Shoulda, Coulda, Woulda...Says who?

 









   So, I watch this program on NBC called "American Ninja Warrior" its a fun show that showcases agility, fitness, athletic ability, and all out fun on one hell of a crazy ass jungle gym. I know, you're saying "really Rich? you're not the athletic type.'' but hey, it's really a fun show. Yes, it showcases all those things, but it does a lot more. For many, its brought people out of their shells. Given them outlets to be more than they had ever hoped they could be.

Sure a lot of them are former gymnasts, or rock climbers, but some are just everyday people, average Joe's that watch it on TV and say "hey, i can do that."
and you know what? They go out and do it. Men, Women, young, old, kids. The show is a phenomenon. For 11 seasons, it has been bringing out people from every state. Every State! From Florida, to California, Alaska, to Hawaii. Even from other countries. People are coming out to try their luck to win a million dollars. You really get into it. Cheering for the competitors, hoping they come back next season. Its a blast.

 But i digress. There is another reason I watch this program. It's the human stories that are told. The guy that helped a little girl get a kidney. The young man who donated one of his own kidneys to his friend, then came out to compete. The rancher that competes with the support of his wife, who has MS. 
The Competitor that brought awareness to his condition Allopecia, and the children that are afflicted with it, and how thru ANW, he's helping these kids lead normal, every day lives. Showing them that they are just like everybody else. Even still, there was one guy that wanted to compete so bad, he worked so hard to lose enough weight so he can compete. He didn't get passed the second obstacle but, hey, he tried. and he had the guts to go on this show and do it on live TV. That impressed the hell out of me. And it gave me a goal. something to shoot for.
If this guy could feel motivated to lose weight, come all the way to California from New York to compete on live TV. I can work out a bit more to get a bit healthier. Maybe not a Ninja Warrior type healthy, but hey, if they can have a 58 year old man compete on this show, who's to say? I can say I shoulda done that, I coulda done that, I woulda done that...But maybe I'm too old for this?
Maybe I'm too old for too lose too much weight" 
Says who?
I can do whatever I want. 50 is supposed to be the new 40, right?  Well, here's to the new 40, lets see what we can do with this...
I'll keep you posted...

Peace.

Well guess who's back once more...?

Yes, it's me. Back again to muse the nonsensical at you and spill the guts that have shown to be that which is my life. It's been quite some time since I've taken to the blog, but hey, real life does get in the way and it can be a real bitch at times.

 So, what have you all been up to? Enjoying that which is the current state of affairs in this wonderful country so far? Yeah, that's got to be a real conversation starter, eh? Unfortunately it is the one thing that does get people going in some of the worse ways. Whether you support the dumb ass or not, today/s current political state of affairs does leave much to be desired.
But that's something for another day.

So, what have I been up to? Well, I've been getting creative. I make walking sticks and canes, and hiking sticks. Making and selling. It relieves the stress.
So, I'll be back here, talking a bit, and from time to time, showing anything new that I make... See ya soon, folks..

Out of Adversity, comes Creativity...

There are times, when I'm feeling at my worst, I deal, by being creative. This week, hell, the past two weeks have been straight up BS! I've been lied to, insulted, assailed with disparaging attacks on my personal character. Made to feel that I was no better than a low life that crawled out from under a rock.
I had to do something to get my mind off of this. So I turned to the one thing that always helps me free my thoughts, and my soul...My Creativity. My Woodworking.

I finished my latest project....the Desk for my wife.

It's a simple little, open design, 48 inches long, by 27 and 1/4 inches wide by 31 inches high.  I bought two glass risers for the back, so that she can put the monitor, that you see in the photo, on one, and her printer on the other. The table space is wide enough for both her work and personal laptops to fit side by side, and when she's not working, she can have enough space to do whatever crafts, or projects she chooses to do.

The Side and back rails are fitted in with oak pins, the desk itself is made from solid pine and stained in espresso polligloss to give it a deep rich tone. There is enough space underneath, so that if she wishes, she can put a small file cabinet and still have room to sit comfortably.
She's going to make a desk pad for it out of felt, and the design of the table top is such that it allows for airflow to cool everything.

This is, by far the biggest project that I have undertaken, since building my own platform bed, and that was a project, let me tell you. I did not come out of that unscathed. I twisted a ligament in my forearm...yeah, that hurt, but that's another story for another day.
For now, this is done, and it made me feel a sense of accomplishment that I needed this week.
To quote James Brown, "I feel good!" lol!

Peace....

Friend...?

