Welcome to Eric's Planet

Let's start the year off right...

2012-01-11T13:10:00.000-08:00

Just because I was curious, I looked at my blog and realized that it's been nearly two months since I wrote anything in here. Two months I tell you! 60 whole days! There is absolutely no excuse for someone (like myself) who likes to write to go that long without...writing. So, for your reading misenjoyment, here's a little ramble-ation (did I spell that wrong?) to make your day.

We're in a new year---an even-numbered one at that. Which means that my car is due for a smog check. Speaking of said vehicle, come February 2, I will have had it for exactly ten years. Purchased new on 2/2/2002. (And I think we got to the dealership about 2 in the afternoon...TOO!) This is a very easy date to remember, and it was the very first vehicle that our salesman had ever sold! I have no complaints about it at all. It's held up well and still drives like new*. Here it is parked in front of the house:

* Note: This vehicle has had a new set of tires installed since this picture was taken. Actual vehicle may vary in appearance, and owner reserves the right to refuse transport any person in this vehicle at his discretion. Vehicle owner's home is not shown in this photo in order to protect privacy. Other structures and vehicles appear in this picture at their own risk and as such are not due any compensation. So there.

Anyway...this is me we're talking about, so I can't let you go without a peeve du jour. (Just couldn't make it to the door that fast, huh?) How annoying is it when people refer to California as "Cali?" Do people in Denver call their state "Colo?" Or how about a trip to Walt Disney World? Yeah, I haven't been to Flori in awhile. You get the picture (and the frame, too). To me, this is right up there with saying "congrats" to someone who's made an achievement of some kind. "Congrats." Really? I'm sorry, but that just doesn't sound very sincere. Even if it has become accepted, still... Perhaps Twitter is finally affecting us---we're shortening everything to save space. My own brother has started referring to Facebook as "Face." My own brother! He'll say, "I was on Face today." Whose face? Maybe I should tell people that I drive a "Hon." After all, it is shorter than "Honda."

A BONUS PEEVE SELECTED ESPECIALLY FOR YOU: The dollar sign goes before the dollar amount (i.e. $10), not after (i.e. 10$). I'm seeing the latter one more and more, and it's really starting to annoy me. And while I'm on the subject, things that cost less than a dollar are written as 98¢ or $.98, not .98¢---unless you can figure out a way to get change from your penny...

Then there's the job market. Ah, the old job search. Biteage. Suckage. Blowage. Cartilage. (Well, I was on a roll...) Now that we're in January, many companies with new budgets for new projects need new people to get that work done. That annual phenomenon has already been reported for this year. We'll just see about that. Looking for work is definitely not like it was in the past. Going door to door is considered "creepy" these days. If you do get past the front door and make it to the receptionist, s/he tells you to submit your resume to their website or use a particular agency, and sometimes not take your hard copy (or do so as a courtesy to you, only to feed their shredder before you get back to your car). Even when you do that, you rarely get any kind of correspondence that acknowledges the fact that you ever applied for the job. Is it too much to ask for a company to get back to me and let me know that I'm no longer being considered for the position? If not, tell me why so I can make adjustments to improve myself? Don't even start me on the nonsense about people being out of work for longer than six months. They're no longer considered? Do companies have a clue as to how much experience they're missing out on?

I think you've read enough for the time being. There will be more to come. What I write in 2012 will make what I wrote in 2009, 2010, and 2011 pale in comparison. And despite some negative issues, I'll try to be more positive about things. If nothing else, writing positive stuff just might cheer me up.

Two Blog Entries in the Same Week!

2011-11-23T16:59:00.000-08:00

Yessireebob, you read that right! More bloggage from the guy who makes up words like "bloggage" and may just be the instigator of the eventual downfall of the English language. See, the thing is that there's sort of a process going on here. If I can write---and I mean about anything---then maybe that'll get things moving in some sort of positive direction in my life. Who knows? I just might end up finding a position somewhere that'll actually pay me to write stuff. Probably not on Yahoo!, though. They already have enough yahoos writing for them, based on some of the articles I've read.

A couple of my Facebook friends have suggested that doing so could be one way back to Paycheck Land (thanks, Jenny and Toni), so I'll see what I can do. The only downside that I can see to this is that writing when one wants to write is a lot different than writing because one has to write in order to eat and put a roof over his head. I don't want to write a bunch of worthless fluff just to get paid. Better for it to be thought out first.

Today's entry is even shorter than the last one. All of you have a happy Thanksgiving, and who knows? I just might surprise you with a third entry this week!

Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch...

2011-11-22T11:39:00.000-08:00

We've all heard that phrase before: "Meanwhile, back at the ranch..." It's one that I've always liked just because to me it sounds kind of funny. This time, though, it's a bit more serious as I have not written an entry in my blog for over three months. My head is bursting with things to say, but there's something that gets in the way between "stored in my head" and "published." Most days I don't feel very well; that's likely due to the fact that gainful employment just doesn't seem to find me. Oh, I'm not just sitting around waiting for it to show up on my doorstep (or not making any effort to look, which certain adults in our household have accused me of doing, but won't mention names even though Lori doesn't read my blog). But you can look at online job boards and check back with recruiters just so many times. Even friends and former co-workers don't always have a lead in their companies, though, of course, they have your best interest at heart. Want to try and get into something totally different? No experience = no job, no chance. FedEx has positions driving trucks for the holidays, but since I haven't driven a big truck like theirs, I'm not qualified even though I've been driving for 37 years. CoachAmerica is hiring drivers---and say that no experience is necessary and they'll train you---but I looked into that and they said no to me because I've never driven a motor coach... [confused look].

Everyone in the universe knows about my issues with diabetes, so I'll be sweet and save that for another time.

Our house is coming apart at the seams. We have plumbing issues that I cannot fix or afford to get fixed. An electrical problem has developed with the outlets along one wall of the house. I don't mess with electricity; the results could be shocking. As for plumbing, I can plunge right into some of it (replace faucets, clear small clogs, etc.), but some of it is beyond my expertise and a professional would not only resolve it, but do so correctly.

Don't start me on our roof...

Nearly two years ago, I opened an account with Blogger so that I would have a place to share the gift (or curse depending on your point of view) of my writing. At the time, I figured I'd have so many blog entries that no one could possibly read them all in the course of, say, a lifetime. Sadly, I've only written about...ten? Well, maybe a few more than that, but I ran out of fingers counting. I do enjoy writing, and like last year will resolve to write more in 2012. And perhaps I'll include some more pictures, since they're worth a thousand words. CAUTION: To anyone in school, if your teacher says to write a 5000-word essay on something, don't get cute and turn in five pictures. That'll only get you a bad grade, and I'm sure it'll be somewhere in "F" territory...

I'll keep this short so you can read it while you wait in the drive-thru at In-N-Out, but I've been fairly down as of late, and think and wish and hope and pray that the light at the end of the tunnel is actually the end of the tunnel, and not a boat. Now I do want my ship to come in, but just not in that way. Trouble is, that light isn't getting any bigger (read: closer). Hopefully, that will change. And soon...

All Right, What's Next?

2011-08-12T00:33:00.000-07:00

Longtime readers might notice that I've changed the formatting here a bit. The new font may have a bit of a Southern accent. It should; it's called "Georgia" and I happen to like it. Peachy, if you ask me. I also changed the margins to be flush left and right. That gives it a nice, neat look. No doubt these things will go over most people's heads and they won't care or notice. That's OK. What really matters anyway is the content of what I write. So why did I write all this nonsense to get started? Because I spilled something on my keyboard and wanted to make sure the keys were all unstuck after I cleaned it up. Exxxxxcept for the xxxxx key, all is good.

