Took a trip up north

To tell the truth, I had been planning this for the past three months. This was why I took vacation time this week (as well as needing to de-stress from work). I took a trip up north today.
Last January, I was awarded a watch at work, and it was too big. I was told that I could take it to any jewelry store and have it resized. I have a problem with mall jewelry stores. As soon as you walk in, your beset with a high-pressure sales pitch to open up one of their credit cards (which I don’t need as I’m in enough debt), or they’ll lose/mangle/destroy your merchandise (like what they say Kay Jewelers has done in recent media reports). But I remember that I have friends who run a jewelry store north of here. And so I was able to get my watch resized without a high-pressure sales pitch. And my merchandise wasn’t mangled/destroyed/lost.
Yes, I knew them before, so I’m not posting this to yelp or the BBB, and I hesitate to even mention names. But still, props to Rialto….

Some wisdom once again learned…

Never underestimate friendship, or the power of hello. Even if you don’t get what you want, if you still have a friend, then you have a lot. Sugar-free rockstar is not good at curing headaches. Insulin is good. Sometimes you have to be grateful for what you have, and not seek that next thing. Office politics is a game that you really don’t want to play. There are times when you shouldn’t seek to fulfill your desires, but you should seek to end the desires themselves. Wisdom is knowing the difference between the two.

Just some dronings of another introvert with a blog….

Broke. Again.

Paid my bills Saturday. All of them. And now I’m broke.  Payday was Friday. I now have to wait until the Friday after next. But all my bills are paid.

Day 1 (or Day 2) report….

Depending on who you ask, this is the second day of my vacation. Officially, it’s the first day (yesterday was a sick day). Anyway, I succeeded in my primary goal today: Doing absolutely nothing. Last year, I took a week off in the summer, but I spent each day of the entire week working at my second job (I actually planned the vacation around my second boss’s trip to Disneyland). But as much as I like Mrs. Fields, and I enjoy working there, I don’t want to take a vacation to work there.

And yes, I am now admitting the name of my primary employer from 1995-2012: Mrs. Fields. It wasn’t just at Mrs. Fields Cookies (remember that they also own several other brands). Once in a while, I’ll still work there, but it’s no longer my primary employer (no, I’m not disclosing where I’m working at now).

I think tomorrow I’ll go visit a friend for lunch. Then laundry (that’s a standard Monday off task). And yes, I’ll do the all-important ass-sitting as well…

Vacation starts today….

Well, it was supposed to start tomorrow. But I got up this morning, and at 1:30 realized my foot wasn’t up to walking the 6-7 miles to work. Actually, I could’ve made it. But I wouldn’t have been in any shape to work. So, I placed another call to the Night Manager at work. I don’t like doing this, but I also have to look out for my health, as well.

But I am taking a vacation this week. This was entirely unrelated to today (actually, I had put in for it, and received approval for it a while back). I’m not due back until next Friday….

We’re even! We’re even!

The Mariners, as of this morning were 9-9. Currently they’re playing Houston, and they’re leading. If you remember their last homestand at The Safe, they only one 1 game out of 6. The only redeeming grace this year for the Mariners is the 9 game road trip that they were just one, where they won every series (as they did the opening series). Let’s hope that they can win some home games.

Failing that we can always hope for the next road trip…

They arrived today....

New power supply and video card arrived today. Surprisingly, replacing the power supply in my tower was rather quick and painless. Possibly because experience taught me to remove all of my expansion cards and my Blu-Ray drive before hand, so I could have space to move things around. But once I unscrewed it, it dropped right out, and the new one fit right in.

Now to reinstall Win10 back on. My computer should be back to fully functioning in two weeks...

AC/DC Jumps the shark!

Brian Johnson had to quit touring to save his hearing. AC/DC had once before replaced lead singers after the passing of Bon Scott. And they thrived. Back in Black was one there biggest selling albums. But given the other issues (their drummer's legal issues and Malcolm's dimentia), perhaps it's time for Bed Angus Young to put the schoolboy uniform away. Seriously, Axl Rose as their lead singer? Have they seen what has happened in previous Guns 'n Roses tour? He's not the most reliable employee in the shop.

But that's the direction that they've chosen. I wish them the best. But then again, Ted McGinley and/or Cousin Oliver would be a better choice...

Went to the doctor today....

Had a physical today. It was agreed to change my insulins from Humalog and Lantus to Novolog and Levemir. I did my research on my prescription drug coverage before my visit, and switching insulins and getting my prescriptions filled via mail order would be the most cost effective for me. However I'm switching to getting my test strips over the counter. Believe it or not, but you can get those dirt cheap through Wally World (especially if you use their house brand).

I also mentioned my bum foot. Also known as plantar fasciitis....

Just when I realize....

With the last three posts or so about my computer going nuts on me (long story short: have to replace video card), I finished 'moving in' to phone. Usually, I flash the ROM, then I install all my apps, from the Google Play store and Spamazon. There are also a few that I sideload. Then I tweak. I suppose since I have Titanium Backup Pro (and the pro key), I could just back up all my settings, and be done with it. But there is something to be said about setting up my phone like new. There are always new things I want to try. Sometimes the changes are for the better, but there are times (usually) when it blows up in my face. I guess that's why I keep at least three ROM installers on my phone (and yes, I've decided to flash a ROM on my phone while on the bus home).

Irony: Tonight, I finish signing in to all my apps, and setting shortcuts on my phone, and now I have to start over on my computer....

A little bit of drama. Or not (workplace wisdom)

Office Politics is game that is best never played. Leave the drama behind. Let it go. If policies aren't being followed, then be discrete in who you report it to. Make peace with your enemies quickly.

Work hard at your job. Or you'll work even harder finding your next job...

Not the best right now

My computer doesn't have the best of power supplies. But it was enough. The video card I just took out today needed approximately 1 1/2 times the power that my power supply was rated at. But my computer still ran. The new video card, which should be here on Tuesday, will use even less power. But I'm still ordering the new power supply, even though I probably won't need to use it. Just because when the power supply goes, you're out of a computer until you replace it. It's not like my video solution. I still have a Radeon HD 8500d solution, which isn't too shabby.

Lesson learned: make the best of what's around. But if there is a chance to improve, don't pass on it....

So, it looks like...

It looks like I'm getting a new video card. I turned my computer on this morning, and Windows wouldn't load. Well, it mostly loaded, and then when I went to login, it would reboot. Since I go to the logon screen, I could tell it wasn't a Windows issue. I wiped it, and then installed Windows 8.1 off the System Recovery Screen. Logged on again, (or at least I attempted to), and then I get reboot loop again. Reseat the video card, and again I have reboots. So, I pull the whole card out and plug my monitor into my onboard video slot. And it works. So my XFX Radeon HD7750 video card is gone. Anyway, I've gone to Newegg, and I've ordered my replacement. It should be here Tuesday. As well as a replacement power supply....

And I just finished rebuilding my system. I get to do it again. My luck...

It is finished…

Finally. Just finished reinstalling my games. I even added some more Thanks to Steam and Origin. With the exception of Halo, which should be arriving tomorrow, courtesy of Spamazon Prime. Now all that is left is to rearrange the Start Menu to my liking, which may take a while, as I’ve never really put much thought in how to arrange it.

I also tonight finished logging in to all my apps on my phone. Now to customize the home screens, and I’ll be set. Until the next time I get tee’d off and I wipe everything from orbit. With regards to what works on Windows 10 and what doesn’t, I’ve found a couple of workarounds:

• Repurchasing them electronically. If it’s on Steam or Origin, then it’s probably compatible. There were quite a few games that I’ve repurchased. And I’ve also found some classics that were re-released. This is actually my preferred option. It can be expensive and rather frustrating, but compatibility is more guaranteed…
• My Windows XP virtual machine. It’s no longer supported, but then again, neither are the games that will only work on it. And I really don’t like usually compatibility mode…

So I was reinstalling some games today….

So, after my last system rebuild last week, I was reinstalling my games this morning, and I realized my Halo Cd-Rom has disappeared. I can’t find it anywhere. With the garbage can slo close to my desk shelf where I keep it, it was probably inadvertently thrown out. I think I need to replace it. So I log on to Spamazon, and not only do they have it, but they also have Halo 2 as well. It was originally compatible with Windows Vista. Windows 10 is later and better than Vista, so it should work. Yes, I know that Gamespy and games for Windows Live are gone, but I was never an online gamer.

Of course, we all what will probably happen is when the new games arrive, I’ll find my old CD-Rom…

BTW, Star Wars Rogue Squadron was released on Steam recently.

Que Será Será

This is one of those times when I need to remind myself not to worry. I'm not going to go into much details about it, but whatever will be will be....

If to work I go

And I can tell it's going to rain. Not by looking at the forecast. But because I just realized I left my umbrella at home,and I'm already on the bus...

Got some swag….

My Mariners hat and jersey just arrived. I think I should stop making fun of The New World Order (Mind-Control Division). Mainly because they weren’t shipped through Fedex or the USPS. They were shipped via The Black Helicopters….

And we’re under way!

The first pitch was a strike. It’s now the Mariners against the Texas Rangers. Let’s play ball.

Or at least get you AFDB out, as this is The New World Order (Mind-Control Division)…..

Edit: and Robinson Canó just started things off with a dinger…

I suppose this could be a good thing….