Until today, I used to think I knew what that word meant. I used it guardedly. I had acquaintences, associates, but in my adult life, very few true friends. I've always done my best to be true to whatever friendships I have made, and to not betray the trust that have been made or given. Betrayal of trust is a big thing to me, friendship is a big thing to me. It always has been. So when someone betrays my trust, it not only hurts, it angers me. What gives them the right to do so? How can someone be so callous, as to take what you have given them, and throw it away like so much trash?  It used to be, you made friendships that lasted a lifetime. People you knew since childhood, your teenage years, and into adulthood, then on... You had associates you met at work, that turned out to be pretty damned good friends, and some that were just that, work friends. Some you could trust as brothers and sisters, and some, well, some were just that...an associate. Nonetheless, The word "Friend" has a special meaning in any language. Amigo, bro, amiga, buddy, pal, ally, collegue, comrade, tovarishch, 'ami, mate, any way you slice it, it means trust. Or so I thought. How naive. But then I've always been a child at heart. Trusting in the true nature of people. Never truly believing that cynisism inside, that I had to guard my heart. That no one could ever truly be trusted. No matter how good they seem to be. Betrayal, ain't it a bitch. Just when you think you have everything figured out, life tosses another lemon your way. Maybe my mother was right all along, you never can trust anyone but yourself, and friends will always let you down. I never wanted to believe that, but tonight, mom, your words rang truer than a church bell on Sunday morning. And my heart is breaking because of it...and I have to spend the rest of my days looking over my shoulder. Damn...

Peace out... 

WHEN IS ENDANGERED, NOT JUST A WORD???

When some clown is packing 650 Critically endangered Pangolin's in his freezers...Then it's SLAUGHTER!

DATELINE: INDONESIA.....

"Indonesian authorities have seized more than 650 dead pangolin's hidden in freezers and arrested a man."

That was taken from the BBC news headline about a man who was arrested with the frozen carcases of 650 pangolin's. 650! WHO DOES THAT!?! This animal is on the critically endangered list, and this clown goes out and drops their number by 650! WTF! 

This is an animal that has no teeth, its an Anteater...an ANTEATER! This animal is so shy, they get ulcers when stressed out by being with another pangolin for too long.

OK,  I understand in some countries, ya can't just go out to Mickey D's and grab a happy meal, but DAMN, People, this animal doesn't eat people, it doesn't attack children, its a freaking anteater! You want to be healthy, be a freaking vegan and leave the damn endangered species alone!

There are people out there experimenting with Bear, Tiger, Lion, Elephant, Dolphin, Komodo Dragon, anything they got the money to buy...You want to spend your well unearned inheritance, buy a kale farm.

And leave these guys alone....

Oh, by the way, the guy that had those 650 carcases, he said they weren't his, he was holding them for a friend...RIGHT...

Nuff said. 

Peace.

Five Movies you should give a shot....

Hey, so I normally don't recommend movies, as my taste usually runs a little different than the mainstream, ok, lets face it, it's a lot different, but I've come across five movies that I believe anyone who calls themselves a fan of the cinema, should give a shot...Ok, so lets go...

First up...

Now, if you haven't seen this gem out of Iran, friends, you are in for a treat. This interesting take on the vampire mythos, stars a doe eyed beauty named Ana Lily Amirpour, as the afore mentioned nightstalker, who comes across the one thing she never expected while looking for victims to extend her life...love. It's a darkly, creepy little gem that should be watched with the subtitles, but if you have an aversion to reading, get the dvd and dub it in English. Me, I'm a bit of a purest, and don't mind watching films in their native tongue. Again, the mood is dark, dire and utterly depressing, but there is a bright spot in all of it, and saying more would ruin it...Watch it and see...It will be one to add to your favorites.

Number two, is an interesting little piece I caught on Netflix called

What happens when your job is photographing the worst that humanity leaves behind? Does it give you a craving for justice? Do you act on that, or do you just leave that in your imagination, and go on with your life? And what happens when your imagination gets to be too much? All of these come into play in Crave. A movie about a Aiden, who lets his imagination go a bit too far, while pursing his neighbor, Virginia. It's a movie about a man who wants justice in world where he sees none.  Where fantasy and reality start to blur, and come to a dangerous head. Its darkly comedic, and also sad and poinient at times, but it never loses sight of the main storyline, and that is Aiden's quest for Virginia, and justice. However lopsided it is. It's a pretty good movie, A bit slow in getting to the point, but still very good. 

