Out of all of the eleven Januarys that I've been writing this blog, I think this one has seen the most posts. I'm not trying to set a record or anything, it's just that I've had a lot of things to say and getting them down on cyberpaper is a good way to get those thoughts out there.
Someone asked me once, "What is a blog post?" With my never-changing wit and wisdumb, I answered—completely straight faced—"It's kind of like a telephone pole with a lost pet notice on it, only instead of a notice, it's a bunch of stuff that I've written for the world to read."
Lord, help me.
While blogs themselves are fairly new, the concept actually goes back a ways. The word "blog" itself is a conglomeration of the term "web log." Say that fast over and over, and the words begin to blend together. For whatever reason, the "blog" part stands out. A web log was pretty much any writing about anything that anyone could do and post on the world wide web for everyone to read.
From 1989 through 2006, I kept what I called my journal. In my case, I pretty much chronicled my life. I began by writing in a blank Hallmark book meant for that purpose. Then I moved to putting it on a computer using various word processing programs. Within that period of time, I became a father, raised a daughter, went to Walt Disney World twice, got and lost many jobs, got a new car, won a nice case of Type 2 diabetes at the local shooting gallery, edited a club newsletter, went through some marital woes, had a week-long stay in the hospital, and many other things that I didn't list here. I stopped keeping my journal because I had gotten sick (hence the ER/hospital stay) and just said "no more."
After a few years, I realized that not keeping my journal meant that the life I was living was simply passing by. Not that anyone ever read my journal, but I sometimes referred to it to find out when I did some particular thing. In the meantime, I came across a blog that a friend was writing (thanks, Terri!). A little research showed that I could get my own blog with Google's Blogger program, and it was completely free. Putting two and two together, my blog was born. I now had a place of my own to write, entertain, fantasize, annoy—whatever I wanted. It's really been a godsend.
While I post a link to my latest posts on Facebook, I honestly don't know how many people actually take the time to read it. For fun, I often joke that I only have about two or three readers. Currently, I have nine followers. It was up to 14 at one time; apparently some folks stopped following me because they saw where I was leading them. My guess is that they weren't too keen on the idea of taking a sudden fall off of a cliff in the middle of the night. I don't blame them one bit. Remember that you can get my posts in your e-mail by entering your e-mail address in that space in the upper right hand corner of the page. Whether you do so is up to you, and to my knowledge, there's no spam.
In a way it's probably a good thing that I don't have a computer at home. If I did, then there would be so many posts that you couldn't read all of them in a single lifetime. The library (where I usually go) is only open certain hours, and I'm not always able to go over there. That makes your spare time more manageable. I do have a phone and a tablet, and have made posts from both devices, but it's a lot easier at the library.
For whatever reason, no one leaves any comments below my posts in the blog itself, though some people comment on Facebook under the post with the link in it. I always appreciate comments and feedback about what I've written. Criticism is OK, too, because that often helps me to make improvements.
The beauty of writing about your life is that for most people, it's always changing. There are new experiences to be had and worthy of being written about in a blog or some other format.
Monday, January 27, 2020
Thursday, January 23, 2020
Let's be happy as we move ahead
I've reread some of my recent posts and realized that a few of them are, quite honestly, downers. Yes, I have some things going on in life that I wish would go away forever, but writing about those things and whining about how bad I feel, how I'm suffering [stands up and strikes dramatic pose], and other such things is not helping me to get over those obstacles. In the face of life's difficulties, I've always been able to see at least a quarter of a ray of sunshine fighting to come through. And I'm going to share a little of that with you today. With a little luck, you'll reach the end of this post with a smile on your face.
We're in a new year, a new decade (in my opinion; some think that the new decade begins next year), and it's time to look forward and move in that direction. For me, the 2010s were the biggest suckfest of my life. I spent most of that decade out of work, I hardly went anywhere—no flights, no train trips, didn't even leave the state (though I did take my first two trips to Yosemite), my health went from reasonable to going to pot, and financial woes a-plenty. No good! Time for a change.
Everyone has their own way of bringing happiness into their life. Some people meditate. Some take up a hobby. Some bake cookies and some pick their nose. As everyone knows, I'm a bit...different. Here at the ripe old age of 60, I still ride roller coasters and LOVE it! Believe it or not, a few people have given me some grief about that. I don't understand. If something makes you happy, why not enjoy it as much as you can as long as you're not hurting anyone in the process? I think people who like to rain on someone else's parade are deep down, unhappy, miserable people who don't know what they want in life. Or they don't like that others freely do whatever they want without any direction from someone, so these dismal folks attempt to jump in and take over. Pfft. Control freaks. I know about this firsthand, but won't go there now because it isn't happy and I don't want to name names. But it may be a good topic for a future post.
My health issues are not going to improve overall, contrary to what a few people in my life seem to think. I respect their opinions because I know they want what's best for me, but since I have to live with this body for the rest of its existence, I know a bit more about it than they do. There will be upturns in my condition, but upturns aren't always forever. One of my favorite sayings says it all: "All I can do is the best I can do."
A new year, a new decade. I can set some goals. I can pray for improvements in all aspects of my health—employment, financial, mental and physical. Lord willing, everything will come together before too long. And that would make me happy.
