Unluckiest- or luckiest guy ever!

I can't decide if getting hit by lightening twice in less than a minute- and surviving means you are the luckiest or unluckiest bastard ever. Either way, this had to leave him with the mother of all headaches!

Sunday evening and I'm tired-

We had a beautiful Easter church service this morning that was as nice as any Easter service I've ever attended. For the first time in several years our church bell was rung at the end of the service! Ringing that bell and letting the community know that St Peters is alive and welcoming has been a priority for me for several months now. After a bit of high altitude maintenance this week, it works and I rang it for all the world to hear!

I finally got the grass mowed here at Wasted Electrons World headquarters this afternoon! The weather and my other obligations have really conspired against my efforts to keep the grass under control and I finally got some hours and dry weather today. The front yard was so bad I had to mow it twice! But it's done and in spite of the Muse of Murray's reluctance to awake from winter slumber. Now I just have to get busy with some additional sprinkler work... I purchased a big bag of bulbs for the spousal unit to be installed shortly in an unwatered flower bed, so before we can plant, I have to pipe in some irrigation. I suppose that will keep me busy in a day or two!

And, in spite of my very best efforts, I'm still unemployed...

I nominate this for the weirdest picture on the internet-

see more WTF Pictures and WTF videos by Picture Is Unrelated
Weird.

President Obama can kiss my carbon footprint!

So yesterday was Earth Day and Barry found it neccesary to issue a 2 page statement to highlight our country's efforts and needs to save the planet- all while burning 53,000 gallons of jet fuel plus gasoline for a 30 car motorcade during a 3 day fund raising trip.

Barry needs to shut the hell up about us common folk trading in our full sized vehicles for better mileage compacts! If he wants to prove he is serious about preserving the planet and America's demand for fuel, he needs to install one of those high tech big screens in his office that he was whining about not having last week and implement his fund raising through online conferencing!

Show us that you're serious Mr. President and stay home! Do your fund raising over the internet with video conference technology and I'll begin to believe you are serious about saving the planet! Until then, just be quiet!

In honor of Easter weekend-

Missed it by that much...

Drove into Salt Lake today to see the boy and on the way back, through a blinding snowstorm, stopped in Centerville for lunch. Minutes after getting off the highway, this 17 car accident was taking place where I had just passed through. By the time I ate a burger at the In & Out Burger joint and got back onto the interstate, it was pretty clear that the highway was closed behind the northbound on ramp.

Sure glad I was on the front side of that accident! Now if the dang snow would just stop falling so spring can get underway things will be great! It has been snowing nearly non-stop for 3 days and I am quite ready for it to stop!

Worst movie ever!

Since the BSU is still away and I was pretty certain she wouldn't like it, I went to see Your Highness tonight. I'm not going to link to it because it's not worth it. If you're 20, maybe 25, this money might be funny and a good tale. If you are older than that, you're probably not going to love it.

I watched it and tried to enjoy the tale of knights on a quest to save the betrothed of one of the 2 brothers, one knight strong and honorable, the other a bumbler and layabout but I just didn't like it. It's vulgar and rude. It has pretty women in it- that's the only positive but the rest of the movie is trash1

Obama is awesome-

You're going to have to watch this video to find out why everything Barry does is right and awesome and why Bush was an idiot. It's pretty funny.

Hat tip to Tam for sharing where I would find it.

Of women and haircare-

I love my BSU, make no mistake about it. I love most women for that matter but that's not important here. As some of you may know, the BSU is visiting her sisters and homeland of rainy, damp Oregon right now. As has been her habit for decades, preparations for a trip to Oregon requires that she go to the hair fixin place to get a permanent in her hair.

Now as I understand permanents, they are intended to make one's hair curly. The BSU insists that she doesn't pay for a "curly" perm but rather a "body" perm. Over the years these trips to the stylist's shop have generally involved much sobbing and fretting after the fact and the money's spent but the level of emotion has generally subsided over the past years. No matter, it's always a difficult time here at Wasted Electrons World Headquarters when the curliness of the spouse's locks are involved.

This time wasn't much different but it did involve a level of hilarity that I just couldn't pass up mentioning. As usual, a week before her departure she went and spent real money on a "body" perm then fussed over it everyday before she left. The night before her departure, she had a small shopping list of neccesities that they apparently don't sell in the People's Socialist Republik of Oregon and we had to go out. One of the things she needed was conditioner for her hair. Fine, we'll buy conditioner. Turns out though, she needed 2 different kinds of conditioner- 1 to rinse out and another to leave it after using the rinse out type...

Then, as if 2 kinds of conditioner weren't enough contaminants dumped on her cranium, she wanted to go back to the scene of the crime where the body permanent had been inflicted to buy another product that is guaranteed to add curl to her locks! She didn't want curl when she paid for the treatment but now she wants to pay for stuff that will add curl! I did the math, this tube of miracle curl is over $300 per gallon!

