Have you missed my columns recently about my back and work?
Yes, only a joke... though it was refreshing to be able to go half the month without rehashing the same old stories about my condition. On a day where a double doctor's appointment was scheduled, however, it's a must.
And my hate list in my medical history continues to rise in quantity. All in good nature, especially since some hours have passed since I lived those moments.
As I told Jenni online today, I hate double-doctors, worker's claim adjustors, therapists and bankers.
I had two doctor's appointments today - the first was from the company worker's comp. assigned. Simply put, they want to cut me out of pay any way they can. I had to fill out two questionaires plus another survey sheet. The wait to see the doctor was a long one; the examination itself was a short one. I was just as honest with him as I am with my regular doctor.
What surprised me was that he said nothing about what he found, he didn't even say "good-bye"; it took a doctor's aide to tell me I had already been dismissed. Well thank you... never felt more like a lab specimen in my entire life.
At this rate, although my normal doctor is from one of those walk-in clinics, I actually trust him more. And he has once again pushed for epidural injections into my back to deaden the pinched nerve that is so obvious now. If worker's comp. tries to deny it again, they'll have a real battle on their hands with the doctor (whoops, he's going on vacation for three weeks!).
Therapists? I do like my therapist as a friend and a positive influence. But just the idea of therapy is getting old. Doesn't strenuous therapy actually inflame a nerve moreso than calming it down does? Every exercise I ended up doing during yesterday's session was either half the speed, or ten pounds lighter than normal. I couldn't believe how bad I actually staggered into the room. To say I have made recent progess is laughable: to hear the doctor say I've reached a plateau is far more believeable.
And bankers? Maybe not so much them as it is software providers and internet services. Just when you need a bank, they're having technical problems. It's been two days, and my check, deposited Wednesday, has yet to clear, putting off an important bill payment. I sounded foolish (to myself) calling the company to let them know. They understood, as they always have, but c'mon. How many times do I have to be at the mercy of technology?
This day alone makes me look forward to a quiet weekend.
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Reports say that two undetinated bombs have been found in a London district. What does that have to do with my hate list? Does our president make the list again?
Maybe not so much directly, but one has to wonder how much of this has to do with President Bush's world view. No one has said it yet... but if they do, I'll volunteer to speak my half about it if the need arises (and those aforementioned guts of a few days back make themselves known).
June 29, 2007
June 28, 2007
Hiring for 20? Just fill one
By the end of this week, the Farmer Jack name will be no more in Michigan. Though routinely criticized by some stores' filth, lack of freshness and lack of selection, the chain has fond memories of many Detroiters who bemoan the lack of a successor who they believe knows them and caters to their tastes.
Stopping by Kroger today, the display sign shouted: "Kroger to open twenty new stores! Hire in now for your chance!" You can bet these are all acquisitions of Farmer Jack stores.
This article won't dive into the type of bashing I reserve for Wal-Mart and its monopoly. The fact Kroger could become a monopoly, ironically, doesn't concern me. What concerns me is the staffing.
And if for some reason they do find the staffing to help out twenty more locations, I ask them to make it 21... the very store I was at today.
All I bought were tolietries. Three lousy items. You should have seen the backups at the checkout today. Lines five & six people long at every open checkout. Through basic research, only four of the nine were actually open. Sad to say (and I've probably said it before here), this is normal for this particular store. Not to mention, half the U-scans were out as well.
Years ago, Kroger had a policy that during certain peaks in the day, every cash register would be manned. This never happens at my Kroger. I laughed right when I saw that sign, because I knew that store #21 (hint, hint) wasn't a hiring concern. It should be.
Look at it this way: if applicants for the other twenty stores sees #21 in action, why would they want to even think about the other twenty? Feed your own interests first before diversifying to other locations, I always say.
Stopping by Kroger today, the display sign shouted: "Kroger to open twenty new stores! Hire in now for your chance!" You can bet these are all acquisitions of Farmer Jack stores.
This article won't dive into the type of bashing I reserve for Wal-Mart and its monopoly. The fact Kroger could become a monopoly, ironically, doesn't concern me. What concerns me is the staffing.
And if for some reason they do find the staffing to help out twenty more locations, I ask them to make it 21... the very store I was at today.
All I bought were tolietries. Three lousy items. You should have seen the backups at the checkout today. Lines five & six people long at every open checkout. Through basic research, only four of the nine were actually open. Sad to say (and I've probably said it before here), this is normal for this particular store. Not to mention, half the U-scans were out as well.
Years ago, Kroger had a policy that during certain peaks in the day, every cash register would be manned. This never happens at my Kroger. I laughed right when I saw that sign, because I knew that store #21 (hint, hint) wasn't a hiring concern. It should be.
Look at it this way: if applicants for the other twenty stores sees #21 in action, why would they want to even think about the other twenty? Feed your own interests first before diversifying to other locations, I always say.
June 27, 2007
Oh... it makes calls, too
This is the new electronic fad that will be sweeping the country as of this Friday... it's the iPhone.
A seven hundred dollar iPhone.
What did my house phone cost in comparison? $47.99. And it does what it's supposed to do; it does what I want it to do, which is to make calls.
It took me forever to understand the appeal of iPods and MP3 players. Perhaps there is an advantage to lugging your favorite music around or clips of your favorite movies without dragging a boom-box or mini-television with you. Its compactability is second-to-none, and I do marvel at how advanced technology is, especially when you can lose it in the palm of your hand.
What can't this iPhone do? It does everything an iPod, MP3 player, or game player can do at the touch of a fingertip. Why then are they calling it a phone? (That's right, it makes calls, too... how could I forget?)
Since when has owning a wireless phone become such a passionate science? Yes, I don't even own a wireless phone. Not anymore, after dealing with skyrocketing airtime rates. I'm old-fashioned with my old-fashioned house phone; I'll admit it. But even when I owned cellular, all I wanted it to do was one thing - make that call. And only in emergency cases.
I read the advertisements: free phone body in exchange for a minutes plan. Or flip the plan over: we'll give you zillions of minutes if you buy this. Get this accessory! Get this game!
Get... get... get. That's all the message says is get.
I'm happy with my DVD player. I'm happy with my PlayStation. And I'm happy with my phone. If I'm out, why would I want an iPhone with me? Can you imagine the hot item that it will be - look out for pickpockets! And if I'm with friends, why would I ignore them in favor of this gadget? Would I be out with my friends or out to show off something that, knowing me, I'd easily lose?
Yes, this comes from the same guy who bemoans the latest Elmo gadget every Christmas. Luxuries are nice, but only when they're budgeted for wisely.
Whatever happened to the days of missing a call just because you weren't home?
June 26, 2007
Senseless, senseless
And what makes it worse is that you had to question for the better part of the day whether this was just another cheap storyline.
WWE wrestler Chris Benoit was found dead yesterday in his Atlanta home along with his wife Nancy and son Daniel. First reports claim that there may have been a homicide involved. Questions still need to be answered.
My hope is that Benoit didn't do anything to his family - wrestlers in the business know of Benoit's love for his family. If this all turns out to be something Benoit did or even planned, it will break many hearts and stir plenty of anger.
A three-hour retrospective on Benoit's career was aired last night, in place of the McMahon "memorial service" that was scheduled. How ironic that a storyline death has been replaced with a real-life set of deaths.
How the WWE is going to recover from this, I am not sure. They were already taking some serious heat from fans and critics alike over the McMahon storyline I referred to here last week. This male soap-opera (which is all it's turning out to be) is getting a tad too gruesome for my taste these days.
