Well here it is a new year and a new decade. Good riddance to the last decade.
Now is the time for new thoughts and new actions. I cannot decide exactly which path to take yet but I am most certainly taking a turn.
I did manage to quit smoking last year. One good thing... Now I just have to work on the weight that came with quitting. No, I am not one of those who makes a "resolution" to lose weight. I quit making resolutions New Years 2000. No, I am resolving to make some changes to my behaviour and activities. Doing that, the weight will take care of itself.
Other decisions aren't so easy and clear cut. Change careers or not? Move?
I have been playing with the idea of going back into law enforcement. Not as an officer but as a dispatcher. Part of me misses it. The pay was ok, the hours sucked, but you always felt like you made some kind of a difference. That is the part that I miss.
I love what I do now, the money is good, the hours are better, but, you don't make a difference. Not to anyone. I haven't felt like I have accomplished anything in a very long time and I think that is what is eating at me.
You know how you feel like your just wandering through your life? No objective? Not accomplishing anything? Yep, that's me. No worries though, I will decide what to do.
I have a whole NEW decade to work through it. Happy New Year..
Showing posts with label Holidays and asides. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Holidays and asides. Show all posts
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Holiday ramblings
I sit here today thinking back. I am remembering things like the Sears Wish Book, road trips to Grandma's, and being a kid. Just being a kid. Nothing special or exact. Standing at the table listening to all the Aunts and Uncles talking about "things"... You know what I mean. Those things that don't make a bit of sense to a kid but, must be "really important" because the adults are always talking about them.
Riding your bicycle on a crisp morning. Playing in the yard, after dark, when the adults are sitting on the porch "talking". Oh wait, no one does that anymore so some of you might not be familiar with that concept.
Have you noticed that they don't build houses with front porches anymore? Why? Some have back porches, patios, or decks, but no front porches...
The Sears Wish Book. There is something else that has gone away. Oh they still send out a "Holiday Catalog" but I am referring to the toy only, kid only catalog. I am talking about cover to cover HEAVEN. We could entertain ourselves for hours with one of those. Imagining waking up Christmas morning to find everything we wanted under the tree... Of course by Christmas morning, we were so excited we quickly forgot about the catalog itself.
Trips to Grandma's. Now that is something that there is absolutely no replacement for. Funny how thinking about it brings back everything including the smells. It would be COLD outside and you would come in the door and you could smell the coffee in the kitchen. Or the propane heat. Of course the first thing you did was back up to the Dearborn. For those of you that have never experienced it, you have missed out. You back up to the heater, as close as you dare, for as long as you dare. Then you run over and find your spot to sit and instant warm chair... Of course if you got too close or too warm, you had more than a warm spot to sit lol...
Grandma lived in Brownwood and we were in other places but always met up with other family in Fort Worth for the trip. Now to get to Brownwood you travelled down Hwy 377 South for 125 miles. When you're a kid that seems like forever but you passed the time doing other things. Of course you knew how close you were by the landmarks that you would pass or the places you stopped for coffee along the way.
You passed the Pate Museum in Cresson. Unfortunately it is closing as of noon today. What a loss. They had cool airplanes, boats, and cars and it was FREE! Free? Yep, thanks to Mr. A.M. (Aggie) Pate, we had the luxury and privilege of seeing these great things for free. He passed in the late 90's and of course the large land holdings have been sold of little by little and the number of visitors had dwindled over the years. This is a real loss for people. I spent last Saturday out there taking pictures and will post some this next week.
We never seemed to make it past Granbury before we stopped at a roadside diner for coffee. Daddy always said it was because their coffee was too good to pass up. Of course, now that I am an adult and that diner is gone, I realize it is because someone forgot to go potty before we left lol....
After Granbury, you knew you were halfway to Grandma's when you saw the wolf. The wolf was the Wolf Nursery sign in Stephenville and it was huge. You knew you were halfway there and of course we usually made a stop at another diner in Stephenville. Good coffee you know.
