Merry December Y'All!

           Boy it seems just last week I was looking back at how much food I had eatin' and thinking about how much shopping time I still had.  November flew by--at least for us!  I have written many times in the past about my last minute shopping methods.  I actually do not wait until the bitter end, but am finding shopping even more fun this year, because our town basically offers Wally World and Safeway for holiday or any day shopping choices.  That puts me running the 40 miles to Tucson on Christmas Eve to 7-11.   To stalk the shelves and buy the always popular Christmas 40's of beer, Twinkies, and, condoms for stocking stuffers.   Luckily for Santa -this year Circle K is right across the street from us!   The boys and I found ourselves on the road Friday.  "Working."   I put this in quotes because I work for myself--and set my own hours.   I some what set how much of it is actual work also.   But the pay is good and the boss is great!   Much of this trip was running errands around Tucson.  And I can safely say, just from that one day of driving --I am already officially tired of Christmas songs!   And I enjoy Christmas songs.   Although I really don't like much country twang Christmas music.  I like them separately.   It only gets worse, until on Christmas Eve the only song playing is Jingle Bells for 24 hours straight.  In every version known to man from boys choir bells, to barking kitty's.  

           On a betterer note---- the other day I was not feeling well at all.   It was one of those fun stomach deals, minus the fun.  And actually I felt just fine, if I did not move an inch in any direction!   It was also an early release school day for our three kiddos, so not moving or peace and quiet were not options.  Before the kids returned home, I found National Lampoons Christmas Vacation on Netflix.   This is one of my all time favorite Christmas movies or shows for sure!   And I have not watched it for the last few years, so there was actually parts I did not have memorized anymore.    My 2nd favorite plays for like 4 days straight on cable TV---  A Christmas Story. 


      Although I am having trouble getting into the buying spirit---my Christmas gift is already slowly on it's way from the North Pole.   And believe me---I earned it!!!    Here we see it stopped off in Wyoming, oddly enough. ...

 

I think my main problem this year with getting in the spirit

is that it is so warm here in the desert. 

I am glad we have not seen any snow---but making a snow man

and freezing ones butt off is part of the whole December experience.

It is an 10 month experience if you happen to live in Wyoming.

 

 

                                                                         My coffee server for the morning.

 

 

And there you go...

This comes to late for all of us with kids.

 

 

 

 

I have many more thoughts on the extended black and blue Friday shopping of last weeksend.

But figure the above covers it very well.

Of course there were beat downs across the country, but Wally World stores again had the most headlines.

In cliff notes---people please stop peeing in the gene pool!

 

And try to recall the real reason for the season.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ready, Set, Shop!

       Although I find it very hard to believe it is already the 5th of December, I have to say our family is very ready for Santa to visit.  Mostly because my wife is a super shopper.   It is always nice to get the shopping done before the stores fill up with people greatly not in the Christmas spirit.  And every song on the retail radio network is a holiday song.   I think a little snow and finding a few of my favorite Christmas movies would completely put me in the spirit.

  We only have Netflix right now, a service  I love, but I am finding it imposable to find a few of my favorite movies this time of year.  Two of them are --A Christmas Story--"Ralphie, you will shoot your eye out!"  I guess there is a 2nd story now, but I can't seem to imagine it being good at all.   And Christmas Vacation with Chevy Chase, when he was still skinny-ish, and funny.  
      Please don't forget to catch up on reading other posts in this blog.  My older ones seem to be much more entertaining.  And check out the many picture filled posts in my newest blog series--- http://exploreb-ham.blogspot.com/

     I have been knocking Wally World a lot lately--with good reason.   But not all of our bad service is limited to this retail giant.   We have been getting beyond bad service all over town.   And I have a blog post in the works, just about the worse places!   Anyways above is a game you can play while in the store, you know your going to shop there--just saying you are done shopping there, does not work!    

