Waiting To Exhale -- 2009

Another post employment morning, starting the day checking his email as he quickly deletes the spam and junk messages that seem to find their way through miles of fiber optic lines. It’s not a surprising to find nothing encouraging in the e-box. Of course there are suggestions on how to write the perfect resume and companies almost guaranteeing that they will hook him up with an interview for $29.95.
Nothing has changed much the last few months, except his role in the home. He is now the designate driver for the kids. Dropping them off and picking them up at school. He also spends a lot of time at the grocery stores finding deals on cheese and items listed as two for ones.
It’s hard being home all day, especially this long. It’s been six months since the layoff and time is running out, on everything. He made some tough choices about what little money was left and keeping his family together. Trying to maintain a worry free environment has been difficult.
At first it didn’t seem to bother the kids, Dad being home. But as weeks turned into months and the months will soon be a year even the youngest knows something is very wrong with this picture.
Trying to maintain a normal life for his family has been hard. He didn’t want his wife or children worrying about food or clothes or whether they would have a bed to sleep in. He knew keeping calm and not talking to them about it would work, in the short term. But now, he’s getting to the point were a true miracle would come in handy.
Putting off the creditors is easy, but putting off the bank holding the mortgage is a different story. He is currently 5 months behind; he is waiting for that knock on the door from the courts letting him know his presence is requested.
So with every new day comes a different set of problems. His family didn’t know that there are times when he doesn’t eat, because there simply was not enough food to go around. They didn’t know that he has used every dime including a large water jar of coins he’s been savings since high school for a trip to France. This was going to be a fiftieth birthday present to him. They don’t know that keeping the pool clean and the grass and bushes trimmed was only a mirage, smoke and mirrors so the neighbors don’t realize there’s a problem.
Remembering 2009, who wants too? The scares of 2009 will take years to heal. The worst part is, he knew it was going to happen. Like a nightmare, he was standing on a switch track at a rail station when suddenly the clamp closed on his foot. Locomotive 2009 was bearing down on him. At first it was just a small light in the distance slowly growing larger as the crept up to the present. Should he cut his foot off and save himself or wait? Wait to see if some miracle will happen. The train may screech to a halt, or change tracks. That’s how everyday of his life feels.
It’s been a long time since he had a good night sleep, even longer feeling good about the mornings. Hopefully the New Year will bring change and a little luck. Maybe something will take a little pressure off of him so he can enjoy the simple things in life again.
2011 can be a new start for everyone, one thing is fore sure he is not alone. Many people have been holding their breaths much longer than he has. Maybe, just maybe—2011w ill be the start of something new, something wonderful for us all

CAR REPAIR CHAIN SHOPS ARE WHORES

I can’t believe how dishonest car repair chains shops have become. I always take my car to this local guy that works out of his shop in a warehouse complex. He keeps his cost down and only takes cash.

Anyway, today I broke down right in front of an AAMCO repair shop. My serpentine belt broke which caused an increase in pressure cracking my radiator. AMMCO wanted $500 to do the repair.

It was then I remembered my car insurance covers towing. So I took my keys back and called road side assistance. They towed my car to my little old man for free. He replaced my radiator with a new one, change both belts. Put new pads on my back brakes and change my oil. Oh he also lubed my car as well.

$250 out the door, thank GOD I have an honest car repair guy. I hope he never dies.

MY GENERATION

Closing in on 50 we realize that being at the tail end of the baby boomer generation put us in a unique gray area between two very different groups. Most of us did not feel the wrath of the depression although our parents certainly did; they seemed to shield us from those horrifying times memories.
Yes we all heard the stories from our grand parents about food lines and pot luck dinners. I heard a story about people stealing the paper off of apples in the market to use as toilet paper. I heard about endless dinners of potato soup and leaks and I heard about how my grand mother killed my mother’s pet chicken for dinner one night. She never ate chicken again.
We came from modest middle class families wearing hand-me-down clothes and playing with passed down toys. But we had more than our parents did when they were children.
So what was our contribution, our obligation to the next generation?
We were taught that a penny saved is a penny earned. We were taught not to buy anything unless we had the cash to pay for it. We were also taught to help people less fortunate then ourselves.
The shield our parents held protecting us from the harsh realities of the depression dulled our sensibilities toward the possibility it may happen again. Did we do our job teaching the next generations the lessons from the past? Explaining to generation X and Y that hard work is the only way to succeed. Feeling good about your accomplishments is really the reward not your ability to put $1300 down on a $60k vehicle with a payment of $500 a month. To feel good about the fact no one gave you a free pass because of your hard work. Or did we sit back and let them create their own path? Hoping that they would find an easier way, a faster way to reach their goals and protect us in our old age.
We did sit back, and we gave them the reins too early. We didn’t spend enough time telling them, warning them about what could happen.
Credit Cards, Equity loans and leasing cars became the norm. By the end of the century most families were spending 1/3 more per month than their income. People were living on borrowed time and we all watched it happen.
What should my Generation do? We need to be heard, we need to take back the reins. We can’t spend or borrow our way out of this mess. There has to be a correction, a re-set on how we all live.
This is what my generation has to offer, only if we’re giving the opportunity. But it may be too late.