Today's episode may contain some scary things, like my opinions about a few things, along with a little advice. So before we get into the meat of it, please take note:

Listen to Chimichanga. He is smarter than you think he is. Those giant ears aren't just for looks, y'know. Chimi can hear a penny hit the ground a mile away---and he knows where, too. What is this "Chimichanga" creature? Your worst nightmare, that's what. He may look like a harmless, fluffy little critter from a National Geographic documentary, but Chimi is in fact a killer chinchilla with a bad attitude and an appetite for blood---yours. Among his peers, he's known as "Chinzilla." You can't see the tattoo because it's on his belly, but he'll gladly turn over and give you a close-up right in your face. Look at him carefully...would you dare to mess with anything like that? I didn't think so.

So, what's next, you ask? Good question. That's why we're here today. Let's take a look at a few things, shall we? You can stop reading any time you want, but just make sure it's OK with Chimi before you actually walk away. Or given Chimi's record, try to walk away is about as far as you'll get.

Firstly, I recently read that many companies will not hire a person who has been out of work for six months or longer. To me, that kind of thinking is a supersized order of McStupid, and here's why: While it is true that a person who hasn't worked for a long time may have skills that are a bit tarnished, with most people, it all comes back fairly quickly once the person is back behind a desk, machine, etc. Sort of like riding a bike---you never forget. To reject anyone like this is like passing up perfectly good food because it's not as warm as you'd like it to be. As the good Lord gave us microwave ovens to heat up food, He also gave us something called "patience," which too many upper management types seemed to have left in their other outfit. Surely they must know that it costs less in the long run to hire someone older with basic skills, a good work ethic, and the likelihood to stick to the job than it does to hire someone who just got out of college and will stay for a half hour before wanting to do something else. Young people these days tend to do just that. (I've seen it.) But management doesn't always "get it." In fact, I've long said that the higher you go, the less oxygen there is. Think about that. It's true that the college kid may have a fresh view on things, learn quickly, and an endless supply of energy, but he hasn't been put to the test. For whatever reason, many young people these days have the attention span of dust. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against young 'uns---I even have have one. But experience is invaluable, and I have a lot of experience. And despite being over 50, I do learn quickly. The whole rehiring/retraining process is incredibly expensive for a company.  (By the way, regarding patience, I'm not including doctors---their patients are out in the waiting room reading the latest about Watergate in Life magazine.)

Secondly, while we're on the subject of patience, just what happens to some people when they get behind the wheel of their car?  For instance, what makes people think they can drive their car by sitting in your back seat? When they tailgate, aren't they that close? I never understood the need to see what's in the guy's trunk ahead of me. As a driver, there is no need for me to be able to see the hair in your nose or count your freckles, either. Do you think I'm going to speed up when I'm at the limit already? No! I don't want a ticket.  Y'think I'll move over to the side of the road just to let you by? Not likely. Then...BACK OFF! Patience, Grasshopper, or you'll get a complimentary brake check.

Thirdly, while we're on the subject of giving someone space, we have to remember that some people already have space---right between their ears! Those people have what I call "Wind Tunnel Syndrome." (After all, isn't everything outside of normal a "syndrome" these days?) Here, though, I'm talking about letting others have some time or distance to themselves if they need it. If you're married, let your husband go watch a football game with his buddies. Why drag him to go look at curtains at the mall?  Let your wife go shopping with her pals and make your own damned sammich. Besides, since she's not home, put extra bacon on it.  Your kid wants to sit over in the corner of the yard studying bugs by himself? Don't send his sister over and force him to share the experience with her. Such was my childhood, and look where it led---I've gone to the blogs.

Fourthly (and if I keep thinking of more things, I'm sure I'll get to "eleventhly" and sprain my tongue), who taught people how to spell? I already wrote about this (read it here), so I'll keep this short. Some people who call me a friend also call me a spelling and grammar Nazi because of my obsession with following the rules with regard to spelling and grammar, and how so many people fail to do so. Just click the link in pink and read what I wrote. See how short I made this?

Fifthly, if that's even a word, before you go out somewhere, kindly consult a mirror. There is nothing so threatening to the visual environment than having to look at someone who can't tell that the size S shirt doesn't fit over rolls and rolls of bodily acreage. Not even in Acreage, Alaska [rim shot]. Those size three jeans will not hold up (or stay up) on a body with a double-digit size beginning with a 2. And if this is the case, please consider doing a couple of things: wear appropriate sized clothing, and invest in a gym membership. Sorry to be nasty, but with some effort, you'll end up looking and feeling a lot better. And so will our eyes.

Sixthly---and finalthly, if you have children, please teach them some basic manners. No one wants to hear your little darlings scream in the library or in a store. No one wants to fall over them while they're running around playing because Mom and Dad are too busy doing other things. All children get tired or bored easily. Take them outside when they start acting up in a restaurant or church or an office. Even better still, teach them the appropriate behavior in the first place.

Before I sign off here, I just realized something---I never did answer the question, "What's Next?" Could that have been on purpose? After all, not answering it gives me an excuse for writing more stuff for you. ;)

What Are We Doing to Ourselves?

2011-08-04T23:10:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned on Facebook, this entry will have no humor (well, some might sneak in, but that's par for the course when I come around). So if you came here today expecting a jokefest, then turn back now. And keep in mind that this is solely my opinion---venting, if you will. Word of warning: I'm going to do some rambling. Any of you who are still reading are more than welcome to provide input if you choose to do so. Here goes...

Many of you know that during the last five years or so I can't seem to keep a job longer than about 20 minutes. I haven't been let go because I am an abysmal failure, because I surf the web instead of doing my work, or because my co-workers loathe the very sight of me or anything like that. I lose jobs because the projects end, the contract is up, the work goes to someone else, another company buys the one I'm working for and reorganizes, etc., etc., etc. I've been through all of that, and I know I'm not alone.

What is it going to take to get this country back on track? How many people have to lose their homes, have their families broken up, and go through the miserable suffering that our sour economy has brought us the last few years?

Even worse is how the fatasses in the Elephant Party blame the jackasses in the Donkey Party for everything, and vice versa. It's not unlike watching a bunch of spoiled kids play---and they get big salaries to boot. How some of these people got into office in the first place astounds me.

What I found pathetic is how the previous governor of my home state of ~~Cali~~ Failifornia made state employees take unpaid furlough days because the elected officials couldn't reach an agreement on the state budget. Innocent people had to take days off without pay while the dolts in Sacramento were paid in full while they had their little slappy-fights with each other? I have never been a fan of Jerry Brown, but I have to admit that he's done some growing up since his Governor Moonbeam days of the mid- to late '70s and early '80s. Unlike Ah-nold, he docked the legislators' pay until they agreed on a budget---clearly the right thing to do.

On the national level, many are jumping all over President Obama because he didn't snap his fingers and make all of the problems go away. These problems have been long in coming---and will be long in resolving. The economy has its own cycle, and has ever since there's even been an economy.

Is anyone in particular even at fault? That's hard to say. Many banks took advantage of people who wanted to own homes back in the middle of the 2000s. People got suckered into mortgages that they really couldn't afford with "teaser" loans---easy to pay at first, but after five years were hit with payments that had doubled or worse. And while many of those poor folks had to dump their homes in short sales or lose them altogether to foreclosure, many of the banks got a nice bailout from the government, as did some big corporations---notably General Motors. The government seemed to forget that its job is to "govern," not run businesses. Who stepped in to help "the little guy?" Are those crickets I hear?

Now, is our present state of things a recession or a depression? It never seems to get better, whereas previous recessions caused a dip or a ripple, then went away so prosperity can return. But this one is so stubborn that many aren't so sure that it's "just a lil ol' recession." And I'm not so sure, either.

The question is what do we do to fix this? Many people make suggestions like "Bring manufacturing back to the U.S." "Make CEOs take major pay cuts." "Buy American, and only American." "Hire more people." All of those are very good ideas. But easier said than done. I will give my take on each of these thoughts, one at a time. And remember, it's just my opinion and not necessarily "right."