    I am writing this post from Greys Harbor at the Star Bucks.  I know I talk smack about the coffee joint a lot, and there is much better coffee---but the stores are EVERY WERE and they offer free wi-fi.  New post coming about our mini-trip. Of course full of pictures.   But not today.  ;)  This is a quick coffee induced rambling for your enjoyment.   Partly because we are getting back on the road today to come home, and partly because I see actual sun shine outside!   

unfortunate van door placement photo opp

   I must pause here to complain about coffee just a lil bit.  My buddy hates to go to Starbucks because he complains about how the coffee makes his urine overly stink.  At first I wandered how he was close enough to the stream of pee to notice this.  But after him stating this revelation many times, I too now notice the same thing.  Starbucks, has a distint smell when brewing, while sipping, and while it is existing the body.  I have no real point to bringing this up, just thought I would share.  Plus I will now be able to recognize my male readers, while they are in the restroom, leaning in attempting to sniff there own urine.   ;)

**Christmas is coming up**

   So they were just talking on the radio the other day about how researchers believe you can fix your relationship in one hour.   They are talking about long term relationships, that might have lost the spark a little or a lot.   Supposedly if you kiss for an hour straight, nothing else, get rid of the kiddos, TV, cell phone, and just kiss.  By the end of the hour, it gets your moter running, and your relationship is a lot like when you first meet.  At least for awhile.  I do not know who did this research, or how to sign up for it.  But have a sneaky suspision Chapstick might have funded the research.   

           Ever wanted to follow all the rules, but just didn't know what to do?

                                                                        Well OK than.....

    Now the workers have something else to put on there resume!   My job description is just my name and a blank page.  

   Did you win that much also???     
  My wife and I would not tell anyone if we ever won.   Act normal, normal for us.  And than just disappear some were.   Some were even Google Earth could not find us.   

Good Day

     Good morning all!    We recently had a big jump in our rent prices, so decided to cut our home phone and cable from the bills.  With cell phones and Netflix it really was a big waste of cash.  And the company was so worried about keeping some of our cash each month, that they gave us a very good deal on just Internet service.   I must say, today was the first weeksend day we had no home phone service, and it was beyond nice to not wake up to the phone ringing at 7 AM.  With a dreaded telemarketer or in law on the other end of the line!

     The rest of the week I hope to post and promote my newest local blog sight.  All about exploring Bellingham Washington and Whatcom county.   Full of pictures and things to do and explore.   If you live in the area, or know someone that should visit here---PLEASE check out the sight, give me feedback, and than share the link.    

  **All local new sight needs more readers. MANY new pictures and posts in the works! Please check it out & give me feedback. http://exploreb-ham.blogspot.com/**

   I am coming very close to working four months at my current job.  And I love it!   More on all of this in a future blog post.   I would just like to touch on "sympathy hires" real quick.  Every work place has them.   The worker that is not allowed to wear there helmet to work, but maybe really should.   I am sure there is a way more PC term for this worker, but I call them as I see them.  If you look around your place of work, and do not see anyone that takes 40 minutes to bus one table, or tries to fill drink cups--with the cups upside down, or is kept in the back room most of there shift---you just might be the sympathy hire ;)   I work at a casino on an Indian reservation and as many times as I might try to claim being a lil bit native-- am 0% native.  In fact from living in Washington so long, I am Casper the ghost white.   So I often describe myself  as the token white boy at work, to provide the work place with it's quota.   This may be wrong, but it entertains me, and isn't that all that really matters?
       A few weeks back the casino hosted a banquet for many of the local tribal members.  The food looked beyond good, or I was just extra hungry.  And I was trying to figure out a way to sneak into the meeting.  With out offending anyone, of course.  In an effort to keep my job, I will not share many of my ideas here.   I will say that after informing several co-workers that I was part Indian----they responded with lots of laughing.   This hurt my feel goods.   And I than tried to convince them that I was part of the dying out Chip A Hoy tribe.   Dying out because diabetes, I believe it is.  Some how this did not help my cause any, and boring story short, I did not get to join in for the feast or meeting. 

