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So my attempts at controlling my inner volcano has had mixed results.. Sometimes I can shrug, look the other way and go on with my life, ignoring the truly petty thing that really wasn't worth getting upset about in the first place, and othertimes.. 

• Asshat at teh Dairy Queen, there is an OBVIOUS line serving the two open windows, yer this guy just slithers up to one, ignoring those of us who are following the rules. He did not get his food before me or the other person he cut infront of, and it was fun when he stood there, and you could see the realization he cut as we scowled at him, and he writhed in embarrassment..

 

• Why do people misunderstand the concept of the turn signal.  It is to notify others of your intention to change lanes or turn right or left.  Other people use this information to decide what lane they should be in, to slow down, and other stuff. It is not common courtesy, it is the farking LAW to signal ONE HUNDRED FEET BEFORE not AT THE FARKING INTERSECTION!!!  When you fail to signal and drift into someones lane, YOU are in the wrong, and have NO RIGHT to flip off the person who honks at your clueless ass..

Shiat like that makes me want to slap a biatch!

Easier done than said:

I am always a little dumbfounded and embarrassed when I do something I should have done a long time ago and it really makes my life easier and was VERY little effort.  Case in point.  I have me one of them alarm clocks what shines a light on teh ceiling, and that light is in the shape of numbers and those numbers tell me what time it is.  Well for the longest time it was pointed in a spot that was right next to the wall.  I had to turn my head in a funny way or roll over to see the time.  It was aggravating.  I lived with it for many moons until one night I just grabbed the things, adjusted it slightly, focused it and then I could see the damn time whilst lying on my back!  WHY DIDN'T I DO THIS EARLIER I immediately thought.
Wiper blades in the car were leaving a streak when I used it, they needed to be replaced, but, daaammnn, it was work to buy the blades, then install..  After several treacherous rides where my vision was limited, I bought a set, and then installed em.. GOLLY GEE its nice to flick the switch and have CLEAN WINDERS!  Little later I was low on washer fluid, ran out..  SIgh, all that effort to purchase and fill the washer fluid (not really), but worth it..

Had some excitement..  First the power went out while I was napping..  Dont usually nap but did 3/12 and when I woke up about 5pm the fan was off, usually have it on when in the bedroom.  Then .noticed that the alarmclock was off too..  Came out and saw that EVERYTHING was off.  Didnt have the power companies #, so I tried googling it via text message on me phone but that didnt work, so I called my brother who lives a mile away and had him check (he had power)
Outage until 9pm they said.  But power came back within a hour, but the internet was out.  Called them and they said 9pm too..  Then noticed there were cop cars outside of the house, four of em, all with the lights off..  Had a couple of our neighbors in the back seats..  Then they blocked one side of the street, then the other, then 5 frigging firetrucks showed up.  Asked a cop and he said something suspicious was found and they were going to make sure it was safe..  Then the power went out again, but was back on within 20 minutes, and then the internet started working..
The cops were done about 1130, dont know what they found then, later found out that the dumbasses who lived there had a domestic (had a man-slap-fight, and when the popo responded they saw suspicious containers and needed to have it checked out..

Today’s Helpful Money-saving Hints: Ziplock bags and the Laser printer

 Ziplocks: love em.  Can get them at the dollar store for about 1 cent a bag.

 ·         I have a problem if I bring a large bag of snacks to work, I am a frigging pig.  I eat said snack in one sitting.  I use the baggies to make me own individual servings of snacks like cheese nibs, potato chips, or whatnot.  They stay fresh fer eva, and lower the cost from close to a buck a serving (from the demonic vending machines) to 25 cents..

·         I portion hamburger into the ziplocks, about 3/4ths of a pound in each bag.  Flattened and sealed it freezes fine.  I pop the bag into microwave for 2 minutes and its thawed, ready for whatev ya want, burgers, hotdish, chilli, ect.  The bonus is you are using less meat in your meals, so your dollars go further, and yer eating healthier.

·         All kinds of leftovers can go into the ziplock, soup, veggies, and the mind boggles.  While not perfect, when you portion the larger portions, it extends the storage of what you pack. 

* One note: I put some hotdish in a baggie, filled it a little full and froze it.  Had the dickens of a time reheating it..  Lesson learned, dont have it more than an inch thick.

Laser Printer: I wasted so much money on the inkjet.  Costs $25-50 for refill inks, so much waste..

·         Bought a black and while laser printer off of craigslist, best 45 bucks EVAR!  My kids (the teen) like to print crap like crazy..  I would grin and bear it when they would print page after page..  Acutely aware the high cost of ink!  When I want to use it, out of ink and off to the store!  When the 'cheap ink' kodak printer (90 bucks for the printer, 10 bucks a black cartridge) that failed on the 2nd cartridge I vowed never again!  6 months and I am still on the same toner cartridge, and I can buy em for like 20 off the intertubes

Work: I am an Information Technology worker, IT for short

·         Been working professionally in IT since 1995, thats 16 years.  I have always been one who liked and could figure out computers..

·         Funny thing is when I got out of the Navy in 1990 I did not think I had any job skills.  I was basically an Electronics Technician (my Navy training) but I had heard that you need technical training to get a job.  I pissed around with minimum wage jobs (parking lot attendant, one who marks the price on merchandise for a large department store, one who make the ticket that has the price)

·         My uncle Roy was a big fan of school, actually paid for me to go to school.  I went to a technical school for a certificate course in personal computers.  I am a little conflicted.  While I gained some knowledge from this school, I think I would be in the same place (or better) if I had not attended..  I got my first 'IT' job while in school, and this turned into that.  I did many different 'contract' jobs, 3 weeks to 18 months for about 5 years until I landed in my current job.

·         I am now a Systems Analyst for a newspaper.  I started as a hardware technician, fixing the PC's, Mac's and Printers.  Then I was software technician, loading the operating systems and software that ran on the PC's the newspaper used.  6 years ago I took a position where I support ad’s (getting em to us, building em, printing em)  I work with vendors whose systems we use.  I work with users in different departments.  Answer the helpdesk phone when I can..  Kinda of a systems valet.. 

·   Recently my employer informed me that I would be working 2nd shift at the start of the new year, from 2-11pm.  Now I am a single parent half of the time, and this is unacceptable.  I did manage to negotiate working every other week 2nd shift, but only as a trial, to see if it works..  

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? ;)