"Bring manufacturing back to the U.S." It would be wonderful to bring manufacturing back here to the U S of A. But labor is too expensive. Some people made incredible amounts of money doing jobs that required some training and not much more. I'll say it right in public---I'm not a union supporter. Never have been. Unions had their place and we have them to thank for getting laws into place to protect workers from the horrible abuses they suffered a century ago at the hands of unscrupulous employers. Today, however, some of their demands are just too much. There are situations where you just cannot get rid of a bad worker no matter how bad they are. Protecting a person who isn't doing their job is the wrong thing to do because there is no incentive for them to do what's right. Would unions make concessions? We can hope, but that will be a tough one.

"Make CEOs take major pay cuts." Trying to get CEOs to take cuts in their seven- and eight-digit salaries is sort of like trying to make a cat do...well, anything. It's unpossible. Just once I'd like to see some corporate executive have the balls to voluntarily lower his own salary to "poverty" level---you know, in the five-digit range---and put the extra back into the company to hire more people, develop new products, or make improvements to the company. Any of those things could generate the need for more people.

"Buy American, and only American." Buying American is not as easy as it sounds. I laugh at the e-mails going around encouraging people to refuse items made in other countries and only buy things made in America. When you need an item that is no longer made in the U.S., you have to take what they have, regardless of where it came from. But I will agree with one point of this: if you do have a choice, choose the American-made one even if it is a bit more expensive. Here's an example: As an insulin-dependent diabetic, I need alcohol swabs to clean insulin injection sites on my body, and the swabs do the job nicely. At one point, I was buying store brand swabs because they were less expensive. I thought it was just because they were thinner. No, it was because they were made in China. The BD brand ones are thicker---and made in the U.S. They're a bit more expensive, but I get them anyway. I like to think that I'm doing my part to help keep jobs here.

We have to be willing to ignore the temptation to buy things at the lowest cost possible. That's what Walmart is doing wrong now. In order to cut prices the way they do, they have to sell things that are not made in America. Sam Walton didn't start the company doing that. To be fair, when he started Walmart, most things were made in America, but of course that has changed. People who don't have jobs buy things for as little as possible to save money, which means buying foreign made goods. More foreign made goods means fewer jobs in the U.S., which means more people out of work which means more people buying foreign goods. It's a vicious cycle indeed.

"Hire more people." Hiring more people would be wonderful, but as I've already pointed out, labor in America is expensive. In order for a company to make a profit, they have to make cuts somewhere, and in their view, labor is a good place to start given its cost.

For decades, each generation has fared better than their parents' generation for the most part. Sad to say, my generation is the first in decades that did not. Some of today's young people have been called lazy. Some are, of course, but most are more than happy to jump in and get the job done. Companies aren't paying as well. A lot of people my age have had to go back and live with Mom and Dad because they just can't make it on their own.

As long as foreign labor and materials are cheaper, it will be more profitable for most companies to manufacture goods elsewhere. However, I like to think that there is a big pendulum swinging back and forth. Right now, that pendulum is swung the other way, but it's on its way back. A slow swing, perhaps, but a swing nonetheless.

How I Met My Maker...Almost

2011-07-27T00:32:00.000-07:00

After writing a blog for almost two years now, I'm still baffled as to how I have not yet chronicled the chain of events that led to my hospitalization in December 2006. Most everyone who knows me is quite aware of my day to day battle with Type 2 diabetes, as well as my experience at that time. For some of you, this entry will be old news. If that's the case, you have my permission to skip class and go to the beach. It's actually rather nice out there now. For those of you who are new to the party, read on. But get some popcorn and a cold drink because it's a long read. In fact, you may wear out the scroll wheel on your mouse to get to the bottom of it.

Toward the end of the '90s, I had gained a lot of weight, so much so that one time I thought I heard a faint voice coming from the bathroom scale: "Oh no...it's...it's him again." But I got on anyway and noticed that after going around six or eight times, the numbers finally stopped with a figure in the little window---and it began with a "2." I realized that I was buying pants with a 40" (!) waist size. This was ultimate suckage.

Mysteriously, just after turning 40 in 1999, I noticed that my weight began to drop. I hadn't been walking much, nor had I cut back on how much or what I ate. The number went down, down, down. I also noticed that I was drinking some three to five gallons of fluids a day, and seemed to never quite satisfy my thirst. Regular Coke. Super-sized fries. Double cheeseburgers. All were on the menu. And the weight kept dropping. It was kind of nice because I could fit back into my size 38 Levi's 501s again. Then my 36s. Then my 34s...

I also noticed that I was falling asleep easily in the afternoon. One time in particular, a guy at work was showing me how to do a task that I was taking over for him, and after a blank moment, Bill said something like, "Hey, are you OK? You kinda dozed off there..."

One time, on the way home from a family trip to Disneyland, we stopped at an In-N-Out Burger next to the freeway to get drinks for the trip home. I downed a large regular Coke---the 32 oz. size---and when we reached our house, I ran inside almost before turning off the car so I could drink a giant cup of water because I was soooo thirsty. When Lori got inside, she came into the kitchen with a concerned/confused/Asiany look on her face and said, "Something isn't right. You shouldn't be drinking like this. Go to the doctor and get it checked out." Yes, dear.

One morning not long after this, I had to visit Costco to get some pictures developed at their ~~One~~ Two Hour Photo (they were busy). That day, there just happened to be a health fair going on, and it was free for Costco members. You could get your blood pressure taken, a cholesterol reading, a blood sugar reading, and maybe even a facial. (I skipped the facial. Some other time...) I figured that with two hours to kill, I would go ahead and give it a try. Just before picking up my pictures, I stopped to get the results. All of my readings were OK with the exception of the blood sugar. The lady asked if I was diabetic because the reading was 290---almost triple what a fasting blood sugar should be. I told her that I had not been diagnosed as such, but would get it checked out.

So, I made an appointment with my doctor, a Dr. Hatwalker (yes, that was his name---stop laughing). Dr. H had me go take a glucose test, the one where you drink the most horrible, oversweetened orange soda, then they do an hourly blood sugar check for about four hours. Test done---let's eat, and yes I'll have fries with that!

Normally, when you've had some sort of lab work or test done, you get your results within a week or two. In this case, one week passed. Two. Three. Five. Christmas. Valentine's Day. March. So, what's going on here? I called the doctor's office (Seaview) several times to try and get the test results, unless they had decomposed from age by then. Eventually, I was told that I had to come into the Seaview office.

Wednesday, March 27, 2002. I went over to Seaview and was told to go down a long hallway and see the nurse in the back. So down the hall and around a corner I went. This was starting to get...interesting. When I reached said nurse, she told me that in order to get my results, I'd have to make an appointment to see the doctor.

I'm not sure exactly what happened next because after telling me that I would need to make an appointment and come back another time, the nurse looked up at me and said, "...Or, I can get you in right now." The only thing that makes sense is that upon learning that I would have to make an appointment after all of the delays, I had to have given her The Look of Impending Violence in the Workplace. Regardless, I was finally going to get the results!

After sitting in the little examination room for a bit, the door opened and a pleasant looking African American man with a Caribbean accent of some kind entered and introduced himself as Dr. Poyette, and that he was now the doctor on my case. He told me that he had reviewed the test results (no doubt after blowing the dust off) and that, yes, I was definitely, positively diabetic. At one point, Dr. Poyette stepped out of the room and I asked the nurse what had happened to Dr. Hatwalker. She only said, "He's no longer here." I asked if it was his idea, and she said, "No." 'Nuff said.

Dr. Poyette got me started on a basic regimen of Glyburide and Metformin (aka Glucophage), two common drugs for controlling blood sugar. Once on the pills, my thirst and hunger levels tapered off and I felt much better. I saw Dr. Poyette a few more times before they switched my primary care physician once or twice. Then my health plan at work changed and I started seeing Dr. Chochinov up in Ventura. Dr. C was an endocrinologist who came highly recommended. He kept pretty good tabs on me and adjusted medication as needed depending on what my various blood sugar/cholesterol readings were. Under his care, I continued taking Glyburide and Glucophage, and he added Actos.