It is never a good thing to forget to pay your bills. Late fees. Higher interest rates. Getting your services cut off. None of it is good. I’ve had my share of those (fortunately, I’m caught up now).

But what about forgetting you’ve already paid your bills? I just logged in to pay the electric bill, and apparently I paid it already. Or at least I hope so, since the balance is zero. It also happened when I paid another credit card recently. Though in that case, I just made another payment.

Generally it is wise to keep track of when your bills are due, and when you pay them. But I guess if you needed to forget something, it would probably be better to forget that you paid a bill already than to forget to pay it altogether…

Opening day today

The New World Order (Mind-Control Division) is back. The season started today. The Mariners start tomorrow. On the road. I hope they’ll do better than last year. The home opener at Safeco Field won’t be till Friday night. I have tomorrow off (I know my fixed schedule won’t last, but I’ll enjoy while I can), so I’ll watch King Felix serve up some k’s….

I also have a new Mariners hat and hoodie coming in, as well as a hat & hoodie from the Sounders FC (yes, from the teams. Or at least their team stores….). And it’s also Final Four weekend. Though to be honest, I didn’t follow the Big Dance at all this year….

Now if I could only do something about this nagging idea that Belgium really exists….

A couple of bombings here and there….

And violence is still evil. Especially in the name of religion. Need I say more?

More on this later. Perhaps…

It's late but it's here...

Blu-ray burner arrived today. Should've come yesterday. But whatever. According to what I can figure out, it went out for delivery yesterday, but all I saw tracking it online was that 2 notices were left at 2 and at 5. I was here both times, and no one came by. Probably somebody wasn't doing there join at the postal service. Maybe Amazon should ship Brown. Or better yet, have Office Depot deliver it...

Hello World, for the umpteenth time....

Day two of my weekend today. Absolutely nothing planned. Aside from flashing Marshmallow on my phone today. While I did make a donation to the LeeDriod project last week, I've still decided to go with the VenomROM this time around. Mainly because it's what I've been using since I upgraded my previous phone to KitKat, and I know how it works. If it doesn't work out, I still have my copies of KitKat and Lollipop on myth phone, as well....

Edit: didn't go that well. Ended up inadvertently deleting the Google Play Services framework, so I just decided to wipe and go back to Lollipop. Easily done since I have ROM stashed away on my memory card....

A freak shaving accident.

As you can see from my profile picture, I have a goatee. Not anymore. Today is Sunday. My day off. A recovery day. A day when I can shower and take my time at it. But before I shower, I decided to shave this morning. Which meant trimming the goatee. And guess who didn’t notice the setting on the trimmer until he made the first pass with it. Oh well, I thought. I’ll just trim it down to peach fuzz, and grow it back. So after I did that, I was defining the edges when I took too much off. So, long story short I had to shave it all off. It’ll grow back though. Just give me a couple of months…

EVERYBODY PANIC!

I am cleaning my room today. I never clean my room. I don’t know how long this will last, but for your own safety, stay away….

Edit: I put a stop to it. My room isn’t clean, but there is a lot less garbage in it now. And I found my checkbook…

Happy Thursday!

All I'm going to say about today is that I don't drink, I'm not Catholic, and I'm not really that Irish*...

Happy Thursday, people....

*in a Facebook post last year, I had said that I'm not Irish, and a cousin reminded me that I have Irish ancestors, among others....

Beware the idiots of March

Today is the Ides of March. Those of use who spent high school English reading Julius Ceaser know that today was when he was assassinated. But before that, a soothsayer warned him Beware the Ides of March.

So, today is the Ides of March. It is also Super Tuesday. With all the stupidity going on, I have to warn: Beware the Idiots of March….

Making the best of past mistakes….

After writing about the mistakes I made yesterday, I realized that both Nero and Cyberlink both support Blu-Ray. And I got the Ultra/Platinum versions (not the stripped down OEM versions that come with your hardware). So I can can go and order a Blu-Ray burner from Spamazon, and I can get the cheap one that doesn’t have any software. So I ordered one. Hello two-day free shipping (I sill have Amazon Prime)…

It was still a mistake, I’m just making the best of it….

Another day, another windstorm...

Been in a spot of wild weather this week. Started right when I got off work last night, with wind. Lots of it. Then throughout today, we've gotten even worse winds. So far, my power hasn't gone out. But I left for the company meeting an hour earlier than I planned, just to make sure that I'm there on time...

If your have to go out in it, drive carefully. One person has been killed already...

So I made a mistake the past week.

I’ve used Nero for the longest of times. It just works. Though I really don’t have to burn DVD’s anymore. Anyway last week, I finally bit the bullet and ordered Nero 2016 Platinum from newegg. I also ordered CyberLink PowerDVD as well. Big mistake. I guess I didn’t look close enough. I thought I was getting a burning program. But I just bought a $99 DVD player.  Of course after I ordered it, I saw Power2Go for sale at Wally World, and so I ordered it. And they were all delivered on the same day. I just installed everything. Nero was installed first, and it went in with no issues. My only complaint with it is when I buy the ‘Platinum’ version of software, I don’t any ads for the next version. I thought I was getting the next version! The Cyberlink software was installed next. Activation went without a hitch. Again, I don’t like getting hit with demo offers when I’m buying ‘platinum’ or ‘ultra’ versions. But what can I do? They have my money, and the software is non-refundable. So I just have to eat my loss and learn my very expensive lesson. And even though I bought PowerDVD, I still have to install VLC Media Player…

I should’ve stayed with Nero. And to rub salt into it, both of the CyberLink products are on sale as a bundle for even less than I paid for them….

Four Letter Word!

So I got sufficiently tee’d off at my tower last night to just wipe it. Normally this wouldn’t be that big of a problem, as I have a 2 TB usb drive now for file backups. But I just realized that when I last restored my Firefox and Thunderbird application data, I ended up erasing it from the backup. So I’m now swearing up a storm. Though I still have my previous backup (that was on another drive). I’m still po’ed at it though.

And did you know that the control userpasswords2 trick that work in Windows XP will also work in Windows 10?

A supposedly lazy Sunday morning….

A broke a rule in this house this morning. The first one up makes the coffee. I was up first, but I didn’t make the coffee. But I did buy doughnuts….

It’s not really a day off today for me. There is a work function tonight that I have to go to, but I still have tomorrow off, so I don’t have to concern myself with turn and burn. Normally I’d be pretty tee’d off about have a day off pulled out from under me, but this is one of those ‘good’ meetings where the bonuses are passed out. And they’re feeding us, too…

Three times…

This weekend, I started with my computer running Windows 7 and my phone running Kit Kat. Friday night, I had finished updating my backup for the Tower (application of lessons learned long ago) on my 2 TB usb hard drive. For some reason, I thought it would be cool to put Windows 8.1 back on my tower. So I pulled out the system restore kit that I burned right when I brought my computer home, and I proceeded to wipe everything. After installing Win8.1, I then proceeded to update it. Over 3 GB’s of updates. And then I went to restore all my documents. But somewhere in all this, I realized why I really didn’t like Windows 8.1. So, I pulled out my Windows 10 usb thumb drive, and wiped it again. This time, I immediately went to download the 1511 update. Afterwards, I was installing drivers (all while watching Mythbusters wrap up). And then I decided to try an reinstall the SecDrv driver. Big Mistake at the time. A few minutes later, I was installing another program, and windows installer wouldn’t work. So I said fuck it, and I wiped my tower again. For the third time. This time, I didn’t dink around with the SecDrv install. And I finally got a semi-functioning Windows install. I suppose I could have gone back to 7, but that would be no fun. Besides it’s easier for me to Netflix and Hulu on my tower from Win10 than Win7.

I started this weekend with KitKat on my phone. I then gave Marshmallow a try. And I didn’t like it. So I went back to Lollipop. This wasn’t as big a deal as it is for my computer, as my phone’s memory card has enough space on it that I can keep multiple ROMs on it….

In all this, did I mention that I got a ‘new’ printer last week. My mother gave me her HP OfficeJet 4622. Like my Lexmark, it supports Wi-Fi printing, it’s a multi-function printer, and it has individual ink tanks. But unlike my Lexmark, it also support mobile printing. I can now print from my cell phone….

Jury Duty. Again.

I think I figured why I always get called to Jury Duty. From all my years in foodservice, I know how to operate the coffeemaker in the jury room….

Anyway, I just finished up another stint as a juror. It was my fifth time. I don’t mind at all. In fact I look forward to it (especially since my current employer pays me for it, too). In Washington state, employers are not required to pay employees for time missed due to jury duty. They’re just required not to fire you for taking time off for it (historically, the courts have taken a rather dim view of employers who retaliate against jurors who served….).

So, I reported my first day. All my previous terms of jury service have been for two weeks, or dismissed by the court. This time it was for only one week (or dismissed by the court). Within two hours, I was in a pool for jury selection. It started out as a questionaire. Some of the questions were rather sensetive in nature, so there was an option to answer those in private. I didn’t have to answer them, so I filled it out and handed it in. An hour later, they called some candidate jurors to come back at 1:30, and the rest of us were excused for the day. So I went to work for half a day. The next day, I came in and waited for 2 hours. They called some more back for personalized questioning. And the rest of us were sent home again for the day. So I worked another half day.

