Be careful for what you wish…
Mamma always said… No I’m not going to quote Forrest Gump. But I have heard that you should be careful of what you wish for, you just might get it. Meaning not in the way you want. That’s pretty much what happened to me. Working two jobs has lasted far longer than I’d ever like. It seems like all I ever do is work. I generally work much more than 40 hours a week, especially since I don’t get overtime. Fine, whatever. It’s making money.
There are times I would wish, hope and/or pray for time off. Just when I finally had as much as I could take, and started making plans to just get out of town for a weekend by myself… I injure my knee. All because I was rushing to pick up for someone who needed the night off. I got to work, grabbed the orders and SNAP, SNAP! I fall to the ground in pain. Stubborn as I can sometimes be, I still finished the night out. That was the last night I worked over two weeks ago. Well at the night job anyway. Thankfully my day job is a desk job.
I certainly got the time off. In a good amount of pain. I can’t walk without crutches. I was hoping to be back at work by now. Instead, my knee hurts worse today than it did the past couple of days. I’m still waiting for the MRI I was told I needed. Someone else who had a similar injury said he needed surgery and 8 weeks of recovery. That scares the hell out of me. Of course, someone is dragging their feet on authorizing the MRI. Not helping at all.
I don’t know how much longer I’ll be out of working the night job. All I wanted was a break from the relentless work hours and some free time. I got it. It’s more costly than a weekend getaway 😕
AAAAHH! OUCH!
Actually I think my first word after it happened was, “Motherfucker”. With some serious exclamation points after it. It started out so innocently. I got called into work on Sunday the 4th. I clocked in a 4:14pm and by 4:40pm, I injured my knee.
My first set of deliveries for the night. Three of them, stacked in my arms. All I was going to do was load them in the passenger side of my truck. As I swiveled my body to the right, my foot decided not to follow. Two loud cracks and I hit the ground in agony. Dropping the hot bags of food on the ground.
A very nice woman in the parking lot heard my pain and went inside to get the manager on duty that night. He and a young lady that works with us, helped me up and inspected the food. All was good, and I limped my way to the first deliveries. I call it dedication to my job. Others may call me stubborn for not going to the clinic right away. Though they closed at 4pm, so it would have to wait until the next day. On my way back I grabbed my knee brace and continued to work the rest of the night, slowly but diligently. That is until I couldn’t take the pain anymore. About 9:30pm. I didn’t realize I had actually injured myself more seriously than I had first thought. I made an incident report, photographed it and went home to rest.
They took X-Rays of my knee at the clinic on Monday but didn’t really say what was going on other than that they didn’t see any broken bones. I went back today and the physician on duty assessed it was a tear in my Meniscus. While common, it takes weeks to heal. Longer if it needs surgery. Which they want to have me go in for an MRI in the next few days.
As you can imagine, I’m not thrilled. Sure I have been complaining that I’ve been working too much this past several months. Averaging 50 – 60 hours a week. This isn’t how I wanted to spend my time off. On top of which, now I’m losing money. I am of course filing paperwork for Workman’s Comp. Though that apparently doesn’t always go smoothly, otherwise we wouldn’t have so many lawyers that specialize in that category. I guess I get to find out if the new owner is a good guy or not. Pray for me please to not fall behind on bills and to heal quickly.
I was just planning a weekend getaway too. Even if it’s just to a hotel out of town. That and my plans to see my son and grand kids will be put off. Can’t really play with kids when I can’t hardly walk. I hope I don’t run out of food either, I don’t relish using one of those electric carts at the store. {shutters at the thought}
The woman who got me help, left right away. I wished she would’ve stuck around so I could properly thank her. Maybe even buy her dinner the next time she comes in. Maybe I’ll see her again some day.
Pretty Much Over I.T.
