The Art of Packing

if you have read this piece o'crap blog for very long you likely know that I am a salesman. The kind that travels to my customers. I have been doing this for more than twenty years. By my best gestimation I have flown more than 900 flights and driven more than a million miles. I have been to nearly every state and ten foreign countries. I have mastered the art of packing a suitcase. It takes me about ten minutes to pack for a four or five day trip and much of that time is spent choosing what to wear. I rarely over pack, but I do plan for contingencies: usually an extra shirt, and small clothes.

I always laugh when we get ready to pack for a vacation. My wife insists on packing the suitcases. She is confident only she can fold and arrange the stuff in a proper manner. I explained I don't show up at my customers rumpled and wrinkled, but I might as well explain the the Federal assault at Cold Harbor, she has no interest In what I have to say. She over packs, wastes space and still does not get that shoes are bulky and heavy, and it is not necessary to have a different pair for every outfit.

Oh well, I gave up that fight a long time ago. I'm off to get ready for a business trip.

Edit: it just took me 4 minutes to pack enough for four days.

I melt with you

There was a picture here

It is about time

Look, I'm not one to complain...

OK, even I laughed at that beginning.

...but it is past time to stop burning the Christmas lights. I get it-- it I s cold.  No one wants to hazard the cold and ice, ripping down strands of lights from rooftops and shrubbery. I'm not suggesting you have to take them down, but it is possible to unplug the damn things. Enough already.

No wonder they sat out the Big One

As is my wont, I study various periods in history. On my drive back from Missouri this week I was listening to Dan Carlin's Hardcore History podcast. He mentioned a fact that blew me away.  I have not done the verification research, but Carlin is usually pretty good. Ponder this; in the first 3-1/2 years of WWI, the French had more casualties than the combined American losses in all of our wars.

According to Wikipedia, France lost about 1.35 million out of a population of  39.6 million.  If you add civilian casualties that total increases to more than 4% of the population. If those numbers were applied to America's population today that would be losses of more than 10 million in four years.

Man is capable of creating true horror.

Another Kumbaya moment

How about another crazy idea. I say the folks who decide what movies are nominated for "best" picture or whatever base their decision on the quality of the content rather than the color of the actor's skin. I think that is particularly an apt policy when the movie in question deals with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr..

I know, "But racist" is the theme of the times.

F you Oxford Press. F you silly people

Pork pork pork pork pork pork

Pig pig pig pig pig pig pig pig

Sausage sausage sausage sausage

Bacon bacon bacon bacon

Pig pig pig pig pig pig pig pig pig pig pig


http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/396356/oxford-university-press-authors-shouldnt-talk-about-pork-case-they-offend-others

on the road again

Hotel life, passing time on America's interstate highway system. Stopping at a random McDonalds to ensure the chain continues to function as America's urinal. Not to eat, though. Even salesmen have standards.  It is good to be working, doing what I do well.  A whole new industry, new products, new customers bring exciting challenges. I already miss my family though. Being home six straight months has been nice. But the slight case of homesickness is offset by new places to see, new roads to drive. In the meantime I am readjusting to living out of a suitcase and trying hard not to think about what bacteria is lurking on the tv remote.

Hope you readers are having a great Wednesday.

Progressive hypocracy volume 3,411

All of the Obamapologists are defending the Administration's failure to send anyone of note to the Paris rally against Islamic terrorism, citing such events are symbolic and do not accomplish anything but make one feel better. While I agree,  where were these folks deriding the Occupy protests (just what were they protesting anyway?), or even the multitude of marches in Ferguson?

Funny, the top law enforcement officer had time to protest against a cop who defended himself against a rampaging thug, but skipped out of gay Paree before he had to take a stand against real murderers.

Say, would the same folks who think the March in Paris was a waste of time offer the same opinion after viewing the movie about the civil rights march in Selma?  Will Bob Beckel offer a review that says "good movie, but a mere symbolic gesture".

Monday Review

I'm trying to remember what I did all weekend, I was busy but no activities come to mind.