Number Three is one I've seen on Netflix and suggested a few times 

  I Saw The Devil...is a movie from South Korea, and I will say this, anyone who says there is no such thing as good cinema in South Korea, has never watched a movie from there. This is a thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat from the beginning to the very end. This movie is Amazing! Choi Min-sik is phenominal as the reprehensible serial killer that takes the wrong victim, when he chooses Lee Byung-hun's fiance. This is a tale of vengence gone totally off the charts. Just a note, it's very graphic, gory, and violent, but the violence is done in a way to tell the story and not just for violence sake. Watch it...but not alone. 

Number Four, has a bit of everything...

Bone Tomahawk...Is it a western? Is it a horror story? Is it a search drama? Or All of the above? YES! IT'S ALL And much more! It is a slow churning, western era, horror story search epic taking place at the turn of the century. Kurt Russell and Patrick Wilson give awesome performances as two members of a search party facing the unexplainable and deadly in the old west. Its Gory, its slow paced but it all goes together oh so well...Check it out, but again, be warned, its not for the squemish.

Number 5 is one of my all time favorites on Netflix...

What can I say, the movie hits every mark. Its action, drama, a bit of dark comedy, and one of the best knife fight scenes I've ever seen in a movie! and I've seen a lot! This movie doesn't stop. As does the protagonist, Won Bin, he is awesome as the pawn dealer with a heart, and a secret past, who pulls out all the stops to save his little neighbor from human traffickers,  and the little girl is a treasure. There is one scene, if it doesn't bring a tear to your eye, you have no soul! Yes, it's that good. The Man from nowhere, On Netflix, check it out...yes, i'm still looking for the dvd...

There you have it...Five movies you should be watching...check em out, and let me know what you think? I welcome your opinions...

Like always, have a great day and be nice to each other...Peace.

If it's August, it must be Rio, and that means......

That's right folks, it Olympic fever time! I don't know about you, but I do enjoy me some Olympic games. Whether its Soccer, Boxing, Volleyball, Basketball, Swimming, Gymnastics, Track & Field, it doesn't matter, I enjoy watching the competition, and this years games have been all about competition, controversy and excitement!
History has been made in the first week of the games, what with Michael Phelps doing what he does best, and Katie Ladecky sweeping the competition away...they might as well write "SEE YA!" on the bottom of their feet for all the others to read as they see them swim away...I'm loving it. (Yeah I stole your tag line Mickey D's, boo hoo..).
That wasn't what I found most impressive, as I said, history was made this week, by this young lady,
Simone Manual, when she became the first African American woman to win a gold medal in swimming

OK, she tied for first with the Canadian swimmer, but that's not the point. the point is SHE WON A FUCKING GOLD MEDAL!! Damn right! and she made her country proud. She's awesome! And she's living breathing history! That's right boys and girls, she will forever be in the annals of time. And no one can take that away from you, Ms. Manual...And she's from TEXAS! I have a few friends from Texas, and I'm sure they love that point. 

Also on the historic front, there was another first this week...Fiji, you know that little island nation that everyone who has the bucks, goes to, to for a honeymoon? Well, they decided to get out there on the rugby field and do something they've never done. Win a gold medal! 

I mean damn, whoda thunk it? they ran with the big boys and said "Kiss my ass!" we ain't no backwards island boys...We're a nation, dammit and we're here to win! and win they did. They knocked off the British lion, to take the gold. I'm telling you, this has been a most unexpected week of first. I've seen the Argentinian men's soccer team, get blasted out of medal contention. A once, 8 year old boy, grow up and take the gold away from the man he idolized as child, and these ladies, whom I have the most respect for, the U.S. Women's Soccer team, get knocked out of medal contention, via penalty kicks, no less!

I really sad about that, but this is the Olympics and anything can and does happen. So for the ladies of the US team, competition in Rio is over...There's still the World Cup...and they are the defending champs. Looking forward to watching that.

Now, there's still a week of more games to watch, more Boxing, wrestling, Track & Field, and all the other sports. There will be winners and loser, records broken, and new ones set. And in all this lets do one thing, competitors, if we can. STAY OFF TWITTER! I know you were upset about losing Ms.Solo, but calling the opposing team cowards for winning, well, that was just sour grapes...This is the Olympics, there is a winner and a loser in every sport. They don't give medals for just showing up. You ladies gave it your all, you kicked some major ass, but it was not meant to be this time around. Take the loss, and go enjoy the rest of the games. Like I said, you have the world cup coming soon...and you know everyone will be gunning for you then.

