Happy Independence Day

Two hundred thirty three years ago our forefathers had decided to challenge the rule of the British Empire. The superpower of the age, they ruled the seas with their armada, and the land with their army.

Our ragtag army decided we had had enough and wanted the right of self rule instead of being a colony of the Empire. They wanted many rights. They wanted to do something as radical as limiting what the government can do to its people.

Their concept was simple, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Seven amazing words that summed up what is inside everyone's soul. People gravitate towards liberty and freedom naturally. Governments limit freedom, curtails liberty, and want to guarantee equal outcomes despite people being individuals and different.

Millions of people are smarter than I am and have more ambition than I do. I should not be guaranteed the same outcome as someone who works twenty hour days, seven days a week. I should also be able to do better than someone who wants to stay at home and watch TV all day when they refuse to get a full time job. Failure is ok as long as we have the opportunity to go back to the beginning and start again without government interference.

People are different, each and every one of us. We should all have the same starting line but different finish lines.

On this Independence Day lets remember the principles of our Founding Fathers and what they fought for. Concepts such as I described above, not for another entitlement from the government that tries to equalize individual people.

Friday Part Two

Finally payday is here! Yes it is only for four days however it is still a huge help! I've had an appreciation for my job since the layoffs last year but there are some people who even after the strike are back to being unappreciative and are more comfortable in their bad mood groove.

They just aren't happy unless they are unhappy. It sucks to be around them. I just want to grab hold of their shoulders and punch them, tell them to wake up, tell them that you are really fortunate to have a good paying job with good benefits.

No we aren't like the UAW, we don't get lifetime benefits and eighty dollars an hour. We do get really good pay and good benefits as long as we are employed. We aren't rich but we make a good living too, and federal holidays:)

The Date's project is still rolling ahead full steam. Bad news is that the printer moved the deadline up to this Monday, a few days before it originally was scheduled. She is working like a mad woman to meet the deadline! Amazing to watch!

I think she will meet it but it isn't the end of the world if the printing is rescheduled, the magazine will come out one week later than originally planned, since it is the first issue there really isn't a precedent as to when it comes out. No big deal but I think she will make this deadline and hit it perfectly!

Advertisers are in place, outlets are in place, the software she ordered got here yesterday, and it is all coming together like a jigsaw puzzle! It'll be great to see the whole picture!

Friday Part One

Friday's are so good that you just have to have two of them per week! Today is my first Friday, tomorrow my second....which will also be payday! A much needed payday! It'll only be for four days but still a little is better than being on strike and getting nothing.

Thankfully I still have some of my strike fund money left even after fueling up. Plenty of food about the house. Bills caught up. Everything is really good:)

Yesterday I went to rehearsal and watched as they went through the show. Complicated show, there will be lots and lots of technical stuff added to this one. The cast has their hands full and the orchestra will be another challenge for the sound guy as they will be playing with actors but trying not to overpower them.

This show will go down in theatre history and one that is talked about for years to come among the cast. A stellar cast too. That is why I wanted to be involved with this one, musical or not, most of the cast I count as friends and those I'm unfamiliar with, well they will be by the time the show is over.

Thednesday

Again not a real name of the week if you are illiterate or if you have a learning disability, but then again if you do how are you reading my blog so no worries, usually only very smart people read this so I don't have to dumb it down at all.

I have been thinking about the massive tax called the Cap and Trade but I get pretty frustrated by even thinking about the largest tax on the American public in history so then I thought I'd blog about cleaning out my dad's truck last night so I can surrender it to the dealership. There wasn't anything exciting about that other than I broke down a couple of times as I was doing it.

The Honduran President coup, that was pretty interesting but only our President's response to it. This guy decided he wanted to unconstitutionally change their law and stay in office past his four years (like the dictator Hugo Chavez) so the military kicked him out of the country. Our President was on that President's side....as well as Hugo Chavez and Raul/Fidel Castro...

Moderately interesting but again something that ticks me off so I won't write a whole blog about it.

So The Date ordered her software last night for laying out her magazine, it will likely be here tomorrow as I don't believe it had time to ship overnight from where it is to us at the time she ordered it. She also got a big advertising deal that I can't talk about until this weekend I think.

She has been riddled by anxiety of it not coming out on time, the unexpected things that crop up, not hitting deadlines, things like that but she has plowed through all of that and it will happen now!! The software or lack thereof was a major anxiety source but not anymore! Now when it gets here the layout will begin The actual nuts and bolts work of building her dream in the physical will start!

This is going to be a great magazine, a fun project, and a dream fulfilled all at the same time! I hope that those of you who are reading this have a passion for something similar and will follow it, make it real, and if you need an extra hand hit me up about it. I'll help you:)

Weusday

Since Friday is a day off for the Fourth of July, one of the most important dates on the American calendar, today isn't quite Tuesday and it isn't quite Wednesday either. Hence Weusday.

I slept in about ten minutes later this morning than I usually do. Feel pretty good though! Took The Things to rehearsal last night for Into The Woods. Thing 1 is in the orchestra, Thing 2 is painting the set and both are enjoying it a lot.

This will be a massive show. Very complex as I blogged about before and lots of people and story to tell. I believe the light plot will be relatively easy over the course of two and a half hours. No major switches like Yes Virginia, the lights here will likely be on, off, one color or another representing the time of day or evening, and a spot light.

It'll be fun! I'll start next week turning the lights on while the actors are on stage and get it roughed out, then as the rehearsals go on I'll get it fine tuned to the cues, then its showtime!

Two Kinds Of People

There really are two kinds of people in the world. There are people who have iPhones and people who lie about wanting one. Regardless of AT&T the iPhone is a marvelous device and once you drink the KoolAid you can't go back to not owning one.

So for all of you friends out there who know me, pick up your iPhone, turn it on, text someone you know and care for. You can be a little smug about owning an iPhone, its hard not to be when you hold in your hand a revolutionary device that finally caught up to a lot of people's dreams of owning a computer in your pocket.

Especially those of you with the new 3Gs which is the equivalent of the official Red Ryder carbine action two-hundred shot range model air rifle with a compass in the stock and this thing that tells time.

I'll have to hold off on getting my new 3Gs as I won't be eligible for the upgrade until January 8th, 2010. By that time I'm less than six months out from the new version of the iPhone so I'll hold out until next June and hope for something a little more revolutionary and maybe 64 gigs of storage which is what I really really want and a compass in the stock and this thing that tells time.

I bet you'll see online video uploads SOAR with the 3Gs, that is how powerful this device can be. You'll eventually see a front facing camera for video conferencing. With every upgrade you'll have noticed speed increases and battery life improvements. The potential is there for some really incredible things, air drop a crate of iPhones into the middle east and you might have a peace agreement between the Israelis and the Palestinians before long!

Great Set Call

Yesterday was really a lot of fun. I took Thing 2 up to set call for Into The Woods and within an hour or so she had settled in and was painting up a storm on Rapunzel's Tower!

She was doing textures on the stones with a paper bag and getting paint all over her, it was really funny but she loved it. She got over her shyness quickly and started to click with the group.

I mainly helped Skate on the grid above the stage and the placing of trees. That was a big job but we had a great time. My friends rock, that is why I wanted to be part of this show, almost everyone I know in the theatre group is going to be in this show, a few I really like aren't involved in this one but the majority is.

It is the most complex show I've been involved in but Misery is close but that was a lot more of a special effects show. We also had a cast of two so the set calls were a lot longer and tougher. We didn't have the people to help out. You can review all of my Misery posts if you really want to see the evolution of the set and tear down.

I'll start in the booth on the sixth of July, I won't be needed for much to start other than to get the light cues roughed out. It'll help out later on though.

Cool Friday

If you have been to my house in the past two years you'll have noticed a large blue and white bus in my back yard. It was my dad's bus. The city of Waukomis was hassling him about it so he moved it to my yard.

Well after his passing I decided to have it hauled off for scrap, then I decided against that since I know the engine is good and that the transmission is practically new. It only has like four or five trips on it. So now that it is my problem to deal with I decided to put it on Craigslist and see if maybe by a fluke I could get it sold for something I could put towards a new central heat and air unit or some needed things I've been putting off.

I put it in for two thousand dollars, the transmission alone was over three but in the shape the bus is in I figured two was reasonable. Got one email about it, he lost interest quickly. Got another and this guy was persistent. We emailed a couple of times, he sent me his phone number and I called him. He told me he was familiar with the area and that his parents had lived here at one time.

So he and his friend decided to road trip here from Missouri and look it over. I let The Date know that they will be at the house (shortly after she got backed into it in a parking lot, thankfully it was the other girl's fault and her insurance will pay for it) and to show them the bus.

The Date texts me and asks me if I knew they were from Trick My Truck on CMT, I reply I did not, the man didn't tell me and I can understand why. The Date had a good talk with them as they were here for about three hours. The bus fired right up for them even though it hasn't been started in months. They called me a couple of times since I was at work and asked questions about it. Couldn't get it to move forward or backward though. He told The Date they will go back and do some research on it and come back over with a mechanic.

