Happy?

Remember when I used to post positive and happy things here?.

It appears that 'real life events' have squashed the shit out of any of that.

Humbug!

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Her priorities are a little askew

I have what I call a part time job with the Union that pays 5 days pay every month. (That means 40 hours worth of Union Foreman pay) It also includes all my expenses for doing the position. Stamps, mileage, phone bills, internet access, etc...

Bridget has a job that gives her several days a week at minimum wage. It also costs her about 5 to 6 dollars a day in gas to get to and from that job.

I get to do my job when I have time as long as I get all the work done.

lately, she has to work on the only days I have off and several which I work my normal job.

So, which is better?

A job that works around my schedule and pays very well, is fairly easy to do, and is a good money making opportunity? I mean shit, the part time job I have will not only pay for the phone bill, cell bill, internet access (All of which I use for Union business), but the truck payment, insurance bill, and the electric bill. Nearly all our expenses besides groceries and house payment.
Or is it her job that pays nearly nothing. Who can really live on minumum wage now? Seriously? Plus, her 'hobby job' as I wrongly call it causes her to spend more money on material and fabric we don't need, and is a constant struggle to keep what materials and fabrics we have from over running the house.

You tell me why I am sitting at home doing all the crap she can't do that needs to be done the 50 hours I am out working every week and all the Union business I always have to do every month.
All while she is working for minimum wage a couple of hours a week and wasting my day off where I could be doing something with the kids besides laundry, dishes, and cleaning all the shit up in this damn house?.

Now you tell me, which is better?

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Eat at home damn it & quit wasting money!!

I keep trying to not get upset at Bridget for wasting money at restaurants. But there is no reason why she does it. I go to the grocery on a never-ending basis just so she will not have a panic attack and start bitching about not having a full refrigerator.

If at any time the refrigerator is not 'full', she goes into panic mode. "There is nothing here to eat!" All the while standing next to shelves and shelves of things to eat. It drives me crazy. So, I keep on the rant not to go to a restaurant to eat. There is no reason to when there is so much in the house. Sure, there are times to do such a thing. Things get a little busy and there is not enough time to fix something. But 99% of the time, that is all piss-poor planning. Sitting watching TV does not constitute the need to eat out of the house.

OK, I buy things once in a while, but normally it is to bring home to share with her. I am not stupid. I very rarely eat away from the house. Of course, for some reason I get shit because I am on a road train in Toledo hundreds of miles away. I get something to eat and she equates that to her getting Chinese up the road from the house. I can't seem to make the connection between the two but she can. That just does nothing but make me angrier in the first place that she had to go somewhere to get what was at her fingertips. AHHHHHHHHH!

It really pisses me off when she goes to somewhere less than a mile from the house to get lunch or dinner when we have the same thing in the refrigerator at home. I don't give a crap that she has to stop and make it. Life is a bitch. I do things every stinking day I really don't want to.

Then, once she gets off the restaurant bandwagon, I find this in the checking statement.

07/23/07 06:34 PM $5.76 CARD TRANSACTION : SUBWAY #17175, NEW RICHMOND, OH FROM CARD

The place is just up the street. Does she not realize it would have taken less than one minute to drive home and fix something? Does she not realize that everything she had on that sandwich was at home? She complains about the buns anyway so what is the point here? It was another waste. After taxes and gas expenses and all the other bullshit everyone has to put up with, I think I must have worked half an hour for that snack. With her 'salary', and after all the things everyone has to pay, I imagine it took her 2 working hours to pay for that.

She should at least have the intelligence to pay cash so I would not have to have this pop up in front of me like she is rubbing my nose in it. If I wanted to be treated like shit, I would still be married to my first wife.

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The 'New' Bush Immigration Plan.

Bring our troops home from Iraq , to guard the border. When they catch an illegal immigrant crossing the border, hand them a canteen, rifle and some ammo and ship them to Iraq.

Remember, If they have children, do what the current procedure for military personnel calls for. Have them give up custody of their children to their family far, far away (if they have any) and give them substandard health care and lower than welfare or prison benefits.

Tell them if they want to come to America, they must serve a tour in the military (Man or Woman). Make sure that there is no way of them assuming that if they are to be deployed, that they can not claim to be a hardship case because they can't possibly spend time away from their obligations here (like so many National Guard volunteers have done).

Give them a soldier's pay while they're there and tax them on it

Plus, force them to give money (by monthly allotment) to various charities because it makes the unit they are serving in look good. The Officers above me didn't require it, but they would not make things go well for us if we didn't contribute. They did it to me for over a decade and a half. Paying for charities (which would give it away to people or causes that in my opinion were not worthy of the money. Especially, when my family was eligible for WIC, government assistance (which was impossible to get even though we qualified for, and possibly food stamps.