Then you knew you were almost there, when you got to Gore Brothers in Comanche. Gore Brothers is a feed company right on the highway and inevitably Farmer Brown on his John Deere tractor was causing a traffic jam. LOL Traffic in Comanche? Three tractors and two pickups? Now Comanche was right up the road from Grandma's. It was the last big town before Brownwood and we were getting antsy...
Ahh there is Aunt Laveda's antique shop... Whew hew we are there... Hurry up daddy... Now in the real world, you still had about 20 minutes before you got there but.... Aunt Laveda's shop was in Early. Early Texas is a suburb of Brownwood. A suburb? Lord I never thought of it that way.. I never realized Brownwood was big enough to justify a suburb.
Oh and Laveda's Antique Shop really did belong to my Aunt Laveda. Damn I miss that place but that is memories for another day.
Ohhh there is Chicken on the Run. Now Chicken on the Run was around the corner from Grandma's. Oh and they served the best damn fried fish you ever ate. I don't know why the hell they named it Chicken on the Run but hey, it worked.
Oh there is Grandma on the porch, wiping her hands on her apron. Yeah, come to think of it, there is another tradition gone by the wayside, aprons. I will cover that tradition another time too. Yep she was waiting for us. I hope that next time I see her, she is waiting for us with her apron. I have one of her aprons, and yes, I wear it.
Merry Christmas Grandma.
Riding your bicycle on a crisp morning. Playing in the yard, after dark, when the adults are sitting on the porch "talking". Oh wait, no one does that anymore so some of you might not be familiar with that concept.
Have you noticed that they don't build houses with front porches anymore? Why? Some have back porches, patios, or decks, but no front porches...
The Sears Wish Book. There is something else that has gone away. Oh they still send out a "Holiday Catalog" but I am referring to the toy only, kid only catalog. I am talking about cover to cover HEAVEN. We could entertain ourselves for hours with one of those. Imagining waking up Christmas morning to find everything we wanted under the tree... Of course by Christmas morning, we were so excited we quickly forgot about the catalog itself.
Trips to Grandma's. Now that is something that there is absolutely no replacement for. Funny how thinking about it brings back everything including the smells. It would be COLD outside and you would come in the door and you could smell the coffee in the kitchen. Or the propane heat. Of course the first thing you did was back up to the Dearborn. For those of you that have never experienced it, you have missed out. You back up to the heater, as close as you dare, for as long as you dare. Then you run over and find your spot to sit and instant warm chair... Of course if you got too close or too warm, you had more than a warm spot to sit lol...
Grandma lived in Brownwood and we were in other places but always met up with other family in Fort Worth for the trip. Now to get to Brownwood you travelled down Hwy 377 South for 125 miles. When you're a kid that seems like forever but you passed the time doing other things. Of course you knew how close you were by the landmarks that you would pass or the places you stopped for coffee along the way.
You passed the Pate Museum in Cresson. Unfortunately it is closing as of noon today. What a loss. They had cool airplanes, boats, and cars and it was FREE! Free? Yep, thanks to Mr. A.M. (Aggie) Pate, we had the luxury and privilege of seeing these great things for free. He passed in the late 90's and of course the large land holdings have been sold of little by little and the number of visitors had dwindled over the years. This is a real loss for people. I spent last Saturday out there taking pictures and will post some this next week.
We never seemed to make it past Granbury before we stopped at a roadside diner for coffee. Daddy always said it was because their coffee was too good to pass up. Of course, now that I am an adult and that diner is gone, I realize it is because someone forgot to go potty before we left lol....
After Granbury, you knew you were halfway to Grandma's when you saw the wolf. The wolf was the Wolf Nursery sign in Stephenville and it was huge. You knew you were halfway there and of course we usually made a stop at another diner in Stephenville. Good coffee you know.