I know my dad would love for his bus to have a new life instead of hauled off for scrap. I hope they buy it so that it could be remodeled and fixed up and I don't have to have it hauled off. Not even for the money I'm asking for it either, because those guys have the resources to make it a very nice bus again.

After I got home and after The Date got off of work we went to Shakespeare in the Park to see The Tempest, well the last act anyway. The whole gang was there from the next show I'll be involved with, Into The Woods. Hugs all around and then we enjoyed the last act. Good show, better friends!

Jackals

So last night I'm watching the wall to wall coverage of the death of Michael Jackson. I've got to wonder many things about his death.

For a decade he was on top of the music world until the early nineties. He started to go from Michael Jackson to Jacko as stories surfaced and some of the oddest rumors you would ever hear about a man. If it was about him people tended to believe it. Was he a tragedy years in the making?

You have a superstar who wasn't really playing by rules anymore. With that kind of power, money, and fame the rules that apply to you and me just don't apply to someone like him. He was used to asking for what he wanted, getting it, and more than he wanted of it with no one telling him no.

After a few years of that you can lose touch with reality. None of us will likely ever know that kind of lifestyle. That might be why he got into so much trouble. No one told him no, likely to his own demise.

Forced into the limelight at a very young age by a domineering father, some say abusive, he brought his family out of poverty as the leader of the Jackson 5. He likely died with hundreds of millions of dollars of debt. On top of the world with a life full of chaos and disarray. From the brief marriage to Lisa Marie, to the dental assistant and mother of two children, to the surrogate child, this is one man who could not find solace at any price.

A great talent, a lonely man, a freak, a world class entertainer, an abused man child who never grew up. I'm sure he was all of that and more, but what you have not seen yet is the circus that will come over his estate, the custody of his children, the pot of gold at the end of Michael Jackson's rainbow. Squabbling will commence with the first lawsuit before his body is buried.

You will see jackals come out by droves, lured by the scent of money. The same kind of jackals who robbed my dad the night of the thirteenth of all of his cash while we went to the hospital.

That was just sixteen hundred dollars that someone just had to steal from a defenseless man while he was dying in the hospital.

That was vicious, greedy, and cruel but nothing compared to what will happen to the Jackson estate. I believe in an ultimate sovereign God. That everyone will eventually be judged by Him and justice and mercy will be rewarded then.

I Slept

Last night I made a decent amount on tips. Almost enough to cover the fuel I put into my truck. The last tip of the evening I made nearly ten dollars on, rare but very nice when it happens! I put in my week and a half notice. I told the owner I could work for him until next Friday, that I had too much going on right now to hold down two jobs.

When I arrived back at the diner it was about a quarter until nine. They told me if I wanted to I could cash out and go home, which I promptly did as fast as I could.

I made it home right around nine. Tired. My mind was going as fast as it could. I decided to unwind a little with some surfing and reading, tended my Farm Town, two football franchises, and got my Mafia Wars family up to date.

Then I went to bed. I picked up South by Sir Ernest Shackleton and read for about twenty minutes.

Turned out the light and I slept. For the first time in over a month I had felt some relief. I felt a similar relief when we went back to work but last night was different. I was able to relax a little bit. It was great. I'm off tonight and tomorrow night from my second job, I do have to work the weekend though but it'll be for the last time.

Feel great this morning! I feel relaxed, like the problems I know that will arise will be easily handled. It feels good to know that I'm within four weeks of a real and full paycheck again. The next check will be tiny as I told you about but that is why I took the second job, my last day at the diner will be the same day I get that check so it will account for half of my pay with both added together.

I'm thrilled about that! The Date's magazine has gone nuts and they have sold a lot of advertising for two issues already! They are over half way to their goal and are STILL selling in town alone! Next week they will start to get the area towns sold! I told her she will have to hire more sales staff soon as they can't cover this much area by themselves!

I've never seen something take off as fast as what her magazine has. I'm really pretty honored to be a small part of it and right now it is so small that it really can't be measured, mainly just supporting her and telling her to get things done before they are due.

Hope you all out there have a great day! Twice as good as mine will be and I think mine will be good, I'm off tonight!!!! Woohoooo!!!!!

Loooonngg Day

My day started around six thirty and ended at eleven last night. I went to my regular job (Woohoooo!!!!!) and after I clocked out had about twenty minutes to get home, change clothes, get a bite to eat, and get to my second job (Boooo).

I told the owner that after this week I needed my hours cut back. He seemed to be ok with it and was understanding. I closed last night which was why I didn't get home until after eleven. The tips were bad last night too. I even had to go on two deliveries twice as the people bagging up everything for the drivers missed some things. One tipped the first time so I couldn't expect a second tip. The other didn't tip at all, either time.

When the tips are good though then it is alright, they are cash and I need the extra money until my first full paycheck on the sixteenth of July. After that then I won't need the second job at all but might keep it for one night a week.

It was really good to get back into the groove at work. A strike is something I hope none of you have to experience. They aren't fun.

Hi Ho!

This morning it's off to work I go! Finally after two weeks of no pay, feelings of worthlessness, and overall high stress level I get to go back to work!

I also believe that the transmission is not the problem I am having with my truck. I believe that the vacuum pump has gone out of it which is much cheaper and can be fixed in about ten minutes once I have a replacement.

A vacuum pump is about one tenth the price of a new transmission so I'm really pretty thrilled about that! My next paycheck will be for four days and on July third. That will make things tight for until the first full paycheck comes in but doable. Just have to be careful about spending right now.

The first full paycheck I'll get will be July seventeenth. Yeah it is three and almost two thirds weeks away but it will be a good day! I'm caught up on my bills which is good, I know a lot of people aren't. I took the initiative to get another job (which I work tonight until ten thirty) so I'll have some income to get us through.

A lot of other people didn't do that. I won't be able to keep up these hours for long though (six thirty until ten thirty at night) but as long as it takes to get my first full check from work.

So I'm off to work now!

The Strike Ends At Day Fifteen!

I just received the vote count, 705 voted 554 to accept the contract.
It isn't perfect as the second and third years of the insurance is uncapped, meaning we could pay for the entire premiums ourselves if the company mandated.

We'll deal with that when we come to that bridge though. I'm ready to get back to a normal job and normal hours and normal paychecks again!

I'm ready. I'm tired of the strike. I'm tired of it. Now its over with!

Strike Day Fifteen

And hopefully the last day of our strike. I'm really looking forward to clocking in to my regular job tomorrow and ending this thing! I'm sick of it, I was sick of it from the start and now I'm fifteen days into it and feel that no one has really won anything.

I read the proposal and it really isn't that far off from what was negotiated to start with. Mostly language changes and the way we are able to use our paid leave. There is actually more money in this contract which is a surprise to me. A quarter percent each year higher than the original offer and money going into the pension plan.

That is good but again the last two weeks is income we will never get back. It has set a lot of people back in their monthly bills, fortunately I'm not one of them. With my temp job, The Date's income from her three jobs, and family support I think we are fine.

If we go back to work tomorrow I'll get a half paycheck on July third and full paychecks after that! The half and next full paycheck will be tight but we can manage them well enough to keep everything up to date and eat well. I feel for the people who the strike really hurt who were living paycheck to paycheck. They will have a tougher time recovering but at least they will recover.

I hope everyone out there had a great Father's Day and really appreciated it. Sometimes you don't realize how important a dad is until they are gone.

Strike Day Fourteen

And hopefully the penultimate day of the strike. Our negotiators reached an agreement with the company last night! I believe we did pretty well as all of the sticking points were talked about and resolved, hopefully to the satisfaction of our membership.

I want to get back to work at my normal job. I plan on turning in my two weeks notice on Monday to my delivery job if I get to go back to work on Tuesday. Which is fine, I believe my transmission in my truck is acting up and it could aggravate the problem if I drive it like that on a long term basis. So it isn't good on the wear and tear of my vehicle. I'll be putting my tip money towards the repair if needed.

Hopefully it will be a simple fix, filter, change the fluid, something like that, at most I guess I would have to have it rebuilt. Transmission repair is outside of my scope of mechanical skills. I can do many engine repairs but not the transmission.

It will be one more obstacle to overcome as if the past couple of weeks weren't enough. Not complaining though. I've got it better than a lot of other people who have been hit hard by the economy.

I've got the hope of a job to go back to once the vote is official.

I've got the bestest friends in the world who have been nonstop asking me if they could do something for me.

I've got the greatest The Date in the world who has been sticking by me through this rough and stressful time.

I've really got it pretty good in when I put things in perspective, mechanical problems just don't even show up on the radar!

Strike Day Thirteen

Talks are resuming as I am typing this. Work was pretty busy last night. I made close to forty in tips, which was very nice. It'll help a lot until I get a regular paycheck again.

It was a busy week. Thursday being the worst day of the lot in retrospect. It's over with now and time to move onto better weeks.

The Date has cleaned house in sales in less than two full days! It has been amazing how fast it has started!!!! That is just local too, she hasn't even started selling to the towns around here yet!!!!! I told her she will have to save room for the area towns to advertise at this rate!

She is selling a product site unseen, which is an extremely tough sell and she has done this well. It will explode when she gets a couple of issues out! She is having a meeting tonight with her writers and photographers and will either give them assignments or let them run with an idea or two.