After their tour (and if they receive an honorable discharge from the service) they will be allowed to become a legal citizen since he or she defended this country. They will also be registered to be taxed and be a legal patriot.

Now this sounds like a good plan to me!

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New house, new problems

I was down in the basement on Friday to check on something related to lawn tools, when I heard the sound like water running through pipes. I knew that no one else was in the house so it could not be a toilet refilling, nor the ice-maker refilling because it was constant. So I followed the sound and there it was, a spray shooting out of the main inlet piping.

The spray was just like a big pinhole squirting out. Luckly it was shooting straight down otherwise it would have sprayed into the furnace and electrical system. We lucked out on that one. It was also lucky that I found it when I did. I must have only been leaking for half an hour when I found it.

This is what you get when you use ferrous and non-ferrous materials in the same system. bimetalic corosion is the result and nearly always caused problems, damage or worse. What it looked like to me was that someone had a big'ol piece of galvanized pipe and instead of using a piece of copper, they bridged a four foot section between copper. Thus, the corosion did us in.

Since 99% of the population does not know about this problem, they allow this type of problem to happen. The previous owners either didn't know about the plumber using the materials, or the plumber was taking a shortcut and wanted a little job security. If the plumber did know what he was doing, they realized that in a couple of years, they would have to return to fix another problem wher the pipe corroded through. Thus, he knew that he would have another payday.

I do not have much faith in people, so I always expect the worst (like this). I expect the worst, so I prepare for the worst. That way I am able to just move on and get through the day.

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Lenovo systems not living up to expectations.

Today, I had to take back a Lenovo system to Office Depot. The system they sold me was a return. Apparently, someone had purchased it, then returned it after submitting the rebate forms.

So, guess what happened to me when I tried to submit the proper forms and setup the extended warranty? The company you had to call to submit your information would not honor it, or they said I had to do all kinds of jumping through hoops to get it fixed. Well, screw that.

I hate the fact that there are 'rebates' on things like this. You always end up speaking to someone who can not grasp the english language. that, and trying to get your point across is like pulling teeth. It is exasparating.

I just can't express how much I hate rebates on anything. it is a proven ripoff. The company giving them know it, the manufacturer (who usually outsources it) know it, and everyone buying the crap know it. So why do we buy crap with rebates?.

Look at this situation alone if you care. I had to speak to someone who didn't understand that I had a contract number that was given to me the day I purchased the system. All they could say was, (and you have to say this outloud in your worst Hindi accent)

"I am so very, very sorry, but that contract number is canceled. have you spoken to the persons you purchased the computer from?"

It makes my eyes bleed to hear that when the fact is that the moron that I spoke to didn't understand that I should not have to needed to speak to anyone because I just bought it and it was never opened!

Crap, why do we have to put up with this? Because that is the new "American Way". That is, Truth (if you get caught trying to screw someone), Justice, to do the right thing once you get caught trying to screw everyone, and Grab for the almighty dollar then run once you get it in your pocket. That way, no one will get wise to your underhanded ways until you are long gone.

Well screw that too. I am all for never buying anything anywhere when you have to submit a rebate.

This was originally about how bad the lenovo system was. That is going to be another post once I hear how my parents faired when their new Lenovo system failed in less than 90 days. Stand by for that. It ought to be quite the story.

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This is an MMS message.

Daily log book

Their grades are outstanding once again!

Well, the kids all received very good grades this quarter. Yes, even Maryann did very good. It was very calming to see nearly all A's on everyones report cards. I am not going to say who had the best report card. That would make what I am writing much less special over all. We are both so happy, I think I might bust.

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Just like a Timex....

I am very happy to say that I saw my Dad on his birthday. He was well and looked good (for only 76).

I flew down to see them and fix their computer the other day. Even though he says he is getting older, I still see him the same way. Hey, he's my Dad!

Anyway, he and Mom were good and healthy and were looked good. Who wouldn't look good when they live in Florida?

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Under the weather is an understatement

I feel like crap. This is the first time I have marked off sick in the last year.

I think I caught something on the plane from Ft. Myers yesterday. Everyone was hacking, yacking and generally being contagious. I think the Doctor sitting next to me was the one who really did it.

I will have to mark back up in the morning so I can go to work.

I hate being sick and usually never get sick. That, and when I do, it normally only last half a day where in Bridget, a virus takes weeks to get over.

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