Thursday, the third day, we finally got into the court room for voir dire. And there was a reason for the questionaire and having more than a few jurors answer their questions in private. It was a criminal trial. Somebody was charged with second degree rape. Or inital term of jury service was for only 1 week, but this trial was projected to go all the way through next week. That was irrelevant to me since my aforementioned employer was paying me for this. Anyway all day Thursday, the court and the attorneys were questioning the jury pool. And finally at 4 o’clock Thursday, they finally had the jury. Everyone else who didn’t get picked was thanked and sent home, their service obligations fulfilled. Not me. 13 other jurors and myself were seated on the panel. We were sworn in as jurors. And then we were sent home for the weekend. I then told my employer that I was going to be day-to-day for the next week, and I wasn’t able to say anymore (the courts really take an even dimmer view of jurors discussing the case. Every time we were excused for lunch or recess, we were warned by the judge not to discuss the case).

So, the following Monday, the actual trial started. We heard testimony for three days. What basically happened was that a 19 year-old boy took out a 16 year old girl on a date. She had a midnight curfew. At the end of the date, they went to his house. And into his room. And they had sex. Sometime during the encounter Mr. Happy went into the wrong opening. She told him to stop he did. She left. She got home. It was after her curfew. She had hickies. She had to explain them both. So she said the “R” word. 911 got called. And once a 16 year old getting raped is reported to the authorities, it’s a genie that’s not going back in to the bottle. It didn’t help the defendant’s case that he changed his story 8 times during questioning and on the stand.

The prosecutor in his case said that the defendant just took her and forced himself upon her. The defense said it was consensual, and he stopped when she told him to. Evidence was admitted (pictures of her supposed injuries, and the clothes that she was wearing at the time). The ‘victim’ and her best friend were the first to testify. And there testimony had several holes in it. For example, they couldn’t remember a lot it (it was 9 months ago). You would think that if it really happened, you’d remember it clearly). And then there were the photos. The prosecutor said that they were bruises. No, those were hickies. And she said she was bleeding from her anus during the initial report, yet there was no evidence of it during the forensic exam (in fact, she didn’t mention it at all during the exam).

So on Thursday, the attorneys gave their closing arguments, and the case was given to us for deliberation. Within in an hour, we had a verdict. Each juror had there own reasoning for it, but we each all had our reasonable doubts. Among other reasons was the fact that he stopped. If he was really going to rape her, he would have finished it (this is a 19 year old). So we returned the only logical verdict: not guilty. I just couldn’t see this being a rape, let alone the defendant commiting one.

The sad part about this is how easily this could’ve been prevented. There were at least two sets of parents involved here. And if at least one of them had grown a pair, and laid down the law… If the boy had not brought the girl home to his room late at night (what will happen every time is Mr. Happy is going to try to make an appearance, and despite his name, he can make you sad). If the girl’s parents had insisted on meeting him beforehand. I remember when I was his age, and I dated a girl, I had to meet her parents, be vetted and approved. If he had not dated a 16 year old (again if her parents actually met him first). There were so many points of failure in this case where it could’ve been prevented it before it got to Superior Court, District 3.

I said earlier that she had to explain why she was late, and had hickies, and so she said the ‘R’ word. Once she said that, and her father called the police, the Genie was out of the bottle. First the responding deputy had to take the clothes she was wearing at the time. All of them. And they were admitted into evidence in the case. Even the hot pink thong. And then she had to go to Tacoma General for a forensic exam (the so-called ‘rape kit’). Pictures of all her ‘injuries’ were taken, and again admitted into evidence and published (even on certain body parts that you’d generally be embarassed to see). As for the defendant I’m pretty sure that the past nine months have been a pure hell for him. I’m pretty sure he’s going to excersize better judgement form now on. Next time he brings home a 16 year old girl, there’s a very good chance that he’s not going to find another jury as fair and impartial as we are.

Lessons to be learned from this: Don’t date 16 year-old girls. If you do, don’t bring them home, and into your room. If you do, Mr. Happy is going to come out, and it may not be pleasant. Parents, now is the time to lay down the law. Now is the time to be complete bitches to them about who they date. Insist on meeting their dates, and if you don’t approve don’t be afraid to lay your foot down. They may think that they’re ready for more rights and responsibilities, but they’re still your kids, and they don’t yet really understand the potential consequences…

This was my fifth jury service, and my sixth trial. I think one the reasons why I get picked for trials is that given all my previous years in foodservice, I can operate the jury room coffeemaker. But I still look forward to it. There are only two ways the average American can directly takde part in the government process: voting and jury service. If you (or I) were charged with crime we didin’t commit, then we’d want a jury trial. The system does have it’s flaws (think OJ Simpson, for example), but it’s the best of what’s around….

My weekend had been cut short....

Here I am, on the bus. My supposed weekend was cut to one day. But three are more important duties to attend to than sitting on my ass trying to preemptively fight the yucky feeling in my throat.

But more on this later. I can't tell you much now.

Another trip to the shoe store

If you remember my last trip to get feet, I got two pairs, and they weren’t cheap. But the nature of my commute means they get used quite heavily (meaning they wear out quickly). And as they wear, my feet start to get sore. Sometimes it gets so bad doing the Sore Foot Shuffle, especially at work. Today, I was at my second hob, and that was near the certain other shoe retailer (it wasn’t Wally World) that I got my other shoes from. When I got my shoes I got two pairs from two different brands (Columbia and Wolverine). They both started out ok, but recently my feet started objecting to the Wolverines.

So today, I got another pair of Columbias. Same size, same style. I also got a pair of shoe inserts. They’re a lot less than replacing my Wolverines, and maybe I just need some extra cushioning. If not, they’ll work in my Columbias as well….

It’s such a sucky morning….

It all started last night. As I took off my shoes, I noticed some soreness on my right achilles. When I took my sock off, it looked raw. Immediately, I started thinking about my commute the next morning (which on Saturday mornings involves an uber-long walk). This morning, I got up, went through my morning routine, and headed out the door. 3 blocks away, I realized it was going to be a no-go situation (mainly because I was limping out the door). And I decided to call out. Which was an adventure since the phone went down, but I did get word through.

And now I’ve got the yucky feeling in my throat. Hooray me. I think I might be bringing my supply of tea to work next week….

He can beat them both…

Tom Brady’s weakness is a Manning. Twice he went up against Eli Manning in the Super Bowl, and twince Eli Manning came back with The One Ring. This year, Tom Brady got his Well-Deserved Beating at the hands of Peyton Manning. And at the Super Bowl today, Peyton Manning gave Cam Newton a Well-Deserved Beating.

Actually it was more of the Denver Broncos defense that led them to victory. It has always been said that your offense will sell your tickets (let’s face it, fans go to games to see points on the board). But your defense is what will win your games. It’s simple: your oppenents won’t win if they don’t score…

Now onwards. The Sounders FC have started there preseason already. And the Mariners will be starting spring training shortly….

Render unto Ceaser, 2016 Edition, part II

Apparently the IRS has one thing that a drug dealer won’t find in a post office: speed. Last Sunday, I recieved word from H&R Block (I filed electronically) that my return was accepted. Saturday morning, according to the IRS refund tracker tool, my refund was approved, and I should be getting it sometime this week.

Sometimes it pays to file as soon as possible. Previous years it has taken me several weeks, up to a month to get my refund. Then there are the times when I had to pay, and I took my time to file (why be eager to pay your taxes). Then there were the times when I couldn’t afford to pay. But I still filed (past due taxes is one thing. You’ll have to pay interest and penalties). But not filing is another thing (just remember, they finally put Al Capone away for tax evasion)… But those days are in the past, and the slate with IRS was long since wiped clean…

Refund should be here Wednesday…

Sometime in the past fall….

Sometime in the past fall, I made it a point to thank the HR lady at work. What had happened was that I was given a set schedule at work. It was mainly to address a specific need at the company for somebody to consistently be there at a certain time (and I had the skill set that the company need), and also to address some concerns I was having about working late one night, and then having to turn around on short notice to be there über-early the next day (not the easiest to do when you take the bus). But one of the side effects of this was that I also got Sundays off. During football season. And that’s what I thanked her for.

So today is the Super Bowl. I’ve already been to Wally World and pillaged the deli. I’m watching the game. Not for the actual game, but for the commercials. My football season ended when the Seahawks were eliminated in the playoffs, and Tom Brady got his Well-Deserved Beating the following week. That Man-Diva has his weakness. His name is Manning. Be it Eli or Peyton.

Colin Kaepernick will be at the Super Bowl this year. If he buys a ticket…

Day off today…

Today was the first day of my weekend. A day with absolutely no football at all. Sure, there was the Pro Bowl, but that really doesn’t count. My TV has been off all day. Mainly it’s been play Flight Simulator day. And it was laundry day as well. Normally I do laundry every couple of weeks. But I kept putting it off last week. It basically boiled down to my sock drawer becoming depleted. But it’s done now.

And for the almost the entire day, my TV has been turned off…

Render unto Ceaser, 2016 Edition, part I

Did my tax return last night. And it was accepted (I filed electornically). I anticipate a refund this year (even more than years past). If you remember last year, I had to pay full price for my health insurance due to a misunderstanding with regard to the advance premium tax credit (a lesson I also took to HR at work so they could pass it on to the next co-worker who gets promoted to full-time). I wasn’t eligible for the credit in advance, but apparently I’m still eligible to take it with my tax return… This won’t be a problem next year, as I have learned my lesson, and I enrolled in the complany provided insurance as soon as open enrollment began.