This is going to be my fall back plan in case I'm laid off in October. I'll learn the software and layout design and do that for her. At two issues per month it will be a handful for one person to do. I'm very happy for her! It was a great idea and now it has really just started to grow!

Strike Day Twelve

Everyone is still excited about the talks that will go on tomorrow. We are at least hoping for a temporary agreement so that we can get back to work Monday morning.

I made just over thirty dollars in two hours last night with tips and my hourly wage. It got really slow and they sent me home. That was fine. It was a bad day working on Dad's estate. I was pretty stressed and just needed to be quiet, still, and alone for a while.

The Date pulled off a major deal yesterday on her first day of selling!!!! It will be very big for the area and signal a new direction for the area! It was very cool what happened but I really can't say more about it right now. She was very very excited! I was very very proud!

I've got picket line duty this morning from eight until noon. My Northern Brother is going home this morning and I'm expecting his phone call any minute. He is stopping by to say goodbye for now. When things settle down we plan on road tripping North and visiting for a few days! I can't wait, his company has been invaluable to me over this week. I love him and have appreciated every second of his visit, it has really helped the healing kick into high gear.

Strike Day Eleven

Yesterday we received great news that the negotiations will go start up again on Saturday morning! Everyone I talked to was just really happy to hear that! There is hope of a resolution now and that we can get back to work as early as Monday or Tuesday!

I hope we get an agreement in place. As I said I would be happy with and vote for the same contract we have been working for the past six years. I'm not greedy, just want to work and get a paycheck going again.

I'm blessed right now to have a temporary job that will help me put gas in the tank and pay the bills! I'm also looking forward to turning in my two weeks notice to that job and just having one job to go to per day.

The Date is about ready to launch her major project and it will be spectacular. The word is officially out now about it so I can mention it here. She is the publisher of her own tabloid sized magazine! Not just for this town either but for the entire area code!!

Her initial run in which she is starting is going to be five thousand copies and her goal is to reach twenty thousand copies printed per run! It will run every two weeks and will have a color cover, back, and center spread.

This is also my job if I get laid off in October! By then the magazine will be a fixture in the area and hopefully very established! So Date get it in gear and get this off the ground!!!! I'll work for you then babe!!!!!

Strike Day Ten

My Northern brother came down to hang with me yesterday with his oldest. What a great pleasure that has been! I've enjoyed every minute of it! His support as well as everyone who has been in contact with me has been very helpful and needed. Not that there is anything anyone can do but just the thought that they are thinking of me and my family during this time is more than enough.

I have today off from my new job as well and don't go back to work until tomorrow. I'm good with that. I get paid on Friday so right now I'm not in desperate need of any cash. I'll have plenty to pay this month's bills and be fine.

Hopefully an end to the strike will come today, tomorrow, Friday....I don't care which but soon is all I want. A resolution is what I'm after and forty hours a week.

I've been on iTunes this morning, still no 3.0 iPhone update. It'll be soon I'm sure. I really kind of thought it would have released at midnight but alas no.

Strike Day Nine

No resolution yet. I'm hoping negotiations will be jump started soon.

I started my new temporary job yesterday evening. It was nice. I am a delivery guy for a diner in town. It felt good to get out and drive around town by myself. It was simple, quiet, and a little busy which was nice. I made over thirty dollars in tips and seven bucks per hour. I'm off tonight and tomorrow night.

After that I got a text from friends to go to BDubs and meet them after rehearsal. Ten showed up and everyone hugged me. It was the best thing in a week that happened. We laughed and had a good time.

I needed that, more than they know. It helped so much.

My Northern brother is coming down today to visit for a couple of days and hang out with me. I'm so looking forward to that.

Strike Day Eight

....And that concludes the worst week of my life thus far. Not kidding. I have never had a more terrible week in my entire life.

Anyone who knows me knows that I'm an optimist. I always try to be happy and look on the better side. This past week life threw everything at me. Still here. If it weren't for The Date, my family, and my friends I don't think I would be.

I've had rough times before without question, everyone does. When I was a landlord I used to live on twenty dollars per week. It was hot dogs and Ramen noodles every night. I was happier and in better shape then than I was in this previous week.

There is a lot of paperwork to fill out today. My dad wished to be donated to science. I made that happen yesterday. I have to go talk to his bank today, let them know what happened and what I can do for them. Then off to the funeral home and give them some information. Talk to the hospital's business office and then it is off to my new job at five.

A member of my Northern family is coming down to lend his support in a day or two. I'm grateful, very grateful.

Rest In Peace Dad

1949-2009

Strike Day Seven

Not a good night, last night. Got a call that dad needed some help so my mom goes down there to take care of him. I get there and she had just called the ambulance. He was having a hard time breathing.

They take him to the emergency room and I get there a little while later after locking his place up. They call me into the room and he talks to me a little bit and then things start crashing. I'm watching his numbers go way down. Alarms start going off. Lots of nurses and two doctors come in and he dies. No heartbeat, still breathing. Doctor tells me it is an autoresponse.

And just after I call my brother that dad has passed away, he wakes up and starts talking again! He asks my mom if she had put out his cigarette and his numbers go back up.

The doctors and nurses shrug, tell me they have never seen that before, ever. They said it just doesn't happen like that. So we get to to talk to him more, essentially we get a second chance to talk. I bring mom and The Date back into the room so they can visit. They decide to run tests and determine everything that's wrong.

He had a heart attack. They arranged to get a room and squared him away for the night at about one A.M.

I came home. I poured a scotch. I just had to decompress a little bit. I stayed up until a little after two.

This morning I talked to his nurse and dad is essentially in a coma. Strong heartbeat, just unresponsive. I'm glad I got to talk to him last night. It helped me square up a lot. I understand it might have been the last time I got to talk to him.

I pray none of you are ever in a similar situation with your parents. It has been really tough.

Strike Day Six

I have a job interview today, delivery driver. The picket line will have to do without me today as well. I am hoping it won't be long and we will be back to work. I need that stability right now. Yesterday was pretty stressful with my dad but I got through it alright. He got out of the hospital, I was pretty upset with that because I was sure they would keep him a couple of days at least.

Had a great conversation and two cigars with Beersnob in the evening. That really helped to unwind like that. We talked for about four hours and just relaxed. No booze either, I had ice water, he had decaff coffee.

I had a CAO Brazila, Gol size which is a robusto. Dark, lots of flavor. I enjoyed it a lot. Beersnob had a Rocky Patel Edge Maduro, very full flavor. Then I had a Padron, one of the thousand series. It is hard to tell which one it was since I didn't purchase it but I'd guess it was a 2000 or 3000.

Padrons are always good. It is always money well spent.

Strike Day Five

Today the picket line can handle itself. I took my dad to the doctor yesterday for an appointment and they admitted him into the hospital for observation for a couple of days.

He is in bad shape. No way around saying that. They believed they can stabilize his system but the doc just said it was worn out and starting to fail. So this afternoon I'm headed back over there to bring him some things he wants like his cell phone and charger.

I've got an interview later on this morning, a place wants a handful of commercials shot and maybe a delivery driver. I can do those things really well.

Last night one of my friends came over and hung out after I got back into town. He comforted me by saying that he has had a lot of troubles of a similar type to mine in the past week or two. It sucks any of us have to go through what we are going through but during this fire I know I'm going to be stronger when it goes out.

I'm grateful to my family, friends, and especially The Date and The Things, all of whom have been very supportive in ways I couldn't imagine. Thank you.

Strike Day Four

Today is also going to be my busiest day since being on strike. I am on picket duty from eight a.m. until noon. We are in schedules now, four hours per day once a week.

After that I am driving my dad to the doctor to find out why he is so weak other than not eating correctly. It is going to be a long day.

Yesterday I found out very few businesses want to hire someone on a temporary basis. I applied to two places and neither wanted a short commitment. But I would have a job at one place if I decided to make it my full time employment, after seven weeks of training.

The company produced a scare tactic yesterday. They put a big help wanted ad in the paper. Come to find out by a reliable source that checked into it the company is not hiring anyone and not even taking interviews from the ad. It was a bluff to scare people into crossing the line. Nothing more.

That might be the first sign that this is going to turn out ok after all and might end faster than I anticipated. Perhaps the light at the end of the tunnel has made its first appearance.

Strike Day Three

Today I'm going to take a different strategy. Not going to the picket line as I'm thinking this could last a few weeks, maybe a month or longer. They will be coming up with a picket schedule and I'm going to go look for work today.

There are still too many people who have having a ball on the picket line. They really make me ill as I don't believe they understand the gravity of the situation.

My dad is really ill right now on top of everything else. I'm going to have to do something but not exactly sure what yet. He can't hardly get out of bed and if it wasn't for The Date going there daily and making him food and changing his bedding I don't know how he would be getting along.

The upside of the strike is that I have plenty of time to deal with this situation now. I'm going to have to talk to his doctor and see what kind of options I have to get him healthy again. He is very weak and we had to go pick him up last night after midnight because he had fallen.

The good news is that I fixed my Suburban. That and we are going to get through all of this.

A Small Win!