We're in a new year, a new decade (in my opinion; some think that the new decade begins next year), and it's time to look forward and move in that direction. For me, the 2010s were the biggest suckfest of my life. I spent most of that decade out of work, I hardly went anywhere—no flights, no train trips, didn't even leave the state (though I did take my first two trips to Yosemite), my health went from reasonable to going to pot, and financial woes a-plenty. No good! Time for a change.
Everyone has their own way of bringing happiness into their life. Some people meditate. Some take up a hobby. Some bake cookies and some pick their nose. As everyone knows, I'm a bit...different. Here at the ripe old age of 60, I still ride roller coasters and LOVE it! Believe it or not, a few people have given me some grief about that. I don't understand. If something makes you happy, why not enjoy it as much as you can as long as you're not hurting anyone in the process? I think people who like to rain on someone else's parade are deep down, unhappy, miserable people who don't know what they want in life. Or they don't like that others freely do whatever they want without any direction from someone, so these dismal folks attempt to jump in and take over. Pfft. Control freaks. I know about this firsthand, but won't go there now because it isn't happy and I don't want to name names. But it may be a good topic for a future post.
My health issues are not going to improve overall, contrary to what a few people in my life seem to think. I respect their opinions because I know they want what's best for me, but since I have to live with this body for the rest of its existence, I know a bit more about it than they do. There will be upturns in my condition, but upturns aren't always forever. One of my favorite sayings says it all: "All I can do is the best I can do."
A new year, a new decade. I can set some goals. I can pray for improvements in all aspects of my health—employment, financial, mental and physical. Lord willing, everything will come together before too long. And that would make me happy.
Wednesday, January 22, 2020
Maybe there's a reason
I've been whining about my inability to become gainfully employed and I got to do some thinking about my situation and why so many others manage to find work and keep their jobs for the long term while I am turned down time and time again or find a job only to have it last about a half-hour. When you're not employed, you'll find that you have a lot of time on your hands to think about things. Sometimes all of your thinking will result in solving a current problem (which has happened a few times with me), or it will result in increased anxiety (which has happened a few times with me).
But something clicked in my head recently (I probably bumped it on a door. I do things like that). A few times in recent posts, I've shared the fact that I've started attending the local Baptist church. I grew up in a Baptist church, and though I stopped attending there, I've never lost my faith or gone astray. I'm well aware that not all of my friends believe in God, but my beliefs have always been a big part of who I am. You either agree or you don't. If you're a friend, I won't like you any less or give you a bad time about it. We all have the choice to believe or not to believe. I don't preach to people, but there are times when I need to share my story. My belief in God is a part of my story and who I am.
One thing that even believers sometimes forget is that God is in charge. Period. He makes the rules. But we can ask Him for what we want or need. We are taught, as it says in Scripture, that if we ask God for something, He will give it to us or do it for us, provided that we ask in the name of Jesus. I've done that many times, but have not received the gift of a job. Why would that be? I'm a nice guy, fairly intelligent, good with people, focus on my work and do the best I can.
People tell me, "Just get a fast food job!" (And with a straight face, too!) Not surprisingly, those same people either have no clue how much physical work that is (no, you don't get to stand at the register for your entire shift and flirt with the babes. You have to clean tables, sweep floors, move boxes of food and napkins and condiments, etc.). Or, they do know, but they think I can handle it. Sorry, folks, these days I cannot. Thirty years ago, maybe, but not now.
I'm not even going to address people who think I can just go to the doctor and get a magic pill to cure all of my issues. Most of the time, I ignore them anyway. There are others who are selling products that may cure the ills and issues that some people have, but have not worked with mine. I've tried a couple of those products, but will not name them because I'm not going to knock what may be the livelihood of the friends who are selling them. They are certainly legitimate products that may work for others, but have not been beneficial for me.
What came to mind is that maybe God knows that I am not physically up to working. I can do a job, but the whole ritual of going to work and fully functioning on the job is beyond my current abilities. Maybe there is a suitable job in my future, but it hasn't materialized as of yet. I can write and I could do that at home. These days with e-mail and internet, it would be easy to receive and submit work from home. I've said many times (because I believe it to be true) that my body is a piece of junk, but my brain works just fine. Some might say that God should just fix me up. Ideally, He could, but as it is written, He works in mysterious ways. My case is definitely one of His more mysteriouser ones.
I think that with this revelation I've hit on one possible cause of my unemployment and lack of success in rejoining the workforce. Of course, I could be wrong (I was wrong once), but in this case I don't think so. I'll just keep up my prayers and do the best I can.
But something clicked in my head recently (I probably bumped it on a door. I do things like that). A few times in recent posts, I've shared the fact that I've started attending the local Baptist church. I grew up in a Baptist church, and though I stopped attending there, I've never lost my faith or gone astray. I'm well aware that not all of my friends believe in God, but my beliefs have always been a big part of who I am. You either agree or you don't. If you're a friend, I won't like you any less or give you a bad time about it. We all have the choice to believe or not to believe. I don't preach to people, but there are times when I need to share my story. My belief in God is a part of my story and who I am.
One thing that even believers sometimes forget is that God is in charge. Period. He makes the rules. But we can ask Him for what we want or need. We are taught, as it says in Scripture, that if we ask God for something, He will give it to us or do it for us, provided that we ask in the name of Jesus. I've done that many times, but have not received the gift of a job. Why would that be? I'm a nice guy, fairly intelligent, good with people, focus on my work and do the best I can.