If it's worst-case scenario... then it's truly senseless what transpired in suburban Atlanta. Utterly senseless.
No more can be said.
WWE wrestler Chris Benoit was found dead yesterday in his Atlanta home along with his wife Nancy and son Daniel. First reports claim that there may have been a homicide involved. Questions still need to be answered.
My hope is that Benoit didn't do anything to his family - wrestlers in the business know of Benoit's love for his family. If this all turns out to be something Benoit did or even planned, it will break many hearts and stir plenty of anger.
A three-hour retrospective on Benoit's career was aired last night, in place of the McMahon "memorial service" that was scheduled. How ironic that a storyline death has been replaced with a real-life set of deaths.
How the WWE is going to recover from this, I am not sure. They were already taking some serious heat from fans and critics alike over the McMahon storyline I referred to here last week. This male soap-opera (which is all it's turning out to be) is getting a tad too gruesome for my taste these days.
If it's worst-case scenario... then it's truly senseless what transpired in suburban Atlanta. Utterly senseless.
No more can be said.
June 25, 2007
Wedding bell-ringers
Wish Steve luck. In two short days, he marries Eden, his Phillipino fiancee.
This may not end up being a long-distance relationship that works. But this has been a long-distance relationship which has been worked on very hard from the start. Steve is determined to see this through so he can be happy. Everyone deserves happiness, and I reserve comment when he is not around. But when you're talking around-the-world relationships, you have to question its worth, not to mention its underlying motives.
Regardless of the feedback he's sure to generate by doing this, it still will be loads better for him than his previous marriage. If I have enough guts, one day I'll add a link to this space which will send you to his MySpace blog, where he basically told his tale of terror of a four-month marriage that was doomed from the start. Completely different personalities; completely unacceptable results. And where there's children involved (her two), the material will make anyone cringe.
That's why I'm still searching for my guts... yet don't hold your breath.
Maybe this one will work, and I send them best wishes on their special day just like any two people truly in love deserve.
But here's a question: will it affect the marriage if the rings don't match? If this is indeed a new fad, then woe be the day that I finally get hitched!
This may not end up being a long-distance relationship that works. But this has been a long-distance relationship which has been worked on very hard from the start. Steve is determined to see this through so he can be happy. Everyone deserves happiness, and I reserve comment when he is not around. But when you're talking around-the-world relationships, you have to question its worth, not to mention its underlying motives.
Regardless of the feedback he's sure to generate by doing this, it still will be loads better for him than his previous marriage. If I have enough guts, one day I'll add a link to this space which will send you to his MySpace blog, where he basically told his tale of terror of a four-month marriage that was doomed from the start. Completely different personalities; completely unacceptable results. And where there's children involved (her two), the material will make anyone cringe.
That's why I'm still searching for my guts... yet don't hold your breath.
Maybe this one will work, and I send them best wishes on their special day just like any two people truly in love deserve.
But here's a question: will it affect the marriage if the rings don't match? If this is indeed a new fad, then woe be the day that I finally get hitched!
June 24, 2007
Clear the property
Photos of the June 14 fire at the old McLouth Steel facility in Trenton (MI). The area has been under scrutiny by local municipalities for years due to its potential for a needed tax base. (Courtesy Detroit News and Ile Camera Newspapers)
Fate finally overcoming a major local eyesore? Yes and no.
When Jenni first alerted me to a fire at the old McLouth Steel plant in Trenton, I was led to believe that the entire complex was in flames. It turns out that it was just a retention pond on the side of the property, far enough from the ugly buildings that they were not in harm's way.
Part of me actually hoped for total destruction. The plant has sat vacant for years, and various city officials have been clamoring for its destruction so they can turn the property into something that will yield tax money; namely, mixed-use development.
The owner of the Ambassador Bridge has a say on this property, and some of his ideas, though wildly believed to be rumors, have some citizens on edge. The story is that he wants to resucitate use of the nearby railroad to a 24-hour operation, and even place a deep-well port on the property, which would more than triple the ship traffic on the Detroit River and Trenton Channel. All of which, according to the homeowners, would bring property values down.
Whoever owns the complex (ownership changes annually it seems) keeps dragging their feet and have allowed nothing positive to be made of the complex for all these years. Progress has to occur sometime, and for one fleeting moment, I thought this would be the nail in the coffin to those ideas, and the beginning of a new life for the valuable riverfront property.
Not to be. But you still have to hope. People marvel at the new downtown Detroit boardwalk, which has resurrected that part of the city. I'm sure the cities near this plant would want to feel the same satisfaction.
The drama continues. How many more pairs of shoes will be worn down in the feet-dragging before something is done?
June 23, 2007
Rain never looked better
What a difference a year makes. Just two weeks into making this blog, I was commenting on the torrential rains soaking the area; it rained for six straight days after I made my trip home from Arizona.
This year, we're in the midst of a 15-day drought. Nowhere near the record I remember in my lifetime (29 days), but this year I think my father sent his weather my way. Last year, for instance, in the entire growing season, I used my water sprinkler twice. This year, I've already used it four times. Had I not, and someone tossed hot ashes into the affected grass... you never know, and I couldn't take a chance.
What makes it even funnier was, it was during our last rain spell earlier this month where Garden City imposed watering restrictions. I was banging my head, saying "why?" Now all I can do is give them credit for forthsight.
Weather as a whole, throughout the country, has been wild. You either have torrential rains & unprecedented flooding in the Oklahoma / Texas / Kansas area, or you have a dried-up Everglades in Florida, or wildfires rushing through California. The island where Steve and his ex-wife were married in 2003 literally burned up in whole earlier this year, which made for a brutally funny Steve monologue about his ex.
We critcize Michigan for its economic woes, and they are well-deserved. But thank goodness we have the Great Lakes as a natural resource surrounding us. I would hate to think if Michigan was smack-dab in the middle of the country with the lack of rain we've had.
Never take a resource for granted.
This year, we're in the midst of a 15-day drought. Nowhere near the record I remember in my lifetime (29 days), but this year I think my father sent his weather my way. Last year, for instance, in the entire growing season, I used my water sprinkler twice. This year, I've already used it four times. Had I not, and someone tossed hot ashes into the affected grass... you never know, and I couldn't take a chance.
What makes it even funnier was, it was during our last rain spell earlier this month where Garden City imposed watering restrictions. I was banging my head, saying "why?" Now all I can do is give them credit for forthsight.
Weather as a whole, throughout the country, has been wild. You either have torrential rains & unprecedented flooding in the Oklahoma / Texas / Kansas area, or you have a dried-up Everglades in Florida, or wildfires rushing through California. The island where Steve and his ex-wife were married in 2003 literally burned up in whole earlier this year, which made for a brutally funny Steve monologue about his ex.
We critcize Michigan for its economic woes, and they are well-deserved. But thank goodness we have the Great Lakes as a natural resource surrounding us. I would hate to think if Michigan was smack-dab in the middle of the country with the lack of rain we've had.
Never take a resource for granted.
June 21, 2007
Great day a near-miss
Thankfully, I've mastered the bug-a-boos of the car to allow it to go longer distances without stalling on me. So after several months, I was finally able to visit my aunt and cousin at their respective houses for the afternoon.
Unfortunately, my aunt's car, which should be rising into the clouds by now, had to be repaired again. She's basically in the same boat as I was back in the Grand Am days; believing to be nothing better out there, keep feeding the cash cow. She's been talking about upgrading to a new car for over a year now, and I drove her down to the new car lot in Woodhaven today.
