I Have A Question

I had the privilege of dinner with my boss and his son this evening. We went to watch the Lakers play and as fate would have it the game was a blowout. For me, being one of the first times I actually went someplace to watch a basketball game, it was kinda boring.

Now, just for the record, this was not a baby sitting father and young son night out. Mark and Michael are both adults. They are co-managing the company as the elder imparts years of wisdom in the younger. Their conversations are varied and often passionate.

I can't help but smile at the struggle I know they have as the wisdom doesn't quite hit home for the younger and the unbridled passion to jump in with both feet escapes the conservative nature of the elder. I know my sons and I had these same struggles and I wonder who in my life was watching and smiling as I do now.

As the three of us sat half not watching the game the conservation took many paths, work, the people there, LA, the mid-west... politics.

The younger says to me "my dad wants to ask Obama a question. Has he told you? Dad, tell DNR what you want to ask President Obama."
The elder says to me, "Why do you want to change this country? I hate communism [socialism]. He is trying to make this country into a social state. Take my money and give it to people that have never worked. Not poor. Never tried. This is a wonderful country, you can be anything you want, you want a lot of money, you can make it. You want to be President, YOU can be President. When I left my country they were bringing about change. We were a strong country. Our currency was accepted all around the world... now &%€@ [cursing in another language]. My question for my Obama is this, 'what did you have when you were eleven?' [looking at me with great passion in his eyes] What did Mr Obama have when he was eleven?"
"Nothing." I replied. Half expecting an 'ah-ha' gotcha. But he simply asked "what does he have now...? He is President. Why does he want to change this country?"

So, Mr Obama, we have a question. After nearly 50 years, you have gone from (by all accounts) nothing to President. If it worked for you, Why do you want to change this country?
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1.2 Miles

Not 1,200 or 2,400 like it used to be.

Life finds me now living one and two tenths miles from the beach. Today is my second or third trip to the place where sand meats water. Since the kayaus that was my life recently has subsided I took time this visit to look, to see.

Remember back in the 70s, there was a PSA commercial where an American Indian would stand someplace and observe the trash blowing up at his feet and we would see a tear fall down his cheek?

Today I watched the tattered remains of a gallon milk jug wrestle with the surf. Ten feet out, two feet, stuck in he sand, lifted back up and taken another six feet out. Ultimately is settled on the shore, partly stuck in the sand. I'm guessing it will stay there till next high tide, then be pushed further up on shore.

Where I sit right now, maybe 20 feet from the water, there are cigarette filters galore, packing peanuts, foam coffee cup scraps, a literal plethora of plastic bits and pieces AND too many other things to mention. I know on the coasts they don't necessarily use landfills as much as us inlanders do. They use ocean dumps. Now, I don't know if the stuff here on the beach with me is just trash from last years beach crowd or if it is the ocean returning to us what is truly ours but I do know it's shameful.

I know why coastal living folks are so pro recycle. This 'stuff' is literally in their back yard.

As conservative as I am, I, personally, need to do a better job reusing the stuff that I have.

As for the milk jug...
I put it in a trash can but I can't help but wonder, will it be back?

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Randomness

Sitting in a LA area Starbucks, some things occur to me.

I couldn't help but smile at a young Asian couple with their very young daughter. Speaking Chinese (I'm guessing) they chatted. Mom would giggle and chatter something while pointing at the little girl. Dad would smile and look at her in his lap and she would beam with a child's innocent smile. Absolutely the most precious thing I've seen in days.

This are has a lot of Asians. LA is the new mixing pot of America.

Four young men are sitting. outside chatting in their language. I can only imagine it is politics. Heh, maybe they are talking about the fat white guy typing frantically in his BB. LOL!

Outside there is blazing sunshine, palm trees, snow capped mountains, and thunderstorm clouds hugging some of the lower peaks. Truly an amazing place.

I could learn to like LA.

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Anonymous

Happy?

A Fan

I have a fan!