But we’ll see what happens. Refund should arrive in 3 weeks…

Let’s get steamed….

A couple of weeks ago when I was reinstalling my software, I had some games that I couldn’t install. Due to security issues, The Anti-Christ published an update, that prevented a lot of my older games from working (mainly it was the technique they used to verify the CD-Rom in the drive). I found some work-arounds (namely, no-cd patched and/or installing them on my Windows XP VM). But there were some where that wouldn’t work. Then I remembered the last time I was in Gamestop and I lamented to the clerk about the lack of Windows software, and I was told about Steam. I didn’t join back then, but i did last summer. I didn’t buy anything at the time. Then a couple of weeks ago, I noticed that some of the software that I was trying to install but having no luck was on Steam and on sale.

So needless to say, I have spent way too much from my last two paychecks on games….

Yes, I know that Flight Simulator X is also on Steam, but my DVD version still works perfectly fine. I’m not much for online gaming, which is what the Steam version is mainly for…

Uh, oh…

I just did a back-up of all my stuff last night. And now I have the urge. To put Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 back on my tower. I’m trying my hardest to resist it. I have to remind myself that I hate Win8.1 for a reason, and there is no reason to go Win7.

On the other hand, I do have a current back-up, plus my entire previous back-up. Though it did take longer than when I previously wrote about it.

Man, I have way too much crap on my computer.

So I was at work yesterday…

I generally try to keep the workplace gossip to a minimum, for the most part. Most rumors are best kept to a minimum, especially if there’s no truth to them. Yet there are times when you hear good news through the scuttlebutt. Sometimes you want to share it, like when a co-worker gets promoted. Or you need to keep it quiet.

Long story short, I heard a couple of items on the scuttlebutt that are very good news if they’re true. But I cannot confirm them. So I guess the right thing is to hold my tongue on them.

But I will say this: Things are looking up.

So, I got a calendar 10 years ago….

It all started when I got a calendar. Actually I was in the midst of a system rebuild at the time, and I had downloaded and installed a browser called Flock, and being a ‘social’ web browser, when you first ran it, it gave you instructions on how to set up a blog. And that’s how The Voices From Within My Head came in to being. I had actually thought about blogging for a while, but this was just the right nudge to get started. I had also been originally inspired to start a blog by Igwanarob. As of tomorrow, this blog will be 10 years old. Since then:

• I’ve replaced my tower. Twice. And I’ve gotten 3 laptops. Two of the towers died (Magic Blue Smoke off the motherboard for the first one. The secod one just stopped). Laptops didn’t die. I got the first one as a contigency in case the tower died, and then by boss at the time sold me his a year later, so I sold my first one. Then I got comfortable with my tower, and so I gave my laptop to a co-worker. The last laptop was given to me by my mother, and it sits in the lving room, on standby if my tower bite the dust.
• I moved. Twice. First from Puyallup to Parkland. And then from one apartment to another.
• My 2 brothers moved out and went our separate ways. Then one brother and I moved back in together. As long as we have our separate rooms, we can tolerate each other.
• I’ve gone through 9 cable boxes, 6 hard drives, 5 video cards, 4 tv cards, 2 wi-fi cards, 3 usb hubs, 2 joysticks, three game pads, 4 printers, 3 crt monitors, 1 lcd monitor, 3 keyboard/mouse combos, and 4 DVD burners.
• I’ve gone from Windows ME to Windows 10. Even Windows 8.1 (which is what my current tower had when it came from Worst Buy). However I did manage to successfully skip Windows Vista. I did dabble with Linux on occaision, but mainly I’m a windows person, though I hate to admit it….
• I’ve changed jobs. Left one job not on good terms, started another, then made peace with the first employer (and I still work for him, btw), and the second job I started made me full-time (complete with vacation, sick leave, and benefits).
• I’ve done jury duty. Twice.
• I’ve joined Facebook, Myspace, and Twitter (actually this is my third time on Twitter). the MySpace account got cancelled a long time ago…
• I quit Usenet. On occaision, I thought about getting back on board, but the there is too much noise, not enough signal to make it worthwhile anymore. Besides if I want to read something in NANAE, I can use google now…
• I started drinking. And I quit drinking. I don’t need to be drunk, and I just don’t like alcohol. Trust me, you don’t need to drink. It’s not worth it…

ANd if you wanted to call me, you would’ve reached me on:

1. A Nokia 3595 (T-Mobile Prepaid).
2. A Nokia 6030 (T-Mobile Prepaid).
3. Samsung T619 (T-Mobile Contract).
4. Motorola RIZR Z3 (T-Mobile Contract). This was the first phone I bought from my boss).
5. T-Mobile Shadow (aka the HTC Phoebus).\
6. Blackberry Curve (I realized very quickly that I do not like Blackberrys).
7. Another T-Mobile Shadow.
8. HTC Touch Pro 2.
9. HTC HD2.
10. HTC MyTouch 4G.
11. HTC Senstation. (These last two phones, I actually had for less the 2 days, as there were other factors that necessitated me returning them).
12. HTC EVO 3D (now on Sprint).
13. HTC One (M7)
14. And finally HTC One (M8). Some of these phones I got on contract. Some were hand me downs I got from my boss at the time.

This blog started with a calendar. And then a post about a Seahawks game. Actually come to think of it, it may have started even earlier, but those early posts were long since deleted. But I still have plenty of Voices to write about….

Hello Monday

Yes, the world calls today Tuesday, but it is my Monday. And I'm off to work. Whether or not it'll be a good day is up in the air. All I can do is drink my coffee and hope for the best. But it can't be that bad. I mean I still have a job. And so far I've made two out of three of my buses to work....

Have a nice day. If it isn't nice, then try to leave it at least better than yoy found it...

Yet another passing

Today it was Glenn Frey. I was born in the ‘70s (73 if you really need to be that nosy). By the time I had my first radio, The Eagles had already broken up, and Don Henley and Glenn Frey were just solo artists. In all actuality, my father was in the army, and we were stationed in Germany. And the only English radio stations were controlled my the Army. So, I never heard any Eagles. I did hear a good deal of The Heat Is On, and there were a couple of Don Henley songs that I remember.

Btw, they did reunite again in the ‘90s…

Sorry, this was the best quality video I could find...

With David Bowie, Lemmy, and now Glenn Frey, there must be one heck of a concert going on in the afterlife…

So now football season is over

So now that football season is over. Sure, there are still a few games left, including a Super Bowl. But the Seahawks aren’t going to be a part of it. Though I should also add that I made it a point to thank HR at work for giving me Sundays off during football season.

Tonight there will be no Sunday Night Football. I suppose I could Hulu Thunderbirds, South Park, or I could Netflix.

But I shall do none of that. Tonight, it’s turn off the computer and watch 300.

Cancer sucks…

First there was Lemmy in Mortorhead. In all honesty, I never listened to them. I saw them first when they did an appearance on The Tonite Show with Jay Leno right after Jay Leno took over the show.

Then there was David Bowie. This one hurt. I didn’t even know he was sick. He wanted his cancer to be kept secret, and I admire him for that. I could never keep something like that quiet. But he did leave his fans with a parting gift, releasing an album right before his passing. He will be missed.

And then there was this one:

And then there was Alan Rickman. You may know him as Snape. Or Hans Gruber. Or the Voice of God. Or the Sheriff of Nottingham. On a side note: Roger Rees, who play the Sheriff of Rottingham in Robin Hood: Men in Tights also passed away this year earlier.

Cancer sucks.

Btw, here’s another one by David Bowie, covered by the Wallflowers:

It’s over…

The Seahawks season is now over. I think we did good during the last game to come back from 31-0 to lose 31-24 to Carolina. But it’s now on to other things. Like the Sounders FC and the Mariners. Spring training is only a few weeks away, and they’ll do better than last year. I hope. The New World Order (Mind-Control Division) is always unpredicatable. And the Sounders FC are always perrinial play contenders….

Roll Tide…

Alabama just won the College Football Champoinship game, defeating Clemson. Now the Bowl Season is officially over. Now there will be no more Monday Night Football. I think I’ll start Netflixing and Huluing from now on. After all, when I got my Blu-Ray player, I did make sure to get one with apps…

But I digress. Roll Tide. Until next fall. But meanwhile, there will be the Sounders FC, the Mariners, and The New World Order (Mind-Control Division) in general.

Now back to Jonny Sokko and His Flyong Robot…

So long, I never used you to begin with....

My computer no longer has Bluetooth. In the fall of 2009, I bought a USB Bluetooth dongle from Wally World. I installed the drivers from the cd-rom, and always had problems with it. Then I downloaded the right drivers from the internet, and it worked fine. I could pair my smartphone with it, and with Windows Mobile, I could sync my phone with it. And I could use my bluetooth headphones with it as well. Therein lies the problem. I never used my bluetooth headphones on my computer. I always had my computer hooked up to my 250w stereo system, and had my sound routed through that. And after I upgraded to Android smartphones, my phones synced through my Google account. And I never needed to tether my internet connection with them. At home, all my gadgets connect to the same house Wi-Fi.

But there is was, on my usb hub. Due to interference issues, I actually had to get another usb hub to connect some of my components, and still keep them separated. And there were also the process that started up, using memory and processor.