It's been awhile since I've rode along in a new-car test drive, as the rule now says the salesperson has to ride along with you. The poor guy was having his patience tested for sure. My aunt tried out a new Chrysler Sebring, but spent ten minutes idling it in the car lot while trying to figure out seating adjustments, mirror adjustments, and such. We tried to explain things to her, but I guess that car may be too new for her tastes.
She was understandably nervous throughout, and didn't even know what to say at the end. If her kids (my cousins) complain about her still having the LHS she's had for years, at least I can tell them I was there to find out why there might be reluctance beyond the price tag.
I didn't budget two hours at the lot, which caused me to miss Jenni at the nearby Wal-Mart by just 15 minutes. Aggggh! Oh well, I still had fun nonetheless.
I visited Rose at her house as well. For years, I saw her house and thought "grandma's house" because it belonged to my grandma when she was alive, and Rose hadn't changed much there over the years. But now she's made modifications to where I can look at that house now and truly say it's Rose's.
My frequent absences from Downriver are frustrating. But they churn out an even greater reward when I finally do make it down there.
Happy summer, everyone!
Unfortunately, my aunt's car, which should be rising into the clouds by now, had to be repaired again. She's basically in the same boat as I was back in the Grand Am days; believing to be nothing better out there, keep feeding the cash cow. She's been talking about upgrading to a new car for over a year now, and I drove her down to the new car lot in Woodhaven today.
It's been awhile since I've rode along in a new-car test drive, as the rule now says the salesperson has to ride along with you. The poor guy was having his patience tested for sure. My aunt tried out a new Chrysler Sebring, but spent ten minutes idling it in the car lot while trying to figure out seating adjustments, mirror adjustments, and such. We tried to explain things to her, but I guess that car may be too new for her tastes.
She was understandably nervous throughout, and didn't even know what to say at the end. If her kids (my cousins) complain about her still having the LHS she's had for years, at least I can tell them I was there to find out why there might be reluctance beyond the price tag.
I didn't budget two hours at the lot, which caused me to miss Jenni at the nearby Wal-Mart by just 15 minutes. Aggggh! Oh well, I still had fun nonetheless.
I visited Rose at her house as well. For years, I saw her house and thought "grandma's house" because it belonged to my grandma when she was alive, and Rose hadn't changed much there over the years. But now she's made modifications to where I can look at that house now and truly say it's Rose's.
My frequent absences from Downriver are frustrating. But they churn out an even greater reward when I finally do make it down there.
Happy summer, everyone!
June 19, 2007
Popeyes from the vault
So much of my efforts into researching and enjoying comic strips have been spent studying "Peanuts", "Blondie", enjoying current favorites as "Pearls Before Swine", "Overboard" and "Garfield"... that I continually forget that my first favorite one was "Popeye".
Local cartoon networks aren't kind to the Popeye franchise these days. It's almost as if he's been censored a second time. Historically, Popeye was nearly retired by the comic syndicate in 1931 as readers complained Popeye's actions and fractured language were too rough for the comics pages. This, back when political correctness was far from being an idea!
Elzie Segar, the strip's creator, was forced to quickly modify Popeye's habits, adding morals to his reasons for fighting. He used to fight at the drop of a hat -- and perhaps if you think about it, it's easier to understand parents not wanting their children to catch on. The result was actually pleasing versus being a distraction, although the great Charles Schultz emphasized in an interview that "classic" Popeye (pre-1931) was very different from modern Popeye.
Despite that dab at censure, readers still loved the character, and he was forever shown on television many times during the day. Now I don't know if it was Robin Williams' dreadful portrayal of the character in the 1980 movie that began Popeye's slide from grace (his arms have to be twisted for him to even try spinach?), but somehow we lost touch.
Credit YouTube for bringing some cartoons back. And I'm not talking the Flesicher cartoons of the 30s, or the Paramount clips from the 50s -- I'm talking the King Features presentations from 1960-61 which were seen on local Channel 20 here for decades.
I can see why, after viewing them, why they're not shown as much. Devoted followers probably consider these the worst of the lot. But these were the first ones I was exposed to. Naturally, the King Features cartoons rank as "home base" with me and were actually the ones I missed the most, warts and all.
You can check out a bunch of them under this YouTube account. Some real great finds.
Local cartoon networks aren't kind to the Popeye franchise these days. It's almost as if he's been censored a second time. Historically, Popeye was nearly retired by the comic syndicate in 1931 as readers complained Popeye's actions and fractured language were too rough for the comics pages. This, back when political correctness was far from being an idea!
Elzie Segar, the strip's creator, was forced to quickly modify Popeye's habits, adding morals to his reasons for fighting. He used to fight at the drop of a hat -- and perhaps if you think about it, it's easier to understand parents not wanting their children to catch on. The result was actually pleasing versus being a distraction, although the great Charles Schultz emphasized in an interview that "classic" Popeye (pre-1931) was very different from modern Popeye.
Despite that dab at censure, readers still loved the character, and he was forever shown on television many times during the day. Now I don't know if it was Robin Williams' dreadful portrayal of the character in the 1980 movie that began Popeye's slide from grace (his arms have to be twisted for him to even try spinach?), but somehow we lost touch.
Credit YouTube for bringing some cartoons back. And I'm not talking the Flesicher cartoons of the 30s, or the Paramount clips from the 50s -- I'm talking the King Features presentations from 1960-61 which were seen on local Channel 20 here for decades.
I can see why, after viewing them, why they're not shown as much. Devoted followers probably consider these the worst of the lot. But these were the first ones I was exposed to. Naturally, the King Features cartoons rank as "home base" with me and were actually the ones I missed the most, warts and all.
You can check out a bunch of them under this YouTube account. Some real great finds.
June 17, 2007
Memories spelled out
Rummaging around the attic earlier, I came across two copies of my old elementary school newspaper, called "The Scoop"... This was in a set of scrapbooks mom had made for me when I was entering high school.
Many physical memories had to be shed as I kept moving around from 1999-2003, as if a little piece of me was deposited everywhere I went. I saved these scrapbooks, however. The first thing I noticed was how familiar all the students' names were when I read them -- far from my active memory, but logged in very clearly long-term.
The first time my name ever made print media (other than kindergarten diplomas) was in the February 14, 1980 issue of The Scoop, where I had a high ranking in the spelling bee that year. I never won a school-wide bee, but was eighth in 1980, second in 1981, and a disappointing 18th the following year.
I can't remember the word I missed in third grade (1980), but since I was runner-up in '81, I clearly remember spelling the word "probably" as "probally"... Darn my unfortunate habit of spelling things as they were pronounced! I won a soft-cover copy of "James & The Giant Peach" as a consolation.
For years after my 1981 flub, I always joked that my father would get me for missing the word I did. I wasn't unusually rebellious at that age, just typical bad kid behavior at times that had my father lecture me about my bad attitude.
Yes, that's the word I missed: attitude. And what was I thinking when I was driven home that day? Never to tell my dad what word I missed in that spelling bee.
Spelling, along with reading, were two points of my "hyperlexia", a condition far more researched and known now than back in the '80s. And beginning with the issuing of letter grades in 1980-81, I never failed to go lower than A-minus in the subject.
Until eighth grade.
Despite all the teasing I endured in fifth and seventh grades, eighth grade still ranks as my least favorite: a perfect lead-in to the high school days I dreaded. I was bringing home D-minuses in spelling for two quarters. But how?
To this day, its reasoning is blatantly unfair. The teacher, catching one student cheating on his Friday test, announced that not only did we have to spell the words, we had to write them down from memory in the EXACT order they were in the spelling book. She wouldn't even mention words: the word was wrong if it wasn't in the proper place. Good for a memorization class, but we could spell "supercalifragilistic..." correctly, yet if we put it #4 on the list instead of #7... there goes your grade. How effective was memorizing the spellings of the words, when spelling in eighth grade wasn't about that at all?