I told her before she left that she shouldn't be very surprised if the combination of all these chemicals, applied repeatedly to her hair doesn't spontaneously erupt in flames! And what if she confuses them, rinsing out the "leave in" conditioner and leaves on the "rinse out" model? What then, purple hair?

Sometimes it is just so good to be a guy!

Spring is here and I'm grounded...

Hooverdamm! Yesterday morning, the very first thing, I managed to throw my back out- gain. It was going to be a beautiful spring day and I was going to get Sleek Black Beauty out of the workshop and inspected for a new registration sticker but that was not to be. I spent the day taking pain relievers and muscle relaxers and wearing a heat wrap on my back. I napped most of the afternoon and went to bed plenty early.

Today hasn't been a bit more exciting... At least it's raining outside again and forecast for the next couple days so maybe my enforced rest won't feel like I'm wasting good days of spring.

How do I...

Upload a 116mb file through my Microsoft Outlook email? I've already trimmed a 1 hour radio program mp3 file down to just 16 minutes but it is still too large to squeeze through the interweb. Google mail has a 25mb limit and using Comcast's internet email method doesn't seem to work either.

Suggestions please?

Sunday evening week in review-

I used to squeeze in a post most every Sunday evening but that habit slipped off some time back- completely unremarked by the (very) few of you that still stop by but I'd thought I might try to get back into the habit. This last week has been full and busy and heartbreaking, so it's only fair that I share some of it with you.

You already might have seen that we took our Very Elderly Visla to the vet for her very last appointment. That was a heartbreaker for everyone concerned but it really was time. We are missing her around here very much. Eating the last bite of my peanut butter toast or lunch snadwich seems completely foreign to me as she has shared those bites these many years. The picture down below actually shows Sandy enjoying her last bite of peanut butter toast before leaving for the vet's office, that's why her lips are curled and her teeth are showing, not because she was snarling as it appears.

I stayed busy job hunting this week. The job interview for the hardware store job seemed to go well but they haven't called and asked me to start. The store is scheduled to open on April 11 so if they are going to call, I suppose it will be soon. I applied for a job as a maintenance manager for some type of equipment fleet. That should be a shoe-in as I was an aircraft maintenance manager for 18 years while in the service! I even took the time to write a new resume that focused on my experience managing aircraft fleet maintenance requirements. But again, I haven't heard anything back from that action; maybe next week.

I applied for a handful of jobs with the giant orange box store so maybe I'll land a job that requires me to wear an orange apron everyday. We'll see.

I actually may have scored a job as a Program Manager but it is contract work similar to what I've done for 10 years and the contract won't be issued until July. If the company that contacted me wins the contract, I'll be fully employed in August but that sure is a very long way away.

The BSU and I went out to the movies Friday night and saw Lincoln Lawyer which although it's no Oscar candidate, it is a decent and interesting tale. Matthew McConaughey plays an LA defense lawyer that prefers operating from the back seat of his Lincoln Town Car who runs into a big-time case that really puts all his skills to task. It isn't too long before he realizes that his client is not only probably guilty of the current crime he is accused of but is without doubt guilty of killing a woman that another client went to jail for all the while claiming his innocence. But in spite of threats to his family and the murder of his good friend and investigator, he manages to earn an aquittal for his client and the fat payday that was agreed upon while getting justice done on all coounts. It was definitely a worthwhile movie for the cost of the tickets and popcorn so go see it if you're so inclined.

Oh yeah, we got out taxes done... Being unemployed and having to take money out of a couple retirement accounts has not done me any favors with the IRS and the state. Not sure at all how I'm going to get everything paid that needs paid but it sure is going to keep me eating cheap for a significant period of time!

Next week- a coule days of driving cars, taking the BSU to the airport for another trip to Oregon, a Dr.'s appointment, and I have to get the Lincoln inspected so I can buy registration for the next year. The Lincoln needs new air springs up front, (and maybe more suspension parts) so getting it passed might be a trick. And perhaps I'll get fishing line wet for the first time this year with Jim & Kenny but it has to quit snowing first!

What to wear-

For a job interview this afternoon for a hardware store job?

Khakis and a dress shirt and tie seem about right.

The good news? The store isn't even open yet- still under construction and right here in Ogden so not too much of a commute. I'll bet I can sell hardware.

Sandy Lou, R.I.P.

Today was Sandy Dog's last day on this planet and she is now enjoying a pain-free life on Piddler's Green. She was close to 20 years old, deaf, nearly blind and arthritic. For the past several weeks she has been having more trouble negotiating the stairs and couldn't get herself up when she slipped off her feet on the concrete floor in the laundry room a couple times in the past week.



