September 16th

QUICK UPDATE

I haven't blogged lately. My bad. After Durango died I fostered a young dog named Kirby. Sweet little thing, but I did the happy dance when he was adopted. He was still in the chewing phase, and I'm out one remote control and a couple of shoes. Now Apollo (handsome fellow pictured above) is hanging out here. Nice guy, much calmer than the Kirby-Monster. I hurt my back and didn't feel like doing anything but mope around for two weeks. Better now, need to get back out and take some pictures this week. Maybe tomorrow. The Tweeker-House has been completely untweeked, and is up for sale. I'll get around to posting a recap of the History of Tweeker House one of these days.

BUT NOW, I MUST RANT A BIT

Cox Communications SUCKS! I have more than one story to tell about them, and they have put me into a really pissy mood, so I'm telling.

My old TV had a broken internal tuner (wouldn't go above channel 10) so I had a cable box. When I moved here I was told to just bring my box with me and continue to use it. No problem. But, when the service guys came to hook up the cable they brought another box. I told them I didn't need it, but they said "Oh well, now you have two" and refused to take it back. No problem for a few years until Cox Communications (who suck, BTW) started billing me for two boxes. I called them, endured the most annoying phone tree system in existence, and finally was able to get to a real person. I told them the story, and they told me that in order to no longer be charged for a box that I wasn't using, hadn't asked for and their employees insisted on leaving at my house I had to go out of my way and bring it back to their office. Uh, no. I finally convinced them (although it wasn't pleasant or easy) that the proper and polite thing for them to do would be to come get it since it was their mistake that I had it. They did, but it took two more months, and two more phone calls and two more encounters with the most annoying phone tree system in existence for them to acknowledge that they had it and to stop billing me for it.

A few months ago that TV finally died completely. I wasn't going to complain about being billed for a box that I wasn't using, I figured that I should unhook it and take it back but hadn't gotten the enthusiasm worked up to do it. A couple of weeks ago I got a letter from Cox Communications (have I said that they suck?) saying that that old box would be disabled and that they were going to send me a new one, but to call if I didn't need it. I called immediately, and of course once again endured the most annoying phone tree system in existence. As is usual when calling Cox Communications (the cable company that sucks!) the reason that they told me to call wasn't one of their choices, and it takes five steps to get to talk to a person. Come on you morons! If I'm not calling to order new service the first two times I'm presented with a menu of irrelevant choices, what are the chances that I'm going to be calling to order new service when I get to the third, fourth or fifth list of irrelevant choices? Did I just forget the first four times, or are you hoping that if you keep asking I'll change my mind? So, once again I was finally able to talk to a human, and told her not to send the new box. According to her there wasn't even an order on my account to do that, and she was surprised that I had received the letter, but she assured me that the new box would not be sent. Of course, they wanted me to bring back the old one, but she did finally agree to send a return label for it because the letter said that they would do that.

Guess what's sitting on my doorstep? BINGO! The new box, that I don't want, don't need and was assured that they wouldn't send. Back to the phone, and the most annoying phone tree system in existence, and I finally get a person. I won't call this one human, she was a snooty bitch and when I told her so she hung up on me. Okay, now I'm really pissed at Cox Communications (who suck) because I have to endure their phone tree AGAIN. And, their "solution" for their screw up is for ME to take care of fixing it.

Uh, no. Your stupid box is sitting on my doorstep. You sent it after you promised you wouldn't, getting it back is YOUR problem. Hope the neighborhood hooligans don't make off with it before you pull your heads out and take care of your screw up.

July 20th

RIP SWEET DURANGO

My affectionate, goofy and always entertaining foster dog Durango passed away suddenly yesterday. He was less than two years old, and I miss Mr. Trouble very much.

Let me tell you his story from the beginning. We got a plea from the local shelter to take a young dog. He had been turned in by his owners because he had chronic diarrhea, and "the pills weren't working." The medical staff at the shelter put him on the kill list because they didn't have the resources to fix the poor guy, so I went down to evaluate him.

There was no way I was going to let this handsome GSD die alone on a cold table in the shelter. He was very skinny, but I knew that I needed to help him. It turns out that he had a condition where he wasn't able to digest or absorb nutrients from his food, but the addition of enzymes to his meals would manage it and allow him to live a normal life. I broke my "no kibble crosses my threshold" rule for Mr. Rango-Bango. For him to eat raw I would have had to either buy very expensive ground stuff, or buy a strong grinder because the enzymes have to touch every bit of the food and sit for a while to work. Sprinkling them on a chicken leg quarter doesn't cut it. Didn't matter to him though, Durango loved to eat. Even some things he shouldn't, which may have been the cause of his demise.

He was a complete cuddle bug, and took it upon himself to chase all birds and flies out of the yard. One day a sparrow flew in my back door, and he caught it. He took it to his crate and let it go and it flew away. No sparrow dinner for you!

From what he went through in his final moments I think that he either had an intestinal blockage or his intestines twisted. My house is too quiet without him.

