This post is likely to be all over the place...

...but such is the way my brain works.

First, I suppose I was slightly misinformed, or maybe just ignorant, when it came to my last post. I guess you could say I wasn't spot on about where the funds that are raised go (in some cases anyway). Still, I'm no fan of the way school fundraisers are executed, but think it's admirable that they (at least in some cases) go towards the PTO and doing things in appreciation of the teachers. I think teachers deserve all they can get and I applaud anything that helps them out.

Now that that's out of the way, I'm glad football season is finally here and the preseason is over! the Panthers looked pretty damn good yesterday, actually reminding me of the 2003 team that went to the Super Bowl...especially 2 minute drill at the end of the game. Here's hoping that they continue to play that well...and hopefully improve on what they did yesterday. In other football news, my fantasy football team is off to a limp start, but that's not really news since it's par for the course.

I'm also glad summer's almost over ("almost" being the key word here), mainly so I can get a break from cutting grass and all the other chores that come along with hot weather. But it's not over yet...even though it's September, I've lived in the south long enough (um, all my life...) to know that we've probably got a few more weeks of 90 degree weather. Yes, the temps will drop occasionally, but we're not out of the woods yet. That doesn't mean I'm looking forward to winter at all. I love the fall and the spring, but absolutely hate cold weather. I'd actually rather endure the humidity and sweat my ass off than to deal with cold weather. If I ever move away from here (which is highly unlikely), you can be guaranteed that it will be farther south and not to the north.

Maybe my memory's clouded, or maybe it's just perspective, but summers seem to have changed quite a bit since I was a kid. I'm not just talking global warming either. It's the little things...like fire ants. I don't remember having problems with fire ants in this part of the country when I was a kid. I do remember running into them when we'd head to the beach in the bad Carolina, but here in the good Carolina? Nope. We had ants for sure, but not fire ants. Now I have to dust new fire ant hills every single day. It seems with each one I get under control three more pop up. And what about fireflies? I still see them, but they're getting more and more rare every year. I'm sure if I went out in the country or in the woods I'd see more of them, but even in more populated areas I remember fireflies being in abundance when I was a kid. Are these things a result of global warming? Are we eventually going to have armadillos living in NC? Now that would be cool actually...but I digress. Once again, it could just be that my memory sucks...I already know my short term memory is bad, I'd hate to think my long term memory is going as well since I've always had a knack for pulling memories from many, many years ago. Memories that would make a good post for another day...

You know what really grinds my gears?!

School fundraisers! That's what grinds my gears!

Kids have been in school for three days now and almost all of them already have fundraisers going. I understand the need for fundraisers, but this soon? And every school at the same time? You get some guy come in, show the kids all the neat prizes they'll win if they sell 80 items and then expect them to compete with every other school out there who's done the same thing. How much over-priced wrapping paper do you expect one person to buy? And the kids can't even sell the stuff anymore. I remember when I was a kid, going door to door was somewhat acceptable, but now they specifically tell kids not to. It's a good thing for kids, but then the burden is put on the parents to sell 20 items so their kid can ride a limo to Ci-Ci's pizza, or 40 items so they can have a $8 remote control UFO, or 80 items so they can get an annoying bird that repeats what you say. Add to that having two or more kids, all of whom want this crap and are going to be disappointed when they get the level one prize that you could have bought them at the dollar store.


To the school system:

I understand that funds are limited. The state does not provide you with enough money to teach our kids. Every year the supply list grows and grows and includes such things as Ziplock bags, hand sanitizers ("Killing our kids immunity systems for over 10 years now!!", but that's a whole other rant) and cotton balls. I understand families buying their own paper, pencils, book bags, etc., but cotton balls?! The state can't supply these for our kids? Furthermore, why do you do the same lame fundraisers year after year? Isn't it time for some new ideas? Or at least co-ordinate with all the other schools in your school system so you're not all selling at the same time? And why so many, so soon after the others? It seems we get one done, then it's fall festival, then another send home brochure, then a pizza night...it's endless. Let's do less, yet higher quality fundraisers and try to raise more money at once.

To the state:

Yes, I realize that the cost of sending my kid to your school is substantially less than sending them to private school and for that I thank you...sort of. Truth be told though, if I could afford it they wouldn't even be in state funded schools (though private schools are just as guilty with the fundraisers). However, a couple of years ago our state started an Education Lottery that has generated millions upon millions upon millions upon millions (you get the idea) of dollars, yet every year we have more and more fundraisers, more school supplies to buy. Where is all this money going? And even beyond that, there's tax dollars that are supposed to be going into our schools. What gives North Carolina (and I'm sure I speak for other states as well)?