We did babysit Saturday for a bit. Played some cards with some friends Saturday night.

On Sunday I watched football.

Yep that about covers it.

Lemme see if I understand

Our  erstwhile politicians in Washington have passed rules and regulations that mandate higher gas mileage standards for cars and trucks.  Now vehicles use less gas. Since cars use less gas then the gas taxes collected are lower.

Well, duh!

Now the politicians from both parties are trying to blame the lower gas prices as an excuse to raise the federal gas tax. The only problem is that tax is a flat rate per gallon (about 18 cents) and bears no relation to the rising or falling cost of crude or refined gasoline. The government is not collecting less tax because of oil prices but rather because of their own short-sided stupidity. (Quick aside -  if high prices were an indication that Big Oil was greedy, what do lower prices mean?).

This is not the first instance of lawmakers inability to see consequences for their laws. When the raised cigarette taxes to encourage smokers to quit, the politicos were shocked when cigarette tax revenue fell. When Congress mandated employers must pay health insurance for anyone who works 30 hours a week employers cut hours .

Here is a plan, instead of raising gas taxes, how about we cut the automatic funding increases in government programs. Better yet, how about actual funding cuts if we need money for infrastructure. Fund it that way. I know, use the money Obama has planned for free college.  BTW, what happened to the billion dollars in Obama's Stimulus that was supposed to rebuild the bridges and roads?

Naive at best

Ok, here is my "I'd like to buy the world a Coke/hands across America/Imagine/ give peace a chance/flower power post you have been waiting for

 I am very secure  and confident in my religious beliefs. I like to think my faith is unshakable. But they are my religious beliefs. Yours may vary and that is OK. I do not feel the need to proselytize. And frankly I don't want you showing up in my porch to try and convince me your way is better.

As long as your worship does not hurt others or affect me, go for it. I don't care if my neighbors are Jews or Muslim or Buddhists. Handle all of the snakes you want. Pray 17 times a day facing Xenia, Ohio for all I care. I expect the same tolerance from you.

I have no issue with prayer in school. Participate, meditate, pick your nose or daydream for a minute each day. A little quiet time never hurt anyone. Forced recitation of the Lord's Prayer or bowing towards Mecca is a different animal altogether. A menorah in the park, a crèche on the courthouse lawn  makes little difference to me. Contrary to popular belief, the Constitution does not ban religion in public, but rather guarantees the freedom to worship as you choose..

So if you want to worship a 12 armed elephant, a cross, a camel jockey, a fat guy with pithy sayings, a burning bush, the moon, or an empty can of Red Gold tomatoes, go ahead. But if I choose to worship a bundle of holly, the sun, a volcano, Jesus, or a '57 Chevy, it should not matter to you. So what if I make fun of your God? Is your belief in Zeus or Odin, or a Doritos shaped like Elvis shaken or diminished by my failure to adhere to your beliefs? Is your atheism imbued with uncertainty because I choose to drop to my knees and offer a prayer of thanks before I climb into bed? If I write that Mohamed liked to screw goats and little girls does that change your beliefs in The Prophet? If I think Jesus married a prostitute does that mean he did not die for your sins? If so,I guess your religious foundation is a little weak.

I know my God. He gave me free will to choose Him, otherwise I am just a slave. Worship as you please, just leave me and Charlie out of it.

Boy oh boy

That first cup of coffee sure went down fast this morning and it has nothing to do with the subzero temps outside my office window. I suspect the Keurig is going to get a workout today.

The early morning sky is just the right shade of dark that makes the porch lights on the snow covered houses across the cul-de-sac look like a Thomas Kinkade painting.

Have a great Thursday. Stay warm!

True confessions

I like watching old reruns. I am certain Sam is hot, but I am not too fond of the "new" Darrin. Larry is just a douchebag. Endora kind of creeps me out.

The Bitch is back

Boehner was re-elected to Speaker. Conservatives sent a message that they are tired of the lead Republican's RINO tendencies and more importantly, The People who voted Republican are tired of Boehner being Obama's bitch. The message will be ignored.

