Monday, February 28, 2011

Day 12

It didn't take long at all. After leaving yesterday with two shotgunners in the cab with me we ran into a traffic jam. It was predawn and we had to stop. No way around this jam.

It looked strange though, almost like it was on purpose. Two cars across the road sideways, one behind like in a brick pattern. It wasn't like there was a crash and the cars randomly spun into place.

Nathan stepped up into the sleeper and crawled through the hole in the top. He jumped down on the hood above the massive engine. Armed with a shotgun and a huge hand spotlight he swept the area from the safety. Eye shine popped up along the treeline.

They were waiting for someone to stop on the interstate. They had planned an ambush!
They could plan! George Romero's zombies never did this in the movies...

I called out to Nathan on the hood. He said he saw them. The infected started to move towards us, they had a good thirty yards to go before they made our position. Nathan said to put the rig into reverse and get ready to pull. He jumped down onto the front of the rig, Billy sat up out of the window to cover him. The infected continued to gain speed on our position, from a slow walk to a jog. Twenty yards away.

Nathan had the hook for the wench and was looping it around the bumper of the lead car. The infected went from a jog to a run, ten yards before they got to us and Billy started to unload on the closest of the would be attackers. Shot after shot took the infected down fast.

Nathan finished and sprinted back to the hood of the truck while I let off the clutch and easily pulled the car out of the way clearing the way for us. I slacked off the tension on the line while Nathan jumped back down and freed the hook from the line. Billy, still firing away kept the situation under control. The radio came to life with A.J. in the cup holder in the dash. I told A.J. to sit tight, we were clearing an ambush and I'd explain in a minute.

No more than ten infected were left standing and Nathan had gained the high ground on the trucks hood again and Billy tossed him the additional shotgun. I jammed first gear and hit the pedal to gain access through the would be ambush.

Nathan and Billy finished off the would be ambushers, either killing or I don't know what. Wounding them? Would they die from a shotgun blast in the chest? Guess we'll find out eventually what will kill them and what won't.

Nathan made it back into the cab via the improvised portal at the top of the sleeper and into the safety of the cab as the sun broke over the horizon. I radioed back to A.J. and told him about the infected and the ambush. This is worrisome.

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Day 11

Alright early this morning we rolled towards the southeast, that's where we'll get to the coast and then to our future island fortress. Roads have been jammed with traffic heading away from towns, sometimes both lanes were crowded with outbound traffic.

It took us a while to weave our way through a lot of the traffic, sometimes we had to chain up to a tangle of abandoned cars and pull them out of the way. We always stop and siphon out the tanks of any diesel truck on the road, so far fuel has been plentiful.

I guess we never thought of it. Maybe we should have been more aware of what we were dealing with but I don't think anyone could have been more aware or prepared to deal with what we saw.

We rolled into Little Rock heading southeast on I-40, got through the traffic jams and onto some clear roads in town. Thought it would be safe enough to stop for some supplies so we exited the interstate.

We saw survivors. Greg jumped down out of the passenger seat and onto the ground while I radioed back into the trailer to tell them what was happening. The survivors mobbed Greg, he didn't take a weapon with him as they were just people out on the sidewalks and roads seemingly looking over the state of their neighborhood in this quiet nook of town.

Greg held up his hand as if to greet them, one survivor saw him and sprinted to Greg, tackling him and ripping Greg's throat out. Before I saw anymore I hit first and nailed the throttle. Coal black smoke must have streamed out of the twin stacks because I was hitting gears and running over these wild people that were running to join in the grisly feast like a pack of hyenas.

I radioed the trailer and told them to hang on tight as it was going to get rough. I nailed the quarter panel of a car blocking the road and it ricocheted into three survivors, well I guess they weren't survivors they were the infected, but they were scrambling towards the truck. I hit one of the main roads and more people were milling around. A.J. was on the radio yelling at me to tell him what was happening. I ignored his cries for information as I concentrated on getting us safely out of town.

I barreled back onto the interstate and headed due east...on the westbound lane. It was easier to navigate going the wrong way down a major interstate. A few abandoned cars and trucks here and there but most of the jams were on the outskirts of town.

With the radio still chattering away I told A.J. what happened and he said as soon as I can to stop and we'll regroup and find out what happened. I'm not sure I want to tell the story again.

We got to an overpass that was pretty deserted so I stopped and radioed the trailer that it looked safe. I stopped, jumped down out of the cab and walked around to the trailer and opened the big doors. Everyone got out, if not for news than to stretch their legs and get some fresh air. I recounted exactly what happened in Little Rock. Everyone looked at me with shock and horror. I told them how fast they had moved and that Greg didn't have a chance but he thought they were ok and normal. I'm not sure but they might have blamed me for not doing something about it.

A.J. put his arm around me and said he didn't blame me, Greg should have been more careful. I guess the news reports were true though and some of the infected had become cannibals. The sickness must had probably made it all the way across the continent by now. There probably isn't a safe place around.

Dr. Khiem looked at me and asked if I was ok. He gave me a brief examination. Nathan volunteered to ride shotgun now with actual shotguns and so did Billy. I think it'd be a great idea to pop out the air vent on the top of the sleeper so someone could stand on the bed and be able to shoot any more of those packs of cannibals. A.J. agreed so that's what we did. We are now armed when we are driving.

A short time later we got back on the road again. Nathan and Billy with rifles and shotguns in the cab and A.J. and the others in the trailer. Unbeknown to me they had been planning the community with the contractor and electrician.

