We are back in Corpus Christi, vacationing with both my folks and my in-laws. This summer I did not want to bend over backwards getting our RV in road worthy shape. We decided we would come as often as our folks come, but stay in a hotel. Although I was willing to stay in Springhill Suites without trying others, their greed ruined that idea. We had gone on Expedia and found their rooms for $150 a night. A chunk of change but the room felt new and overall worth it. We get ready to reserve for this week and their best price through Expedia was $220-$250. Same rooms, nothing of note going on in said town. That is just some greedy shit behavior. Now we won't be able to stay there the rest of this year, that is how I punish bad sales activities. One time the McDonald's in New Braunfels refused to give Boy an extra sweet and sour for his nuggets saying blah blah blah. I give a shit, he was sharing with a friend, so we left and I did not buy McDonald's for over two years. I know you're rolling your eyes, but we have plenty of choices, this is AMERICA.
Anyways, we are now laying in a Candlewood Suites and it is about the same thing as the other place. We actually have a fuller kitchen, full size fridge/freezer, big sink, even a dual stove top, if we wanted to do some light cooking. We figure we'll just go with the cheapest hotel in our given pricepoint. We're a number to the hotel industry, no sense having "loyalty" to them. This is part of our change, we have had an RV since 1999, and summer vacationing was going to the RV, wherever we decided to park it. Because I don't have a truck, we are not using it. The hotels have been interesting, I do like having my own property to come to, but so far, the hotels have been clean and quiet enough.
Tomorrow, we'll see how my folks react to a little change. Instead of heading to our normal beach by Bob Hall Pier, we talked to my in-laws who found their RV park in Rockport, about 30 miles away. They went to a beach you pay to get into, but by their account, it is very clean and the water itself was also calm and cleaner than what we saw two weeks ago at Bob Hall Pier when we went. We are testing, maybe we will all head to Rockport next year, in-laws say they are paying $280 a month, while my parents are at almost $400 a month. We used to stay at Pioneer RV Resort when we started in 1999, but they are up to $800 a month. If you want to save a buck, you must be willing to accept change.
Friday, July 31, 2015
Thursday, July 30, 2015
7/31/15 Safe From The Pool Police?
Today we finally got a "we're ok" from the city. It started about a month ago. Maybe longer. We got a notice from the city while we were in Florida that something had to be done about our pool as it was green and probably a hot bed for mosquitos. I probably ignored first letter because we had been so busy with selling other house and going on our vacation. After we came back, there was a more stern letter, and it scared me, saying how they could fine us $2000 a day and even start the process to take property from us, wth!
I fired up the pump, half expecting needing to buy a new one, but it worked just fine. This pump and sand filter combos totally rock. Within a few days the pool itself was clear of debris other than algae still making water light green. A guy from the city had stopped by which I wrote about a week and a half ago. He was pretty nice, just said start on it, see where you are next time I come. By the time I called him this past Monday, he managed to get himself promoted, so he left a message to talk to the next person, I did, she was supposed to come by end of the week, but I believe she too might have been promoted.
Today, we got a high energy guy, good thing pool was about perfect. He was on our property about five minutes. Looked at pool, said looks good to me, took a picture, and left. I pumped bags and bags of shock, gallons of algaecide, and some other chemicals to kill pool "nasties". Surprisingly, I think a bottle at HEB that claimed to kill multiple kinds of algae did the job. Greenish color was just hanging around, but every time I poured this stuff in, wherever it hit, water immediately turned cloudy white.
All that was left to do today was jump in and scrape away the "ring around the toilet" look. I got a brush and jumped in scraping all around the water line, the steps and anywhere residual "green" was still visible. It seems silly now that I kept ignoring it and letting it become an issue in the first place.
The only thing to do now is enjoy it for a couple months before it cools off. Good thing summer just lingers here in Texas, We could be swimming halfway into November, if the stars line up correctly.