I understand, I really do...and I don't mind buying a bag of cotton balls for 98 cents to send with my kids to school. I also don't mind showing my parents and select other family members (most of them have kids or grand kids too) the fundraisers knowing they'll at least buy something, but I'm never going to bombard my co-workers (who, when I'm working, also have kids selling the same crap...or at least grand kids, nieces, nephews, neighbors, etc. who are) with pleas of helping my child's school out. I just wish there was a little more method to all this madness, that's all.

24 Days

Three weeks, 3 days...that's how long it's been since my last post. I know I'm slack about this blog at an alarmingly increasing frequency, but until it pays the bills...

The reason I did decide to post today was because I found this searching for Mythbusters images (don't ask why...I'm just a nerd like that) and thought it was pretty damn funny and worth preserving somewhere.

I feel exactly the same way...

More later? For now you can peruse these pictures from my latest beer fest adventure. No captions yet, but do you really need them?

Things are starting to settle back in...

As a few of you already know, me and my wife have made amends and are now living together again, happier than ever. We've come to a good understanding of what each of us need out of our relationship, the things that make us happy, the things that bother us and the things it's going to take to make this work long term. We both admit to our past mistakes and vow to not only make up for them, but to keep them in mind and make sure we don't repeat history. I little bit of understanding goes a long way. I've still been quite absent from the Internet both in this home and my other stomping grounds, but I do intend to continue on...though maybe not in the magnitude as in the past. It's a good thing really...this Internet thing kind of sucks the life out of you at times. Maybe a break is all I need and I'll be back to my regular shenanigans, or maybe not (after all, it seems a break was all I needed to realize what was truly important to me in life and to come full circle with the marriage). At the moment I have a lot of stuff to get accomplished and will show up here (and there for those of you who know where "there" is...for those who don't, it's not hard to find out if you just look for the clues) from time to time, but it's still going to take a while. And once school becomes a factor, my time here will be less and less. Growing up is not as bad as it sounds, but eventually my lively hood will come from the Internet in one way or another so my absence will be temporary and sporadic until that day. Thanks to all of you who have supported me, not only in the reconciliation, but in the time leading up to it.

I promise...I will return!

Once again, time for a little apology. I still don't know how many readers I have...a few, but not too many. I know of one constant and a few that come here from time to time. I'm sure there are others who never comment and that's fine. What I do here is rather slack blogging. I find things, usually through other blogs, "linkdump"-type sites and occasionally by just typing in certain key phrases in youtube and pass them along. I have not forgotten about my band history, but it may be a little while before I pick up on that again. Also I sort of want to get away from the direction I've taken this thing in...but I've been saying that for a while. My life is a whirlwind right now and I've been a busy guy. Soon though, things will get back to "normal" for me and I shall return...hopefully with a renewed vigor...to amuse and make you think. I would like to do more of the latter, as well as write more daily observations. Though for the past few months I've been pretty much a shut in. All this should change in the near future. As a matter of fact I have an outing planned thisSaturday and hopefully will have some pictures and stories to go along with it. Look for me to pick up the pace on posting next week...maybe not much, but at least a little. The T-Shirt of the Day may return, or may not. It really didn't add too much to the blog. I would like to continue showcasing my collection, but it may be on a less frequent basis (or the betterscenario would be to move it to it's very own blog and keep it daily and possibly post more than one a day). I do tend to ramble when I write...ifyou can't tell already, but I need to focus more on original content. I know I sound like a broken record in this regard, but I honestly feel like my lfe is getting ready to lend itself to such. Just hang tight and your regularly scheduled programming shall return...

Update on why my blog sucks
lately...

I've been terribly busy, or
at least occupied. While unemployed I'm watching my girls for the
summer and between that, trying to get ready for a yard sale and also
reconciling with my wife, I just haven't had the time to devote to this
blog lately. I do plan on picking up the pace again soon, but for the
time being that will mean less posting of the strange things I find and
no T-Shirt of the Day posts...I may still post one from time to time,
but not on a regular basis for now. I am going to continue to post a
video from time to time when I find something I like, but even that may
not be everyday. Some days you may see more of me on here than others,
but for the next couple of weeks anyway I will be mostly absent.

With that said, I do want to share this with you...

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Wikipedia to the Rescue

Where else would you learn about stuff like this?

What are some of your favorite Wikipedia entries? I'll be on the lookout for more oddities myself...

New York Shitty

Ever needed a reason not to go to NYC? Well this website gives you plenty of them...

This Makes Me Happy

Heavy Load are a UK punk band with a twist...all of the members have developmental disabilities . I just love stuff like this, and not because I think it's funny or weird, but because it shows just how much life people with these disabilities have and how they just want to be like you and me. I can't wait to see the whole film, but here's a little sneak preview brought to you by the always cool Boing Boing & Verizon (more links on their site).