The real trouble began when yet again, my health plan at work changed (November 2004) and I could no longer see Dr. Chochinov. I was assigned to Dr. Pluche. A nice guy, and knowledgeable, but not an endocrinologist. I saw him a couple of times, but at the time, it was hard to get time off to visit the doctor (I should blog about that, but I'd probably ruffle some feathers and end up disappearing...) What happened next is really my own fault for not only dropping the ball, but kicking it down the street and onto the railroad tracks with a train coming. I did quite possibly the worst thing a diabetic can do: I took over and "tried" to manage my own care. (I put "tried" in quotes because you really can't manage diabetes completely on your own. With a chronic disease like diabetes, ALWAYS work with a health care professional.)

During late 2005 and all of 2006, little by little, things were coming apart at the screams. Around July 2006, I had booked a trip to Walt Disney World with some friends, to take place three months later. One fine day during that summer, I went outside to get the papers. In doing so, I walked some 60 or 70 feet round trip, only to get back inside the house so out of breath that you could swear I had run around our block (a half-mile) at full speed. During one of our casino parties shortly thereafter, I was carrying a blackjack table back to the truck and got so out of breath that our boss told me to sit for a few minutes. What's going on? I've carried many a blackjack table with no trouble. Never had one cause me to double down like this...

We had a layoff at work in the fall, and I got caught up in it, so I was looking forward to the trip to Florida to get away for a bit.

October was here, and it was time to head to Walt Disney World. I couldn't have asked for better weather for the trip, and could not beat a $237 round trip airfare on jetBlue, non-stop to Orlando out of Burbank. As a bonus, two of the people in our group work for Disney and were able to sign me into all of the Disney parks during the trip, saving me an untold amount of money. Walt Disney World for free. So what could go wrong here? Plenty.

Each morning while we were there, I got a wake-up call from Jim. We met up at our rented minivan and began our day by heading toward one of the four parks. A few times, I was so tired and out of it that I almost told Jim to go on and leave me to rest. With the Disney resort transportation system and a cell phone, it would be easy to catch up with the group if I was up to it. Instead, I chose not to be a party pooper and went along. I literally dragged myself through the parks and tried to enjoy everything as much as I could. Every chance I had to sit, I took advantage. At one point, we had a rare chance to ride in the front seat of the monorail between Epcot and the Transportation and Ticketing Center (TTC). And I dozed off along the way as well as on the way back later. My one time riding over Epcot on the monorail and I missed most of it.

To make a long story short, the week just dragged---quite unfortunate because I got to see just about everything that could be seen at Walt Disney World, only I wasn't really up to doing so. In hindsight, I should have canceled, but didn't want to miss it and knew that I could not afford such a trip for a long time.

The health problems continued. It got to the point that walking up one flight of stairs was a chore. I could get about halfway up before needing to stop and catch my breath. Also, at that time, Diana's church youth leader took the group to dinner at our local Taco Bell every Wednesday evening before the meeting, and I usually came along to visit with the adults. One evening, one of the deacons asked me if I was OK, and I told him that I was tired, but OK. Usually, one of the adults sat and ate with me, but not tonight. They all huddled at a table across the way. Very strange. I know I took a shower...

Friday evening, December 1, 2006, two days after being snubbed at Taco Bell, I was stumbling around the house with slurred speech. Finally, Lori asked me, "What's with you tonight?" I told her that I wasn't feeling well and that perhaps I should drive over to the E.R. She said, "You aren't driving anywhere. Go get in the car..."

We went over to St. John's Pleasant Valley Hospital (a mile away) and waited for what seemed like an eternity, but was probably not that long. Because it got late, Lori took Diana home and returned, just in time for them to call my name. All I remember is getting into a wheelchair and riding down a hallway. The next thing I remember was being asked by a security guard if I wanted to put my stuff in a locked cabinet. Huh? They told me to change into a hospital gown and wheeled me somewhere else, stopping in a little room off of the hallway. In a half daze, I thought, "They're admitting me?" The next thing I knew, it was morning and I'm laying in ICU, having been awakened at 0-poke-thirty by a nurse giving me a shot in the shoulder. Insulin, I learned later.

I was told that my blood sugar level had reached 478---pretty high, and at one point I was actually listed in critical condition. As for nourishment, I was on an IV solution and didn't have any solid food till Sunday. On Saturday evening, I was given a menu to choose my meal for Sunday morning. The meal arrived with a protein shake. I told the nurse that I hadn't ordered a protein shake, but she said that Dr. Weimer (the critical care doctor assigned to my case) wanted me to drink it in order to get my weight up. I don't remember being weighed, but found out that the hospital beds have an electronic scale built in. Out of curiosity, I asked the nurse what my weight was. She said, "117." I'm five-foot-eight. That was only about eight pounds more than Diana weighed then! And she's on the small side herself.

Eventually, I started having visitors. The people from church came by and prayed for me. The deacon who had inquired about how I was feeling at Taco Bell told me that he sensed something was wrong and that if he could have, he'd have picked me up and taken me to the hospital right then and there. Word for word, he said, "You looked like shit." Strong words coming from a church deacon. But I realized then that chances are, my condition was topic of conversation at the table at Taco Bell. That would explain why they kept their distance that evening.

In all the years I've lived in Camarillo, it took this brush with death to get my older brother Mark to come to town from his home on Catalina Island. He arrived with our younger brother Paul, but told the nurse to tell me that "Frank and Joe" were there to see visit. I know some Franks, and I know some Joes, but none who would have been together. Confused, I told the nurse, "Send 'em in." Sure enough, it was Mark and Paul. My mom, sister Barbara, nephew Michael, niece Jani and her boyfriend Ivan arrived a bit later. Per the rules of the ICU, only two people can visit at a time, so they took turns. When my mom got her turn to visit, she faced the bed, gave me the stink-eye, and told me, "If you weren't laying in that bed, I'd kick your ass!" It must be serious business when a church deacon and Mom are swearing at me...

Three days after being admitted, I was stable enough to be moved from ICU to a regular room upstairs, where I would spend another three days for observation and diabetes education. I was also shown how to properly inject insulin, being that the other diabetes medications were useless against a pancreas that now produces no insulin of its own whatsoever. So now I'm a Type 2 dealing with the disease like a Type 1. Does that make me a Type 3? A Type 1.5? A Type Strange? Haven't answered that one yet.

One perk of recovery meant daily visits from a charming and rather attractive student nurse, Adelina. One of her duties was to get me up and moving. Adelina told me that I should take a couple of laps each day around the nurse's station. I couldn't stop at two. With her holding my arm for stability, I went ten laps each time because I could. Adelina was impressed and said that no other patient had worked that hard to get back up and into the game.

Thursday, December 7, 2006, was my release date from the hospital. After a courtesy shuttle ride from my room down to the entrance via wheelchair, Lori took me over to Longs Drugs to pick up My First Insulin Kit and get me started with the new regimen. And to be honest, I really am better these days. I am more aware of what I eat and make mostly good choices. I've returned to the care of Dr. Pluche and he's quite happy with my progress. I've started my long walks again. The downside is that while I needed to put some weight back on, I sort of went overboard. I will address that.

In the meantime, all of you take good care of yourselves. Find out whether diabetes runs in your family. If so, make sure you do everything in your power to lessen your chances of getting it, or delaying its onset. I was diagnosed at age 42. Having been informed of my history of long walks, Dr. P said that I probably delayed the onset of diabetes by about 15 years. And in his words, he says he's going to help me live to be 125. And who knows? I just might.