It was one of the first times I learned the hard truth about one bad apple spoiling things for the entire bunch. Even today in this crazy world, that rings true. But as they say, a lesson learned is a lesson gained.
Many physical memories had to be shed as I kept moving around from 1999-2003, as if a little piece of me was deposited everywhere I went. I saved these scrapbooks, however. The first thing I noticed was how familiar all the students' names were when I read them -- far from my active memory, but logged in very clearly long-term.
The first time my name ever made print media (other than kindergarten diplomas) was in the February 14, 1980 issue of The Scoop, where I had a high ranking in the spelling bee that year. I never won a school-wide bee, but was eighth in 1980, second in 1981, and a disappointing 18th the following year.
I can't remember the word I missed in third grade (1980), but since I was runner-up in '81, I clearly remember spelling the word "probably" as "probally"... Darn my unfortunate habit of spelling things as they were pronounced! I won a soft-cover copy of "James & The Giant Peach" as a consolation.
For years after my 1981 flub, I always joked that my father would get me for missing the word I did. I wasn't unusually rebellious at that age, just typical bad kid behavior at times that had my father lecture me about my bad attitude.
Yes, that's the word I missed: attitude. And what was I thinking when I was driven home that day? Never to tell my dad what word I missed in that spelling bee.
Spelling, along with reading, were two points of my "hyperlexia", a condition far more researched and known now than back in the '80s. And beginning with the issuing of letter grades in 1980-81, I never failed to go lower than A-minus in the subject.
Until eighth grade.
Despite all the teasing I endured in fifth and seventh grades, eighth grade still ranks as my least favorite: a perfect lead-in to the high school days I dreaded. I was bringing home D-minuses in spelling for two quarters. But how?
To this day, its reasoning is blatantly unfair. The teacher, catching one student cheating on his Friday test, announced that not only did we have to spell the words, we had to write them down from memory in the EXACT order they were in the spelling book. She wouldn't even mention words: the word was wrong if it wasn't in the proper place. Good for a memorization class, but we could spell "supercalifragilistic..." correctly, yet if we put it #4 on the list instead of #7... there goes your grade. How effective was memorizing the spellings of the words, when spelling in eighth grade wasn't about that at all?
It was one of the first times I learned the hard truth about one bad apple spoiling things for the entire bunch. Even today in this crazy world, that rings true. But as they say, a lesson learned is a lesson gained.
June 12, 2007
Making employers' jobs easier
Okay, we're serious this time, folks.
A feeble, though noted battle cry for me that I will try using as I began this morning to de-construct and disect the web, trying to find that elusive job in the career field.
I don't know why I was brain-dead so long as to not call up the Michigan Association of Broadcasters website. They actually provide you with, among other things, keys in your job hunt: discussing what a cover letter is, preparing you with eight questions a potential employer may ask you in an interview, and how to market yourself effectively.
I am having a ball this morning reading some of these resumes posted online. Not knocking the applicants as individuals, but reading through some of these resumes makes it painfully clear we need to know computers, sentence structure & proper spellings to make it in today's world. That's what employers expect from applicants.
But cover letters posted on the site were crazy. One concluded "go team!" Another began with "Yo, my name is"... And yes, I did see one that said "What's up?"
Another clearly stated "I need a second job." To which an employer would likely reply, "Oh, so you can't give 100% of your efforts to us?"
It would only serve to increase my job prospects, so I should take that positive thought in mind. And doing it with some humor, of course.
A feeble, though noted battle cry for me that I will try using as I began this morning to de-construct and disect the web, trying to find that elusive job in the career field.
I don't know why I was brain-dead so long as to not call up the Michigan Association of Broadcasters website. They actually provide you with, among other things, keys in your job hunt: discussing what a cover letter is, preparing you with eight questions a potential employer may ask you in an interview, and how to market yourself effectively.
I am having a ball this morning reading some of these resumes posted online. Not knocking the applicants as individuals, but reading through some of these resumes makes it painfully clear we need to know computers, sentence structure & proper spellings to make it in today's world. That's what employers expect from applicants.
But cover letters posted on the site were crazy. One concluded "go team!" Another began with "Yo, my name is"... And yes, I did see one that said "What's up?"
Another clearly stated "I need a second job." To which an employer would likely reply, "Oh, so you can't give 100% of your efforts to us?"
It would only serve to increase my job prospects, so I should take that positive thought in mind. And doing it with some humor, of course.
June 11, 2007
Random Monday thoughts...
Tidbits for Monday, June 11th:
* Wrestling has gone over the edge again in sadistic behavior. Even those who aren't regular watchers out there would be deplored at the conclusion to tonight's storyline: the chairman of the wrestling organization enters his limo, shuts the door, and the limo explodes in a ball of flame, giving the impression that he was dead on the scene. Wikipedia even gave an account that the chairman is, in fact, dead.
There's always a violent content in wrestling; that's the way the business goes. But how far must the envelope be pushed in order to gain ratings? And Jenni added this: what about the kids in attendance, leaving that arena with their parents, seeing that fiery explosion as the last event of the night? What if they end up asking questions?
One can only imagine the hate & shock emails going there now, and with that, the opposite of what the organization wanted: an increase in ratings. Enough agitated families may tune out, and the company will wonder what happened. Review the tapes, CEOs... you'll know.
* Much has been made about the latest playoff collapse of the Detroit Pistons, as they fell in four straight games to lose to Cleveland. Now the frustrations of their fans over the loss is doubled as San Antonio totally whipped them the other night in Game 2 of the NBA Finals.
How Detroit's players can claim they aren't so bad sounds hollow when they lose to a team that can't even show up for Game 2. They are lower in the pecking order than they give themselves credit for. Another championship run is simply not going to be that easy.
* Presidential debates? Not watching them right now. I believe they're occurring a bit too early (November / December would be more appropriate to me) and there's too much political rhetoric going on. It's to be expected, but are we ready for sixteen more months of the mudslinging?
* Three months and change after my work injury, therapy is talking about me finally trying to lift things. If this says anything: I dropped a 14-pound bowling ball two weeks ago when trying to clean a closet. This coming from a guy who used to bowl 12 games consecutively with no problem.
Before I feel confident about lifting bags, I'd better feel confident rolling a bowling ball for just two games. Tomorrow's therapy should prove to be interesting.
* The neighbor's great-grandson is making threats towards the family. Let's hope this phase quickly passes and is buried. It's the first time I ever read anything from Dr. Phil, and he makes a lot of sense.
* Lawn mower is fixed. Stupid oversight on my part, not noticing the loose wire on the other side of the mower. That's June's most embarassing moment - 12 days in.
* And this simple fact after I watched a scoop yesterday on the widening gaps in pay between the average worker and the corporate CEO:
Do they care about the parts that help make their clock tick?
* Wrestling has gone over the edge again in sadistic behavior. Even those who aren't regular watchers out there would be deplored at the conclusion to tonight's storyline: the chairman of the wrestling organization enters his limo, shuts the door, and the limo explodes in a ball of flame, giving the impression that he was dead on the scene. Wikipedia even gave an account that the chairman is, in fact, dead.
There's always a violent content in wrestling; that's the way the business goes. But how far must the envelope be pushed in order to gain ratings? And Jenni added this: what about the kids in attendance, leaving that arena with their parents, seeing that fiery explosion as the last event of the night? What if they end up asking questions?
