was having at work with Monster Energy Drink, who thinks the world is ending and the US is fucked. I think it is dependent on what population you are looking at. Boy is hanging out with a bunch of successful engineer types who all seem to be making crazy salaries, some are getting paid as much as $120 an hour. I assure you, Boy is not, or I would be charging him rent from the get go. Still, with his salary approaching ours, he will have to help out a bit around here. He said because he is with a start-up his salary is smaller than if he was with an intel or other big company where some of his friends are starting out in the $120k-$140k range.
I told him not to worry about that right now. This company has been good to you, show them a little appreciation, you can always take a promotion to a larger company later. Keep learning anything and everything you can from the smart people around you. Plus, I don't know if it is just this company because it is a start-up, but the flexibility they have makes me nervous. He is never in a rush in the morning, gets to work when he feels like it. I am always waking him up in the morning and he just says not to worry, he is going in at 9 or 10, or sometimes noon. He'll also casually drop in that he is doing some 3D printing for them, so he is technically on the clock, as he lays in bed. I guess this is a part of the new generation, I am still used to being a slave to the clock, but if it works for him then great. I am just happy he found his niche and he gets to do something he likes and gets paid to do it.
I guess his workplace is happy enough with his progress that even with the one class short, which they will allow him the time to take the class when he needs to without having to make the time up, they still see enough value that they offered him a very competitive salary. I don't want to divulge his salary, but he is on par with both Wife and I, starting in January. He will also have free insurance, 401k, and work will keep paying for his parking pass, which Sweetie mentioned costs them $400 a month since it is downtown, I thought it was that much for the year, wow!
I am so proud of Mijo, he has had to work hard to overcome his dyslexia, which we have never let him use as a crutch from life, but man, his writing can be atrocious. Somehow or other, he has found a way to make it work. The one man at his work who gave him a hard time about it, actually told him he wouldn't work out in the programming field because of his dyslexia, was reprimanded at the time and has now been let go. I say good, let the old dinosaur go suck it at home.
This brings up the conversation I was having at work with Monster Energy Drink, who thinks the world is ending and the US is fucked. I think it is dependent on what population you are looking at. Boy is hanging out with a bunch of successful engineer types who all seem to be making crazy salaries, some are getting paid as much as $120 an hour. I assure you, Boy is not, or I would be charging him rent from the get go. Still, with his salary approaching ours, he will have to help out a bit around here. He said because he is with a start-up his salary is smaller than if he was with an intel or other big company where some of his friends are starting out in the $120k-$140k range.
I told him not to worry about that right now. This company has been good to you, show them a little appreciation, you can always take a promotion to a larger company later. Keep learning anything and everything you can from the smart people around you. Plus, I don't know if it is just this company because it is a start-up, but the flexibility they have makes me nervous. He is never in a rush in the morning, gets to work when he feels like it. I am always waking him up in the morning and he just says not to worry, he is going in at 9 or 10, or sometimes noon. He'll also casually drop in that he is doing some 3D printing for them, so he is technically on the clock, as he lays in bed. I guess this is a part of the new generation, I am still used to being a slave to the clock, but if it works for him then great. I am just happy he found his niche and he gets to do something he likes and gets paid to do it.
Friday, November 15, 2019
11/15/19 Thursday Evening At Home?
I know I am off every other Thursday, but for some reason they never feel like just normal week nights. Last time I was off on Thursday, it was Halloween and we had all that stuff going on. This week was as normal as a day gets and I have to say, it was mostly nice.
My weekend started at really 6:30am. For once, there was not much work and I wrapped everything, including passdown and even timecard before then. By this point I was ready to go, but technically, I am supposed to stay until 8:00 since I work a 12 hour shift. I don't mind hanging out listening to music and watching stuff online, lately I've been obsessing over the idea of a new car. Anyway, at 8:00am, I was all set to go when my old weightlifting coworker texted that he was in the breakroom making coffee, so I went over to bullshit for awhile. By the time I realized, it was 9:00am, I left about then, but stopped at Target to get some things so we wouldn't have to run around for apparently we're hobbits because Javalina requires a dinner and a supper. I bought stuff to make spaghetti, and we already had some pork strips to cook.
