So, yeah. I’m still in a rotten mood from having my PS4 go missing before it reached my hot little hands, but at least I know the thief works for USPS and they need to do some housekeeping that involves someone losing their job and warming a cold bunk in a prison cell. Still, it’s going to be a stupid as hell Monday going down to the branch here with my tracking number to ask how the hell was driving that truck last week or who the hell at the hub where mail is sorted and went out thought they could get away with their plan. Anyway, I’ve been trying hard to enjoy the rest of my weekend, but it’s not working much… Continue reading →
Let’s see now: Other than that outstanding Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild demo I got to play, Pepcom surprising me with some fun stuff and some of E3’s better presentations, last week was a bit bumpy. Por ejemplo: My missing PS3? Still MIA. I know who the guy is and his address, but I can’t pop by at all to get my system. Got a call back from the police that I should pursue this legally (DUH, I know that!), which means the mail fraud and internet fraud paperwork I filed will take who knows how long to get through the system. Meanwhile, I lost my new-ish phone, so it’s back to my crappy old one until I can make enough to replace it.
There’s a bunch of other kick in the head, mule-style stuff that’s happened, but that’s Nunya Bizniz for the time being, as I don’t believe in diarying up everything any anything that drops on my head for entertainment purposes. I read YOUR blogs for that when I can. Okay, back to figuring stuff out and catching up on the backlog of stuff in a stack on a table nearby. See you all in a bit…
Well, there are a LOT of changes coming to the old neighborhood. Some for the better, some for the who knows what’s coming down the pike. I’ll post a longer photo-type essay on what’s taking place here soon. The preview pic above is a test to see how well my panorama photo skills are. All of the buildings on the left side of that pic will be gone for good soon so I’m making some memories before things get pulverized. Granted, the area desperately needed something done about the blight taking place over the past decade or so. But the manner in which it was done is spectacularly lousy for what few businesses hung on in the area despite everything.
Let’s see now. Not counting the usual outside world lousy news that will absolutely drive one bonkers if one pays attention to all of it, my life is in a bit of a bumpy phase. No, you’re not getting any juicy details other than things are about as complex as Ernest Hemingway’s hamburger recipe right about now. And nowhere near as tasty. Okay, I haven’t tried that recipe yet, but it sure sounds as if it packs in a ton of flavor. But I digress. Let’s talk mostly in music because it makes things easier and funnier when all is said and done.
What’s Up With the Roof? Well, it’s still being repaired and it seems that June 5th deadline may or may not be met thanks to some rainy and windy days where not much took place. They’re doing a bunch of the buildings here at the same time so it looks like Scaffold City in some spots. Given the amount of drilling and pounding going on, it seems that the intent is to make this fix a bit more “permanent” than previous jobs. That were also supposed to be “permanent”. Yes, “permanent” is in quotes because maintenance such as this is never really going to be “permanent” (which is why it’s called MAINTENANCE, correct?). Which leads me to the apartment (eek):
The place got one a few months back before the roof repair but needs a new inspection after it to see if anything’s been shaken loose from all the pounding from above. A different set of inspectors came in and checked the ceilings in every room to see if they needed any repairs. Of course, nearly every room in the apartment now has red marks on the ceilings were some work needs to take place. Wonderful. Even more annoying is the wall that was completely replaced twice over the past twenty years thanks to the drainpipe behind it that more than likely should have been replaced during the first wall job. My brain boils every time I recall assorted inspectors and workmen saying variations on “Well, that pipe really needs to be fixed, but it’s too much work because the whole line needs to come out” meant all of the current issues really didn’t need to happen.
That and while terribly inconvenient for the tenants along the line below me, had the work been done back when it needed to be, it would have cost less and probably been done with far better materials. Anyway, where was I? Oh, right. The wall in the home office was last “fixed” last October and painted but a month later was showing signs of (that’s right) minor water damage. By the time the inspector popped back around to check something else out, I had to show off the now more cracked and damaged wall to him just to get a reaction. Yep, he actually asked me when was the last time it was repaired. Le sigh. Le annoy! I also need to figure out where to move over 1000 games, a bunch of systems and other stuff as I’d planned to use the formerly empty back room here that’s now occupied by a relative who’s moved back in.
Eh, I’ll figure that out. It may involve a screwdriver, hex wrenches and disassembling some furniture to make room, a few drop cloths and a LOT of tape. Ugh. Well, at least I have some masks in the closet so I can hang out and get all dusty with the workers here while I keep an eye on my stuff. It looks as if the rest of June past the 5th or so will mostly consist of me packing stuff up, moving it around and unpacking it later. Yep, I’m moving in my own apartment but keeping stuff in the same room. Whee. Science? Or just insanity.