    All of this rambling makes me think about one of my favorite holidaze----Turkey Day!!
Living so close to the boarder of Canada---Aye, we just celebrated Canadian Thanksgiving at the casino.   It was on our Columbus day in fact.  I have not had the time to Google all of this, because I feel that Google is evil and knows to much.  BUT how does Canada even have Thanksgiving??   Columbus and his motley crew did get lost, but they did not discover the country way up North, Aye--they discovered America.  I think they just wanted yet another holiday to add to there super long list.   I was OK with all of this, because the buffet at work turned into turkey dinner with all of the fixins' and the leftovers ended up in the break room for all of the workers to enjoy and be thankful for. 

 

Hey look it is coffee-30!!

 

 

 

Below is my kind of statistics!.....

 

 

 

 

                     Are these picture books---or how does that work??

                      Don't forget to get out and vote---and than enjoy cocktails!!

    Doing things in the reverse order could be dangerous to our countries health.

                                           Were is this button on my computer?????/

    I have been workin' on many new pictures for new posts up the wazoo!  

**Mini Rant #15--First Hint Of Tagging, Sell Your Sharpie! **

    With today once again being Friday it is time for yet another "mini rant!"  Today's rant makes number 15, which conveniently and numerically is the logic choice after number 14.  But first much rambling.  Something that has made this blog mine for sure, and hopefully kept it entertaining.  I know that lots of times, even I am surprised at the direction the blog goes on its own.  I am also surprised at how many, comas I use daily.  I think I am need of an intervention for this!  Forgetting many of the rules from school, or possibly just being out sick the day we talked about commas.  I will say that this weeks rant came from a friends grumbling.   I hope that any reader will share there grumbling.  Of the world in general, or you general dislike to something or everything I have posted.  I get very few comments on my blog, and this makes me grumble.  My stats show you readers are out there--you just are staying very quiet.   If you do not hold your anger until you can meet and or punch me in public, this is all fine.  My stats also show that I am VERY close to hitting 7500 blog views!   And for this I thank each of you!!

This is my picture, in case you feel the urge to talk to me in public about my "writing"

    And now some rambling.     On this very date 35 years ago, the Star Wars Movies were introduced.  And geeks all over the world never really stopped rejoicing!  I will now claim a little bit of geekdom both for knowing this fact and for now saying "Let the fourth be with you!"  Feel free to groan now.   Yesterday marks the first cell phone brought to us in the early 70's.  I do not have a picture of one, but you all can recall those huge bricks, with a large attenea, that probably weighed more than the laptop you are using today.   I believe they came in white or white!  And could easily double as a hand weight for exercising.  BUT these phones were the thing than, and you were not kool and or really part of the working force, if you did not lug one around with you.  They as I might have mentioned were huge, and could only be used for, get this, making phone calls!  And maybe the occasional substiotion if you lost your work desk paperweight.   Other "news" today--- Today is national OJ day.  Not in the white Bronco driving, police evading,possible  killer, but the drink.  So Cheers! while you sip on your OJ, I am enjoying a great cup of not OJ.   Also known as coffee!! 
  

                                                                      Cheers!