So tonight, I took it out and uninstalled the software. So long Bluetooth. I never really used you on my computer...

At the doctors office....

Not necessarily the doctor's office. But with the company health insurance, I get a discount on my premium if I go in for some 'healthy living' screening. There's nothing new to me in  these tests. In fact there the same tests that the doctor orders even I go to see him. It's just work is picking them up this time....

Of course if work doesn’t pick this up, then I'll take it from there. Hopefully I won't have another $600 bill this time...

Going well so far

Last week, I put Windows 10 on my computer for good. I’m still installing my software, and ‘moving in’, so to say. But today was a significant milestore. I installed Flight Simulator X and Flight Simulator 2004. And they both work. And with their installations, I finally formatted my previous hard drive. I kept it intact as an archive so I could access my documents and stuff (I had two other 1 tB hard drives that used for day-to-day back-ups), and so if I so decided, I could put it back in and go back to that Windows install. I’m also reinstalling my really old games (the ones that wouldn’t even work in Windows 7) on my VMware Player Windows XP VM (I had one previously, but I lost it last June).

Not all my old games are going to be reinstalled. Some I never played. Others I’ll install when I play them. It’s going to be a work in progress for a while, I guess.

But I’m at the point now where I’m spending more time using my computer now, rather than just installing software and updates….

Off to Carolina

The Seahawks just beat the Vikings 10-9. Now it’s off to Carolina next week. They won on a missed chip shot field goal.

But it’s off to Carolina next week. A rematch from week 6. The Panthers lost only 1 game in  the regular season. Let’s make it 2…

What to do now?…

It’s Monday Night. The time when I’m running about getting ready to go to work tomorrow. With Discovery Channel on the tv. And then I realized it. I wasn’t watching Monday Night Football. Football season is over. It’s now the playoffs. And the Seahawks are favoured to win. On the road.

Mental note: tell HR at work that football season is now over, and I can work on Sundays if needed. Actually they do know that I’ll work on Sundays, and I have. Though with Sundays off, I can avoid dealing with Pierce Transit sunday schedules. Where I’d normally make a connection within 5 minutes on a weekday, on Sundays, I have wait upto 30 minutes to make my connections. Or I have to walk 4.5+ miles

So, what should I do now? I guess get ready for work and go to bed….

Once a year….

Ever since I’ve been in Washington, I’ve always noticed one thing. We always got snow at least once every winter. When I was growing up, I always hoped for the snow day from school, not realizing that we would have to make up the missing classwork, and have a snow make-up cut into summer vacation. My last school district actually engineered that into the school calendar. If we missed school due to snow, we came to school that day (it was usually scheduled in the spring). If we didn’t have any snow days, then that was an extended weekend… Now that I’m working for a living, if I see snow, I’ll enjoy the scene while it comes down. Then I’ll sear and curse at it as I have to go to work, and while it’s enough to make your commute a pain in the ass, it’s not enough to close the workplace…

But I digress. Like I said, we’ve always had at least one day of snow every winter since I’ve been in Washington. And today was the day. I didn’t have to worry about work or school (it was my regularly scheduled day off).

BTW, when it snows, it’s cloudy. If it’s cloudy it’s usually not down into the teens. So, I’d probably not be calling out due to snow, unlike yesterday…. In fact, since I take the bus, and I live along a state highway that’s usually the first to be plowed, sanded, salted, and de-iced, I can usually make it to work…

We’re off to Minnesota

The Seahawks are off to Minnesota. They got into the playoffs a couple of weeks ago, but I was too busy to write about it (something about having to wile my phone twice). And then there were the holidays and all.

So we’re off to pillage the Vikings. We’ve been there before this year. And we’ve beat them soundly in Minnesota. I just Beast Mode will be back…

Go/No-Go....

I've always said that if the temperatures fall into the teens, I'd call out at work. Not all the times. Most of the time, I can make it to work, even if it's that cold. But every once in a while, there's a time when I have to walk 4 and a half miles to the bus stop, and then about two miles to work from where I get off the bus. In those cases, if the temperature is in the teens, it's a no-go for me.... If it's even in the 20's. In that case, I can warm up from the excersize of the walk. But if it's the teens it's just pure freezing my balls off cold. And excersize won't warm me up....

So I get up this morning. Saw that it was 19 degrees at 1:30 this morning. And it tends to get even colder (about this time of year, the low temperature of the day is actually reached rght around sunrise). So I placed a call to the night manager....

2015–Another Strange Trip

New Years Day is right around the corner. Due to my work schedule (I have to be up and dark thirty tomorrow morning), I will probably be well asleep by the time the evelator goes up the Space Needle…

When I comes to New Years Resolutions, I only have one this year: not to have any. If I need to improve, I ought to be doing it right away, not put it off till the next holiday. I also need not publicly state my resolutions. There are just some things that need to be kept to themselves.

Much happened this year:

• My employer put me on a fixed schedule. I don’t know how long it will last, but I will enjoy it while it lasts. Sometimes good things happen when you just show up. While I’ve tried transferring to a location that’s closer, that’s not going to happen. But I just have to make the best of what’s around. And what I have is a good thing.
• I got the Xfinity X1 operating system. This in an of itself was the subject of a few entries. But in the end, it works.
• I learned the hard way that if you go full time enroll in the company health care plan while you still can. Paying full price for health insurance is no fun.
• I went through 5 pairs of shoes. On at least more that one occaision, I had to call in sick because of foot problems. Not really diabetic related, but more because of ill-fitting shoes. I can find a good pair at Wally World for a cheap price, but they would only last for a month. Finally last September, I went to Famous Footwear and two pairs of not cheap shoes. And I haven’t had any probems since. And with two pairs, I can alternate between shoes if I get my feet wet.
• I tried my hand at applying for another job, and even got an interview lined up, only to have to cancel it due to aforementioned foot problems.
• Discretion is still the better part of valor. Some things I wanted to say here, but I held my peace.
• Working 12 and 15 days straight. But my former boss got to see Disneyland. And I realized I still like Mrs. Fields’ Cookies…

What am looking for this year:

• Enrolling in the company health insurance. For most of the past year, I was paying full price for a Bronze level plan. And in addition to the full price premiums, it took me over 6 months to pay off a 20 minute doctors check up. With my current employer, the gold level plan will cost less than what I was paying for Bronze. I’ve heard some gripe about the level of coverage provided, but then again, I’ve gone without coverage at all (no fin if you’re a type I diabetic).
• 2 weeks’ paid vacation. I only got 7 days’ vacation this year, because my promotion to full-time was in the middle of the fiscal year, so my vacation was pro-rated. All apologies to my former boss, but my vacation this year will be me sitting on my ass…
• Maybe the Mariners having a winning season….

Stuff I’m planning on this year:

• Picking one operating system for my computer and sticking with it. Which means Windows 10, most likely.
• Paying down my credit cards. Life in general is better when you’re debt levels are down…
• Cleaning my room. I have an easy chair in my room. Once upon a time, I used to sit in it. I need to take my chair back….

Yes 2015 was a strange trip. Were it anything other, though, and I would be seriously concerned. Here’s to 2016 being another strange trip…

Two last Christmas presents

I know I posted a week ago that I was done with my Christmas shopping. I was wrong.  Christmas Morning, my brother wanted me to check the Sprint account to see if his line was upgrade eligible. It was. He then was talking about going to Worst Buy to get on the iPhone for life plan. Unbeknownst to him, I went to the Sprint website, and ordered his iPhone 6s Plus, and set the appointment to pick it up. Abd be just got it today. With the iPhone for life plan, whenever a one comes out, he can go in and get it. It is a $23+ a month payment as we're leasing the phone. But he's happy, and I made sure he has enough memory (64 gB).

While I was out and abøøt today, I also found a copy of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (the Gene Wilder film). I was looking for it before Christmas, but I couldn't find it. I know who they're going to....

It is over….

Not Christmastime. I traditionally celebrate it through the New Year. I’m Old Skool. I don’t gear up mentally for Christmas untill about 12 days before, and then up to 12 days afterward, gradually winding down around New Years. The madness of Black Friday is a part of Thanksgiving (which lasts until the turkey runs out)…
But I digress. What’s over? My vacation. This week, I took a vacation day on Christmas Eve to allow for travel to the Big Bryant Family reunion (I carpool to my siblings on Christmas Day). And after Christmas Eve and Christmas day, I took another vacation day to recover (this was all planned out in September, and approved in December).
So for Christmas Eve, at the Big Bryant Family reunion, there was much food to be consumed. An aunt brought her seven layer dip (one year she didn’t, and I think she almost got disowned). There was the one cousin who’s forehead I have to polish for good luck. And lots of food. About 3 insulin shots’ worth…
Christmas morning, we went to a sisters house. There were cats (this sister is the designated Crazy Cat Lady, but Rufus and Princess Bernice didn’t mind the attention). And the hyperactive dogs in the backyard. All of whom were very happy to see me. And much food. And much leftovers that I’m still munching on…
For the first time since 1998, I actually put a present under the tree for my brother. I got him a gift card to Worst Buy, and a desk lamp. He got me a complete bedding set (2 set of sheets & pillowcases, and a comfortor). I think he wants me to make my bed. Christmas Eve at the Family reunion, we do it white elephant style. I put my present under the tree, drew my number and waited my turn. My turn came, and I got a serving tray. Which I traded to a cousin for hot cocoa set and a coffee mug. At my sisters, I got:

• 2 Target gift cards. This is what I usually get from my parents. Either this or Wally World. I don’t mind a bit. I can put these away, and get what I need later.
• A lego minifig. I haven’t touched legos in well over 25 years. I need to rectify that.
• My Festivus hat. Forget Christmas. Festivus is where it’s at. Though my brother insists on an actual Christmas tree, so no Festivus Pole. And this year, the only chance I got to Air the Grievances came in a Twitter troll of Brother Charles. Maybe next year. A donation has been made on your behalf to the Human Fund…
• Gloves. That are touchscreen compatible. They will come in handy.
• A copy of The League of Regrettable Superheroes: The Loot Crate Edition. I think I may have to sign up for Loot Crate. But that will have to wait for January’s finances to resolve themselve first.

