Archive for the ‘Kill Me, I’m Begging You’ Category

12-11-2014 Journal–Another Computer Day!   Leave a comment

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You would  think I’d know better by now after all of the computer and networking fiasco’s I’ve had in recent months, but oh no, I just keep kicking the hornets nest over and over again.

I’ve written in the past about the robbery that took place here almost two years ago.  If you’ve never been victimized by a home break-in it’s hard to explain just how paranoid you instantly become. Every time you leave your home you wonder if the criminals will return to take the rest of your belongings. 

I took all of the normal precautions at the time with lock changes, deadbolts, metal doors, and padlocks on just about everything you can think of.  It hasn’t made me feel the least bit protected. Today was the day when we purchased a rather sophisticated alarm system that can easily be expanded to include everything.  It’s the first step in the creation of a “Smart House” which unfortunately requires a hookup directly into my home network and my internet feed. 

Nothing is easy to install no matter what they tell you.  It may be easy for the manufacturers but the guys that write their user manuals are idiots.  Their one hour installation is  now in it’s seventh hour due to faulty video cameras and the lack of a competent translator to read their instructions.

At last I have it in, operating and tested.  All except for the two video cameras which were faulty and will soon be replaced.  I now have door contacts, motion detectors, thermostats, sirens, and range extenders.  All I need now is a wide and deep moat filled with hungry alligators and possibly a machine gun nest on the roof.  If any intruders can get over the moat, past the alligators, through my dead bolts, and alarm sirens I guess I’ll just have to shoot them.

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I feel safer already.

12-09-2014 Journal – Things I Once Hated IV!   Leave a comment

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I know you’ve all been waiting for my next installment of the “Things I Once Hated”. I’m only going through this endless process because I need to show my better-half just how much I’ve mellowed over the years and that living with her has had a serious calming effect on me (sarcasm off).  Let’s get this going for numbers 41-55.

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#41 Organic Food – This is one of the biggest scams going.  Put organic on the label of anything and you can immediately increase the price by twenty-five percent.  In my opinion anything that is grown is organic.  Wash off any fertilizer and insecticide and you have clean and organic food. I hate  those liars who extort money from all of us under suspicious circumstances or labeling.  No improvement here.

#42 Liars – refer back to #41.  On a daily basis we have dozens of people who lie to us.  I’ve always hated being told things that are less than true and I still do.  No improvement here either.

#43 Ear Hair – I was introduced to this issue when my better-half was caught trying to trim the hair in my ears while I was napping.  It’s one of her pet peeves and she’s gently forced me into adding it to my original list of one hundred.  I’m still being forced to hate it or there’d be hell to pay. No improvement.

#44 Doctors – I’ve had to rethink this item because I finally met a doctor that wasn’t playing God and actually treated me like a thinking human being. I’ll concede to a 50% improvement.

#45 Large Aureoles – As I’ve stated many times before I love boobs.  But large aureoles bother me for some unknown reason.  I’m forced into not hating them because they’re normally attached to things I love. It’s a conundrum I tell you. No more hate for them results in a 100% improvement.

#46 Overweight Babies – Just writing about this problem pisses me off. Overfeeding a toddler or young kid is about the worst start you can give them in life. I hate the thought of it almost as much as the people responsible. No improvement.

#47 Dirty Toilets – I suppose you think I’m only talking about those disgusting restrooms found in stores and gas stations. I am but I’m also including anyone else who refuses to clean their own bathrooms.  I’ve been in a few that still give me nightmares. No improvement.

#48 Stinky Cheese – I just don’t see the point of making or eating some types of stinky cheese.  My grandfather was a big fan of Limburger cheese and I suspect it was only because it kept us kids away from him during  our visits.  No improvement and no thank you.

#49 Opossums – One of the most disgusting animals on the planet.  I understand they’re great to have around to clean up road kill but they’re gross, ugly, and disgusting.  No possible improvement.

#50 Roadside Death Shrines – I’m reconsidering this item out of sympathy to those people who insist on building them.  I think the whole process is a waste of time and effort but I guess if it makes them feel better for all of fifteen minutes. What the hell,  since I’m now a much more loving and tolerant person I can let it go (sarcasm off). 100% improvement.

