coffee and commitments

My work hours have changed.
My commitments are many. Many more than usual.
My coffee intake is growing.
I'm gaining on my commitments and losing on the battle to limit my coffee intake.
Is there any other way to live?

I'm guessing .... not for me ... there isn't!

back to the old ways

I had a hectic day today...
Three things to do. Two of them at the SAME TIME!
I had the yearly 'family gathering' at my cousins house.
At the same time, I had a motorcycle bike blessing that I committed to.
So, I thought I'd get the bike blessing over with, then shoot to the family thing.
The guys I ride with were running late.. then later.. then, I just went to the
family thing.
I came back in time to make the last of the bike thingie. Not feeling at all
happy with the riders who were late, which made me late! Oh well, not everyone is me!
Then, I go to the third thing..
It's actually moral support for a few guys I know who started a rock band. Our job,
meaning.. the supporters.. is to cheer them on through a competition called
the battle of the bands.
I got there very late (11:30pm) and they were on their LAST song. Oh well, another
poor time management deal.
I did, however, get to see a friend of mine who just happens to be a 35+ yr old
woman who I've been 'in like with' for 10 yrs. I always catch her when she's either
with someone, or I'm with someone. Tonight, she had a few cocktails and was feeling
loose..
I wish things were different for her. I wouldn't mind spending a few years with
her..
I guess I'm back... in the swing of things.
It's emotional, and sometimes depressing.. just seeing someone you can't be with.
The perils of leaving the house and leaving yourself open for disappointment.
Maybe I should stay home.. it's safer :)

account of first day

Well, I am back from my first day of work in 8 months.
I'm still here! It was quite invigorating, after the initial apprehension, of course.
There wasn't much to learn before I got into the swing of things.
The new computer program, *based on Win 2000 Pro*, was a breeze to pick up.
The personnel I am managing are less than stellar but, they WILL learn my management style.
I have no regrets about coming back.

If a 'news flash' occurs cocerning my job, I'll revisit this subject.
If not, no updates will be blogged.

I feel useful again!

back at work

Today is my first day back at work since my motorcycle accident.
I'm quite apprehensive.
There are many unknowns, since I am going to a different job.
I'm not cleared to do my normal, (physically demanding) assignment.
I normally work outside. My office is my vehicle.
I like it just fine being on the road.
This job is going to have me inside. I'm not good in close quarters with "people".
I just hope my head doesn't explode from being cooped up inside an office all day.

I'll try to put my first day into words when I come home.
Wish me luck!

closing

I refinanced my home yesterday. The end of a long process which included a visit by an 'assessor'. Now, if you don't know, an assesor is some "PERSON" and I use that term loosely!!
who, determines a value on the home. He then relays his finding to the mortgage company. The mortgage company then either, qualify or disqualify your application for a loan. Well, the assessor said the bathroom needed wallcovering. Which DISQUALIFIED me for the loan, unless I did the repairs.
Some numbers here? My loan would be 50% of the value the assessor put on my house. Even if it didn't HAVE a bathroom, it's still a good risk to give someone a loan for 50% of the value! So, what's the problem? I'm in an urban area... Oh... so, high risk... hmmmm. I called the mortgage company and 'explained' how this would seem to be prejudicial, if left as is. The mortgage co. recinded the bathroom repairs and the closing proceeded... with a hitch.
The closing agent showed up. Guess what he did within 5 minutes of being there? He HAPPENED to have to use the bathroom.. Then in the end he HAPPENED to say that he was also an insurance adjuster.. hmmm what a coincidence.
Just another small annoyance in the life of an informed adult attempting to better their financial position.
If you have any doubt about banks/lending institutions being evil... I hope this story cleared it up for you.

revived

so I'm using the coffee keyboard.
I'm typing on it right now.
It works!!!!!!
Today is a little disappointing. I waited yesterday, ALL DAY, for my accountant to come and ride the Sportster, as his 'tryout' before buying it. Well, I guess his wife won out and he isn't allowed to buy it. :(
It's a beautiful day here in Northern New Jersey, and I'm relegated to indoor activities or at least 4 wheel outdoor activities. :( , due the the knee injuries.
Oh how I miss motorcycling.
My friend is in pretty bad financial shape and I think I'll be helping her out a bit. Her car is in dire need of some maintenance. I wish I could do the work myself but .. again..the knee stops me from doing it. I could easily do most of the work and save her a ton.
In other news.
My hospital borne infection seems to have gone away and the $60. pills have done their job. I still have 7 days of pills to take but that's just for 'good measure'.. as my mother used to say.
Why can't it rain! That would make me feel so much better.