Enjoy the rest of the games...if you're watching...I am.

Peace.

LIKE THE NEW LOOK???

Hey, I was getting bored, and what does an insomniac do when he's bored and the info-mercials aren't hitting the spot?

CHANGE THE LOOK OF HIS BLOG!

Well, at least that's what I did....check it out..I'll be back in a few to tell you about the rain that came and the branch that fell...(AGAIN!)...

LATERS!

No Really, those red lights are my Tail lights, you moron!

You know, as I was driving home tonight, I couldn't help but wonder, is that ass behind me getting a bit too close? Then I was pretty damn sure when I couldn't see his headlights any longer but got a real good look at his dumb face in my rear view mirror!  It's bad enough, during the day, when you have to deal with the jackasses playing Pokemon go, while driving, texting, cutting their damn toenails, whatever the hell they're doing that takes their attention away from controlling a two ton vehicle, but then we come to the evening and I not only have a bunch of Fast and Furiest wannabes, driving in and out of traffic like its damn speedway. REALLY?! It's a freeway you morons!

OK, so back to this evening. I'm driving home, and would like to make it home without an incident, but the clown behind me is intent on riding so far up my tailpipe, he wants to see how much gas is in my tank!  At this point, I would normally brake check anyone who doesn't have brains enough to know they're too damn close, but this clown is too damn close, and hitting my brakes, even just a touch, would cause an accident that I don't want or need.  So I did what any responsible person my age would do...I slowed my ass down. Which seemed to have pissed my piggy backer off even more.

So much so, he finally got the idea, and went around. In doing so, he almost hit a truck, and flipped me the bird as he sped off on his merry way. Was I pissed? Of course I was. Anyone who knows me, knows I speed up and did my best to catch his ass, see if I could get him to pull over and discuss his stupid actions in a "gentlemanly" type fashion...yeah, you know beat his ass with a stick...but I got cut off by another dumb ass, and he got away...

I mean, quite honestly I enjoy driving. whether it be on the freeway, the street, off road, whatever, I like it. It relaxes me, well for the most part. When you through in dipsticks that have no regard for other people that are sharing that same road, highway, street, whatever, well then, it really pisses me off! I mean, damn, my wife is driving on that freeway! My friends and co-workers are driving on that damn thing, and they have to put up with these ass wipes that don't care. I don't know what it's like in your state, but here in Arizona, its getting pretty damn scary. Case in point ; I had a co-worker, who told me about his girlfriends driving test. The instructor took her out, told her to make a left...go a ways, make another left...go a ways, make another left...go down  and make another left...back into the parking lot of the MVD. After which he had her park and told her she passed...to this day, my friend is still terrified to be in the same car with her. I DON'T BLAME HIM! He says she can't make a proper right hand turn to save her soul! Her driving test was basically to see if she was able to make a square! A FREAKING SQUARE!!!

If that is the criteria to get a license in this state, then it explains a whole hell of a lot. I have a co-worker who sold his scooter because he was tired of almost getting rammed every time he was out on the road. Honestly, I don't see how there aren't more Motorcycle accidents, the way people drive today. I've seen people crossing in the crosswalk almost get hit just before they get to the curb. 

Seriously, whether its not paying attention, or just not giving a fuck, people here in Arizona have to wake up. We have to remember, we're not invincible when you sit behind the wheel of that car. Airbags don't always save yours ass. Just ask the guy that went up behind the Semi last weekend on the 101...oh wait you can't, he's dead. 

My point is people, in all this ranting, and yes I do have one, is slow the fuck down. We all have somewhere to be, and we have the means and opportunity to get there, So lets get there in one piece. Safely. Unless you don't mind spending the remainder of your life sipping your food through a straw, or taking a dump out the side of your stomach with permanent fanny pack as your constant companion...

Get my meaning?

Peace...

PEOPLE HAVE THEIR COMFORT FOODS,  Their blankies, their woobies, safety nets, what have you...for me, it has always been writing.  Whether it be a journal, a poem, a short story or the blog, writing has always been a way for me to chill, relax and just let me be me.

So, after some time, a very long time. I'm getting back to the blog...to post about things that I'm doing. Creating, building, writing, and yeah, still rambling on. I'll tie it to my FB page but you won't see me on facebook for a while, as I'm taking a hiatus from the big FB for about six months...I have writing project I need to finish, a desk to build, and some walking sticks to make. Nothing against FB but I just think that there is time I could use doing these thing, that I have been spending scrolling and not posting a damn thing...