Then you knew you were almost there, when you got to Gore Brothers in Comanche. Gore Brothers is a feed company right on the highway and inevitably Farmer Brown on his John Deere tractor was causing a traffic jam. LOL Traffic in Comanche? Three tractors and two pickups? Now Comanche was right up the road from Grandma's. It was the last big town before Brownwood and we were getting antsy...
Ahh there is Aunt Laveda's antique shop... Whew hew we are there... Hurry up daddy... Now in the real world, you still had about 20 minutes before you got there but.... Aunt Laveda's shop was in Early. Early Texas is a suburb of Brownwood. A suburb? Lord I never thought of it that way.. I never realized Brownwood was big enough to justify a suburb.
Oh and Laveda's Antique Shop really did belong to my Aunt Laveda. Damn I miss that place but that is memories for another day.
Ohhh there is Chicken on the Run. Now Chicken on the Run was around the corner from Grandma's. Oh and they served the best damn fried fish you ever ate. I don't know why the hell they named it Chicken on the Run but hey, it worked.
Oh there is Grandma on the porch, wiping her hands on her apron. Yeah, come to think of it, there is another tradition gone by the wayside, aprons. I will cover that tradition another time too. Yep she was waiting for us. I hope that next time I see her, she is waiting for us with her apron. I have one of her aprons, and yes, I wear it.
Merry Christmas Grandma.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Veterans Day thoughts
Why is it that everyone says "Happy" Veterans Day? Happy? Hmmm makes you wonder about the thought behind it. I don't think of it so much as a happy day. The things those men and women went through are not happy things. I am sure they don't think back on them as happy times. I really think that it is more commercial than it should be too. Just another reason for a sale. That's wrong. If the post office and the bank can close up for the day, why the hell don't other people?
Just say "thank you". I am sure it is appreciated more than you can imagine. Thank you for putting yourself in harms way so that myself and others did not have to. Thank you for going, literally, to the ends of the earth to protect me and others from the evils of this world.
Just know that you are appreciated. I am sure, over time, there will be more "tragedies" such as Fort Hood. Yes, they are veterans now too. Even those who were just coming into the military that day. Please know that without the brave, there is no free.
Just a few thoughts for the day.
Just say "thank you". I am sure it is appreciated more than you can imagine. Thank you for putting yourself in harms way so that myself and others did not have to. Thank you for going, literally, to the ends of the earth to protect me and others from the evils of this world.
Just know that you are appreciated. I am sure, over time, there will be more "tragedies" such as Fort Hood. Yes, they are veterans now too. Even those who were just coming into the military that day. Please know that without the brave, there is no free.
Just a few thoughts for the day.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Well the holiday is over....
and of course that means back to the office in the morning. How is it that long weekends are never long enough? Had a great afternoon visiting with my brother and his girlfriend. Got a few things done around the house but generally made it a no labor, labor day weekend.
I do appreciate the holiday. I am not sure that many people of the younger generation have a clue what it means though, much less how it came to be. Most of them forget that there was a time in the not too far distant past, that forty hour weeks were unheard of. If you didn't work seven days a week, you weren't working. Child labor, long, hard hours, dangerous conditions, for little pay were the norm. I was lucky enough to have been born into an old family and can remember the stories about picking cotton, following the crops, and doing without.
That era was when unions came to be and they were there to protect the worker. Contracts and laws were put into place to protect the worker and their families. Better than half of all workers, back then, were blue collar workers. Those hard working men and women built this country. They built it with their sweat and their tears and they did it all so that we, the younger generations, could have better. I am almost ashamed of what it has turned into. Greed and corruption have caused the unions to outlive their usefulness. Now before you come after me with a noose, hear me out.
I knew a man years ago that worked for General Dynamics aka Lockheed Martin. This man had no formal training past what he was given through work. He had no college education. He put a part in a machine, pressed a button, and took it out of the machine. All day. That is all he did. If the machine broke, he called someone to fix it. If they were changing the design of the part, someone came by and coded the machine as needed. Part in, push button, part out. Nothing more. In 1984, this man was earning nearly 30 dollars an hour. 25 years ago. That was for a straight 40 hour work week.