Yup, I’m pretty much over it. I.T. that is. I’ve been doing it for over 20 years now. I started doing it in the Navy. It was a blast at first. Helping people. Hearing “thank you” at the end of every conversation. Sadly people have grown unappreciative. They do the same things over and over and learn nothing. Today I took a call of, “My mailbox is full again. Please empty it. Thanks.”. Followed by the click of an ended call. They have asked me to do this every few weeks since February of 2009. They still start the call with, “I’m computer illiterate.”. Then why do you own a computer if you’ve learned nothing in 8 years?
The same people call with the same problems. “I don’t know why this keeps happening?”. We explain, they ignore. Wash, rinse, repeat. My friend deleted some programs, now their browser won’t open.
If it wasn’t for the fact I get medical and dental, I’d quit and go full time delivery driver. At least there all I have to deal with is cheap-asses who don’t tip. That job is hard to let go. Despite my clothes smelling like garlic butter when I come home. That washes out. My vehicle may smell like it, but now I’m using disposable seat covers to help cut down on that. Plus I can get them steam cleaned. However, the money I make is too hard to pass up most weeks. I’ve looked for a job for over two years. I don’t look as often. There are next to no jobs I want that would start me at $12 an hour. I don’t want to be a tech anymore. Today’s lazy ass doesn’t appreciate us at all.
I don’t do computer repair anymore on a personal level, except of course my own computers. Which I can’t remember the last time I needed to do that outside of replacing a faulty part. Especially when people won’t bring me their computers so I can use my high speed internet to fix it. Not to mention, I can be in an environment I’m comfortable in. The last comment I got was, “there is a reason why i don’t come to ur house is ur trailer is small.”. Do you realize how insulting this is? My place plenty big enough with two bedrooms and two bathrooms. I tried to let that comment go. Didn’t work.
In retort, I don’t want to drive to the boondocks, where there is limited internet to download large updates. Where I have deal with the odor of pot, cigarette smoke and empty beer cans. Sure you go outside to smoke while I’m there, but your home already is permeated with the smell. It’s gross. Let’s not forget, I work two jobs over 50 hours a week. I generally only get 1 full day off a week. I don’t want to do more tech support on what little time off I get. I’d rather go see my kids, or go out on a date.
One Tired Puppy
Lately I’ve been one tired puppy. This week I’ve put in over 54 hours of work between job one and job two. It’s been like that for weeks. Each night seem to end in my back hurting while I try to clean a restaurant. From scrubbing toilets to scrubbing the floors with some really weak floor cleaner. I’m too tall and too old to be bent over that long.
It’s not that I work more than 50 hours a week, it’s the fact that they are broken up from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm and then from 4 pm to 10 pm (or later). So after job one… It’s shower, shave and then do any errands I have before having to go to job two. This includes shopping, snow blowing, paying bills, doctor appointments and so on. I work so much, and spend so little time at home; I had to make sure Isabel got a new home. I never had time to spend with her ☹ Hopefully Darla can take her later on. For now she’s with family of Darla. At leash she made some new friends at her new home ?
Granted, the only thing that really hurts is standing on a cement floor for long periods and then the two hours of cleaning every night. When I do have a night off, it seems like all I do is run about town. I hardly ever eat dinner at home anymore. I never visit family. Or if I do, it’s because they want something from me. Such as a computer fixed or something involving heavy lifting. Yeah, because that’s what I want to do on my time off is more work ?
More recently I realize I have to work just a bit harder for a while to pay off Uncle Sam. Well, Uncle Obama that is. That stupid Obamacare bit me in the ass good this year. They want you to guess how much you’ll make in a year and then give you a credit based off that guess. If you don’t update your income status thinking it hasn’t changed, it can creep up on you. I didn’t know I had made an extra $4000 last year. When you break it down, it’s only an extra $70 a week. Not bad, but after taxes, it’s an even smaller number making it hardly noticeable. In the end, I got too much of a credit for my healthcare and now I have to pay it back. To the tune of $750. So much for that new drum cymbal I wanted or having money to put towards buying a house this year ?