Quite honestly, with all the political rhetoric that is flying around FB nowadays, I think a hiatus would be a bit refreshing, really.

So here is where I'll be for the next six months, off and on, posting just about anything and everything...and maybe something worth while...

or not...

See ya soon...and good to be back.

Well Guess what? I'm BAAAAAAACK! and I'm PISSED!

Hello people.
Yeah it's me. I'm back...well, in truth, I never left, just took some time off. A hell of a lot of time off. What can I say, real life sucks sometimes. Hey, shit happens. So, lets see what's going on in the world...

ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME!

Some dumb ass comes up from Texas says "Trust me you dumb rich bastards...I can get Obamacare rescinded, or my name isn't TED, I'm taking your money, Cruz!"... And the PEA BRAINED republican'ts took his word for it.
So, Dorothy went to Oz, blew past the Wizard of stupid,(Boner) and got that weak kneed bastard, and the dumb shits to follow his lead and hold the country hostage, because they don't like a law they voted in!
WTF?!

Now Hundred's of thousands of people are out of work. People can't get to visit parks, monuments, etc... Vets won't get their benefits ( and that really pisses me off, as my Uncles fought for this country in WWII, damn it!). I have friends that are Vets, and this is not right. My wife is on furlough. We live paycheck to paycheck, no ones going to pay our bills, our house payment, pick and choose which bills are to be paid. While they mug for the camera, and say they are doing this for us, the people,  in truth, they are doing it TO US PEOPLE!!
And if this continues, we are going to be the ones screwed, while they still remain paid,  still lunching and feeding their face.


See, I noticed one thing. While most of the pinheads were in congress, doing what they do, Cruz was out doing face time with Tokyo Rose Palin inciting the people to riot!
GET IN THE DAMNED HOUSE AND DO YOUR JOB, YA DUMB ASS!

I don't know where we're going from here..we have one day to go before the country becomes deadbeats and defaults...All I know is that these idiots caused the greatest country in the world to come to a grinding halt because of a few assholes who threw a temper tantrum..

be back soon, people,,

DID I MISS IT?
The 12/21/12 Event...So, was it Midnight on or Midnight at the end of ?

Hey folks, how ya doing? Long time no see. Yeah I know, I haven't been here in a really long time, but I've been busy, work, life, things like that. I can go on and on...and I won't because that's something for another time.

So lets get down to the meat and potatoes of it all. 2012, we were supposed to not be here about now, I shouldn't be writing this to you folks, but yet here I am? And if you're reading this, there you are...and we did not go BOOM! So what's up? What happened? Questions abound and I'm sure there are people out there that are still hunkered down in their bunkers, waiting to hear some sort of explosion, earthquakes, commotion, something to validate that all the hopes and worries and thousands of dollars spent were not done in vain...WELL GUESS WHAT?

THEY WERE!

NOTHING HAPPENED! WE'RE STILL HERE!


Or are we?
See, according to the experts, the calendar that everyone was so freaked out about, well it never really had anything on it about an ending...more so, it was a change to of a cycle...where it rolls over to another cycle. it just starts over again. Boy are some folks really going to feel stupid. Well, here's one last chance...just to give you a break. We will see, the countdown started at Midnight tonight and you Kmart shoppers have 24hours till 11:59 pm 12/21/12 to see what happens...We will see. Do we still have time to pack? I'm going to have a great day...Let's see how you spend the so called LAST DAY ON EARTH!!!

yeah I know, but couldn't resist..lol!

See ya in the next few hours....or not....

Been a long Time, Folks...


So how ya been , World?

Yeah, the Wolf is back..betcha thought I was dead...no? Hoping, though..lol!
nah, I'm kidding..

So, where have we gone from where we've been? I'm still with the cable company, yeah, glutton for punishment, what can I say. Still married..Still have the Monkey, Dottie Ann, and she's crazy as ever..
Oh, let me tell you what she did last night,
The wife and I were taking her for her walk, and as we were coming around the corner to our home, we came upon three stray dogs! They ranged in size from small, to a large, white German Shepard. Now, one rule I have is never go anywhere without a good, sharp knife. And I make good on this, its a mantra, a standard, but that night, I forgot it.
I would rather stick my own leg than hurt a dog, but I had more than my own safety here. I had my wife, and Dottie Ann with me, and their safety was first in my mind. So I made noise, and big gestures, and it worked on the smaller dogs, but the big dog kept moving forward.
All I had was my hands, and I was ready to use them, when all of a sudden, Dottie Ann ran in front of me, on the leash, she stood in front of me and my wife, and stood her ground.