For giving gifts this year, I cheated. Everybody got gift cards to Best Buy. Except my brother, who got the aforementioned lamp. And come Monday, he’s getting a shiny new iPhone 6 Plus.
I hope you enjoyed your Christmas/WinterPaganHoliday/DayOff/Festivus/Hanukkuh…. Just remember it’s not over yet. There’s still New Years….

Christmas morning has begun….

Christmas morning has begun. Not because we realized that Santa came last night (not really, more on that later). No, Christmas morning has begun because I have my coffee. And my insulin shot.
So, after the Big Bryant Family reunion last light in Olalla, we all went our separate ways. I hitched a ride home with a cousin. But late last night, as my father was cleaning up, he heard a burglar on the roof. He attempted to come in through the chimney. I was a rather tight fit, as the would-be crook was rather obese. So, while he was struggling with the chimney and the flue, my father did the only thing that you should do when somebody tries to enter your house on Christmas Eve through your chimney: Call the pollice. They responded. And by the time he finally got into the fireplace, they greeted him with guns drawn. Needless to say, he got the cuffs slapped on him and he got his ass hauled off to jail. He had a bag of goods with him, obviously stolen from all the other houses in the neighbourhood. And he kept saying “Ho, ho, ho”. Obviously he was also some sort of street pimp…
In an unrelated story, there were no presents underneath my tree this morning, and I hear my father had to call animal control this morning. Something about 8-9 reindeer on his roof….

So, if you’re wondering….

It’s raining outside. It is close to midnight on Christmas Eve. So your chances of getting toys tomorrow morning are in serious jeopardy. Mainly because Santa has to go on visual flight rules this year, since Rudolph no longer has a red nose.
On the bright side, Rudolph is now sober…

Off to Grandma's house....

On the bus to Grandma's for the big Christmas Eve family reunion. Pulled the tablet out, remembering that I still have data service on it that I hardly use....

So if I'm not online the next couple days of so, let me wish you and yours a merry Christmas. Or, if you're not into Christmas, a happy holiday, whatever it may be (many, if not most of the world's religions and /or cultures celebrate a winter holiday, abd it need not be Christmas ). Or if you're not celebrating any holiday, there's a good chance you have tomorrow off, so enjoy your day off. Failing that, then have a nice day...

It is finished!

I was out the door at 5 yesterday morning. At work by 7. Worked my 8 hour shift, and got out of there by 3:30. Then I went to the mall. The mall I chose s the Commons at Federal Way. Didn't get out of there until 6:30, but I can now say for sure that my Christmas shopping is done. All of it. And I even got a spare present in case there's a lady minute addition to the family reunion...

At last, it is finished. At least until next year. Most people don't realize that the most important part of guy's Christmas shopping is the procrastination. The closer to Christmas eve you do it, the more sporting an experience it becomes. And doing it before Black Friday is just plain unsportsmanlike...

Still the Worst. Customer. Service. Ever.

Technorati Tags: Comcast

You may have read about my issues with Comcast here and here. But I have now fixed my issues for good. Here’s how I did it:
After my last post on the matter, Comcast finally cancelled my home phone service. I still wasn’t thrilled with my service at the time, but it was somewhat bearable. I could live with it. I didn’t have a DVR in my room, but if I used the TV Remote Android app, I could have a DVR function. Fast forward to December 4 when a Comcast salesman came door-to-door. BTW, it is posted no soliciting/no trespassing at my apartment complex. I was at work at the time, but my brother was at home, and made it clearly known that it was my account, and I was the only one authorized to make any changes to it. This salesman made some entries on his iPad, ostensibly to update my address, and went on his way. I didn’t know anything was up until I came home from work, and saw his business card on my mail pile. I didn’t think anything of it until the following Saturday when I got an order confirmation emailed to me, regarding my ‘new’ order, along with installation fee. I hit the roof.
Needless to say, the next Monday, I went to the Federal Way cable store (given my previous experiences with the reps, perhaps this wasn’t the best of choices) and asked for the manager. And I was told he wasn’t there. So I left. I then reached out to Xfinity via Facebook, and finally got someone with more than two neurons. They had to do some research, but they discovered that my account had been closed and reopened (most likely the door-to-door sales moron had churned my account to make his commision). But in doing so, he knocked out the TV service in the living room, and took out what little DVR I had in my room. Fortunately, Comcast was able to recover my account. And they gave me a $100 bill credit (something possibly also to do with being billed for 4 months for phone service after I returned the equipment). Anyway, I still didn’t have any DVR whatsoever in my room, and it was finally decided to dispatch a tech to see what’s wrong.
And that was this morning. Cable guy came out. First thing I mentioned was the possibilty of a filter (something a friend of mine who is a Comcast installer mentioned). Tech checks out the Comcast box, and lo! there is a filter there that shouldn’t have been. So he took that out (had that not been there, I would’ve never had any of these problems with DVR issues to begin with. Then he troubleshot why my box wasn’t DVR’ing, and it turned out he just needed to reset it. With the filter taken out, I could’ve gone back to a satellite box, but I decided to keep my second master box, mainly for the voice operated remote. And the clock…
But my service is now working again. I’m happy with it. I’m definitely not happy with the trouble that Comcast put me through, though. If the first phone call I had placed was not routed to an offshore call center (or even if that first rep that I called spoke English), if the rep at the cable store had not given me the high-pressure sales pitch, orhad he not treated me like trash when I decided that I didn’t want home phone service. Or had they cancelled my home phone service when I returned my equipment, instead of telling to call the loyalty line (which, btw, when I did finally make the call, they were unable to do). It’s like what the tech said when he came to my house, if they just gave the customers what they wanted, instead of trying to sell them what they needed. Comcast has some very good services. But their downfall is their customer service….

So I was listening to real Christmas music last week…

So, last week, I was listening to Handel’s Messiah. Fired it up on the bus to work. And I fired it up again on the way home from work. By the time I got off the bus, it was over. I noticed that there were at least two drunks thrown off the bus. And I didn’t notice the drama at all, and I didn’t care.
Maybe I should listen to more classical music on the bus…

The weekend has begun….

It is Sunday now. The first day of my weekend. I have today and tomorrow off, then I work two days, then I have 3 days off (work is closed for Christmas day, and I’m taking vacation for Christmas Eve and the day after Christmas). While most full-time employess at my job are gettint 32+8 (meaning they’re working only 4 days this week and getting paid for Christmas, as it is a company holiday, and we’re closed that day. But I’m scheduled an extra day this week. I went to HR, and I was told that I’m one of the few who are scheduled for 40+8 this week. Ok. I can deal with this. I’ll just have to make do with the extra 8 hours’ pay in my next check. I can deal with it. It is nice to know that I’m that important to the workplace in the eyes of management. Though in my opinion there are others at work that are just as good as me, if not even better, and they’re not getting the same recongition…..
First thing’s first. Cable guy was out here at ten this morning. Long story short, I now have a working DVR with Xfinity X1. But there will be more on this later…
Next up be to watch Johnny Football get his ass handed to him by the Seahawks. Then there’s a Sunday Night game…
Tomorrow’s agenda will be to finish up Christmas shopping. And to bring the laptop up to my former employer and help him set up a couple of presents that he’s getting for his kids. And to finish mine. The big family reuinion we do out christmas gift white elephant style, but still, I want to out some effort into it…

Hello Friday

So there's this new Star Wars film opening this weekend. Apparently Luke Skywalker is defending Sto'Ko'Vor from Xur and the Ko'dan Armada....

Actually, I've never seen it, but I've seen the Wikipedia article on it, so what really happens is Luke Skywalker teams up with Elvis to save the galaxy from Major League Baseball and Rodan....

But seriously, I'll tell yoy how the movie ends:

The credits roll...

Hello World!

Windows Live Writer is dead. Long Live Open Live Writer. Window Live Writer will no longer be updated (last version was released in 2012). It is still in pre-beta, but it does support Google’s new authorization (which is also why Scribefire will no longer work, unless it is updated). THere are still bugs to work on, (like no speel check, or the ability to add catagories yet).

But it’s still a beginning….

Ok, so I started listening to real Christmas today....

I finally broke down. I finally fired up my mp3 player and put some Christmas on to play. No, this wasn't the Black Album. Though Enter Sandman is a necessity to keep my sanity after hearing The Little Drummer Boy and Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer ad nauseum. There are a few other Christmas songs that I can tolerate and even like, though I'm intentionally limiting my exposure to them to keep it that way...

Anyway, I'm listening to Christmas Music. And religious music at that. I'm listening to The Messiah: A Sacred Oratorio. By a Mr. George Frederic Handel...