Javalina was being a pain in the butt, as he can be about wanting to go to Bill Miller, which we had gone to on Tuesday, I said no. He also complained that his toes were freezing and he took my gloves but said they didn't keep his hands warm. I was already thinking I wanted to go to Academy, so we headed over there while he whined about being hungry. I bought him some gloves of his own, some wool socks to wear and we looked at the jackets, but he still only settled on another light thing not much thicker than a hoodie.
We got home and I cooked the pork strips and some mashed potatoes, and it was delicious. This was around 6:30pm. I then, as a smart-ass asked him if I should now start supper. He gave me a half smirk, but I knew he would be hungry in a couple of hours. Wife called, I love that woman, but man, it's always do this and do that.... can't you just call and have some jokes? I had already planned on taking down the Halloween stuff, yet she has to tell me to do it, which I hate.
I sat in the kitchen as I normally do, Javalina laid in the living room waiting to interject anytime we made a joke or commented about him. Boy and Sweetie were in and out, they made their own dinner even as I offered them spaghetti, Boy was in the mood for potato soup, so they went and bought that to make. Girlie came down and baked some cookies for work, then went to the other room to watch some baking shows. I took down some stuff with the help of Boy and some stuff with the help of Javalina and put it in bins and even put the bins away. I then made my spaghetti dinner after Girlie made some chili for frito pie and Boy boiled his potatoes. I ended up just making one box of spaghetti, and we ate as much as we could and there was still plenty left over. I thought it was weird/funny that in one evening Javalina and I had 2 different meals, and we cooked a total of 4 different dinners.
I tried calling Wife again around 9:00pm, but I think she fell asleep early. It sucks that she misses out on this simple nice evenings where we just hang out like that. I love the energy here with Javalina sitting there waiting to pounce on anything he can call insulting which will get him up and arguing (in a fun way), Boy knows how to poke his buttons, and Sweetie is getting into the whole teasing and joking that we do. Her phone beeped and she mentioned it was for her birth control, I said "good, keep it up, we are proud of you." She came back with a nah, I am going to mess it up and give you five girl grandbabies. I always retort that Boy has only boy sperm because I made him and I am all man. She doesn't like my science, but that makes it fun.
The fun continued until around midnight when I went to bed. Javalina stays up until 11:00pm, which I don't mind since he still manages to wake himself up by 6:30am and he showers and eats. Boy is usually up until 1:00am in his room with Sweetie. I went in there to say goodnight and he is gaming on his TV and Sweetie is gaming on her laptop, I think they make a fine pair.
My weekend started at really 6:30am. For once, there was not much work and I wrapped everything, including passdown and even timecard before then. By this point I was ready to go, but technically, I am supposed to stay until 8:00 since I work a 12 hour shift. I don't mind hanging out listening to music and watching stuff online, lately I've been obsessing over the idea of a new car. Anyway, at 8:00am, I was all set to go when my old weightlifting coworker texted that he was in the breakroom making coffee, so I went over to bullshit for awhile. By the time I realized, it was 9:00am, I left about then, but stopped at Target to get some things so we wouldn't have to run around for apparently we're hobbits because Javalina requires a dinner and a supper. I bought stuff to make spaghetti, and we already had some pork strips to cook.
Javalina was being a pain in the butt, as he can be about wanting to go to Bill Miller, which we had gone to on Tuesday, I said no. He also complained that his toes were freezing and he took my gloves but said they didn't keep his hands warm. I was already thinking I wanted to go to Academy, so we headed over there while he whined about being hungry. I bought him some gloves of his own, some wool socks to wear and we looked at the jackets, but he still only settled on another light thing not much thicker than a hoodie.
We got home and I cooked the pork strips and some mashed potatoes, and it was delicious. This was around 6:30pm. I then, as a smart-ass asked him if I should now start supper. He gave me a half smirk, but I knew he would be hungry in a couple of hours. Wife called, I love that woman, but man, it's always do this and do that.... can't you just call and have some jokes? I had already planned on taking down the Halloween stuff, yet she has to tell me to do it, which I hate.