The Shepard kept advancing until it was just about nose to nose with Dottie Ann, I was nervous as hell but ready to act, when the dog beat me to it. Dottie Ann leaped forward, barking and snapping at the dog, the Shepard jumped back and turned. Dottie jumped again, and the Shepard took off running to join its friends. That little fifty pound ball of fire backed down a dog twice its size!
Telling you I was shocked was an understatement..I haven't seen anything like that since my late boy, Bear, backed down a Rottweiler, when he was six months old. I tell, you she really surprised me, putting herself between us and that bigger dog. That's my monkey, fifty pounds of attitude.

Well, that's it for now, but I'll be back..

Really People...Haven't we done enough?

With all the movies that Holly-weird makes, about Alien beings coming down
to wipe us out of the solar system, Zombie apocalysis's and what not. You'd think with so much worry about being wiped out as a species, Mankind would have
a bit more care for the other beings that share this big ass blue marble...
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
I read on another blogger's page, that the last Javan Rhino may have been
slaughtered for its horn...for it's horn? REALLY! Come you fuckers, have you not heard of Viagra? Is that the only way you can get the yang up?
I mean damn, get a real job. And before you say, "oh well you know in some parts, this is the only way they can feed their families..." Bullshit, ever hear of farming?
And it's not only the Poachers? Its the sick bastards that pay for it too! Medical research my ass. Since when was it necessary to wipe out an entire species? We rage out against genocides on a daily basis..Raise the red flag every time some dumb ass senator's state squirrel is in danger of losing its park, why can't we save an animal that has been around longer than we have?  Why not just say so and so's little muffin has been found to cure dumb ass-itis and let's see how fast they launch a protection order against shooting the Bischon-Frise'
I know these are other countries, and they have different cultures and such, but come on people..FOR A FREAKING HORN?
Killing and animal for food..to survive, I can understand, but to slaughter something needlessly, is stupid.
How would you like it, if someone came down and said, "hey little earth dude, on my planet, your toenails cure butt-rash..." and there we find your little dumb poacher ass,
dead, without toe's....
Would suck, wouldn't it?
Think about it.
Thanks to Wayne at the blog :My World and welcome to it for the following link:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia-pacific/vietnam-loses-fight-to-save-its-rare-javan-rhinos-after-last-animal-believed-poached-for-horn/2011/10/25/gIQAO04KEM_story.html

Guess we survived...DAMN, No zombies!

Well hell, Harold..Guess you were wrong again...Hey can't be right all the time, bubkey..well in your case, yes, you can't be right all the time.
Come on people, the man is 9,000 years old...He's Freaking Methuselah, for fucks sake! Without the freaking wisdom that age is supposed to bring..just the senility.
Wonder how many gathered for his little fireside apocalyptic chat, this time? hmm?
fuhgettaboutit!

Laters Harry...

Now on to lighter news..
Netflix owned up...800,000 people proved it..You were wrong homey.
"Split the service and they won't leave"...HA! What a maroon!
But the big cheese figures, he has the last laugh, "I'll agree to admit I was wrong", he says... but does he lower the price?
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Asshole figures he wins out by keeping the service as one, streaming and DVD, but still got to raise the fees...Still lost 800,000 customers dingus!
Only reason I'm still on it is because Amazon charges you a yearly fee, and then a rental fee to stream or obtain the DVDs how fucked is that?) and Blockbuster doesn't play on a Roku box..bastards..
Still there are other alternatives, and as soon as I find one that has as big a library as Netflix...unless they get their act together, I might be 800,001.

World is ending Friday, Again...

And here we go again..Round two of Harold Camping and the Family Radio Happy hour players!
Really?
Dude...You're 90, The world is ending for your every fucking day! Deal with it!
I mean, seriously, you may have had something relevant to say, back when you didn't need to strain your food, but come on grandpa..LET IT GOOOOO!

This guy had millions of sheep, and I call you sheep, because real people who claim to read and honestly follow that book of theirs, would not follow a false profit who is blatenently in this scheme for profit!
Plain and simple, folks, its a money ploy. He did it, Roberts did it, when was claiming he was going to be "taken home, if he didn't get a Million dollars". And instead of telling his ass, "Fuck it! Laters Oral, go home!" but NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
You gave it to him..not once..BUT TWICE!
REALLY?
People, there is a word for these freaks..
CON ARTIST!

JEEZE!

Boo! Stop me if you heard this..