Hundreds of miles to go yet. How many of those those, what do we call them? Infected, cannibals, or zombies are out there yet? In the movies zombies were dead and came back, these people were infected though but if they don't resemble a zombie. I kind of wish they were dead brought back, they'd be easier to think about killing.

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Day 10: 4:30 AM

We're on the outskirts of the area now. Took a while to get here. First we went by Billy's shop and loaded up...well pretty much everything he had left. We've got an arsenal with us and enough ammunition to defend ourselves from now until there's a cure, and then maybe a bit longer.

We loaded up tents, cooking stoves, cases of camping kerosene, boxes and boxes of dehydrated food, fishing gear, even a home brewer kit. Billy said, "I can catch meat, I can't catch beer."

From what I gather he and A.J. had planned in case something happened, they weren't worried about a modern day plague but more like a globalist takeover. New World Order stuff, Bilderberg, Council of Foreign Relations and all that. Infected cannibals will work just fine though. The best plan is to not be around them.

We should be out of the icy roads in about ninety minutes. Greg and I swap driving duties. Thankfully I can drive a semi, dad was a long haul driver. Taught me a lot and I even got to drive his rig around the loading yards at twelve. A great skill to have now, guess you never know how little skills will come in handy.

The trailer is kind of rough riding, hey have a walkie talkie back there to talk to us and give us instructions. A.J.'s nephew Khiem the doctor would like to stop by a pharmacy and get what we can get, John the contractor would like to get lumber.

He plans on building wood cabins, simple cabins. Enough to get out of the heat of the island fortress we'll be constructing. Not sure why we need Chris the electrician though. We don't have anything electrical but the generators and I doubt they would be powerful enough to supply every electrical need. I'm learning that A.J. really kept his inner fears to himself and planned a lot of stuff in advance.

Better to be prepared for something that never happens than be a victim.

Friday, February 25, 2011

Day 10: 1:35 AM

All loaded up now. Everything including two large and heavy wooden crates. A.J. brought back eight people total. With the three of us that's eleven. We have a doctor (A.J.'s newphew)and an electrician. We have Shauna and her husband Brent, they ran a local nursery. They've gardened for years and the only place A.J. would buy flowers for his wife, when she was alive.

Billy owns or owned a gun shop. We have to go by his shop for more supplies. He has tents, guns, ammunition, MREs as well as dehydrated food, and things a new society will need to settle an island. Billy is likely the most important person on this trip as his supplies will get us there and help us defend it.

He could not find a hunter, more than likely they've headed to their wilderness homes to escape before the mass of people flee the urban areas. Deathtraps. He found John though, a general contractor. A builder. His tools were loaded up in A.J.'s van. All electrical so that could be a problem. As far as I know uninhabited islands aren't wired. Maybe we'll just use generators?

A.J. had instructed us to help these people to get comfortable while he went out for two more people. An hour later he returned with Nathan and Ryan. A security guard and butcher respectively.

Our list reads like this:
Three metal fabricators
One doctor
One electrician
Two gardeners
One security guard
One butcher
One builder
One walking arsenal

We are on our way to get the stuff from Billy's store.
After we leave there God help the infected if they get in our way.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Day 9

Working long into the evening Greg, A.J., and I finished up the rig. Today we'll load up the trailer with as much supplies as we can carry and still leave room for our planned people.

Day 3
A Starbucks. Seasonally warm day considering it's winter out. Good day to set outside on the sidewalk. Down the street a large moving truck pulls up to a large store on Fifth Avenue. Seconds later it explodes in a fireball. Windows shatter.

The man instinctively ducks down under the table witnessing the carnage as bodies fly up and apart. It's a loud crack, not the rumbling movie style sound effect he was used to.

Sirens sound.

Day 9: Noon
Loaded. Ready to roll out. We need people.

Day 3: 3:00 PM
Sick people. Well those not incinerated by the explosion that is. They are witnessed falling down clutching their throats. Gasping for air that doesn't come.

Minutes later they are up. Attacking first responders, attacking doctors, attacking nurses. A quarantine is declared around New York City.

Day 4
The phone is dead. No one knows she's there alone. No one to bring food.

Day 5
Phone still dead. Over twenty four hours of no food and no one knowing she's still alone. No family to call and no phone to call with. No electricity to make anything even if there was something to make.

Day 6
No food and no water. Weak.

Day 3: 7:00 PM
National Guard is called and mobilized. They'll form a ring around Manhattan before Dawn. Every bridge is barricaded. Chaos reigns on the streets as people are randomly attacked and killed. Police are responding as fast as they can to overwhelming amounts of calls. Useless like a band-aid on a amputated limb.

They don't know it yet but they've already lost.

Day 7
More sleeping than being awake. Cold. Hunger pains wrack her body. No one to help. No where to go. No one knows, dying alone and unknown, all but forgotten. Her best friends? A pizza delivery shop.

Day 9: 12:30 PM
A.J. drives out alone with an address book. He instructs his partners to stay in the shop and prepare themselves for a long trip to the coast. His last instructions are to leave by dusk if he doesn't return. Head to the destination marked on the map, if he can make it he'll meet us there. We'll find a boat on the coast.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Day 8

It's seven AM. I found the perfect vehicle late last night. Not so much abandoned but definitely not attended for a while. I ran a hot wire from the battery to the ignition, sprayed ether into the air intake and a 900 cubic inches of diesel chugged to life.

