This is my second Kurt Vonnegut book I have read over the summer. Boy recommended Slaughterhouse Five earlier. This was a collection of shorter stories and honestly, more than half of them seemed like they were pulled from the events that made up Slaughterhouse Five. He spoke of Dresden for a second time with a sense that I really believe Kurt, the man, was there during World War II and he experienced what he wrote.
Two of the stories stick with me because they are so different, in time. The Unicorn Trap, is set in old England in the year 1067, the bad guy is a feared Robert the Horrible. He has just executed 18 people of the village and laid the responsibility of new tax collector on Elmer, an honest poor woodcutter, after the last one had failed. As Robert the Horrible is done explaining his command, his men and himself charge off after a deer and disappear, never to be seen again. The protagonist is conflicted about his new title. He does not want it, as he would rather be poor and invisible. His son, meanwhile, is trying to explain to his father about his unicorn trap and what he has been doing. To his father, this is his son being a boy, playing, but his boy has been busy growing and the trap has grown too. Elmer decides he will stand up to Robert and refuse the job, knowing he will die for it, he cannot see himself trying to take money from the other poor people. He waits for the next day to tell Robert the Horrible, but he never comes. His men are running on horseback back and forth, but they cannot find him. In the end, Elmer goes to see his son's trap and it is huge and it goes on underground, like a cave, with timbers at its entance that fell and killed Robert, somehow.
The other story is Armageddon In Retrospect, namesake of the book. It is set in Oklahoma and is based on the study of Demonology. It is quite grand, getting its start from a doctor from Dresden, Germany. He had a unifying theory for mental illness related to the devil. He wrote book after book, then died broke. Time passed, a rich oillman in Oklahoma wanted his library filled with 200 feet of books. This is how he came in possession of the doctor's works. He found german translators to convert the text into english and this caused him to spend the rest of his life and millions trying to prove the german's theories. He had a lavish Institute built with an army of researchers and scientists studying in demonolgy. The story gets quite grand, leads all the way to the UN before coming back to itself. The end is also a little far fetched, and possibly just describes another doctor losing his mind and playing the very character he tried to find.
The other stories all seemed to be from the eyes of someone in a war zone. Interesting, but not unique enough to stand out. There was a story about a kid who lived with an old man. As mch as the old man wanted the kid to experience just one day of normal, he takes him out of the city, into the countryside, next to a stream. The kid still manages to find an old shell of a tank, which fascinates the boy.
There was a story of the prisoners of war constantly talking about food. They are supposed to be clearing the streets of Dresden as their work, and three of them are under the eye of an older german Klenheins, who tolerated their bickering over food and minimum work, as long as he was left alone. In the end, Klenheins has been wanting to be transferred out of that job assignment and after a superior officer comes and demotes him for carrying notebooks with pictures of food the prisoners had been drawing, we find Klenhein realizes he is as much a prisoner as the americans. In the end, there is nothing better to do than to join them in talking about food to get through the dread of the day.
Most stories, as I said, had the war as a backdrop. After a while, they all kind of seem like one long story. I enjoyed the book, and read it in about a week. It is about 232 pages long, but has several cartoon drawings which take a page or two apiece.
Monday, August 31, 2015
Sunday, August 30, 2015
8/30/15 Just The Tip?
Thursday night I was at work, fixing to come home around 8:30pm. I have an arrangement with my Supervisor, I officially work in two week increments, and the first week I am supposed to work Monday night to Thursday night, for 12 hours a night. This automatically gives me 48 hours, so 8 hours are paid at OT rates. The second week, I was told to work 40 hours even. It was suggested I do 10 hours a night, Monday night through Thursday night, but I gamble that there will be work and that they will let me stay, so I work 12 hour nights Monday through Wednesday night, and Thursday night I do four hours unless, there is work that needs to be done. By the way, these are hours from when we were part of the big fabs working 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Back to Thursday night, there was hardly any work. I was kind of taking it easy, talking to Wife on phone about going to the coast one last time, then talking to my Mom, just checking in, night was slow enough, I didn't feel guilty. Around 8:30pm though, I got a call from the other supervisor who watches the other guys who still actually work for the fab. We share the same space and many of the same tools. We are familar enough with their technology and work, that when they get backed up, they send us work. He had some work for us, I quickly text my supervisor who was either having a party or just does not keep track of her phone, but finally says to stay at 10:30pm. I put ina full night of twelve hours instead of four, then I get a text Friday that I can do another full night. All of a sudden, I have an extra twenty hours on my timesheet, all at OT rates.
I come in Friday, and that one guy I like arguing with, is there. He starts with the "what are you doing here?" routine. I joke with him that "yall are too slow, your boss called in the big guns. He then said "you should give him a tip, for all the work he gives you." I had not thought of that. His supervisor has made me $1000's of dollars, in OT. He is a supervisor, he makes a good living, possibly makes more money than me. Is it cool to give him a tip, or would it look like a bribe if I started giving him money? The whole thing sounds weird to me. I was thinking maybe a nice christmas gift. Wife says gift certificate for a steakhouse for 2. I was thinking nice big bottle of tequila. He didn't have to call me thursday night, he could've waited until Friday, which I would've missed all that money, if I had gone off to the coast like we almost did.
Back to Thursday night, there was hardly any work. I was kind of taking it easy, talking to Wife on phone about going to the coast one last time, then talking to my Mom, just checking in, night was slow enough, I didn't feel guilty. Around 8:30pm though, I got a call from the other supervisor who watches the other guys who still actually work for the fab. We share the same space and many of the same tools. We are familar enough with their technology and work, that when they get backed up, they send us work. He had some work for us, I quickly text my supervisor who was either having a party or just does not keep track of her phone, but finally says to stay at 10:30pm. I put ina full night of twelve hours instead of four, then I get a text Friday that I can do another full night. All of a sudden, I have an extra twenty hours on my timesheet, all at OT rates.
I come in Friday, and that one guy I like arguing with, is there. He starts with the "what are you doing here?" routine. I joke with him that "yall are too slow, your boss called in the big guns. He then said "you should give him a tip, for all the work he gives you." I had not thought of that. His supervisor has made me $1000's of dollars, in OT. He is a supervisor, he makes a good living, possibly makes more money than me. Is it cool to give him a tip, or would it look like a bribe if I started giving him money? The whole thing sounds weird to me. I was thinking maybe a nice christmas gift. Wife says gift certificate for a steakhouse for 2. I was thinking nice big bottle of tequila. He didn't have to call me thursday night, he could've waited until Friday, which I would've missed all that money, if I had gone off to the coast like we almost did.
Saturday, August 29, 2015
8/29/15 Winners Can Be And Usually Are The Biggest Losers?
I have been obsessed with a song on youtube from Garfunkel and Oates, called "Loser." It seems to be making fun of three separate individuals in the cartoon about being losers, yet they keep trying. One of the characters in business, one is running, like in races, and the third in the dating world.
This, in my head, applies directly to Boy, who just started his new semester. The song is actually very positive, you have to fail, you have to know how to scrape the bottom to know that even when you feel your worst, you can always pick yourself up and continue. Boy has been texting me during the week, a little worried about his classes. My best advice was just go in there and give it your best. I would rather you try and fail, than to avoid a class because of fear. Fear defeats most people, once you get yourself in a competitive mode you become a different person. As the song says:
This, in my head, applies directly to Boy, who just started his new semester. The song is actually very positive, you have to fail, you have to know how to scrape the bottom to know that even when you feel your worst, you can always pick yourself up and continue. Boy has been texting me during the week, a little worried about his classes. My best advice was just go in there and give it your best. I would rather you try and fail, than to avoid a class because of fear. Fear defeats most people, once you get yourself in a competitive mode you become a different person. As the song says:
At least you’re not that guy watching from the side
Who thinks he’s doing better ’cause he wasn’t defeated
When he’s just a non-entity who never competed
You’re the one who’s out there reaching for something greater
And you know
It’s better to be a loser
Than a spectator
Who thinks he’s doing better ’cause he wasn’t defeated
When he’s just a non-entity who never competed
You’re the one who’s out there reaching for something greater
And you know
It’s better to be a loser
Than a spectator
Back in high school, I went to state competing in saxophone, my senior year I finally made it all the way. It was a big deal back then, I even thought I might major in music, but that one year of success and the success was based on practicing with my instrument 20-30 hours a week, after all the school work, and homework. Staying in the band hall until 10pm every night. There were also the previous four years (I was allowed to compete with the high school students in eighth grade as well) in which I was beat by better students, and those years had the same amounts of time dedicated to learning several pieces of music. You just keep trying, hope for the best.
I could say the same thing when I came to UT. I had gone to a junior college, and had come to the University with a 4.0. Of course I thought I was hot shit. I took a physics class which on the first exam had three questions, I could not answer one of them, I had no idea. I went home crying, wanting to go back to my shitty small town. My mom told me, just do your best in the other classes, see what happens. Different professor helped following year that physics was only offered in the fall, still, physics was a C for me, and I only had 5 C's on my transcript.
I have had my share of battles, mostly mental, but they are what make a person stronger. Boy will learn, possibly from failing even, that the important thing is to keep getting up. That is what ultimately matters.
Friday, August 28, 2015
8/28/15 Unsure About Chubs Joining The Leadership Program At School?
Chubs ended up going back to his elementary school he has been going to since kindergarten. He is now a fifth grader, and was selected at the end of last year to join this year's Leadership Program. These are the busy body kids that do a lot of behind the scenes set-up and break downs. For instance, they bring out the flag in the morning and put it on the flagpole. That sounds great, my problem is that these are also the kids helping in the morning and after school during drop-off and pick-up of the general population in the school.
I just feel they are not as safe, once they are moving about between cars, setting up the orange cones, then of course, the cones must be picked up after school. They have little poles also, and control the flow of traffic in the mornings, helping people cross the street, with the help of a professional crossing guard. I would just rather my son stay in the school, but as I am told it is an honor for the child to be selected.
He has until Friday (8/28/15), to decide whether he is going to do it or not. He seems excited, since it is mostly the good kids in his class, and of course my boy is one of the good ones. I see the kids, during assemblies, they help people, telling them where to go. This are really efficient miniature teams that take care of tasks like ants.
Another benefit to him joining is that he can get dropped off a little earlier, and Wife needs those extra minutes to allow her to get to work on time. There would also be a slight delay after school, so I could sleep just a little bit longer.
I understand it is an honor, and these are the most trustworthy kids, so if he wants to do this, we fully support him. It may help build friendships that continue through high school, so it could be important to him, socially. But if he joins and just complains, I will be the first to act in his defense. This might cut into our after school lunch eating routine, but I guess both of us could stand to skip a meal or two, once in awhile.
I just feel they are not as safe, once they are moving about between cars, setting up the orange cones, then of course, the cones must be picked up after school. They have little poles also, and control the flow of traffic in the mornings, helping people cross the street, with the help of a professional crossing guard. I would just rather my son stay in the school, but as I am told it is an honor for the child to be selected.
He has until Friday (8/28/15), to decide whether he is going to do it or not. He seems excited, since it is mostly the good kids in his class, and of course my boy is one of the good ones. I see the kids, during assemblies, they help people, telling them where to go. This are really efficient miniature teams that take care of tasks like ants.
Another benefit to him joining is that he can get dropped off a little earlier, and Wife needs those extra minutes to allow her to get to work on time. There would also be a slight delay after school, so I could sleep just a little bit longer.
I understand it is an honor, and these are the most trustworthy kids, so if he wants to do this, we fully support him. It may help build friendships that continue through high school, so it could be important to him, socially. But if he joins and just complains, I will be the first to act in his defense. This might cut into our after school lunch eating routine, but I guess both of us could stand to skip a meal or two, once in awhile.
Wednesday, August 26, 2015
8/27/15 Filthy Riches On Netflix Was Cool?
I just saw the first season of Filthy Riches on Netflix, and it was quite enjoyable. It follows about five different harvesters of our country's weird riches waiting for any and all. Each is quite unique and even the personalities of the people vary quite a lot, but their personnas match what they go after.
I believe the most profitable is the family of "ginsengers." The family is led by the dad who is no nonsense when it comes to business, but while in the woods and doing his job, you can see the family has a lot of love for each other and they get to be together all the time. Time and again, they show demanding customers from all over the world needing specific ginseng or crazy amounts and the family joins together to make themselves the ginseng people.
The second group was "wormers" they go in where the tide goes out and dig on riverbeds, looking for bloodworms, which are prized for saltwater fishing. They spend their days bent over with a little rake device that cuts up the mud about 8-10 inches deep and they then collect the worms. They are paid .27 cents per worm, .50 cents if they are jumbo. They manage to make about $200 a day. This is a dirty dangerous job, as the tide can come in and trap them, sometimes the mud acts as quicksand, and in one scene, one of them was sucked in to his waist and he did panic. The two guys showed have been "worming" like 25 years together.
Then there was the guys who hunt for burled wood, which grows like a knot on certain trees. This burling, gives the wood a beautiful color and texture, so it is prized and used in high end cars, and other high end furniture. These guys don't make the furniture, they just go and find the huge chunks of trees, weighing as much as 10,000 lbs. Guy is fifty years old and runs up and frequently falls out of the trees, doesn't seem to hurt him.
Then there were the "mushroomers", both totally look like stoners, but they go in the woods and find all sorts of varieties of mushrooms, which they sell to local restaurants. They also have their own business selling the mushrooms at whatever local farmer's market. They move all over the country depending on the seasons.