#51 Extra Toes – Too creepy to even discuss and that goes for webs between the toes as well. Go join a carnival but stay away from me. No improvement.

#52 Nose Hair – Again something being pushed on me by my better-half. She’s obsessed with hating this item therefore so must I.  No improvement.

#53 Jehovah Witnesses – I can’t begin to tell you how much fun I’ve had over the years messing with these people.  I can’t say I actually hate them personally but  I do resent anyone who tries to force their belief system on me. These folks are nothing if not persistent making them a huge target for my sometime sick sense of humor.  100% improvement.

#54 Salesmen – I’ll modify this category somewhat. I hate “high pressure” sales people. So I’ll claim a 50% improvement on this one as long as they don’t get in my face.

#55 Hot Tuna Casserole – I’ve done a total 180 on this one. I finally found someone with a recipe that I actually liked and looked forward to eating.  No more hating of hot tuna dishes. 100% improvement.

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That should do it for today. Fifty-five items now completed with only forty-five more to go.  Just remember all of these items are in no particular order of importance.

2-03-2014 Journal–Have a Capitalistic Christmas!   Leave a comment

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Finally Black November, Black Friday Week, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday are over. Cyber Week will continue for three more days but OMFG.  This has been the worst year I’ve ever experienced with the constant drumbeat of commercials, sales, bait and switch schemes, and alleged price drops.  I’m beginning to believe that the majority of people in this country are just as stupid as I once suspected.

Working with and for retailers for years gives me an excellent perspective on things and it’s depressing as hell.  Not only did retailers start earlier than ever with their push, the sales and price reductions were ridiculous. Did it ever occur to people that if they can sell most of their goods at these Black Friday prices, just how much their actual markup really is.  They reduce prices by thirty percent and still seem to be making money.  All that tells me is that for 51 weeks every year we are being criminally overcharged for just about everything.  Does that stop the crowds from becoming near riots so they can purchase a certain doll or a certain electronic gadget? Hell no!  It’s a form of insanity that brings out the absolute worst in some people as well as  the constant and unrelenting pandering by the retailers.  It’s maddening.

The retailers seem desperate to one-up all of their competitors to grab a little more market share.  One of the commercials I can mention is the one that got me thinking along these lines.  How bad does it have to be for the Kleenex company to start a competition where consumers are asked to relate an uplifting story of a personal interaction with a Kleenex tissue.  Who in their right mind is going to invest their time to write a heart rendering nose-wiping story.  Just unbelievable.

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I harken back to the Y2K fiasco.  That was the tipping point for me.  I saw retailers and businesses panic millions of citizens and other businesses into spending billions of dollars for a trumped up emergency that never happened.  It appears that we haven’t gotten any smarter in the intervening years.

I needed to rant a little today because this kind of idiocy makes me even crazier than usual. I see no end to it and there seems to be no concern by the buying public about how much they’re being manipulated.  What more can I say? Not much that will be listened to for sure. Here’s my last word on the subject for this year so listen closely.

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(Sarcasm on)

Merry Christmas – HO! HO! HO! 

Santa has requested that I help him out this year by collecting funds needed for the ever increasing costs for reindeer feed, new uniforms, and elf shoes. Just have all of your friends immediately send $10.00 to me and I’ll make sure you’re all moved directly to the top of his gift giving list. The sooner you act the better because the funds are badly needed to help Santa deal with the many holiday stresses for him and his helpers, of which I am one.  I’ll be able to spend a week in Tahiti for Christmas with my family so I can be ready for next years duties. All of this holiday stress has become a dangerous health issue for us and it doesn’t seem to be covered by Obamacare. Help us out, who can’t afford a $10.00 donation for such a good cause. Santa will love you forever and you just might get that special gift you’ve always wanted next year.  I should also mention that we have a payment plan in effect where your ten dollar donation can be deducted monthly from your account and delivered DIRECTLY to Santa for his expenses during the off season.  Get your kids involved, they love Santa too.  Santa stickers are also available for just $7.00 and can be shipped directly to your home.  Just add $8.00 for shipping and handling.