   Today is also National become a follower of a new blog day---wow that's a mouth full!  Since you are on this page--what better place to start the trend, and than tell your friends?  OK, I made this one up, don't try to Google it, but do think about following my blog ;)
     Today does start frapiciono happy hours at Starbucks.  I hope they bring back the green tea frap.  It looks much like slime, but tastes soooo good!   May is also bbq month, so get out there and bbq some food for mothers day instead of taking her out to eat. 
      I am very excited to relate that I will soon be a legal driver again!   This has not been true for about eight years now.  This process took a lot of cash, but is about to come to a crash, errr come to a head.   Next week I shell out some more cash, and venture to the DMV to take the written and the dreaded driving test.  I have to say I am more than a little worried.  I have not takin the driving test since I was 16 years old.   And I flunked the first time around.  Something about almost getting hit in a six way intersection.  I am such a good driver, that the Oregon state patrol decided to take and keep my licence on file, so they would have it handy the next 30 times they pulled me over.   I believe it will all go fine, as long as I do not have to drive through what I call a "circle jerk!"   Those "trendy" round-abouts that are popping up all over every big, trendy city out there.   I do not believe anyone in America actually understands these.  And my last dealing with the police in Washington involved a two lane "circle jerk" were the other driver and I got confused and just decided to drive into each other.  It was great fun for me because I did not have a licence when this happened.  Have you not been reading the same blog?   It was fun for my friend, just along for the ride, because I left him with the car, as I went to find the vehicles paperwork.  This is about when the other driver decided I was not coming back, and called the police.  It became fun for my now, wife, who was at work nearby.   She followed me back to the accident, and we both kissed butt to the growing crowd, and found paper work.  In the end I got a stack of tickets, and my buddy drove the car away.  The main problem being, with practicing driving before the DMV test--is that I do not have a licence, and can not legally practice.  I could ride my bike around and around the "circle jerk."  The odds of driving through one during the test are high.  They have multiplied in amount found around town in even the year I have been gone. 
    This is were my "mini rant" could start.   And may next week!   The DMV is possibly the worse place to visit around.  Especially in Oregon and Washington were you can not do things like register your vehicle or buy new licence plates.  That is a separate building completely.  But today the state paid workers were actually amazingly helpful!  I did not have to raise my voice once, and the waiting time was amazingly quick.  Although I did not leave today with an actual drivers licence.   I hope you all keep me in your thoughts, as I hope to be a driver again by next week!  Both for those of you that want rides from me.  And those of you that will soon have to be sharing the roads and or sidewalks with me! 

                                                        And now the Actual mini rant!

   As I said, this one came from talking to a friend of mine.  And I never really asked if I could vent on this topic, but why would that stop me?   I do know he reads my almost daily rambling, so I will soon know if this bugs him or if I vented about the topic properly.   It kind of sorta goes with the recent riots in Seattle---needless property destruction.   Breaking windows of big business does not hurt the CEO's paycheck in the least.  It hurts the little guys that run the now damaged stores, that now have to replace all the windows. 
    Today I am talking about taggers.  Not people that tag themselves in pictures on Facebook.  Although that too can be annoying.  Mostly when they tag themselves in a picture of yours that has no people in it, what-so-ever.   But taggers armed with spray paint.  You see the "art" every were.   And most of it is far from pleasing to the eye.  I say most, because some really is amazing art.  I watched a documentary on Netflix a few months ago about  street artists.  Most of these spend nights putting up there own art--posters, etc.  And much of it really is art.  In fact people with way to much money lining there pockets, will line up to pay huge bucks for the art in framed form.  Something they could venture into an alley, take a picture of, and have for free.   It is amazing what many people would rather have than money!   Much of this is amusing and pleasing to the eye.  Although it is illegal, they are not trying to vandalize.   Spray paint is just vandalism in almost any case.  
   I recently had a small town tagger try to explain how worthy what he was doing really was.  Try is the key word here.   He mainly focused on how kool it was to have YOUR phat tag on a building or object.  With your tag on top of the pile of paint, you "owned" that spot!    But come on---everyone knows this man does not own Costco!!  
     I guess what bugs me most is because of spray paint taggers and those that choose to huff the paint, I now have to be carded at places like Wally World if I wish to buy spray paint.   It is actually amazing how many items these type of stores now have to verify your age before you can buy.  Wally World now has to card everyone buying booze--no matter how old they are.  All in an effort to never get in trouble or blamed for anything.   
     Possibly more annoying is the trend I have recently noticed, mostly because my friend brought it up.   Taggers that use Sharpie markers to write on things.   If you can't afford spray paint, or are not old enough to buy it, find a new hobby to make you look bad-ass now!   Because using a marker to  write on things is something our kids out grew on there 4th birthday.   You are the farthest thing from kool I can think of.  And I want to "grade" your artwork with a red marker.   This puts you a step above the restroom art---filled with rhymes involving farts and body parts.  And your ex's phone number.   Although these do amuse me when I am forced to sit in a public restroom.   Reading them and than trying to figure out how to get out of the stall, without touching anything.   And than rushing to buy disinfectant and bleach!   If the last paragraph describes you, please stop!   Before I find a need to buy a 24 pack of red markers to grade your drawings and some spray paint, so that if I catch you with a sharpie, I will spray paint a target on the back of your t-shirt or wife-beater. 