The elderly rig wasn't much to look at but the trailer was the important part. It would haul the survivors, gear, supplies, and hope to a new start. The rig itself will need some modifications and armor welded to it.

It's resting in the shop right now. A.J. is supposed to haul one of his generators down there so we can start welding and getting the trailer ready to roll. I can braze but I'd rather MIG.

We are going to add a cow catcher onto the front of the Kenworth cab. Metal louvers on the windows, and metal covers over the wheels to prevent tire damage. It won't take long to modify the cab but it won't be easy either. We'll need help.

The great thing about all of this ice is that everything is very desolate out. Freezing temperatures keep the ice in place, electricity is still a day or three away from being restored. People are just getting out around their houses but not venturing further unless needed.

A.J. will likely bring in Greg from the body shop to help me weld the plates on. He's a master so more than likely I'll be helping him. He can be useful on the island and in rebuilding. He's a good guy but has a scary appearance. Sleeves of tattoos, funky hair, and ear gauges but a good guy.

Hope he gets here soon.

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Day 7: Tri-City Area 4:32

After several hours of talking about A.J.'s plan, taking notes, asking questions, and adding suggestions we believe we've got something solid.

All in all the first stage is in two parts. Part one is on me. I'm to locate a vehicle that's big enough to transport up to a dozen people and supplies to the coast where we'll leave and establish a colony until either a cure is available or until we are the last remaining survivors in the area.

Part two is on A.J.. He is to find people helpful in establishing the colony. Doctors, engineers, carpenters, hunters, gardeners or farmers. People with skills to settle a place and make it livable for more survivors that we'll bring in.

For now though we need a vehicle and I need to add some things to it so we can safely make it to the coast which is a long ways away.

I've got to get to work! We'll need to leave before things here turn into New York City and the tragedy there.




Day 7: Tri-City Area

A.J. was at his home, he had two electric generators running his home. It was like he never had a care in the world and the storm never happened. I knocked and he welcomed me with paranoia and distrust.

"What do you want," he asked gruffly. I told him I wanted to buy a weapon to defend myself since quarantine has been broken. He wanted to see my eyes, apparently the infected have burst blood vessels in their eyes that set them apart from the non-infected.

I showed him and satisfied I wasn't one of them, he let me in and quickly locked the door back up.
"Boy you don't know how dangerous it is out there," A.J. started.
"Oh I know now, if the military can't do much we are in trouble. I've been out in this for a while and since we still don't have electricity up and running it'll just add another problem on top of the infected people moving out of New York. I've got weeks of food stored up at my place but nothing to defend it with and I'd like to buy something from you."

"Buy? Son, I'm an old man. I've got plenty and if we make it through this I doubt we'll need body shops anymore, at least not for a long while. We need to get out of the area. I've been working on this idea for a couple of days now." A.J. took out a map and showed me an area circled in red several times.

"This is an island we can get to. It has a natural supply of fresh water, those infected probably won't be able to make it there, at least very easily and if they try it we can defend it. I want you to do some things though before we leave."

So there it was, A.J. had a plan and needed me to put it in motion. This might turn out better than just buying a gun from him.

Monday, February 21, 2011

Day 7

"Seargent we have COM on the line, they are requesting status." The burly Marine held his fifty steady as a stream of death poured forth into the crowds, check that, raging mobs of infected streaming across the Brooklyn Bridge at the blockade.

"Status is we need reinforcements, air strikes, and artillery! We are losing ground to these things!" The mob of infected patients were charging across every avenue to exit Manhattan and break containment. Blind rage was scratched across every face of the bombing victims...and their victims. Faster, stronger, no signs of illness other than disheveled looks to separate them from the non-infected.

"Pull back! Pull back," the Marine screamed into his mic. The National Guard fell within hours of quarantine, by presidential order the Marines were sent in to contain the city breaking the Posse Comitatus Act. American military now fired on American civilians. American civilians that were insanely motivated by sickness to attack innocent people around them. Women, Children, the lame and healthy were all targets for those infected by the bombs seven days ago.

Attacked is generous, devoured is more accurate. Packs of the infected roamed the streets of Manhattan island three days after the first bomb of three went off. The packs showed horrifying tendencies of group hunting instead of chaotic violence. The infection seemed to spread by contact with blood from the infected, mercifully not airborne.

The infected were capable of walking to hunt, aware of sounds they made to pursue a victim quietly. Then with blinding speed pouncing on the victim as a pack of lionesses on the Africa plains would a meal. Food was now running short on Manhattan island as everyone was in deep hiding, turned into the infected...or a meal.

"Pull back," the cry again went out repeatedly from Colonel Young. "They are breaching the barriers, fall back to Charlie station! We'll have to blow the bridges to contain! Spread the word to every unit, fall back and detonate the charges. Put these bridges into the water!"

The barriers now fully breached across the Brooklyn Bridge saw an endless supply of infected barreling their way towards the last obstacle of containment, the Marines defending the bridge. Quickly overran despite withering fire and heavy casualties of the infected, the Marines didn't stand a chance against such numbers. Hundreds spilled through to the other side as the controlled explosions started. It was inevitable now, one of the icons of New York City was now being turned to rubble to rest at the bottom of East River.

Containment had failed.

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Day 6

I did nothing but keep bundled up yesterday and split my food into rations to last as long as possible. Occasionally I'd go out to my car, start it and warm up with the heater. It's cold in my apartment. I put a blanket on the cases of water to make sure they don't freeze, I don't think it's freezing but I'd really be sunk if it froze up.