So, one day, long ago, ( and we're talking long here..seeing as I've already reached the
half century mark..), there was this nice old lady that used to make dresses. Well she up and died. Yeah, shame, I know. Not the point, thing is, me and my "ever-always up to anything that could get us into the most trouble" friends, had gotten it into our minds that being she had died in the home, it had to be most certainly haunted! Hey, what'd you expect, logic? We were nine.
Any who, it wasn't so much that she had passed away..wasn't so much that she had chosen our neighborhood to live out her last days...WE HAD A HAUNTED HOUSE!
Yeah buddy, we were going to be cool! Talk of the school yard.
There was only one thing..We had to get PROOF!
Say What?!
Yup..Proof was needed..Can't be cool on your say so alone, ya know. needed something from the Ghost House (as it was now known). 
Damn!
That meant one, if not all of us would have to go into that house and bring out something, to show we'd been there. Something from her room!
WHAT!?
Hey, nobody said nothing about going into the old bats dead room!
Well, nobody, but Raymond. And he was on our side! The big dumb ass.
Now all the kids wanted us to go into the house and come out with something.
See, the house still had things in it..left behind things..and it had to be done at night
WHAT!
Shit, this was getting worse all the time. Well, not wanting to be called chicken, or worse, Liars. Ruben, Alex, Gabriel, Raymond(dumb ass, this was his fault..) and Gary and Kevin., and we were going for PROOF!
and it was going to be during the day..
Hey, we were nine, ya know.
So, we find a way in..and we were scared..hell, it was dark in there, and it didn't help
with Raymond making "Oooooo" sounds..(did I mention he was a dumb ass?).
The six of us made our way through the house, to the stairs and up to the second story. Now, it was September, which in California, is still pretty damn warm. So why was it so freaking cold in that house? And it was daylight. How come it was so dark in here? And why was that dumb ass still making those damn "Oooooo" noise, dammit!
Then the wind picked up! What the hell, NOW?! Really?
So up the creaky steps we go..yeah they were creaky, finally reaching the landing, and wouldn't you know it, her room was the only one with the closed door. How did we know this, you ask?
IT HAD A BLACK WREATH ON THE DOOR!
Could ya get anymore creepier!
Don't people ever clean up after the dead, jeez!
Well there we were, standing outside the door, of the haunted room..A myriad of Spirits, Ghouls, Demons and the like were sure to be on waiting for us on the other side.
There was only one sure way to proceed....
Raymond was going first.
After all, it was his big mouth that got us here in the first place. He kept up with the "Ooooo" sounds..and there were five of us that were in agreement to his one.
Numbers..they count for something.
Pushing Raymond from the middle of the pack to the front, we egged him on to open the door..that and the stern promise that we would tell every girl we knew that he had wet his pants and never went up the stairs..and being the ladies man that he thought himself to be, he could not stand to let that happen. So he did it.
HE OPENED THE FREAKING DOOR!
The room was a mess. There were still clothes strewn about, papers, a shoe...and dumb ass was opening the door for dramatic effect. Like he would now what the hell that was..SHEESH!
So we're peering into this room, dusky light is streaming in thru the milky white curtains, when Raymond opens the door fully. Only to reveal a figure, draped in white, standing in the corner! REACHING OUT TO US!
HOLY SHIT THE FREAKING JOINT WAS HAUNTED!
It was Her, and she was coming to get us and take us back to the grave! Or so that's what Raymond was screaming, as he just about knocked the shit out of the rest of us on his way out of the room and down the stairs. The rest of us not too far behind.
As we cleared the unboarded window, we had used to get in, we scattered in different directions, mostly in part because we were scarred half out of our wits, but also because the housing authority had shown up, and none of us wanted to get caught.
Meeting up later at Alex's house, all the tales of false bravado spilling about like so much OJ. Kevin had realized that in all our excitement and rush to get the hell out of there, we forgot to grab a keepsake to prove our "bravery".
Well HELL.
Until someone says, "Guys?..I got this"...
and we turn to see Alex standing there with one single red ladies high heel shoe.
In the mad rush to get out, Alex was the last one out, but thought quick enough to grab the one thing he had fallen one.
In passing, years later, I remember my mother saying the woman was a seamstress, and being such, had dressmaker's dummies. Looking back, I could just make out that free standing dummy, wrapped in the white shift curtains, as they blew with the wind from the broken window.
But in this nine year old's imagination, it was a ghost, in a haunted house..and the six of us braved the unknown that day in September for that red trophy.
Yeah, we were heroes...just for one day.