One can only imagine the hate & shock emails going there now, and with that, the opposite of what the organization wanted: an increase in ratings. Enough agitated families may tune out, and the company will wonder what happened. Review the tapes, CEOs... you'll know.
* Much has been made about the latest playoff collapse of the Detroit Pistons, as they fell in four straight games to lose to Cleveland. Now the frustrations of their fans over the loss is doubled as San Antonio totally whipped them the other night in Game 2 of the NBA Finals.
How Detroit's players can claim they aren't so bad sounds hollow when they lose to a team that can't even show up for Game 2. They are lower in the pecking order than they give themselves credit for. Another championship run is simply not going to be that easy.
* Presidential debates? Not watching them right now. I believe they're occurring a bit too early (November / December would be more appropriate to me) and there's too much political rhetoric going on. It's to be expected, but are we ready for sixteen more months of the mudslinging?
* Three months and change after my work injury, therapy is talking about me finally trying to lift things. If this says anything: I dropped a 14-pound bowling ball two weeks ago when trying to clean a closet. This coming from a guy who used to bowl 12 games consecutively with no problem.
Before I feel confident about lifting bags, I'd better feel confident rolling a bowling ball for just two games. Tomorrow's therapy should prove to be interesting.
* The neighbor's great-grandson is making threats towards the family. Let's hope this phase quickly passes and is buried. It's the first time I ever read anything from Dr. Phil, and he makes a lot of sense.
* Lawn mower is fixed. Stupid oversight on my part, not noticing the loose wire on the other side of the mower. That's June's most embarassing moment - 12 days in.
* And this simple fact after I watched a scoop yesterday on the widening gaps in pay between the average worker and the corporate CEO:
Do they care about the parts that help make their clock tick?
June 9, 2007
Not returned pristine
I have to give credit to my neighbor Stephen for being patient with me over the course of figuring out my car's lengthy problems. It was only because of him that the car is finally street legal, as he went through hell & high water to re-wire the brake light system so it would function acceptably.
Now as I go to mow my lawn, I find the lawn mower will not work. The metal coil which keeps the engine running has snapped off. It was caused by a major tape job - Stephen tried to fix my loose handle by taping it tight. But he taped over the metal coil, and snapped because it had no room to move & expand when I tried starting it.
I cannot afford another repair bill to something else. My checks are already taken by proposed tune-ups and other fix-its to the car. I would hope that Stephen, in his good nature, will volunteer to fix and spend what is necessary to bring the lawn mower back in good shape.
People who loan things to others out of the goodness of their hearts should at least return the equipment to the owners in the condition it was received. I am hoping for a civil, calm and satisfiying solution to this problem. It's unwanted surprises like this that make me wish I never get out of bed during the day.
----------------------------------
... Having a lot of fun on the Wikipedia on-line encyclopedia website. The Niagara Falls historian in me has had much fun retrieving information online about the city, correcting false information, creating new articles, and trying to put it all together into a distribution page. Links follow below if you want to catch a glimpse of my writing style - or if you're as interested as I am in the unofficial Honeymoon Capital Of The World, I'll have a link to the distribution page as well.
... Boy, did the heavens read my last blog? Paris Hilton is deservedly back in the slammer again, and boy did she let the waterworks start. This so soon after being on perfect behavior, willing to pay the legal price for her DUI's? Now we see the total brat in her -- and the press hanging on every word and tear.
Someone once suggested that the most hurtful way to treat a celebrity is to simply ignore them. That someone should speak up again. And then maybe she will truly think along the lines that I described in my previous entry.
What a win that would be for the average Joe out there.
--------------------------------------
* Link to the Table Rock Center entry for Niagara Falls that I wrote from scratch.
* Link to the Dufferin Islands entry for Niagara Falls - I also wrote that from scratch.
* Link to the distribution page for Niagara Falls that I am putting together... lots of other good articles in there as well; forty and counting as of today.
Now as I go to mow my lawn, I find the lawn mower will not work. The metal coil which keeps the engine running has snapped off. It was caused by a major tape job - Stephen tried to fix my loose handle by taping it tight. But he taped over the metal coil, and snapped because it had no room to move & expand when I tried starting it.
I cannot afford another repair bill to something else. My checks are already taken by proposed tune-ups and other fix-its to the car. I would hope that Stephen, in his good nature, will volunteer to fix and spend what is necessary to bring the lawn mower back in good shape.
People who loan things to others out of the goodness of their hearts should at least return the equipment to the owners in the condition it was received. I am hoping for a civil, calm and satisfiying solution to this problem. It's unwanted surprises like this that make me wish I never get out of bed during the day.
----------------------------------
... Having a lot of fun on the Wikipedia on-line encyclopedia website. The Niagara Falls historian in me has had much fun retrieving information online about the city, correcting false information, creating new articles, and trying to put it all together into a distribution page. Links follow below if you want to catch a glimpse of my writing style - or if you're as interested as I am in the unofficial Honeymoon Capital Of The World, I'll have a link to the distribution page as well.
... Boy, did the heavens read my last blog? Paris Hilton is deservedly back in the slammer again, and boy did she let the waterworks start. This so soon after being on perfect behavior, willing to pay the legal price for her DUI's? Now we see the total brat in her -- and the press hanging on every word and tear.
Someone once suggested that the most hurtful way to treat a celebrity is to simply ignore them. That someone should speak up again. And then maybe she will truly think along the lines that I described in my previous entry.
What a win that would be for the average Joe out there.
--------------------------------------
* Link to the Table Rock Center entry for Niagara Falls that I wrote from scratch.
* Link to the Dufferin Islands entry for Niagara Falls - I also wrote that from scratch.
* Link to the distribution page for Niagara Falls that I am putting together... lots of other good articles in there as well; forty and counting as of today.
June 8, 2007
Won't play the "spoiler"
Shaking my head this morning as the Paris Hilton saga continues to unfold.
What more could a person hope for in order to skirt punishment for a crime? Hilton's sentence was commuted from 45 days to 23, yet she only served three days and qualified (if the term can be used with a straight face) for an early release due to "medical concerns".
All questions about medicial concerns were put to rest when we saw the outrageous footage of a caterer coming to her house with three tubs of cupcakes. Just think of her mantra: "I'm the queen; I skirted the law; I get to have it my way again... to heck with the police and the law."
I will never lay an aggressive hand on a woman; I've said so since day one. But I wouldn't mind hiring hit men to slap the crap out of her after her celebrity status got her through her probation violation. Take a look at the rest of human-kind; the non-Hollywooders... ask any who violated probation if they snacked on cupcakes afterwards.
Outside of acting in yet another of those reality TV series venues, just what is it Paris Hilton does? She's heir to the Hilton Hotel chain, yet does she have a shared interest or a director's position in-waiting on their board? Whatever, whatever, she'd probably say. Look at her dazed expression on her face during the red-carpet treatments she demands... could she even work a complex computer program? (Blackberries don't count.)
Silver-platter treatment has been around forever, but now TV & entertainment watchers are up to their necks in it. My children would never get away from a prima-donna attitude. You have to be good in your business in order to carry confidence that far -- and I can't figure out what business she's good at.
I agreed with everything MSNBC was saying about her yesterday, and it all comes down to preferential treatment. "Oh, we don't want her to be a bad influence on her fans by putting her in jail," is a prevailing thought. Skirting jail tells her fans it's all right to break the law and NOT expect to be punished. That in itself is a bad influence. I know it's painfully obvious. I'm just not sure she knows.
The celebrity pull-over excuse: "Don't you know who I am?" We wish we didn't, sorry.
