J_E_G.....From the land of OZ

Wednesday, July 27, 2005

 

Here we are mid-week and my birthday rapidly approaching on Saturday. As I said previously I don't normally make a big deal about my birthday but I'm leaning toward doing something special this year...just don't know what yet. I know this, if there is a birthday cake involved I am at the age where it better be a fireproof cake. Good thing I don't pay attention to numbers. If I did the number I'm hitting would say I'm closing in on being as old as dirt. Damned good thing I don't feel that way!! To me age is a state of mind and I truly believe you're only as old as you let yourself feel. Anyway back to what I may do, hmmm maybe I'll just hit the road end up at my sister's house and see where it goes from there.

Right now I'm just gonna kick back and enjoy this classic rock station I got on.
That's it for now. Later.

Posted by J_E_G 7:42 PM   

Monday, July 25, 2005

 

Just got through eating after soaking in the tub to cool down after another hot day at work. Really it wouldn't have been so bad if it wasn't for the fact I felt as though I was sleep-walking the entire ten hours at work. All because some dumb-ass (me) just had to stay up way to late last night. Will I never learn?? I guess someday I will. One thing is for sure I'm going to bed at a reasonable time tonight.

With this past weekend being the hottest of the summer so far it past by with me not doing a hell of a lot. Part of me wanted to get out and do something while the other part of me said, what, are you effin crazy it's hotter then the devil's playroom out there. So I basically stayed in. In fact this tight wad actually broke down for the first time and turned on the AC. Ok ok I'm not really a tight wad, this apartment I live in has a window air conditioner and anybody who has ever had to run a window AC knows what it can do to an electric bill. So all I've been trying to do is live within my means. However after sitting here and starting to get a very good idea what it feels like to be a hog roasting over a fire I said the hell with it and turned on the air conditioner. The hell with being miserable I'll deal with it when the bill comes.

Time to end this, kick back and relax a bit before heading off to bed.
That's it for now. Later.

Posted by J_E_G 8:32 PM   

Thursday, July 21, 2005

 

Sometimes words will fail me, hopefully my pictures never will. Below are a few for your viewing enjoyment. The first two are new, the next two are borrowed, while the rest are old for those of you who may not have seen them yet. The second two were taken by my brother on his recent hiking trip in the Rockies. Damn I need a job like his.
That's it for now. Later.

Posted by J_E_G 8:25 PM   

Wednesday, July 20, 2005

 

With the completion date of our project rapidly approaching, just under a month and a half, things are getting a little hectic to say the least. What with everybody scrambling around trying to get things done. Today it seemed as though everyone was scurrying around attempting to work in the same spot on the floor, much like a pack of rats pouncing onto the last and final piece of cheese on the face of the earth. The stress of all these other workers tried to manifest itself onto me, but I managed to side step it while carefully slipping by them and going about my own chores.

Someone has turned the thermostat up and the heat of summer has really set in. The high temp today was 101F with no relief in sight through the weekend. Stopped at Mr Goodcents on the way home and got a sandwich for supper. As hot as it is I damned sure didn't feel like cooking anything, hell, it's almost to hot to eat. And now I'm just going to relax do a little blog reading and maybe fall asleep early.
That's it for now. Later.

Posted by J_E_G 7:13 PM   

Sunday, July 17, 2005

 

This weekend has come and gone rather pleasantly and relaxingly(hmmm is that right, oh well it works.) uneventful. In other words I stayed close to the apartment. Not that I didn't want to go anywhere, but with the gas prices so damned high it's hard to get in the car and just go. Although yesterday marked the two week count-down till my birthday rolls around. Normally I won't any big deal over my birthday, I gave up doing that years ago. You don't create expectations and you don't get let down. So now I just kind of let it pass by as just another day with maybe an occasional card from family members. But who knows, I keep an open mind and maybe this year will be different.

I did brave the heat last evening and hit the walking path around this large pond we have here in town. It's good exercise and a good chance to snap some pic's.
That's it for now. Later.

Posted by J_E_G 6:32 PM   

Thursday, July 14, 2005

 

Posted by J_E_G 8:44 PM   

Tuesday, July 12, 2005

 

Ok, I think we'll file this post in the what the fuck were they thinking category. I'm referring of course to the .incident that happened this weekend in LA where a man who was involved in a standoff with the police was shot and killed. What makes this incident different then others was that a baby he was holding was also shot and killed. It seems that after a long holdout the man came out holding the baby and opened fire on the police wounding one officer. Shortly after that the police returned fire killing both the man and the baby. Again what the fuck were they thinking!!! The police claim they feel bad, and well they should, but they believe they handled the situation as good as it could have. They claimed they showed amazing restraint waiting as long as they did before returning fire on the man. As far as I'm concerned with the man holding the innocent baby or any other hostage for that matter, any shot fired at them shows me total lack of restraint. I've heard them say they did right and that the man was at fault for putting his little baby in harms way. True he should never have put the baby in that situation, but surely there was a better way of handling this. Like say maybe falling back, taking cover and waiting for the man to run out of bullets and then taking him. Anything but shooting back and putting that baby at risk. Makes me wonder just what they are teaching our law enforcement officers and their leaders, because it sure as hell didn't have to turn out the way it did. All I know is that when I read the article yesterday it turned my stomach. I'll end with this statement....Come on law enforcement you can and must do better then that.
That's it for now. Later.