Nice post, in a drunk, profound way. You're posting less and less these days. You hate California, and your life there, right? You left everything behind, the Barn, your friends, your family, the PGR...

At least, try to post more often. You have a good, direct and amusing, straightforward style, that its not that easy to find. In 4 words, you're fun to read. Despite all our differences.

Cheers from Europe/Portugal

I never thought my troll would be the one that comes back regularly to read my posts.

So, sincere or a smart ass jab? meh, who cares.

Everyone can stop reading here except "Europe/Portugal"

-------------------

Yes, I'm posting less and less. I'm on face book daily... or more. I must admit, I do kinda miss your ranting and posting here in a more anonymous manner.

No, I don' hate California, the weather is great and I'm meeting some really great people. I do miss the Barn, my friends, family, the PGR... There are PGR here and like i said, I'm making friends.

And thanks for the complement.

I Saw A Spider

Yes tonight I saw a spider.

It’s at least 50 feet between the building I’m staying in and the one across the way. Yet he hung there… 40 feet above the ground, blowing in the wind.

If this had been Indiana, I’d say a storm was brewing. You know the feeling… A suspiciously warm night, a strong breeze coming in from the south… rain is coming, big storm. Big rain. But here in Southern California, phft, I don’t have a clue. This weather is… weird.

The spider.

He was blowing in the breeze, moving around at least two feet. Completely oblivious to the impending death that surly awaits him should he fall the 40 or so feet to the ground. But yet there he was, making his web. Working tirelessly to construct that which would sustain his life.

There was a point… somewhere.

I know, “What the f’hell?” Yet some how, for some reason, to me, it is… was profound.

Yes. I’m drunk.

29.95

Sigh - when your 29.95 room comes with a fly-swatter. It should be obvious you're not going to sleep much... crickets. In the room. Under the bed. All night.

Oh, and now... no hot water.

If there was ever a sign I should just go back to bed, this is it.

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There’s a party at the Barn

It’s 12:30am Wednesday morning and I’m not sleeping again. Not sleepy… maybe choosing not to sleep. I’m actually not sure which.

Earlier today a friend posted on FB (by the way, that’s where I’m spending most of my time these days) he was headed up to the barn to get some ink done. Sigh. Sitting at my desk (it’s really a table, I don’t have a desk… and don’t even ask about ‘an office’) I pondered on that statement just long enough to get a lump in my throat.

I’m here, they’re there. And life goes on.

I may have to drink a bottle of Jack this weekend just so I can pretend I’m there.

If, somehow, someone, were to read this and happened to get the Barn Bunch together for a ‘biker’ style (you know, fingers, moons, maybe ‘twins’) group photo and sent it to me… I’d be really grateful.

In My Short Time Here In California

I’ve learned:

Traffic. No matter where you are from, where you have driven, the traffic in LA is unique. Here, the terms ‘defensive driving’ and ‘situational awareness’ have completely new depths of meaning.

It DOES rain in Southern California.

Palm trees, left to their own devices are gnarly. (note So Cal terminology) Nothing like you see in the post cards.

No matter how my day was, if I have to park more than 2 buildings away from my apartment, the day sucked. Yesterday (last night) I got a “notice of intent to impound” sticker on my car. I am in building L. I have had to park as far away as building A.

I get the heebe jeebes (we’re talking serious panic attack here) when traffic makes me stop on the highway under a bridge. All I can think about is “squashed like a pancake”…

The barbed wire on the sign poles is to keep people off the signs, not necessarily for birds. Some guy was on the news, being convicted of vandalism on (tagging) the big green highway signs. He did over $100,000 in damage. Said he climbed up on them at night and painted away.

The Left Coast

Again, Not what I expected.

I expected a culture of hug the planet, save the trees, flow control faucets on everything, don’t drink sodas, only eat salads, you know, the left cost way of life. I also expected PC-ness to be running rampant.