The news coming out of NYC is bad. This flu is bad stuff. Most of the police are either sick or worse, the National Guard is the same way. The quarantine will break if everyone holding the quarantine line gets sick. Then what?

Other reports, mainly third hand reports or hearsay reports talk about the flu making some people very angry and aggressive. I've never heard of any flu that would do anything but put you in bed for a few days and make you wish you had died. We are quite a ways from NYC but we aren't California either. If the quarantine breaks we would be close enough to be effected.

I might need to stock up on some other kind of supplies, weapons and ammunition. I wonder if A.J. would sell me one of his hand guns. The man has an arsenal. Hunting and fishing is what he does with most of his time now. He comes into the shop maybe twice a week now. That's why it is so cool he would take the time to teach me how to pin stripe.

I should drive over and talk to him. I'll do that soon if NYC gets worse.

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Day 5

Seriously?! Still no power? They had all of yesterday to get this up and running, I know it's a big city and all but come on guys. I looked outside and it's still freezing cold out. My batteries are still in good shape in the radio though as I've not used it much. All they want to talk about is the attack and flu outbreak.

Even if I were interested I'd have a hard time getting good information now, well the entire tri-city area would have a hard time because we don't have any electricity! I'm going to have to venture out and get groceries soon though.

Hey! That's something I can do easily! I should be able to travel at will while many of my fellow citizens are not capable! The bigger grocery chains likely have generators coming in to power some lights and the frozen stuff. Back in a bit.

He got dressed, grabbed his keys and headed out the door. His '93 Accord started easily and he pulled out onto the icy street. A thick layer of ice coated everything and tree limbs bent to the will of the ice. Many broken off in a war torn eerie silence.

It was a few minutes before he realized that his radio volume was turned down. He hesitated to turn it up as he knew it would still be news reports but at this point it might not be a bad idea to listen and see what is going on, hopefully they'll do some local news and list some powered grocery stores.

Chaos was at his neighborhood store, a line of people formed out of the double glass doors and into the empty parking lot. "I'm not stopping here," he thought to himself and drove on. There was another store close by but it would be in the same condition. Due to some forethought he had gassed up before going back home the other day and had a full tank. It was time to hit the area towns.

The roads were actually pretty clear of traffic due to the ice so a quick trip out to one of the suburbs that still had electricity wouldn't take long at all. He decided to make the fifteen mile trip to Cedar Dale. To check to see if they had power he turned his radio over to a station from that town and see if it was on the air. It was. The on air talent was talking about merchants that had open stores, jackpot!

Driving slow enough to get there in one piece he made the trip in just over a half hour on ice covered highways. No road crews were in sight. That worked to his advantage right now keeping many people at home to live on the food they already had or to wait in long lines for picked over cans of hominy.

He went to the largest store in town, a half full parking lot was a good sign but not as good as the fluorescent glow of electricity coming from the inside and spilling out onto the parking lot. A supply truck was parked on the side of the store in the alleyway. "Bingo!", went off in his head over and over again as if winning a large sum in the lottery!

He almost skipped into the store thrilled at his luck! He went over a mental list of staples to get, lunch meats, cheeses, bread. Things that didn't require cooking. A couple of cases of bottled water. Chips, salsa, sweet tooth food. "I'll be the envy of the apartment complex! I could make a few extra bucks driving people out here to shop!"

He gleefully loaded up his grocery cart full of food and supplies such as candles and batteries. Three hundred dollars later he had a full two weeks of supplies loaded up in his car for the return trip.

Friday, February 18, 2011

Day 4

No electricity. I'm up early early as I didn't have an alarm clock and was paranoid about being too late to work. Edna wouldn't like that.

No coffee, no lights, hope the water works because I've got a gas water heater. I'm going to grab every candle and get it going so I can have a modicum of light this morning. Maybe the electricity is on at work, I can't call and check first because there must not be any power to the cell tower. Phone is worthless now.

Battery radio is on, news is still wall to wall, the morning zoo crew idiots are jabbering about the attack. Their serious tone is bizarre as they are usually embarrassing callers with sexual innuendos and fake calls.

They must not be able to leave the humor alone, they are talking about the gas attack and the National Guard quarantining the city for some reason. They must have stuffed the cold virus in the bombs or something unless the morning nuts are making it up. No wonder people listen to satellite radio.

The shower awaits.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Day 4: Noon

I'm at work but there is no work to do. No power here, no power down the street, no power in the Tri-City area, at all. I'd head to the body shop but you know something? No power there either!

I'm going back home. The news is still talking about quarantining NYC. Guess the morning show wasn't kidding. How in the world do they quarantine a city that big and is the flu sickness whatever it is really that serious?

No matter, I'm heading home and going to get some peaceful sleep. No where to be, no where to go, and plenty of time to get there.

Day 3: 11:25 PM

Long day. Had to listen to my iPod all evening as the radio was filled with news about the New York bombing, even the rock channels. Worked in the body shop all evening until everyone else went home so I had to go too.

It's been ten hours or so and I expect the news will grow out of hand with more sensationalistic stories coming from New York. Yep, just wait until tomorrow when the first press conferences are done and some solid facts are released.

Anyway the ice is still going strong out, I'm moving around like a champ in my chained up car! Bring the bad weather! I'm fine! Edna will wind up getting fed tomorrow without interruption.