People tell me, "Just get a fast food job!" (And with a straight face, too!) Not surprisingly, those same people either have no clue how much physical work that is (no, you don't get to stand at the register for your entire shift and flirt with the babes. You have to clean tables, sweep floors, move boxes of food and napkins and condiments, etc.). Or, they do know, but they think I can handle it. Sorry, folks, these days I cannot. Thirty years ago, maybe, but not now.
I'm not even going to address people who think I can just go to the doctor and get a magic pill to cure all of my issues. Most of the time, I ignore them anyway. There are others who are selling products that may cure the ills and issues that some people have, but have not worked with mine. I've tried a couple of those products, but will not name them because I'm not going to knock what may be the livelihood of the friends who are selling them. They are certainly legitimate products that may work for others, but have not been beneficial for me.
What came to mind is that maybe God knows that I am not physically up to working. I can do a job, but the whole ritual of going to work and fully functioning on the job is beyond my current abilities. Maybe there is a suitable job in my future, but it hasn't materialized as of yet. I can write and I could do that at home. These days with e-mail and internet, it would be easy to receive and submit work from home. I've said many times (because I believe it to be true) that my body is a piece of junk, but my brain works just fine. Some might say that God should just fix me up. Ideally, He could, but as it is written, He works in mysterious ways. My case is definitely one of His more mysteriouser ones.
I think that with this revelation I've hit on one possible cause of my unemployment and lack of success in rejoining the workforce. Of course, I could be wrong (I was wrong once), but in this case I don't think so. I'll just keep up my prayers and do the best I can.
Tuesday, January 21, 2020
"What is your greatest weakness?"
"What is your greatest weakness?" Sounds like a job interview question, huh? But that is a question that is often asked of jobseekers during interviews. Strangely, I've never been asked that question in all of the times I've been interviewed. Maybe there's something about me that says, "You'd better not ask him that, because he's going to tell you. And you WON'T like it." You never know.
Raising this question in my blog, however, is a different story. Like most folks, I do have my weaknesses as well as some strengths. This isn't a job interview, so you don't have to keep reading, but I'mma tell you about it anywayzzz!!1! (Ouch! It hurt writing that...)
Regarding my weakness(es), I could bring up all kinds of things, but I'm going to focus on one that has held me back to some degree. If I can change my ways, I'd be in a much better place.
Weakness of the Day™: I don't ask for help when I should.
All of us have been there. You're in your classroom. You understand an assignment, as does most of the rest of the class. But one person raises their hand to ask for a detailed clarification of the work involved. Those who understood the first time it was explained are now annoyed that they have to listen to the teacher explaining in detail what s/he wants done. Many of your classmates—and maybe even YOU—are annoyed by having to listen to THAT IDIOT'S QUESTION!!!
Not surprisingly, I never wanted to be the one to ask questions about something that was abundantly clear when explained the first time. So I didn't. Many times, I didn't ask even when I should have asked. And I ended up making what could have and should have been an unavoidable mistake.
Fast forward to now. This problem is still a thing with me. As I've mentioned a thousandteen times now, I'm in need of a job. Financially, things are getting kind of...dire. And I need some help with things involving money that I don't have. There are a few people I can ask for help, and I need to hop to it because there's a time issue with a few of these things. Also, I kinda like my house.
In my last post, I did say, "There are some serious things going on in my life, but I'm not going to reveal them as of yet." But the previous paragraph gave a good hint as to a few of the things that are up with me, though, not everything. I'll reveal others as I see fit. Also, I'll say my prayers, and hope that some divine intervention as well as some intervention here on earth will take place.
Not speaking up when I need to is, in my opinion, a serious weakness of mine that I need to overcome. But like so many things, I'm working on it.
Sunday, January 19, 2020
Taking the weekend off
When you think and stop about it, how does a person without a job take a weekend off? Take a weekend off from...what? I'd love to take a weekend off from diabetes. No sticking my fingers, not watching every scrap of food I eat and eating whatever I want. Boy, would that be the life!
Not gonna happen, though.
Wouldn't it be great to take a weekend (or a month, actually) off from all of my problems and worries? There are some serious things going on in my life, but I'm not going to reveal them as of yet. I'm going to give myself a chance to do what I can to work them out or at least get started in that direction.
Contrary to what I wrote above, it is going to happen, and the weekend off starts...today. More details as I choose to release them.
Not gonna happen, though.
Wouldn't it be great to take a weekend (or a month, actually) off from all of my problems and worries? There are some serious things going on in my life, but I'm not going to reveal them as of yet. I'm going to give myself a chance to do what I can to work them out or at least get started in that direction.
Contrary to what I wrote above, it is going to happen, and the weekend off starts...today. More details as I choose to release them.
Thursday, January 16, 2020
Where I am
In one of my previous posts, I let the world know about where I stood politically. All both of you Eric's Planet fans probably read it over breakfast or while you made some kind of a contribution to that big white bowl attached to the floor of your bathroom. This time, I'll write a bit about me—that big, fat, sugar-challenged guy who's been known to bring homemade Asian or Italian food to potlucks despite having no known roots to either culture.