HAVE A HAPPY AND GENEROUS HOLIDAY SEASON

(Sarcasm off)

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P.S. I only marked the last paragraph as Sarcasm due to MY fear that certain people would read it, react, and immediately rush to send me their $10.00. I’m just cynical enough to believe that could happen so please,  DON’T SEND ANY MONEY.

11-17-2014 Journal – Blood, Guts, and Ratings!   2 comments

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I usually find myself posting about my personal life, friends, family, and the crazy things we do, but not today.  After having an up close, personal, and distasteful incident  with my television I feel the need to vent. This posting will be a tad longer than most but unfortunately for all of you I have a lot to say. Bear with me for a few minutes.

What I’m about to post may piss off a few people.  I’m not a card carrying member of any special interest group advocating non-violence on TV or elsewhere.  I’m just a regular guy who’s concerned with viewing trends on TV and in the movies. I take my responsibilities as a citizen seriously as accorded by the Bill of Rights which gives me the right and responsibility to voice my displeasure about things I’ve been seeing.

This is the time of Obama’s dysfunctional presidency and more importantly the end of Mad Men, the end of Sons of Anarchy, and worst of all the end of Justified.  What will we now do to satisfy our deep, dark, and secret needs for illicit sex, adultery, criminal activities up to and including murder and mayhem? 

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We may be forced to feed our disturbing need for uncontrolled violence with the next generation of those gritty, realistic, murderous, and graphic programs like Hell on Wheels.  Who doesn’t want to sit at home after a hard days work to watch rape, murder, and worse on their 60” big screen HD TV. Fortunately we still have our old list of favorites to fall back on if we can’t find enough blood and guts to satisfy us. That’s what Hulu Plus and Netflix are for, don’t you know.

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We now have Dexter the serial killer who spends his off-time killing other serial killers.  How much more graphic killing do we really require on TV before we begin to realize that our kids and ourselves are being desensitized to all this death and destruction.  Watch a few seasons of Criminal Minds where the ever increasing number of serial killers justifies the continued ridiculous story lines that include everything up to and including cannibalism.  We can’t see enough blood and guts I guess and there seems to be no limits of decency any longer. Anything is acceptable as long as it keeps the ratings where they need to be and the revenues flowing. 

The politicians certainly did their part by making the famous "V" chip mandatory for manufactures.  Just another politically correct gimmick used  to quiet the critics and maintain the status quo.  Do you know anyone who’s actually ever used a "V" chip or even knew there was such a thing?

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Let’s watch more of that continuous  stream of murderous zombie programing that seems to be the latest fad. There you can fill your need to smash someone’s skull and splatter their brains and blood everywhere.  If all else fails we’ll always have those thousands of werewolves out there to rip out some throats or tear some hearts from chests for our viewing pleasure. It’s just so damn exciting. Also, there’s nothing hotter than a graphic sex scene between a human and one of those romantic and super sexy killing machines. It’s just so freaking cool. Start shining up those pretty trophies to prepare for next years round of award shows where we applaud and award the stars and producers of this nonsense.

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I guess I’m old-school enough to appreciate television when it was just entertainment.  The need for censors was minimal and the programming was easily watched by everyone, children included.   I liked it better when the good guys won and the bad guys lost.  No gray area that required the good guys to be recovering drug addicts or alcoholics who’d been rehabilitated and continued to fight that good fight.  I didn’t need the bad guys to be portrayed as good guys who were mistreated and abused throughout their entire lives giving justification to their inappropriate and criminal activities.  Good is good, bad is bad, it’s that simple.

It wasn’t until “reality TV” arrived  on the scene that things started really going to hell.  I for one like to see bad guys pay for their sins.  If it happens that they’re shot fighting with the good guys, I can live with that.  What I can’t live with is the perverted need to see the slow motion bullet flying through the air, entering the body, and sending blood and guts flying in all direction. 

I also refuse to watch as attempts are made to convince viewers that the good guys were at fault and shouldn’t have shot the bad guys in the first place. They should have handled him with kid gloves, shown empathy for their terrible childhood, and then set them up in a comfortable jail cell with cable TV, Internet access, a gymnasium, conjugal visits, and an attorney to file an endless list of appeals. 

To me it’s all interconnected and as always a steady stream of propaganda works.  I hope some of you agree but I hold little hope for that as well. As in the book 1984, when Big Brother controls the Media, we are screwed.