Former MLB catcher Carlton Fisk said it best during a 1990 interview with the makers of a baseball preview magazine. Without knowing the exact words, Fisk said that to make it in this world, you have to earn it. "Just because you're 16, doesn't mean you deserve a new red sports car in the garage." And Lord knows I won't be playing a spoiler to kids. I'll root for them best I can, but I expect to see effort.
Though I thought he was just a bitter man when he said it, he had a point. He believed in life discipline. If people silver-platter everything, where will the effort be in this world?
Oh, I think once Paris Hilton enters her 40s, she'll look around and wonder what's going on around her, why life has passed her by, why no one will pay attention to her anymore.
Publishing companies, save your precious ink when that time arrives!
What more could a person hope for in order to skirt punishment for a crime? Hilton's sentence was commuted from 45 days to 23, yet she only served three days and qualified (if the term can be used with a straight face) for an early release due to "medical concerns".
All questions about medicial concerns were put to rest when we saw the outrageous footage of a caterer coming to her house with three tubs of cupcakes. Just think of her mantra: "I'm the queen; I skirted the law; I get to have it my way again... to heck with the police and the law."
I will never lay an aggressive hand on a woman; I've said so since day one. But I wouldn't mind hiring hit men to slap the crap out of her after her celebrity status got her through her probation violation. Take a look at the rest of human-kind; the non-Hollywooders... ask any who violated probation if they snacked on cupcakes afterwards.
Outside of acting in yet another of those reality TV series venues, just what is it Paris Hilton does? She's heir to the Hilton Hotel chain, yet does she have a shared interest or a director's position in-waiting on their board? Whatever, whatever, she'd probably say. Look at her dazed expression on her face during the red-carpet treatments she demands... could she even work a complex computer program? (Blackberries don't count.)
Silver-platter treatment has been around forever, but now TV & entertainment watchers are up to their necks in it. My children would never get away from a prima-donna attitude. You have to be good in your business in order to carry confidence that far -- and I can't figure out what business she's good at.
I agreed with everything MSNBC was saying about her yesterday, and it all comes down to preferential treatment. "Oh, we don't want her to be a bad influence on her fans by putting her in jail," is a prevailing thought. Skirting jail tells her fans it's all right to break the law and NOT expect to be punished. That in itself is a bad influence. I know it's painfully obvious. I'm just not sure she knows.
The celebrity pull-over excuse: "Don't you know who I am?" We wish we didn't, sorry.
Former MLB catcher Carlton Fisk said it best during a 1990 interview with the makers of a baseball preview magazine. Without knowing the exact words, Fisk said that to make it in this world, you have to earn it. "Just because you're 16, doesn't mean you deserve a new red sports car in the garage." And Lord knows I won't be playing a spoiler to kids. I'll root for them best I can, but I expect to see effort.
Though I thought he was just a bitter man when he said it, he had a point. He believed in life discipline. If people silver-platter everything, where will the effort be in this world?
Oh, I think once Paris Hilton enters her 40s, she'll look around and wonder what's going on around her, why life has passed her by, why no one will pay attention to her anymore.
Publishing companies, save your precious ink when that time arrives!
June 7, 2007
Don't bark unless there's a reason
There are four major reasons, festered over time, that have grown my general dislike of dogs.
* Whenever neighborhood kids would torment a certain enemy of theirs (which happened often and for good reason), his older brother would unleash the German Shepherd, in attack mode, out of the yard to chase the kids away. This caused plenty of fear among the kids and only served to make them angrier.
* Neighbors that moved in later would allow a Pit Bull to roam the neighborhood. This dog was undisciplined and uncontrollable. Seeing that and hearing the reports of the nature of their attacks on people put more a fear into me.
* Another dog in the neighborhood was nice and friendly, but his owners didn't believe in general pet hygiene. You enter their house, you smelled old dog smell. You wouldn't want to pet the dog, friendly as he was, because he was never cleaned nor groomed.
* The dog living two doors down from me right now will start a barking spiel, even at 3 in the morning, for no discernable reason. He's always facing my house, and I can't have the windows open to listen for the birds in the morning if his barking is always drowning them out.
Dogs, however, do have a reason to bark, especially this last one. I would like nothing more than to muzzle this dog from behind, but the house occupants should get the same treatment -- because they only encourage his barking, then tell him to shut up before they egg the dog on more.
His object of hate is lawn equipment. He would bark at it naturally, until the lawn care person would shove the lawnmower at him, blades exposed. He barks too much, he gets attacked by a rake.
Consider Pavlov and his theory of controlled stimulus-controlled response. It rang true for food, it rings true for what they bark at. Even if the lawnmower is at my house, the dog barks.
I'm writing this as they take care of the yard over there. Normally they let him into the garage; this time they kept him chained up, barking up a storm. The mower came within a foot of his hind paws. As he kept barking, the homeowner threw objects at it, instead of putting it into the garage.
The dog is only three years old. Can we count on him to forget the memories of the lawnmower and all of a sudden become a model citizen in the canine world? He's stuck with those fears for life... and we're stuck with all the noise.
And this time, the owners are just as guilty as the dog.
* Whenever neighborhood kids would torment a certain enemy of theirs (which happened often and for good reason), his older brother would unleash the German Shepherd, in attack mode, out of the yard to chase the kids away. This caused plenty of fear among the kids and only served to make them angrier.
* Neighbors that moved in later would allow a Pit Bull to roam the neighborhood. This dog was undisciplined and uncontrollable. Seeing that and hearing the reports of the nature of their attacks on people put more a fear into me.
* Another dog in the neighborhood was nice and friendly, but his owners didn't believe in general pet hygiene. You enter their house, you smelled old dog smell. You wouldn't want to pet the dog, friendly as he was, because he was never cleaned nor groomed.
* The dog living two doors down from me right now will start a barking spiel, even at 3 in the morning, for no discernable reason. He's always facing my house, and I can't have the windows open to listen for the birds in the morning if his barking is always drowning them out.
Dogs, however, do have a reason to bark, especially this last one. I would like nothing more than to muzzle this dog from behind, but the house occupants should get the same treatment -- because they only encourage his barking, then tell him to shut up before they egg the dog on more.
His object of hate is lawn equipment. He would bark at it naturally, until the lawn care person would shove the lawnmower at him, blades exposed. He barks too much, he gets attacked by a rake.
Consider Pavlov and his theory of controlled stimulus-controlled response. It rang true for food, it rings true for what they bark at. Even if the lawnmower is at my house, the dog barks.
I'm writing this as they take care of the yard over there. Normally they let him into the garage; this time they kept him chained up, barking up a storm. The mower came within a foot of his hind paws. As he kept barking, the homeowner threw objects at it, instead of putting it into the garage.
The dog is only three years old. Can we count on him to forget the memories of the lawnmower and all of a sudden become a model citizen in the canine world? He's stuck with those fears for life... and we're stuck with all the noise.
And this time, the owners are just as guilty as the dog.
June 6, 2007
Ma Bell & Baby Bell syndrome
Mergers continue to take place all over the business world, part of what appears to be a globalization of business.
Farmer Jack, a name known to most Detroiters, will be no more as of the end of next month. A&P (who used to have a Michigan presence as well) wants to cut off Farmer Jack because there were no buyers for the chain.
Doesn't seem that long ago since there were neighborhood grocers in droves, who knew your name; friendly neighborhood butchers who knew your meat order every time you came in.
The small stores are but a memory, selling out to medium stores, who sell out to the large stores like A&P, who then are gobbled up by Wal-Mart.