coffee & keyboards

I've been computing and drinking coffee, TOGETHER, for over ten years and have never spilled anything on the keyboard.
Well, that changed two weeks ago. I did a minor 'splash' on the keyboard which caused some erratic keyboard functions. SO, I unplugged it, put in another one and kept on surfing.
Today.. I did it again! Only this time it was the WHOLE mug of coffee. Another keyboard, and more erratic windows popping up. I tried to clean and dry out the last one but it still had problems when I installed it. Why is that? Oh well, Luckily I have spare keyboards laying around.
No, I'm not going to stop drinking Coffee and Surfing!
I cleaned and am drying out the last keyboard also.. maybe this one will recover. I'll try it out later.
I hope it works. I'm running out of spares!

I just hope I don't have any more accidents before I get to buy a few more spare keyboards.

For you newbies. Don't surf and sip!
Leave that to the old pros.

loose ends

I've been doing a lot lately, and life hasn't been very good to me in some areas.
First, my knee, then the infection. But, other things have been pretty good. There are friends that I've had for years that are still there. There are new ones that have become better friends in the recent past.
Financially I've been ok too!
I might be selling that motorcycle. The one that I posted up on this blog? The guy is coming over tomorrow to look at it. He's my accountant and needs a bike to fulfill the
"midlife crisis" that he's having. He just got married last year.. again... and I think he needs a pick me up. It'll sure pick me up if he buys it.
That'll mean I can go shopping for a new motorcycle for myself.
Not much else is new, I'm just trying to finish projects that I've started and put closure to a few more situations that have been bugging me.
I'll keep you posted as I tie up the loose ends.

Profits

If you've been reading my blogs you know that I have M.E.R.S.A.,
a stubborn Staph infection, caught in the hospital. Round 2----

I went to the special Doc (Infectious Disease guy) to get checked out.
He went through his mumbo jumbo and poked on my knee for a minute or so.
He Said: "You're going to need special antibiotics"
"The Insurance Co. is going to give you a hard time with the price of the medication"
So, How much? $60. per pill. SIXTY DOLLARS PER PILL!!!
You've got to be kidding!!

Nope, he's not kidding.

The kicker is, the insurance co. authorized the payments!

What a world we live in.

I'm wondering what the profit margin is on those pills.
Should I buy their stock?

I just hope it helps the infection.
Check back, I'll let you know.

Optimism

I am still going to write about the subject I thought of yesterday,
Well, that's NOT gonna be today!
Because... there's more bad news.
So I have to post the latest 'news' instead.
I stopped at the Doc's office to pick up a new prescription for pain killers,
since I'm due for a refill to quell the feeling of having a hole in my knee..
Now, you say, "So, what's the problem there?"

I refill at the drugstore without incident.
I get home and there's a message on my cell phone.
It's the the Doctors office saying, in an urgent voice:
"Call the office as soon as you get this message"
"Dr. X consulted Dr.Y on my knee infection and has news"
Well, needless to say it upset me until I called the office.
After the phone call I was even more concerned.
The culture came back on the 'stuff' taken out of my knee.
It's a staphlococcus infection which is resistant to normal antibiotics..
translation.? (Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus)
If I don't get treatment immediately I could get a life threatening infection
which could possibly kill me or put me in a seriously unhealthy state.
It doesn't matter to me, I'm going with the flow....

because, I'm Optimistic!


Hopefully tomorrow I'll be able to post up my 'good' blog entry.

timing

Well, I had a good blog entry all ready in my head, until...
I found out my car has a broken timing chain.,
I think
I've been around cars for a long time and I'm almost sure.
The problem is, (besides the timing) is that it's parked in a
street cleaning 'tow away zone'. oh well!
I have to be careful where I have it repaired too. You see,
it's a 1969 Cadillac Fleetwood. Not everyone remembers how to
work on those things. I need a break in the action, please!
My tooth hurts too! Too many things at once, although,
isn't that the only way.

Timing is everything.

another of my darned motorcycles. 

Like two peas in a pod. They eat, sleep, and do nothing else! (besides the litter box thing) Oh, and I think they're guarding my tv remotes? That fat one needs the Atkins thing 

one of my bikes, oh how I miss riding 

windows/mac/linux

Well, I started this blogging stuff the other day and it seemed kind of cool.
I've been reading about blogging for a while now.
Coincidentally, while I was setting up a computer for someone, I downloaded the google toolbar.
(read the previous log entry).
I saw the link for Blogger.com in the toolbar and said: 'what the heck', I'll start one.
So, I got all revved up and posted one, then another the second day, and now this is the third.