I’m done with this.  I’ll be back to writing about my semi-boring life tomorrow.

11-09-2014 Journal-Have a Hully Gully Amazon Christmas!   Leave a comment

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‘Amazon Warehouse – My Favorite Shopping Place’

I’ve been rather busy over the last couple of months since I made a commitment to myself to have my Christmas shopping completed, wrapped, and ready for delivery or mailing by Thanksgiving.  This also included shopping for my better-half’s upcoming birthday which is entirely too close to the holidays for my liking. As soon as I made it known that this was my plan the criticism began.  Fortunately I’ve been called "anal" so may times by so many people that it no longer bothers me.  I’m at the point now where it’s actually become quite the compliment.

Call me anal if you’d like but you won’t be seeing me on Black Friday or any other day being elbowed, pushed out of the way, and worse by the crowds of people waiting until the last minute to Christmas shop.  The rationalizations thought up by those late shoppers sometimes makes me wonder about their sanity.  You get up at 4:30 am on Black Friday, wait in line for a hour for the store to open, and TA DA, save a whole two dollars.  It’s some form of X-mas insanity that I just don’t understand. A thousand people show up for free stuff that only the first one hundred actually get.  I’d call that the ultimate bait and switch scheme regardless of which retailer is doing it.

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You have to understand that I’m more than a little claustrophobic when it comes to large crowds of people or small crowds of people stuffed into even smaller buildings. The retailers today led by my all time non-favorite, Walmart, insist on clogging the aisles and for that matter any open space with a never ending supply of merchandise and stack-outs.  You barely have enough room to get through the store with a shopping cart let along enjoy the shopping experience.  After ten minutes of that I’m ready to get the hell out of there just as fast as I can.  I may be a member of the so called "great unwashed" but that doesn’t mean I have to like rubbing elbows with each and every one of them.

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‘IPad Fever’

I made my first Christmas purchase on-line in June.  It was earlier than I’ve ever started before and thank God for Amazon and gift cards. This is going to be my first Amazon Christmas and I guarantee it won’t be my last.  I’ll still manage a few short trips to some of the smaller local retailers on those days that they’re not too busy.  I can’t show up on Christmas morning without all of those stocking stuffers everyone seems to love so much but that’s the extent of my Christmas shopping fun for this year.

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The better-half’s birthday will come and go and you can be sure I’ll really be enjoying that Thanksgiving turkey when it finally gets here.  I can kick back and relax just knowing my holiday preparations are complete for another year.  

Merry Christmas . . . . and thanks Amazon!

10-24-2014 Journal Entry – Rain, Rain, Go Away!   Leave a comment

It’s just another rainy, crappy, and gray October day here in Maine.  It’s a great day to stay in the warm house and to catch up on a million things I’ve been putting off.  With that in mind the cat and I retired to the man-cave to relax, watch a little TV, and work on the computer.  My better-half has the day off and is  enjoying herself in the kitchen.  She’s baking cookies, talking on the phone with family members, and preparing Halloween treats for mailing to her kids.  It looked like a great day was in the making for both of us.

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Just as I was finally beginning to relax  my better-half popped into my inner sanctum for a visit.  She gave me a kiss and an even bigger hug which while appreciated also told me something was up.  She intended to take a short shopping trip and was hinting around for a traveling companion.  Before I knew it I was changing my clothes and preparing to face the outside world.

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The traffic was heavier than anticipated and people were driving badly as always seems to be the case  when the rains come.  After traveling for a few minutes she decided the trip would be shortened from three stops to just one.  I assumed it was because of the rain but it may have been due to all of my swearing and cursing at passing motorists.  We arrived at the store, parked, and began walking towards the entrance.  Almost immediately the sky opened up and the rains came.  I didn’t realize I could still run that fast but I did.  As we entered the store I was told in no uncertain terms that this was to be a short power shopping visit for just a  few essential items  . . .  Yeah right!  Forty-five minutes and a full shopping cart later we were on our way towards the door. We could see through the front windows that  the rain was coming down even harder than before.  I was convinced to bring the car around to the front door where I could pick up her majesty.  I reached the car, drove it to the entrance of the store, and we loaded the groceries into the trunk.  We were wet and uncomfortable and  I could’t wait to get home.