This world is officially going to be completely Wal-Mart-ized. This is not the first mention of Wal-Mart's hostile takeover of our way of life (if I find the other entry, I'll link it here), but more and more the difference between the have's and have-nots is growing. There's no middle ground. We were taught as youngsters not to think of matters strictly black or white; remember when they told you "there's always a gray area"?
No more when it comes to business.
The local newspapers which have been reporting on this every step of the way have testimonials in their articles by devoted Farmer Jack shoppers who lament the lack of available, affordable alternatives. They express hesitation at shopping at Wal-Mart, Meijer or Costco.
Especially with the older folk, they consider personal customer service a perk for shopping where they do; which to them, means super personal: they know who you are and they know what you're shopping for; you can talk to the clerk like you're old friends.
Now we're in the merger cycle of business, and remember in Michigan it's a killer to the economic psyche.
But why do I say it's a cycle? Just look at the title above. "Ma Bell" and "Baby Bell" were terms given to the companies resulting after the mid-1980s split of AT&T, who at the time was monopolizing the communications market. Historically, Standard Oil was split up in the early part of last century for the exact same reason. And grumblings of "monopoly" erupt every time we figure Bill Gates and his Windows Vista program have to adorn every computer. Even if it's an Apple Mac, so what? He'll try to get his fingerprint on it. What if we don't want his ideas? We have no choice.
And the choices are becoming slim and none to shoppers who desire variety and competitive pricing. They will have no choice but to bow to Wal-Mart if they want to eat properly.
If John D. Rockefeller were alive to see these mergers, he'd laugh and say "see? Look what happened to Standard Oil; now people like me are getting those other people back."
Let's think positive, and wait until we get the likes of him back... again.
Farmer Jack, a name known to most Detroiters, will be no more as of the end of next month. A&P (who used to have a Michigan presence as well) wants to cut off Farmer Jack because there were no buyers for the chain.
Doesn't seem that long ago since there were neighborhood grocers in droves, who knew your name; friendly neighborhood butchers who knew your meat order every time you came in.
The small stores are but a memory, selling out to medium stores, who sell out to the large stores like A&P, who then are gobbled up by Wal-Mart.
This world is officially going to be completely Wal-Mart-ized. This is not the first mention of Wal-Mart's hostile takeover of our way of life (if I find the other entry, I'll link it here), but more and more the difference between the have's and have-nots is growing. There's no middle ground. We were taught as youngsters not to think of matters strictly black or white; remember when they told you "there's always a gray area"?
No more when it comes to business.
The local newspapers which have been reporting on this every step of the way have testimonials in their articles by devoted Farmer Jack shoppers who lament the lack of available, affordable alternatives. They express hesitation at shopping at Wal-Mart, Meijer or Costco.
Especially with the older folk, they consider personal customer service a perk for shopping where they do; which to them, means super personal: they know who you are and they know what you're shopping for; you can talk to the clerk like you're old friends.
Now we're in the merger cycle of business, and remember in Michigan it's a killer to the economic psyche.
But why do I say it's a cycle? Just look at the title above. "Ma Bell" and "Baby Bell" were terms given to the companies resulting after the mid-1980s split of AT&T, who at the time was monopolizing the communications market. Historically, Standard Oil was split up in the early part of last century for the exact same reason. And grumblings of "monopoly" erupt every time we figure Bill Gates and his Windows Vista program have to adorn every computer. Even if it's an Apple Mac, so what? He'll try to get his fingerprint on it. What if we don't want his ideas? We have no choice.
And the choices are becoming slim and none to shoppers who desire variety and competitive pricing. They will have no choice but to bow to Wal-Mart if they want to eat properly.
If John D. Rockefeller were alive to see these mergers, he'd laugh and say "see? Look what happened to Standard Oil; now people like me are getting those other people back."
Let's think positive, and wait until we get the likes of him back... again.
June 5, 2007
Top 10 things in life (so far)
It is not often that I simulcast material on the myspace blog I have with this one. This is an exception to the rule, as the other day my brain was in constructive mode and hammered out a list of top 10 things I've learned in life.
I still have much to learn, being that I'm only at the half-way point of man's expected age, so these might not all hold true in the coming years. But if you want a glance at my values & so forth, here we go... (and if you don't understand any of them and want to know more, leave a comment for me)
TOP TEN THINGS I'VE LEARNED IN LIFE:
1. Frugal is as frugal does
2. Family members that have known you the longest love you the most
3. Drivers Education is a dying art
4. You write your own life script, yet you are the last to know about it
5. With more security comes more threats
6. Fight for today, tomorrow comes on its own
7. Do as people say, not as they do
8. Old age & treachery will overcome youth and skill
9. In Michigan, always assume it will snow on a 90 degree day
10. The best things in life go unadvertised
I still have much to learn, being that I'm only at the half-way point of man's expected age, so these might not all hold true in the coming years. But if you want a glance at my values & so forth, here we go... (and if you don't understand any of them and want to know more, leave a comment for me)
TOP TEN THINGS I'VE LEARNED IN LIFE:
1. Frugal is as frugal does
2. Family members that have known you the longest love you the most
3. Drivers Education is a dying art
4. You write your own life script, yet you are the last to know about it
5. With more security comes more threats
6. Fight for today, tomorrow comes on its own
7. Do as people say, not as they do
8. Old age & treachery will overcome youth and skill
9. In Michigan, always assume it will snow on a 90 degree day
10. The best things in life go unadvertised
June 4, 2007
Your project, your fence, your bill
I would hate to be caught in the middle of a neighborhood war. But it helps that I'm not the homeowner.
My neighbors to the west have had a silent war of words & actions for decades now, mostly over an overgrown tree that reaches onto their property and fools with the electrical overhead lines. In spite of DTE Energy's aggressive tree-trimming program for their wires (which turn trees into mushrooms), they have somehow ignored this tree's lingering branches.
Two years ago, when our power went on & off for awhile, I found a small windstorm was causing the tree to arc the wires, causing a potential fire hazard. After calling DTE, they trimmed back some of the branches. Despite there being no problems, the neighbors keep calling for the tree to be trimmed. It's logical, given the tree trunk is right on the easement line. But the property owner wants nothing to do with it.
As I was trimming around the yard earlier today, that property owner walked up to me and began complaining that my raised garden area was popping out his area of the chain-link fence. It certainly is, and it is due to faulty foundations in the rear. I don't think it's my responsibility to fix, but I will notify the landlord about it.
Then the property owner (Mr. Watts) stated he wants to build a vinyl fence around his property, which is a triple-lot. And he wants the neighbors surrounding his property line, despite what they may think, to combine and pay for half of the fence. He actually expects my landlord to automatically fork over the money, and shrugged his shoulders at my neighbors to the west, implying that they don't care enough to contribute.
Ah, if I was the owner here, I wouldn't want to contribute either. I'm not the one who wants to stare at a vinyl fence or have workers barging around my garden area, trampling everything over so they can dig their post holes. They would be tearing apart my (and the landlord's) yard for someone else's project, and we would have to pay for the trampling and inconvenience?
I've not had experience with such requests before regarding shared fencing. My dad and neighbor at the time were going to construct a back fence covering two of their lots, until my dad went for the slightly more expensive fence, rather than do-it-himself. He paid for it all on his own. He didn't ask for a cooperative effort.
I see no benefits of a vinyl fence. I was going to touch up the chain-link with some paint this summer... but that would have been my project. What would Mr. Watts have said if I told him, "you owe me half for this fence paint"? How long would it take him to stop laughing?
Combine Mr. Watts with Mr. Poole two doors down, and my neighbors have reason to shake their heads at the neighborhood. I was just hoping their friendly neighbor to the east (meaning yours truly) wouldn't have to join the war brigade, and drag the landlord into it as well.