The last exotic collector was an eel farmer. He has a very specific eel trapping device, called a weir. It siphons the river through a wooden box with layers, once the eels get in, they cannot get out. He comes and checks on his contraption daily, sometimes twice daily and smokes the eels and then sells them in his little store he has set up by his house. He can catch as many as 60-70 and sells them for $20-$30 an eel. Seems to do alright.
All this people are proudest of the fact that they answer to nobody. They live and die off the skills they have for their given craft. The people were a little rough around the edges, but I really enjoyed watching them do their thing, even if some of the drama is a little staged.
I believe the most profitable is the family of "ginsengers." The family is led by the dad who is no nonsense when it comes to business, but while in the woods and doing his job, you can see the family has a lot of love for each other and they get to be together all the time. Time and again, they show demanding customers from all over the world needing specific ginseng or crazy amounts and the family joins together to make themselves the ginseng people.
The second group was "wormers" they go in where the tide goes out and dig on riverbeds, looking for bloodworms, which are prized for saltwater fishing. They spend their days bent over with a little rake device that cuts up the mud about 8-10 inches deep and they then collect the worms. They are paid .27 cents per worm, .50 cents if they are jumbo. They manage to make about $200 a day. This is a dirty dangerous job, as the tide can come in and trap them, sometimes the mud acts as quicksand, and in one scene, one of them was sucked in to his waist and he did panic. The two guys showed have been "worming" like 25 years together.
Then there was the guys who hunt for burled wood, which grows like a knot on certain trees. This burling, gives the wood a beautiful color and texture, so it is prized and used in high end cars, and other high end furniture. These guys don't make the furniture, they just go and find the huge chunks of trees, weighing as much as 10,000 lbs. Guy is fifty years old and runs up and frequently falls out of the trees, doesn't seem to hurt him.
Then there were the "mushroomers", both totally look like stoners, but they go in the woods and find all sorts of varieties of mushrooms, which they sell to local restaurants. They also have their own business selling the mushrooms at whatever local farmer's market. They move all over the country depending on the seasons.
The last exotic collector was an eel farmer. He has a very specific eel trapping device, called a weir. It siphons the river through a wooden box with layers, once the eels get in, they cannot get out. He comes and checks on his contraption daily, sometimes twice daily and smokes the eels and then sells them in his little store he has set up by his house. He can catch as many as 60-70 and sells them for $20-$30 an eel. Seems to do alright.
All this people are proudest of the fact that they answer to nobody. They live and die off the skills they have for their given craft. The people were a little rough around the edges, but I really enjoyed watching them do their thing, even if some of the drama is a little staged.
8/26/15 Temptation Lurks All Around
I have no problem saying I am a very materialistic person. I want one of everything, just in case. I am trying to curb my wants, not spend money just because I can. Yesterday, I made two simple stops, one pissed me off, the other left me wanting more.
I was waiting for Wife to have dinner and decided to go to the Sprint store. First of all, the two dingbats up front seemed more interested in their conversation which is fine, but I asked where the Sprint phones were at. They just said all of them and went back to staring at each other. I stupidly tried to go an extra sentence, into a conversation they had ended. I said "oh, used to be you also had Nextel phones in here." Both of them stopped, gave that bitchy young girl knows how to write her name so she must know everything and said in unison, "no Sir, never. We just have Sprint." Idiots hadn't had their first period the last time I was in the store, never mind they never offered to show me any phone in particular.
I was then bothered by the new gimmick of "renting" the phones for two years at $10-$30 a month. Doing this times 4 is going to add up. Pissing off your customers is no way to conduct business, Sprint. Every other phone company has the same phones, get smarter, now.
I then went over to a mattress store. I was thinking of a full, maybe a queen bed for our fifth bedroom, it doesn't have any direction right now, maybe my lounge room, but that's a little lame. The guy, being a decent salesman, got me on a Temper-Pedic Breeze mattress after I told him our foam bed is always warm. This test bed had all the bells and whistles, the head and feet lifted, it vibrated, it did feel cool, but DAMN!! He coolly says "it'll be $7400 plus tax." Wife eventually got there, and I forced her on the bed, she hates testing anything in public. He got the price down closer to $4000, without the vibrating massage, wired controller instead of wireless and a closeout mattress, still the same thing. I really want/wanted to do it, but Wife pulled me out with her no, no, no.
After talking more about it at the house, she said she would leave it up to me. She read some negative reviews online which she told me about, so I guess I am leaning no right now. But I do not sleep well, probably cause I'm a swollen cow.
I was waiting for Wife to have dinner and decided to go to the Sprint store. First of all, the two dingbats up front seemed more interested in their conversation which is fine, but I asked where the Sprint phones were at. They just said all of them and went back to staring at each other. I stupidly tried to go an extra sentence, into a conversation they had ended. I said "oh, used to be you also had Nextel phones in here." Both of them stopped, gave that bitchy young girl knows how to write her name so she must know everything and said in unison, "no Sir, never. We just have Sprint." Idiots hadn't had their first period the last time I was in the store, never mind they never offered to show me any phone in particular.
I was then bothered by the new gimmick of "renting" the phones for two years at $10-$30 a month. Doing this times 4 is going to add up. Pissing off your customers is no way to conduct business, Sprint. Every other phone company has the same phones, get smarter, now.
I then went over to a mattress store. I was thinking of a full, maybe a queen bed for our fifth bedroom, it doesn't have any direction right now, maybe my lounge room, but that's a little lame. The guy, being a decent salesman, got me on a Temper-Pedic Breeze mattress after I told him our foam bed is always warm. This test bed had all the bells and whistles, the head and feet lifted, it vibrated, it did feel cool, but DAMN!! He coolly says "it'll be $7400 plus tax." Wife eventually got there, and I forced her on the bed, she hates testing anything in public. He got the price down closer to $4000, without the vibrating massage, wired controller instead of wireless and a closeout mattress, still the same thing. I really want/wanted to do it, but Wife pulled me out with her no, no, no.
After talking more about it at the house, she said she would leave it up to me. She read some negative reviews online which she told me about, so I guess I am leaning no right now. But I do not sleep well, probably cause I'm a swollen cow.
Monday, August 24, 2015
8/25/15 First Day Of School Jitters?
As it always happens, Chubs could not sleep last night. It is one part nerves and one part staying up late all summer long. During the summer, we don't really keep a curfew and it does happen occasionally, I come home from work at 6:30am and they will still be up.
Sure enough, I went home for lunch at my usual time and Chubs ran down, said he was waiting for me, to give me a hug, I said nice, now drag your butt back to bed. He decided he was going to sleep with mama, for old time's sake.
Thirty miles away, Boy was going through his own stuff. He was kind of caught off guard, not realizing school did in fact start on Monday. He thought like previous semester, maybe it would start on a Wednesday. He managed to scam us out of yet another laptop, this being the 4th or 5th one, not to mention two regular computers. The last laptop we bought him, was a professional model, with a separate graphics chip for gaming and engineering. The only problem was that it weighed like forty pounds and well, Boy only weighs 130 pounds or so. Of course, he wasn't going listen to me when I was telling him to just buy something good enough for class. He was also spazzing out a bit over a statistics class. I told him to just show up. Better to try and fail, than to assume something is too hard and never try.
I don't know if I had the jitters, but I could not sleep. I found myself staring at my phone, every little bit. Even more weird, at 1:59pm, I distinctively heard Chubs' voice, like he came in my bedroom and call me, "Dad!" I then woke up scared that I had slept though his after school pick-up. I jumped out of bed and looked for him or Wife or even Boy. Nobody was in the house. It was a jump start to my heart. I decided to get up and go work on his old room, I have been converting it into a lounge room, media room. I'll have a record player there, along with all the other fun stuff a fat old guy like me likes, Girlie posters on the wall, I do like tacky.
Upon picking up Chubs, he had a great day. His class is loaded with kids he already knows, Boy said statistics sounded scary, but professor said to bring a laptop to class, he is glad he got his new one. Wife had a good day, she does her first actual driving of the big bad bus tomorrow, I'm looking forward to that.
Sure enough, I went home for lunch at my usual time and Chubs ran down, said he was waiting for me, to give me a hug, I said nice, now drag your butt back to bed. He decided he was going to sleep with mama, for old time's sake.
Thirty miles away, Boy was going through his own stuff. He was kind of caught off guard, not realizing school did in fact start on Monday. He thought like previous semester, maybe it would start on a Wednesday. He managed to scam us out of yet another laptop, this being the 4th or 5th one, not to mention two regular computers. The last laptop we bought him, was a professional model, with a separate graphics chip for gaming and engineering. The only problem was that it weighed like forty pounds and well, Boy only weighs 130 pounds or so. Of course, he wasn't going listen to me when I was telling him to just buy something good enough for class. He was also spazzing out a bit over a statistics class. I told him to just show up. Better to try and fail, than to assume something is too hard and never try.
I don't know if I had the jitters, but I could not sleep. I found myself staring at my phone, every little bit. Even more weird, at 1:59pm, I distinctively heard Chubs' voice, like he came in my bedroom and call me, "Dad!" I then woke up scared that I had slept though his after school pick-up. I jumped out of bed and looked for him or Wife or even Boy. Nobody was in the house. It was a jump start to my heart. I decided to get up and go work on his old room, I have been converting it into a lounge room, media room. I'll have a record player there, along with all the other fun stuff a fat old guy like me likes, Girlie posters on the wall, I do like tacky.
Upon picking up Chubs, he had a great day. His class is loaded with kids he already knows, Boy said statistics sounded scary, but professor said to bring a laptop to class, he is glad he got his new one. Wife had a good day, she does her first actual driving of the big bad bus tomorrow, I'm looking forward to that.
8/24/15 Summer's Over, Looking Forward To Fall?
Summer has run its course. It was hectic, it was fabulous, it was sweaty, it was beautiful, it was tearful, but mostly it was life. It started off with a bang, we were going to move back to our old house to save money on our mortgage, but I couldn't do it. We ended up getting the other house looking so good, it sold in less than three hours. That was the easy part. We spent nearly two months going back and forth getting it real nice, I barely had any days off, but I guess it was worth it. This was followed by our trip to Florida, meaning Friday morning we were signing papers for sale of house, and an hour later, we were on the road.
Trip to Florida was great, sure there was some yelling and maybe a meltdown or two, but we remember only the good parts when we think of it. I am glad my in-laws were able to join us, as I had said, they rarely had traveled for fun and recreation, usually it was to visit family. Only thing that would have made trip better was to include my family, but they are planning for next year.
After Florida, my folks had been waiting for us to join them in Corpus Christi which is our usual vacation spot. We went a couple times and stayed in some nice suites, and then once even in our in-laws RV. Very nice, but their location was way off of normal. We have to work on it for next season and I surely need to get a pick up truck to move my RV.
Of course, as all this is going on, I am working full time and even overtime. My weeks have averaged over 60 hours most weeks, so I was fitting in a lot of fun without missing a beat at work. Wife also got busy working on getting certified to drive a bus. This turned from she thought a 1-2 week inconvenience into a two month ordeal. This in turn opened the idea of using a maid, which I have liked because Wife is no longer yelling to help clean the bathrooms or sweep or vacuum. All this gets done at least once a week by outside forces.
Speaking of outside, I also had the daunting task of dealing with the pool. After much work, I did manage to get it looking pristine, good thing since the city sent paperwork that we were in violation and could be charged up to $1000 a day. And with the last two weeks, I switched Chubs from one room to another, his room is now ready for his teenage years.
For the Fall, I look forward to catching as many UT games as possible, going to the RenFest, I still think we could catch Schlitterbahn one of these last few weeks before it starts cooling off. Halloween falls on a Saturday, so we will probably plan a costume party for that night, and then there's the whole Christmas thing.
All I can say, is life is good, enjoy every minute, it's gone before you know it.
Trip to Florida was great, sure there was some yelling and maybe a meltdown or two, but we remember only the good parts when we think of it. I am glad my in-laws were able to join us, as I had said, they rarely had traveled for fun and recreation, usually it was to visit family. Only thing that would have made trip better was to include my family, but they are planning for next year.
After Florida, my folks had been waiting for us to join them in Corpus Christi which is our usual vacation spot. We went a couple times and stayed in some nice suites, and then once even in our in-laws RV. Very nice, but their location was way off of normal. We have to work on it for next season and I surely need to get a pick up truck to move my RV.
Of course, as all this is going on, I am working full time and even overtime. My weeks have averaged over 60 hours most weeks, so I was fitting in a lot of fun without missing a beat at work. Wife also got busy working on getting certified to drive a bus. This turned from she thought a 1-2 week inconvenience into a two month ordeal. This in turn opened the idea of using a maid, which I have liked because Wife is no longer yelling to help clean the bathrooms or sweep or vacuum. All this gets done at least once a week by outside forces.
Speaking of outside, I also had the daunting task of dealing with the pool. After much work, I did manage to get it looking pristine, good thing since the city sent paperwork that we were in violation and could be charged up to $1000 a day. And with the last two weeks, I switched Chubs from one room to another, his room is now ready for his teenage years.
For the Fall, I look forward to catching as many UT games as possible, going to the RenFest, I still think we could catch Schlitterbahn one of these last few weeks before it starts cooling off. Halloween falls on a Saturday, so we will probably plan a costume party for that night, and then there's the whole Christmas thing.
