A Day Like Today.

It’s 6:16 a.m. and I’m already in the mood to go back to bed. I find getting back to work after a long weekend not easy. Truth be known, I find getting up before 10 a.m. not easy.

I’ve done my exercises. I’ve thrown my scale. I’ve carefully measured out one cup of Raisin Bran and a 1/2 a cup of fortified skim milk and crunched through that. Trying to spice up my mood, I lived on the edge and poured out 9 oz of orange juice instead of eight.

After spending the weekend doing things, moving around and doing what I want, when I want, where I want, I am in no mood to settle down behind a desk and take trouble calls like listening to Miss Priss complain that she can’t complete a call to her hairdresser. But that’s what I do.

Life?!? Where are you?

6 September 2005 by Why. 0

Labor Day Weekend 2005.




Labor Day Weekend 2005.

Originally uploaded by macwarriorny.

Earl and I have spent the last two days basically relaxing. Yesterday we went for a nice drive (but not too long due to gas prices!) through a portion of the Finger Lakes, making a pit stop at A&W in Cortland for dinner.

The world would not be a good place if these old A&W’s ever went away for good. Small wonder I love Wisconsin and Iowa so much – A&W country!

When we got home last night we watched “Torch Song Trilogy” on the TiVo with a bowl of popcorn and a glass of iced tea. We then called it a night but there’s a rumor that Earl went to the casino after I fell asleep. I can’t confirm this rumor because he didn’t shower me with gifts from his winnings. Then again, it could be because he lost. I guess Lady Luck was on holiday too.

Today we planned on just kicking back and doing basically nothing when my dad called and invited us to a picnic at Selkirk Shores State Park near my hometown. So we hopped in the Jeep and trekked up there for the old fashioned we do an impromptu picnic – sub sandwiches from the local market, a bag of chips to share and a pitcher of iced tea. We had good conversation and walked the entire park, all four campgrounds and the cabin colony. It was surprisingly bare of people, but being late on Labor Day I guess that’s the way it should have been. What was surprising was that the lifeguards have called it a season and removed all lifeguard chairs, ladders, etc. from the swimming area. No swimming at Selkirk again (legally) until Memorial Day 2006 I guess!

All in all I feel refreshed and ready to tackle the short work week.

More pictures from the weekend are here.

5 September 2005 by Fun and Games Dept 1

Powerful.

I just watched one of the most powerful videos I’ve ever seen on the internet. Her name is Charmaine Neville, and she is a survivor of Hurricane Katrina.

If you’d like to see the video, follow this link and click on Charmaine Neville in the right hand column.

Blessed be every single, solitary person in the turmoil of this tragedy.

4 September 2005 by This Ain't No CNN. 0

The Great New York State Fair 2005.

Earl and I made our annual trek to the Great New York State Fair today. We decided to approach this fun differently. In the past we’ve gone in the morning and have been out of there by 6:00 or so. Today we went around 4:30 and stayed until 10:00. It gave us a fresh perspective on the whole thing.

First of all, the people are more drunk when you go later in the day. This can be a good or a bad thing. If you’re trying to cop a feel, you’re less likely to get slapped or slugged (depending on what you’re feeling). However, you’re more apt to have a buzzed person bump into you and burn with a cigarette or dump a Schlitz down your back. So there’s pros and cons to the timing.

The sun isn’t as big of an issue for a fair skinned boy like myself, so going later in the day was a welcomed relief on my shaved head.

We hit all the high spots. The sand sculpture is back this year in the Horticulture building after a very conspicuous absence last year. We also had our obligatory cups of milk for 25 cents. We played the Bingo-ball game thing where you throw balls in to the little grid to get five in a row and win a prize. I didn’t ride any rides this year, because the one ride that I enjoy, the “Top Spin”, was shut down. My favorite of all time, “The Tempest”, is long gone from the State Fair. It occasionally shows up at local field days.

Last year the free concert at “Chevrolet Court” (which I will continue to call “Miller Court” for the rest of my life because that’s what it was when I was a kid) was Cyndi Lauper. This year it was Bowzer and Sha Na Na. The first year I took Earl it was Captain and Tenille, which was loads of fun. Because after all, Love Will Keep Us Together.

Earl is so patient with me. I have to say hello to the various animals and give them reassurance for their upcoming show. I threatened Earl with “going Green Acres” on him and moving him to Northeast Iowa to start a farm. He laughed a little before looking nervous.

All in all it was a good time. I often remark that I don’t like the area we live in now. I dream of moving to other places in the country; Albuquerque, Denver, Oklahoma City, but the truth be known, I would be very content to relocate back to Syracuse. Earl is hometown proud of Philly, I’m hometown proud of Syracuse. It’s fortunate that we don’t live too far away and are able to visit often.

There’s more pictures here.

3 September 2005 by Fun and Games Dept 0

Lunch In The Sun.




Lunch In The Sun.

Originally uploaded by macwarriorny.

I decided to do something today that I haven’t done in a long while. Instead of buzzing home for lunch, I went and parked at the ballpark that Earl and I used to frequent last summer. I felt like it was an appropriate way to wind down with the unofficial end of summer. I was hoping that Earl could join me, but unfortunately we couldn’t get our lunch hours to synchronize, so I’m going at it solo. At least I get to drive his Jeep today while the Acura is getting his first tune-up.