I fired up the pump, half expecting needing to buy a new one, but it worked just fine. This pump and sand filter combos totally rock. Within a few days the pool itself was clear of debris other than algae still making water light green. A guy from the city had stopped by which I wrote about a week and a half ago. He was pretty nice, just said start on it, see where you are next time I come. By the time I called him this past Monday, he managed to get himself promoted, so he left a message to talk to the next person, I did, she was supposed to come by end of the week, but I believe she too might have been promoted.
Today, we got a high energy guy, good thing pool was about perfect. He was on our property about five minutes. Looked at pool, said looks good to me, took a picture, and left. I pumped bags and bags of shock, gallons of algaecide, and some other chemicals to kill pool "nasties". Surprisingly, I think a bottle at HEB that claimed to kill multiple kinds of algae did the job. Greenish color was just hanging around, but every time I poured this stuff in, wherever it hit, water immediately turned cloudy white.
All that was left to do today was jump in and scrape away the "ring around the toilet" look. I got a brush and jumped in scraping all around the water line, the steps and anywhere residual "green" was still visible. It seems silly now that I kept ignoring it and letting it become an issue in the first place.
The only thing to do now is enjoy it for a couple months before it cools off. Good thing summer just lingers here in Texas, We could be swimming halfway into November, if the stars line up correctly.
Wednesday, July 29, 2015
7/30/15 Winners Are Persistent?
I am not feeling this way right now, but this is in reference to Wife, who is putting in a hell of a strong performance for something that maybe shouldn't be. At the end of the year, she was told she would be driving a school bus for a program. This of course terrified her, who admittedly pisses me off as she won't even take the high overpasses and instead will go down on the surface and battle with three or four intersections with lights because she is scared to be driving so high.
We went around and around with yes or no. But they finally offered some money to make the effort somewhat worthwhile. So here we are, we both thought it would be a week or two of training behind the wheel and then the test with a DPS trooper. NOPE!!!! She had to get a permit, that took a week, now she is actually working on the test which is broken into six sections. If she fails any one section three times, she has to start the tests over. After this is done, then she can start driving with someone, whereby she needs to collect 20 hours.
Will she give up? No. Winners do the shit work, maybe they complain, maybe there is even a crying session or two, but eventually from the ashes Wifey will rise and shine like a mighty fucking Phoenix, reborn with the skills to drive 40 feet of mass and steel, all the while understanding the mechanics of air brake systems ANDDDD the intricacies of whatever program to get those beautiful minds of those children to higher education. And I guarantee you those children are in better hands with her than whatever professional before because she cares. This is a feature that cannot often be measured and thus gets overseen by the overlords who spend 8-5 in comfortable offices in ivory towers, but I know she cares.
We run into students all the time, actually smile and go out of their way to say hi. Kids that honestly would have fallen by the wayside. Wife believes in these kids and they fight harder than even our own, mostly because they have to. But they succeed and they turn into productive members of society. I say Hip Hip Hazzah!! or Hip Hip Hooray (if you prefer), for there is nothing I hate more than waste of a human life.
We went around and around with yes or no. But they finally offered some money to make the effort somewhat worthwhile. So here we are, we both thought it would be a week or two of training behind the wheel and then the test with a DPS trooper. NOPE!!!! She had to get a permit, that took a week, now she is actually working on the test which is broken into six sections. If she fails any one section three times, she has to start the tests over. After this is done, then she can start driving with someone, whereby she needs to collect 20 hours.
Will she give up? No. Winners do the shit work, maybe they complain, maybe there is even a crying session or two, but eventually from the ashes Wifey will rise and shine like a mighty fucking Phoenix, reborn with the skills to drive 40 feet of mass and steel, all the while understanding the mechanics of air brake systems ANDDDD the intricacies of whatever program to get those beautiful minds of those children to higher education. And I guarantee you those children are in better hands with her than whatever professional before because she cares. This is a feature that cannot often be measured and thus gets overseen by the overlords who spend 8-5 in comfortable offices in ivory towers, but I know she cares.