I'm back, the lights are out, found my flashlight in the dark! Electricity is down, ice must have been too much for the grid in the area. It'll probably be back up by the time I wake up in the morning, we've got a pretty solid infrastructure out there.

Day 3: 4:20 PM

So there I am waiting on my next double delivery, I'm the only driver that can get around on the ice so they are loading me up with twice as much work, when the news breaks.

Three bombs were set off in New York. Apparently they were gas bombs and not the big explosive type. There isn't much else to report right now.

I'm glad I'm going to the body shop after this job, I know the explosions will be the only thing on TV tonight.

Our entertainment wasteland knows no bounds when it comes to taste. I wouldn't mind seeing it come to an end somehow...

Day 3

Dear Diary, up very early today. Eight a.m. I'm in search of tire chains. Turns out to be an rainy storm with a cold front headed our way later this afternoon. They are saying it'll freeze on the ground. That means it's going to suck for a pizza guy to do his job.

I've got to find tire chains, I thought I saw some over at the body shop. I'll see if A.J. will loan them to me for a couple of days so I can get around. It's already starting to drizzle outside. Hazy, rainy, and getting cold. Yeah today is going to suck. I better get going.

Dear Diary, A.J. is the best. He gave me tire chains earlier on! They fit after some adjusting but they fit and they get me around on the layer of ice like a champ! Perhaps Edna will get fed today after all. It's all hazy out. You can't see two feet in front of you, this is shaping up to be a bad bad storm, even for this area. It's bizarre, never seen anything like this before.

The radio is blaring repeated news reports about how bad it is and going to be, the storm is so bad it's even making the terror alert higher, WTF? The weather effects the terror alert? Will they never cease to hype this stuff up? Pathetic...I understand that some people need the drama and the hype to get through the day. I have to work in it though! Can't they just report what's going to happen? Does it have to be sensationalistic?

Time to go to work, please let the hard stuff not come down until I clock out.

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Day 2

Today is a bit different. I woke up around eleven instead of two minutes after noon. My motivational book must be proud! I even spent a couple of extra hours at the shop last night. A.J. himself is teaching me pin striping. He's a great boss. He's taken a lot of time to teach a young guy his art. He's got to be pushing seventy now and I know he'll retire eventually.

There's more knowledge tucked up in that head than I'll ever know. He's either done it, seen it done, taught it, or made it up. What better teacher could you ask for? I can make a good living and have a skill no one can take from me.

Now it's back to taking Edna her standing order of pizzas though, I wonder if she's making a pizza box castle in her living room? Diary it won't be much longer before I'm ready to ditch the pizza job and get down to one job full time! I can weld, remove panels, straighten them, and put it all back straight. That's got to count for something.

Looks like a winter storm is also heading our way, I hate how they hype this stuff to no end. It's just snow and ice. Might not be able to get Edna her pizzas and diet coke tomorrow, she might starve.

Time to head to work, the mid-morning news is over. I might have to buy some tire chains, I won't get stuck and at least Edna will get fed.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Day 1

Dear Diary, I'm up at the crack of noon. I know the motivational book says I should be up earlier but I am keeping this diary now so I'm 50/50. I'm late for work but what are they going to do? They need drivers and it's Monday, my manager will even be a minute or two late turning the key this morning.

I'm looking forward to getting to my second job tonight. After a full six hours of delivering pizza to the obesely hungry, the now football starved minions in town I'm going to create, fix, and build.

I've been moonlighting going on two years now for a body shop. Not just any shop, A.J. Magic's shop! The premiere shop in the tri-city area and the only one that does frame off restoration! Think of the old custom jobs from the sixties. A time when instead of Playstations and X-boxes teens worked on cars. They worked with their hands and built things.

Yeah that generation is gone. Regardless now I'm learning something useful and it won't be long before I can quit delivering pizzas and work full time at the shop. It'll be a career but now it's a grind, the same thing day in and day out. I deliver the same pizzas to the same people. Those who are either shut ins, lazy, on aid, or instead of making a meal they order out as per our faster than the world lifestyles.

I know when I get to work a half hour later I'll be taking two mediums to Edna Gergin, I guess she thinks no one will think she's obese if she just orders mediums, and a two liter of diet coke. Every day the same thing except on Five Dollar Fridays when she gets three. What the hey, celebrate a tough week of watching Oprah and Judge Judy by having three pizzas! I'd hate to be her couch. She doesn't tip so I don't feel bad about writing about her, I pay for my own gas and work two jobs!

It's alright though she's getting what she wants out of life I guess. Someone else paying for her meals, unlimited pizzas per month and cable TV. What happened to the pioneering spirit that settled this country?

Monday, February 14, 2011

Tiling Completed!

Well almost. We finished the grouting yesterday. There is a light white haze on the tiles now that must be cleaned off today. A damp sponge will suffice and finish the job. After that we caulk! Yep I'll tape up the seams and caulk the edges and seams tomorrow.

Alright I said I'd write a blog review on Into Africa: The Epic Adventures of Stanley & Livingstone.

It truly is a grand and epic story. Dr. David Livingstone, missionary, explorer, and national hero was sent back to Africa to discover the source of the Nile after the last expedition ended in controversy. What started out as a two year trek ended in a lifetime adventure filled with disease, robbery, horrible weather and conditions, attack from warring tribes, and a myriad of calamities that led many to believe that Dr. Livingstone had died after years with no contact.