I sat in the kitchen as I normally do, Javalina laid in the living room waiting to interject anytime we made a joke or commented about him. Boy and Sweetie were in and out, they made their own dinner even as I offered them spaghetti, Boy was in the mood for potato soup, so they went and bought that to make. Girlie came down and baked some cookies for work, then went to the other room to watch some baking shows. I took down some stuff with the help of Boy and some stuff with the help of Javalina and put it in bins and even put the bins away. I then made my spaghetti dinner after Girlie made some chili for frito pie and Boy boiled his potatoes. I ended up just making one box of spaghetti, and we ate as much as we could and there was still plenty left over. I thought it was weird/funny that in one evening Javalina and I had 2 different meals, and we cooked a total of 4 different dinners.
I tried calling Wife again around 9:00pm, but I think she fell asleep early. It sucks that she misses out on this simple nice evenings where we just hang out like that. I love the energy here with Javalina sitting there waiting to pounce on anything he can call insulting which will get him up and arguing (in a fun way), Boy knows how to poke his buttons, and Sweetie is getting into the whole teasing and joking that we do. Her phone beeped and she mentioned it was for her birth control, I said "good, keep it up, we are proud of you." She came back with a nah, I am going to mess it up and give you five girl grandbabies. I always retort that Boy has only boy sperm because I made him and I am all man. She doesn't like my science, but that makes it fun.
The fun continued until around midnight when I went to bed. Javalina stays up until 11:00pm, which I don't mind since he still manages to wake himself up by 6:30am and he showers and eats. Boy is usually up until 1:00am in his room with Sweetie. I went in there to say goodnight and he is gaming on his TV and Sweetie is gaming on her laptop, I think they make a fine pair.
Thursday, November 14, 2019
11/14/19 Accept What Change Can Bring?
Maybe because we are in an ever growing city, I don't necessarily get disappointed when we lose a business, as there is always the possibility of something better to replace it. I remember moving to Austin and Barton Mall was the mall to go to, but the whole section where the movies and the Cheesecake Factory are located was nothing but a flat wall. There was also a Montgomery Ward as an anchor store, to boot. I could never figure out what their specialty was as they had clothes, jewelry, furniture and even an electronics store where you could buy speakers as tall as a child. It then went bankrupt and left a huge hole in my favorite mall.
Eventually, it was replaced by Nordstrom's, which is a much fancier anchor store. It has had so much influence to the mall, that what could have been the start of its death spiral, losing Montgomery Ward, instead started its second life. They have been re-inventing the mall, that whole wing is more high end clothing, and although it may not be for us, necessarily, it gives the mall new life and hopefully a long life expectancy. There is nothing sadder in retail than a dead mall.
That happened to Highland Mall, which was another very nice mall when I first moved here in the 90s. It got a little too urban, if you catch my drift. The last few times we visited, I just remember most of the rails being littered by black kids, like it was the only place to hang during the day and the heat. I get the attraction as a youth, but to adults and families with money, it just seemed a bit sketchy and with other options in the area, and no one doing anything about the kids hanging out, it soon found itself out as a destination. It was saved by being converted to an ACC building, so now it is an institution of learning. I would hope it is still being littered by kids, although I have no reason to go there.
The main reason for writing this is that we had noticed that Macaroni Grill closed down awhile ago. It is a place we used to frequent when we lived in our old house. It is probably the same distance for us from here as from the old house, we just have more options at Southpark Meadows. The location is not bad at Stassney Lane and I-35. Last weekend, we went to Dimassi's Restaurant for lunch. We discovered this place about a year ago and we have gone now a handful of times. It is Mediterranean and a good change from Pizza, burgers, and steaks. As we were driving around this weekend, we noticed the sign has gone up and we are getting one of those restaurants here, at that location.