A Little Laughter Coming Your Way

2011-07-24T00:25:00.000-07:00

Normally I write about things going on my life. This time, I decided to write a little about...me. Me the person. Who am I, really? Why am I the way I am? My apologies in advance if it comes across like I'm tooting my own horn or patting myself on the back. Just an honest look at one particular aspect of my personality. And besides, I can't toot my own horn because I don't play an instrument. And if I pat myself on the back too hard, I'll end up with a bruise. (Actually, that happened once. When asked about it, I just said a possum jumped on me when I was out walking. They bought it because that's the kind of thing that would happen to me.)

Throughout my life, people have almost had to be reminded that I was even in the room, due to the fact that I tend to be rather quiet and unassuming. Teachers often wrote on my report cards: "Good student; hardly know he's there." How did someone who grew up in a house of five children manage to be so quiet? For whatever reason, I was. Maybe I got lost in the crowd? Perhaps. Even to this day I can walk into a room and ask the girls something, and they jump because they didn't hear me coming in. Oftentimes I've wondered if I'd have made a good burglar, seeing as how I can sneak around without even trying to do so.

Quiet or not, somehow, some way, I picked up an interesting sense of humor over the years. A blend of humor, actually. Dad had a dry sense of humor. I got that. The cartoons I watched were silly and had a cartoony view on life. I got that. My late friend Ron Szabo was great at the "play on words, punny, take things literally" sense of humor. I got that, too. Put 'em all together and you get...me.

Most people who know me would say that my sense of humor is what stands out most. But the people I encounter on a day-to-day basis react to me in various ways. Some of them see me coming and run the other way. Others spread their arms, ready for me to get close and then attack me with a hug tight enough to bend a steel I-beam. A few have put up "FOR SALE" signs on their homes. (Well, not really. But I have heard a few locks clicking...) The ones who aren't so lucky are the poor souls who have the unfortunate luck to be working in food service or retail when I come through their door. They're stuck. They can't run. They can't hide.

For your reading displeasure, I'm listing a few examples of the abuse that I've heaped onto completely innocent people. Rest assured---each and every one of these actually happened, and no harm was done to anyone. At least none that I know of. No lawyers have called me yet...

Here ya go:

Salesperson: "Did you need some help?"
Me: "I've needed help for years."

* * *
Vons clerk: "Did you need some help out tonight?"
Me: "No, thanks. I remember where my car is parked."

* * *
Person looking for a place to sit: "Is that seat taken?"
Me: [feels empty seat] "No, it's still there."

* * *
Wendy's clerk: [smiling] "You always get the chicken nugget combo with chili."
Me: "Well, if I didn't get the same thing, it would be different. And different just isn't the same."

* * *
Friend: "Do you have my number."
Me: "I've had your number for a long time."

* * *
Out at Magic Mountain one time, wearing my jacket during the summer:

Random Guy: "Aren't you hot with that jacket on?"
Me: "That's what the women say..."

* * *
New casino night worker upon meeting me: "Is your name 'Eric?'"
Me: "It must be...people keep calling me that..."

* * *
Fast food clerk taking my order: "Can I have your name?"
Me: "I'm still using it."

* * *
Him: "Have you ever been to Canada?"
Me: "No, but I've heard of it."

* * *
Me to person taking pictures: "Please don't get me in the picture...it's already on milk cartons." (or, "...on the wall at the post office.").

* * *
Now give me a minute to clean off all of the rotten fruit thrown at me. (Just a note: if you have that much rotten fruit laying around, you might consider cleaning out your fridge once in awhile...)

A good sense of humor is at my very core. It's one of the most important things a person can have. There is so much stress in the world today, and from the look of things, it's not going away any time soon. I just joked about my interaction with people out there who are working hard to make a living. Some might think that my messing with their heads would infuriate them, but quite the opposite is true. A few of these fine people had nasty looks on their face when I arrived, and after I left them with a souvenir of my visit, they were all smiles. I sure hope I made their day as that was really my intention.

Laughter really is the best medicine, and I am eternally grateful to everyone who has passed through my life and given me the fuel to keep the laugh machine going. And especially to the good Lord, the one who really runs this show.

Mid-Year Report

2011-07-14T00:23:00.000-07:00

So here it is...2011 is halfway over and I haven't written a single update to my blog. It certainly isn't for lack of time. When you're looking for work [everybody together now... "AGAIN"], you have all the time in the world. See, it's sort of like a mathematical statement:

The amount of free time you have is inversely proportional to the amount of hours spent working at your job.

So there you have it. Class dismissed. OH...wait! You have to read the rest of this page first.

Funny thing...I had some good prospects early in the year, and I really thought it was going to be fairly simple. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, the companies for which I interviewed decided that they wanted someone else just a little bit more. An entire team of recruiters is looking out for anything that can put me back to work and get me off the street. A number of positions have become available, but for reasons known only to them, these companies have either chosen not to fill them, or have decided to spread out the duties among people who are already there.

Otherwise, really not much more to report. So...NOW class is dismissed.

Looking Back at 2010

2010-12-28T21:58:00.000-08:00

Once again, it's the time of the year where I look back over the last twelve months and reflect on what took place during that time.

In a sense, 2010 was a bit better than 2009. During that year, I worked about four months; 2010 gave me six months' worth of work. Perhaps 2011 will bump it up to eight months. The economy has to kick into gear someday.

Family stayed about the same. Nothing new to report there.

We had a few scary moments as well. Thanks to my lack of work and other factors that I won't get into, we came to within one day of losing our home at a public auction (remember The Brady Bunch Movie from 15 years ago? That final scene was almost played out here in real life). Again, details I won't get into, but a friend who happens to be an attorney stepped in and intervened, and we still call our place "Home Sweet Home."

Strangely, I actually spent less time at theme parks this year. Not sure why, really. My interest is still there, but my guess is that there are other things with a higher level of importance. It appears that as local parks go, 2011 and 2012 are looking to bring some major new attractions. I look forward to that, but will likely visit sparingly. Going less often seems to make each visit that much more fun.

Our little bundle of joy, who once measured 8 lb. 7 oz. and 20-1/2 in. long, will become a 21-year-old woman on Easter Sunday and could possibly take possession of a college degree sometime this year, depending on whether she completes her course of study at Moorpark College. Where did all the time go?

I moved up to a so called "smart phone" recently and joined the rest of the world. It's still a weird feeling to be sitting in some random parking lot and being able to get onto the Internet and find the answer to a question or get the information I need about whatever I'm doing or wherever I'm going. Being so far behind is odd for a person who has always been "up" on the latest in technology. Before now I never felt like I needed it. Honestly, I still don't need it, but it is nice to have.

One thing for which I can definitely thank the good Lord is my health. There aren't many people who would be thankful for having diabetes, but I can be thankful that I have things under control and am improving as time goes on. No longer do I look like the skeleton I did four years ago. Blood sugar readings that look like Himalayan mountain elevations are far less common. Most recently, like many people my age, a doctor sent a camera on a whirlwind tour of my colon to look for polyps, diverticulitis, graffiti, and other anomalies that could have been there---but thankfully weren't. My eye doctor checked my eyes (yeah, they're still there [rim shot]), and it turns out that my vision has actually improved to 20/30. Good news for an insulin shooter!

So there you go. 2010 is only a few days away from fading into the sunset. Give me a little time to get adjusted to 2011 and I'll write some more stuff for you to read. Till then, have a happy and safe New Year.

The Future is Here

2010-10-04T23:45:00.000-07:00

First of all, anyone who knows me well already knows that I'm not a big fan of anything that says "Nissan" on it. Why? They've just never seemed to be able to do what the "big boys" at Toyota and Honda could do. To me, they seemed to skimp on vehicle trim and upholstery. Styling was..."eh." They didn't produce very much that got me excited. I've always considered them the "also-rans" of the Japanese auto industry. And I never really cared much for their "NISSAN---IT'S AWWWEEESOME!!!" campaign over the years. There's not a lot of "aweseome" in "mediocre."