Henry Morton Stanley, the unwanted son of a prostitute, abandoned as a child and in search of a father figure his entire life. He drifted from failure to failure until he hit upon writing. A talent he developed as a correspondent. Begging a job from the New York Herald he proves himself and scoops the British press in his first story. His lifelong journey to become a better person starts there and while he was always very deeply flawed you find yourself cheering for him.

His editor gives him the assignment of a lifetime, answer the one burning question everyone in the world is asking, "Where is Doctor Livingstone?" He secretly starts his assignment a year in advance per his editor's orders so as to not cause a stir and draw attention to himself. Then he lands in Africa, penniless as the paper had forgotten to wire him the funds to start his rescue mission inland.

What happens from that point on is a story that will enthrall you as it did me. I read the three hundred some odd pages in less than a week on my iPhone's Kindle app and my Kindle. I realize that many of you can knock out three hundred pages in a couple of days or less (including The Date who reads at the speed of light) however I read much slower and can only steal a few moments from work now and then to read.

The Kindle app will sync the last page read to my Kindle so when I get home I sync the Kindle and it'll pick up right where I left off in seconds. Darn amazing device!
I plan on reading more now and watching less TV. That's my goal anyway.

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Grouting

No clue how to grout but today I'll be grouting the tiling we put up yesterday. I've read the instructions, watched You Tube videos, and now it's just down to doing it.

All in all it doesn't look complicated. The tiling wasn't as bad as I had thought it would be either. Maybe this will go smoothly and everything will flow out like it is supposed to.

Now I just wait around for Beersnob to make it over around tenish and we'll begin the grouting process!

The show last night went well. Likely this show will go down as one of the best done by this theatre. It's simply magnificently funny! I'm glad I was asked to be have a tiny tiny bit to do in this show.

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Home Repair Project

Yep, this post is late because today started off with an early morning trip to Lowe's. I picked up some tiling supplies to go with the mosaic tiles I purchased last weekend.

So far it has been quite a project. After returning home The Date and I started ripping off the flowery paneling behind the cabinets. That was actually the hardest part of the project.

It took a long time and nearly resulted in the collapse of the cabinet over the stove. That sucked. I pulled the paneling off the wall which apparently loosened up the nails which were holding the cabinet into the ceiling. I held it up as The Date rushed to help me. We put cookbooks on the stove to hold the cabinet up while I screwed it back into the ceiling.

That totally sucked.

With the cabinet now secured back to where it is supposed to stay I was free to get back to the project at hand. Beersnob was gracious enough to lend a hand and come over. He helped me mark the tiles and cut them to size. He applied the adhesive to the wall so I could put the tiles up. It went faster than I anticipated once we got down to the actual tiling part.

Now it has to dry overnight and tomorrow we grout!

Friday, February 11, 2011

So, Yep It Happened Again

There I am setting here wondering what to write down. I've got options, the snow storm again, or I could write about my Kindle experiences again, I could even write about Egypt again as that will surely explode very soon.

I've decided to write about Dinner Theatre though. Last night I watched one of the funniest and most polished shows in ages. The show has been in rehearsal nearly twice as long as any other show because the timing was so critical.

I know I know, you might be thinking, "Wait, I thought he was on hiatus from the theatre for a while after doing seven events in a row!" and you'd be right. However Tech Guy called me and said he had made attempts at finding someone else, anyone else to run the spot light. It's literally a two minute job at the very end of the show. Very easy and doesn't demand much in the way of time.

They called and I answered the call to help out, it's what I do. I've got tickets for Saturday's show so I'll be making a quick exit from our table with about five minutes left to man the spotlight and get the show wrapped up.

Jamal, Hollywood Actor, Mr. Swogg, and Sewing Lady (I can't think of a better nickname at the moment) are in top form. This is clearly the high water mark for shows I've seen or been involved with. Polished to the last detail and Tech Guy is working his rear end off in the booth.

He has so many cues to manually program in and change it's crazy. On top of that he is running a rather complex sound job as well. I will tell you right now, not many could handle what he is handling.

This will also mark the first time I've purchased tickets for any show and changed my normal tech role to patron. I just don't enjoy watching theatre. I am a fan of film. I enjoy film, theatre not so much.

So once again I'm helping out with a show, in a very small way though. I'll be at every show and I'll be a patron at one show with The Date, Beersnob, and Mrs. Beersnob. I'd say get your tickets for the show but it's sold out by now, a couple of days ago there were only six tickets left. I'm positive they are gone now.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Twas A Snowday

Yep, I warmed up the Tahoe and prepared to go to work just as normal each morning. The thirteen inch drifts in the road didn't deter me from trying. There was no ice under the snow and it was a dry, powdery now, not the slushy wet kind.

It took me a couple of minutes to get backed out of the driveway. Trying to get the Tahoe straight in the road was nearly impossible. The amount of snow was too great for the Tahoe to push down the road.

Defeated I called in to work took the day off like everyone else did. I wanted to save my leave up but alas it wasn't meant to be. My neighbor's friend did break up the snow packed road with his truck and later in the morning I was able to get into his tracks and take The Date to work. I made a run to the grocery store as well and got some snacks.

Today the roads are mostly busted open pretty good. It'll likely be a bit slicker due to freezing overnight but I'm good with that. I have no doubt if the Tahoe had been a four wheel drive vehicle then it would have made it with little to no problems.