3/6/2012

                                 


                                              **"Just another day in paradise."**

    **"I wear glasses because I like to dramatically remove them to display anger. It was awkward doing that with contact lens."**

   I have not had a vehicle for several years now.  And although I very quickly get tired of walking, I do not miss paying for luxuries like new tires, insurance, repairs, and of course gas.  For whatever reason this time around, gas prices are quickly sky-rocketing.   The station just up the street advertises regular gas at $4.12 a gallon!   And the summer jump is still months away.  Something else to look forward too, I guess.   Even with three kids, $25 bucks for unlimited month bus passes, seems like a betterer deal every day.  Not to say I will not still be working on getting my drivers licence back.

                           I want one.  These are so rare, I could make a killing on E-Bay!

                Next best deal of the week.   I will take them all!   Thanks for playing!


                                **"Sun can ruin rainy day stay in bed plans."**


   **"U- Tube,  Plants VS Zombies, pizza, and mixed drinks. What could be a better Friday??"**

   I have had a great week or so of relaxing and enjoying myself in general.   Work is again in my future, but not for awhile.  At least conventional work.  I can afford to be picky in job hunting, and do some possible money making ideas, that might or might not actually produce cash.  But if nothing else will be enjoyable to me.  Because I hate job hunting and interviews far more than any job I have ever had. 
    This free time is allowing me to go to church on Sundays.  Roam around the many trails near our home.   Walk Max, the family's newest member.   And spend time watching Nextflix.  The later brought me to the following clip.   And I have to admit watching this made me laugh so hard I cried a lil bit.   It is interesting to me how the silliest things are often the funniest.  This concepts makes me overly funny all the time!  Sleep deprivation and the later it is in the night also seem to effect how amusing something is.     I hope you enjoy



http://youtu.be/iAZcJ2gCpEo

                                 Mr Max says "Hi!--- Now take me for a walk--B*tch!"

                                      How one knows they are going to have a bad day.
  
  **"If I could turn invisible I’d go to Paris and beat up a performing street mime… The amount of applause he’d get would be amazing :)"**

                 **"Ruts are like graves but with ways out in both directions."**

    I realize V-Times day is now several weeks in the past now.   But if you survived the holiday and are not yet single, try this out and please share your results with me.



 And now possibly what you have all been waiting for.........   Today's words of wisdom.   Today we have two.

    Yesterday my fiance and I snagged a ride to the dreaded Wally World and than the Dollar Store.   It saved us hours on the bus, and carrying food home for Max for sure.   This dollar store actually has everything priced for a dollar!~   I have vented before about how wrong it is for most of the items in a dollar store, to cost much more than a dollar.   I guess $200 and under store, just does not sound as good.   If workers have to do a price check at these stores, there is a huge problem, at least in my head.   Most things seem like better ideas in my head actually. 
    Back to yesterday.   As we were pulling up to the Dollar Store, an SUV was parked in the middle of the roadway, waiting for a prime parking spot right in front of the building.  Because walking is bad in most peoples books.  The driver would not move his vehicle.  And as we tried to pass him, to actually park, and than visit the store, the vehicle swerved in our direction.  He seemed to be very worried that we would take his prime parking spot.   My fiance jumped out of our vehicle and went to the drivers window to see what his problem was.  After informing the driver, that now looked a little worried, that some of us had things to do, the SUV rushed forward to the parking spot.
    My fiance proceeded to walk toward the building, in front of the driver, slowly.   He layed on his horn and stepped on the gas.   Our driver and myself were sitting behind as all of this was going on.   And I decided it was time to exit our vehicle and walk past the other driver.  The driver than decided it was time to cuss me out, and call us both fruit cakes.   All such great examples for the two year old boy that was in the back seat, taking all of this in.  Maybe he flipped of his mommy when they arrived home. 
     I am not sure what was the starter of this mans bad day.   Or why we almost became his punching bag over such a dumb incident.  But again this shows how even what seems like the simplest tasks, do not stay that way for me.  

                    I plan on a 2nd post tonight.    Until than     Happy Trails!