Of course Lockheed is a contractor of government parts and material, therefore deadlines were involved. If you wanted overtime? No problem. Time an a half of course. Oh, you don't mind working on labor day? We will pay you triple time to work a federal holiday. If your overtime falls on a Sunday, you get double time. 25 years ago, that man was making MONEY and a hell of a lot of it. Why is this relevant you ask?
All these "perks" were written into their contracts by the union. Sure it is fair that they get time and a half for overtime. That is federal labor law. That is something that all hourly workers are entitled to. It is the other completely outlandish perks that prove my point. People wonder why things made in the USA cost so much? It isn't quality like it was back in the day. It is union contracts. GM used to have a contract that stated when you retired, your insurance was paid, in full, just like when you were still working. Now I am not a mathematician by any means but any half brained moron knows that you cannot continue to do that forever. That isn't good business sense.
As a result of union contracts, most items are now priced ridiculously high. We complain that items made in the USA are overpriced and we can't afford to buy them. We buy cheap junk from overseas and if it breaks, oh well, we will just buy another cheap one to replace it with.
Back in the day, when our grandparents were working and these labor laws went into effect, they were still turning out quality products. I recently went into an old store in Cooke City Montana. The lady running the store had a 1948 Frigidaire refrigerator, still working, in the store. That item was made by Frigidaire, owned by none other than GM. Yeah you remember them right? Yep, pre-government motors. 1948. It not only worked, but she had not had one problem with it. That refrigerator is 3 years younger than my mother. She retired last year. The fridge didn't.
I own a Frigidaire refrigerator. I can assure you, that in 60 years, it will not still be running. 1948, metal with metal working parts. 2008, plastic. Need I say more.
I do appreciate the holiday. I am not sure that many people of the younger generation have a clue what it means though, much less how it came to be. Most of them forget that there was a time in the not too far distant past, that forty hour weeks were unheard of. If you didn't work seven days a week, you weren't working. Child labor, long, hard hours, dangerous conditions, for little pay were the norm. I was lucky enough to have been born into an old family and can remember the stories about picking cotton, following the crops, and doing without.
That era was when unions came to be and they were there to protect the worker. Contracts and laws were put into place to protect the worker and their families. Better than half of all workers, back then, were blue collar workers. Those hard working men and women built this country. They built it with their sweat and their tears and they did it all so that we, the younger generations, could have better. I am almost ashamed of what it has turned into. Greed and corruption have caused the unions to outlive their usefulness. Now before you come after me with a noose, hear me out.
I knew a man years ago that worked for General Dynamics aka Lockheed Martin. This man had no formal training past what he was given through work. He had no college education. He put a part in a machine, pressed a button, and took it out of the machine. All day. That is all he did. If the machine broke, he called someone to fix it. If they were changing the design of the part, someone came by and coded the machine as needed. Part in, push button, part out. Nothing more. In 1984, this man was earning nearly 30 dollars an hour. 25 years ago. That was for a straight 40 hour work week.
Of course Lockheed is a contractor of government parts and material, therefore deadlines were involved. If you wanted overtime? No problem. Time an a half of course. Oh, you don't mind working on labor day? We will pay you triple time to work a federal holiday. If your overtime falls on a Sunday, you get double time. 25 years ago, that man was making MONEY and a hell of a lot of it. Why is this relevant you ask?
All these "perks" were written into their contracts by the union. Sure it is fair that they get time and a half for overtime. That is federal labor law. That is something that all hourly workers are entitled to. It is the other completely outlandish perks that prove my point. People wonder why things made in the USA cost so much? It isn't quality like it was back in the day. It is union contracts. GM used to have a contract that stated when you retired, your insurance was paid, in full, just like when you were still working. Now I am not a mathematician by any means but any half brained moron knows that you cannot continue to do that forever. That isn't good business sense.