With about 10 day to go till Christmas...

With about 10 days to go till Christmas, I find myself listening to Christmas carols. I avoid them like the plague at work. I can only listen to Rudolph the Red-Nosed Riendeer and The Little Drummer Boy so many times before I go insane. But I find myself listening to them again. Not just any. But there are some that I can listen to without going insane.

I'm very much against the Christmas Creep. Many years ago, when I worked in the Malls, I saw the signs on Nordstrom that they wouldn't set the stores up for Christmas until after Thanksgiving. But I'm taking it a step further. I'm no longer even think about anything Christmas like until at the most 12 day before Christmas. So I will indulge myself in a Christmas carol once in a while.

Note: I did buy my copy of the Black Album during December, so it counts as Christmas....

So, I was watching TV last night....

So I was watching TV last night, and a new trailer came on for the new Independence Day movie, coming out this summer, I assume. My only question is will the aliens still be running pre-Mac OSX compatible hardware, and will Rico's Marauders protect up from Xur and the Ko'dan Armada?...

An experiment in just pushing the middle word in SwiftKey....

Hello World from the library and I will not be received by UPS or the shipper directly if you have any questions or concerns about the actual job and Bob has the loudest car horn and I will not be received by UPS or the shipper directly....

The preceeding is what happens when you just go with first word in SwiftKey Flow prediction....

Until further notice...

Since I have to use either the blogger website (which is not the WYSIWYG editor that Windows Live Writer was) or the blogger apps for Andriod, owing to Open Live Writer not yet having Blogger support, all spelling/grammar mistakes shall be left here intentionally.

Actually, I'll try to correct them. But, especially when using the Andriod apps, auto-cowreck is going to be an issue...

So there was a shooting in California recently...

I'm not post any links to the San Bernardino shootings. Violence is inherently evil. Even more so in the name of religion. What happened was a senseless act, perpetrated by a radicalised lone wolf, imo. I'm not really going to say what I think about it,  mainly because I've posted it before. But what I find just as disturbing has been sine of the responses. First of all is the blame all the Muslims response. The shooters were inspired by ISIL. People who would blame all the Muslims need to understand that the majority of ISIL's victims are Muslim themselves. There are those who would ban Muslim immigration and the refugees coming in from Syria. I've seen one post on Facebook try to pull a law out of context to make it seem that Islam is illegal, never minding that the 1st amendment to the constitution specifically guarantees freedom of religion. I may not agree with the faith that you practice, but I will defend your right to practice it.  I've seen enough anti-muslim posts on Facebook. I've permanently filtered a couple of people. Maybe I should start unfriending people, and reporting posts as hate speech. ...

I'm not trying to justify the shootings. But blaming all of Islam fit the actions of ISIL is like judging all of Christianity for the actions of the KKK or Westboro Baptist Church.

I guess it boils down to being the price of freedom. You have the right to free speech. It also means that people with different opinions can express them. You have the right to practice the faith of your choice. It also means that your neighbors can worship according to their conscience as well. I'm free. You're free. Our neighbors are free. We don't have to be the same. We just have to get along....

4 in a row...

The Seahawks are now 8-5. The Vikings got their heads handed to them last week. And the Ravens got the well-deserved beating this week as well. If the season ended right now, they'd be in the playoffs. Let's hope they keep it that way....

Taking a step back...

So, A couple of weeks ago, I posted that I was going to Windows 10. I have a confession to make. I went back to Windows 7. There are 4 reason: MechWarrior 4: Vengeance, MechWarrior 4: Black Knight, MechWarrior 4: Mercenaries, and MechWarrior 4: Mercenaries MekTek. I could get them to install into my WinXP vm on VMWare Player, but there were issues. Starting with the slowness of the graphics. Eventually, I will go to Windows 10. But I don't think I'm quite ready yet for that now.

BTW, this is why I haven't been posting anything of late....

So I was going to sign in....

Ok, apparently Google has decided not to let Windows Live Writer access blogger anymore. Apparently in the name of security. Anyway, Windows Live Writer will never work with OAuth 2.0, which is what Google is now using for login.

But there is hope on the horizon. It's called Open Live Writer. It is a work in progress. So far, I can't get it login to Blogger yet, but they say they will support it. Eventually. But for now, I'm writing this from Google Chrome...

Happy Holiday To All….

No real message here. Just a lame excuse to post One by Metallica. My favorite Christmas carol….

Way to go!

Way to go Brock Osweiler! The New England Patriots are no longer undefeated. And Tom Brady now has received his Well-Deserved Beating… At least if Payton Manning doesn’t come back, the Denver Broncos have a viable option….

At least, we know the reigning Super Bowl champs are mortal….

The Plus Sides of Windows 10….

It has taken awhile. And I kept switching from Windows 7, Windows 8.1 Pro Pack, and Windows 10 but I’ve finally settled on Windows 10 Professional. It has been said that The Anti-Christ skips every other generation when it comes to OS development. Windows 98 was the first really good operating system. Windows ME was the bastard child of Windows 2000 and Windows 98. And it sucked. It was call Windows Millennium Edition, but it should've been called Windows Malfunctioning Edition. I’m not counting Win2000 in this, as it was not developed for consumer use, and I never used it. Windows XP was great. I used it for the longest of times. Over 10 years. In fact, I still have a Virtual Machine of it for when I have to run something (like a really old game), and it won’t run on Win10. Then there was Windows 8. It was so bad that when Microsoft developed it’s successor that they skipped a number to distance it from Windows 8.

Anyway, here’s what I like about Windows 10:

• The app store. Google Play has it. Spamazon has it for Android. Why not Microsoft? This way, apps distributed by Microsoft (like calendar and email) can be updated without windows update.
• The apps. With Win7, for example, you could Netflix through Windows Media Center. With Windows 10, Windows Media Center is gone, but Netflix is available as an app from the app store. As is Hulu (I myself have upgraded to the ad-free Hulu Plus). And there are a few other video apps. There are also other apps. Like CNN, USA Today, several news organizations…..
• Facebook and Twitter have Windows 10 apps. Which means I no longer have to fire up my browser to respond when I get trolled on Facebook. Though as a side note, I’ve found the best thing to do when you do get trolled is absolutely nothing. They will go away if you just don’t feed them. Something I learned from Usenet…
• The calendar and mail apps. I just realized today that all I have to do is put my Google account (where I keep my contacts and my calendar) in, and now my Google contacts and calendar are automatically populated. Even with the latest version of Outlook 2016, I still have to use a third party app (I use GoContact Sync) to sync my Google Calendar & Contacts. Whereas with Thunderbird, it takes a couple of extensions, but once I install and configure them, I don’t have to do anything else…
• ISO support. During my misadventures on the internet, I’ve downloaded .iso images off the internet, and in the past, I’ve used Gizmo Drive to mount the .iso file like an optical drive to browse what I’ve needed (especially when I’ve installed Visual Studio Express). With Win10, windows explorer supports .iso images natively. Which is good, as I only have Nero 2015, and won’t be able to afford Nero 2016 for a while….
• The start menu. I liked the start menu in WinXP and Win7, and the ability I had to reorganize according to my tastes (and I had my ways of organizing it). With Windows 8/8.1, the start menu was replaced by the metro start screen. I hated it. With Windows 10, a compromise was reached. I have the start menu now. And though I can’t set up and rearrange the folders like I want, I can rearrange the Metro Style tiles as I see fit. And with the November update, there is extra space for tiles to make Windows 10 my own…

All in all, I’m still ‘moving in’ to Windows 10. I haven’t installed any of my Flight Simulators, or any of my MechWarrior games, though I think my Combat Flight Simulator and MechWarrior games will be destined for my WinXP virtual drive. It’s not something that is going to be done overnight. But I have all my hardware drivers installed, and Firefox. So, it’s a work in progress. But I’m still using it.

A winning record….

The Seahawks finally got a winning record today. Defeating Pittsburgh 30-39 today at the CLink. What has happened this season is when the Seahawks get to .500, they immediately go and lose at least two games. Which they then win again. Then they’ll lose again. But the streak is over. They won today.

They also won recently against the Forty-Whiners. At home. If they had lost that one, then there would have been calls for Pete Caroll to commit seppuku….

Ate too much….

Went to my sister’s house today for Thanksgiving. And I ate too much, as is standard procedure for Thanksgiving. And I made sure to make an extra trip to grocery store to be sure that I have enough fixin’s for the mandatory Black Friday Turkey sandwiches (not to necessarily disclose who my current employer is, but my current employment is retail related). I just had to have not one, but two gravy volcanoes.

But the high point of Thanksgiving at my sisters wasn’t the food, or the family. Tonight was the very first time that I posted a cat picture to Facebook. I don’t own a cat, but Duecie stepped up to the challenge and was the stunt cat….

On Grattitude….