All I can say, is life is good, enjoy every minute, it's gone before you know it.
Sunday, August 23, 2015
8/23/15 My Birthday Weekend Was Good?
What can I say, my birthday weekend was good. Being a grown up, it's not the gifts I look forward to, it's the company and good food that make a night worthwhile. My folks drove up Thursday evening and were here through the weekend. Even though I spent a great deal of energy the weeks leading up to this weekend, my pool was clean, but the water was just a bit too cool for swimming friday night. My dad got his feet in, but I don't believe he went in all the way. Chubs did manage to swim, and then he was being a pain for me to join him. I made pina coladas for awhile, but after I got drinks for everybody, I tried. I stepped in and it felt like freezing water. Weird, but I guess the cool front and the fact that thursday and friday were cool days made the pool lose its heat.
While all that was going on, the grill was cooking, I always start too late, because I didn't turn on grill until 7:00pm and best I can say, we were eating wings and jalapeno bombers around 9:00pm. The rest of the meat came out closer to 10:00pm. We normally eat late, but I didn't want to be feeding my guests so late. Eventually, we grilled fajitas, sweetbreads, three varieties of sausage, some pork pieces that were already seasoned at HEB and some chicken.
We didn't have a lot of guests, my folks, my younger brother, girlie, her aunt and cousin, then later girlie went and got her bf. Everyone left with a full belly, finishing the night with a slice of coconot cake from Mandola's Italian Market and some ice cream. There was some alcohol involved, so we were up late. We ended up going to bed around 2:30am.
Today (Saturday) was supposed to involve some shopping at BartonMall, we did go, around 2:00pm. But we had a scheduled dinner for 6:00pm. Boy was difficult, acted like he didn't want anything from the normal stores we shop at. Instead of losing my cool, I just said alright. He got a couple new shirts throughout the summer, I guess Mr. Cool doesn't care for new clothes anymore. I, on the other hand, found my type of shorts that I wear all the time at Dillard's on sale. I bought three, at $20 a piece.
This pretty much was all the time we had before we had to get going for our dinner reservation. We left mall, picked up my brother at bookstore, picked up my Dad at the house, along with my son's friend who also joined us for lunch. Although we had reservations at 6:00pm, it still took another 45 minutes of waiting. Manager said the party sitted at one of "our" tables took over an hour to eat their meal. They then got dessert, then took another hour. They just sat there. We ended up getting another table on the other side of the one that was already empty for us. After we sat down, those people were still there another 45 minutes. The only good thing this did, was the manager felt compelled to give us some appetizers. We sat down and within minutes, both tables we were sat at got three different appetizers, complimentary. I looked at the menu, and these were all $20-$30 plates. At this point, I didn't mind waiting awhile.
We finished the night at home, Wife had got my brother in law and me separate birthday cakes, but different than the one from Friday night. So we had three cakes to choose from, coconut, carrot, and strawberry cakes, along with ice cream, and some pistachio pudding mix with the fruit mix and stuff. I enjoyed the carrot and strawberry cakes with a cup of coffee. It was a delicious weekend, thank you all for the warm thoughts and the birthday wishes.
We finished the night at home, Wife had got my brother in law and me separate birthday cakes, but different than the one from Friday night. So we had three cakes to choose from, coconut, carrot, and strawberry cakes, along with ice cream, and some pistachio pudding mix with the fruit mix and stuff. I enjoyed the carrot and strawberry cakes with a cup of coffee. It was a delicious weekend, thank you all for the warm thoughts and the birthday wishes.
Saturday, August 22, 2015
8/22/15 Orange You Glad I Did It? (Poem)
I have to hit her on the head
but I don't want to make her dead,
therefore I think I'll use an orange
because, I'll have better range.
Why Pray tell, do you have to hit her with fruit?
Why Pray tell, do you have to hit her with fruit?
Because I am no brute, you prefer I use my boot?
She owes me the use of her larynx,
she must say "I do" for our upcoming marriage.
she must say "I do" for our upcoming marriage.
We met at age three
she was uptight, would only eat brie,
I much different would take a knee when I'd pee.
Sadly, I lost her when she did flee across the sea
although I was free, my heart required hot tea.
It was then decided my heart would charge a fee
no more surprises, no more stings from a bee,
no more bites from a flea,
just alone to focus on my goatee.
Then one day, out of the blue, she came back
I was so surprised, my rails came off the track.
My folks thought it was whack, of course gave me a ton of flack.
She showed an attraction, her buttocks I did smack
wasn't long before on her I would snack
She just had a knack, I was easy for her to hack.
This is why we stand in front of the church
I content and done with my search
she was uptight, would only eat brie,
I much different would take a knee when I'd pee.
Sadly, I lost her when she did flee across the sea
although I was free, my heart required hot tea.
It was then decided my heart would charge a fee
no more surprises, no more stings from a bee,
no more bites from a flea,
just alone to focus on my goatee.
Then one day, out of the blue, she came back
I was so surprised, my rails came off the track.
My folks thought it was whack, of course gave me a ton of flack.
She showed an attraction, her buttocks I did smack
wasn't long before on her I would snack
She just had a knack, I was easy for her to hack.
This is why we stand in front of the church
I content and done with my search
Thursday, August 20, 2015
8/21/15 I Am Now 44, Happy Birthday To Me?
I am in my mid 40's, life is good. I have two wonderful boys that dictate my life, a wife that is just perfect because she loves me more than I deserve and makes my life so much better, even if she is a bit of a ball buster. Two wonderful parents who couldn't fit their roles any better. Mama still trying to run my life like I am ten years old (I will always be her baby is all the defense she needs) and Dad keeping a little distance but still offering his opinions and advice.
I am lucky in that I even have great in-laws, they don't interfere, yet they are always a phone call away. My siblings are as good as anyone could ask for. No problems with the law, overachievers for the most part, always keeping me on my toes to try and be a better person. I find myself liking even my wife's siblings, just this year finally hanging out with the brother camping out without any parents around.
My workplace is great, coming up on 19 years working at the same location, doing a handful of different responsibilities. I work with a small core group that I believe truly like me and accept me as I am. Rarely, are there any negative comments from management, they trust us in knowing what we are doing, so we are left alone, for the most part.
I have a few people I am lucky to have in my life as my friends, I love them as family because they know me and still insist on being around me, warts and all.
I have a giant house, I joke just big enough for my giant ego, but it is just the right size to keep me happy. We all have plenty of space to stretch and be ourselves. I would only hope we could entertain more often, as that is one of the reasons I wanted such a big house. But any gathering we end up having usually turns into a good time.
I insist I am atheist, but somehow I have always felt protected by an outside force, like a cat, if I fall, I land on my feet. Whatever challenges I have had to endure have only made me stronger. Maybe and foolishly, I am down to my ninth life if I am like a cat, but I will continue doing what I am doing. I have lived a rich and fulfilling life, my weight says too fulfilling, but every meal has been with good people. Give me another 44 as good as the first ones, and I truly am one of the blessed ones.
I am lucky in that I even have great in-laws, they don't interfere, yet they are always a phone call away. My siblings are as good as anyone could ask for. No problems with the law, overachievers for the most part, always keeping me on my toes to try and be a better person. I find myself liking even my wife's siblings, just this year finally hanging out with the brother camping out without any parents around.
My workplace is great, coming up on 19 years working at the same location, doing a handful of different responsibilities. I work with a small core group that I believe truly like me and accept me as I am. Rarely, are there any negative comments from management, they trust us in knowing what we are doing, so we are left alone, for the most part.
I have a few people I am lucky to have in my life as my friends, I love them as family because they know me and still insist on being around me, warts and all.
I have a giant house, I joke just big enough for my giant ego, but it is just the right size to keep me happy. We all have plenty of space to stretch and be ourselves. I would only hope we could entertain more often, as that is one of the reasons I wanted such a big house. But any gathering we end up having usually turns into a good time.
I insist I am atheist, but somehow I have always felt protected by an outside force, like a cat, if I fall, I land on my feet. Whatever challenges I have had to endure have only made me stronger. Maybe and foolishly, I am down to my ninth life if I am like a cat, but I will continue doing what I am doing. I have lived a rich and fulfilling life, my weight says too fulfilling, but every meal has been with good people. Give me another 44 as good as the first ones, and I truly am one of the blessed ones.
Wednesday, August 19, 2015
8/20/15 How Much Time For The Bloom?
I think I have a pretty good eye for people. Like a watermelon, let me thump you once or twice and I can tell if you're worth the socks you're wearing. There was an instance when we hired a guy, I had worked with him, I told the boss, as far as work, yes, he is hungry and he'll be able to do the work, but I wouldn't hire him because he is not right in the head. Sure enough, he started out OK, but within a few months he was stirring the pot all sorts of bad ways, he was removed at the first possible chance, luckily we have layoffs every couple years, I think for this reason.
There was another guy, our boss just loved him, I studied him for a bit and figured he was full of shit. He actually moved to another city and convinced the powers that be that he could still help the group. This was at times when layoffs were happening every couple years and this guy who didn't show up managed to keep getting paid while not showing up for work. I was an absolute machine when I started with the group, there was literally a backlog of years of work, and once I was trained I came in and worked non-stop to help us catch up to be like today, where the work that we have is only a couple days old. This waste of space did one sample for every 200 I did and he was "special"? No, he was a con artist. At one point in a meeting, I asked out loud why are we keeping so and so? And I was told "you don't understand, he is a genius" I held my stance and asked back so how long do you wait for genius to pay off? You've given him two years and he has produced nothing. He ran out of town after his wife, sorry, but good riddance.
All this as backdrop that I can tell when people want to work and when people don't. My attorney brother, love him, but back in the day, there were a couple of situations where we both were doing manual labor and every time, he failed to look good. Whether in the fields where he would throw his hoe like a javelin and pick up thirty yards downfield or he would just cha-cha-cha and dance his way up to tell me a joke, ignoring his work. Later when I worked in the warehouse, I got him a summer job, wasn't long before he was put to sort through trash, and eventually not invited to come back. Now he is a rock star, makes a great living, but does it all with his talking, he always had a fast tongue. I never worried about him because he had plans in which he would not rely on the ability to do hard work.
So I have a friend who is seeing this guy. I have already figured he is kind of a dud. No interest in college, fine, but I always say then you better like to do manual labor, because that is what will be available for you. He got fired from one place because he couldn't keep track of his schedule, which she defended, saying they would change schedules at the last minute all the time. If everybody else knows this, keep up. He got another job after a couple weeks, but it is only part time and in retail. A man is not going to earn enough in a department store, he needs to take himself outside. Another great skill is his lack of a driver's license. He must be driven everywhere or picked up. Maybe the guy is cute, but you really want to date a guy who you have to drive everywhere? In your 20s, this shouldn't be an issue, Oh well, people learn at different speeds, she'll figure it out... or not.
There was another guy, our boss just loved him, I studied him for a bit and figured he was full of shit. He actually moved to another city and convinced the powers that be that he could still help the group. This was at times when layoffs were happening every couple years and this guy who didn't show up managed to keep getting paid while not showing up for work. I was an absolute machine when I started with the group, there was literally a backlog of years of work, and once I was trained I came in and worked non-stop to help us catch up to be like today, where the work that we have is only a couple days old. This waste of space did one sample for every 200 I did and he was "special"? No, he was a con artist. At one point in a meeting, I asked out loud why are we keeping so and so? And I was told "you don't understand, he is a genius" I held my stance and asked back so how long do you wait for genius to pay off? You've given him two years and he has produced nothing. He ran out of town after his wife, sorry, but good riddance.
All this as backdrop that I can tell when people want to work and when people don't. My attorney brother, love him, but back in the day, there were a couple of situations where we both were doing manual labor and every time, he failed to look good. Whether in the fields where he would throw his hoe like a javelin and pick up thirty yards downfield or he would just cha-cha-cha and dance his way up to tell me a joke, ignoring his work. Later when I worked in the warehouse, I got him a summer job, wasn't long before he was put to sort through trash, and eventually not invited to come back. Now he is a rock star, makes a great living, but does it all with his talking, he always had a fast tongue. I never worried about him because he had plans in which he would not rely on the ability to do hard work.
So I have a friend who is seeing this guy. I have already figured he is kind of a dud. No interest in college, fine, but I always say then you better like to do manual labor, because that is what will be available for you. He got fired from one place because he couldn't keep track of his schedule, which she defended, saying they would change schedules at the last minute all the time. If everybody else knows this, keep up. He got another job after a couple weeks, but it is only part time and in retail. A man is not going to earn enough in a department store, he needs to take himself outside. Another great skill is his lack of a driver's license. He must be driven everywhere or picked up. Maybe the guy is cute, but you really want to date a guy who you have to drive everywhere? In your 20s, this shouldn't be an issue, Oh well, people learn at different speeds, she'll figure it out... or not.
Tuesday, August 18, 2015
8/19/15 Rhyming Fool Or Disgusting Tool? (Poem)
If a spider is just a spider, and he manages to get inside her, whose fault is it, to you? Maybe if there was cider, we could blame it for leaving her wider but there wasn't, she was a bareback rider, he, a supercollider, and now he did divide her into two!!
The oven has a kid, daddy should've worn a lid, big will be her mid, but all that is not new to you. For a few months she hid, but the belly is now on the grid, too late to get rid of God forbid, let's just hope it looks not like a squid, or it heads to the zoo.