What’s Cookin? And nope, the kitchen still isn’t at 100 percent thanks to a combo of the assorted workers not putting things back together completely. I have two sink legs under the sink that need to be reattached, some trim that needs painting (well, once they actually finish making and adding the rest of the trim around the kitchen ceiling) and there’s a small hole in a wall that was somehow missed during all that earlier kitchen nonsense that I just spotted when moving the refrigerator back to its original spot. “If I had a hammer…” I’d probably be doing 2-5 for some sort of Three Stooges meets Screwy Squirrel assault.
Feh. Add all that up and the fact that I need to make some money fast (and legally, of course!) and things are a bit stress inducing of late. If I can make it through June without Hulking out, it’ll be a good month. My poor head is stuffed with stuff I need to do, but concentration isn’t an easy thing to concentrate on with so much crap in the synapse.
Back in a bit. How’s YOUR month (or hell, just this Friday) going?
*Yeah, I know that Bruce Cockburn song is used way out of context. But so is every other video in this post.
Hmmm. So, here’s a random nonsense post courtesy of the Emergency Postcast System. If you’re reading this it’s because it’s a nonsense post experiment running in case of emergency. Now, what constitutes an “emergency” will vary from person to person, but let’s just say that I’m taking some much needed time off to handle things and that’s that. I have a few posts in reserve that will run (well, once I set some dates up) and will check back in to drop in stuff when I can. I hate the way the internet works these days because it’s expected that nosy people need to know too much and anything less than that is considered “not sharing”, “rude” or whatever. Nonsense. Anyway, dinner’s ready! Come and get it before that cannibal chicken has her fill.
Back in a bit. I’ll be around… just not “around” if you catch my drift. If you don’t, don’t worry. All won’t be explained when things get back to resembling “normal” around here. And that’s exactly as it needs to be.
So, I’m walking home last week from the library and about a block from my place, I hear what sounds like a small commotion and a bark followed by the sound of a supermarket shopping cart rolling towards where I’m about to stroll. I stop and take a step back figuring it’s one of the delivery guys from the nearby grocery store running into some dog trouble and the last thing yours truly needs to do is get plowed over by some guy with a big metal cart who may or may not be outrunning a pissed-off pooch.
As I stood there out of harm’s way (I hoped), the rolling cart sound gets closer and closer until it slows down and I see the cart slowly come into view from my right… with a pit bull sitting in it looking as if it’s smiling. What. The. What? As my brain is filing this bizarre scene under “Now I’ve Seen It All”, the cart comes to a stop about a foot from the big green relay mailbox on the corner. I look at the dog, who looks at me, then behind it. From my right I hear “Come on man, one more, one more!” as two young guys step into view.
I have the most raging headache right now, but type away I must. Nothing particular brought it on, just General Stress, Major Pain and trying to wean myself off coffee (yeah, I know, I know…) on a Monday. Woo. Not a good idea, but I’ll try anything once (allegedly). Hmmm. Maybe the trip to the market to buy stuff to make soup with will ease my pain. If not… “Now, the Lerpa!” Ouch. Someone change the channel, please? I like Star Trek a lot… but not IN my head and definitely not “Amok Time” in my head. I’ve had that fight music blasting between my ears most of the day already!
And now you do as well. Either that or you’ll hear chimes all night from those shaky bells in that first video… ouch. Off to locate an aspirin.
OK, so I didn’t PLAN to take a break from posting today, but I actually didn’t sleep much last night and decided that since I was awake around 6am-ish, I’d go get started on that ziggurat made of dirty laundry in the other room that a few days back morphed into a golem and was clomping around (leaving cartoon clouds of dirt like Pigpen in those Peanuts comics). It was fun for a while seeing a confused pile of clothes wrapped in a blanket stumble around and make that weird noise laundry that needs to be done makes, but then the damn thing managed to make it to the kitchen the other night and ate the steak I had in the freezer. That was the last straw (well, there wasn’t a first straw, which was my mistake). Anyway, luring the big dope into the shopping cart wasn’t hard (the mileage you can get from day old donuts, folks… go stock up, I say) and yeah, the big lug though it was going for a ride to the park. That took a while, but I hadn’t realized there were TWO piles to do – the other one was the smart one and was hiding in the closet…
"DESTROY ALL FANBOYS!" 