As a result of union contracts, most items are now priced ridiculously high. We complain that items made in the USA are overpriced and we can't afford to buy them. We buy cheap junk from overseas and if it breaks, oh well, we will just buy another cheap one to replace it with.
Back in the day, when our grandparents were working and these labor laws went into effect, they were still turning out quality products. I recently went into an old store in Cooke City Montana. The lady running the store had a 1948 Frigidaire refrigerator, still working, in the store. That item was made by Frigidaire, owned by none other than GM. Yeah you remember them right? Yep, pre-government motors. 1948. It not only worked, but she had not had one problem with it. That refrigerator is 3 years younger than my mother. She retired last year. The fridge didn't.
I own a Frigidaire refrigerator. I can assure you, that in 60 years, it will not still be running. 1948, metal with metal working parts. 2008, plastic. Need I say more.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Christmas? Already??
I got my newest Avon catalog today. WTF??? Christmas? Really? Already?
That's it. I refuse. School has just started as has football season and they are advertising Christmas?? Nope, not gonna do it.
Now those of you that know me, know that I do not get all giddy about Christmas. It isn't that I dislike Christmas, far from it as a matter of fact. I just resent the commercialism that surrounds it. I resent the fact that for approximately 360 days a year, some people are anything but a joy to be around. Yet the week of Christmas they suddenly develop those familial feelings that they don't have any other time of year. They suddenly feel all charitable to those less fortunate when all year long they will cross a street to avoid a homeless person.
I remember being a kid and right around Thanksgiving, the Sears Wish Book would arrive. Oh man! Your parents would hand it to you along with a pencil and tell you to mark only those presents you REALLY want. Presents you REALLY want?? Uh hmm This is a book of toys. Oh my, sensory overload! Of course my parents really did not use it as a guideline as to what I wanted. Sure I gave out millions of hints about that Schwinn 3 speed complete with banana seat. Oh and there was the “portable” record player. Oh man that thing was COOL!
No I don't hate the holidays. I just hate what they have turned into. A number of years ago, a doll came out that, I swear, made everyone lose their minds. Number one, this doll was ugly. This doll and the millions like it where touted as your very own baby... You could even find one to look like your precious little Jane or Johnny. All the kids wanted them. Including my precious daughter. I tried everything to talk her out of that doll but she would have none of it. That was the ONLY thing on her list that year. No pressure though mom, Santa will come through. He always does. ARGGGGGHHHH!
So mom (Santa) did the only thing she could do. She stood in line for hours along with other crazy parents and grandparents at the local Wal-Mart. When they released them, OMGD, I managed to get one in my hands just as they ran out. I was home free, no worries, Santa came through! I turned to leave and I was amazed. Standing before me was another mother. She literally reached out and attempted to grab it out of my hands. So help me, I almost reached out and “touched” her, but I resisted the urge. She was screaming. Screaming!?! “Oh my God! I have to have that! My daughters Christmas will be ruined if I don't get her one. Please, I am begging you?”.
Something just turned off inside. I looked at her and asked her one question. “Your child's Christmas will be ruined if she doesn't get this doll. So if your child will be ruined for lacking this toy, who's fault is that?” At that point I literally threw it at her, and hit her in the face with it. No, I am not ashamed that I did that. I walked out of Wal-Mart and went home.
For the next couple of weeks, I spoke with my kids numerous times about the joys of Christmas and what it REALLY meant. I was surprised when my daughter asked me the make sure that Santa didn't go out of his way to bring her that doll that she would rather go get an angel off the tree and help some other child in need. I could not have been prouder of my children than I was at that moment.
So the rule is, I will not discuss presents, plans, wants, or needs until Thanksgiving. Once Thanksgiving is done, then let the season begin, BUT NOT UNTIL THEN!
I know that sounds cold and I suppose to some it is, but isn't the season more about what you give than what you receive? Isn't it about hearing squealing kids on Christmas morning when they open their gifts? Or about that feeling you get when you sit across from your family over Christmas dinner? All of them in one place at one time?