Time will tell. Apparently there's a limit to the "good neighbor" theory, the fallout of which I would rather not see.
My neighbors to the west have had a silent war of words & actions for decades now, mostly over an overgrown tree that reaches onto their property and fools with the electrical overhead lines. In spite of DTE Energy's aggressive tree-trimming program for their wires (which turn trees into mushrooms), they have somehow ignored this tree's lingering branches.
Two years ago, when our power went on & off for awhile, I found a small windstorm was causing the tree to arc the wires, causing a potential fire hazard. After calling DTE, they trimmed back some of the branches. Despite there being no problems, the neighbors keep calling for the tree to be trimmed. It's logical, given the tree trunk is right on the easement line. But the property owner wants nothing to do with it.
As I was trimming around the yard earlier today, that property owner walked up to me and began complaining that my raised garden area was popping out his area of the chain-link fence. It certainly is, and it is due to faulty foundations in the rear. I don't think it's my responsibility to fix, but I will notify the landlord about it.
Then the property owner (Mr. Watts) stated he wants to build a vinyl fence around his property, which is a triple-lot. And he wants the neighbors surrounding his property line, despite what they may think, to combine and pay for half of the fence. He actually expects my landlord to automatically fork over the money, and shrugged his shoulders at my neighbors to the west, implying that they don't care enough to contribute.
Ah, if I was the owner here, I wouldn't want to contribute either. I'm not the one who wants to stare at a vinyl fence or have workers barging around my garden area, trampling everything over so they can dig their post holes. They would be tearing apart my (and the landlord's) yard for someone else's project, and we would have to pay for the trampling and inconvenience?
I've not had experience with such requests before regarding shared fencing. My dad and neighbor at the time were going to construct a back fence covering two of their lots, until my dad went for the slightly more expensive fence, rather than do-it-himself. He paid for it all on his own. He didn't ask for a cooperative effort.
I see no benefits of a vinyl fence. I was going to touch up the chain-link with some paint this summer... but that would have been my project. What would Mr. Watts have said if I told him, "you owe me half for this fence paint"? How long would it take him to stop laughing?
Combine Mr. Watts with Mr. Poole two doors down, and my neighbors have reason to shake their heads at the neighborhood. I was just hoping their friendly neighbor to the east (meaning yours truly) wouldn't have to join the war brigade, and drag the landlord into it as well.
Time will tell. Apparently there's a limit to the "good neighbor" theory, the fallout of which I would rather not see.
June 1, 2007
This was no surprise party
Is there a conspiracy against my medical condition simply because two so-called "proven" examinations turned out generally negative?
I mentioned a week or so ago about the MRI and EMG tests on my back turning out negative, ruling out surgery. But worker's compensation continues their charade, basically implying the injury is faked. I would love for them to come by and see me try to walk around this house first thing in the morning, or in the afternoon when I attempt my household chores. Consistent limping can't be faked.
Actually, let me take that back about someone visiting me for that purpose. I received a surprise visit from someone about that at the clinic earlier today, and darn if I nearly melted down to a 2005 level.
Waiting for the doctor to perform my recheck, a woman shows up (actually, barges through the door), and ask if I'm Kevin. Well, with that rapid heartbeat of mine making itself known due to the shock, I basically say "who wants to know?" Turns out she's the case nurse making a visit.
Case nurses making a visit have happened to me once before. This was when she flat-out told the attending doctor that the injury was a total fake job, and I was to return to work at once. We all know what happened next.
This woman was a complete psycho. Asking me stupid, unrelated questions, lecturing me that I wasn't signing forms right and talking down like I was a first-grader, saying I was illiterate for not being able to pronounce my medications (they're 14 letters long, for pete's sake), racing around the office demanding the doctor interrupt his peer conference call because she had to "be somewhere", and when she wasn't talking, staring me right in the face with a stupid look on hers. And what am I supposed to say, "glad to know you?"
This woman is not related to anyone or employed by the clinic I go to. Yet it seemed that she possessed the iron fist in her mind, and the staff would have to scurry around and cater to her every whim. I swear she made those staff members as jumpy as she was making me. I could even tell a sense of aggravation on the doctor's part.
The case nurse was begging for a chance to get me back to work before my time. And boy, did the doctor prove her wrong. Not only did he mention that I had a ways to go and I would likely need those epidural injections, but upon examination of my toe resistance exercise, he noticed the left foot has weakened considerably in just the last two weeks. This does not bode well. And it didn't fit the script of the nurse, who shut her mouth after that. Defeated, I take it.
I go to retrieve my prescriptions and paperwork and go to leave, and she said "you're not going anywhere." Who is she, my trainer? I shot her an acid look and left under my own power regardless. Hey, she complains she has somewhere to be... well, so do I: home!
Whenever I do go off worker's compensation, I will leave a detailed message over there completely trashing them for the lack of care and concern they have provided; not only to me but also co-workers who have been burned by the manager's idiocy. A friend of mine knows a worker's comp. referee and believe me, I may put him to good use.
Maybe surprise parties are out of the question for my future... you tell me.
I mentioned a week or so ago about the MRI and EMG tests on my back turning out negative, ruling out surgery. But worker's compensation continues their charade, basically implying the injury is faked. I would love for them to come by and see me try to walk around this house first thing in the morning, or in the afternoon when I attempt my household chores. Consistent limping can't be faked.
Actually, let me take that back about someone visiting me for that purpose. I received a surprise visit from someone about that at the clinic earlier today, and darn if I nearly melted down to a 2005 level.
Waiting for the doctor to perform my recheck, a woman shows up (actually, barges through the door), and ask if I'm Kevin. Well, with that rapid heartbeat of mine making itself known due to the shock, I basically say "who wants to know?" Turns out she's the case nurse making a visit.
Case nurses making a visit have happened to me once before. This was when she flat-out told the attending doctor that the injury was a total fake job, and I was to return to work at once. We all know what happened next.
This woman was a complete psycho. Asking me stupid, unrelated questions, lecturing me that I wasn't signing forms right and talking down like I was a first-grader, saying I was illiterate for not being able to pronounce my medications (they're 14 letters long, for pete's sake), racing around the office demanding the doctor interrupt his peer conference call because she had to "be somewhere", and when she wasn't talking, staring me right in the face with a stupid look on hers. And what am I supposed to say, "glad to know you?"
This woman is not related to anyone or employed by the clinic I go to. Yet it seemed that she possessed the iron fist in her mind, and the staff would have to scurry around and cater to her every whim. I swear she made those staff members as jumpy as she was making me. I could even tell a sense of aggravation on the doctor's part.
The case nurse was begging for a chance to get me back to work before my time. And boy, did the doctor prove her wrong. Not only did he mention that I had a ways to go and I would likely need those epidural injections, but upon examination of my toe resistance exercise, he noticed the left foot has weakened considerably in just the last two weeks. This does not bode well. And it didn't fit the script of the nurse, who shut her mouth after that. Defeated, I take it.
I go to retrieve my prescriptions and paperwork and go to leave, and she said "you're not going anywhere." Who is she, my trainer? I shot her an acid look and left under my own power regardless. Hey, she complains she has somewhere to be... well, so do I: home!
Whenever I do go off worker's compensation, I will leave a detailed message over there completely trashing them for the lack of care and concern they have provided; not only to me but also co-workers who have been burned by the manager's idiocy. A friend of mine knows a worker's comp. referee and believe me, I may put him to good use.
Maybe surprise parties are out of the question for my future... you tell me.
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