What to do with the tasty glue? I see those two, they think it's a brew, they have no clue. His junk grew, what do you know, now they screw. Pity this crew, if it has a kid, it will be as smart as a shoe.
Get a tattoo, now that would be sweet! I mean you're only young once unless you cheat. Maybe on your backseat, or maybe on your teat. I would love you more as I glanced at your meat, written on, like a sheet. I would take a seat, think neat, want to greet, get some heat, be on my feet, lose control and skeet, fall on you like sleet, you would think, "hey it's a treat!", like a champ can't miss a beat, need no spoon but I'm gonna eat, I sit back satisfied, then I tweet.
This is how I roll, this is how it's done. I don't need no gun, I would rather have a pun. I'm a school you Hun, go on and bring me a honey bun, I'll have some fun, make you run, I'll sit here weighing a ton, best you'll ever be is a rerun. "Did she just sit on your junk and spin?" No Son, she was spun.
The oven has a kid, daddy should've worn a lid, big will be her mid, but all that is not new to you. For a few months she hid, but the belly is now on the grid, too late to get rid of God forbid, let's just hope it looks not like a squid, or it heads to the zoo.
What to do with the tasty glue? I see those two, they think it's a brew, they have no clue. His junk grew, what do you know, now they screw. Pity this crew, if it has a kid, it will be as smart as a shoe.
Get a tattoo, now that would be sweet! I mean you're only young once unless you cheat. Maybe on your backseat, or maybe on your teat. I would love you more as I glanced at your meat, written on, like a sheet. I would take a seat, think neat, want to greet, get some heat, be on my feet, lose control and skeet, fall on you like sleet, you would think, "hey it's a treat!", like a champ can't miss a beat, need no spoon but I'm gonna eat, I sit back satisfied, then I tweet.
This is how I roll, this is how it's done. I don't need no gun, I would rather have a pun. I'm a school you Hun, go on and bring me a honey bun, I'll have some fun, make you run, I'll sit here weighing a ton, best you'll ever be is a rerun. "Did she just sit on your junk and spin?" No Son, she was spun.
8/18/15 New Looks, New Chapters
Chubs is now moved to his new room. It was previously my personal room at least where I watched TV on rare nights when I didn't work and before it was the room my brother lived in. It didn't seem like much, but in moving, we must accept Chubs is no longer a baby/kid. He is now in his pre-teen years, and the fact that he just gave up playing with most of his toys, kind of shows it. We did move some toys over, but recently it had only been Legos he even played with. His other room has posters of Batman and Spider-Man and for now, those things are still cool. If he stays as dorky as Boy, Spider-Man should be cool through high school.
Boy has dual residences and we hear from his roommates he is very aware and thoughtful to his roommates. This is great, but he still has plates in his room from a couple weeks ago, and glasses are an almost daily thing going up there. So to the outside world, he has his apartment, in where he is a mature, caring individual, while for his family he treats his room like a diaper, everything is in there mixed good.
I have taken over Chub's old room and I get the possible thinking in him wanting to move. The walls are bright yellow, think SpongeBob yellow. Maybe the wall color is just not right for a newly brooding youngster. He spends more and more time with earphones listening to stuff on his phone and now laptop. This I know to be behavior of the teenage persuasion. My job now is to get rid of that yellow color, although Wife thinks the color is cute. I am not sure if she is trying to save me from the hassle of painting or if she really likes the color.
I haven't really thought about it much, but I pretty much stripped the guest room downstairs of its furniture to make a room for Chubs. Do I just leave that king bed on the floor? Do I dignify the bed in there with at least a frame to get the bed off the floor? If it was up to me, I would go get another bedroom set, but Wife says no. We must keep our expenses under control.
I am very curious with Chubs, now that he has a grown up room, will he finally start bringing friends over to the house? He has yet to make those connections that seemed second nature to boy by fifth grade. Boy would just bring whoever, sometimes, showing up with girls even when he was in high school.
Boy has dual residences and we hear from his roommates he is very aware and thoughtful to his roommates. This is great, but he still has plates in his room from a couple weeks ago, and glasses are an almost daily thing going up there. So to the outside world, he has his apartment, in where he is a mature, caring individual, while for his family he treats his room like a diaper, everything is in there mixed good.
I have taken over Chub's old room and I get the possible thinking in him wanting to move. The walls are bright yellow, think SpongeBob yellow. Maybe the wall color is just not right for a newly brooding youngster. He spends more and more time with earphones listening to stuff on his phone and now laptop. This I know to be behavior of the teenage persuasion. My job now is to get rid of that yellow color, although Wife thinks the color is cute. I am not sure if she is trying to save me from the hassle of painting or if she really likes the color.
I haven't really thought about it much, but I pretty much stripped the guest room downstairs of its furniture to make a room for Chubs. Do I just leave that king bed on the floor? Do I dignify the bed in there with at least a frame to get the bed off the floor? If it was up to me, I would go get another bedroom set, but Wife says no. We must keep our expenses under control.
I am very curious with Chubs, now that he has a grown up room, will he finally start bringing friends over to the house? He has yet to make those connections that seemed second nature to boy by fifth grade. Boy would just bring whoever, sometimes, showing up with girls even when he was in high school.
Sunday, August 16, 2015
8/17/15 Finally Spent Some Money?1
We had been hesitant to spend any money. Of course, our plan is still there, to pay down debt as much as possible. But it hasn't felt fair all summer. Mr. Slick, Boy, asked for a watch when the summer started, me being a doormat said sure, when we sell the house. Well, by the time we got to Florida, the house had an offer, so I let him talk me into a nice Oakley watch. Most of you would yell at me, if I put how much, so I won't. He kind of managed to sneak under the radar because that got mixed in with the expenditures during Florida, when we gt the money from the sale of the house, I just paid it off. All that is great, but Chubs didn't get a special gift up there or anything. I bought him a G-Shock Watch, but that was only $100. Nowhere near what big bro got. Not to mention Wife and myself didn't get anything fancy/nice for us.
Since we have been moving Chubs into the bigger room, it occurs to me, the furniture he is getting was not bought with him in mind. It was just a nice set for the guest room, why does my Chubs no get anything new? Today, I went and got him a nice desk, which he has been wanting, last night I had found him a faux leather executive chair, and we even got him a lamp for his desk. I figured whaaat lse could make it more complete, a new laptop, of course. The only problem is we bought one of those cheap Google Chrome laptops and it doesn't do hard core gaming. He said he only wanted it for Minecraft, and the guy at the store even found it and showed us, those laptops work like our phones, you use apps, not programs. Well, apparently it wouldn't play or something. I told him to chill and enjoy the fact he can get on YouTube, and Netflix. I'm sure there are other games he can play. While we were at Rooms To Go, we also bought a kind of sofa that the back falls flat and becomes an almost full size bed, if he ever has friends sleep over. It'll fit perfect in front of his bed, so he can sit and play his games.
We also went to Lowe's, in our quest to do everything we did to the rental house, Wife opened an account there, I accidentally paid $120 to my account, which I hadn't even used in years. When we got the house money, I paid off Wife's account, today we went and asked for my account, it was weird in that the kid helping me, was one of Boy's friends from Junior High in Del Valle. When we finished, Chubs asked, "did you know him?" I told him, we have a picture where he is holding you above his head in the pool, I think you're wearing a diaper? Wife adds, "no way he could do that today", kid is quite skinny, though very tall.
We got our store credit of $124, on the account, but then I charged $440. Oh well, we needed some things. The jumbo container of Chlorine pucks was almost $90. Add $28 for box of shock, $29 for algaecide, and $12 for water clarifier. Wife wanted a new vacuum for downstairs $150, and assorted crap here and there.
I also almost got a new used truck. My brother got one this past week, and I really want one and even Wife wants me to do it, but I am afraid it will hurt our chances at refinancing the house. I gotta really think about it. This one I saw is loaded, only 33,000 miles, a 2014, even has DVD players in the front headrests. Best of all, it is an F-250, but with a gas engine, not Diesel. I don't know, Wife wants me to go tomorrow to look at it. I am afraid I am weak, if I go, I will come home with it.
Since we have been moving Chubs into the bigger room, it occurs to me, the furniture he is getting was not bought with him in mind. It was just a nice set for the guest room, why does my Chubs no get anything new? Today, I went and got him a nice desk, which he has been wanting, last night I had found him a faux leather executive chair, and we even got him a lamp for his desk. I figured whaaat lse could make it more complete, a new laptop, of course. The only problem is we bought one of those cheap Google Chrome laptops and it doesn't do hard core gaming. He said he only wanted it for Minecraft, and the guy at the store even found it and showed us, those laptops work like our phones, you use apps, not programs. Well, apparently it wouldn't play or something. I told him to chill and enjoy the fact he can get on YouTube, and Netflix. I'm sure there are other games he can play. While we were at Rooms To Go, we also bought a kind of sofa that the back falls flat and becomes an almost full size bed, if he ever has friends sleep over. It'll fit perfect in front of his bed, so he can sit and play his games.
We also went to Lowe's, in our quest to do everything we did to the rental house, Wife opened an account there, I accidentally paid $120 to my account, which I hadn't even used in years. When we got the house money, I paid off Wife's account, today we went and asked for my account, it was weird in that the kid helping me, was one of Boy's friends from Junior High in Del Valle. When we finished, Chubs asked, "did you know him?" I told him, we have a picture where he is holding you above his head in the pool, I think you're wearing a diaper? Wife adds, "no way he could do that today", kid is quite skinny, though very tall.
We got our store credit of $124, on the account, but then I charged $440. Oh well, we needed some things. The jumbo container of Chlorine pucks was almost $90. Add $28 for box of shock, $29 for algaecide, and $12 for water clarifier. Wife wanted a new vacuum for downstairs $150, and assorted crap here and there.
I also almost got a new used truck. My brother got one this past week, and I really want one and even Wife wants me to do it, but I am afraid it will hurt our chances at refinancing the house. I gotta really think about it. This one I saw is loaded, only 33,000 miles, a 2014, even has DVD players in the front headrests. Best of all, it is an F-250, but with a gas engine, not Diesel. I don't know, Wife wants me to go tomorrow to look at it. I am afraid I am weak, if I go, I will come home with it.
8/16/15 Chubs Was Terribly Offended?
Why do people feel it is their business to step in? We were having a good day today, moved now most of the furniture into Chubs' new room, even hung up his new art with Spider Man and Hulk. Wife spent the day not wanting to, but gradually organizing our bookshelves which through the course of the past year has grown by maybe another bookshelf. We have books all over the house, but the bookshelves themselves look good, for now. She also took out her Barbie collection and put them back on the other bookshelves. I have mixed feelings about them, like in Toy Story 2, all these Barbies never got played with they are all still in their boxes. Are they growing old and ornery like that old miner guy? Am I too easily suaded by Pixar movies?
After we worked for most of the day, I offered Wife to go find that place that sells fruit cups and raspas (snow cones). I say most of the day, but we got up about 1:00pm, did the dirty, then showered, ate some leftovers, worked moving stuff for maybe three hours, so most of the day is relative. I wanted to like the place but I dn't think it's for us. The snow cones were watered down, I couldn't get that lime stuff feeling, the menu on the wall said a 16oz shake with banana and strawberry was $5.99, come on, this is the kind of place mexicans were walking in barefoot, cut it out.
We then went to Bed, Bath, and Beyond looking for a net contraption to hang on the corner of the room, Ale has a bunch of Build A Bears and we are not donating/throwing them away. They did not have what we are looking for, but they had more "art", where they take random comic book covers and remake them on wood or cloth, I don't know what to call it, but art. Anyways, got him another one with Batman.
We were going to Best Buy which I know they advertise open til 10pm, but apparently closed at nine. We were caught off guard, because we went into Office Depot to look at their furniture. We liked a desk, but after all the time spent looking, we ran out of time when they told us it was discontinued, we walked out with a very good desk chair, so we are getting closer to what Chub wants.
This was followed by Friday's for dinner, and where Chubs' feelings were hurt. They had an offer of endless appetizers and Ale said he was going for it. They had 8 different flavors, some hot, some sweet. I thought this would be fun, and we started with PB&J, and sure enough, they tasted like peanut butter, but with the chicken, it reminded all of us of "mole". We all were eating the pieces of chicken as they brought them out, it's not like Chubs was eating all the chicken by himself. We then went a little spicy with srirache buffalo, spicy but not really hot, by the time we got the third one, our meals came, but it was fine, he had gotten the garlic something, not too bad. We were up to the sixth one and we had finished our meals, I was just curious of the taste of the last few ones, we were saving the Ghost Pepper for last, but then my own jerk, Boy, tells him, "stop, that's why you're fat...." Why?!?! This sent Chubs intoo a tailspin, he pushed the plate away and then cried on and off until we left and got home.
Freaking ass has not been with us all day, he was out with his friends, he didn't lift a finger helping to rearrange any of the rooms, doesn't bother joking with us, and only showed up because we were going to Best Buy and he "needed something." Since they were closed, he graced us with his presence for dinner. I don't know why he is skinny, being that both Wife and I are fat. He certainly doesn't do any portion control, he fills up faster because he is genetically built that way. It's not that he has superior self control. He was only bothered because we were technically done with our meals and I'm sure he needed to get back to his computer and to his friends.