However, with their new all-electric LEAF model for 2011, they're certainly doing something right. First off, "LEAF" is indeed an acronym. It stands for Leading, Environmentally friendly, Affordable, Family car. The car is quite roomy for such a small sedan. By the way it drives, you'd never know that there isn't any fuel burning under the hood. In fact, there isn't any liquid fuel anywhere in the car. A pack of lithium-ion batteries sits right in the center of the car, under the passenger compartment. These batteries enable the LEAF to go about 100 miles on one charge (your distance will vary depending on your driving habits).

How do I know so much about the LEAF? Simple. To learn about a car, the best way is to drive it. And that I did. There was an ad on the radio saying something about a local event where attendees would be able to climb behind the wheel and take one out for a spin. Being the car nut that I am, I couldn't pass that up. So I went to the website and signed up as soon as I got home. Last December at the Los Angeles Auto Show, I drove a 2011 Ford Fiesta (a horrible snot-colored one which really wasn't so impressive to be honest), a 2010 Ford Flex (a very nice car if I do say so myself---sort of a modern throwback to the old station wagon), and a 2010 Ford Fusion hybrid (one of three or so hybrids I've driven so far). Besides those, I've test driven numerous cars at various dealerships, and driven some very nice cars at a couple of events that Cadillac has put on. I like to test drive vehicles on a regular basis, just to keep abreast of what's out there should I ever need to replace my car.

About this event...Upon arrival at the parking lot of the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, I had to check in. Once our names were called, about a dozen or so of us gathered to be taken through the various exhibits by one of the guides. She answered any questions that we had about the LEAF or anything about it. Next, we got into a line to wait for the next of 16 cars that Nissan had on hand for the event. When my turn came, I was directed to a silver one a few feet away. Before getting in the car, I was allowed to take a few photos of it. Once inside, a Nissan rep was waiting to show me a little about the car and its controls before taking off. (I never did get her name, but she was very nice.) The controls are very unusual...a push button start and an almost joystick-like thingie on the center console that acted as the shift lever.

And off we went. The first part of the drive was a course set up in the lot so drivers could experience the tight turning circle and cornering ability of the vehicle. Next, we got out onto Pico Blvd. for a spin in real city traffic. More or less, we simply drove around a long block (I was hoping to get on the freeway to see how an electric car could handle high speeds, but I figured they wouldn't allow that---and I was correct.) However, I did have a stretch of road about a city block long where my co-pilot said to jump on the gas (hee hee...the "gas" in an electric car) to see what it would do. And jump it did. You would have never figured that battery powered ANYTHING would move like that.

Back at the parking lot, about a mile after starting, I pulled the car into where I first saw it and turned it off. Now for the $30,000 question---would I buy one? Perhaps if I had a few bucks---30,000 of them to be exact---I might consider it. For now, though, I'll wait until some advancements are made and the range goes beyond 100 miles. Someday that will happen as battery tecnology improves.

Yours truly getting a charge out of an electric vehicle.

Before I left, they took pictures of drivers next to a LEAF. The car they had as a prop just happened to be the same color as the car I drove. And they had refreshments, too. Good chocolate chip cookies. Just the appetizer for the barbeque I went to right after I left there.

Chevrolet has their Volt coming very soon. I'll have to visit a Chevy dealer and take one of those out to compare the two. That will be a future report. But I have to admit---as the electric car concept goes, Nissan made a be-LEAF-er out of me.

2010: Two-thirds down...

2010-09-17T21:55:00.000-07:00

Time flies when you're having fun, so goes the saying. And has this year flown by or what! Am I having fun? Not sure what to call it, really. But I am surviving.

For whatever reason, I haven't written as much here as I thought I would. It's not for a lack of time or subject matter. Plenty has been going on. Some good stuff, too. A job that was supposed to last a month or six weeks tops has gone over three months with no apparent end in sight. The possibility of losing our home is behind us. I get out and get a few good coaster rides now and then. My car is running well. I have friends who care about my well being and check up on me.

Right now, the best I can do is to get in here when I can and write something down. Even if it's just a little.

A New Month---The Start of My 52nd Year on Earth

2010-08-06T22:54:00.000-07:00

Do you remember my last blog entry, Much Ablog About Nothing? Yeah, unfortunately I do, too. As they'd say in Latin, stupidus maximus. At the time, I hadn't written anything in awhile and just wanted to get something down on cyberpaper. And I did get something down; the thing is, I could have put that paper under a birdcage and gotten more or less the same thing.

So why am I Rodney Dangerfielding myself? Because I can. So there you go.

As the title indicates, I am beginning my 52nd year here on the planet---Earth, that is, not Eric's Planet. (My planet just started last year.) In a sense, things are looking up...ish. Work is keeping me busy---it's no coincidence that the police are reporting fewer tagged buildings in this area. And senior citizens aren't being pushed down on the street so much.

If you look hard enough, you might even sneak a glimpse of me...smiling. If you ever see that, take a picture IMMEDIATELY because that's almost as rare a sight at you can get. For whatever reason, I've never been much of a smiler, though a few people say that I smile more with my eyes---whatever that means. With complete honestment (forgot that I make up words, huh?), I'd rather say or do whatever it takes to make others laugh and smile. A few people have said that I am one of the funniest people they've known. To me, that's the best compliment ever.

Now why didn't I write something when I celebrated my 50th birthday last year? Easy---I didn't have a blog back then! However, along with not smiling so much, I also don't celebrate so much either. (Don't I sound like a ball of fun?) I guess I'm just a *YAWN* simple person---with emphasis on the *YAWN* part...

Since I didn't write anything, I will share ever so briefly what I did to kick off my second half century. I went to Disneyland. Met up with some friends, had some laughs, shot a video, and took the fastest Matterhorn ride I've ever had. With eight good-sized people aboard a sled, yeah, that's what'll happen. But I got to spend some "me time" there, too. Sometimes, spending some time alone at Walt's original Magic Kingdom is a good thing---you get to take it all in at your own pace. And there's nothing wrong with that.

Exactly one year later, I got my 52nd year started with a speedy coaster ride or two, only this time it was at Magic Mountain. (Some people add "Six Flags" in front of that; I don't. Besides, this isn't their blog). It may be hard to imagine someone my age climbing aboard these contraptions, but I've always enjoyed it and hope to be able to do so for many years to come. But I'd better get to Japan soon if I intend to ride anything there. Supposedly, if you get to be about 60-ish, they won't let you ride for fear that you'll die during the ride.

All this talk about me celebrating my birthdays has made me wonder what's in store for next year. My plan was to take Diana to Florida for her 21st birthday. While her actual day is in April (Easter Sunday next year, to be exact), I figured I take her sometime in October so she can experience the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, which is held there each year. I did that back in 2006 with some friends, and managed to enjoy it despite being deathly ill. It's worth doing once in your life. With hopefulment, we can swing it, and I'll be in much better shape then.

Much Ablog About Nothing

2010-07-25T17:51:00.000-07:00

Those of you who know me are aware that I have a tendency to tweak the English language to fit my needs, both written and spoken. To be perfectly honestful, that is sometimes necessary in order to convey what I want without putting too much pressure on my brain. I'm not a walking thesaurus, nor do I keep one in my pocket. That may not be a bad idea, however, as some people might think I'm glad to see them...

So, I've either gotten your attention, or sent you screaming down the street in horror. I've noticed that as of late, I've not written very much here in my little corner of the Internet. Perhaps getting back to work and saving my house from the evil clutches of the bank were a bit more important. Any of you still reading this will be happy to know that I was successful on both counts.

But the whole purpose of getting an account here at Blogger was to have a place to do just that---write. After nearly 11 years of doing it, I had to give up my position as editor of The Helm (the newsletter of the Ventura Power Squadron), so I no longer write a monthly column. That was a good creative outlet, but my very frail body at the time had other plans. Thankfully, a very capable person stepped in and took over that task and continues to do that to this day.