I don't know what change to expect for the Sears location at the mall, but I am hopeful it will be positive. As long as it isn't like in the Righteous Gemstones and end up a church, I think things will be alright.
Eventually, it was replaced by Nordstrom's, which is a much fancier anchor store. It has had so much influence to the mall, that what could have been the start of its death spiral, losing Montgomery Ward, instead started its second life. They have been re-inventing the mall, that whole wing is more high end clothing, and although it may not be for us, necessarily, it gives the mall new life and hopefully a long life expectancy. There is nothing sadder in retail than a dead mall.
That happened to Highland Mall, which was another very nice mall when I first moved here in the 90s. It got a little too urban, if you catch my drift. The last few times we visited, I just remember most of the rails being littered by black kids, like it was the only place to hang during the day and the heat. I get the attraction as a youth, but to adults and families with money, it just seemed a bit sketchy and with other options in the area, and no one doing anything about the kids hanging out, it soon found itself out as a destination. It was saved by being converted to an ACC building, so now it is an institution of learning. I would hope it is still being littered by kids, although I have no reason to go there.
The main reason for writing this is that we had noticed that Macaroni Grill closed down awhile ago. It is a place we used to frequent when we lived in our old house. It is probably the same distance for us from here as from the old house, we just have more options at Southpark Meadows. The location is not bad at Stassney Lane and I-35. Last weekend, we went to Dimassi's Restaurant for lunch. We discovered this place about a year ago and we have gone now a handful of times. It is Mediterranean and a good change from Pizza, burgers, and steaks. As we were driving around this weekend, we noticed the sign has gone up and we are getting one of those restaurants here, at that location.
I don't know what change to expect for the Sears location at the mall, but I am hopeful it will be positive. As long as it isn't like in the Righteous Gemstones and end up a church, I think things will be alright.
Wednesday, November 13, 2019
11/13/19 Making A Winter Wonderland?
I don't know about Winter Wonderland, this is Texas, after all. The fact is that our house is still in Halloween mode, I have been lazy and not taken anything down yet. I keep meaning to start but I get derailed. I was thinking about it Sunday, but then they called me for OT and of course money wins over me working for free. Part of the reason I have hesitated is that Girlie is still there and not that I mind her there, but they are using the room I had kept the Halloween stuff in, the closet, anyway. I can't really fit it in Javalina's closet anymore, there are too many Christmas bins and stuff in there. Girlie is supposed to be out by December, they have been out looking at apartments, and I think it is time they try living on their own.
I am tempted to buy a new tree, we had two for awhile, our main green one which was getting old and my perv white tree where I hung all my "dirty ornaments", but last year Wife took my white tree, declaring that the green one had seen better days. As a result, my dirty ornaments never made it out. We bought these fancy LED Halloween lights that flash purple, orange, or a combination and they are nice. I want to get something equivalent with Christmas colors before I start hanging the new stuff, maybe this weekend.
I managed to take down the stuff outside because the HOA is a pain in the ass and I hate getting mail from them like I am a child needing to be told to put my stuff away. Well, I brought it inside, it is all in a mess around the pool table, but at least the HOA can suck it. I work one more night this week and then I have a 4 day weekend, which I will try my best to clean up. Boy has a party of people coming, so Wife is already busting balls to get the house cleaned, she doesn't like company to see us living like animals.
It wasn't that long ago that I cleaned the rooms good enough for the appraisal. I guess we are supposed to close in December, but what happened to my clean house? I was going to stay on top of it, but here we are again with crap everywhere. I think Christmas will give me another good excuse to clean up.
I am tempted to buy a new tree, we had two for awhile, our main green one which was getting old and my perv white tree where I hung all my "dirty ornaments", but last year Wife took my white tree, declaring that the green one had seen better days. As a result, my dirty ornaments never made it out. We bought these fancy LED Halloween lights that flash purple, orange, or a combination and they are nice. I want to get something equivalent with Christmas colors before I start hanging the new stuff, maybe this weekend.