With my...different...sense of humor, I could have answered "where I am" with "At the library," "At home," or any other boring, unwitty phrase. I also could have given this post a title of "Where I am at," except as an active officer in the Spelling and Grammar Police force, I know better than to write something so grammatically uncorrect.
No, this is me I'm talking about. The only me who will ever be. And thank goodness for that. Just to assure my uniqueness, I've had the blueprints to my mind and body destroyed so that there will never be another me. Not exactly, of course. Someone in China could always try to recreate me, but that'll never work.
Enough stalling. Let's get to the meat of this so far poor excuse of a post. Over the years, I've shared information about my health—physical, mental, financial and so forth, so perhaps this post is more of an update. Eric v2.0 or some such thing. You never know.
At this time, I'm struggling to get back to work. I can't seem to connect with anyone who needs an Eric, and not one of the job agencies has helped me. Isn't it their job to find work for people? Every one of them has told me to my face that my resumé is AWESOME!!1! Fine! Then find me some work. It can't be that hard. There has to be something out there. Even put me to work in an office as "office help." That's the person who makes copies, files or retrieves documents, etc., and it's essential to keeping the office running. I've done that in the past and don't mind doing it again. Anything to get me back to work. I guess when all is said and done, it will happen at some point. But with retirement age creeping closer, it's going to be tough. To be honest, I don't plan to retire. I've spent the last [some number of] years unemployed or underemployed. I don't like having nowhere to go or nothing to do during the day. Some have suggested that I volunteer at some local establishment in need of volunteers, but that brings me to my second problem.
At this time, I'm struggling with my health. It astounds me how many people tell me that their [fill-in-the-blank relative] had or has diabetes and they're doing great! Well, as we say around here, goodie gumdrops! But this disease affects everyone differently, even if they're dealing with the exact same thing that I am. In my case, my eyesight is 20/30—nearly perfect and pretty darned good for a diabetic. I have no issues with my kidneys, my feet, or any of the usual things that we sugar-challenged folks deal with. But my biggest issue is with constant fatigue. This is one thing that many diabetics deal with, and that makes it hard to actively do things that we need to do and used to do fairly easily. At many volunteer positions, they need people who can do manual labor and/or heavy lifting. That's not feasible for me anymore. At one time, I ran circles around almost everyone when I visited an amusement park. My energy level was high and knew no bounds. These days, I almost dread a trip out to my local park, Six Flags Magic Mountain. Back in the day, I all but owned that place. Today, I get about a third of the way around and I'm ready to leave because I'm too pooped out to keep going. And I used to ride for hours. Now I get a couple of rides under my belt, and I'm done for the day. Or maybe even the year. It's also getting harder to ride the big rides that I like. Many people tell me, "Well, you're getting old..." Nonsense! I'm only 60. Some say that's the new 30. A lot of my friends are close to my age and they still zip around like they always have.
I come from a good, Christian family and spent much of my childhood attending church. Once I reached my 20s, church attendance became less important to me despite the fact that I still maintain the beliefs that I grew up with. In some ways, I missed going to church. That really began to bother me, so last year, I began going to the local Baptist church. (I grew up going a Baptist church, so the teachings and people are familiar and I'm comfortable there.) I'm hoping that a reconnection to church and God will open a door or a window (remember, I'm not like regular people) to better health, a job, and many other good things that I need in my life.
Good health, bad health, employed or unemployed, I'm still going to keep up my blog. It doesn't require any hard, manual labor so it doesn't wear me out. That makes it a suitable activity and at times even productive depending on my topic. Welcome to Eric's Planet may be for your amusement or your inconvenience, but it's going to stay around for awhile.
Enough stalling. Let's get to the meat of this so far poor excuse of a post. Over the years, I've shared information about my health—physical, mental, financial and so forth, so perhaps this post is more of an update. Eric v2.0 or some such thing. You never know.
At this time, I'm struggling to get back to work. I can't seem to connect with anyone who needs an Eric, and not one of the job agencies has helped me. Isn't it their job to find work for people? Every one of them has told me to my face that my resumé is AWESOME!!1! Fine! Then find me some work. It can't be that hard. There has to be something out there. Even put me to work in an office as "office help." That's the person who makes copies, files or retrieves documents, etc., and it's essential to keeping the office running. I've done that in the past and don't mind doing it again. Anything to get me back to work. I guess when all is said and done, it will happen at some point. But with retirement age creeping closer, it's going to be tough. To be honest, I don't plan to retire. I've spent the last [some number of] years unemployed or underemployed. I don't like having nowhere to go or nothing to do during the day. Some have suggested that I volunteer at some local establishment in need of volunteers, but that brings me to my second problem.