It was a nice but unexpected day off. I fully anticipated going to work like normal. Since I wasn't able to I stayed home and napped. That was nice:)

Tuesday, February 08, 2011

Kindle

Monday evening I purchased my own Kindle. I loved using The Date's so much that I started using the iPhone Kindle app at work a while back. That's great for at work but at home I'd rather have a better way to read while laying down, lounging, etc.

I tried out the Kindle PC program and that just isn't relaxing reading at all. So I went and got a Kindle for myself. Didn't turn the TV on once last night. I don't plan on watching much TV until the shows I do like are DVR'd up for a few episodes.

I purchased for the price of $41.28 more reading material than I could read in five years.
The collected works of Jules Verne - $2.99
The works of H. G. Wells - $2.99
The Zombie-Wilson Diaries - $2.99
Into Africa: The Epic Adventures of Stanley & Livingstone - $8.77
The works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - $4.69
The works of Charles Dickens - $2.39
The works of H. P. Lovecraft - $2.39
The works Victor Hugo - $4.69
The works of Alexandre Dumas - $4.69
The works of Robert Louis Stevenson - $4.69

Clearly there isn't enough zombie fiction on my Kindle yet and I will change that once I read up a lot of these classics. Reading Into Africa right now and close to half done in two evenings.

I don't think I've read a fictional story as exciting as this real life story. This was truly epic. I'll review it once I'm finished and give it the attention it deserves.

Move To The Center

Again I've theorized that there is no real center in America or likely anywhere else in the world. There is right and left, moderates are actually a very rare breed. Everyone who believes that they are liberal believe that they are mainstream and the same for conservatives.

For those of you who believe President Obama isn't a socialist I present to you this quote: "If we're fighting to reform the tax code and increase exports, the benefits cannot just translate into greater profits and bonuses for those at the top. They have to be shared by American workers, who need to know that opening markets will lift their standard of living as well as your bottom line." This was yesterday at the National Chamber of Commerce.

Now I KNOW what his intentions are for such a quote. It's about taking care of those who do the grind for a company BUT we are a capitalist society and it's the best system invented ever. Name a better one, it's that simple. Name a better economic system than capitalism, please say socialism! I dare you! I'll point to the failures such as Cuba, Vietnam, North Korea, Venezuela, along with a handful of African countries ran by dictators.

Capitalist countries can fail as well but it's due to overspending, socialist entitlements, and numerous factors but the difference being the relative freedom to fail. Some of our greatest inventors have failed a thousand times more than you and I put together. I'd rather be a failure in America where the standard of living sets the world standard than fail in Cuba or North Korea. Our poor citizens likely have a very good life relative to a poor citizen in North Korea. Our standard of living surpasses the world.

President Obama is not moving his positions anywhere. He'll start having to veto bills right and left. There will be absolute gridlock and I'm thrilled at that idea, we are up to our eyeballs in laws and regulations.

It's just very reassuring that when the media starts to paint Obama as a newly minted centrist he'll throw a quote like this on them and make them think ""WTF" is he doing?!?!?! We're trying to help him here!" (And yes I used his WTF slogan for this example)

Bring on 2012.

Monday, February 07, 2011

Awesome Super Bowl Sunday

Plenty of friends, plenty of libations, snacks, and a decent game on top of that. The Packers won contrary to my thoughts on the matter but I was glad to see Aaron Rodgers shed Bret Favre's shadow in Wisconsin. It's a long shadow and now Rodgers has set the tone for moving forward.

Favre's legacy is unparalleled, voluminous even. Aaron Rodgers has laid claim to the team in the best way possible for any athlete, he won. Fans embrace winners, winning gives him a bigger knife in which to carve out his place in Packer's history. If he can win another Super Bowl then so much the better, instead of a knife then he'll have a chainsaw.

Pittsburgh did an OK job, costly mistakes though killed them. They didn't even show up to play in the first half. Green Bay had a hard time playing in the second. I didn't see it but from what I've read not a lot of people liked the half time show. I'm sure it wasn't as bad as all that though.

All in all this was one fantastic party! Everyone enjoyed themselves, no drama, nothing but a good time was had by all!

Sunday, February 06, 2011

Super Sunday!

It's here! The event that is synonymous with TV, eating, parties, and commercials is here! It's the event of events and will likely set viewing records world wide again this year.

Super long time readers will probably not recall my lamenting that regular folks never have their own personal super bowl as part of the work year. They don't have that one event that they work hard for all year long to cap it off.

It's sad that is the way it is but that's just life outside of sports. It's neither right nor wrong, it just is for 95% of us. We work, distract ourselves, work again, distract ourselves, and then back to work again.

It's days like this though that make us feel apart of something larger and fulfilling. That's one of our saving graces that we mark on the calendar and wait for during the year. Super Bowl Sunday!

The world watches with us, even though they might not have any idea what American football is, they watch and become part of something the world can get behind. For a couple of hours unrest will have to wait until the game ends. A few short hours of world peace and quiet.

Super Bowl Sunday.

Saturday, February 05, 2011

Crisp Saturday

Yeah, been outside. Put the dog out. It isn't bad, very sunny and clear. I'm not saying I'd smoke a cigar outside or anything.

Tomorrow is Beersnob's Super Bowl Extravaganza. Always a good time with lots of friends! I'm very much looking forward to it and the cigar lounge that Beersnob sets up in his garage.

Today I've got to get Thing 2 to set call, get some groceries (very nice not to having to buy meat) possibly meet up with Beersnob and get a handful of cigars for tomorrow, and get The Date something to eat while she's at work should she get hungry. Might shop for new pillows or at least look around and see what's out there.