I managed to take down the stuff outside because the HOA is a pain in the ass and I hate getting mail from them like I am a child needing to be told to put my stuff away. Well, I brought it inside, it is all in a mess around the pool table, but at least the HOA can suck it. I work one more night this week and then I have a 4 day weekend, which I will try my best to clean up. Boy has a party of people coming, so Wife is already busting balls to get the house cleaned, she doesn't like company to see us living like animals.
It wasn't that long ago that I cleaned the rooms good enough for the appraisal. I guess we are supposed to close in December, but what happened to my clean house? I was going to stay on top of it, but here we are again with crap everywhere. I think Christmas will give me another good excuse to clean up.
Tuesday, November 12, 2019
11/12/19 No More Sears Wish Book?
I don't think we realize how important the Sears Wish Book was back in our youth. It helped shape me into the person I became today. It had plenty of stuff I wanted but never needed, it had stuff one needed for a house but didn't want and it had stuff you didn't know you would want and need later in life, but dammit, even a baby likes looking at boobs and bras. Kids today have no idea what life was like before Amazon and YouTube. If you wanted to go shopping, you had to go somewhere, it wasn't just on your laptop or phone. You could sort of scan stuff in these Christmas catalogs which would be loaded with great ideas for gifts from Santa or a rich uncle, not that we had one of those. Luckily for us, Santa was pretty good at getting us some of the stuff we really wanted. I remember wanting so much one of those football table tops where the players buzzed around via vibrations. The pictures made it seem that it was some sort of magical device where you could simulate plays and challenge friends, but in reality, it was a dud gift. All you got was a vibrating sheet of green metal and all your "players" (made out of paper standing on a metal base which moved randomly) ended up at the lowest part of the table because what do kids know about level surfaces.
But not only did it help establish a base of stuff to ask for from Santa, there was also the sections in the front which showed a naïve boy what lay under the female clothing and this was all exciting and confusing all at the same time. I remember having a perfect hiding place under my bed which was supposed to have drawers under it, so it was higher than normal without a box spring. The drawers were only on one side and they faced the door but I still had space to get in on the other side and "disappear" in plain sight to focus on my "studies" of the female form.
With Sears having gone out of business, this rite of passage will be lost if it hasn't already. Oh, where will future pervs start their humble young careers, the internet is too harsh and in your face. The Sears book had everything a precocious young boy needed, with go-karts and mini dirt bikes to run around outside, pool tables and other game room necessities, pools for the summer time, toys for the young at heart, and of course womens in all sort of dis-dress, specially the bras. It did piss me off later when I realized the nips were faded out or covered so they would not show even through the laciest of materials. But, ahhh, good times. Guess I am feeling nostalgic as we start getting ready to head into the holidays.
But not only did it help establish a base of stuff to ask for from Santa, there was also the sections in the front which showed a naïve boy what lay under the female clothing and this was all exciting and confusing all at the same time. I remember having a perfect hiding place under my bed which was supposed to have drawers under it, so it was higher than normal without a box spring. The drawers were only on one side and they faced the door but I still had space to get in on the other side and "disappear" in plain sight to focus on my "studies" of the female form.
With Sears having gone out of business, this rite of passage will be lost if it hasn't already. Oh, where will future pervs start their humble young careers, the internet is too harsh and in your face. The Sears book had everything a precocious young boy needed, with go-karts and mini dirt bikes to run around outside, pool tables and other game room necessities, pools for the summer time, toys for the young at heart, and of course womens in all sort of dis-dress, specially the bras. It did piss me off later when I realized the nips were faded out or covered so they would not show even through the laciest of materials. But, ahhh, good times. Guess I am feeling nostalgic as we start getting ready to head into the holidays.
Monday, November 11, 2019
11/11/19 Wife Strikes Me As A Little Like Mama From Waterboy?
Wife has had trouble connecting with her Supervisor, which is tough because she is essentially the number two person on campus and he doesn't quite drop what he is doing when Wife talks. She still has so much energy and drive that she accomplishes despite his best efforts to just repeat his mantra of "stay the course."