With Darla back home in Bay City, I had my mom move back in with me. Sharing bills isn’t the same as sharing all expenses. Sure paying half the bills is good. But some weeks are harder than others when you don’t have a pooled income. Don’t worry, I can handle it. I’ll make all of this work. I always do. Just may take longer to get it all done. Though I really wish I could visit the chiropractor this afternoon. Sadly, I’ll have to wait until next week. Medical type folks like their weekends here. No Saturday hours.
Been Places, Done Things
I’m getting ever so close to being 50 years old. My life isn’t by any means glamorous or financially stable. It never has been and probably never will be. I’d likely be a lot better off financially if I would’ve avoided all the horrible relationships I’ve been in over the years. I’m a working stiff and have rarely been without work. Many times, such as currently; I’ve worked two jobs to do what I have to do to get by. The other night at my second job, the new Assistant Manager teased me about how I simply sit and drive to make money. And that he works twice as hard and as much as I do.
At 20, I went from simple delivery driver to store manager in a month by proving that, “I can run this store better than you. And I’ve only worked here 2 weeks.”. I should’ve been fired for being so bold. Instead I was given and opportunity and was rewarded for my effort. That lasted a little over a year before I was given a better opportunity.
I was given my own Little Caesars to run in East Jordan. I mucked that opportunity up, but I bounced back.
I spent two years working in a machine shop. But coming home covered in Cast Iron dust wasn’t my thing.
I served my country in the US Navy for 4 years. I got the opportunity to go around the world and see so many places. Countries I have visited: St. Martin, Spain, Greece, France, Italy, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Pompeii as well as Jerusalem and Bethlehem in Israel.
Most of the time I was a “pencil pusher”. Dealing with the ships budget and filing requisition forms. Super boring for the most part. Though I will say this, and have been dying to say it for several months. All this crap people talk about the military paying too much for things is a bunch of bologna. I watched the money come and go and all the receipts. Never once did I see a $200 hammer. I think the most we ever paid was $20 and it was a damn big hammer. Though one of our biggest costs was toilet paper for 3000+ crew members who were fed low grade and outdated food. We’d save costs on buying dry food that was past the “best if used by” date.
During my time in the Navy I volunteered for a few exciting and dangerous jobs:
Firefighting
I now know how to fight a fire. At sea or at home. I think it’s something everyone should learn as sometimes the Fire Department can arrive too late. I’ve never had to fight a big fire at sea, but let’s face it. IF you fight a big fire at sea, you had better win. Otherwise the alternative is death. You won’t be energetic enough to swim for very long if your ship goes down in flames because you lost a long hard battle.
Shoring Team
Shoring was to temporarily repair breaches in the hull or piping if the ship takes damage. It’s not fun and is full of very stressful happenings when things start to flood.
Basic Medial Triage
I never got to use my medical triage training. Though I have seen a few dead bodies over the years. Sadly I’ve forgotten most of my training from lack of use.
Mooring Team
This was a team that let loose or helped tie the ship to the docks. I’ve been on this team the whole time I was assigned to the USS Enterprise. Everywhere we went, rain, cold or shine I was there. If you don’t do it right you can lose a limb or even die.
Naval Training Video showing the dangers of Mooring
Underway Replenishment
I was volunteered for Ship to Ship Replenishment detail twice. If you want an adrenaline rush, try being a lineman on one of these during heavy seas. You DO NOT want to be this guy if the supplies end up in the ocean.
Warning: Video is boring and does not show heavy sea swells like we dealt with.
Other achievements included a letter of Commendation from President Clinton for his visit aboard our ship. I was responsible for his floor while he dinned in our officers mess. Apparently he could see his reflection and was impressed. ?
Making pay and rank increase without having to test for it by doing a job that is normally reserved for a First Class Petty Officer as an E-3 Airman. Acing inspection in our department without any help.
The Navy is also where I began learning about computers. This led to my job at Gateway as a Tech Support Specialist. For 2 years I made serious bank and benefits. Sadly it came to an end with all major computer companies outsourcing tech support to India and such.