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It was more of the same during the drive home.  I wish I had a dollar for every horn I heard honking and every finger I saw  thrown in anger.  It’s amazing to me how people from Maine can drive normally in two feet of snow and  a blizzard but can’t deal with a moderate amount of rainfall.  I found myself wishing for snow for just a moment but then good sense prevailed.

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We arrived home and quickly pulled into the garage to get out of the rain.  Within seconds of unloading the first bag of groceries I looked outside and the rain had stopped completely.  It never fails . . .

 

 

10-20-2014. Journal Entry-Welcome to My Computer Hell!   Leave a comment

I’m not at all sure when this posting will make it’s way to my blog. I’m suffering through computer hell this week. I made the decision to finally upgrade my home network with a new and much smarter router to prepare for the installation of the “My Cloud” I purchased. My plan was to do the cloud upgrade only after I was sure that everything on the network was functioning properly.

I did all of the necessary research I could to prepare myself and started the process. My network is loaded with nine devices of one sort or another and the installation instructions appeared detailed and specific. Unplug the Ethernet cables from the old router and plug them into the new one. Easy, right? I reset my system and then began resetting each of the devices to the new router’s network. It was going so well I should have known it couldn’t last. My desktop computer is located on the first floor and it recognized the new network, had excellent signal strength, but offered no internet access. So began the madness . . . .

To make a long story short all of our smart phones and IPads are working fine. The Xbox, CD player, and printer are fine and working as expected. My desktop and one laptop will not cooperate. My Surface which has always been stable and a great device decided to crash just when I needed it most to still posting my blog. I have since discovered that the hard drive on the Surface crashed and the cost to have it fixed is more than I spent to purchase it. Isn’t that just typical? . . . .

I dismantled my downstairs desktop and moved it closer to the router. I did that and after a few minutes it began working as expected or so I thought. Since it was supposedly working I then moved it back to it’s original position. As I was making the move I accidentally bumped against the door frame and broke off the wifi antenna on the rear of the console. I spent an hour repairing the damage, turned on the unit and of course it didn’t work. The BS continues . . . .

So for the last 72 hours I’ve been totally focused on getting the SOB of a network up and running. So far it’s coincidently cost me my Surface, a purchase of a wifi range extender that doesn’t work, and a broken and inoperative desktop computer. I suppose I could try to blog from my smart phone but I refuse to even try. I’ve got a few more things to attempt before I give up completely. God knows when I’ll be back on the blog with the ability to do the things that I need to do such as posting photographs.

I’ll continue this commentary as I go along. I’m at my wits end and dagerously close to scrapping the entire setup and buying all new computers. I shall return . . . .

It’s now two days later and I’ve accomplished nothing. I was blessed with an hour and a half telephone call to the tech support staff at Linksys. The girl who was assigned to my problem was nice enough but I could only understand every other word. She took over control of my computer remotely and began changing settings and working her magic. The total result was nothing. No answers, no fix, just a referral to an affiliated company for an $80.00 software fix that was good for just 90 days. I could then have a full year of coverage for just $199.99. What an effing deal, I think it could be categorized as an old fashion “Bait and Switch” scheme. I hung up abruptly before I took out my mounting frustrations on the idiot I was talking to.

Today is the day I’ve officially given up. I’m going to try and remove everything I purchased from Best Buy and return my system to the status quo of a week ago. Then a quick trip to the store for a refund which will free me up to pursue other options to correct my difficulties. I’m just guessing but I have a sneaking suspicion that after I put everything back together it still won’t function. With all of the settings changes made by their tech support I fear my entire system has been compromised and will be unusable. Maybe I can get some sort of posting done with my IPad. I’ll let you know . . . some day.

Kill me now . . . .

10-12-2014. Planned Parenthood – The New PETA!   Leave a comment

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I was having a pretty good week all things considered.  I survived a birthday party with a gang of 2-6 year olds, got out of attending a wedding I didn’t want to attend, and built a new book shelf for my man-cave.  I had a solid eight hours of sleep and was feeling at peace with the world.  As everyone knows life always manages to balance the scales whether you like it or not.  If you have a lot of good going on you just know at some point  not so good will soon follow.  Thank you so much Planned Parenthood of Northern New England.