From the people here, I have observed, they are worse than any Midwesterner. They litter, freely. We’re talking sandwich wrappers, empty cigarette boxes, multiple napkins… it’s almost disgusting. Use it, drop it out the car window. On the freeway, at traffic lights, in a parking lot… wherever they are.

There is fast food everywhere and everyone eats it. Now some times they tend to go for the ‘chuck-wagon’, (one of those traveling trucks that brings food to a business) What they get from there are fries with cheese, super sloppy burritos… all kinds of stuff that isn’t good for you.

Sidebar – the chuck wagon is more like a carnival food truck, not the little pick-up-with-a-heater-and-refrigerator like the other factory had. These have deep fryers, griddles, freezers and 2 or 3 workers in them. They must come from somewhere near by here because in the mornings, I see a half dozen of them on the road. Oh yea, they are here for breakfast too.

My apartment does not have flow control on the shower head. I was genuinely surprised to see this. The water pressure is great. I have the hot and cold valves turned less than one-eight of a turn and I can spray parts into my hair. Any more opening of the valves and I think the shower streams would cut my skin.

There are TV and radio commercials (PSA’s) telling everyone there is ‘mandatory water conservation’. Don’t hose of your driveway, take only 5-minute showers, fix broken sprinklers, etc.

PC – again, political correctness seems to be an elitist philosophy. Some customer name and or job name had something like fine china in the name. ho boy, you wouldn’t believe the vagina gags running around and being shouted over the walls. Funny, yes. Expected, no.

Maybe what I have been told is just from Hollywood. Maybe these people are too busy working and trying to get by in this crazy economy (like the rest of the country) to worry about what the Hollywood Elite seem to worry about. It’s kind of comforting but in the same since, it’s disheartening.

Being conservative doesn’t mean I’m not ecologically aware. I don’t litter, I try to eat right when time allows. And does any body really ‘hose’ off their driveway weekly or daily??

If I’m more conservation conscious than 70-80% of the left coast… what does that mean?

Minority

That's me.



I went to Wal-Mart here the other day to get some supplies. You know, soap, paper towels, butter and such.



Anyway, standing in the checkout line I started looking around. First of all, the place was packed. Must have been 20 open register lines and all of them had at least 3 people waiting in line. It was packed like Christmas in Indiana. As I was scanning the crowd, just taking in the scenery, it hit me... black hair. OMG everyone here has black hair. That got me looking and I actually did find one guy with a ball cap on that might have had lighter hair.



Everyone else was latino or asian. I was the only 'white' guy.



The trend even carries on here to the new office. I AM the only white guy. There is one guy, Jesus, with red-black hair and the bleached blond/red latinos don't count.



Here it's not just appearance. It's language too. The owners speak hebrew, a couple guys in the office and a couple on the factory seem to speak it too. Then of course there is the spanish. In the middle of phone conservations they (the latinos) change back in fourth like it's the same language. On top of that, I know I've heard korean (seen it come off the printer too).



It really is amazing to listen to this modern day melting pot of cultures mix and enter act.





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Work

So... Yesterday I drove to the new office just to get a feel for the directions and the time required. Took me about 25 min.

I figured a 2 to 3 times the time... this being LA and all. Nope. Took me 25 minutes. I'm an hour early. On top of that, no one is here... The place is empty.

Think they closed and went out of business without telling me?

Naaw, me neither...

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Question...

How do you, or more specifically I, tell some one they are being a dumb ass?

Besides the obvious, just come out and say it.

In a few posts below, I've talked about Tom. He has esophogas cancer. He says from years of smoking. Like since he was 19, since Vietnam.

Because he was a real man (his words) he never went to the doctors. If he had they may have found it early enough to make it not be fatal.

So... what causes a mid 40's, intelligent man to start or re-start smoking?? Peer pressure...? Really? Naw, can't be.

Ok... I'll just say it.

DC, you're being a dumb ass! Just stop smoking! Ok?
That shit WILL kill you!

And Steve, my gut tells me you aren't doing everything you should. I hope I'm wrong.

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Turmoil

What would you give up for a job?