After that I owned by own business for two years. CR Computers+ I built custom computers and did in-home computer repair and upgrades. I still keep a list of free software to this day and offer help to friends and such. I still have one Computer Case Badge I keep around for nostalgia’s sake.
From there I got a job at a small ISP where I still work today. It celebrated 13 years with them last September. Personally I don’t know anyone who has put in 13 years in one job. I’m sure there are plenty who have and have done more. I just don’t know any. So I feel it’s a decent achievement to have so much time in one job.
Over the years I have spent time working in Pizza. Sometimes a manager, most of the time a driver. Let’s face it, that’s where the easy money is and I’ve proved it time and again. Little Caesars (x2), Domino’s (x2), Papa Johns (x3), Chanello’s, BC Pizza and Mancino’s. I’ve put in more time at Pizza places than my current general manager and the assistant manager combined. I simply don’t want the stress of being a manager of a fast food chain any more.
There were also little crappy jobs I didn’t keep long in there as well. Being a clothing store pick-up boy wasn’t for me. Nor was being a dishwasher. Or a gas station clerk. Anything 3rd shift got me fired. I just am not a night owl.
So yes, perhaps this person does work more than I do and works harder. He’s still quite young and has yet to do a quarter of what I have done in my life. I’ve done more by the time I was his age than he’s done ever. I’ve paid my dues. I’ve served my time and my country. It’s time I get to sit back and take it easier. Looking back, I am proud of what I’ve done.
Working from Home
I’ve been doing this for longer than I had expected. This isn’t a bad thing. I just find it surprising. I keep waiting for the end to come in one form or another. None of the outcomes are pleasant, but I’m sure it’s inevitable given enough time. I originally got the chance to work from home when my health suddenly became an issue and was told without concern for my feelings that I would likely “live another two years”. Sure it was followed up with, “if you work very hard, you might be able to live longer”. That’s no fun thing to hear. Thankfully with God’s grace, that was nearly 5 years ago. I have been doing walks and such, just need to do more when I can.
When that all happened, I made a deal with my employer to be able to move back to Michigan and work from home. That was just over four years ago. Since then my hours have been reduced to only 20-25 hours a week. Making me take on a supplemental part-time job. As demeaning as it may be, it does make fairly decent money. Just a bit rough on my car. The second job gives me 18-20 hours a week plus tips. Though I only work Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights right now. Unless I’m called in to cover someone.
What frustrates me is that after almost 2 years of doing the evening job, it’s like my day job no longer exists to certain people. I’ve been told by a few different people that I only work 3 days a week. So my working 5-6 days a week during the morning hours means nothing to them. Even though it pulls a paycheck, gets me Dental insurance and money specifically for covering my Health Insurance plan. That doesn’t qualify it as a real job. Is there some requirement that I must leave the house in order for it to be taken seriously? Trust me, telecommuting is only cool for about six months. Then you get real tired of looking at your house day in and day out. Well maybe lazy unemployed types might like doing that. Me, I like to get out of the house daily. I digress.
My health is having further issues. Of course I’m frightened of what may happen. I don’t know if I’ll need another stent put in one of my arteries. Or if it’s something far more serious. I won’t know until I have some doctor visits and what I’m sure will be endless expensive tests. Which makes me worry that I won’t be able to work my second job anymore. I really don’t relish the thought of being unable to work a physical job or some day having to be on disability. That scares the hell out of me. I pray it will only be a need to change or adjust dosages of my medicine. Besides I don’t want to be locked in my house forever. I’d like to find a full time job that fits me physically, mentally and emotionally (and pays decent). I look frequently. Just not a lot of choices around Smallville.
Work Work, Zug Zug, Dabu
I’ve spent the past week or so trying to figure out what to write. It’s hard to keep content up when nothing is really going on. It’s work, work and more work. To pay bills, bills and more bills. Whoever thought this was a good idea for a human being to become after childhood, was a jerk. I didn’t sign up for this adulthood nonsense. I didn’t have a choice. My parents had sex and my future was made that in 18-ish years it would be 40+ hours a week dealing with people I don’t like. Followed by endless people I really don’t like wanting the money I earned.