You're saying: "get to the point man!"

OK.

Here's the point.

I'm doing all this on a Linux-Mandrake operating system.
No Windows
No Macintosh
Got it!

Well, as you've said before: "what's your Point!"

OK.

Here's the point. (Didn't I just say that? Hmmm...)

ok, ok. well, I'd like to post up some pictures of bikes, me, bathrooms, whatever. but, since the only way, according to the site, is to use a program called "Hello" and that, dear reader.. is only useful if you use Windows.

Now THAT'S a problem.

So, no pictures unless I take my lazy butt over to one of my other computers, which I rarely use.
One is a dual boot: Windows/Mandrake machine. It's in the other room :)
The other is a laptop, Win/Linux also, which I don't clog with unneccessary programs.
It's a "grab and go" machine. Just the minimum.

Which brings me to another point.

What makes people use different Operating systems?
Some people will defend Mac's until they die.
Some have a hard time pushing the on button. (they use Windows)
Some, like me, were tired of upgrading every few years to a greater, faster, bigger, flashy new Windows system and consequently having to upgrade to a bigger faster computer!! $$$

I started out on Windows 3.1. What a mess that was.
I was new to computing and it was very slow and didn't have much expandablity.
Then came Windows 95. Oh my god! I thought I was in heaven...
until it crashed repeatedly.
Well, I thought when the big push for Win 98 came, it would be the last upgrade needed.

I thought wrong.

Windows ME: A disaster.
Windows 2000 Professional: (My personal favorite and the one I use on the dual boot machine)
Windows NT: great for business but not set up for home use.
Windows XP: the mac/linux clone-look alike. I've personally never used it but hear it's ok.
So, should I wait for Longhorn?

I don't think so.

I've used Linux for the past two years or so, almost exclusively, and it's quite good at managing your memory.
It also has most of the programs needed for surfing, writing, HTML, chat, IRC, ICQ and even some that I've never heard of.
I am by no means a 'puter nerd. I have no clue how to manipulate Mandrake as well as Windows 2000, but I still like it better, 'cause it's free!
It also works on older computers with less than optimum processors..
In other words, you don't have to upgrade your hardware every time you upgrade your software: "read: Windows"

You say I haven't said much about Mac's. Well there is a reason.
I have never used a Macintosh, but I've been a 'back seat driver', watching someone use it, and it seems quite good.
But, it costs money. :(

Bottom line is:
I'm cheap. I use Linux, it's free.
I want to post pictures...
I'm walking over to the other computer.
Wish me luck.

todays 'great' weather

It's 62 Deg. F. and a possiblility of rain.. Yikes! This may not be interesting to you, other than using this information to carry on a useless conversation with someone you meet, that you really don't have anything to say to. I would be very upset with todays weather if it were not for my situation.

At this time of the year, I'm usually checking the weather and getting ready to motorycycle somewhere. I have a few different bikes that I can ride. That is another choice I would usually be making. "What shall I ride today". Although, since I have this knee injury, I'm prohibited from riding. So, keeping an eye on the weather has taken a back seat to surfing the internet and watching MSNBC news. I do notice when it's nice and casually say to myself: "It would be nice to ride today". I just have to keep my mind occupied with other things and attempt to get well without stressing over not being able to ride. The Doc keeps giving me later and later dates for returning to work.. I dare not ask when I can return to motorcycling. That'll come after I get back to work.

I have TV and internet surfing to keep me busy. I also take old computer boxes and upgrade them by putting in a new motherboard/chip/memory, use all the "old" parts, such as CD-ROM, Floppy drive and hard-drive. Most times it works out to be a very decent computer. Sometimes a bigger hard drive has to be used, most times not. When I'm done with each computer I hunt down a friend who either doesn't have a computer, or needs a faster one. I then advocate... Basically I give them the computer and they either give me a "donation" or not. I usually spend about $150.00 refurbishing them. Either way, I'm happy. I got rid of an old box that's cluttering up my house and I gave one of my friends the ability to be addicted to the internet. One more addict doesn't matter, does it? I'm an internet pusher.

Maybe tomorrow the weather will be a bit nicer.

Pain

well... after many months of having to recoup from a mangled knee, caused by a motorcycle accident, the doc seemed to think that this lump on the inside of the knee is infected. So... I NOW have a small hole (1/2 in deep) in the knee that needs to be packed, DAILY!!, then wrapped. It's causing me pain, to say the least.
Percocet is king!