We run into students all the time, actually smile and go out of their way to say hi. Kids that honestly would have fallen by the wayside. Wife believes in these kids and they fight harder than even our own, mostly because they have to. But they succeed and they turn into productive members of society. I say Hip Hip Hazzah!! or Hip Hip Hooray (if you prefer), for there is nothing I hate more than waste of a human life.
Tuesday, July 28, 2015
7/29/15 Charles Bukowski? (Book)
I finally read one his collections. This one was titled Notes From A Dirty Old Man. I loved the title but it wasn't really dirty, unless you add in a man living on the streets moving from town to town. It did not have hardly any "dirty" material as I was expecting. I guess the tone would have been different, as the collections run from the 30s into the 1960's.
Most of the stories have Bukowski involved, either loved or hated in the storyline, and mostly always drinking some cheap alcohol from a paper sack. He has hookers and deviant women come in and out of his life, but they always seem temporary. His writing style does leave open a measure of humor, for example when he has an escapade with a 300lb. woman. He goes into great deal how the waves of ecstacy coming off her legs keep pushing him away but like a man at war with a beast he keeps getting back on. Eventually, success, she orgasms which no other mere mortals have been able to do, but at the cost of breaking all four legs on his bed.
Each story is independent and thus makes for the entire book to be a quick read. There are no deep thoughts, just a drunk, usually in the ghetto, trying to get through life by doing the absolute minimum and still managing to screw it up. He has a gal supporting him at one point, and although he is trying to screw the hot professional stripper that lives next door, he actually screws the portly lady that lives behind him. His gal finds out and thus kicks him out.
In another story, he lands in a new town and a man offers him a job paying him $13 a night to watch the register in a taxicab company. I assume this was enough to live off of. But a little time goes by and slowly and surely he starts attracting the neighborhood whores that work in the brothels nearby. He likes surrounding himself and the imagery of them dancing and partying with him, the best one sitting on his lap every night. Until the boss finds out, then he gets fired.
He seems to be an original and among his better quotes, I liked:
Most of the stories have Bukowski involved, either loved or hated in the storyline, and mostly always drinking some cheap alcohol from a paper sack. He has hookers and deviant women come in and out of his life, but they always seem temporary. His writing style does leave open a measure of humor, for example when he has an escapade with a 300lb. woman. He goes into great deal how the waves of ecstacy coming off her legs keep pushing him away but like a man at war with a beast he keeps getting back on. Eventually, success, she orgasms which no other mere mortals have been able to do, but at the cost of breaking all four legs on his bed.
Each story is independent and thus makes for the entire book to be a quick read. There are no deep thoughts, just a drunk, usually in the ghetto, trying to get through life by doing the absolute minimum and still managing to screw it up. He has a gal supporting him at one point, and although he is trying to screw the hot professional stripper that lives next door, he actually screws the portly lady that lives behind him. His gal finds out and thus kicks him out.
In another story, he lands in a new town and a man offers him a job paying him $13 a night to watch the register in a taxicab company. I assume this was enough to live off of. But a little time goes by and slowly and surely he starts attracting the neighborhood whores that work in the brothels nearby. He likes surrounding himself and the imagery of them dancing and partying with him, the best one sitting on his lap every night. Until the boss finds out, then he gets fired.
He seems to be an original and among his better quotes, I liked:
"Find what you Love, and let it kill you."
"The problem with the world is that the intelligent people are full of doubts,
while the stupid ones are full of confidence."
"What matters most is how well you walk through the fire."
Monday, July 27, 2015
7/28/15 Out Of Context?
She was a single mother, found herself needing him more than ever. He was young and with his tool in his hand, he appeared as a god glistening in the morning sun coming through the window. He was going to take control and fix her needs, leave her satiated and content, at least for a while. Be gentle she muttered under her breath, looking away. Yes ma'am, these old toilets need a delicate touch or you end up with poo everywhere.