At this time, I'm struggling with my health. It astounds me how many people tell me that their [fill-in-the-blank relative] had or has diabetes and they're doing great! Well, as we say around here, goodie gumdrops! But this disease affects everyone differently, even if they're dealing with the exact same thing that I am. In my case, my eyesight is 20/30—nearly perfect and pretty darned good for a diabetic. I have no issues with my kidneys, my feet, or any of the usual things that we sugar-challenged folks deal with. But my biggest issue is with constant fatigue. This is one thing that many diabetics deal with, and that makes it hard to actively do things that we need to do and used to do fairly easily. At many volunteer positions, they need people who can do manual labor and/or heavy lifting. That's not feasible for me anymore. At one time, I ran circles around almost everyone when I visited an amusement park. My energy level was high and knew no bounds. These days, I almost dread a trip out to my local park, Six Flags Magic Mountain. Back in the day, I all but owned that place. Today, I get about a third of the way around and I'm ready to leave because I'm too pooped out to keep going. And I used to ride for hours. Now I get a couple of rides under my belt, and I'm done for the day. Or maybe even the year. It's also getting harder to ride the big rides that I like. Many people tell me, "Well, you're getting old..." Nonsense! I'm only 60. Some say that's the new 30. A lot of my friends are close to my age and they still zip around like they always have.
I come from a good, Christian family and spent much of my childhood attending church. Once I reached my 20s, church attendance became less important to me despite the fact that I still maintain the beliefs that I grew up with. In some ways, I missed going to church. That really began to bother me, so last year, I began going to the local Baptist church. (I grew up going a Baptist church, so the teachings and people are familiar and I'm comfortable there.) I'm hoping that a reconnection to church and God will open a door or a window (remember, I'm not like regular people) to better health, a job, and many other good things that I need in my life.
Good health, bad health, employed or unemployed, I'm still going to keep up my blog. It doesn't require any hard, manual labor so it doesn't wear me out. That makes it a suitable activity and at times even productive depending on my topic. Welcome to Eric's Planet may be for your amusement or your inconvenience, but it's going to stay around for awhile.
Wednesday, January 15, 2020
Time for a new car
First off, no, I'm not considering buying a new car anytime soon. I can't afford one, anyway, but I don't need one, either. But I always try to drive the latest models so that I know what's out there and can make a good choice when that time comes.
What inspired this post is the fact that in just a couple of weeks, I will celebrate the 18th anniversary of bringing my current car home from the dealer (purchase date 2/2/2002—too many twos to not remember. If only that date had been a Tuesday...) Most people don't keep a car for 18 years. I drove my previous car for almost 19 years. It was on its last legs, but had racked up about a quarter-million miles. (I say "about" because the odometer actually stopped at around 209,000-ish miles, and I drove it for several more years.) My current car is approaching the quarter-million mark (248,000 or so at last glance) and is in much better shape than my last car was at the same age, and it's only the third car I've ever owned in 45 years of driving.
While this car has certainly made the rounds, it's only been to three different states. I've only driven it in California and Nevada, and Lori took it once to Arizona for a weekend trip. Even with so many miles on the odometer, it is running well enough to take on a road trip of reasonable length. Sometime I'll get out and do that. How many state lines I'll cross depends on how many police officers are after me.
What inspired this post is the fact that in just a couple of weeks, I will celebrate the 18th anniversary of bringing my current car home from the dealer (purchase date 2/2/2002—too many twos to not remember. If only that date had been a Tuesday...) Most people don't keep a car for 18 years. I drove my previous car for almost 19 years. It was on its last legs, but had racked up about a quarter-million miles. (I say "about" because the odometer actually stopped at around 209,000-ish miles, and I drove it for several more years.) My current car is approaching the quarter-million mark (248,000 or so at last glance) and is in much better shape than my last car was at the same age, and it's only the third car I've ever owned in 45 years of driving.
 |
| My beloved and thrice-stolen 1983 Toyota Supra |
Before going on, I need to clarify that despite what the caption says, that is not my car, though mine was identical to it and did in fact come into the hands of thieves three times. I just don't have any photos of it in electronic format, so I had to find one online. I really need to find someone new to write my captions. I never say "thrice." That's so...quaint and kind of "ewww" at the same time. If you'd like, you can read about my car's misadventures here.
Anyway, since we're sharing photos, here's a photo of my current car, a 2002 Honda CR-V:
 |
| My 2002 Honda CR-V |
Lori's previous car racked up 330,000 miles before she had to retire it and get a new one. With good care, cars will last that long or even longer. Especially if they're a reliable brand or model in the first place.
At this writing, if I had to buy a new car, say, tomorrow, I'd look at a Honda Passport, Subaru Forester, or a Toyota RAV-4. They're all a bit bigger than my CR-V. I don't like or need a big car; I like the size of mine. Its turning circle is amazing; it seats five people, though four is more comfortable; holds plenty of stuff; and even came with its own picnic table that can be taken out of the car and used as an extra table at an event where the need might arise. The table serves as the floor of the back area and covers a big well where additional things can be stored. Even the newest CR-V is nice. It's still about the same size as mine, though a bit bigger.
Of course, even though I'm happy with my current car, I do sometimes think it's time for a new one. I can dream all day about a new car, but I need to get a job and put away some money before that ever happens. I won't ramble about that here. That's for another post.
Tuesday, January 14, 2020
Public libraries—what are they supposed to be?
I don't recall if I've ever written anything about that wonderful thing known as the public library, but given some of the experiences that I've had at our local one, I thought it was about time. If you aren't interested in what I've written here, then take yourself over to your own public library and check out a book or two. Just don't actually use a check mark. They don't really like that...