Posted by J_E_G 7:16 PM   

Monday, July 11, 2005

 

This past weekend left me with a bad taste in my mouth so to speak. It left me wondering just how high do the gas prices have to get before we as a nation finally stand up and say enough already. I was going to go driving around the countryside to get some more pic's to post but passed on it because I couldn't see wasting away the gas. Now I can handle canceling a pleasure drive to conserve gas but when it starts to affect my family in negative ways I say it's time to draw the line. My mom and my sister wanted to come down to be here when my brother's wife had surgery Friday but decided against it because of the high price of gas. Just as I was wanting to go to Topeka to spend some time with my mom before she went back to Phoenix, only to decide against it because I couldn't afford to make the trip. So again I ask how far does it have to go before something is done. As far as I am concerned it's gone far enough. Not only can we not make the trips we want to but has anybody noticed what has been happening to food prices lately. Yep, they are on their way up because of higher transportation costs. What can we do about this?? I have no specific answers, but I think it's time we start leaning on our legislators to get something done about this problem. It might not do any good, but hey, it's worth a try.
That's it for now. Later.

Posted by J_E_G 7:56 PM   

Thursday, July 07, 2005

 

Sorry I haven't posted much this week, it's not that I didn't want to, I did, honest. Seems that each night I sat down to do a posting I ended up dozing off. Yeah it's been a rather hectic week at work. We are getting down to a little over a month and a half before we are supposed to have this project done and well I don't think we are near as far along as we should be. Hell the sheetrockers are still hanging sheetrock. Which is why I will be getting up early tomorrow and heading to work instead of kicking back on a Friday like I usually do. I didn't find out till today that I would be working tomorrow. I heard a couple of the sub-contractors talking about working tomorrow so I went and asked my boss if we were working tomorrow. At first he said yes. Then he did something that just drives me nuts. He said well I am, you (meaning me) can work if you want to. Oh gee thanks boss. I wish he'd just tell me we will be working instead of leaving it up to me to debate with myself whether I want to work or not. So I spent the rest of the afternoon asking myself do I want to work or would I rather have the day off. Finally my need for the extra money won out over my desire for the day off and I'll be showing up bright eyed and bushy tailed for work in the morning. Ok maybe that's pushing it a bit, I'll just say I'll be there.
That's it for now. Later.

Posted by J_E_G 8:44 PM   

Tuesday, July 05, 2005

 

From Washout to ROCK OUT

The holiday weekend has come and gone and it's back to work time. Don't know about anybody else but I sure wasn't ready for that. As far as how the holiday went it was pretty good. The city here puts together a good 4th of July celebration each year, with plenty of vendors in the park, amusement rides, the typical parade and best of all the free musical entertainment. Oh yeah and fireworks, can't forget the fireworks.

Two bands were scheduled to play Sunday evening and the other two on Monday evening. With much despair it started raining just two hours before the bands were scheduled to play, and it wouldn't let up. Along with the rain came the lightening and that led to the canceling of Sunday nights entertainment. One of the bands cancelled that night was tequila Sunrise, an Eagles cover band that we were all looking forward to hearing. The night wasn't a total washout, we did get to see a good fireworks display.

Monday arrived and with it the sunshine as well. And last night thousands of people gathered in the park eagerly awaiting the headlining act of the weekend. We weren't disappointed as we all totally rock out to a fantastic show put on by 38 Special. I thought after the Electric Light orchestra's performance last year that nothing would be able to top them. I was wrong, 38 Special totally rocked to put it mildly. Below are some pic's I managed to squeeze in through the crowd and take. So how was your weekend?

Posted by J_E_G 9:11 PM   

Friday, July 01, 2005

 

Warning this post may seem to be somewhat self-centered. And to this I say yay it's about time. As you read on you gain a better understanding. For a long while now I have known I'm not where I should be nor where I want to be at this point in my life. You see I've spent most of my life all to willing to accept things as they were. You know the don't make waves or cause trouble. Even though it meant that most often I'd be swept into a corner or even stepped on. I know this can be traced to my upbringing but that's a long story for another time. I'm not sure what has brought about this sudden change in me but I have finally found my voice and the ability to speak up. And you know what, well most of you do, but it works. I spoke out recently and the world didn't come crashing down on me. I've been on my current job for most of a year feeling I was making less then I really should be, yet I was fearful that if I spoke up they'd just get rid of me. That all changed last week when I finally got the nerve to speak up and approach them for a raise. To my surprise my boss was in full agreement with me. In fact as of yesterday I got the raise I was seeking and not just a small pittance of a raise but I will be making an additional $1.50 an hour. So yeah I have learned finally I don't have to just sit back and take it. And well, it feels pretty damned good. I guess it's never to late to change.

I hope everyone has a great forth of July holiday and for those of you whom it is not a holiday go out and have a fantastic weekend. I know I'm going to.
That's it for now. Later.

Posted by J_E_G 9:45 AM