This week, the girls are up at Yosemite with some friends, so I have the place to myself. What will I do with myself besides the usual chores of paying bills, getting the trash out, taking care of the chinchilla, doing the yard work and some laundry? The first thing, of course, was to write a new blog entry. Then I'll make dinner and go water the lawn. Perhaps I'll even squeeze in a few miles of walking and do a little train watching later on. Then there's tomorrow...

In closing (thank goodness, huh?), I just wanted to say that now that I have some tough times behind me, I will try to get more written here. It really is enjoyable to write, and in future entries, I'll try to include photos and spice the page up a bit.

Returning to Work

2010-06-13T14:10:00.000-07:00

Believe it or not, the unbelievable is about to happen---I'm going back to work. It's been a long ten months, but it'll actually feel good to punch a timeclock again (or fill in a timesheet---whatever). This isn't my dream job by a longshot, but it's a start. Sometimes you have to start small and work your way back up.

In this job, I will be putting together sales and marketing packages that will go out to customers (or would-be customers). Sounds pretty straightforward, huh? However, during my interview, my boss said that he wants to introduce me around the building to meet their key people. Not just so they know who that "new" guy is and not call the cops, but so that they can get to know me and put me to work on any projects that they might have. The good thing is that what is supposed to be a short-term job could turn into a long-term one. I wouldn't mind that one bit.

This company is just over a mile from home, so it'll be a quick drive each way. With luck, my car should warm up about the time I pull into the lot. From what I've seen so far, the folks at this company seem to be pretty nice, so I shouldn't have any trouble fitting in.

Too many people complain about their jobs (check out how many people hang out at Facebook during their working hours---and read what they write). But when you've been without one for so long, you no longer think, "I have to go to work." Now, it's "I get to go to work."

To Take a Trip or Not Take a Trip: That is the Question

2010-05-06T00:32:00.000-07:00

Some of you reading this know me; the rest of you have just been lucky. But if you're a regular visitor to my Facebook page, you know that recently I posted a status that said, "Eric Long needs to figure out a destination that involves air travel, since the girls are each flying somewhere in May." Granted, my eternity of unemployment sort of puts a kink in those plans, being that getting on an airplane requires forking out this stuff called "money," little of which I have right now because of said kink.

At press time, my wife is in Hawaii with her mom to take care of some family business, but she's doing a bit of visiting as well. Diana will be leaving for Indiana in two weeks to be a bridesmaid in a friend's wedding, but she'll be there far enough in advance to see a few things, too. I have never been the type to whine about how "it isn't fair that [fill in the blank], but I don't get to..." but with various friends and family heading off to destinations all over, I'm feeling like I'm the only one who isn't going anywhere.

I've always wanted to see more of the country, and eventually I will. My nephew's wife suggested that I go visit them up in Vancouver, British Columbia. That sounds like a reasonable idea, as I've heard good things about that city. Also, said nephew has added a set of twin girls to his family, and it would be nice to go up and see them, too, even though they're coming down this summer. The only thing besides money that stands in the way of a trip to Canada is my lack of a passport. But that shouldn't be too hard to get, as I already have the forms in house---I just have to get them filled out and pay the fee.

If I get to Canada this year, could it be possible to get to Japan next year or the year after? I hope so.

Do Schools Even Teach Proper English Anymore?

2010-04-24T16:56:00.000-07:00

Everyone who knows me knows that I despise poor English, both written and spoken. And now that I have a blog, I'm going to air a grievance or five about a few things. Anyone reading this has a choice: read it and learn from it, read it and ignore it, or close it and go do something else.

Now, mind you, I'm not the World Expert on English by any means. But there are some very basic rules that some people either don't know, didn't learn, or just ignore. In no particular order, here goes:

Plurals don't have apostrophes. Never in all of my years of school did I ever see a teacher write a plural and put an apostrophe in it. "There are a lot of car's in the parking lot." Yes, I've seen that. "Buy 3 donut's and get one free." Seriously? And while we're on the subject, the word "gets" doesn't have one either. I've seen that and it drive me nuts. "Whoever get's home first can unlock the door." Failure.

"It's" means "it is" or "it has" and nothing else. The possessive form of "its" is just that, "its." No apostrophe needed. While we're at it, the word "yours" and "theirs" don't have apostrophes either. (Yes, I've seen those written with apostrophes.)

The contractions for "cannot," "do not," "will not," etc. DO use apostrophes. It's most likely the result of text speak and IM speak, but contrary to popular usage these days, the aforementioned words do in fact need an apostrophe, unless, of course, someone with a lot more authority than I have decrees that the apostrophe is a punctuation mark of old and should be abandoned.

"Theirs" and "ours" DO NOT use apostrophes. Again, I've seen these written with them. Normally, a possessive word would have an apostrophe, but only if it is a proper noun (a name) or an object ("the boy's bicycle"), but these pronouns don't.

Mind you, I'm not apostrophobic or anything, but if you're going to use the darned things, use them correctly.

The term "a lot" is two words, not one. That is, unless you mean "allot," which means to divide or distribute by share or portion.

There are many more written peeves that I could air, but I'll move on to the one spoken one that almost makes me want to throw inanimate objects at poor, defenseless creatures*...

"...and stuff like that (there)." Lazy English at its finest (notice I didn't use an apostrophe in "its," huh?). For whatever reason, more and more people are using this instead of just listing an example or two of whatever they're doing. It's becoming the "you know" of the 21st Century (notice that the "it's" here DID get an apostrophe because it means "it is.") I put the word "there" in parentheses because some people add that to the phrase, making it all the more annoying.

Am I too picky? Perhaps. As everyone knows, I like to have a little fun with the language at times. And the way the English language is set up, it's ripe for heckling. I am guilty as charged with making up my own words and mangling others. But I do that for fun, not for lack of knowing what is correct. When Diana was little and learning the language that she will use to communicate for a lifetime, I always told her that "if you know what is wrong, then you'll know what is right." Today, at age 20 (as of today in fact), she does speak and write quite well.

* No, I wouldn't actually do that because I like most critters and wouldn't want to cause them any harm.

We Got a New Yard!

2010-04-14T16:32:00.000-07:00

After about an eternity or so of having a yard that looks more like an overgrown tumbleweed farm, we finally had the place hacked to smithereens in order to get it back to where it should be. As you'll see in the photos, the transformation was amazing to say the least.

Out with the old...

And in with the new...

See? I could have sworn I saw wild animals running around back there. No, wait---I couldn't have because the yard was too overgrown! And not only did we get the yard cleared out, we got a new gate, too!

Here's the old gate:

Here's the new one:

Victor's crew did a fine job. We had a lemon tree that was pretty decrepit. Not only did they trim back and save the original lemon tree, but they took a branch from it and planted it over in the flower bed next to the fence. What I always liked about that lemon tree is that it grows those HUGE! grapefruit sized lemons (can't recall the name of that variety, so I just call 'em "giant lemons").

Hopefully sometime soon I can cover getting the inside of our house back into shape...

So, 2010 is a Quarter of the Way Over

2010-04-05T14:56:00.000-07:00

Last year, I took out this space so I'd have a place to write stuff down. And I've made great use of that space. My blog, the dust collector. The last time I wrote anything in here was back in January. Shameful. Utterly shameful.

But I haven't had much to write about, being that things are more or less the same. I still need a job, still live in the same place, still own the same car, etc. My job recruiter says that things are starting to open up, which means that my salary will come on a check with a real company name rather than that of the State of Kahleefohnyuh. (Well, that's how our governor says it...) At this writing, there are two different possible positions pending for me. And while my recruiter finds jobs through his sources, I find ones online as well, so there are a few more. Unfortunately, online positions don't usually have a means of following up, which means that I submit my resume and...wait. Given the current economy, all we can do is the best we can do.