I said I was setting up this blog so I could get away from blogging (I still kind of hate those words, but have grown to begrudgingly accept them) at Myspace so much. Or at least keep certain things over here different from my persona on that site. However I find that the two worlds often do bleed together and that many of my real life friends keep up with me more through the internet than they do in real life...which is fine by me. I'm not fan of the telephone that's for sure.

So I realize today that while my Myspace "friends" weren't left with a cliffhanger, any readers I have here (besides the one I know I have), don't have any resolution. Well, neither do I, but here...you can at least catch up:

Originally posted on Myspace, May 5 2008

What once looked like it was going to be a good thing turned out to be not all it seemed. And believe it or not, I'm happy with the outcome. I get a much needed break and a chance to start fresh, doing something I enjoy...hopefully.

I have been meaning to write this blog for a while, but between being super busy getting things ready to move out for the old company, and the emotional rollercoaster it put me through, I just waited until today...my first day of freedom.

When the new company came in to "save the day" we were all pretty optimistic about it, but when they gave us our "employment packages", none of us were very happy with what they had to offer. They raised our pay slightly...basically enough to cover the difference in their more expensive, yet not nearly as good, insurance. Bad thing was, they wanted to make us all salaried and they already had built in overtime which made our pay significantly less in the big picture. Plus they wanted us to sign a no-compete contract. Now whether or not I would want to stay in the gutter industry (more likely not), I did want that option to remain open. That no-compete contract would prevent that (even though I've been told that they don't always hold up...it was the principle of it all). I even told the guy who was handling all this that I had a feeling that they were going to use us to get the place running, to keep our customers and then replace us down the road with people they could pay less since he had already told us that we made more than they typically paid. He said they weren't that kind of company and wouldn't do that, but I told him he could say that all day, but in the end they could do whatever they wanted and we'd be stuck. This was especially a big deal to Bull (older guy I worked with) since he'd been doing this for over 20 years, his main options are in the gutter industry right now. There were a couple of other things we had issues with and in the end they weren't willing to budge, so we told them, "Thanks, but no thanks". The good thing is the company we did work for was behind us 100% and said they'd support whatever decision we made and wouldn't penalize us for not taking the jobs, severance-wise or unemployment benefits-wise.

I really do have a positive outlook on all of this. I think in the end I'll be much happier and hopefully be doing something I enjoy. Time will tell though, but for now I plan on taking a few weeks off to get some things done I've been planning on but have never gotten around to. Plus mentally I need a break. I won't wait too long to get serious about looking for a job (especially with the job market the way it is) and if something comes my way in the meantime that I just can't refuse I'll definitely jump all over it.

So...what to do now? I think I'll go take a nap! Thank you unemployment!

And the walls come crumbling down....

We knew something was up. There was too much talk, too many strange things going on around work. Today we found out what we suspected was imminent.

To give you a little back story, the place I work in has three employees. There are three branches, one in Charlotte and two in Georgia. The other locations have more employees than we do. We have the largest gross profit of the three locations...and we do it with three people. Not only that, but most of our customers hate...I mean absolutely hate going to the competitors and only do when they have to. Between the three of us, we make deliveries, pull orders, run a sales counter, answer phones, make calls on delinquent accounts and help customers load their orders and with anything else they need. Customer service is what we pride ourselves in and the customers have let us know time and time again how much they appreciate the quickness and accuracy with which we pull their orders, as well as all the other ways we help them out.

But too many people had been asking questions. One of the big-wigs from our parent company called a couple of weeks ago just to ask who our biggest competitors were. The realtor who procured the building for us has started visiting us again after not having seen him in a while. The delivery drivers that shuttle materials between locations have been questioning the goings on around their facilities as well. Our ordering powers had been diminished in the past few months and the orders we sent to be called in for us (or delivered from the main office location out of GA) have been trimmed significantly, sometimes leaving us in a bind when a customer put in a large order. It's hard to keep people happy when you don't have the stock they need...but we tried and bent over backwards to make things work for them. Then this week our general manager and another of the head honchos came to visit. They were doing some quarterly physical counts, or so they said. This has never happened in the three years I've been here. Then the clincher...yesterday after they had both left a locksmith came by looking for our general manager and said he was there to re-key a lock (a screw up on his part as he wasn't supposed to come until today). After a short phone call to the GM in which I heard him say, "Oh yeah, it does say wednesday on here", then he went outside to finish the conversation before getting in his van and leaving. Now we knew something was up.