With his tip in his hand, clumsy at first he started in and out, in and out. Long ago he was declared el Maestro by all the young maidens of his village. But the years had passed, and his eyesight was not what it was. Pretty soon he had his flow down, "come here Mija, let me see." He tore into it, nobody was better at working a backside than el Maestro, even before he was finished, the girl was beaming, she knew she had found a real pro. You really know how to work a needle and thread, thank you Maestro for fixing my dress.
They were both sweaty and lusting for it. Come here, he said, he pulled her onto the blanket and told her to close her eyes. Do you trust me? Open your mouth, then he gently took his meat and touched it to her lips so she could pace how much she would take in. She found what she had engulfed was much bigger than she could ever swallow, he pulled it back. "I know you're hungry and we haven't eaten all day, but squirrel is gamey, you have to bite it in small pieces." She looked at him, thinking jerk, "who forgets the ice chest with the meat?"
He had promised to do it for a long time, now here he was. It was dark and clammy and the smell of fish was almost unbearable. But he was a man of his word. I'll just start rubbing it with a finger, see if that does anything. Sure enough rubbing seemed to do the trick until his wife came in and yelled disgusted at him "what are you doing?" Use gloves and a sponge to clean the aquarium, and maybe turn on a light. Why you working in the dark, Weirdo? Ugh, I'm a guy, "if I do it badly enough, I won't have to do it again... he muttered to no one in particular.
With his tip in his hand, clumsy at first he started in and out, in and out. Long ago he was declared el Maestro by all the young maidens of his village. But the years had passed, and his eyesight was not what it was. Pretty soon he had his flow down, "come here Mija, let me see." He tore into it, nobody was better at working a backside than el Maestro, even before he was finished, the girl was beaming, she knew she had found a real pro. You really know how to work a needle and thread, thank you Maestro for fixing my dress.
They were both sweaty and lusting for it. Come here, he said, he pulled her onto the blanket and told her to close her eyes. Do you trust me? Open your mouth, then he gently took his meat and touched it to her lips so she could pace how much she would take in. She found what she had engulfed was much bigger than she could ever swallow, he pulled it back. "I know you're hungry and we haven't eaten all day, but squirrel is gamey, you have to bite it in small pieces." She looked at him, thinking jerk, "who forgets the ice chest with the meat?"
He had promised to do it for a long time, now here he was. It was dark and clammy and the smell of fish was almost unbearable. But he was a man of his word. I'll just start rubbing it with a finger, see if that does anything. Sure enough rubbing seemed to do the trick until his wife came in and yelled disgusted at him "what are you doing?" Use gloves and a sponge to clean the aquarium, and maybe turn on a light. Why you working in the dark, Weirdo? Ugh, I'm a guy, "if I do it badly enough, I won't have to do it again... he muttered to no one in particular.
7/27/15 Do We Change For Ourselves Or For Others?
I was having a thought with Wife after listening to a song about change this afternoon while headed to the mall. My thought is that I have not changed much in the last twenty years. I became this person slowly but I haven't veered much with shenanigans of finding a God or becoming a vegan so everything american is suddenly a sin. My thought has been that I was not faking my way, I 've always said this is me. I see friends who indulged with me that they too were atheist, but now I can see them running to church every sunday, like it is going to get you a better seat in an afterlife that I don't believe exists.
These are people that went to college with me, that I actually thought were of deep thought. They at least used to agree with what I said. I don't worry, I know now that there are many more people not believing. Boy claims to fall in line with me, but I tell him it doesn't count because he has never even bothered reading the bible. You must first immerse yourself in its substance before you decide it is not for you.
I am not even attacking religion, when done right it is a beautiful thing. All the pomp and circumstance associated with it can almost be magical. The money alone that they can ferret out of the poor masses to build opulant temples is something special.
Wife says it has to do with finding your partner. If the one you love is all religious, of course you will do the same. I never danced because she accepted how I was. For a little while, she said she was on my side, but maybe it's because she didn't like idea of getting up for church. Now that we are older, she would say she is "spiritual" if not full on "faithful".