Sandy had been living with us since about 2002 when the young man next door asked us to babysit her as he was moving on to a job that required him to fly everyday. He had rescued her, healed the injuries she suffered physically and emotionally and loved her with his whole heart. But she's been a part of our family for quite some time now and we will miss her kind heart.

It's been a painful day around here...

It's that awkward time of year again-

It's too early to put away the snow shovel but already time to break out the rakes and start spring yard cleanup! The winter snow always leaves my yard looking terrible and every leaf left unraked last fall is matted and soggy in the grass. I got started on the front yard today and got picked up the worst part of the crud but only got about 1/3 of the yard raked before my arms called for a time out.

There's still lots of yard left!

Dead or Alive- a book review

Do you remember the first time you were introduced to a Tom Clancy novel? Was it The Hunt For Red October like it was for me? Did you get hooked by the intricate detail, suspense and character development and tear right into Red Storm Rising? I sure did! I was an avid fan of Tom Clancy's work and his main character, Jack Ryan, right up until Tom started writing books that read like video game, first person shooter scripts. At that point, I decided that Tom had sold out to the video game producers and I gave up after Rainbow Six.

But let me tell you, Tom Clancy is back to his former skills with Dead or Alive! I picked this up a couple weeks ago and loved every one of the 848 pages! Jack Ryan is back as the now retired, ex-president but his son, Jack Jr, is the main character here, working in a non-governmental, off the books, self-supported terrorist hunting agency, The Campus. This group is intercepting CIA and NSA communications and making their own analysis and then sending out field agents to track them down. John CLark and Ding are back from their service with Rainbow Six and involuntarily retired from their government service and quickly picked up The Campus for their unique skills.

What terrorist are they chasing? Well in this story, he's called the Emir but he's the guy responsible for the attacks of September 11, 2001, so you can draw your own conclusions. The Emir has a grand scheme that The Campus gets wind into his plans and the story takes place all around the world tracking down counterfitters, snitches and couriers. The Emir, long sought in the mountains of Afghanistan has departed the area and taken up temporary residence in Las Vegas of all places!

It gets bloody. The story is intricate, detailed and suspenseful. Jack Ryan Sr decides he can't stand the direction that the country is headed under the new president and declares his candidacy for election to replace the soft, unskilled, wishy-washy president currently in the White House...

Clancy really hits a homerun with this book and I heartily recommend it. It is dense but if you remember the adventures of John Clark and Ding and Ryan, you must give this book a read. Look past those disappointing video game script stories and give this one a chance, you will quickly fall under Clancy's amazing story telling spell.

Why do you suppose-

that Dave Baggott, the owner of the Ogden Raptors Baseball Club called me this afternoon? And why did I miss his call since my phone was in my pocket all day?

Honestly, I have no idea why he called. I may find out tomorrow since whoever took my return call this afternoon wrote down my info and said he would pass it along.

You don't suppose he has a job for me do you? I could play Oggie, the raptor mascot and dance on the dugouts!

UPDATE: Dave called me. Apparently I left a message months back related to Ogden Clear Headlights and he was just clearing off his desk. He did offer me a killer advertising deal that I would love to be able to take him up on for my little 1 man business. The deal included 2 concourse banners, 1 each on the left field and right field concourse walls, a 30 second advertising spot on each radio broadcast of the games and enough ballgame tickets that I could attend every game with all my friends.

I really need a logo and just a few hundred bucks! I wonder if I did afford this opportunity if it would boost my sales. It would be some real advertising, something I haven't afforded so far and I would love to be a Raptor supporter, so this is a very tempting offer.

It's Monday-

Which means the BSU made it home safely though exhausted, after a week in Oregon last night and I'm getting ready for another couple days of driving cars. I've also been found by one of my very best friends from my time in England- Hi Peter! and we have swapped some pictures and emails this weekend. Peter's found the best job in the world, self employed as a classic motorcycle restorer!

I've already suggested that maybe I should open a US branch of Aspire Restorations! Go check out some his work in the gallery!

Is it weird-

that many of my dreams lately have involved me being at work? And many of my dreams that I remember involve me being in uniform?

I'm not usually cognizant of my dreams after waking but in the past couple weeks, I have been aware of my dreams and most of them have involved me being on the job, and frequently back in the uniform of the USAF, the uniform I wore for 21 years. But I've been out of uniform for 11 years, (and out of work for 13 months), so I really don't know what it all means.

Good news on the job front or just sad commentary on being out of work and remembering the days when I did have a task and a calling to attend to- I admit I don't know what the answer might be. Right now I'm leaning towards the latter circumstance.

Sure, camo weddings are tacky-

But this one takes the cake! Twenty-one couples got married on Valentines Day at the local Cabelas, the couples marched in to a 5 piece kazoo band...

You know that the first time I married the BSU, I wore Levi 501s and went barefoot and the preacher we hired to do the chore wore cowboy boots on the beach. But I think we beat all these folks!