The early slate of Republican presidential hopefuls looks disappointing at best. Seriously, Huckabee? Bush? Romney? No,no,no and an extra no just for the heck of it.

Funny, every new seat the Stupid Party gains in Congress is from a conservative candidate, but the national party seems to think they should move to the middle. How did that work out in the past two general elections?

Cold as ice

It was a tough drive in to the office this morning. Idiots were out in force on the slick and snow covered roads.

We are looking at a high of 3 tomorrow with wind chills in the -20 range. That is cold no matter where you live, but as I wrote the other day, it is January. This happens every year.

I am off to start a pot of chili for supper.

Stay warm my friends.

Bad Moon Rising

There was a full moon this morning shining a soft white light through the frigid winter air. I don't think the temperature climbed out of the teens today.  The weatherman is calling for a half foot of snow overnight before some real Arctic air comes calling. It is winter. Mother Nature gives us this every January.

I will spend a few more days at the main office before settling into working on my own.  My training is finally complete. I am excited and ready to hit the road doing my Willie Loman thing.

I have to go take the trash out.  That is not a metaphor, Tuesday is trash pickup in our neighborhood. 

Have a good evening. Be safe if there is inclement weather at your house.

The wind in the willow

The wind is moaning around the eaves of the house and whipping the willow branches like a cat o'nine tails. There is a half-formed analogy floating in my brain about Mother Nature's angry bosun, but I am quite certain it is not worth pursuing.

It looks like winter will pay a visit this week starting with a dusting of snow this afternoon and Arctic temperatures later in the week. I think I will work from my home office those days.

Last week a liberal blogger called me out for some economic predictions I made in a post I wrote back in 2008. It seems that I was right in my predictions. I was going to chastise her with ridicule and scorn but why bother? Progressives are never wrong, even when they are, and their smug arrogance prevents them from recognizing when they are making fools of themselves. Instead of wasting any more of our time arguing with howler monkeys, I will do a Monty Python and fart in her general direction. Of course, no matter how odoriferous my flatulence, it will be masked by the stink of greater Cleveland.

The neighbor's porch light is winking across the cul-de-sac as the shrubs bend to the will of the wind, occasionally blocking the soft white glow of the energy saving bulb.  The dim winking in the distance does not call to me like Daisy's green light across the bay, but rather encourages me to get off the old iPad and turn on an old movie as I wait for Sunday football to start.

I hope you have a great Day.

Tales from Tatooine

This is not the post you are looking for.

The long winter

The Christmas decorations are down and boxed until next Thanksgiving. The house looks stark and bare. The January cold replaces warm holiday feelings. I really don't mind the cold so much. It is the overcast that depresses me. Gray days and early sunsets bring me down. Bright sun coupled with temperatures in the 'teens does not faze me, even if there is snow on the ground. Sure I will complain about it.  That's what I do best. What will today bring? The sky is a mottled blue gray through the branches of the big maple outside my window. The sun has yet to pop up over the neighbor's house across the street. Clouds, cold, sun or snow, life is still good. The Lord has blessed me and I am thankful.

I hope you have a great Friday.

Good F-ing riddance

2014 was a Dickinsonian kind of year here at the old homestead. It was the best of times as we took a dream vacation to Oahu and this month when my daughter gave birth to our first grandchild. It was also the worst of times when I lost my job and was without meaningful (read well-paying) work for five months. That sucked. But the wife went to work full time and I got a sales gig at the big yellow price tag and we made it through the dark times. I worked 7 days a week and am proud to say we never took a dime of government assistance. No unemployment, no food stamps. We ate a lot of pancakes. We got by.

Life is like that, highs and lows and a whole lot of living in between. 2014 was not my most productive blog year in terms of quantity nor quality. That you bother to show up and read the nonsense I spew is a wonder to me. I am thankful beyond words. I hope your 2015 is filled with joy and prosperity.  Best wishes for a Happy New Year