Thankfully nothing in the plans for Darla and I have changed much lately. Granted, our semi-near future is filled with way too many “if”s. Will we each find a place we can afford? Will we have to have a roommate in order to afford a place? Will I stay in this place (roommate required) or move into something else? Which one of us will have Isabel? Will she need to be registered as an emotional support pet? Worse, will we have to give her up? (certainly not wanting that option) The list goes on and on. Involving housing, jobs, dog, cars, living arrangements and more. So much of it can’t be determined this early.
We shall survive 🙂
Just a few RANTS!
If you think I follow Foamy for a reason. You’d be right. His famous rants and sense of logic are shared by my own feelings and thoughts. Right now there are a few kinds of people pissing me off. Here’s a few of mine lately that have been driving me to the edge of insanity…
Dumbasses with Smartphones
I can’t wait to find a new job. Lately the night job has become infiltrated with teenagers and some adults who have an over-the-top addiction to their phones. I came in one night to find six employees standing in a circle all looking at their phones rather than doing anything they get paid to do. I wanted to take a picture of the non-productiveness, but then I’d just be number 7. The other night I walked in on a customer just standing at the counter. He was coyly watching three employees talking and playing on their phones. As I walked passed him to go behind the counter, I asked loudly if he hand been helped. He knew what I was doing and replied loudly that no, he had been simply watching the same people for several minutes while we waited to be helped. I helped him and by then, they had magically moved to different places in the store and started on his order. Why should we put up with this nonsense to have employees? As I’ve said before, I’d never make it as a manager in today’s world. Because I would be putting foot to ass, proverbially speaking, by putting a stop to all this wasted labor costs.
I certainly don’t like having to do something while others stand about gawking at their tiny screens making sure their friends status updates get noticed right away. Of course if I say anything about it, I’m likely to cause trouble and be fired. I hate having to drop hints, as it makes me disliked among the offenders. Clearly the current management don’t care as a couple of them do it too. These kind of people keep getting hired. I guess that makes me the the problem. God knows I’d love to resolve it by finding something new for a job. I never expected it to last so long. Though I do pretty good as the most customers tip me, so I guess they like me.
I do average $16 per hour. I have yet to go below $12 per hour. One night it went as high as $38 per hour.
Still, I don’t understand why this is allowed. Sure we all are guilty of doing it a little. However, when people are ignoring what they are getting paid to do. As well as doing it for long periods of time, that’s BS. It’s a real shame when the overweight guy with heart problems works more than healthy people do.
The Men’s Room
Men, stop being a bunch of lazy Gits! That was the only word I could find to not be vulgar. It’s not nearly as vulgar as what the majority of you do to a public restroom. I would have to say that “Public Piss Syndrome” isn’t the only reason many of us avoid the Men’s Room. It’s because we know we’ll walk into a room that stinks to high hell and is absolutely gross with piss and shit all over the toilet. Trash on the floor and a sink that you’d be surprised to find dirty, because by the looks of the rest of the room, so you wouldn’t think it was getting used. There are a lot of gross and lazy bastards out there. Sure the Women’s Room isn’t always roses and candy either. There are obviously some really inconsiderate so-called ladies in the world too. Though the Men’s Room takes the prize by a landslide. Or in some cases, a shitstorm…
Clearly many of you are not NBA All Stars or you’d hit the waste basket. But do you bother to pick up your missed shots? Hell no. You lazy twats leave it on the floor for someone else. You don’t wipe the toilet off when you miss or make a mess. You don’t bother to tell anyone if the trash is overflowing. You just let it fall.
Do you do this kind of thing at home? If so, I hope your significant other eventually snaps and clobbers you in the face with a baseball bat. It’s just obnoxious to be that lazy and inconsiderate. Not too mention, I’d never want to be invited to your house.
And…
There was a third rant, but I’ve gone on so far with these I can’t remember it. Stupid old age. I’ll have to save it for another post someday.