Waaay back in the '60s when I was but a wee lad, we lived a few blocks from the public library in North Hollywood. That branch is still there to this day. Every time I visit Mom, I drive right past it on my way to her house. One of the things I remember about going to the library was that when you were inside, you were to keep quiet. No talking, no running around. If you HAD to say something, it was to be in a whisper or else one of the library ladies would shush!!! you. Index finger to their lips, then "SHHH!!!" You knew that if they had to shush you more than once, then those narrow slits of their eyes and their raised eyebrows would be on you for the rest of the time you were there, and if they'd had enough, you'd find yourself outside and told not to come back that day. Not a pleasant thing, but you learned your lesson: be quiet in the library. But the efforts to maintain quiet in the library paid off. If you wanted some peace and quiet, you knew that you could get it at the library. And it was free, too.
Of course, back in the day, people were very different from what they are today. At that time, people were more likely to follow the rules and be more considerate to others than folks of today tend to be. What inspired today's post was a guy I had the misfortune of sitting next to at the library. He was watching a football game, which is fine if you're simply watching it. But no, he was pounding the desk, cheering on his team, griping or swearing when they missed a touchdown or whatever. That's fine when you're watching the game at home or at a friend's house, but annoying when you're in the library. Hard to believe, but some people are there to do homework or research. Making noise or aggressive gestures (pounding tables, cussing out someone who's not even physically there, etc.) is flat out annoying and disturbing to others.
I can only speak for my local library since that's the one I use, but I would guess that anything I say applies to pretty much any public library. It's really impossible to have a library so quiet that you can hear a pin drop, though that would be nice. But a place where there is peace and quiet seems to be a foreign concept.
For whatever reason, the staff seems to ignore the noisemakers. Cell phones are not supposed to be used; if you need to make or take a call, there's a room where you can have your call and a little privacy, too. Occasionally, a staff member will tell someone to go into the room to finish their call, but more often they ignore it. For whatever reason, though, when I receive a call, they're right on top of me to get into that room.
Is there a solution? The best I can do is to try and meet with the director of the library and see if they would agree to put some standards into place. I met him once and found him to be personable. Unfortunately, having too many standards in place would make it difficult for most people because they can't seem to do without their music, devices, and so forth. I think it would be great if the library had a quiet room, similar to the "quiet cars" that some commuter railroads have implemented in recent years. In the quiet car, people are not allowed to play music or videos, and need to keep their conversations quiet and to a minimum.
It seems that some of the folks who run the library want it to become a social club. If a certain area is devoted to that, then fine. But put it somewhere off to the side or encourage people to go to the little snack bar outside by the entrance (just to the left of the fountain in the photo above). There are tables and chairs for people to use, and I believe they have free wi-fi. There are folks [points at self] who would like a quiet environment as described above.
In today's society, courtesy toward others seems to have become a foreign concept. We see it almost everywhere we go. The "I'll do what I want" attitude has become the norm.
The truth is that I can do most anything computer related at home with my phone or tablet, but I like to get out of the house occasionally for a change of scenery and to interact with others. It would be nice if I could get out and know that there is a place where I can work comfortably and that it will be peaceful and quiet.
Waaay back in the '60s when I was but a wee lad, we lived a few blocks from the public library in North Hollywood. That branch is still there to this day. Every time I visit Mom, I drive right past it on my way to her house. One of the things I remember about going to the library was that when you were inside, you were to keep quiet. No talking, no running around. If you HAD to say something, it was to be in a whisper or else one of the library ladies would shush!!! you. Index finger to their lips, then "SHHH!!!" You knew that if they had to shush you more than once, then those narrow slits of their eyes and their raised eyebrows would be on you for the rest of the time you were there, and if they'd had enough, you'd find yourself outside and told not to come back that day. Not a pleasant thing, but you learned your lesson: be quiet in the library. But the efforts to maintain quiet in the library paid off. If you wanted some peace and quiet, you knew that you could get it at the library. And it was free, too.
 |
| Los Angeles Public Library, Amelia Earhart branch North Hollywood CA |
Of course, back in the day, people were very different from what they are today. At that time, people were more likely to follow the rules and be more considerate to others than folks of today tend to be. What inspired today's post was a guy I had the misfortune of sitting next to at the library. He was watching a football game, which is fine if you're simply watching it. But no, he was pounding the desk, cheering on his team, griping or swearing when they missed a touchdown or whatever. That's fine when you're watching the game at home or at a friend's house, but annoying when you're in the library. Hard to believe, but some people are there to do homework or research. Making noise or aggressive gestures (pounding tables, cussing out someone who's not even physically there, etc.) is flat out annoying and disturbing to others.
I can only speak for my local library since that's the one I use, but I would guess that anything I say applies to pretty much any public library. It's really impossible to have a library so quiet that you can hear a pin drop, though that would be nice. But a place where there is peace and quiet seems to be a foreign concept.
For whatever reason, the staff seems to ignore the noisemakers. Cell phones are not supposed to be used; if you need to make or take a call, there's a room where you can have your call and a little privacy, too. Occasionally, a staff member will tell someone to go into the room to finish their call, but more often they ignore it. For whatever reason, though, when I receive a call, they're right on top of me to get into that room.
