I'm Back.

Just when you thought it was safe to be online, look what comes creeping around the corner. I am still not totally done, but far enough along that I am resuming blogging. Tomorrow's post will be my 300th. I have debated how I wanted to do it and have decided it will be a picture post. I have borrowed a digital camera from my lady and I will share a few pictures that I have taken.

Later today I am going to see Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen. I will probably do a review of it on Sunday. During this break I have decided on one more change in my life. Originally I was going to keep my Taco Bell job until the end of the year and then quit. Thinking it over I decided to move it up to the end of October, at which time I would have put in two years there. Just to prove how firm I am once I make up my mind, I told the manager that August 31 would be my last day. I am heading for central Illinois for Labor Day, and I decided when I come back I only want to work one job. The extra money is nice, but I am ready to relax a little more. I will also be able to spend a little more with my lady, so that is another added bonus.

Best Buy is currently running an ad that I find extremely annoying. In it a Best Buy employee talks about answering questions over the phone about new televisions. The employee the asks the person where they are calling from and the person answers Wal-Mart. I get tired of all the slams taken at Wal-Mart. If you don't like them, fine, but Wal-Mart is not as bad as people portray them. What really irks me about this commercial is part about asking where the person is calling from. I have dealt with people over the phone and never once did it occur to me to ask where they are calling from. It is just a cheap shot at Wal-Mart. What they are afraid of is the fact that Wal-Mart just upgraded their electronics department to try and get some of the Circuit City customers. I realize that cheap shots are always taken at the largest in any industry. It just gets old after awhile.
Instead of trying to catch up the questions, I am just going to go forward from today.

Today's question is Grade 4/Cultural Studies.

Calligraphy is the art of what?

• A) handwriting
• B) pyramid building
• C) silk painting

I knew this one. 97-17.

Returning Soon.

The return date will be Tuesday June 30. You have been warned.



Some titles that you will be seeing after this date, but not in this order are:

I'm Back.
The Ladies Man.
Jealousy.
300.
Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen.
Public Enemies.

Remember, Tuesday June 30. Be here.
(Cue evil laughter.)

Silencing A Blowhard.

We all work them. Those who are experts on every subject and can out work everyone there, or so they claim. We have more than one at Wal-Mart, but one stands out above them all. At one time I was one of the few friends he had in the store, but even I have given up on him. In fact I have written about him before. He was the one with the obsession. He works in the dairy department. Usually the only time I work with him is on Saturday nights.

A week ago I was sent to stock in grocery because there was not that much to stock in dairy. We are supposed to stock so many cases an hour and a computer printout shows how many cases there are and how long it should take to do it. In dairy it is 45 cases. Mr Obsession does not working the truck. He wants to do anything but. He is one of the best time wasters that I have ever seen. He also counts the cases that he handles, not necessarily what he puts out. That is one of the ways he wastes time. When he was asked if he was going to have all of the stock that had come in done, he complained there was too much and he didn't think he would. When he was told there was only five hours worth of work to do and no excuses would be accepted, he was whining about that. He complained to me that he had too much to do in only five hours. then he made his mistake. He told me he had 181 cases. He forgot I can do math in my head. I told him that was less than 40 cases an hour, and if he couldn't do that much he should get another job. He was speechless.

I was told later that he was griping about what I said, but he has never said anything to my face. I probably should not have enjoyed telling him that as much as I did, but I would be lying if I said I was sorry about it.

Nine Years Ago.

Nine years ago today my world turned upside down. I wrote about last year. You can read it here. I am not writing this for sympathy. When you lose a spouse you can either bury yourself in grief or move on. A part of me died that day but the rest lives on. I choose to remember the good times and not dwell there. To borrow a quote from Joe Walsh, "Life's been good to me so far." My health is good, I have two jobs that I like, a very nice lady friend, a great family, and a lot of friends. I am still trying to figure out how one person can accumulate so much stuff, but that is being dealt with. When I am done a lot of it will be gone.

I had planned on posting something yesterday, but the truck at Taco Bell was late. It normally arrives at 2:30 A.M. but it didn't come until 10:00 A.M. By the time I got home I was too tired to write. I still have a couple of stories to tell so I will be posting for the next couple of days. After that it will be sporadic for a few weeks, then I am back to daily writing.

Progress Report.

Whenever I see the word progress I think of the old joke, since pro is the opposite of con, does that mean the opposite of progress is Congress? I had planned on blogging more but obviously I haven't made it. Posts will be infrequent a little longer, but I will be back on track by the end of the month.

I live in a three room apartment, front room, small kitchen and bedroom. I have the front room mostly done but my rabbit is a little unhappy with it. I had some boxes stacked around the room so he had plenty of hiding spaces. Now it is too open for him. I have laid a box on its side and draped a towel over it for him. He spends some time in it, but when I am in the room he is usually laying at my feet. He has developed the habit of nudging my foot so I will raise my toes up, and he puts his head under there. He will stay there for a few minutes and then goes on his way.

For some reason I have been feeling exhausted all the time, which is slowing this project down. I am taking a mini-vacation starting Saturday. I will be off for five days. the only things I have planned is going to flea markets on Sunday and I will go to Chattanooga on Tuesday. I have not totally decided what I am doing there. I will definitely go up on Lookout Mountain, and on my way home stop at the Chicamauga battlefield. If I am still feeling tired after the time off I will go see my doctor and see what he thinks.

I will catch up the Fifth Grader questions when I resume regular posts. I have a couple of stories to tell so I will be posting for the next two days. After that you will hear from me when you do.