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You could say it was a feeling like "a cold shower" or having "someone peeing in your corn flakes" but it was a letter of BS and propaganda from those poor abused folks responsible for all of the initiatives to force religious employers to foot the bill for female employee contraceptives.

Here’s the first thing that caught my eye.

"It is unbelievable. Anti-choice extremists are taking away our rights – and the United States Supreme Court is helping them do it."

I guess anyone who disagrees with them on a matter of "Choice" of any kind must be an extremist.   The first thing you need to know, I am not religious in any way shape or form and I never defend religion and never will.  I will defend their right to disagree with the idiots at Planned Parenthood.  I find it ridiculous and offensive to have a heavily taxpayer funded organization whining about their problems.  Any business owner has the right (or used to) to run their company the way they saw fit.  Any good businessman will tell you the last thing they need is government funded interference.  The US government is a joke when it comes to running anything.  Unfortunately during one of their many bouts of the "politically correct flu" they decided to fund some liberal organizations like Planned Parenthood.

Their next point was this:

"The US Supreme Court decisions are alarming and disheartening. Here at Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, we believe women should get to choose which birth control method they want to use. Not her employer."

I actually found myself agreeing with part of that statement. Women should have the right to chose their method of contraception. I just don’t feel that the taxpayers or their employers should be footing the bill.  If you can’t afford contraception try abstaining for a while or let your boyfriend, husband or partner stop at a CVS and pick up some condoms.  There are millions of Americans that feel exactly the same way I do about it.

Here’s a scan of the actual letter.  I blocked out my name and address because those liberals are well known for their vicious hate mail campaigns. I truly dislike organizations that send me junk mail that my tax dollars are paying for. 

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So in closing here’s my message to Planned Parenthood.  Take me off your mailing list until such time your no longer leeching from the taxpayers ($300,000,000.00 at last count).  Then you might have a little credibility in your arguments. Oh yeah, stop misstating the facts and resorting to name calling. You’re starting to sound a little like those desperate folks over at PETA.

10-09-2014 (Sarcasm On) Merry Christmas!   Leave a comment

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We’ve reached mid-October and I’m starting to see indications of that holiday freight train that is rumbling full speed towards us. I was tasked with an errand last night that required me to pickup my better-half who was attending a wedding of a co-worked in a town north of here.  Darkness had fallen and our trip home took us through a number of neighborhoods and small towns. We were within a quarter mile of home when I spotted something that sent a cold shiver down my spine . . .  a lighted Christmas tree in front of a neighbor’s home. These neighbors are the newest members of our little community and are folks who love to celebrate each and every holiday with decorations of all sorts hanging from trees, shrubs, and anything else that doesn’t move too much.  It can be cute but also it’s also more than a little annoying just like that tree was last night.

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During some of my shopping  forays in recent weeks I’ve observed the expected Halloween and Thanksgiving craziness but Christmas rearing it’s ugly head this early in October is ridiculous. Having worked for many rears for retail companies I understand the management mentality in getting the jump on competitors.  It just seems they’ve all picked up some of the more bothersome bad habits of the king of all retailers, Walmart.  They seem to think that anything that Walmart does automatically become the final word in making money.  Having spent six months in a Walmart management training program allows me to proclaim that Walmart is just as screwed up as any other company.  Their saving grace secret is their size.  When you’re as big as Walmart it’s much easier to  hide your screw ups and bad decisions.

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I have a sneaking suspicion that Sam Walton is probably spinning in his grave after watching what has gone on with his company.  On my first day at Sam’s Club I was handed a paperback book on the life and times of their founder Sam Walton.  I was ordered to read that book immediately and was questioned heavily on it’s contents throughout the training period.  Almost all of the training tapes that were in use were tapes made by Walton himself who at the time had been dead for more than ten years.  I was being trained by a dead guy in Walmart’s lame attempt to brainwash me into their world of retail. Just before my graduation from that training program I was on my way to work and wishing I wasn’t. Ten minutes after I arrived I walked into the General Manger’s office and resigned. I walked away and never looked back. They only succeeded in making me unhappy, miserable, and just a little crazy. I’ve never regretted my decision.