No not in the strike issue although that is the most pressing issue right now, a win nonetheless.

I fixed my truck. Sometime between 1984 and now the top oil line on the 6.2 liter Chevy diesel had been altered to today's standard which means the fittings no longer fit. I ordered two lines for a grand total of a tick over two hundred dollars, something I can ill afford right now but had to be done as I was borrowing a vehicle.

So I got the lines off, put the bottom line on, worked perfectly, went to put the top line on and the fittings were opposites. I took the line back to the dealership as none of the auto parts places carried those lines anymore, and they said it was the right line but in case it wasn't marked correctly they overnighted one more line to see if it would work.

I went in there this morning after picket duty to find that the line was identical to the one that would not work. They suggested a machine shop that had line supplies as a last ditch hope. They cheerfully refunded my money and off I went.

I got there a little after they returned from lunch and they were doubtful they could help but told me they would give it a shot if I wanted to return in an hour. I go back an hour and a half later and they had just finished being busy and hadn't gotten to my line yet.

The owner said if I would hang out a couple of minutes then he would get right on it. He did too! He was making one line before mine and then devoted his full attention to my line. In a matter of two minutes it was finished, I paid and was on my way to see if it would work.

Triumphantly in just a couple of minutes I had the new line bolted on and tight. I filled the oil back up to normal and then fired it up.

NO LEAKS!!!! It worked! I can't accurately tell you how much I needed a small win today. Just a little boost of something that went right after the past few weeks of unexpected expenses piling up. From my beloved little kitty to the oil lines going bad, to even the hot water line yesterday, and ultimately the strike.

This was a good day.

Strike Day Two

I'm showered and headed to the picket line this morning. I'm really hoping something breaks loose pretty soon and negotiations start up again.

There is no news about it happening right now and according to the latest website update, well it hasn't been updated since yesterday which is bad.

People expressed displeasure with not being able to go to work yesterday but right now they are all standing up and are going to stick it out.

Yesterday was just a bad day. My oil cooler hoses had holes worn in them so I had to purchase two new ones, one of them wasn't right so yesterday I took the opportunity to return the wrong one and they ordered hopefully the one I need. Then later on as I was spraying for bugs I broke the hot water line under the kitchen sink. Hot water sprayed until I got the valve shut off and my brother came over with a new part and we got it put back together.

So day two begins. I'm holding my head up and know we are going to get past this.

" When sorrows come they come not single spies but in battalions "
Famous Hamlet quote by William Shakespeare (Act IV - Scene V)

That is what I felt like yesterday.

On The Line

Yep. Here I am.


-- Post From My iPhone

Off To The Picket Line

It is just about a quarter to six and I'm showered and headed off to picket.
I detest this action, I detest a lot of the things unions do, and I detest some of our leadership but this is unfortunately necessary at times.

This is one of those times. The company has not even offered to open up negotiations again. They had all weekend long to come to the table and resolve this and didn't even return calls.

I'll either blog from the line or I'll blog when I get home.

No Progress

So far there has been no progress made on negotiations. I've been keeping up on the news sites and nothing is happening right now. Time is tick tick ticking away here people.

We will see what happens I guess. A lot of people are speculating that who I work for is trying to shed this contract and that this is the best way to do it without hefty fines. I don't know if that is true or not. It seems logical and companies don't bid on contracts like this if they are going to lose money.

One of the negotiators is my friend and told me what kind of contract they would sign off on and it really isn't much more than what we have had in the past. Practically the same language we have used for the last twenty years and 3.5% raises every year.

The insurance was a big issue, I believe it was a mistake as well as the majority of union members however the company never produced anything to the contrary even when asked to say it was a mistake and given the opportunity to correct it. Employee plus family now pays around eighty dollars bi-weekly that cost was going to go to three hundred eighty eight dollars bi-weekly. We assumed it meant monthly but again given the opportunity to correct it they did not. Those numbers even went to HR.

It is frustrating. I want to get a call tonight and learn that things are resolved but again as far as I know right now there is no progress being made.

D-Day Anniversary

I'm watching the D-Day anniversary on Fox. Very moving, very emotional. The Queen should be ticked she wasn't invited.

I don't care if it is Obama singing our national anthem over there today, he is doing a good job of representing us. It is still a proud American moment and the surviving veterans deserve to be recognized.

Take a moment and remember our World War 2 veterans today.

There is a union meeting today at eleven for strike captains. I'm sure that the company has been contacted and are full aware of the vote totals and that we are ready to broker another contract.

I believe we would pass a contract with the same wording that we have now and with a modest 3.5% raise per year. Not the contract they offered which took away even the way we use leave and punished people who never abuse their leave privileges.

Hopefully we will have a contract hammered out by Monday and we will be back to work as normal.

Strike

The vote came back 666-28 to reject the contract, a simple majority was needed to reject and to count the strike votes.

The strike vote came back and it was 655-41 to strike.

I'm on strike now. The negotiation team will go back to work tomorrow.

Stike Is Imminent

No pay, no insurance, no guarantee of a job after it is over. Negotiations broke down over the past week to the point of not talking anymore.

We moved up the strike voting day to today instead of tomorrow. At least now we will have a full weekend to go back to negotiations if we are actually striking on Monday. The city and Air Force have cleared us some land to picket on even. They had it mowed and prepared for a lot of people.

I'm not a big union guy, they do a LOT of things I disagree with in the political realm where they should have no say so whatsoever. But this is unions working on the ground for real people.

The company chose to take many many things away that were negotiated on years ago without striking. I've already endured two big layoffs in the past year that cut everyone right up to me. We are very barebones right now in our staffing, many areas are understaffed. I had friends who were laid off. I kept in contact with them and told them about jobs to sign on that they were qualified for.

I believe a strike vote will get a contract similar to what we have had over the past three years. That's all we are asking for, nothing outrageous, just a comparable contract to what we have been working for. The pay will go up but by about 3% per year, no more than 4%, never has happened that we received more than that.

In contrast our insurance goes up more than our rate of pay each year so we really don't get a monetary raise that is noticeable because of the insurance rates we pay.

We are not UAW workers with lifetime insurance, massive pensions, or atmospheric rates of pay. We do get paid more than average for this area, that's a fact. We are not rich by any way of measuring but we do get to make a decent living. Most of us live paycheck to paycheck, some have new vehicles. Others like me have twenty year old plus vehicles.

We are just asking for a fair deal, something reasonable we can work for in the next three years.

3G!

They turned on our 3G network yesterday! Not only is my iPhone now at its full potential but I also have a much stronger signal strength. I'm getting four to five bars where I used to get one and none.

It's amazing! I turn off the 3G option and it will go back to the Edge network and there it is, the one tiny little bar of signal strength. I have noticed a big drop in battery life when 3G is on though. I'll have to pay close attention to that.

I've got ninety six hours until I find out if we are going to strike or not. AS predicted the company gave us their last, best, and final offer yesterday. I don't even know if they will go in today for the final round of negotiations. We will vote on Saturday. It will take a simple majority to accept or reject the contract and then a two thirds majority to strike or not. If the two thirds is not met then we automatically accept the contract no matter what that vote is.

This has been one of the most stressful times at work in a long time for me. Tensions are very high and as anyone who knows me knows I have no taste for drama, especially where my job is concerned.

The Art Of Manliness

I don't usually do site reviews but as this one seems like a subject I am fond of, I decided to look over artofmanliness.com and give you a look of their idea of what manliness is.

This site was born over the discussion of what happened to the men between The Greatest Generation and The Baby Boomers. The Greatest Generation, full of maturity at a young age, brimming with confidence, and a wisdom and self sacrifice that isn't in sync with their years. A rugged individualism that had spirit and craved freedom as a politician craves a tax dollar.

Contrast that with The Baby Boomers who took over congress and ruined the future for all of us Gen-Xers and beyond. The most self centered generation that borders on French entitlement arrogance. The generation that believes everything should be handed to them on a silver platter while neutering the younger men of our generation, saddling us with guilt for being men.

While I am not the dapper Frank Sinatra style of dresser I do appreciate an individualist lifestyle. Dependent upon your labor and living within your means. I'm handy around vehicles, I can cook, I'm prepared for the Zombie Holocaust of Doom, and I'd like to have a cabin in Montana that is off the grid. I have no idea who is on American Idol, I love John Wayne (as he was my first induction into my Man Hall of Fame) and feel that the creators of The Art of Manliness are right that generations since The Greatest fail to take the mantle adequately. Perhaps the previous generations failed to train young men adequately as well.

I quote, "as I looked around at the men my age, it seemed to me that many were shirking responsibility and refusing to grow up. They had lost the confidence, focus, skills, and virtues that men of the past had embodied and were a little lost. The feminism movement did some great things, but it also made men confused about their role and no longer proud of the virtues of manliness"

While I am sure that the generation before The Greatest thought the same thing as well as the generation of pioneers who braved the wilderness of the West to tame the rustic new country thought the same thing of the generation that followed them, all the way back to the Founding Fathers, the Pilgrims, and further back.