IN A BLINK

It seems like the autumn brings out many things. Cooler weather, the holidays and in recent years with the advent of Face book, people try to reconnect with old friends and acquaintances from the past.

It never seizes to amaze me how a single image from the past greatly affects me. It could be a picture of a car or building that immediately transports me back to that time and place. Sometimes I can almost smell the air from my little town, nestled in the arm pit of New Jersey.

One thing is fore sure time is passing quickly.

Thirty years—it went by in a blink.

Were we too busy to notice back then, when the fight was strong within us? When nothing would stop us from doing anything (just once) to see what it felt like. It seemed that time stood still back then.

And now are we too busy trying to get our piece of the pie? Working hard, trying to get that promotion, wanting to earn more money so we could buy more stuff.

For some of us it was all about getting married raising children and buying a home.

Those memories are strong as well, like watching your child open their first Christmas present. Or, the first time you walked into your own home. And of course, the day you got married, are all meaningful strong memories.

But they still don’t affect you like the images and memories before all of that happened.

When having enough money for gas or a six pack of beer was more important than what the next day could bring. Or, if you wanted to take a road trip you jumped in the car with the clothes on your back and BOLTED. You didn’t have to plan, pack or make sure there were enough snacks, videos and games for the ride.

It was a time before the internet and cell phones but we all seemed more connected. We always knew where to find someone to hang out with and it really didn’t matter what we did, it was always ‘Out Of Hand’.

So why do memories from high school and college affect us more than recent memories,   especially the ones that were supposedly life changing?

I guess it’s because, it was a time of infinite possibilities, when dreams seemed possible.  Those old images sometimes reveal more than just fond memories. They remind us of the people we once were. Or maybe, they remind us of what we could have become.

Anyway, it’s nice to reconnect with people from the good ole days.  It doesn’t seem that the people we meet or work with today come close to the definition of friend. Especially when most of us change those acquaintances as often as we change are bed spreads or furniture.

One thing is for sure we'll blink again and it'll all be over.

CARPE DIEM.

PAPER OR PLASTIC???

I for one, never thought this reusable sack thing was going to stay with us. Kind of like, right after 9-11 everyone was flying the American flag and now except for government buildings and banks you rarely see one.

I know how many landfills are over stuffed with plastic wares and how we must think about the earth and keeping her clean. I get it, but I also know that most plastic is recyclable and most plastic bags are made from other throw away plastic.

So, some marketing guru high in an office over looking ....Madison Ave.... came up with the idea of making store specific reusable sacks, each costing a dollar adding revenue to the bottom line. They knew that if enough people bought them it would also reduce the operational cost for the store.

I’m sure that Son of a Bitch took a Lear Jet down to the ....Bahamas.... and is sipping Pina-colada’s laughing his or her ass off right now.

So fine, we fell for it—Thanks Al Gore, spank me—may I have another.

All these bleeding heart liberals ran out and purchased reusable sacks from their favorites stores. When they’re on line they proudly pull them out – “No need to ask paper or plastic I have my reusable sacks!”

Of course, the worst scenario is having a husband and wife that shop at different stores. Now they acquire a collection of these reusable sacks. Yippee! So now when they load up for the week and have a full cart of groceries, they whip out their brightly colored—“I care for the environment and we’re trying to fight Global warming—multi-labeled sacks and hand them to the cashier.” 

Look into the eyes of a cashier the next time you see this happen. They rather have two bricks smashed up against their skull than someone handing them a bunch of mis-shaped sacks from multi-stores. They struggle with them and begin loading groceries. They don’t hold much and you have to use twice as many.

Now what’s that mean to me? I tell you, I’m the guy behind you that has to wait until all of the sacks are separated and stuffed, which takes twice as long as shoving them into the recycled plastic bags in the first place.

If you really think your helping the environment buy using these reusable sacks, you’re kidding yourself. If it makes you feel good about yourself well then have at it. But the truth is your doing nothing but putting more money on the bottom line for your favorite grocer. Oh, and pissing off the people behind you.

So load your Prius up with your reusable sacks and have a nice day.

I think if this trend continues the grocery stores should have a separate check out lane for those who deem it necessary to purchase these sacks. Let’s call it the ....GREEN EXPRESS LANE..... Maybe then you’ll realize how long it takes to fill those sacks and be on your way. I will proudly remain in the plastic or paper lane waiting my turn to check out.

Textnovel

Textnovel

Sheriff: Landfill body appears to be Fla. girl - Bay News 9

Sheriff: Landfill body appears to be Fla. girl - Bay News 9

Until Florida can figure out how to protect their children. Vacation somewhere else. Maybe hitting Florida were it hurts TOURISM. This has got to stop.
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