Like this and like this and like that..

(Big) Banks Suck

• Closed by (big) bank account.  They did not make it easy.  Been with TCF(SUCKS) for 17 years.  They embezzled more than their share of fees from me over those many years.  The latest, was have to pay $10 a month unless you have $2500 in the bank, or do 15 debit transactions (why they want you to do something that costs them money IDK) to get the fee waived.
• First, I purposely waited until I was calm so there would not be too much of a scene.  Didnt make a diff.  The bank is open 7 days a week, so I showed up a little after 10 (when their website and posted hours said it opened) on Sunday.  No one was there, drive-thru closed, doors locked.  Waited 10 minutes, then called into online banking, had to fight a phonetree to get a live person who verified the bank should be open.  As I was on the phone someone went in, so the online person called the bank and told me someone called in sick, the bank would be open in 10 minutes, to call back if it wasnt if I wanted to file a complaint.  I told her that I did want to file a complaint, so I did.
• Went inside, told the teller I wanted to close my accounts and they told me to take a seat.  Waiting 10 more minutes I was told to come to a window, gave my ids and waited.  The manager told me I could not close one account as it had pending charges (I had withdrawn $100 two days before) and I would have to wait until Tuesday for the charges to clear.  I asked how in heck could withdrawing cash bounce, it was absurd that were refusing to close my account.
• Came back, was able to close with minimum fuss, but the teller gave me a form for each account and demanded I sign without reading.  I ignored the biatch and read it while she twice more told me to sign, that the rest was just for their own use.  So I got them closed, except then the teller refused to give me proof my account was closed (said my transaction slip was proof) I argued a little with her until demanding to see a manager.  The little twit went over, loud enough for me and other to hear expressed how silly it was for me to want proof.  The manager told her to give me the top portions of the slips I signed, stamped 'ACCOUNT CLOSED'

All in all it took two trips, over an hour (and not using my bank for a couple weeks, stopping recurring autopays, traveling to and from that hive of skum and villiany ) to be free from those basteeds!  Remember that November 5th is leave your big bank day and free yourself from these asshats!

The NE Brew Fest at the old Grain Belt bottling building!  

October 15th, my brother and I went to.. 

Adult Disneyland! =) 

Dont know if you remember this from the 70's but I sure do.
10 cents a bottle of delicious soder pop!
Now its yuppiefied, costs about a buck a bottle,
but still tasted the same..

All you care to drink beers and fake stick on tattoos!

Random Shiat

Little about me..

•  My father was the youngest of six children (all boys) but raised as an only child since his next oldest sibling was 17 when he was born.  Mom was the elder sister of a family with one other girl.  I on the other hand are the eldest of six (boy, girl, girl, girl, boy and girl) and we were all born about 2 years apart.
• I have lived in Minneapolis Minnesota most of my life (NE Mpls, South Mpls, Uptown).  Couple months or so in Washington State, Spent 6 years in the Navy (Navy bootcamp in Illinois, 1 year in Millington TN for training, and 5 in San Diego CA)
• Whilst in the Navy spent over 2 solid years at sea on the USS Enterprise CVN-65.  Visited many countries, including: Hong Kong, Karachi Pakistan, Mombasa Africa, Naples Italy, Perth Australia, Rio de Janeiro Brazil, Singapore, Subic Bay in the Philippines, Tijuana Mexico and Toulon France.  Was an Aviation Anti-Submarine Warfare Technician (supported electronics on helicopters that would detect submarines.) similar to electronics technician.
• Have had many jobs, worked in fast food (Burger King, McDonald's, Pizza, Donut shop) Parking ramp attendant, Retail drone, Assemble and Computer tech.
  

Cookin NE Style

Eggroll

 

I tried something new today.  I loves me some Cabbage Soup (with chiorizo for flavor) and went to the store for supplies.  Seen some eggroll wrapper and decided to make up some of those as well.  Was planning using chicken for the eggrolls but then thought wth, and got two packs of the tasty mexican sausage.

Cabbage So

You have a couple choices when it comes to cooking the eggrolls, baking or frying.  I also like to precook the fillings so that the cooking is quicker.  I decided to fry today








The first couple times I made up the soup I used a whole cabbage, and cut it by hand.  That got old quick.  So when I make up a batch now, I buy a back of the coleslaw, with carrots and boil for an hour or so.  Adding the cooked and crumbled chiorizo with its grease adds fantastic flavor.  I also drop if a few more things, green onions, shredded carrots,whatever is lying around the kitchen

Cleaning up

Getting his and hers haircuts at Fantastic Sams

Greg before

Greg after

One of us, we wont use her initials, decided that we needed haircuts..  So before I knew it, I was at the hair clippery.