Boy left in his Jeep, in the car we told Chubs this is actually good practice, kids are getting older and they might tell you things at school, you gotta be ready with comebacks. I told him some funny ones like tell them to eat your farts or eat your poop, and some nasty ones I won't repeat, but skinny fucks who think they know shit have always pissed me off. yes, of course, if we didnt eat, we'd be skinny like you. Then this would be a perfect world, ignorant twat. Chubs felt a little better by the time we got home, even Mama told him he would feel better if he went and threw the finger at big bro, he did, we all had a laugh, because Chubs is a good guy who never does that.
After we worked for most of the day, I offered Wife to go find that place that sells fruit cups and raspas (snow cones). I say most of the day, but we got up about 1:00pm, did the dirty, then showered, ate some leftovers, worked moving stuff for maybe three hours, so most of the day is relative. I wanted to like the place but I dn't think it's for us. The snow cones were watered down, I couldn't get that lime stuff feeling, the menu on the wall said a 16oz shake with banana and strawberry was $5.99, come on, this is the kind of place mexicans were walking in barefoot, cut it out.
We then went to Bed, Bath, and Beyond looking for a net contraption to hang on the corner of the room, Ale has a bunch of Build A Bears and we are not donating/throwing them away. They did not have what we are looking for, but they had more "art", where they take random comic book covers and remake them on wood or cloth, I don't know what to call it, but art. Anyways, got him another one with Batman.
We were going to Best Buy which I know they advertise open til 10pm, but apparently closed at nine. We were caught off guard, because we went into Office Depot to look at their furniture. We liked a desk, but after all the time spent looking, we ran out of time when they told us it was discontinued, we walked out with a very good desk chair, so we are getting closer to what Chub wants.
This was followed by Friday's for dinner, and where Chubs' feelings were hurt. They had an offer of endless appetizers and Ale said he was going for it. They had 8 different flavors, some hot, some sweet. I thought this would be fun, and we started with PB&J, and sure enough, they tasted like peanut butter, but with the chicken, it reminded all of us of "mole". We all were eating the pieces of chicken as they brought them out, it's not like Chubs was eating all the chicken by himself. We then went a little spicy with srirache buffalo, spicy but not really hot, by the time we got the third one, our meals came, but it was fine, he had gotten the garlic something, not too bad. We were up to the sixth one and we had finished our meals, I was just curious of the taste of the last few ones, we were saving the Ghost Pepper for last, but then my own jerk, Boy, tells him, "stop, that's why you're fat...." Why?!?! This sent Chubs intoo a tailspin, he pushed the plate away and then cried on and off until we left and got home.
Freaking ass has not been with us all day, he was out with his friends, he didn't lift a finger helping to rearrange any of the rooms, doesn't bother joking with us, and only showed up because we were going to Best Buy and he "needed something." Since they were closed, he graced us with his presence for dinner. I don't know why he is skinny, being that both Wife and I are fat. He certainly doesn't do any portion control, he fills up faster because he is genetically built that way. It's not that he has superior self control. He was only bothered because we were technically done with our meals and I'm sure he needed to get back to his computer and to his friends.
Boy left in his Jeep, in the car we told Chubs this is actually good practice, kids are getting older and they might tell you things at school, you gotta be ready with comebacks. I told him some funny ones like tell them to eat your farts or eat your poop, and some nasty ones I won't repeat, but skinny fucks who think they know shit have always pissed me off. yes, of course, if we didnt eat, we'd be skinny like you. Then this would be a perfect world, ignorant twat. Chubs felt a little better by the time we got home, even Mama told him he would feel better if he went and threw the finger at big bro, he did, we all had a laugh, because Chubs is a good guy who never does that.
Friday, August 14, 2015
8/15/15 I Am Not Offended?
We had a really nice afternoon today. Wife came and woke me, I had worked last night, Chubs had thought we were going to Schlitterbahn, but I had a huge headache and it seemed weird to go after Wife had worked all day. Boy then suggested he needed a couple things for school, so shopping became the idea of the day.
He said the one thing that bothered him last year was the glare that came into his room, so if we could buy him some curtains it would be great. Since I had the thought of getting some more curtains for Chubs' old room, we started at JCPenney. I have their curtains that block out the sun in three rooms already and now will be doing the same thing to another room. The family room with the projector needs them to see movies/football games while the sun is out. I have them in our bedroom to help me sleep during the day, and I swear even the annoying barking dogs are cut to the point that I don't go to sleep wishing they died. I also added them to my "man cave" since I sleep there occasionally. Since Chubs took my "man cave", he figured that room was bigger than his, I have to re-do his room to my needs. This starts with moving the massage table over there, adding the blackout curtains, and eventually getting rid of the happy yellow on the walls and probably painting the room in more burnt orange.
After this, we went and got Boy some boots for school at Shepler's. We went back and forth with Chubs, he wanted boots but he doesn't want to wear jeans. We then went to Ashley's and I was prepared to buy Chubs a nice desk for his room, but apparently it has been so long since we used our credit card, they closed the account. Since our big picture goal is to refinance the house, I decided not to re-apply for a new card. We left, I could have bought desk, we still have some of the cash from house sell, but I decided we could come back.
Longhorn Steakhouse was next and they do not disappoint. At a Steakhouse, order a freaking steak. Yum. To make it better, Boy had asked for one of their specialties where they put onions and bacon on top, the waittress apologized when she came with a regular steak and said he would get a new steak. This meant extra steak for all, I got the biggest piece, and left feeling quite full.
Boy suggested Half-Price Books, and since I am without a book right now, I said sure. The stacks of old records always get my attention, I even bought Boy a recoord player a few years ago knowing he would loose interest and I would take it from him. Tonight, he said I could take it, as he never used it. Since I am re-doing the other room, it is a perfect time. I got about five albums, two Miles Davis because I insist I like old jazz, some Bach, a collection of 60's hits, and even a flute lead band. A couple I got because they were $1.99, but the Miles Davis were new, sealed and $13.99. I like the idea of a record, you have to stay with it to listen to it. It's not like an Ipod you shove in your ears and take with you.
We take our selections to the front to pay and the older lady cashier, maybe a little judgy-judge, tells me when you walked in I wasn't sure what you would get, but I never expected you to be getting these records. I said, yeah, I like being different, I'm a special breed. I then added I do a lot of different things you wouldn't expect, I write a blog daily, and I am working on writing my own books.
I am not offended by her comments because I know I look like a generic fat hispanic dad. I get to stay under the radar, in a couple of years when my stories make me rich, I'll wear a fedora, or something douchy. Do I really want to look like the guy that gets identified at the door as "oh yeah, that guy listens to vinyl, he's cool..."?????
He said the one thing that bothered him last year was the glare that came into his room, so if we could buy him some curtains it would be great. Since I had the thought of getting some more curtains for Chubs' old room, we started at JCPenney. I have their curtains that block out the sun in three rooms already and now will be doing the same thing to another room. The family room with the projector needs them to see movies/football games while the sun is out. I have them in our bedroom to help me sleep during the day, and I swear even the annoying barking dogs are cut to the point that I don't go to sleep wishing they died. I also added them to my "man cave" since I sleep there occasionally. Since Chubs took my "man cave", he figured that room was bigger than his, I have to re-do his room to my needs. This starts with moving the massage table over there, adding the blackout curtains, and eventually getting rid of the happy yellow on the walls and probably painting the room in more burnt orange.
After this, we went and got Boy some boots for school at Shepler's. We went back and forth with Chubs, he wanted boots but he doesn't want to wear jeans. We then went to Ashley's and I was prepared to buy Chubs a nice desk for his room, but apparently it has been so long since we used our credit card, they closed the account. Since our big picture goal is to refinance the house, I decided not to re-apply for a new card. We left, I could have bought desk, we still have some of the cash from house sell, but I decided we could come back.
Longhorn Steakhouse was next and they do not disappoint. At a Steakhouse, order a freaking steak. Yum. To make it better, Boy had asked for one of their specialties where they put onions and bacon on top, the waittress apologized when she came with a regular steak and said he would get a new steak. This meant extra steak for all, I got the biggest piece, and left feeling quite full.
Boy suggested Half-Price Books, and since I am without a book right now, I said sure. The stacks of old records always get my attention, I even bought Boy a recoord player a few years ago knowing he would loose interest and I would take it from him. Tonight, he said I could take it, as he never used it. Since I am re-doing the other room, it is a perfect time. I got about five albums, two Miles Davis because I insist I like old jazz, some Bach, a collection of 60's hits, and even a flute lead band. A couple I got because they were $1.99, but the Miles Davis were new, sealed and $13.99. I like the idea of a record, you have to stay with it to listen to it. It's not like an Ipod you shove in your ears and take with you.
We take our selections to the front to pay and the older lady cashier, maybe a little judgy-judge, tells me when you walked in I wasn't sure what you would get, but I never expected you to be getting these records. I said, yeah, I like being different, I'm a special breed. I then added I do a lot of different things you wouldn't expect, I write a blog daily, and I am working on writing my own books.
I am not offended by her comments because I know I look like a generic fat hispanic dad. I get to stay under the radar, in a couple of years when my stories make me rich, I'll wear a fedora, or something douchy. Do I really want to look like the guy that gets identified at the door as "oh yeah, that guy listens to vinyl, he's cool..."?????
Thursday, August 13, 2015
8/14/15 Back At The Gym?
I took a six month vacation from the gym. As a reward, I put on about 40 pounds, I lost the ability to walk a mile or half a mile without huffing and puffing, I can pick a joint think about it and decide, yeah, it hurts.
Like it or not, fat asses need to work even harder just to keep up with the naturally skinny. It is a tad unfair, it's not like every now and then the equator and the poles change weather and we find ourselves in cold weather where our blubber could be a positive. No, we have a harder time, fitting in our own clothes, fitting in movie seats, park rides. It is a slippery slope, the less you work out, the worse you feel, so you spend more time eating, the one thing we're good at. The cycle just repeats over and over. We make excuses to not work out, I was using the selling of the rental house, but my health should always be priority one.
Last year, I was up to walking 4 miles a night at work, over the Christmas break I even set up our treadmill in our bedroom, I was going to add more miles by running as soon as I woke up. Then my knee started feeling funky, so I backed off a bit, then one of the smart asses I work with caught me in the hall and said "you think all that walking is doing anything?" It kinda shook me because I wasn't really losing weight, but now I can say I could walk without losing my breath. I try to start now, and it's like starting from the beginning. I told him he sucks balls, when he asks why I don't walk anymore, his "defense" is he wanted me to join him on the treadmills to run, he doesn't like walking in the building. I should have just continued at my own pace, we are all built different and comfortable with different exercises.
I love the bench press, I also love working the arms. The chest and the arms are the trophy muscles, if someone works on their arms, it is easy to notice. I will try to be more vigilant, whatever I do is for my gain and health, I might use the blog occasionally to try and keep me honest. I am starting at 395 pounds, let's see if I can get back close to 350 by Christmas time.
Like it or not, fat asses need to work even harder just to keep up with the naturally skinny. It is a tad unfair, it's not like every now and then the equator and the poles change weather and we find ourselves in cold weather where our blubber could be a positive. No, we have a harder time, fitting in our own clothes, fitting in movie seats, park rides. It is a slippery slope, the less you work out, the worse you feel, so you spend more time eating, the one thing we're good at. The cycle just repeats over and over. We make excuses to not work out, I was using the selling of the rental house, but my health should always be priority one.
Last year, I was up to walking 4 miles a night at work, over the Christmas break I even set up our treadmill in our bedroom, I was going to add more miles by running as soon as I woke up. Then my knee started feeling funky, so I backed off a bit, then one of the smart asses I work with caught me in the hall and said "you think all that walking is doing anything?" It kinda shook me because I wasn't really losing weight, but now I can say I could walk without losing my breath. I try to start now, and it's like starting from the beginning. I told him he sucks balls, when he asks why I don't walk anymore, his "defense" is he wanted me to join him on the treadmills to run, he doesn't like walking in the building. I should have just continued at my own pace, we are all built different and comfortable with different exercises.
I love the bench press, I also love working the arms. The chest and the arms are the trophy muscles, if someone works on their arms, it is easy to notice. I will try to be more vigilant, whatever I do is for my gain and health, I might use the blog occasionally to try and keep me honest. I am starting at 395 pounds, let's see if I can get back close to 350 by Christmas time.
Wednesday, August 12, 2015
8/13/15 Melatonin Is For Real?
I told Wife I was having a bad time sleeping the last couple months. She went and got me melatonin. It supposedly helps those with trouble sleeping, sleep deeper so they will get to REM state. I don't usually believe Wife when she goes out and gets some new pills, I even "lovingly" call her my lil "Bruja" (witch), but wow, I had the most vivid dreams three nights in a row that I can still describe like I was there.
The first night's dream I already mentioned in another blog, as a side note, but it started with me lost in my old high school. Somewhere along the back of the stage, there was a secret room, I was told it was a bathroom, I walk in and suddenly a voice in the wall is giving me instructions as to what to do. This seems freaky and unnecessary, but I gotta do what I gotta do, I then promptly followed a student heading to the back (even though I started in my high school, it was clearly some sort of university research setting). I was ready to yell and maybe sock this dude in the head, but the research was real, at least there was also a secretary bored as heck entering data of the poop, and students running the poop through machines and stuff. The end had some other college coed and an umbrella contraption to wash our junk and she was so pretty I just lined up and lost all my anger. At this point, I came too, and realized, I am dreaming way too much of peeing, I am going to pee myself, but I made it to the bathroom.