The Date got paid yesterday. That's nice, it makes our paydays alternate. Every Friday will be payday now! How cool is that?!

Was thinking about sweet and sour pork today for lunch or supper. I am liking the stir fry method, it's so easy to get right. There are a lot of steps but once you get the basic steps down, marinade, fry, sauce and veggies, fry, clean, do the rice. That's almost it! Not bad at all.

I wish I had learned this skill years and years ago!

Friday, February 04, 2011

One More Friday!

Yep this is the Friday before the big weekend! Super Bowl Weekend! Everyone and their dog, cat, ferret, and reptile of their choosing will be watching the big game on Sunday!

I really don't have a dog in this fight but I'm wanting a good game first and foremost, secondly I don't care who wins. I've had players from the Packers and the Steelers on my fantasy teams before so I've specifically watched both teams many times to see my players play. I've had both defenses before and both quarterbacks before.

Both teams have long standing traditions in the NFL. Both teams are crowd favorites. I'll probably just root for the team that it takes to make it a good game and hope there's no blow out.

I don't see that happening though, both defenses are pretty solid and both offenses are very similar. Perhaps we can have a great overtime victory!

Thursday, February 03, 2011

Age Of Rebellion

There is unrest all around the world today. There are few countries who aren't experiencing some kind of strife at the moment. The Middle East is poised for a perfect storm of reform, good or bad we can't tell yet but reform will be coming. In a decade the Middle East we are now familiar with will be very different.

In Asia North Korea rattles it's saber for attention, for money, for nuclear concessions, threatening the entire region with China's blessing. China is on a different time table lasting centuries and positioning itself for eventual global domination.

In Europe there are multiple problems as cultures clash and most states face insolvency. In Mexico there is a literal drug war as warlords face off against pretty much everyone. Don't think it's serious? How about serious to the tune of 35,000 killed in four short years...as a contrast there are nearly sixty thousand American names on the Vietnam wall.

That leads me to Egypt and what is happening. I've never seen this level of sustained rebellion against a government in my lifetime. Tiananmen Square was as close as I can remember, though it was very short lived it was very intense. I don't count the fall of communism in this as it was an entire system that failed and not the same kind of protests that are grass roots movements as we are experiencing in
Egypt.

What is happening in Egypt, and I could be completely wrong here, is a genuine movement over the conditions of their living and day to day experiences. Grinding poverty, deplorable living conditions, no hope for a better life are behind what is happening. Anger against Hosni Mubarak and his thirty year reign of corruption has boiled over and by proxy anger against us for supporting him. He was a strong ally in the war on terror, helping us stamp out terrorists in the region. "He was a dictator but he was our dictator", is the common refrain you'll hear from the talking heads on TV.

That's no excuse for oppressing the population as he has done. Honestly I have never been to Egypt I just have accounts of eye witnesses to read and form an opinion. I wouldn't like living under Mubarak's regime I know that for sure. The fear is that the radical organization The Muslim Brotherhood will take control somehow and we'll have another Iran on our hands as well as a military power that could easily take control of Saudi, Israel, and pretty much any country they set their sights on.

That would take a lot of doing on behalf of The Muslim Brotherhood for all of that to happen but it's the worst case that could happen. Best case is the people elect a pro-west government and we have strong relations as they grow to world prominence.

The logical question is could Cairo happen here? Could a couple of hundred thousand citizens surround the White House and demand all elected officials resign and go home. If so what side would the police fall and what side would the military take?

Well we have our own form of rebellion against any elected official and it happens every two years (House), four years (President), and six years (Senate). We have a voice in how things are run, Egypt hasn't had a voice since Anwar Sadat was killed. We have a natural pop off valve that blows off steam on a regular basis, Egypt does not. Imagine three decades of Obama rule, I'd want to riot if he is elected to a second term let alone thirty years!

The liberals felt the wrath of the American public and they lost control of the House because of all of the shenanigans they pulled against the will of the public. If we hadn't had elections for decades and they continued on the same path it's hard to tell what would have happened. One thing is for certain, Americans aren't prone to rock throwing as Egyptians are. We are a well armed public and it would likely get violent much faster.

Riot police would face a formidable public if they chose the wrong side. The military would be a different story though. I wouldn't even want to think about what would happen if they chose an American dictator over it's public.

It is unlikely we'd ever see the same level of frustration without remedy as Egypt has, our system is set up to prevent long term rulers. Yes we do need national term limits to keep our representatives and senators out of office for decades. Serve and go home.

Right now, my heart is with the people in the streets of Cairo. I don't know how this will play out, no one does. Pray for the best.

Wednesday, February 02, 2011

It's Cold Out

Yeah, about zero to three degrees. The Tahoe is warming up so I'll have a warm cab to get into.

Should be a long day at work. A cold, long day. I have the best heater on base in my shop and it could barely keep the temp in the low sixties. It's made for drying parts fast and can get the temperature around ninety five in less than ten minutes.

Anyway that's what the day will be like.

Cold. Wet.

Tuesday, February 01, 2011

Snow Storm

It's blowing pretty hard outside but there's not much snow on the ground at all.
Yeah it's cold, real cold. Nine degrees and a twenty mile an hour steady wind.

I'm going to work. First of all because it's not that bad to stay home. Second I like being in this stuff! I want to get out in it!

It's a snow day for all others in the house today so I'm letting them all sleep in.