I am sure that a lot of people will disagree with me and that's fine. Just know this: I will not discuss this with anyone until after Thanksgiving. Maybe you will have forgotten by then or be so wrapped up with the stresses of finding that perfect gift that you will just agree to disagree.
P.S. If you are the mother in question, reading this blog? I still don't feel bad about hitting you with that damn doll. I just hope that your children learned to appreciate the season for what it should be.
That's it. I refuse. School has just started as has football season and they are advertising Christmas?? Nope, not gonna do it.
Now those of you that know me, know that I do not get all giddy about Christmas. It isn't that I dislike Christmas, far from it as a matter of fact. I just resent the commercialism that surrounds it. I resent the fact that for approximately 360 days a year, some people are anything but a joy to be around. Yet the week of Christmas they suddenly develop those familial feelings that they don't have any other time of year. They suddenly feel all charitable to those less fortunate when all year long they will cross a street to avoid a homeless person.
I remember being a kid and right around Thanksgiving, the Sears Wish Book would arrive. Oh man! Your parents would hand it to you along with a pencil and tell you to mark only those presents you REALLY want. Presents you REALLY want?? Uh hmm This is a book of toys. Oh my, sensory overload! Of course my parents really did not use it as a guideline as to what I wanted. Sure I gave out millions of hints about that Schwinn 3 speed complete with banana seat. Oh and there was the “portable” record player. Oh man that thing was COOL!
No I don't hate the holidays. I just hate what they have turned into. A number of years ago, a doll came out that, I swear, made everyone lose their minds. Number one, this doll was ugly. This doll and the millions like it where touted as your very own baby... You could even find one to look like your precious little Jane or Johnny. All the kids wanted them. Including my precious daughter. I tried everything to talk her out of that doll but she would have none of it. That was the ONLY thing on her list that year. No pressure though mom, Santa will come through. He always does. ARGGGGGHHHH!
So mom (Santa) did the only thing she could do. She stood in line for hours along with other crazy parents and grandparents at the local Wal-Mart. When they released them, OMGD, I managed to get one in my hands just as they ran out. I was home free, no worries, Santa came through! I turned to leave and I was amazed. Standing before me was another mother. She literally reached out and attempted to grab it out of my hands. So help me, I almost reached out and “touched” her, but I resisted the urge. She was screaming. Screaming!?! “Oh my God! I have to have that! My daughters Christmas will be ruined if I don't get her one. Please, I am begging you?”.
Something just turned off inside. I looked at her and asked her one question. “Your child's Christmas will be ruined if she doesn't get this doll. So if your child will be ruined for lacking this toy, who's fault is that?” At that point I literally threw it at her, and hit her in the face with it. No, I am not ashamed that I did that. I walked out of Wal-Mart and went home.
For the next couple of weeks, I spoke with my kids numerous times about the joys of Christmas and what it REALLY meant. I was surprised when my daughter asked me the make sure that Santa didn't go out of his way to bring her that doll that she would rather go get an angel off the tree and help some other child in need. I could not have been prouder of my children than I was at that moment.
So the rule is, I will not discuss presents, plans, wants, or needs until Thanksgiving. Once Thanksgiving is done, then let the season begin, BUT NOT UNTIL THEN!
I know that sounds cold and I suppose to some it is, but isn't the season more about what you give than what you receive? Isn't it about hearing squealing kids on Christmas morning when they open their gifts? Or about that feeling you get when you sit across from your family over Christmas dinner? All of them in one place at one time?
I am sure that a lot of people will disagree with me and that's fine. Just know this: I will not discuss this with anyone until after Thanksgiving. Maybe you will have forgotten by then or be so wrapped up with the stresses of finding that perfect gift that you will just agree to disagree.
P.S. If you are the mother in question, reading this blog? I still don't feel bad about hitting you with that damn doll. I just hope that your children learned to appreciate the season for what it should be.
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