The second dream started out in a neighborhood, maybe I was a troublemaker but I am involved in a bad drug bust and there is a lot of gun shooting, and suddenly a bunch of people my age are in a football field and we are being talked to about drugs but I become like Wolverine and his brother in the beginning of that movie where Wolverine is going through all the wars, and there is just gun blasting and blood everywhere, like Wolverine, I couldn't be hurt, but dream was too intense, and I woke up and got on computer for awhile to look at naked girls, I hate serious dreams like that.
The third night also started in a high school setting, but it was all artsy-fartsy, I was supposed to find an art teacher and work with her on some sort of project. The problem was that she was on the second floor and none of the stairways went all the way. There were half stairs here and there, eventually I cheated and used a rope to get up. My teacher was obsessed with food, she was chubby, but not fat, and through her art we transposed to her house, which was a never ending mansion, best described like the Hansel and Gretel Witch. She had pools with fishes of all kind to eat fresh, and anything we drew turned into real food. The faster you ran in one direction, the faster the mountains of food grew before our eyes. When I realized I needed to get out of there, suddenly Wife and Chubs were involved, and like all catch-22 situations, they show up, I have been there too long, I can see the exit, but they are in love with the place. I wake up trying to pull them out through an entryway that leads out.
Like I said, I hadn't been hardly dreaming, but whatever those little melatonin pills kick-started, I had three nights with such intense dreams, I can still think about them individually.
The first night's dream I already mentioned in another blog, as a side note, but it started with me lost in my old high school. Somewhere along the back of the stage, there was a secret room, I was told it was a bathroom, I walk in and suddenly a voice in the wall is giving me instructions as to what to do. This seems freaky and unnecessary, but I gotta do what I gotta do, I then promptly followed a student heading to the back (even though I started in my high school, it was clearly some sort of university research setting). I was ready to yell and maybe sock this dude in the head, but the research was real, at least there was also a secretary bored as heck entering data of the poop, and students running the poop through machines and stuff. The end had some other college coed and an umbrella contraption to wash our junk and she was so pretty I just lined up and lost all my anger. At this point, I came too, and realized, I am dreaming way too much of peeing, I am going to pee myself, but I made it to the bathroom.
The second dream started out in a neighborhood, maybe I was a troublemaker but I am involved in a bad drug bust and there is a lot of gun shooting, and suddenly a bunch of people my age are in a football field and we are being talked to about drugs but I become like Wolverine and his brother in the beginning of that movie where Wolverine is going through all the wars, and there is just gun blasting and blood everywhere, like Wolverine, I couldn't be hurt, but dream was too intense, and I woke up and got on computer for awhile to look at naked girls, I hate serious dreams like that.
The third night also started in a high school setting, but it was all artsy-fartsy, I was supposed to find an art teacher and work with her on some sort of project. The problem was that she was on the second floor and none of the stairways went all the way. There were half stairs here and there, eventually I cheated and used a rope to get up. My teacher was obsessed with food, she was chubby, but not fat, and through her art we transposed to her house, which was a never ending mansion, best described like the Hansel and Gretel Witch. She had pools with fishes of all kind to eat fresh, and anything we drew turned into real food. The faster you ran in one direction, the faster the mountains of food grew before our eyes. When I realized I needed to get out of there, suddenly Wife and Chubs were involved, and like all catch-22 situations, they show up, I have been there too long, I can see the exit, but they are in love with the place. I wake up trying to pull them out through an entryway that leads out.
Like I said, I hadn't been hardly dreaming, but whatever those little melatonin pills kick-started, I had three nights with such intense dreams, I can still think about them individually.
8/12/15 I'm A Punny Guy?
By the time David was 18, he had become a master baiter. He went all around the country teaching his skills, usually to small groups of young men. He was a simple man preferred camping by a lake or river, always fetched his meal by using his pole. He wore that pin with pride, it designated him a master baiter and had actually earned the title at 16 for his work with worms and minnows.
Danny was a cunning linguist. He loved going head to head with anyone, specially women. He loved using his tongue to pronounce impossible words from old books. One day, he was busy with Charlotte, his tongue doing what it did best, pronouncing words, such as onomatopoeia, or deterioration, she suddenly suggested with your skills, you should eat at The-Y. Everything smells like the sea down there, but then again, it is by a fish rendering plant. Anyhow, if you can pronounce everything on their menu, the meal is free.
You don't mind if I use your ramrod, Bruno? Said Cathy. By all means I am here to serve you ma'am. Let me do it for you, just lay back and relax. I can tell it's been awhile since someone shoved a proper ramrod through your barrel and removed all that gun residue. Out here in the desert, we really have to keep our weapons clean.
You think your dinghy is big enough for her? Just look at that backside, took a whole herd of cows to make the cloth she wears. An 80 foot yacht needs a much bigger dinghy, in case of an emergency, all personnel aboard should fit. I'm also not sure leather is the best material for a boat.
"I hate it when I step out of sight and my kids start yelling for me." said Mike. They insist on using my full name and it is a little embarrassing. It can't be as bad as mine, said Moe. "Mr. Hunt, phone for you." That's me, said Mike, I gotta go. See you later, Mr. Lester, said Mike to Moe. Just then he heard it, Mike Hunt on the intercom, followed by the little sniffles of laughs. "Will Mike Hunt answer the courtesy phone in the lobby?"
Danny was a cunning linguist. He loved going head to head with anyone, specially women. He loved using his tongue to pronounce impossible words from old books. One day, he was busy with Charlotte, his tongue doing what it did best, pronouncing words, such as onomatopoeia, or deterioration, she suddenly suggested with your skills, you should eat at The-Y. Everything smells like the sea down there, but then again, it is by a fish rendering plant. Anyhow, if you can pronounce everything on their menu, the meal is free.
You don't mind if I use your ramrod, Bruno? Said Cathy. By all means I am here to serve you ma'am. Let me do it for you, just lay back and relax. I can tell it's been awhile since someone shoved a proper ramrod through your barrel and removed all that gun residue. Out here in the desert, we really have to keep our weapons clean.
You think your dinghy is big enough for her? Just look at that backside, took a whole herd of cows to make the cloth she wears. An 80 foot yacht needs a much bigger dinghy, in case of an emergency, all personnel aboard should fit. I'm also not sure leather is the best material for a boat.
"I hate it when I step out of sight and my kids start yelling for me." said Mike. They insist on using my full name and it is a little embarrassing. It can't be as bad as mine, said Moe. "Mr. Hunt, phone for you." That's me, said Mike, I gotta go. See you later, Mr. Lester, said Mike to Moe. Just then he heard it, Mike Hunt on the intercom, followed by the little sniffles of laughs. "Will Mike Hunt answer the courtesy phone in the lobby?"
Monday, August 10, 2015
8/11/15 Two More Weeks, Things Getting Back To Normal?
It has taken most of the summer, but I feel we are finally getting back in step. Rental house is a distant memory, vacation to Florida with my in-laws is also on the rear view mirror, not to mention fears from dealing with city about pool.
Wife has been slowly repainting insides, such as baseboards back to white from dirt color. Girlie is busily painting garage door and balcony. There are a few boxes left to unpack, but they will be dealt with in the coming two weeks.
Today, I finally decided I would start moving Chubs to Guest Room 2, or as he is calling it My Room, 2.0. The room had a king sized mattress on the floor, and he started sleeping in that room about a month ago. He decided he did not fit in his twin size bed and that it was not comfortable for him. I had already spotted the perfect quilt for his bed and we had even bought it and a couple of decorative pillows with the Batman motif.
The room is currently a mess, but all should be sorted by the end of the week. The guest room downstairs is much smaller, but we had a full bedroom set in there. I dragged the bed upstairs today. I'll keep moving the pieces up slowly, the nightstands had been out in the open hallway for a couple weeks. I was gonna set up everything in his room, but he figured the other room was larger and he asked for the change.
I have a surround sound stereo set up for myself in there, along with my massage table. For now he says he loves all the Longhorns stuff in there, we'll see if he changes his mind. I can move my massage table and even the stereo will take minimal effort to set up in new room. I will have to paint the room into something more mature, right now it is a very bright yellow, maybe add some black out curtains, lose the Superman stuff.
In the beginning of the summer, everything just seemed overwhelming, now he we are, almost the middle of August, freaking +100 degree days in full bloom. Boy and Chubs are enjoying the last two weeks of their summer, then Boy moves back to San Marcos, it was hard last year, before I realized he would be back all the time. Chubs is excited at prospect of finishing in Elementary school he started in. Last year we were sure he was going to be in Boy's old Elementary School.
Wife has been slowly repainting insides, such as baseboards back to white from dirt color. Girlie is busily painting garage door and balcony. There are a few boxes left to unpack, but they will be dealt with in the coming two weeks.
Today, I finally decided I would start moving Chubs to Guest Room 2, or as he is calling it My Room, 2.0. The room had a king sized mattress on the floor, and he started sleeping in that room about a month ago. He decided he did not fit in his twin size bed and that it was not comfortable for him. I had already spotted the perfect quilt for his bed and we had even bought it and a couple of decorative pillows with the Batman motif.
The room is currently a mess, but all should be sorted by the end of the week. The guest room downstairs is much smaller, but we had a full bedroom set in there. I dragged the bed upstairs today. I'll keep moving the pieces up slowly, the nightstands had been out in the open hallway for a couple weeks. I was gonna set up everything in his room, but he figured the other room was larger and he asked for the change.
I have a surround sound stereo set up for myself in there, along with my massage table. For now he says he loves all the Longhorns stuff in there, we'll see if he changes his mind. I can move my massage table and even the stereo will take minimal effort to set up in new room. I will have to paint the room into something more mature, right now it is a very bright yellow, maybe add some black out curtains, lose the Superman stuff.
In the beginning of the summer, everything just seemed overwhelming, now he we are, almost the middle of August, freaking +100 degree days in full bloom. Boy and Chubs are enjoying the last two weeks of their summer, then Boy moves back to San Marcos, it was hard last year, before I realized he would be back all the time. Chubs is excited at prospect of finishing in Elementary school he started in. Last year we were sure he was going to be in Boy's old Elementary School.
8/10/15 Rolling With The Flow?
We are changing routines all over the place this summer. Not only did we go stay in Rockport, normally on Sunday we get going about as quick as we get up, mostly because I work all the time. Work didn't call today, so we slowed down and went to the beach. I don't think that by ourselves we would have, but my brother in law was in the RV next door with his peeps and I felt like we kind of ignored them yesterday. So we talked about it after we spent all day Saturday with my folks. We both managed to get to our RVs at about the same time, midnight, last night.
After all the jokes that they were going to be waking me up too early, we decided on getting up around 11:00am. Right on cue, B-I-L (brother in law) was at the door knocking. It shouldn't be hard, but Chubs could not open door, Wife could not open door, so I had to be woken up to open the door, nothing special, just door has to be pulled in a bit, as deadbolt is turned.
I wanted to call B-I-L a pain in the ass, but he brought some donuts and kolaches for us for breakfast, very nice. Even a couple of pizza slices from their dinner last night, as Chubs always loves pizza and his oldest boy slept in our RV.
We were up, quick shower, and at the beach before noon. They took a couple minutes to set up their shade/giant umbrella thing, then we walked into the water. We ended up getting comfortable on the first water break (where water goes back to shallow), about 20 yards out and we sat/lay out there. Water was probably 4-8 inches deep, so it was very nice to just sit and talk. About two hours passed and suddenly I was ready to go.
We headed back to the RV park, ate sandwiches, jumped in pool and then started the process of showering one at a time, to get ready for the long road back. I suddenly felt sleepy, B-I-L said in the pool my eyes started going crazy, he could tell, I was doing something weird, and he told me not to worry about Chubs, to go lay down. I took a thirty minute nap, then we went and ate at an old small town classic, Dairy Queen.
I had a burger, Wife a chicken sandwich, followed by an ice cream cone, and some sodas. From there, we left for Austin, with only a stop at Buc-ee's to fill up gas tank. It was a very lazy Sunday afternoon, now we just have to deal with our sunburns.
After all the jokes that they were going to be waking me up too early, we decided on getting up around 11:00am. Right on cue, B-I-L (brother in law) was at the door knocking. It shouldn't be hard, but Chubs could not open door, Wife could not open door, so I had to be woken up to open the door, nothing special, just door has to be pulled in a bit, as deadbolt is turned.
I wanted to call B-I-L a pain in the ass, but he brought some donuts and kolaches for us for breakfast, very nice. Even a couple of pizza slices from their dinner last night, as Chubs always loves pizza and his oldest boy slept in our RV.
We were up, quick shower, and at the beach before noon. They took a couple minutes to set up their shade/giant umbrella thing, then we walked into the water. We ended up getting comfortable on the first water break (where water goes back to shallow), about 20 yards out and we sat/lay out there. Water was probably 4-8 inches deep, so it was very nice to just sit and talk. About two hours passed and suddenly I was ready to go.
We headed back to the RV park, ate sandwiches, jumped in pool and then started the process of showering one at a time, to get ready for the long road back. I suddenly felt sleepy, B-I-L said in the pool my eyes started going crazy, he could tell, I was doing something weird, and he told me not to worry about Chubs, to go lay down. I took a thirty minute nap, then we went and ate at an old small town classic, Dairy Queen.