I do know that The Baby Boomers have done more damage to a great country and masculinity than all of the previous generations before it. It will take a few generations to recover from them but I do believe that my Gen-X generation is entrepreneurial, rugged, and chock full of individualists. The generation that follows us will be able to build upon that thanks to sites like The Art of Manliness.

Yes we also have our girly men, no dispute at all with that argument. We have too many single mothers, too many men who have not lived up to their responsibilities. Too many fatherless children who will not get the benefit of a male influence and the balance they need in life.

We also have our Proud and Fearless who have liberated two countries from Islamic Fascists. I have to believe that those of The Greatest Generation that have passed on are proudly looking down upon our members of the military now and the deeds they have accomplished.

I've browsed over The Art of Manliness and think it is a good if not great site, worthy of any of you who would like something beyond the six pack abs and sex articles that are rampant in today's world that caters to "men".

One gripe about the site it is that there is a lack of stuff that really caters to a lot of men such as cigars, drinks other than their "Five cocktails every man should know" which are kind of unmanlike (A sidecar? Really?!), and the lack of a Man Hall of Fame such as mine. They do have fine articles about manly men very often though and an email list of subscribers that is very manly in size.

I do appreciate their guide to Scotch as I do enjoy a good single malt as I've detailed in my blog many times.

Throw in some cigars and grilling/cooking how to's for men who don't know how to cook yet and you have a great site!

No Not Never's Revenge

Yesterday I get to work and Johnny Friendly has made up about three hundred "No Not Never" buttons to pin on your shirt to show solidarity among the rank and file.

I get out the white out and try to white out the "N" of Never so at least it would make a little grammatical sense. I'm convinced that Johnny Friendly believes it is an actual sentence.

The white out fails to work so I rub it off and rationalize that it is a sign of his intelligence and he proudly wants us to show the world such. Then the bleakness of him being in charge of the negotiations on our side sets in....

So I busy myself with work and go to clear my work in the computer when I get an email from the program manager who says we can't wear the buttons! It is a violation and I don't even care what the rest says!

I have an excuse not to wear them!!!! They are embarrassing and I don't have to wear them anymore! Woohooooo! So I'm happy about that!

Ok ok so those of you who think I'm not a very loyal person, I'll vote on Saturday on the new contract if it is a reasonable and fair contract I'll vote to ratify it. That's all the loyalty I would get from both the company and the union, not one shred more.

I do my job, get paid a fair wage, go home and forget my job exists until the next day. I'm grateful I am employed and do have a good job with great benefits and as such I don't abuse the system. I do a good job when I'm there and screw off less than many others. I'm aware of how blessed I am to be working in this time of the Obama administration's war on prosperity.

Not only that but I do pay a hefty monthly fee for the union services which they do take against my will and donate to political campaigns which I'm opposed to. I don't have to pay them but then I wouldn't get to vote or have a say in the contract as I do now.

GM: Bankrupt

Nearly twenty billion dollars, your dollars, printed dollars is down the drain this morning. GM will file bankruptcy. The government and the UAW will own large percentages of the once proud company.

You'll never be paid back for the money they were loaned, it was forgiven two weeks ago by the Obama administration. At least the Bush administration consulted congress on all of this before acting. Obama is unilaterally doing this himself along with his tax cheat puppet Tim Geithner.

I do blame the Bush administration for starting the bailout madness, it just put off what is going to happen this morning. It would have been over with by now and GM would have been coming out of bankruptcy a better and stronger company and not the government owned mess it will become in a few weeks. TARP was never used as it was intended, we believe since no one will tell the taxpaying public how it was used. That is about as closely held a secret as who shot JFK.

The government should NOT own a private industry and dictate standards as it will be doing. I don't believe it says anywhere in the Constitution that a government can take over a private industry and yet Government Motors is a reality.

As we are driven headlong into Marxism at breakneck speed even Pravda is wondering what in the world we are doing and when the Russians are impressed with our descent into Marxism maybe we should take notice.

Lakers Vs. Magic

The Cavs made a not so graceful exit out of the Eastern Conference Finals last night being beat by the Magic 103-90. The message is clear, make the one man band into an orchestra.

LeBron just has no help. Up until last night he was the only player in NBA history that averaged forty plus points and eight plus rebounds and eight plus assists! Not even his Airness did that.

LeBron needs help if Cleveland is ever going to be a contender. They are going to need a dominate point guard to distribute the ball and take that pressure off of LeBron. Mo Williams just isn't cutting it. He's good not great.

The Lakers and Magic should match up well and be a compelling series. I'm looking forward to it! Kobe vs. Dwight, the greatest closer in the game against Superman. I wouldn't be surprised to see a sweep or a seven game series.

If it is short the Magic will take it in a sweep. If it is a seven game series it'll be the Lakers as they might stumble out of the gate but solve the Magic over time. It will be interesting though!

"No Not Never!"

Ok in a moment of brilliance our own Johnny Friendly came up with a response for many proposals for the companies proposals in contract negotiations.

"No Not Never!"

Yeah, a triple negative is our response. Not only is it a grammatical disaster but it is just about as bad as you can possibly get as far as a motto. You want your motto to be a war cry of positivity. Something to rally behind.

Instead we get "No Not Never!"

Epic Fail....

Kobe Vs,?

I'm sticking with Dwight Howard. The Lakers dismantled the Nuggets for the second straight game last night. Every time Denver tried to close the gap L.A. poured it on.

Cleveland would not have a chance. Don't fool yourself. They are a one man band and the Lakers would sweep them. They solved the Denver problem in six games, they would solve the Cleveland problem in four, I don't know how many it would take to solve the Orlando problem, maybe seven very compelling games!

I've got a union meeting this morning to give us an update on the negotiations and to vote on opening up the strike fund. I'd say it is going as expected right now. Both sides are refusing to budge and giving up their smoke screen items but nothing of substance yet. Those things are done at the last apparently.

The strike fund supports the walking picketers. Buys them sandwiches and stuff like that I guess. Big help that is....

Again I'd like to say I'm not a big union guy. Unions have killed the golden goose more than nurtured it. Unions have killed off two of the Big Three and now own portions of those once great companies as well as the government. So will they be better off? HAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!!!!! Yeah...

Anyway back to my union. Not a big union guy, just want job security in this very insecure economy. The company has a seven year contract with the government that gives them a set amount they will earn plus adjustments for inflation and added expenses on a yearly basis...including our projected raises which usually average out to 3.5% per year.

Of course we ask for much more and negotiate it away, they take money away and negotiate it up. That's the way the game is played. Opening the strike fund is just part of that game.

The finished contract will be similar to what it has always been in my seventeen years of service.

Cavs Win

On the back of LeBron's triple double Cleveland rose to the occasion and staved off elimination last night. Their formula? Feed LeBron the ball.

His supporting cast has disappeared on him in this series. Now they have to go back to Orlando and try it again there. Good luck.

North Korea is still firing missiles that are suited for a nuclear weapon. They have been firing missiles since Monday now. The latest was a short range missile.

I'm betting they are breaking the seals on their nuclear reactor and firing it back up to produce more weapons grade material. The UN will be very displeased with them and might impose a sanction on them or even two! Yep...the UN....our current administrations best hope.........yep...

If I were President there would have been tomahawks in the air or a team on the ground to take out that pot bellied dictator who is ruining his country and starving his people. North Korea would come to understand prosperity and freedom instead of an iron handed communist rule and oppression.

Lakers Go Up 3-2

While watching last night I had the revelation that the NBA Finals will likely be Lakers/Magic.

Everyone on sports radio had the Finals as an either Lakers/Cavs (which is what the NBA could hype more) or Magic/Nuggets. That is the matchup I was hoping for. It seems no one allowed for Lakers/Magic as the Nuggets seem to be faltering a little now.

With last night's win Denver has to win two games back to back to make it to the finals while Cleveland has to win three straight against the much better Magic and superstar Dwight Howard.

Kobe vs. Dwight Howard will be a great Finals. Kobe who is arguably the best closer in the game today and a little past his peak years against a superstar who has got a couple of years to go before he gets to his peak years. Fresh legs vs. experience. Yeah LeBron against Kobe would be a great matchup to watch but really would it be that great if the series only went four games?

Cleveland is a matchup nightmare against the Lakers, they would dominate three out of five positions while the Nuggets really maybe have one out of five now and are down in the series. Billups owns whomever the Lakers throw at him. They have no answer for Billups at all.

Look for a Lakers/Magic Finals and for it to go to seven games. It might very well be one of the more interesting Finals in a few seasons. You will be witness (to borrow a marketing phrase) to the rise of one of the NBA's best superstars in waiting in Dwight Howard.

Wow Wednesday!

I like how quickly the week goes when you have Monday off. Well it is contract negotiation season at work. This is one of the most stressful times my job has to offer.

We have a contract negotiation team in place and yesterday was also the first full day of negotiations. As expected it isn't looking well right now. Both sides are putting what they want on the table. We want raises and job security, they want to cut pay and people. We will meet somewhere in the middle and then vote on it.

The union, though I despise a lot about them, is paid by me to represent my best interests at work. Its like a service I pay for, yes similar to extortion, but its like the cable bill or water bill.