Sitting in the sunshine does wonders for clearing the head. It’s sort of like mental floss, the sunlight cascades in and reaches every nook and cranny of body and soul, washing away the dark impurities and bringing in a needed warm feeling. It’s like a hug from the universe. Just what the doctor ordered.

Earl and I have not made outrageous plans for the holiday weekend. With gas at very, very high prices, we figured we’d do our part and refrain from a road trip to nowhere. We’re going to go to the New York State Fair one day. I’ll be sure to take a lot of pictures. There’s a lot of things in New York State that frustrate the heck out of me, but I’m rather proud of our State Fair. I hear it’s one of the biggest in the country. Earl has mentioned on more than one occasion that it’s much bigger than the fair in Pennsylvania. And our fair has been located on one site for a long, long time; pretty much smack in the middle of the state in Syracuse. The Salt City has always been a hospitable host.

I’m so glad it’s Friday. I’m happy it’s the Friday before a long weekend. As I type that thought, I wonder if the folks in New Orleans and surrounding areas even realize that it’s Friday. Or if it’s a holiday weekend for that matter. How are they keeping track of the days? By counting the promises made of incoming supplies or evacuation buses? By how many sunsets they witness before eat their next meal? The situation is unbelievable. No human being, regardless of nationality, creed, color, sexual orientation, whatever, should have to live in that type of environment. They need help and they needed it two days ago. I can’t help but wonder if there were no budget cuts to the levee system back in June if they would be in the same situation today. I wonder why anyone would build a metropolis below sea level in a giant bowl. A scenario that relied on man-made pumps and such. History has shown that when it’s man against nature, nature always wins. We should live in harmony with the universe, not against it. She should be our friend, not our foe.

There’s a gentle breeze blowing through the Jeep. The sun is still showing brightly. I think I’m going to take a cat nap.

2 September 2005 by Ponderings and Musings 0

No Special Occasion.




Earl and his iBook.

Originally uploaded by macwarriorny.

When you have something in your hand, you just have to point and shoot.

Of course I’m talking about the camera.

I look at this picture and can’t believe it’s been over 9 1/2 years! Where does the time go.

And they said it wouldn’t last.

1 September 2005 by Love. 0

Every Little Bit Helps.

The American Red Cross is doing a day long telethon today from the telephone company I work for. They’ve already exceeded their goal of $50,000 with a total of $61,000-plus, and that was around 11:00 a.m. I think it’s wonderful that people all across the United States are doing what they can to help those affected by Hurricane Katrina.

My blog friend OPIEblue mentioned another charity on his website that I donated to and I urge you to do the same. It’s the Humane Society of the United States, and they’re helping lost and abandoned pets left in the hurricane’s wake. As he mentioned, even apart from the humane concerns, the number of dead animals contribute to the disease potential in the area and the humane society is helping with the clean up.

Here’s a link if you would like to make a donation.
Click here.

1 September 2005 by Ponderings and Musings 0

Another Gassy Thought.

I just had a wildly innovative brain storm about the recent surge in gas prices.

Go metric.

That’s the answer. After all, if the U S Government can adjust the clocks with the idiotic Daylight Saving Time extension so that we save energy and make people happier by giving them “more sunlight”, why doesn’t the U S switch to metric measurements so gas is only $0.82 a liter?

Seeing $0.829 up on a gas pump would make everyone feel so much sunnier.

31 August 2005 by Ponderings and Musings 0

Rape, Only $3.29 A Gallon.

Driving home to work today, I noticed a traffic jam building ahead at a busy intersection. Thinking there was an accident, I rolled my eyes slightly at the thought of all the clueless drivers who had to slow down to see if there was a disembodied head or something. But I was wrong. They were all trying to get into the gas station that still offered gas at the staggering low price of $2.99 a gallon.

This busy intersection has three gas stations strategically placed. One of the gas stations is a full service deal, complete with car wash. They’re gas was $2.99 a gallon. The second is a recent addition to the existing dairy/convenience store that has stood there for years. They’re gas was $2.99 a gallon.

The third gas station is another matter.

When I first moved here it was your standard Mobil Convenience Mart type setup. They had the cheapest gas in town and I loved them. But then Mobil decided to move out of the area for the most part and sold all the area stations to this blasted convenience store called, well, it’s really close to rhyming with “Asshat”. If you thought FAST, you would be on the right TRAC. Said gas station franchise has sprung up like a red and black zit throughout Upstate N.Y., complete with a cheap swill for gasoline.

They have the nerve to be charging, get this, $3.29 a gallon. That would be Three Dollars and twenty-nine cents a gallon for the low grade, make your engine knock cocktail.

The bastards.

I was quite pleased to see that the local residents have come to their senses and are ignoring that station (for the most part) and forming gas lines for the other two that offering a better product for a lower price. “Asshat” has gone out of its way to keep prices high in this area. Since they have the most locations around here, they think they set a trend. But even if the others buck the trend for only 12 or 18 hours, I’m still pleased. It’s putting them in their place.

When I left for work this morning gas was $2.63 a gallon. The same gas station jacks the price to $3.29 a gallon within 10 hours? Ludicrous.

I realize that there are issues affecting gasoline supply and whatnot. But this really borders on price gouging.

I’m riding my bike to work on Friday to protest.

31 August 2005 by Why. 0

About J.P.

Just a guy with a husband. We’ve been together 28 years and he still makes me see fireworks on a daily basis. Hiker. Storm Chaser. Private Pilot. Tech Guy. Hackerish.

Weird? Eccentric!

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