Through the Hoops..Circle of life my a...

So, ever since that damn animated movie came out, the mouse company has
everyone thinking that the so-called "Circle of Life" is this wondrous, ever changing
thing that happens and is a glorious change..
OK, right..if you're a butterfly, maybe. I mean that Caterpillar to winged beauty is
something, but for the most part, its skinned knees, the weirdness of adolescence,
and the ever changing insanity of adulthood.
There is no "Circle".
There are a never ending series of hoops you have to jump through just to make it
in life.
Actually, I'd call it a "Square".
Go Straight..Turn left! Childhood..Turn left! Teen-ager...Turn left! Adult...Turn
left! Senior citizen..hell I'm back where I started!
Nothing smooth about that one.
The simplest of these was childhood..really. All you had to worry about was breakfast
lunch and dinner, what you were getting for your birthday and Christmas.
Simple!
Unless your parents were total dicks, or you were that angst ridden dipstick
from "The Wonder Years" , then life was a breeze.
It's when you started to sprout, that the shit hit the fan.
I know, not all of you had a crappy teen age life..but we aren't all perfect teens living
in Small-ville..Shit happens, and you deal. Well at least I dealt.
Adulthood has not been all that rosy either. Relationships, family, friends..its all
a pain at times.. You work hard to maintain them all..and hope to freaking hell
you got it right!
Jobs..please, don't get me started. Can you say "Clicks?"
It's like high school all over again...Complete with the "in-crowds"
OY!
I'm kinda waiting to turn left again...waiting to see whats down that road...
What hoop I'll have to jump through next?

Peace.

Night Owls and Wayward Pooches

So, there I was, driving home from work last night. Remembered that I had to drop off my DVD rental in the post box. I pull into the Post Office driveway, no one around, I mean who's going to be there, its almost 1:30 in the freaking morning, right..well I'm there, but that's just me, and I have a bad habit of putting things off til the last minute because I procrastinate. Then again, that's just me..

Whatever..
Back to the subject. So, my Post Office has this wrap around driveway that leads to the drop off post boxes, pull right up and dump off your mail without getting out of the car. Talk about convenience. Well I pull up to the post box, and I'm ready to send off my Netflix DVD (that's something for another day..ugh!) and sitting right there on the box is this Owl! I almost hit the damn thing! It was just chilling out enjoying the night air, no bigger than a pigeon. Scared the bejuzzus out of me..HA HA! Really, who expects to see wildlife sitting on the post box?
Since moving to Arizona, I've come in contact with nature many times..I've had a Road Runner race my car. Seen a Coyote in the cotton fields across from my housing area.
Saw four Vultures light in the fields across the way from the airport down the way from my home. Been buzzed by a Hawk while walking my dog ( she was none too happy about that, I'll have you know..). Been visited by lizards more times than I can count
and one night something, don't know what the hell it was, but it was big, flew from the top of my air conditioning unit and off into the night! Still trying to figure what that was.
Have yet to have a run in with the standard denizens, Scorpions and snakes..though the exterminator did find a very large and, to use his words, "ballsy" Wolf spider, in my back yard when he came out to spray..said he actually had to kill it the old fashioned way...he stepped on it! Hey whatever works.
I mean last night after the Owl run in, I also ran into two stray Pit bulls..who looked so lost, no collars, and were not the vicious, snarling brutes the media likes to portray them as, they were just two lost puppies..who got out of their back yard..
I stopped the truck, rolled down the window, and said "Go home babies..what are you doing out? go on, go home"..
They sat there next to my door, looking at me as if to say, "oh, OK..sorry, just out taking the night air..bye". and off they went..
I did the responsible thing and contacted the authorities. I mean last thing I needed to hear was that two dogs got shot because someone woke and freaked out because he saw them when he was going out to his car..ya know? I wouldn't be able to look my Dottie Ann in the face if that happened..and in Goodyear, the Animal control will not come out late at night..Sissy's.
So that's the AZ..strange, wondrous, and in all its wild glory..yeah, I know..but hey, what do you want..
Peace.

Hi folks..Me again. Changed the digs, ya know, slapped on a coat of paint. New carpet, blinds, the whole nine yards. How do ya like it? Dottie thinks its nice..likes the view.
Well not a whole hell of a lot to talk about today. Guy I share a desk with can't seem to remember to log off the freaking computer when he leaves at the end of the day. Nothing like coming into work, sitting down and finding that you have to shut the damn thing down just to start up..peachy.
laters