Sandi before

 

 

Sandi after

 

We do clean up nice, dontcha think? ;)

Mister Krabs? Its dinnertime.

My grandson JJ was over this past weekend.  He is almost the same age as younger daughter Grace (9 month younger) and they fight constantly, but thats not the point of this story.  We recently expanded out hermit crab collection to include 4 crabs, they live happily in a 45 gallon aquarium.  Mister Krabs is the largest crab, then theres Herman, and Hermania and another whose name keeps on changing.  JJ wanted to see a crab and and Mr K was there.  I picked him up and offered to let JJ hold him, but JJ was scared. 

My older daughter Megan said she would hold him and extended her hand in human-crab friendship.

 

The kids looked at the wonder in Megan's hand and suddenly Megan started saying 'Ow ow owwww' like she was in pain or something..  JJ looked a little scared but then we all started laughing at Megan's joke that Mister Krabs was hurting her.  When Megan kept it up I took a close look and there was a bit of her hand turning white from the pinch of the claw..  Just as I was going to free her from the monsters grasp he let go..  As Meester Krabs went back into his cage Megan said she would like Crab for dinner..

Megan sees 'some' humor in this tale, but not a lot..

Valentines Day past:

When I was in 4th or 5th grade my elementary school did allowed the childrens to pass out VD cards to their friends.  It wasn't like today where it was required that everyone got a card, oh no.  Schools thought nothing of having policies that taught ya how the world was really like.  A sad little boy who got "Charlie Brown'd"  was not something that caused any adult to lose sleep over..  So, in a desperate bid to avoid being 'the one' who did not get any VD cards, I went out and got an extra box and addressed em all to myself..  It was a brilliant plan see..  I would not be cardless, better still, I would have MORE than anyone else..  The school had a big box for everyone to put their cards into and I somehow managed to slip my 'illegal' cards into it without being spotted..  Life was good..  Muahahaha..  The best laid plans eh?

There was also a girl I liked, 'crushed on' I think the kids these days say.  Looking back I think she liked me too, but to a dopey kid in the 70's it was a unrequited love..

When it came time to pass out the cards the teacher picked my sweetie as one if the students to distribute the valentine cards..  The kids grabbed a handful and would walk over to the desk of the student who's name was on the card and hand them the card.  She passed out several and then all hell broke lose!  She handed me one of my fake cards, then another, then another..  'Curses!' I thought, 'I did not mix them in!'  Sweat broke out as she handed me more and more of the obviously fake cards.  I looked at my handwriting on the cards and just KNEW she knew it was me who tried this scam..  I think she said something like 'someone likes you' with a very cute smirk.  I died a thousand deaths that day..

That and this..

My eldest thinks I do not support her, when the frustration is with her mother not informing me of her activities..  The bee (mama) need an ass kickin..
My finances feel like they are in the toilet (heart speaking) but I know (head speaking) that I am on dry land.. Not the mountaintop, but not quicksand..  I am a disaster or jobloss away from problems, but hopefully will be able to get on solid ground soon..

Other than the above, things are goodish..  We got a new crop of pets..  Had a hermit crab for months now.  Herman, Gee's hermit crab, had been hanging on for months..  And we had a fish kill in the big aquarium (petsmart told us to use algae clean to remove the green from the water, kilt most of the fish, which we moved to the 10 gallon tank, leaving the big tank free for crabs) so Gee and I got two friends for Herman, Mr Crabs and xxx.  Emm needed to have a pet too, got a _tiny_ Pearl, crab which promptly died, Phenny replaced her, her?  So now we have 4 hermit crabs livin la vida loco..


Had some contractors out to look at putting addition onto the house.. Have some options..  One option is to almost double the living space in the house..  Add two bedrooms (and 600 sq feets) for 50K..  Another is to add 1 br for 20K.  Will have to wait until summer to see where I stand, to see what I can do..  KnowwhatImean?

My kids are growing so fast,,,  twas truly yesterday when they were infants,,  Not they are young ladies..  13 and 9..

My girls are really my world.  I think that if you distill the purpose for living, it comes down to making sure that your children are cared for.  Work, house, finances, all window dressing.  The end result is that they are cared for.



Well, think I need to sign out now..  Peace out.