Well, tomorrow is Thanksgiving. Supposedly a day to celebrate gratitude. I could go on about Pilgrims, Native Americans, and Soylent Green, but I digress. So here’s what I’m thankful for, in no particular order:

1. Family. Only one’s family can understand one’s insanity.
2. Co-workers (and my job). At work, it’s like a family. Almost. There are some that I don’t want to come home with me, but we all have each others’ backs.
3. My job. Hey, my bills aren’t going to pay themselves. And it’s a job that I like. And with recent developments (like have a set schedule), it has become something that I’m really grateful for. Oh, and the paid vacation, sick leave, and health insurance are nice, as well (there are some who would grumble about the insurance, but I remember not having any for many years…)
4. My friends. I have friends in Real Life. I have online friends. And they both mean a lot. Sometimes they’re friends both online and in real life. Then there are those that I can longer reach. But I’m still thankful that I got to know them when I did. Maybe someday I’ll connect with them again. But if that is not to be, then I still wish them well.
5. Health. Yes, I’m a Type I diabetic, and there are issues with that. My teeth aren’t in the best of shape. But I still wake up in the morning. I’m still vertical. And I still make it to work.
6. The future.

There is always room at the top….

More on the recent events in Paris….

After my last post, I’m still compelled to write more about it. We must not condemn Islam for this. I’ve seen too many ‘kill the Muslims’ posts on social media. To judge Islam by the actions of these terrorists is like the world judging Christianity by the actions of Westboro Baptist Church. We shouldn’t go blaming Muslims in general. I have friends who are Muslim. And this isn’t them.

When I was growing up (in the Cold War), I was a War Hawk. I wanted the Russians to be blown to smithereens. I never thought about the consequences, only the here and now. It wasn’t until Operation Desert Storm that I realized that with war, there is the aftermath. Even for a victor. Through the years, I’ve come across the spectrum, and now I’m a dove. War is evil. Violence is evil. Especially in the name of religion.

Before you go saying ‘go kill the Muslims’ just remember what the Good Book has said: Judge not lest ye be judged. Take a look in the mirror. If you’re so set on killing someone because they’re not a Christian, then you’re no better than ISIS. Historically more atrocities have been committed in the name of Christianity than Islam.

But having said that, it doesn’t make the terrorists’ actions in Paris right. Nor does it make any terrorists’ actions right. Nor any violence in the name of religion. Can’t people just get along.?

Neither should we be blaming the Syrian refugees, as I have seen again on social media. This is the same violence that they’re fleeing from. And people are blaming them for it?

More on this later. I have so many thoughts on this, but I have to clear my head…

Liberté, égalité, fraternité!

I’m not going to post any links to the recent tragedy in France. If you can read this, you probably have an internet connection, and you can probably find more current information than I can provide. Needless to say, violence is evil.

There is something fundamentally evil in the use of violence, especially in the name of religion. Just because everybody else uses it doesn’t make it any less wrong….

My thoughts are with the French people at this time. And with all the victims worldwide. There are times when I wonder in the words of Rodney King “Can’t we all just get along?”…

EDIT: yes I did rewrite this. The first post really just didn’t match my thoughts. And there are times when it’s really difficult to make out what you really want to say, yet you have to say something….

Another season is over….

The Sounders FC were in the playoffs. Notice how I used past tense. After winning the game at the Clink, they had to go to Dallas (in the MLS playoffs this year, the second round at least are in a round robin format). And they lost. By the exact same score, which means that based on aggregate goals, they were tied. And so it went to overtime. And they were still tied after overtime. And so they went to penalty kicks, which Dallas won.

So, the Sounders’ season is over. But every year since they’ve been in MLS, they’ve been in the playoffs. Something the Mariners and the Seahawks can’t say they’ve done. Though, I’d say that the Seahawks still have a chance…

Another sports season is over…..

The Kansas City Royals just won the World Series. In 12 innings. Given my past opinions regarding Major League Baseball, or The New World Order (Mind-Control Division), one would think that I really don’t care. Especially since the Mariners suck. But one should still consider the fact that it’s been 30 year since the Royals have won it all. And I actually remember the last time they won it. I was at my grandmother’s house, and the game was on the tv, and I just happened to be watching the last play. And even then, I wasn’t really interested in Baseball.

Maybe next year. Now begins the off-season. I know the Mariners will be doing some wholesale shit-canning  (as they call it ‘rebuilding’) in order to maybe not lose 100+ games next year…

They pulled it off

If you can’t tell, I’ve spent an aweful lot of time siting on my ass in front of the tv today. I can’t help it, its my day off…

Anyway, the Sounders FC just won 2-1 vs. FC Dallas in the MLS West Semifinals. They’re not advancing yet, since this part of the MLS playoffs are in a round-robin format. But we’re heading into Dallas with a 2-1 lead, which means we win with a draw in Dallas…

I’m feeling better

After my post last week, I went to work on Thursday and Friday. Both days, people noted that I looked unwell. Mainly it was the cough that was causing me grief. So, I call out again yesterday. Due to the hours of my scheduled shift, I would’ve had to get up at 1 in the morning, and that’s not something I want to do when I’m sick. Though I’m not really sick. The cough is just really annoying. It seems like it’s only in the middle of transaction does the coughing fit strike, and a cough drop doesn’t help it.

If you wouldn’t send your kids to school if they have the same bug that you do, then you should probably not go to work as well. I don’t know where I got the cold that started this all from, but I know which co-worker I got the cough from….

We’re Average! We’re Average!

The Seahawks won today, 13-12.This was the second win in a row. ANd in fact it was the second win on the road. There has been much improvement. First of all, we now have an offensive line. And we are finishing games. All 4 games that Seattle has lost this year have they have had the lead in the 4th quarter, but they just couldn’t finish it. It was a little bit scary at half time when Ricardo Lockette was sretchered off the the field. They said it was ‘just a concussion’, but ‘just a concussion’ is still pretty serious. I remember Jim McMahon leading the Chicago Bears (with the Super Bowl Shuffle). Now he has dementia from all those head shots. Bernie Kosar (from that same era), sounds like a drunk, but it’s from all those shots he took. But he’s not paralyzed, and he’s not dead.

For the first time since they’ve been in MLS, the Sounders FC have gotten past LA in the playoffs. Although last year, it was San Jose who sent them home. Anyway, they’re past California. They’ve been in MLS since 2009. And they’ve been in the postseason each time. The Mariners can’t put a winning season together. Unless King Felix can work 163 games straight….

I feel terrible.

I feel miserable. Sick all day.Went to bed fine last night, but woke up at midnight with a cough that wouldn’t quit. I had to call in sick. On short notice. It was well before the company minimum of two hours’ notice. But still too short for my tastes (I always like to call out the day before if possible, just because it is so difficult to get a hold of the night manager). My stash of sick leave hours are dangerously low. But I had enough to cover this.

While I was out of action today, I did make it to the store to get some cough medication. So this will be my last sick day. I’ve been fighting a cold for past week and a half, and I’ve mainly just been trying to sweat it out…

Just don’t feel easy….

I feel uneasy. I really don’t know why. It could be because a couple of my co-workers were fired recently out of the blue. Whenever that happens, I always have to stop and take a look inward and ask myself if I’m next. Even if I’m doing nothing wrong, my anxiety is raised, though really for nothing. If it’s to come to me next to be fired, then so be it. I shouldn’t worry about it. But I do. The greatest fear there is is fear of the unknown…. I guess I have to should just look it down face to face, and put my worries to rest.

Or it could be my bills. I don’t think it really is that. I just need to pay them. And I should remind myself that I still have a roof over my head, tucker in my cupboard, and my lights are still on…

Or there is some other matter plaguing my subconscious that is causing my anxiety. Possibly in time it will resolve itself.

But until then, I feel uneasy….

Ok, I can deal with this…

It took over 4 months to do it, but Comcast finally stopped charging me for the modem I returned. In May… And they finally cancelled my home phone service. Now, it took 3 visits to the Comcast store, one escalation to @comcastcares on Twitter & and extended chat on Facebook with Xfinity to do it. There are still privacy/dvr issues…

What happened was last week I went up the cable store in Federal Way for the last time. I had already indicated my intention to return the Xfinity X1 boxes and get two legacy DVRs. I got to the store and explained my predicament to the clerk. He just happened to be a bit more knowledgable than average, and he saw the type of box that I needed in the back. So, I just needed to exchange one box and I got another X1 master box with component out. I got home, and set my boxes up, and re-paired my remotes (which also took care of one of my other concerns, a remote that woudn’t pair up with my tv…). I was able to dvr 1 program (an episode of How It’s Made). I’ve tried recording a couple of games, but I haven’t seen them yet (I think my roommate might be cancelling them). We’ll see on the DVR issues. If I can’t resolve that issue, then I will have to return them for legacy HDDVR boxes again.

Did I mention that Comcast has horrendous customer service?

Another week….

Another week, another 4th quarter meltdown. Last week, the Seahawks had a 17 point lead in the 4th quarter and let it go. I thought I could let it go, as it was an away game and all…

But then today, they had the home field advantage (the 12th Man is a definite factor), and a lead in the 4th quarter again. And they still lost to Carolina. And take a wild guess about who lost this week…

But on the bright side, Beast Mode is back.

How does Russell Wilson take his eggs? Scrambled…

They just stunk today….

The Seahawks lost today in overtime. After they had a 17 point lead in the 2nd half. They had this game. And they lost. Back when Holmgren was the head coach and the ‘Hawks were going through Dire Straits, I thought that a pillory should be erected at the CLink for him. Maybe the same should be set up for Caroll…

The season ended for the Mariners recently. And they’re on there way to Shit-Canning McClendon. I kinda liked him. Under his leadership last year, we actually had a winning record. Maybe next year, they’ll be contenders in The New World Order (Mind-Control Division)….