More than likely this is what will happen this time around. The negotiations will make little progress, the working members will vote to reject the companies offer (which received a seven year extension so they know how profitable they will be over the long term) and vote to strike. The two sides will meet one more time in an emergency session and come to a temporary agreement and we will go to work the next day without a contract.

Our client needs to have their planes in the air, they frown upon work stoppages, and amazingly they take labor's side 95% of the time and pressure the company to fix it. There is a tiny percentage of chance that we will actually form a strike line (again something I despise, especially in these tough economic times) and be out even one day.

It could happen though.

Memorial Day 2009

Yesterday was a very good day.
First of all we went to see Star Trek. The reboot of the series was really really good. Yes they disregarded canon but they also explained how they could do that. It is really no more far fetched than any of the original series when they did the time travel episodes. It worked. It was good. I'm looking forward to more of the series!

Then we went to Beersnob's house for a Memorial Day cookout and movie. We had burgers and brats. A more traditional American cookout. Then next up was the movie Taking Chance.

This was the story of a USMC escort who escorted PFC Chance Phelps back home after he was killed in action in Iraq. This really detailed the loving care that the military puts into taking care of our war dead. Eight people watched this movie and I believe that every single one had tears most of the movie. Kevin Bacon was spot on in this very moving movie. I'd highly recommend every single American watch it. It is a Memorial Day must from now on.

Then the rest of the evening was spent outside talking over the world over cigars and scotch. Beersnob was kind enough to offer two Davidoff Millennium Blends. DAvidoff is a high end cigar. Very pricey and very good. The quality of the cigar is evident even when you get past the wrapping. It paired well with Dalmore Cigar Blend scotch. Smoking time was just over an hour for me. It was a real pleasure too.

It was a great weekend, I hope you reflected on why Memorial Day is important.

Great Cookout!

Happy Memorial Day. Be sure you take some time to think about those who gave everything in defense of our country and freedom today. This is their day.

Yesterday The Date, The Things, and I attended a great cookout! It was a Mediterranean themed cookout with grilled skewers of lamb, chicken, and pork with onions and red peppers. There was tabouli, an awesome avocado salad, and various side dishes like mini doners. It was an amazing feast! Generous in proportions and the sheer amount of preparation time invested in putting this on!

It was an awesome day with awesome friends! Everyone had a great time and there were over twenty attending! I brought along two cigars and had a couple of requests so I asked The Date to bring me about three more which she brought some good ones.

I had a Man O' War Torpedo, a full flavored and very robust cigar. Not really for the feint of heart at all. Great billows of creamy smoke kept the gnats at bay for a while.

Off! was a very popular condiment along with the spectacular food. About ten I had been there close to six hours and I was tired. The Date had left a couple of hours earlier to write a paper for one of her classes that was due. So I made my way home to catch the last five minutes of the Orlando/Cleveland game.

Orlando was up by eight when I started watching, Cleveland closed the gap to four but couldn't do anything with the momentum. Orlando goes up two to one in the series and is looking like they really want to be in the Finals while Cleveland is being knocked around some.

In more serious news, North Korea has issued a claim that they tested a nuclear weapon last night, a few weeks after test firing a long range nuclear capable missile. This is going to cause some serious meetings at the highest levels in the next day or two.

Obamacide

Obamacide - When the government oversteps its Constitutional bounds and takes over private industries.

In this case the auto industry are Obamacide victims. Soon the health care industry will have its sights turned onto it and be the next victims in the Obama mortuary.

Every business the government touches fails. They cannot run a business efficiently or effectively. Post office anyone? Which of you who are my age expect to get social security? Medicare? Come on people wake up here.

This past week the Obama industry mandated new CAFE standards which say fuel economy will be forced to increase by 5% until 2016 which would be Obama's last year of his eight year presidency which I'm sure he has penciled himself in for.

It isn't that fuel economy is a bad thing, its a good thing but shouldn't I have a choice in what I buy too? If I don't want a car that is so light as to be unsafe on a windy day then am I still forced to drive it?

Admittedly the last administration was not nearly as fiscally conservative as I and a lot of other red staters had hoped for. He also initiated the TARP bailout which started a lot of this mess. To me George Bush is equally culpable in that regard only. He also did a lot of good things which I won't get into now. I just wanted to point out even though he was a good president he also had his fiscal faults.

We have the government dictating to UAW/GM and they are taking government money so they are quiet on the issue with their collective hands out. Obama forgave the 15.4 billion dollar loan that you and I gave UAW/GM this week. Then he gave them a line of credit on top of that which again you and I are on the hook for.

The California voters told their legislature in a very loud voice that they were tired of the endless spending by their government and to reel it in. Guess who will be next in line for federal government bailout money to close their budget....you and I? NO! California, then New Jersey, Michigan....you name it! All of the states that have spent like there was no tomorrow on the backs of the taxpayers.

Fortunately citizens are starting to wake up to the fact that they are tired of reckless spending and want them to live within their means as you and I have to do.

So the next Obamacide victim will be the states themselves...just watch it happen.

Magic Cavs 1-1

So the first half was about the same as game one. The Cavs get up by double digits, the Magic chips away at them and makes it a close game late.

The Cavs had a last minute shot that banked off the rim and went out losing them the game. Last night the Cavs were down by two with one second to go! They inbound the ball, pass to LeBron....BANG! Three pointer with the buzzer going off to win by one point!

Exciting game! It is hard to say who is going to win this series. I really don't have a dog in the fight. Or even in the Lakers/Nuggets series either. I know who the NBA wants to see in the finals, their two high profile stars in LeBron and Kobe.

The best teams are likely Orlando and Denver though throwing a wet blanket on the NBA's plans. I really believe the Lakers are in trouble for sure. Denver is just out hustling them, they are a more physical team, and they can't guard Chauncy Billups.

It all spells trouble for the finesse laden Lakers. I'm actually interested in these playoffs. These storylines are gripping, intriguing, and compelling.

Payday And A Three Day Weekend!!!!

What could be better?!?!
Well a five day weekend of course but one thing at a time!

This don't show up often during the year but when it does you can bet that there are about 75% of the people I work with who won't be at work today. They have either taken off already or they are going to call in this morning.

There is a big cookout for the Into The Woods cast and crew on Sunday. I am hoping the weather holds and we have more beautiful days like we have had this week. Yeah it is getting hot but who cares, this week was nice!

I've been playing a lot of Football Tycoon on My Space and Facebook. Great game! You manage your own franchise and upgrade your players by winning games which allows you to upgrade more stats. It is kind of a vicious circle but its football so I don't care how much I chase my tail.

The move is probably 95% done now. There is still a lot of organizing to do and a few more boxes to unpack but overall the other house is empty except for some things The Date is going to sell and a final cleanup.

It's the start of Memorial Day Weekend, is you see a member of the military out and about or know a veteran, show them your appreciation. Buy them lunch, a cup of coffee, what ever it is just show them you are thinking about them and care.

NBA Playoffs

The playoffs have been really good this year. The Celtics/Bulls series was among the best of all time with the exception of the last game which was a let down. Last night the Cavs/Magic game was just outstanding. The Magic came from way behind to tie and take the lead in the fourth.

The last five minutes was some of the best basketball I've seen in a long time. The Magic pulled it out after lots of clutch shooting but the Cavs had a chance when Mo Williams caught a jump ball in mid air and shot with one second left, it banked off of the rim but wow if it would have gone in that would have been a very Jordanesqe shot.

The Lakers/Nuggets game was also down to a couple of points in the end. Denver had plenty of missed opportunity from the line, if they would have converted a bit better I don't know if the Lakers would have held onto homecourt advantage.

The NBA really wants a LeBron/Kobe match up in the Finals, I'd like to see that as well. Not sure if the Magic and the Nuggets aren't the best teams though.

Busy Evening

It was all moving, heat, more moving, and more heat last night. I hit the bed exhausted just a little after ten.

Got to see part of Deadliest Catch and watched some of game one of the Western Conference Finals. The Nuggets had a slight lead when I went to bed. I see now that the Lakers held off Denver for a game one win.

I'm pretty sure that Denver is going to win this series and face LeBron in the finals. Just think that the Nuggets are too tough for the finesse Lakers to handle over a seven game series.

Tonight the Eastern Conference Finals start with LeBron vs. Dwight Howard. While not as intriguing a match up as the Western Conference it might be entertaining anyway.

The Date has a kitty that has FIV. She was breaking down last night just like I was over Patch. He has been with her through all of the tough times. He looks to be roughly the same age too as Patch. Poor thing can't hold any food down anymore. She can't bring herself to take him into the vet, I don't blame her. It took a while for me to sit down and think about if I could put Patch down when she was already in the vet. I didn't have to make that decision.

Her kitty was enjoying the sunshine outside last night when she left the house so she just left him outside to enjoy it and be happy. Nothing wrong with increasing their quality of life, pets increase your quality of life for years. It is really worth a few days of pain for years of happiness with them.

I'd make that trade off every time.

Unpacking

The move has gone fairly smoothly thus far. A few more boxes were moved last night and a a handful of items remain, just a matter of a little more manpower to get them moved.

The dining room is full of boxes and are being unpacked and placed. Even though my house is over two thousand square feet I'm starting to realize it is a pretty small house.