Part of the reason they don't see eye to eye is that he was a coach in his past life before becoming the boss man and to him, football is life. Wife, when she talks about work, seems like the mom from Waterboy in that she has to start with the sentence "I don't care about your foosball, test scores and compliance are all that matters." Wife refuses to dance with the best interests of a small town and I think that is something she really needs to learn.
Recently, she finally got his interest when she brought up to him the topic of high school wrestling, saying our boy is considering joining the team and even his defensive football coach wants him to go give it a shot. He actually put his phone down and got animated and was all interested in knowing that a kid is participating in a sport that is not common everywhere. I couldn't resist making the joke to Wife "after you got him interested, how long were you able to go before your brain just squawked "COMPLIANCE!" like a chicken?" That one made her laugh pretty good.
She then had a second good convo about Dripping Springs. She said he agreed with what I wrote in my other blog considering the game after she was telling him my two cents. They are a group of bullies and miscreants and the coaches don't seem interested in playing a clean game. Whenever he went against them, they would step on players who were down on the ground, which sounded like Javalina getting his hand stepped on. He showed me his thumb all red and patterned like a cleat on it that night. He said after a play, he went to get up and he was numb from the cold, but he was stuck to the ground and he pays attention and a guy is standing on his hand. What the shit is this behavior? I just found it to be very low class.
On the one hand, I agree with Wife, football and extracurricular activities are not everything. On the other hand, a small town like where she is at is not developing brain surgeons or engineers or even lawyers. It is a small town and for the most part, people are going to stay there and find a role in said small town life. A few teachers, a few business people, some farmers and ranchers, and the community will carry on. I think there is space for football on a small town's plate, more so than in a big city where even the parents don't seem to have the time or interest to go see their own kids playing. A small community can come together and for us in Texas, nothing seems more important than what happens under those Friday night lights. Some come for the love of the game, to cheer for their home grown warriors, some come for the pageantry of the cheerleaders, to cheer on the cheerers, others even come for the band which provides a living breathing atmosphere to make what is happening on the field just a little more exciting.
Part of the reason they don't see eye to eye is that he was a coach in his past life before becoming the boss man and to him, football is life. Wife, when she talks about work, seems like the mom from Waterboy in that she has to start with the sentence "I don't care about your foosball, test scores and compliance are all that matters." Wife refuses to dance with the best interests of a small town and I think that is something she really needs to learn.
Recently, she finally got his interest when she brought up to him the topic of high school wrestling, saying our boy is considering joining the team and even his defensive football coach wants him to go give it a shot. He actually put his phone down and got animated and was all interested in knowing that a kid is participating in a sport that is not common everywhere. I couldn't resist making the joke to Wife "after you got him interested, how long were you able to go before your brain just squawked "COMPLIANCE!" like a chicken?" That one made her laugh pretty good.
She then had a second good convo about Dripping Springs. She said he agreed with what I wrote in my other blog considering the game after she was telling him my two cents. They are a group of bullies and miscreants and the coaches don't seem interested in playing a clean game. Whenever he went against them, they would step on players who were down on the ground, which sounded like Javalina getting his hand stepped on. He showed me his thumb all red and patterned like a cleat on it that night. He said after a play, he went to get up and he was numb from the cold, but he was stuck to the ground and he pays attention and a guy is standing on his hand. What the shit is this behavior? I just found it to be very low class.
On the one hand, I agree with Wife, football and extracurricular activities are not everything. On the other hand, a small town like where she is at is not developing brain surgeons or engineers or even lawyers. It is a small town and for the most part, people are going to stay there and find a role in said small town life. A few teachers, a few business people, some farmers and ranchers, and the community will carry on. I think there is space for football on a small town's plate, more so than in a big city where even the parents don't seem to have the time or interest to go see their own kids playing. A small community can come together and for us in Texas, nothing seems more important than what happens under those Friday night lights. Some come for the love of the game, to cheer for their home grown warriors, some come for the pageantry of the cheerleaders, to cheer on the cheerers, others even come for the band which provides a living breathing atmosphere to make what is happening on the field just a little more exciting.
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