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This isn’t a rant just about Walmart but a general disappointment with the cynical approach taken by almost every retailer. I think we can thank Wall Street and the Harvard Business School for a lot of these issues. The stock market virtually requires companies to meet expectations regardless of the methods used.  The Harvard MBA’s that I’ve been involved with over the years were all young bean-counters of the worst sort.  They’d gut a company, fire any number of employees, cut benefits, just about anything to help meet those Wall Street projections.  People are just numbers to them and are treated accordingly.  Is it any wonder things are the way they are.

So after saying all of that I hope you’re prepared for the avalanche of Christmas nonsense headed your way.  Ten glorious weeks of Santa Clause, presents, endless TV commercials, and a hit to your wallet that will be larger than ever before.  Oh yeah, I recently heard a nasty rumor that once upon a time Christmas had something to do with religion.  How stupid am I?

09-13-2014 Journal Entry–Mall Safari!   Leave a comment

I’m sitting up in my bed and the electric blanket has been resurrected once again.  The nights are chilling down dramatically as reflected by my new morning wardrobe.  A heavy robe, wool socks, sweat pants, and an extra cup of steaming hot coffee.  Things like that can only be properly appreciated while sitting up in bed at a minimum of level 4 on the electric blanket.  Just saying.

Last night no one really wanted to cook the evening meal so we made a trek to the Maine Mall to window shop, eat some almost nutritious food at the food court, and possibly spend a little money.  Forgetting that it was a Saturday night was mistake number one.  The place was packed with large numbers of rude people all rushing around, pushing, shoving, and generally being ridiculous.  I also realized something else as we walked around observing many groups of teenagers huddled here and there looking for things to do. I’m truly glad I’m not married and don’t have any young daughters to worry about. 

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Any parent that permits their daughter to loiter around any mall just boggles my mind.  If any daughter of mine insisted on hanging out at a mall with her friends I’m afraid of what my reaction might be.  I can see myself in a tacky disguise scurrying around the mall, hiding behind plants, just to keep an eye on the activities of her and her friends. There are way too many unthinkable possibilities just waiting to happen in this kind of atmosphere.

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I was in dire need of a few new T-shirts and was intent on finding some.  We visited a store called ‘The Hot Topic’ where we seemed to be a little out of place.  It’s very much like a ‘Spencer’s’ without all of the sexual paraphernalia. My better-half and I were the only people in that crowded store over the age of 25.  I made my way to the back wall because I’d  been told they have offer quite the collection of T-Shirts made with images of vintage rock groups. 

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I decided some time ago to make a few changes to my boring wardrobe.  I concocted a few new rules to help make my life a little easier when it comes to making a personal fashion statement. 

  • No more white T-shirts of any kind. Being as clumsy as I am makes white t-shirts a nightmare.  Everything I eat eventually leaves it’s mark somewhere on the front of the shirt..
  • No more stupid or cute sayings on my shirts.  It make me either look stupid or uncute.
  • Buy only T-shirts about classic musical groups. There aren’t any current groups I’d allowed to be displayed on this body.
  • No more extra-large shirts.  I’m now just a large and proud of it.

I found a few shirts (see the photo’s) I absolutely loved, made my purchases and we headed to the food court.

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It’s a place with long lines, plastic sporks, and borderline delicious foods. There were representative kiosks from most Asians cultures as well as many of the standard American calorie and fat factories.  We pigged out on a  selection or two from Arby’s because the lines for Chinese food were too damn long. 

I think it’s quite possible the decline of this county was part of a well planned attack initiated  many decades ago by the Chinese.  I’ll bet years ago they decided as a first step towards invasion to build as many Chinese restaurants as they could in the US and get a large majority of the population addicted to their food.  If by chance over the next decade we begin to see Islamic restaurants springing up everywhere it could mean only one thing. Eventually this country will be the prize that goes to the winner of the Chinese/Muslim food wars.

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With indigestion in our near future we left the confines of the mall and headed home.  That Arby’s feast was so good it keep coming back up all night reminding us just how good it really wasn’t. 

Lesson learned, no more fast food from the food court.