The cabinets are getting full now of things I never had or really didn't know existed. They are actually organized even! Freaky! You should see the fridge....it hasn't been this clean and organized since I first bought it!

She has done an amazing job so far! Moving sucks but she has made the best of it and it really is going well.

Over Half Way

I'd say that The Date and Things 1 and 2 are now over half way moved in, maybe as close as seventy five percent!

Yesterday was amazingly busy. Started off with a few loads of moving stuff until about two o'clock then I was headed to the theatre to help strike the Broadway Bound set which was a big set and took nearly four hours to dismantle. Chianti was kind enough to help out in my absence and they tackled some essential things like beds.

Then it was back home where essentially all of the moving for the day was finished except for moving some beds around and stuff like that. Last night was the first night everyone stayed here. It felt good to have everyone at one place finally!

There are still things like washer and dryer, dining room table, a couple of chairs, a deep freeze, stuff like that left. The Date is off work today and is going back over to start the final clean up.

I'm headed back to work. Three days off is very nice! Wish we had that every week! Work ten hour days and get three days off in a row every week? I'd do that in a minute!

Show's Over

It was a good run. The show wore on me quite a bit after seeing it a few times. The actors got better and better but to me the writing and show premise was mediocre for a Neil Simon show.

This wasn't one of his best. I enjoyed doing the lights though and will be doing the same on the next show. That'll be a great Summer project. As I've blogged before it is the big Summer musical Into The Woods, search on You Tube for show clips from the Broadway production.

We took all of the props and put them back up last night after the show which is quite a chore since you have to take a prop from the stage, walk through the auditorium, through the forum and out the front and then upstairs to the storage facility which are some old apartments above the box office. It is quite a trek while you are holding heavy furniture.

We had the whole cast helping as well as a couple of others and it went really quickly! It was nice!

Rehearsals have started for the musical but I won't be needed for close to a month from now. Maybe a couple of evenings in between to set the lights but that's about it for me in the pre-show.

Good Show

Last night was a pretty good show. The actors were on, the audience was laughing, the storm brief, no tornadoes!

I was fully expecting to stop the show last night and tell people to run to the tornado safe part of the theatre. It was a good day off too. I enjoyed it and needed it:)

Today will involve lots of moving and then the last show of the run tonight. I'm kind of hungry this morning. I know The Date bought Lucky Charms.....that sounds pretty good.

It's a bit dreary outside right now. Not really rainy but wet looking. I feel pretty good though. A day off can really make you feel a lot better!

Off Today!

It was a busy week at work and I decided to take a day off. Eight hours of my pto, no big deal. I built my leave up to nearly eighty hours now. I am going for two hundred but I figured something out at work that might prevent me from doing that.

People who have under one hundred hours are generally happier than those who have tons of leave built up! That means that those people take the occasional day off and it puts people in a better mood. Those who have tons of leave built up are unhappier and tend to be a little more high strung at work!

Chianti invited The Date and I to the Blue Note last night after they got out of rehearsal. That was a lot of fun! I have a show tonight and the closing show tomorrow night. It'll be a good day off and needed:)

Rainy Night

Last night there were tornadoes North and East of here. Late last night a brief thunderstorm, noisy, lots of rain but didn't last long.

This is all part of living here. You get used to it. I imagine this is what it is like when you live on the Gulf and see a hurricane coming in. At least you get a few days warning with a hurricane. Tornadoes are really fast developing and if it weren't for the storm trackers around here we wouldn't have nearly the warning we do.

These guys do an amazing job. They really have a dangerous job and do it so people can have some warning. It was a good evening though overall. Today will probably be quieter.

Life Goes On

Is it worth a few days of pain to have years of loving devotion from a pet? The pain is pretty intense to be sure. The years of loving devotion are just as intense though.

Without a doubt yes it is worth it to me. From being a puppy or kitten, hatchling, or whatever kind of pet you decide on it is worth all of the happiness, joy, and trouble they give you. It is endearing in hindsight.

Pets are a bargain when you compare them with human friends. Not mine mind you, my friends are like family. I'd do anything for them and frequently tell them that. However I hear tales of friends from coworkers, in public, and when I read things. Some friends just have agendas when it comes to you.

A pet never will. You feed them, clean after them, and in return they will sleep on you, want you to pet them, pull over the trash, and generally make your life far more interesting than it previously was.

I have one cat now. Rocket. Anyone who knows me has probably seen a glimpse of him, he hides from company. Patch would have jumped right up in your lap though and laid down. Rocket is just as loving, just shy though.

When The Date moves in she is bringing a cat that is a lot more playful than either of my two cats. It should be interesting to see how Rocket takes it. I know how it is going to happen for a while. He is going to be very upset. I've been reading on how to introduce them with the least amount of stress for me....it will take some time but it can be done!

Patch Rest In Peace

You were a wonderful, friendly, loving, fun family member. I'll miss you Patch.


-- Post From My iPhone

Busted Up

My John Wayne exterior was generally broken up last night as I broke down crying over my kitty Patch to The Date. Things one and two were very sympathetic but stayed outside the house and did lawn work.

Meanwhile I contented myself with a Zaya and Coke. I wanted to go scotch but after seeing the limited supply I had of Jura Superstition I chose the Zaya. If you haven't tried Zaya rum go now to the liquor store and have them order it, I doubt if they have it in stock. It is hard to come by. It really needs no Coke to compliment it and really didn't have a lot of Coke in my two mixed drinks but I didn't want to think of my kitty. This was the first time in quite a while I've actually caught a buzz from drinking. Usually I go with a drink from the pub or Blue Note. They aren't usually full strength as I had last night.

I instead bundled up in a blanket on the couch, held Rocket (Patch's brother) to my chest and watched playoff hockey (something I usually don't watch unless I am gambling on it). The Date comforted me as she has grown to love Patch as well. Things one and two know what is going on but likely not the severity of the situation.

Patch is suffering from heart failure. I've done a lot of research on the situation. Many kitty cats live through it and can have normal lives. Patch is in bad shape though.

She has been in an oxygen cage since I took her back into the vet on Sunday morning. She is alive and somewhat responding to treatment. I'm prepared to have her put to sleep though as I would never let my pets suffer. If she can't live a healthy life and on the vet's recommendation I will have them put her down.

If on the other hand she can have a healthy life and I have to monitor her and give her medication I'm also prepared to do that, every single day.

Clark Gable was once asked when he was filming Gone With The Wind if he could actually cry when his onscreen daughter was injured after a horse accident, I believe he responded, "If you can't cry over a hurt little girl, what can you cry over?" I've badly butchered it and took great liberties with the paraphrasing but the sentiment is the same.

So I cried over a eight pound kitty cat who gave me nothing but love and devotion for eight years who might not be with me much longer.

Good Weekend!

Mother's day came and went, I had an hour long talk with my mom on the phone. My friends Bob and Wendy were at Braum's last night and asked if The Date and I wanted to hang out with them for a while.

So we went there and talked for about an hour. It was fun! I'm planning on getting a phone call from the vet today. Not sure how I'm going to pay the bill yet but I'm hoping they will bill me. The last bill nearly tapped me out and it was just payday too! My next payday I'll only have my utilities on it and stuff like that, over half of my paycheck will be free for things like this.

The moving is going slowly. The Date has most of her house packed up now and boxes will start finding their way over tonight. I don't have any rehearsals this week and she doesn't have to work evenings this week!

It'll be good for getting a lot done!

A Week Off

Last night was the half time point of the show's run. I have the entire week off now and will go back next Friday night for the third and fourth show.

Last night went well. I was hungry so I went with the cast to the pub and grab a bite to eat after the show.

My kitteh was having problems breathing again this morning. Nothing like Friday evening though. I called the vet and he said to bring her in immediately which I just did.

The vet said she was having some buildup in her air ways but she was ok. He gave her a cortisone shot and wanted to keep her and observe her today to make sure she was breathing freely. He is going to call me this afternoon or evening to either keep her over night or so I can pick her up.

Patch Is Ok!

I called the vet and they said she was fine this morning and I can pick her up at eleven!
She will be home soon!

Sick Kitty

So Thing 2 and I are at home last night before going to the theatre. Patch is playing on the floor with Thing 2, perfectly normal.

Then not long after that Patch is laying down, not breathing right, and just listless. I rush her to the vet and they take her in. I have to go in this morning and pay a four hundred dollar deposit.

Hopefully she just got into something and had a reaction. They are going to do blood work and catch her up on her shots. It is just weird that she had a reaction all of a sudden. We are all worried about her, everyone loves Patch. Patch will just jump up into your lap and just love you.

She gets into everything, I have my cabinets taped up so she won't be getting into them all night. They said if I didn't hear from them last night that she is fine. I didn't hear from them.

The show went pretty well last night. There were a couple of flubs and a mishap with one of the swinging doors that knocked a dish of nuts out of one of the actor's hand. She carried on though and got every line in there!

Happy Friday!!!!

These days of getting up at six and getting home at eleven are wearing me out. The show went pretty well last night. The audience enjoyed the show. It goes on for real tonight.