Is there a solution? The best I can do is to try and meet with the director of the library and see if they would agree to put some standards into place. I met him once and found him to be personable. Unfortunately, having too many standards in place would make it difficult for most people because they can't seem to do without their music, devices, and so forth. I think it would be great if the library had a quiet room, similar to the "quiet cars" that some commuter railroads have implemented in recent years. In the quiet car, people are not allowed to play music or videos, and need to keep their conversations quiet and to a minimum.
 |
| Camarillo Library Camarillo CA |
It seems that some of the folks who run the library want it to become a social club. If a certain area is devoted to that, then fine. But put it somewhere off to the side or encourage people to go to the little snack bar outside by the entrance (just to the left of the fountain in the photo above). There are tables and chairs for people to use, and I believe they have free wi-fi. There are folks [points at self] who would like a quiet environment as described above.
In today's society, courtesy toward others seems to have become a foreign concept. We see it almost everywhere we go. The "I'll do what I want" attitude has become the norm.
The truth is that I can do most anything computer related at home with my phone or tablet, but I like to get out of the house occasionally for a change of scenery and to interact with others. It would be nice if I could get out and know that there is a place where I can work comfortably and that it will be peaceful and quiet.
Wednesday, January 8, 2020
A day at the races
Everyone from here to Covina knows that I like a good roller coaster ride. Part of the fun of this hobby is being able to be one of the first riders when a new coaster opens.
Having been a member of the American Coaster Enthusiasts (ACE) for over thirty years, I've been afforded many chances to attend media day for new rides. That's the day when news anchors and other celebrities take their first rides with TV cameras aimed at them. They sit in the front row and we ACE members fill in the rest of the seats so it looks like a full trainload of people showed up to ride as well. It offers a chance for us to appear on TV and sometimes hobnob a bit with television personalities.
Recently, I attended media day for a new coaster out at my home park, Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia CA. For these media events with news feeds to all areas of the country, we need to be in place by 4:00am so that people in the Eastern time zone can see us at 7:00am local time. I was in my seat at 3:50am and ready to go. We all know that people are out riding roller coasters in the wee hours of the night or early morning. Perfectly...normal...
For whatever reason, I didn't take any photos or shoot any video of the ride in action and people riding it. We weren't allowed to photograph or shoot video aboard the ride without permission, so I played by the rules for once. I did get ahold of a video from the park, and the link to it is later in this post. On another note, I noticed that the ride warning sign said that "Guests with Diabetes should not ride." Interesting and a first for me, so I took a photo of it. I rode anyway, thus breaking a rule. I am a rebel.
Having been a member of the American Coaster Enthusiasts (ACE) for over thirty years, I've been afforded many chances to attend media day for new rides. That's the day when news anchors and other celebrities take their first rides with TV cameras aimed at them. They sit in the front row and we ACE members fill in the rest of the seats so it looks like a full trainload of people showed up to ride as well. It offers a chance for us to appear on TV and sometimes hobnob a bit with television personalities.
Recently, I attended media day for a new coaster out at my home park, Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia CA. For these media events with news feeds to all areas of the country, we need to be in place by 4:00am so that people in the Eastern time zone can see us at 7:00am local time. I was in my seat at 3:50am and ready to go. We all know that people are out riding roller coasters in the wee hours of the night or early morning. Perfectly...normal...
For whatever reason, I didn't take any photos or shoot any video of the ride in action and people riding it. We weren't allowed to photograph or shoot video aboard the ride without permission, so I played by the rules for once. I did get ahold of a video from the park, and the link to it is later in this post. On another note, I noticed that the ride warning sign said that "Guests with Diabetes should not ride." Interesting and a first for me, so I took a photo of it. I rode anyway, thus breaking a rule. I am a rebel.
Regarding this sign, I had a chance to speak with the park president, Neal Thurman. He said that any requirements found in the ride manufacturer's manual will be included on the sign in the park. But still...how would having diabetes affect a person's health or safety while riding a roller coaster? Maybe if it's a really sweet ride...
On a side note, I wasn't aware that diabetes was a proper disease, being that it was capitalized on that sign. Not a big deal, but when you're an officer on the Spelling and Grammar Police force, you notice these things. You just can't help it, and breaking a lifelong habit isn't easy.
West Coast Racers is the second coaster in the park built by Premier Rides, Inc. (The other one is Full Throttle, which opened in 2012. I was at that ride's media day event, too, though for some reason I never wrote about it.) Premier is an American company, but like many American companies, some of their products are manufactured overseas. Such was apparently the case for West Coast Racers. It is my understanding that the track was made in both China and Italy, making this ride something of an international collaboration. Six Flags announced West Coast Racers around Labor Day in 2018 and, like most attractions, it was expected to open Memorial Day weekend in 2019 along with the newly themed area of the park where it's located (formerly Cyclone Bay, now The Underground). A lot of rain early in 2019, delays of delivery of ride track, and other issues caused a six-month delay of the project.
The Underground and West Coast Racers are officially open as of this writing, so if you want to experience them, get out to the park. If you'd like a little preview before you actually climb aboard, click here. This video was provided by Six Flags Magic Mountain.
On a side note, I wasn't aware that diabetes was a proper disease, being that it was capitalized on that sign. Not a big deal, but when you're an officer on the Spelling and Grammar Police force, you notice these things. You just can't help it, and breaking a lifelong habit isn't easy.