I had a burger, Wife a chicken sandwich, followed by an ice cream cone, and some sodas. From there, we left for Austin, with only a stop at Buc-ee's to fill up gas tank. It was a very lazy Sunday afternoon, now we just have to deal with our sunburns.
Saturday, August 8, 2015
8/9/15 Between A Rockport And A Hard Place?
It is towards the end of summer, we've all had our fun. My folks went to our regular RV park, my in-laws just joined the RV game (buying a hell of a deal from a friend of my brother in-law). My brother in-law just bought an RV last summer, but because we went to Florida at the start of the summer, they didn't bring their units up until late June. By then, our regular RV park gave up their spots. They found another park and honestly, I like what the park offers. It allows one to bring his/her boat, the rent is $100 less than in our old place, it is right on the water, with a pier for fishing in the back of the property.
In fairness to the other park, it is really convenient for the big city stuff, such as the malls and the many assortments of restaurants a large town offers. Ocean Drive, which to me is Corpus is about ten minutes away. Bob Hall Pier, the place where we have gone to the beach 80-90% of our lives is 10-15 minutes away. HEB and Walmart are five minutes away.
My folks coming from a tiny town with barely a Pizza Hut and a town horse the village elders share to get around, really fancy staying in Corpus for the big city amenities, whereas my in-laws who already live in San Antonio fell in love with the Rockport RV Park because it is cozy and quiet. I will admit the beach seems better in Rockport, as it is a bay of some kind and there are barely any waves. You can go a good 100 yards out in the water and it is still only about 2-3 feet deep. Bob Hall Pier has always been our beach, but year in and year out, we never know if the beach will stink with dead seaweed, be composed of dark brown water or actually be green and beautiful like beach water should be.
The only solution I can think of is to find another RV park totally neutral in between the two and we stay there. Rockport ends up being 40 minutes to an hour to our normal places, so it is kind of far, but that seems like a weak excuse to tell my in-laws "see ya, wouldn't want to be ya." Then again, after seeing my sister give me the evil eye and her unwillingness to just be human, maybe a little distance is alright. I come to the beach to relax, not to be stressed that work starts next week, I don't give a crap, "My work never took a break!!"
I do love hanging out with my Mom and Dad, and of course I love my sister and her hubby is always Mr. Cool, but I can't help feel we're competing for Mother's attention when more than one of her kids is here.
In fairness to the other park, it is really convenient for the big city stuff, such as the malls and the many assortments of restaurants a large town offers. Ocean Drive, which to me is Corpus is about ten minutes away. Bob Hall Pier, the place where we have gone to the beach 80-90% of our lives is 10-15 minutes away. HEB and Walmart are five minutes away.
My folks coming from a tiny town with barely a Pizza Hut and a town horse the village elders share to get around, really fancy staying in Corpus for the big city amenities, whereas my in-laws who already live in San Antonio fell in love with the Rockport RV Park because it is cozy and quiet. I will admit the beach seems better in Rockport, as it is a bay of some kind and there are barely any waves. You can go a good 100 yards out in the water and it is still only about 2-3 feet deep. Bob Hall Pier has always been our beach, but year in and year out, we never know if the beach will stink with dead seaweed, be composed of dark brown water or actually be green and beautiful like beach water should be.
The only solution I can think of is to find another RV park totally neutral in between the two and we stay there. Rockport ends up being 40 minutes to an hour to our normal places, so it is kind of far, but that seems like a weak excuse to tell my in-laws "see ya, wouldn't want to be ya." Then again, after seeing my sister give me the evil eye and her unwillingness to just be human, maybe a little distance is alright. I come to the beach to relax, not to be stressed that work starts next week, I don't give a crap, "My work never took a break!!"
I do love hanging out with my Mom and Dad, and of course I love my sister and her hubby is always Mr. Cool, but I can't help feel we're competing for Mother's attention when more than one of her kids is here.
Friday, August 7, 2015
8/8/15 Giving Up Power?
I have always been Mr. Man around Wife and home life. I believe the man should be the main provider and he should always take the lead. This worked great until recently, I believe I broke something while pushing my limits getting old house ready to sell, as I simply don't have stamina I used to. For example, when we drove to Florida the other six times, I easily drove 90% of the time. This last time, I was getting drowsy and had to hand over driving duties closer to 50% and I wouldn't be surprised if she actually drove a little longer than me.
My Mom was giving me crap last time we came to Corpus, we drove together in her car and she could see me fighting that sleepy feeling. She said to quit putting my family in danger and just let my wife drive. She is capable and I won't win anything but end up in an accident with my foolish behavior.
Today we came to Corpus again and I did not hesitate. Before we got out of the house, I told her you are driving. I worked last night, got out at 6:30am. I was getting in bed around 8am and the plan was to leave between noon and 1pm. Noon meant less than 4 hours sleep and that turned into 1pm.
On top of only sleeping 4-5 hours, Wife had me try melatonin for my poor sleep. I don't know if it helped but I had a very vivid dream about pooping in a trash bag in what I thought was some sort of private room but that turned out to be where people went for a study. There was a guy talking through the walls which I then felt compelled to go give a piece of my mind. Upon discovering that it was all very professional and my wife's friend proving it was no big deal to poop in front of people by stripping to her birthday suit and pooping, I left thanking the doctor/weirdo. There was even a station with a nurse and some sort of umbrella contraption to prevent over spray of water but allow the washing of the genital region. I remember getting all excited about this...
At this point, I woke up thinking I am too excited about peeing, dammit, I bet I peed myself. But no. I must have gotten up just in time, whew. Good thing Wife was being loud!!
I said I would stay up and converse with Wife in car, but I fell asleep. Going into Buc-ee's I awoke and then before entering Rockport I awoke. The heat did not help trying to stay awake.
Rockport is out of the way, but my in-laws said we could use their RV for the weekend. Our hotels have been costing $150-$170, so a little extra driving is saving us over $300. I did manage to drive to my folks RV which is almost an hour away.
We waited for my sister and her family, then we finished the night with dinner at Longhorn Steakhouse. It was delicious.
8/7/15 A Life UnChallenged? part 1 (story)
I could never listen to those that claimed to know better than me. "Why, it's not like they were living my life!" I said. If there is one thing that bothers me "it's people that claim to know me. I am special after all." This was her usual mantra when anyone got too close and tried giving advice.
Deandra waited for her man by the window a little upset as usual, he was a little late, but he could always blame his poor calendar skills on his hunk of a car. To you and I it was a piece of shit from the 80s old Cadillac shell, with a refurbished motor which kept him horizontal and on his back more than that poor girl inside ever could. He was a simple man, not what anyone would ever call a scholar, but then again, every bowl has a spoon, Deandra didn't like them smart. She liked a dullard, "why be with a man who is constantly going to be asking me about the news, I ain't CNN, I don't care."
"Aw Babe, was talking to TJ and he found some a them power seats for the caddy, I'll be spending tomorrow installing them, but then my Princess gonna ride in style." They came off a drunk ahole, tore car in half, he got thrown out into a field. But the seats are clean, not even a touch of blood, "good thing people don't wear their seat belts round here... he muttered. She half heartedly smiled, she liked it when he called her Princess, even at thirty and with a couple kids somewhere in the apartment, she felt she was destined for greatness. Prince Charming might still some day show up and clean up her life, put her on track where she deserved to be.
"Well your late, anyway." "You promised me dinner, I showered and look, even did my nails..." sorry babe, game's fixing to start. Joey was dull in all aspects of life, wrote the little yellow bus in elementary school, but when it came to sports, he was like a different man. He knew stats, who was playing who, how many times they had played each other. "Make some of them chimichangas, put your Tex-mex roots to good use." "I don't care if they're microwaved" He got loud when he got excited and a little sarcastic, "andale andale arriba a-rrrrriba" once he got going, it took a while to calm him down.
There she was, all dressed up for a night out, staring out the window, nobody telling her what to do, other than running that microwave. "Things will get better." she thought. Of course, her thinking was broken up by kid #2 walking in with a shitty diaper, while kid #1 rubbed his snotty nose on her favorite dress.
Deandra waited for her man by the window a little upset as usual, he was a little late, but he could always blame his poor calendar skills on his hunk of a car. To you and I it was a piece of shit from the 80s old Cadillac shell, with a refurbished motor which kept him horizontal and on his back more than that poor girl inside ever could. He was a simple man, not what anyone would ever call a scholar, but then again, every bowl has a spoon, Deandra didn't like them smart. She liked a dullard, "why be with a man who is constantly going to be asking me about the news, I ain't CNN, I don't care."
"Aw Babe, was talking to TJ and he found some a them power seats for the caddy, I'll be spending tomorrow installing them, but then my Princess gonna ride in style." They came off a drunk ahole, tore car in half, he got thrown out into a field. But the seats are clean, not even a touch of blood, "good thing people don't wear their seat belts round here... he muttered. She half heartedly smiled, she liked it when he called her Princess, even at thirty and with a couple kids somewhere in the apartment, she felt she was destined for greatness. Prince Charming might still some day show up and clean up her life, put her on track where she deserved to be.
"Well your late, anyway." "You promised me dinner, I showered and look, even did my nails..." sorry babe, game's fixing to start. Joey was dull in all aspects of life, wrote the little yellow bus in elementary school, but when it came to sports, he was like a different man. He knew stats, who was playing who, how many times they had played each other. "Make some of them chimichangas, put your Tex-mex roots to good use." "I don't care if they're microwaved" He got loud when he got excited and a little sarcastic, "andale andale arriba a-rrrrriba" once he got going, it took a while to calm him down.
There she was, all dressed up for a night out, staring out the window, nobody telling her what to do, other than running that microwave. "Things will get better." she thought. Of course, her thinking was broken up by kid #2 walking in with a shitty diaper, while kid #1 rubbed his snotty nose on her favorite dress.
Thursday, August 6, 2015
8/6/15 The Bell Tolls For Thee?
When people leave your surrounding area, they pretty much die. If there is no sure sign they will come back, then we might as well wish them well in their next life. I have had many peers from my time in school who were dear friends on a daily level. Yet, once they leave town you gradually forget about them.
Life goes on. We are much too busy to stop and reflect on friends who have moved away, but for a few, they do die from our lives. This is part of the growing that we must all do. Those people in turn get replaced, some time for the better, sometimes just as an equivalent. We had been at stasis for a few years, considering our circle of friends stays pretty small, it's no surprise.
Realizing this person is dying in front of you, as far as you two are concerned and having clarity to see it and understand it, do you just let it happen? Once a person has decided to move, you can't really stop them, everyone has a personal map of where their life shall take them. It seems almost unfair to prevent person A from moving to location B. So in a sense, the best thing to do is support them in their quest to leave your life.
My position I think will therefore be neutral, if this friend chooses to take off, I will support and say it is for the best for them, but in it also know that the person can be scratched from your life. I've tried having phone relationships with people that move and honestly, it is hard to stay interested in people that don't exist in your space.
Just a couple days ago, I was talking about new people coming back into our lives, and now I must think of other people leaving. There is the chance, it is just a loud cry for attention, there is the possibility that leaving will not work, once you have moved out, it is hard to move back under a parent's roof, parent's usually expect to have rules respected, while people who have experienced freedom feel it is part of their given right to come and go as they please. But if somebody pays for the room where you keep your stuff, the toilet where you shit, the water that you drink, don't go around thinking you're an adult.
Of course, what do I know? Oh, well, pass on to the next life in peace.
Life goes on. We are much too busy to stop and reflect on friends who have moved away, but for a few, they do die from our lives. This is part of the growing that we must all do. Those people in turn get replaced, some time for the better, sometimes just as an equivalent. We had been at stasis for a few years, considering our circle of friends stays pretty small, it's no surprise.
Realizing this person is dying in front of you, as far as you two are concerned and having clarity to see it and understand it, do you just let it happen? Once a person has decided to move, you can't really stop them, everyone has a personal map of where their life shall take them. It seems almost unfair to prevent person A from moving to location B. So in a sense, the best thing to do is support them in their quest to leave your life.
My position I think will therefore be neutral, if this friend chooses to take off, I will support and say it is for the best for them, but in it also know that the person can be scratched from your life. I've tried having phone relationships with people that move and honestly, it is hard to stay interested in people that don't exist in your space.
Just a couple days ago, I was talking about new people coming back into our lives, and now I must think of other people leaving. There is the chance, it is just a loud cry for attention, there is the possibility that leaving will not work, once you have moved out, it is hard to move back under a parent's roof, parent's usually expect to have rules respected, while people who have experienced freedom feel it is part of their given right to come and go as they please. But if somebody pays for the room where you keep your stuff, the toilet where you shit, the water that you drink, don't go around thinking you're an adult.
Of course, what do I know? Oh, well, pass on to the next life in peace.
Tuesday, August 4, 2015
8/5/15 So It Comes To This? Part 2 (Story)
She had eluded my advances most of our lives. She thought she was hot shit, with tits bigger than her head and an ass so packed lesser men didn't even try. I had tired of her shenanigans, always playing the victim in some ploy, yet when it came to giving up the goods, there was always an excuse. But I had known her going on thirty years, and she knew she could hold my attention even at fifty by showing me a little of what I liked. I did always have a thing for the top heavy gals.