Would you move...
... across town/city?
... across the state?
... the country?

I know, I know. I'm beating this to death.

BUT

I've said before, these PGR guys (and gals) around here ARE family. There is more love here than any church I've ever attended.

I'm gonna miss them. All of them.

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The Big Catch-Up

Where the Hell am I...?

If you’ve asked a question recently, the answer is probably here.

Party at the Barn –
After lots of big plans and many people coming, it finally happened. Not as many soldiers as we would have liked and not as many friends as I would have liked but it was a good time. The Corpsman brother came up and got some ink. I got mine finished… well the outside. We’ll see if and when I get to the inside. Brian (the tattoo’er) sketched out a concept. It’s gonna be cool!













The Corpsman . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Blogger
(click'm for big'm)

The son –
Reserve center on or about June 1, then training in the California desert. Then off to the sand box. Unemployment aside, this is going to be a tough year for me.

The Test –
I passed. I am an official state of Indiana licensed bartender. Should get some apps out today. We’ll see what happens.

JOB –
Good news, guess I have one. They want me to do the contract thing for 4 weeks, then make me an official offer.
Bad news, like I said below, it’s in California… Los Angeles.

Tom –
Sigh.
He has asked me to take him to the Nickel Plate (local Steelers bar). He knows he’s going to miss the ’09 season so he wants to go have some of the bar food ‘one last time’.
We’re going today.
God! I’m gonna miss him!

IMG00133-20090508-2346.jpg

I'm not drunk... I'm just drinking.
It is q good night at the barn!!

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Testing

I hate tests.

I've spent the last two weeks in a bar tending school and today... in about 5 minutes. We have our final.

I have to write out the ingredients for 20 drinks and make 12 drinks in 8 minutes.

I'm sooo screwed!

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4 to 6 Weeks

Sigh…

It is amazing the range of emotions I go through while riding.

Tom was told last week, “the chemo is not helping anymore, we are going to stop it and make you comfortable. You have 4-6 weeks.”

No, I guess it wasn’t really that cold when he relayed the info to me but is was that abrupt, at least to me. Since this post in October of ’07. I had gotten used to him being sick and not dying. It’s been 18 months since that ‘Stage IV’ post and he’s still here, I had become complacent. Now …

When I left his house this evening, I was in a rage. If I could have gotten to a computer then, this would have been a VERY different post. But a bit of a ride and some tears on the inside of my ridding glasses and I don't need to kill anything. I want to remember. I want you to know.

***********************
I’d guess about 7 years ago we (me and my family) were a little tight for money. So, I got a second job. I think I was making $8 an hour as a cashier in a Shell station. As football season came around, I was grumpy that I was missing all of the football games, not just the Steelers. See, I was working 10 hours Saturday and Sunday, plus 8 hours 2 or 3 days a week making ‘the shell station’ almost another full time job.

On Sundays (with my Managers permission) I started bringing a 13 inch tv to work. I would at least get to watch whatever game was on the local airwaves. Amazingly, quite a few were Steelers games. Customers would loiter and watch the game for a few minutes, once they figured I was going to do this regularly some would drop their wives off to get groceries then ‘go get gas in the car’. Heh, amazingly ‘getting gas’ would take just as much time as the whole grocery trip. One of those regulars was Tom. He is a Steelers fan. We got to the point where he’d stop at Subway and bring us sandwiches for the late games. He was a Marine… we became friends.

Tom, my friend, this is going to be a tough month. For both of us. Like another friend of mine says, “you are where you are suppose to be”. I am so glad I decided to work at that gas station.

God bless, God’s peace. I will not forget you.

Overheard #2

"some diarrhea is good. It flushes the system of kooties. A lot of diarrhea is... shity"

Fire guys are hilarious.

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Overheard

I'm sitting in an EMA CPR and AED training class and an old Marine talking about monies going to public colleges.

"they all are a bunch of God damned communists. How in the hell do they get millions of dollars to teach communism? Aren't we in America?"

I love this guy.

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