Oh… Darla also feels this way 🙂
Coming Together
Things are slowly but every so surely coming together in our home/castle. It’s not much, but it’s comfortable and we enjoy our time here. First up is the newest member of the family, Isabel!
She’s about 2 and a half years old. Hound mix, Schiller Hound perhaps? It’s hard for me to say. Her ears don’t match that, but the body shape pretty much seems too. She’s super friendly and is partially trained. Can’t sit or stay yet, but does know how to take a walk and comes to her name and understands no and such. So we’ve got some training to do.
Good lord I need a better camera.
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- What a face 🙂
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- Chillin
Our place is starting to look more like a home. No longer are we using the camping chairs. We have Darla’s couch. Although I found the camping chairs to be much more comfortable. And thanks to Vicki, we now have a small kitchen table and chairs 🙂 I’m not a handyman, so likely will never get refinished. Looking for a 48″ round, fitted tablecloth. Can’t seem to find any around town, so searching Amazon and such.
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- Kitchen 1
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- Kitchen 2
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- Living 1
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- Living 2
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- Bedroom 1
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- Bedroom 2
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- Spare Bath 1
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- Spare Bath 2
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- Spare Room 1
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- Spare Room 2
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- East Side
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- North Side
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- West Side
Surprisingly that small window AC unit manages to keep this place at a decent temp. We close off the spare room during the hot months. Though next year we might get a second one to keep the first from working so hard all the time. When it’s in the high 80’s and 90’s it struggles some in the afternoon time.
The spare room needs some decorations. Such as posters. We’re preparing it for Alexis should she come visit from time to time. It’s actually hard to find Shinedown or other posters she’d like in podunk nowhere.
I keep the yard looking decent. For a desert of weeds that is. The flower garden is done by my mom. She can’t do it at her new place, so she does it here. Which is good, as I’d just throw some easy to grow crap in and let nature do the rest. Darla and I don’t really do gardens. Next year I hope to get a small gas weed eater. One thing at a time. Up next, a new snow blower. The old one my mom has works decent but it scares me.
Not sure how long we’ll be in this place, but it’s looking like we will renew the lease this winter. Going to be tough to find anything at the end of January. Best option we can hope for is to get lucky for a rent-to-own situation. Long story. No one really wants to read about that here as it would be in the form of another rant 😉
Edit: The curtains are not ours. They were left here from the previous tenant. They will get replaced at some point.
Summer Update
Well summer is finally here and we are looking forward to getting some normalcy around here. As of this week, I managed to calm down my insane amount of work hours to a basic 40 hours between jobs. Though one full time job is still something I hope to have soon. Possibly with decent medical benefits as I’ve had little to no good luck with Obama’s care. At least I’ve managed to take back my Sundays. Again.
Even though I don’t have any vision coverage, I got some new glasses. It’s been over 3 years and while I should have had bifocals, I couldn’t afford them in 2013, so I did single vision lens glasses. Just took them off to read. I can’t say I’m all for this progressive lens thing. I move my eyes about way too much and it’s like being stuck in a funhouse. Only it’s not so fun. That and they only give me a small reading area to use and I have to tilt my head back to do it. So I had to get another, cheap set just for the use of my computer. Talk about a huge change! I’ve spent years just not wearing any glasses while sitting at my desk. Apparently I just got used to things not looking clear as they should. Now they are clear and it’s like a new world.
Darla has made a full recovery and her life is nearly normal again too. Working at her new job and enjoying it for the most part. She’s down to a very respectable size 14 and we’re working on getting her new, more flattering clothing to go with the changes as we can. Her incision is healing very nicely and will fade to almost nothing in a year or so.
Soon we can begin to enjoy doing summer activities. Just need to straighten out a few things first. Perhaps see some concerts or fireworks. Enjoy a bonfire and toasted marshmallows. Things we loved as kids and haven’t done in years. Once again, take time to visit family. Maybe, just maybe a barbeque will take place.
I also tuned down my side work to strictly web designs and WordPress themes.
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