Her problem was like so many others, go through life with your head in the clouds thinking "I'm better than this, when in reality, you're not. If you live a shitty unfilled life, you brought it to life, you grew it, it consumed you because you let it. Now, it seemed, she wanted to let go. I was scarcely enchanted by the possibility of conquering her. Without her knowledge, I had been picking fruit half her age from that family tree, and Daddy liked the younger fruit. She might get me to bite, but I was the prize now, she would have to show me something new and exciting.
Middle age can be a gift for some, the start of death for most. I had found myself energized the older I got, there were no financial worries between Wife and I and with the few nights of freedom given to me by her working out of town, I was invigorated. Truth be told, I had a scare with a medical condition, let's just say diabetes, for you Nosey-Nellies, but instead of bringing me down, I started a program, lost the fat, and started really enjoying life from a different perspective.
It wasn't just Titty Galore from above that wanted me to change her world, there was always plenty of candy for Big Daddy. But this is not the story of a man who got too much out of life, this is the story of a man out to prove he didn't kill that poor soul by bending her over backwards in his "sex dungeon, and subsequently breaking her neck.
Who would come to his aid? He certainly had his share of enemies, those men who insisted no one should have that much fun, life is not meant to be lived this way. I guess I keep getting ahead of myself, the victim has yet to find herself at the end of her life, but that must wait for the next time...
Her problem was like so many others, go through life with your head in the clouds thinking "I'm better than this, when in reality, you're not. If you live a shitty unfilled life, you brought it to life, you grew it, it consumed you because you let it. Now, it seemed, she wanted to let go. I was scarcely enchanted by the possibility of conquering her. Without her knowledge, I had been picking fruit half her age from that family tree, and Daddy liked the younger fruit. She might get me to bite, but I was the prize now, she would have to show me something new and exciting.
Middle age can be a gift for some, the start of death for most. I had found myself energized the older I got, there were no financial worries between Wife and I and with the few nights of freedom given to me by her working out of town, I was invigorated. Truth be told, I had a scare with a medical condition, let's just say diabetes, for you Nosey-Nellies, but instead of bringing me down, I started a program, lost the fat, and started really enjoying life from a different perspective.
It wasn't just Titty Galore from above that wanted me to change her world, there was always plenty of candy for Big Daddy. But this is not the story of a man who got too much out of life, this is the story of a man out to prove he didn't kill that poor soul by bending her over backwards in his "sex dungeon, and subsequently breaking her neck.
Who would come to his aid? He certainly had his share of enemies, those men who insisted no one should have that much fun, life is not meant to be lived this way. I guess I keep getting ahead of myself, the victim has yet to find herself at the end of her life, but that must wait for the next time...
8/4/15 People Meandering Back Into Our Lives?
I had had this conversation with Wife six months ago. Wondering why people glum on to us when they are at their shittiest? Various friends going through divorce, single moms in mid-divorce, people that seem and they even use the term "we're family". But upon bouncing back from their lows, there they go, hard to get their attention. I don't blame them, and I don't even think of holding a grudge. I say cool, if we helped you through a tough time once.
But were they our friends or do we just make like a good set of training wheels to get you back on your feet? Is that what we are supposed to do? One friend in particular was over all the time, she'd spend the weekend at our house, with her 4 kids, it was fun. Then she finds this guy, who does not like our free spirit ways and she pretty much up and disappeared.
There was another, a guy, divorced, swore life would never be the same. We tried introducing him to another of our single mama friends, but it didn't work out. He eventually found another chick, he'll say hi occasionally on FB, but he is pretty much also married and disappeared. There was another guy who had been a coworker, started texting me after his wife called it off. We go through a few months of entertaining him and his kids, now he has met another lady friend, and guess how often we see him?
More recently, one of the Girlies in our lives had hooked up with a young guy and of course, he cut her off from visiting us or even the rest of her family. This lasted a good year, until she came around asking if she could clean for us, I pay her whatever. She's been showing up once a week, and I must say it's nice. She showed up today just to say hi, she was with another friend of hers we hadn't seen in two years. She had a baby with another possessive guy, who is now out of the picture. What is it with these possessive guys who need their chick by their side at all times? I freaking love when Wife says I'm going to go visit my Mom overnight. She hardly does that, but please, feel free.
What runs through their minds "no!, you will heat up my tortillas every night and tell me how boring it is locked up here in the shitty apartment." I tell Wife they will all be back, just a matter of time. Marriage is not a rope around each others necks, keeping us close 24/7. I love Wife, and we have built a great home for our kids, not just in structure, but we both promote experiences, I love Chubs heading out to visit my folks or my in-laws. I don't like paying for, but I think Boy having adventures with his friends is helping make him become the individual he is becoming. I have always supported things she believes in and she supports about half of my ideas, but I am a fountain of ideas, there is no way we could follow through with everything I want, I'm eyeballing you airplane, you will be mine.
But were they our friends or do we just make like a good set of training wheels to get you back on your feet? Is that what we are supposed to do? One friend in particular was over all the time, she'd spend the weekend at our house, with her 4 kids, it was fun. Then she finds this guy, who does not like our free spirit ways and she pretty much up and disappeared.
There was another, a guy, divorced, swore life would never be the same. We tried introducing him to another of our single mama friends, but it didn't work out. He eventually found another chick, he'll say hi occasionally on FB, but he is pretty much also married and disappeared. There was another guy who had been a coworker, started texting me after his wife called it off. We go through a few months of entertaining him and his kids, now he has met another lady friend, and guess how often we see him?
More recently, one of the Girlies in our lives had hooked up with a young guy and of course, he cut her off from visiting us or even the rest of her family. This lasted a good year, until she came around asking if she could clean for us, I pay her whatever. She's been showing up once a week, and I must say it's nice. She showed up today just to say hi, she was with another friend of hers we hadn't seen in two years. She had a baby with another possessive guy, who is now out of the picture. What is it with these possessive guys who need their chick by their side at all times? I freaking love when Wife says I'm going to go visit my Mom overnight. She hardly does that, but please, feel free.
What runs through their minds "no!, you will heat up my tortillas every night and tell me how boring it is locked up here in the shitty apartment." I tell Wife they will all be back, just a matter of time. Marriage is not a rope around each others necks, keeping us close 24/7. I love Wife, and we have built a great home for our kids, not just in structure, but we both promote experiences, I love Chubs heading out to visit my folks or my in-laws. I don't like paying for, but I think Boy having adventures with his friends is helping make him become the individual he is becoming. I have always supported things she believes in and she supports about half of my ideas, but I am a fountain of ideas, there is no way we could follow through with everything I want, I'm eyeballing you airplane, you will be mine.
Monday, August 3, 2015
8/3/15 Slight Correction To Stunning Fear?
So my Mom was telling me I didn't get it, and after talking to her, I think I am glad I don't get it. She wasn't just talking about being poor, but terribly poor. Her recollections include going to the point of being down to one egg to split between the three of us.
This conversation started when we were driving to Rockport Beach and my Mom remembered some man who apparently lent them $50 for their first apartment. She described it as a shed behind a small house which itself had been converted to two small apartments. When they left their hometown of Crystal City, they looked around and rents were around $15-$30 a month. When they got to the big city of Corpus Christi, that shed behind the house they stayed in before I was born was $70. I guess that was difference that they borrowed from that man.
My mom was finishing her degree at Texas A&I Kingsville, and she admits she was torn between suffering currently and finishing or getting a job as a cashier or something and possibly losing that window of opportunity to finish that education. She chose wisely, as smart people usually do. I have no recollection of suffering. I thought life was great growing up, there was always food in the fridge, we ate pizza from Pizza Hut once a week or so and chicken from Golden Fried Chicken at will. What else can a husky kid growing up in a tiny town want? We had air conditioning and no curfew during the summer times, life was grand.
But all this was on the backs of my folks who did start with nothing. Mom was saying she'd buy like four loaves of bread for .75 cents, and bologna was very cheap as well, along with eggs and milk. That was our staple. I started saying "but bread goes bad if it sits too long", but if every meal consists of bread, it isn't going to sit too long.
So even though they were in a city we just view as our summer vacation destination, to them, it was a do or die situation, there were no food stamps then, or WIC to lean on. They survived and got strong from relying on each other. This lasted three years.
Mom says going to the beach was just something they didn't even think about. They went out there where they went because it was an excuse to get out of their tiny apartment and socialize a bit. They were never scared of going out, they were just so poor, they stayed in their neighborhood.
This conversation started when we were driving to Rockport Beach and my Mom remembered some man who apparently lent them $50 for their first apartment. She described it as a shed behind a small house which itself had been converted to two small apartments. When they left their hometown of Crystal City, they looked around and rents were around $15-$30 a month. When they got to the big city of Corpus Christi, that shed behind the house they stayed in before I was born was $70. I guess that was difference that they borrowed from that man.
My mom was finishing her degree at Texas A&I Kingsville, and she admits she was torn between suffering currently and finishing or getting a job as a cashier or something and possibly losing that window of opportunity to finish that education. She chose wisely, as smart people usually do. I have no recollection of suffering. I thought life was great growing up, there was always food in the fridge, we ate pizza from Pizza Hut once a week or so and chicken from Golden Fried Chicken at will. What else can a husky kid growing up in a tiny town want? We had air conditioning and no curfew during the summer times, life was grand.
But all this was on the backs of my folks who did start with nothing. Mom was saying she'd buy like four loaves of bread for .75 cents, and bologna was very cheap as well, along with eggs and milk. That was our staple. I started saying "but bread goes bad if it sits too long", but if every meal consists of bread, it isn't going to sit too long.
So even though they were in a city we just view as our summer vacation destination, to them, it was a do or die situation, there were no food stamps then, or WIC to lean on. They survived and got strong from relying on each other. This lasted three years.
Mom says going to the beach was just something they didn't even think about. They went out there where they went because it was an excuse to get out of their tiny apartment and socialize a bit. They were never scared of going out, they were just so poor, they stayed in their neighborhood.
Sunday, August 2, 2015
8/2/15 Stunning Fear?
Today was interesting, we went and spent the day at Rockport Beach with my in-laws. It was a very pleasant time, the water went out at least a football field's length with water varying between 2-3 ft deep. It was also very warm and a pretty color of green. Yesterday's blog was about trying new things, and come to find out the most interesting thing about today was finding out my folks lived here in Corpus Christi back around 1971 for three years and never made it around to any other beach.
They did frequent the water's edge by the T-heads in downtown Corpus, and even the beachy areas but they never ventured out. Mom claims it was just a matter of being so poor, that gas was a luxury, the car was used for school and work. She did always talk a lot about walking to the beach, I didn't take it as literally walking from their doorway to the beach, but that was their idea of a pleasant afternoon. Another funny footnote was that Dad worked an ice delivery route all from Portland to Rockport, so he was still familar with going to Rockport, but never grabbed his wife and spectacular son (me) to take out this way.
Wife and I have been fortunate enough to always be able to do as we wish. We have never even thought about gassing up a car and going wherever. My constraint has always been time, not money or gas. But then again, I love my work, so I don't generally mind spending as much time as I do there.
So now we are in a good position, we invite our folks to vacation with us. They should see more places than they have. We have started initial talks of going out to the desert and up north this Spring Break. I know my folks, first they'll be excited, then they'll start with the excuses of why they can't go. I sense they will stick with needing to watch my brother's new dog rather than go on a once in a lifetime type of trip. But knowing that they could have visited a new beach every weekend they lived in Corpus, yet stuck to the same place, tells me, they don't take to change too well.
This makes me even more proud of my accomplishments, vacation wise. We have encouraged both parents to get into the RV game, along with my bother in law. We were the first ones out to Disney World in Florida, taking my folks twice since then. Not to mention the timeshare we bought has had us by Palestine Lake, to Galveston, Lake Conroe, and counting. I hope they stick around long enough so they can vacation with us on my boat overnight. That will happen sometime in the near future. I want a big boat out in Lake Travis just to chill.
They did frequent the water's edge by the T-heads in downtown Corpus, and even the beachy areas but they never ventured out. Mom claims it was just a matter of being so poor, that gas was a luxury, the car was used for school and work. She did always talk a lot about walking to the beach, I didn't take it as literally walking from their doorway to the beach, but that was their idea of a pleasant afternoon. Another funny footnote was that Dad worked an ice delivery route all from Portland to Rockport, so he was still familar with going to Rockport, but never grabbed his wife and spectacular son (me) to take out this way.
Wife and I have been fortunate enough to always be able to do as we wish. We have never even thought about gassing up a car and going wherever. My constraint has always been time, not money or gas. But then again, I love my work, so I don't generally mind spending as much time as I do there.
So now we are in a good position, we invite our folks to vacation with us. They should see more places than they have. We have started initial talks of going out to the desert and up north this Spring Break. I know my folks, first they'll be excited, then they'll start with the excuses of why they can't go. I sense they will stick with needing to watch my brother's new dog rather than go on a once in a lifetime type of trip. But knowing that they could have visited a new beach every weekend they lived in Corpus, yet stuck to the same place, tells me, they don't take to change too well.
This makes me even more proud of my accomplishments, vacation wise. We have encouraged both parents to get into the RV game, along with my bother in law. We were the first ones out to Disney World in Florida, taking my folks twice since then. Not to mention the timeshare we bought has had us by Palestine Lake, to Galveston, Lake Conroe, and counting. I hope they stick around long enough so they can vacation with us on my boat overnight. That will happen sometime in the near future. I want a big boat out in Lake Travis just to chill.
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