Hope there are sparrows for you to catch in doggie heaven Pudda Head.

June 22nd

NO MORE KODACHROME!

Apparently it's big news that Kodak is discontinuing production of a film that has been made for 74 years. (Note to news people-please stop playing the Paul Simon song over and over and over. Momma done took the Kodachrome away already!) The thing that they aren't mentioning is that Kodak recently introduced a better color film using newer technology-Ektar. Kodachrome is just taking its place in history and going the way of the Brownie camera and 8 mm home movies. Yes, sales of film have declined drastically due to the rise of digital, but there are people who still shoot film. I'm not one of them, but my Uncle Ed tried a digital SLR a few years ago and didn't like it at all, went back to film. There are at least two people that I know of in the MeetUp.com photo group who shoot film, although one prefers B&W. Film isn't dead, it's just finding a different group of users.

I had a good outing with the meet-up group at the Glider Port yesterday. I'm still viewing and editing photos, I'll put them up in my Flickr Galleries when I'm done. It takes a while to go through 385 pictures!

June 1st

A POX ON YOU!

This would be for the uber-rude, conceited arrogant butt head that I was supposed to have an interview with today. Another man who was almost peeing all over himself over my resume. My experience, my qualifications, I sound so perfect! He asked me to come for an interview at noon.

I got there on time. He was busy according to the receptionist (who was at least as old as me). I noticed as he ran back and forth between two offices that he looked at me and his lip curled up in disgust. Must be the grey hair-nothing else could be that noticeable from 20 feet away. I bathed, I put on make up, I was dressed better than any other person I saw walking around the office.

After leaving me sitting for a half an hour he came out and said that he had a sore throat and needed to go to the doctor, but he would call me later.

Of course, he didn't. He's an asshole. I hope he ends up hiring a mindless bimbo with dyed hair and fake boobs who will screw up all of the loan files. It would be even better if she embezzled money and offended all of his clients. I hope his karma bites him in his arrogant behind.

May 21st

WHY CALIFORNIA IS GOING BROKE

The doomsayers (AKA the governor and the legislature) are crying poverty, and telling us that if we don't agree to pay more taxes they will cut services. But, here's a little example of what might be the REAL problem in California. According to their website, 76,000 Californians were potentially eligible to receive the latest federal unemployment benefits extension. Now, while the feds are paying the benefits, I'm pretty sure that the state is paying the postage, printing, paper, and for the employees at the EDD. So, they sent out notices to all 76,000 people with a claim form. Let's pretend that 90% of those people are still unemployed and filled out the form and sent it back. The state sent out checks, but WITHOUT the continuing claim form for the next two weeks. So, they had to send out the forms separately. If they had to send this to 68,400 people, at 44¢ postage each, the postage alone was $30,094! Not to mention the paper, the man hours (I'll bet that at least half of those people called to find out why they had no new form-because they couldn't take 5 minutes to post an announcement on the website), ETC! Yeah, I'll be thrilled to pay more taxes to continue to fund government incompetence.

May 15th

MORON OF THE WEEK

I wonder why I find so many of my winners (or, should I say losers?) at Costco. This week's stand out:

A society type, with those ridiculous striped highlights in her hair and a designer purse, talking on the phone and wandering back and forth in the aisles. Completely ignoring people who were trying to actually shop. Just so, so self absorbed and getting in everyone's way. If I were the slapping type, she would have had a good palm print on the perfectly made up face.

MORE RESCUE ADVENTURES

Today I picked up a new dog from the vet and took him to the boarding kennel. I did the usual, hooked a leash to his collar and tethered the leash to something in the back of the car. I have this cool leash with a bunch of rings and hooks on both ends so it can be used in different ways.

Suddenly Silver (the dog) was in the front seat. Collar on, no leash. Somehow he unhooked it! Then he proceeded to climb in my lap, nearly crash the car, turn off the radio and roll down a window. I had to stop, get a slip lead on him, and put him in the crate for the rest of the ride.

Just a side note: For some reason the photo for this entry loaded in like two seconds. It usually takes a very long time. I wonder what the difference is. I know I didn't suddenly get high speed internet, unless the computer elves did it.

May 6th

WHY DID I DO THAT?

Sign up for Twitter. I'm sure that nobody cares what I'm "doing right now". Okay, I signed up so I could follow Jen Lancaster, because she cracks me up. But, don't expect me to do a lot of tweeting. I also used my full, real name to sign up. Which means that I'll need to be very nice, polite and completely PC when I do tweet-especially since I'm still job hunting. I can just imagine a potential employer googling my name and finding me twittering on about picking my nose or calling a lying asshole a lying asshole.

THE PHOTO

Up at the top. It's a painted cow. I joined a MeetUp.com group for photography. They go places and take pictures. The first meet-up I went to was to take pictures of painted cows. I have mixed feelings about photographing works of art. If doing documentary photos then that's fine. Otherwise, all you have is a photo of someone else's artwork, and there's no real creativity there. So I try to create my own thing in the photograph, if that makes any sense.