Funwise, I was able to attend the annual West Coast Bash. Normally, that takes place on a Sunday in March at Six Flags Magic Mountain. This year, they expanded the event by adding a day at Knott's Berry Farm to make it a full weekend. The day at Magic Mountain was moved to Saturday, and replaced on Sunday with Knott's. At both parks, not only did we get to eat for free (included in the cost of the event), but we had various backstage tours. If you're a fan of theme parks, there's nothing like getting the chance to see your favorite attractions from a backstage point of view or getting to stand on the track. The highlight for me was getting to walk into the Calico Mine Ride in two different spots and seeing it that way instead of on the train that runs through it. We also got to visit the roundhouse, where their vintage narrow gauge trains are stored and maintained.

2010 looks to be a better year than 2009 turned out to be. I look forward to being back to work and able to get out and do some more things. Then I'll have something to write about.

So a New Year Begins...

2010-01-02T19:15:00.000-08:00

Is everybody in? Is everybody in? Is. Every. Body. In... OK, so I've taken a lot of rides on X2 at Six Flags Magic Mountain. Maybe too many, some would say. Anyone who's taken that ride knows that those words are a part of the recorded spiel at the loading platform of that thing. So why did I bring that up? Because it's a new year and I'm wondering if everyone is aboard for the ride it will surely be. Of course, there are those who say that this is a new decade as well, but that gets into the debate as to whether 2000 was the first year of the 21st Century or 2001 was. Whatever...that was sooo ten years ago. [rolls eyes]

What is the difference between a "new year" and "another year?" The term "another year" implies that what will happen this year is just a continuation of what's been happening. The sun will rise. The sun will set. The term "new year" implies that the next 365 days will bring changes to our lives---both good and bad. "New year" also inspires us to get off our duffs and make the needed changes in our lives.

Are there things that need to change in my life? Yep. It's a matter of courage to step out of my "safety zone" and do what needs to be done, painful or otherwise. Pain makes you hurt, and it makes you grow. But in the end, I will win. A few of you know actually know me know about some of the issues that I've been dealing with. (By the way, thank you for your thoughts and prayers.) By December 31, we'll see how it all turned out.

In the meantime, between the serious issues, there will be some fun thrown in. And when that happens, you know there will be more stuff right here on my planet for you to read.

2009 - A Year in Review

2009-12-28T12:21:00.000-08:00

Being "only" December 28, the year known as 2009 isn't officially over yet. But it's close enough for me to do a little reflecting, recapping, reliving, regurgitating...whatever.

Not to darken this entry, but 2009...sucked. I worked all of five months of it. My home is inching ever closer to the dreaded "f" word of real estate...fore...eh, I can't even finish it. At least my car is paid for and in good condition. I could probably live in it for awhile.

Job recruiters tell me that things should look up in 2010. They also tell me that I have the "skill set" that employers want and that my Associate of Science degree is just right for what I do. But they've been telling me that, so why haven't I been taken on by some nice company?

Will 2010 be better? I sure hope so. It certainly can't be any worse than 2009 was.

This is a Test...

2009-12-22T21:37:00.000-08:00

Those of us who consider ourselves believers of the Lord know that sometimes He throws us a test. During the last few days, I've been given what very well could be one of those divine tests. And not just once.

Sunday evening, I was on my way home from SFMM (that's the Official Theme Park Fans abbreviation for Six Flags Magic Mountain) and decided to stop in at Del Taco to get a quick bite for the trip home. A woman approached and asked me if I had any money for her. She needed gas and something to eat (and I think she mentioned children, but over the sound of traffic, I didn't quite catch that). I told her that I, too, was down on my luck and didn't have anything to give her. She was very nice, thanked me anyway, and disappeared. Throughout dinner and on the way home, I had some second thoughts about not even offering to get her at least a small meal. I could have swung that.

Then, just today, I went outside to go over to CVS and the post office, when I spotted an older woman coming up our steps with a walker. I approached her and asked if I could help her, and she replied with almost the same story. She was down on her luck and needed a few bucks for food. Again, I was short myself and couldn't help out, and also explained that I was down on my luck as well. She was very nice and thanked me. Just after getting into my car, I looked to see where she was so I wouldn't run over her when I backed out of the driveway. I saw no trace of her. Using a walker, she couldn't have gotten away THAT quickly...could she? Was this my imagination?

On my way back from the post office, I saw her heading down a different street, so I knew that she was still going through the neighborhood, most likely from house to house. I'd just sent a few bucks to both of our newspaper carriers and had little to last me till I can get to the ATM again in a couple of days.

Were both of these encounters a test from God? I don't recall the actual Scripture references, but something reminded me of turning away a person in need is like turning away Jesus--like a test of our faith. Could I have given these two women a buck or two, despite my own tight financial situation? I'm sure I could have. Unfortunately, my reluctance is due to the number of people out there scamming. Some don't want your help, just your money so they can buy cigarettes, booze, drugs. It's hard to tell who is really in need, especially with the recession and Christmas being so close. Maybe that's what the test is all about.

Christmas Week Begins

2009-12-21T00:51:00.000-08:00

Christmas is here...this Friday in fact. Am I ready for it? Pfft...no. OK, I did get Diana something, and it's something she asked for. What do I want? A job. To get my life back into order, whatever that entails. 2009 was a rough year. I hope and pray that 2010 is better. Much better. For everyone.

To all who may be reading this and any future blogs of mine, may you have the merriest Christmas, or the happiest Hanukkah or Kwanzaa. And a very happy and productive New Year!

The Drive-Thru Nativity

2009-12-19T23:18:00.000-08:00

Tonight I visited my very first drive-thru Nativity event at the local Baptist church. I'd read on their website that there were four scenes that you drove past, and over the course of the drive, you'd see and hear the story of the Nativity. Having grown up in a Baptist church myself, I already knew this story by heart, but was interested in seeing how it was enacted here.

But first, dinner. I had a $5 off coupon for any merchant in the Camarillo Village Shopping Center. And what better way to use that discount than to fill my tummy. Greek food sounded good, so I stopped in at Daphne's. Honestly, their food is to Greek what Taco Bell is to Mexican, but it is pretty good. After downing a gyro, salad, rice, and a chicken kabob, I was ready to take on...THE STORY OF CHRISTMAS.

The church was on my way home, so I pulled into the driveway. There was an arrow indicating where to turn in, and its visibility was such that I saw it just as I almost passed it. I turned in and was welcomed by a young lady who handed me some church information, a survey card to fill out, and a candy cane.

I turned off my headlights and proceeded into the lot. They had paper bags with candles inside marking the path through the course. Somehow, as only I can do, I went off course, thinking that the scenes were behind the church. I kept driving and in the dark found myself nose to nose with an old Crown school bus, preventing me from going any further. Now, I know that crowns are mentioned in the Scriptures, but somehow I got the idea that this wasn't the kind they meant...

I had to back up to get back on course, but the crowds had not yet arrived. That made it easy. At each stop, a Real Live Person read a passage from Scripture on the drivers' left, while a scene from the Nativity was placed on the passenger side. At the fourth scene, the guy asked for the survey card, wished me a Merry Christmas, and sent me on my way.

Overall, an A for effort. In future years, better signage might help other drivers get through without exploring the outer reaches of the parking lot. Or maybe next time I go, I'll let someone else drive...

So Here is My Second Blog

2009-12-19T21:42:00.000-08:00

So, with my belly full of Daphne's Greek food, I've decided to add an entry into the ongoing saga of...me. It'll take awhile to get the hang of online blogging---it's a far cry from the journals I used to do from 1989 till 2006. These won't highlight my every move, every morsel of food I eat, and every foot I travel. Instead, you'll get to read about what's on my mind and how I feel about various things. That just might make you run for the hills. But that's not a bad thing either---you'll end up getting some exercise, something we all need once in awhile.

My First Blog!

2009-12-18T15:13:00.000-08:00

So, after looking for a place to write, it appears that I've found just the place. Right now, I'm just going to write a very short blog so I can get used to doing this, but over time, I'll share more and more. Hopefully I won't corrupt anyone's mind.