West Coast Racers is the second coaster in the park built by Premier Rides, Inc. (The other one is Full Throttle, which opened in 2012. I was at that ride's media day event, too, though for some reason I never wrote about it.) Premier is an American company, but like many American companies, some of their products are manufactured overseas. Such was apparently the case for West Coast Racers. It is my understanding that the track was made in both China and Italy, making this ride something of an international collaboration. Six Flags announced West Coast Racers around Labor Day in 2018 and, like most attractions, it was expected to open Memorial Day weekend in 2019 along with the newly themed area of the park where it's located (formerly Cyclone Bay, now The Underground). A lot of rain early in 2019, delays of delivery of ride track, and other issues caused a six-month delay of the project.
The Underground and West Coast Racers are officially open as of this writing, so if you want to experience them, get out to the park. If you'd like a little preview before you actually climb aboard, click here. This video was provided by Six Flags Magic Mountain.
Monday, January 6, 2020
The 2020s—clearer vision or more of the same?
The title of this post is sort of a philosophical one, but gives us a little something to think about. Let's face it, our world is changing and not necessarily for the better. There have been a lot of jokes about how the 2020s will represent better or even perfect vision—a play on the standard for perfect vision (20/20) given to us by ophthalmologists long ago.
Whether that comes to pass is unknown until, of course, it comes to pass. IF it does, I should say. When it comes to things going on in the world, I'm no expert by any means. The only thing I can control is my own life, and sometimes even that is a challenge. Some people think they can control what others say and do, and sometimes they get away with it. I normally don't make New Year's resolutions, but perhaps making one to put my foot down to people who try to take control of me wouldn't be a bad idea.
We may be in a new decade, but I still have some stuff left over from the previous one that I have to deal with. I. Need. To. Get. Back. To. Work. But for whatever reason, it's not happening. Job agencies have been no help whatsoever. They tell me that I have a great resume, but can't find a suitable position. That makes no sense. Personally, I think they're full of that stinky brown stuff that oozes out of your butt—whatever it's called.
I also need to get well. That's going to be a tough one. Chronic conditions don't go away with the snap of your fingers. Even medications don't always work. Employers want healthy employees. You can't tell there's anything wrong when speaking with me, but I have the feeling that my movements and demeanor suggest otherwise—to hiring managers at least. And they DON'T like it.
Most people who know me know that I was raised in a Baptist church and retain those Christian beliefs to this day. That means that I am in communication with God by way of prayer. We are taught that when we ask for something from God in Jesus' name, He does it for us or gives it to us. As long as it's not something selfish or for the wrong reason. ("I think I'll pray to win the lottery," say those who aren't going to.) But I need to work. It's good for the mind. And I need to help support my household because having that burden solely on my wife's shoulders isn't fair or right. I'm not asking for big riches, a fancypants new car, mansion, luxuries, all-expenses-paid trips to exotic destinations all over the world. Good health and a means to earn what I need to make my way through life. I don't need more than that. I think that's a reasonable request to God.
But we'll see what happens. All I have to do is to be patient. Fortunately, I am fairly patient. Many of my friends have told me that they appreciate my patience. In the meantime, I wait. And while I wait, I'll keep cranking out posts from right here on the Planet. There's plenty to write about. Stay tuned for more.
Whether that comes to pass is unknown until, of course, it comes to pass. IF it does, I should say. When it comes to things going on in the world, I'm no expert by any means. The only thing I can control is my own life, and sometimes even that is a challenge. Some people think they can control what others say and do, and sometimes they get away with it. I normally don't make New Year's resolutions, but perhaps making one to put my foot down to people who try to take control of me wouldn't be a bad idea.
We may be in a new decade, but I still have some stuff left over from the previous one that I have to deal with. I. Need. To. Get. Back. To. Work. But for whatever reason, it's not happening. Job agencies have been no help whatsoever. They tell me that I have a great resume, but can't find a suitable position. That makes no sense. Personally, I think they're full of that stinky brown stuff that oozes out of your butt—whatever it's called.
I also need to get well. That's going to be a tough one. Chronic conditions don't go away with the snap of your fingers. Even medications don't always work. Employers want healthy employees. You can't tell there's anything wrong when speaking with me, but I have the feeling that my movements and demeanor suggest otherwise—to hiring managers at least. And they DON'T like it.
Most people who know me know that I was raised in a Baptist church and retain those Christian beliefs to this day. That means that I am in communication with God by way of prayer. We are taught that when we ask for something from God in Jesus' name, He does it for us or gives it to us. As long as it's not something selfish or for the wrong reason. ("I think I'll pray to win the lottery," say those who aren't going to.) But I need to work. It's good for the mind. And I need to help support my household because having that burden solely on my wife's shoulders isn't fair or right. I'm not asking for big riches, a fancypants new car, mansion, luxuries, all-expenses-paid trips to exotic destinations all over the world. Good health and a means to earn what I need to make my way through life. I don't need more than that. I think that's a reasonable request to God.
But we'll see what happens. All I have to do is to be patient. Fortunately, I am fairly patient. Many of my friends have told me that they appreciate my patience. In the meantime, I wait. And while I wait, I'll keep cranking out posts from right here on the Planet. There's plenty to write about. Stay tuned for more.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)