The answer came today. They're shutting us down. Not all three locations mind you, but just us. They say with the economy the way it is, with building in a downturn, it just wasn't profitable anymore. But wait, don't we have the largest gross profit? Don't we sell more of the high dollar items than the other locations? Isn't Charlotte one of the fastest growing cities in the country with the smallest downturn in building? All true, but it's about more than that...

It all comes down to the fact that we lease our building and they own the other two. They didn't want to commit to a new lease agreement with an uncertain economy. I think the other locations aren't far behind, but since they own the buildings, they're going to give them a little more time. And the re-keying? We thought it was because they were either firing one of us or shutting the place down immediately, but there's another reason for it that's really not worth getting into...just didn't want to leave that subject open.

The news isn't all bad though. They are going to give us a severance package, continue our insurance for a period of time and also help us try to find new jobs if we wish to have their assistance. I feel worst for one of the guys I work with...he's been with the company for over twenty years. He's seen the place change ownership several times and every time he's worried for his job security. He's told me and the other guy we work with that he loves working with us and wouldn't want to work with anyone else. He's 57. He's not in the best of health. In other words, he's not what employers are looking for. I have faith that in the end he'll land on his feet. Some of our customers have known him for years and one way or another someone is going to give him a job. He's a great worker and has a heart of gold, but still with the job market the way it is, I can understand why he's extremely pessimistic about his future.

As for me, I'm trying to be optimistic about the whole situation. We are going to be employed at least until the end of the month, possibly as long as the end of June, but that's the definite cut-off date. They're trying sell our company to one of our competitors and said that could mean that we'd get to keep our jobs, but I'm not stupid and know that more than likely we'd still be let go. Then the severance package...we don't know yet what we're getting (we'll find out in the next couple of days), but I'm sure they're going to take care of us very well. There's also our ESOP that we should see a little money from as well. And when all else fails and the severance ends, we can file for unemployment. I definitely won't mind taking a short vacation before starting the job hunt, but I won't sit around too long (I know it may take a while for me to find something). I've been thinking for a while that I needed a change of venue even though I loved working there, with the guys I worked with and even some of the customers. I'm planning on taking a class this summer and I think this change will be a good thing for me in the long run...if I can find a job before all my funds are exhausted. I know I can, but I am still a little worried about finding one that pays what I need. Still, I'm looking forward to the challenge of doing something new.

That doesn't mean I'm not going to miss the place, the people I worked with, the customers and the freedom that this job has offered me over the past few years. It's a sad day, but one with a ray of hope attached to it. I just keep telling myself it could be a lot worse...

Odd things are happening at work. I will know more tomorrow, but seems change is right around the corner. Hopefully the changes will be beneficial to me and not a detriment to my already unstable being. If it's for the better, it's good timing too, as I need to make some changes with myself...some of them permanently, some may be temporary, but I need to get my life back on track. I do plan on going back to school and that may delay some of the changes I need/want to make.

On a lighter note, I re-watched a movie that I saw in theaters last year last night. It's called Great World of Sound and is set and filmed right here in our lovely (I know that's debatable) nearby city of Charlotte. It's about a record company that's not quite on the up-and-up, but I won't give away any more than that. The actors are pretty much unknowns, the pacing is kind of slow at times, but I really, really dig this movie. It also has many cameos from local musicians, which is a good chance for me to to say, "Hey, I know that person!". Rent it if you can find it.

Speaking of knowing people in movies, I recently bought a copy of a movie called Bandwagon. It's another NC product and was filmed in Raleigh about 12 years ago. It had a very limited theater run (and I did catch it the one week it played in Charlotte) and has never been released on DVD (at least here in America...seems there is a DVD version out of Thailand for some reason). About 5 minutes into the movie, there's yours truly bobbing his head to a crappy metal band (they were crappy on purpose) while a fight breaks out in front of me. I got to see myself on the big screen and finally after all these years I have a copy I can show my friends. It's another good yet slow paced movie about the music business. The only person in it that I've ever really seen in anything since is a guy named KevinCorrigan who went on to play the younger brother on Grounded for Life and had a small roll inSuperbad last summer. He was actually the best part of Grounded For Life and the main reason I watched it when it came on.

Hopefully I'll get to see my mom on screen this year in a movie called All About Steve starring Sandra Bullock. She won a trip to CA to be an extra in the movie from an online contest. While on set she and my dad got to meet Sandra herself, as well as Thomas Hayden Church, Bradley Cooper, Kerri Kenney and Ken Jeong (a doctor and comedian who graduated from Duke University (boo Duke, but hey, it is a North Carolina connection). We're hoping her scene doesn't get cut and that you'll actually be able to see her if the scene is in the final version of the movie. I'm not crazy about Sandra Bullock movies, but this one looks like it could be okay, besides I'll have to give it a shot just to see if mom is a movie star like me...