Everyone had their lines pretty well down. Nothing major was missed at all. It went well.

Payday now and two days off. I'm so close to calling in today and going back to bed but I'm already up, showered, and have half a sandwich with me. My head is still a little foggy but it'll go away. The weather radio woke me up around midnight which made me think the alarm was going off at six which made me cranky but then happy because it wasn't six.

I went back to sleep.

I'll have a good amount of time off until the musical now. The show is in July. It'll be settling in time, find that daily routine time. It'll be nice.

Post Office Blues

No wonder the post office loses tons of money! At lunch time for most Americans they had two clerks helping an entire line of people! They are jacking up their rates come Monday on top of bad service!

I will not be using the post office ever again unless there is no altervative. I pay all of my bills online anyway, send email and texts. If it is a package I'm going Federal Express or UPS from now on.

The post office needs to privitize or go away.


-- Post From My iPhone

Friendly Rehearsal

Tonight the show goes on with a friendly crowd. The friends of the directors, actors and crew (well both of us) go out and the actors get a chance to see how the show plays with a live audience for the first time.

It's a good chance to see what works live and what is close enough to work it so it does work live. The show is coming together better than I thought it would have after seeing it last Friday night. The actors are getting the lines down cold and didn't miss hardly anything last night! Its impressive to see especially when you see how wordy the script is.

I'm really in need of a weekend. Late nights at the theatre and long days at work have me a little worn out. If I wasn't trying to build my leave back up from our Vegas trip then I would have taken a day off or two. I want to have around two hundred hours but now I've got less than half that.

Time though, it'll get better with time.

The next show, "Into the Woods" cast list was released yesterday. Facebook was exploding with all of the who got what part and everything. Lots of excited people out there! It will be a big challenge to light this show like it should be. Anyone who knows me knows I'm not a fan of theatre at all, I particularly don't care for musicals but I enjoy a good challenge more than my distaste for a music laden show and this will probably be a harder show to do than Yes Virginia. I had over seventy cues in that show and it was barely over an hour long.

By contrast I have right at thirty one cues in this show and it is running over two hours. Into the Woods will likely have closer to seventy than thirty. It's a big show, hence my love for a good challenge comes in.

Another Late Night

I was able to get out of the theatre just a little before eleven last night. Tomorrow night is the full on public rehearsal with a friendly audience. The cast was a lot better last night. They had their lines down except for one big skip which threw off another actor they were good.

It's running time is going to be a problem if they can't speed up the pace though. It keeps running at over an hour per act. I believe the director wants it cut down a lot closer to just one hour per act.

It is getting there though. Two more rehearsals is all they have then it's showtime. The past two nights I've had Thing 2 with me and last night Things 1 and 2 and The Date were there to watch and help out with the rehearsal. She had some sheets that the stage manager wanted to use in the show.

All in all this is an ok show. It wasn't quite the Neil Simon comedy I was expecting, it is more of a dramedy I guess. My booth partner who is running the sound is really enjoying it though. We've got the cues ironed out now and it will be a smooth show for us from here until the closing show. It took us three rehearsals from no cues to having every cue down cold...that's pretty good!

Late Night

Rehearsal went to almost eleven last night. It's alright though, we have the cues down cold. Two rehearsals down and we have our cues. This is a fairly easy show to do. There are two parts of the stage. We light one part or the other part.

There are about thirty cues all together. In Yes Virginia there were at least twice that many and it was a shorter show. This one is running over two hours long.

The actors are doing a great job with dealing with a massive amount of lines. There are some hesitations now but with this being the final week of rehearsal they will be good when Friday rolls around.

I'm tired. Work was busy yesterday and will be just as busy today. We got some good news though, a guy who is over seventy is retiring. He has three retirement checks coming in already and showed no signs of wanting to retire even though he told a much younger man who has a family to take care of he was going to retire late last year, then January...then February....then July because he was going to get an extra amount of money in his retirement check.

I believe he never intended to retire at all and honestly I lost all respect for the man. He is pretty well off, the man who was laid off was struggling. We had three more older and past retirement age people who took a voluntary lay off last year so they could save the jobs of the younger with less seniority people. A very noble thing to do.

With this man it was just greed. He filled out his retirement papers yesterday because he was mad that the company had turned down his temporary lead pay of .40 cents per hour as the lead was off on medical leave. So out of pure anger of missing out of .40 cents he quits.

Goodbye and welcome back to the man who will get his job back. Well maybe, the old man might change his mind as he cools off, who knows. I hope he leaves.

Kings, Queens, Princes, and Princesses

Yesterday was one amazing day! Take a picture of this, friends, everyone bringing something to eat, a grill, a deck, nice weather, cigars, and scotch.

It all came together for a spectacular day of bonding and intense friendship. This is one incredible family, my circle is like no others. These are the people I plan on taking care of on lottery winning day! Well and a handful of others besides my blood relatives and my northern brothers!

To start off with it was raining in the morning. Beersnob texted me and said it would be better to wait until three because the weather would be as good as it will be at that point. He was right!

We spent the day out on his deck, I manned the grill and boiled and grilled bratwurst and ground chuck hamburger patties. There was homemade baked beans, potato salad, pasta salad, dessert, chips, and drinks!

Then I broke out the cigars! The highlight for me was the Padron 1926 40th anniversary that I bought a while back for Beersnob's homecoming from Qatar. Well since that was during a time it was really cold out I decided to hold off until the weather was better. These cigars were magnificent. Very well constructed and held the ash to over two inches. They had a peppery, leathery, sweetness that made this absolutely the best cigar I've ever had!

Beersnob went out of his way and purchased a bottle of Dalmore Cigar Malt scotch which really complimented our cigars! I had enjoyed Jura Superstition before while I was cooking but that might not have paired as well as the Dalmore.

Yesterday was a perfect day! We all ate, drank, and had cigars. Kings and queens of all we surveyed! Princes and Princesses of all they will learn and inherit from us as friends, loyal and true.

Saturday Was A Long Day

It started when I got up a little after seven. I woke up a little, wrote my blog, and fixed some hot tea to knock the chill off. At ten I went to the theatre to help with the set call. The turn out was a little thin. It took longer than expected so we finished with the list around two.

Then I was off to auditions for a short project that Chris is ready to shoot. That lasted close to three hours. By then I was starving as I hadn't had anything to eat since a couple of doughnut holes that were back stage at the theatre.

We headed to a local eating spot and I ordered The Date some food and got myself something to eat. A little after six I got a text from Skate asking where I was at. It was Skate's Date's graduation party! So I headed over there until about two A.M.

Now I'm up and ready to go get meat for a BBQ we are having today at Beersnob's house. We are also having cigars so I'm going to dub it Cigar-B-Que. This is going to be fun even though it is a little rainy outside. Nothing a garage can't fix!

Yeaaaaaaa! Saturday!!!!

As I've blogged about most of the week, this was one of the busiest weeks I've had at work in a long time. I'm glad it's over. I'm enjoying a rainy morning and a hot tea to wake up with.

I ordered The Date a microbatch of roasted gourmet coffee beans from here. I found this guy on Twitter and read his tweets so I decided to order from him. His is a veteran too so that's twice as good!

He makes small batches, blends and roasts them himself, then ships it all out (with a hand written thank you note and a postcard). This the American Dream! To make a living doing something you love! I'd encourage anyone out there to give his coffee a shot. He'll email you back and ask for a review and maybe some pictures so he can build his brand and get feedback.

The price is reasonable and likely cheaper than you'll find from Starbucks. The batch I received was roasted Tuesday! How's that for fresh?!

Had my first lighting rehearsal last night for Broadway Bound. I believe after one run the lighting plot is fairly simple. There appear to be two main areas, bring the lights up on one and fade it to the other and back again. I'll get the exact cues down this week.

Facebook

It seems appropriate that I spend my 1,500 post anniversary by giving you my impressions of Facebook. For somethings I'm a long time resister while others I'm an early adopter.

I resisted cell phones for years and years until last year. Now I wish I could get my iPhone implanted into my arm somehow. Well removable so I can upgrade to the next best one of course but implanted nonetheless.

Usually resist fads. I don't plan on getting sleeves of tattoos. Not jumping onto the swine flu epidemic train yet either. In fact I'm kind of wondering why it is this big of a story. There are a little over one hundred cases in the US...that doesn't seem all that bad. I bet there are more cases of tuberculosis out there than swine flu. Sheesh, its ridiculous.

Well I finally adopted the Facebook trend. My Space might be my first social site love but Facebook is more like a slow motion chat with friends (which I enjoy better)....which also has a great iPhone app. Now if something crosses your mind, you Facebook it and see what your friends think about it.

The interface uses the thread style of comments. One of the older bulletin board models on the web before VBulletin took over the message board world. No knock against VBulletin, that is my favorite design by far. The thread Facebook style is more updated than its yesteryear counterparts but still a classic design model that was eventually replaced.

It works though. It is fun, can be exciting, and without a doubt I'll find myself spending more time there in the future. So there it is my friends, fifteen hundred posts down. I've got no idea what the next fifteen hundred have in store but I'm sure it'll be a wild ride some of the time....the others will be pretty mundane as most of my posts are.