Chubs currently has innocence and his mind is full of acceptance. He could go either way, I am not pushing one way or another, but a little common sense and some thinking, mixed in with living with me and Boy. We all want Santa and the tooth fairy to be real, but in the end, it is what we teach and keep alive that survives as fact.
These are people that went to college with me, that I actually thought were of deep thought. They at least used to agree with what I said. I don't worry, I know now that there are many more people not believing. Boy claims to fall in line with me, but I tell him it doesn't count because he has never even bothered reading the bible. You must first immerse yourself in its substance before you decide it is not for you.
I am not even attacking religion, when done right it is a beautiful thing. All the pomp and circumstance associated with it can almost be magical. The money alone that they can ferret out of the poor masses to build opulant temples is something special.
Wife says it has to do with finding your partner. If the one you love is all religious, of course you will do the same. I never danced because she accepted how I was. For a little while, she said she was on my side, but maybe it's because she didn't like idea of getting up for church. Now that we are older, she would say she is "spiritual" if not full on "faithful".
Chubs currently has innocence and his mind is full of acceptance. He could go either way, I am not pushing one way or another, but a little common sense and some thinking, mixed in with living with me and Boy. We all want Santa and the tooth fairy to be real, but in the end, it is what we teach and keep alive that survives as fact.
Sunday, July 26, 2015
7/26/15 Pixels? (movie)
We went to the movies last night at 11:20pm to see Pixels. It is the newest Adam Sandler movie and I think his best effort in years. The set-up was cliche as can be. They start out in the 80s and young Adam finds he is in tune with the video games, he can feel their patterns, enter some competition and although he is very good, he is bested by an arrogant, loud talking, self-centered, midget. Losing this tournament sends him in a downward spiral, on a side note, this tournament and the video games are being transmitted into space by NASA in some hope of communicating with another planet.
Fast forward twenty-thirty years and now Adam and his friends are fully grown. He has not reached his full potential as he installs TVs and other home electronics for a Best Buy copycat. The story picks up as he is installing crazy over the top video gaming equipment for a young boy who's father just left them. The mom then comes into the picture and of course, she is all sorts of good looking and some important big wig for the president. The president then turns out to be Adam's childhood best friend.
They have video of an attack on American soil. It turns out to look like a version of Galaga but it is too late to react to it. Another attack happens over India when America finally gets serious and starts fighting back. Luckily, they have been working on weapon technology to fight back. On the next attack, the aliens take the form of Centipede and it wrks on the big screen. The colors are vibrant and the pops with the light gun look cool.
The final match is in New York and the aliens impersonate Pac-Man. Adam and his buddies play the bad guy ghosts in color matched Mini Coopers.
I won't give the ending away, but there is a little heart to heart and mom saving her son. It was an overall fun movie, we got out at 1:15am, but it felt good on the length.
Fast forward twenty-thirty years and now Adam and his friends are fully grown. He has not reached his full potential as he installs TVs and other home electronics for a Best Buy copycat. The story picks up as he is installing crazy over the top video gaming equipment for a young boy who's father just left them. The mom then comes into the picture and of course, she is all sorts of good looking and some important big wig for the president. The president then turns out to be Adam's childhood best friend.
They have video of an attack on American soil. It turns out to look like a version of Galaga but it is too late to react to it. Another attack happens over India when America finally gets serious and starts fighting back. Luckily, they have been working on weapon technology to fight back. On the next attack, the aliens take the form of Centipede and it wrks on the big screen. The colors are vibrant and the pops with the light gun look cool.
The final match is in New York and the aliens impersonate Pac-Man. Adam and his buddies play the bad guy ghosts in color matched Mini Coopers.
I won't give the ending away, but there is a little heart to heart and mom saving her son. It was an overall fun movie, we got out at 1:15am, but it felt good on the length.
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