With all the recent flooding, this area of East Texas is now being subjected to the scourge of scourges. Yes dear friends, the mosquito.
Now, I'm now talking about your average Minnesota mosquito. Nope, everything is bigger in Texas and these are the size of a small hummingbird. I'm even afraid to let Buford go out at night for fear they might cart him off, even as paunchy as he is.
And there are literally hundreds of them. I've lived in this area for over thirty years and I've never seen swarms this bad. The only upside is that since they are so large, you can actually feel them land on you and can swat 'em before they bite.
Thank God for small miracles...
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Sunday, October 29, 2006
Burn baby, burn!!
Saturday morning, the FD and I hosted a training seminar for a couple of area FDs. This seminar included both classroom presentation and hands-on "live" burns. Now, in the interest of safety and to teach proper ventilation and extinguishing methods, the fires didn't really get that hot. This prompted a member from another FD to comment about it not being hot enough.
Mistake.
Big mistake.
Just for the record, not one was injured, but at least one fire helmet came out a little worse for wear.
But the good news is that we established a new level of camaraderie and trust amongst the various firefighters there. And when your life and the lives of others is on the line, that can be very, very important.
Mistake.
Big mistake.
Just for the record, not one was injured, but at least one fire helmet came out a little worse for wear.
But the good news is that we established a new level of camaraderie and trust amongst the various firefighters there. And when your life and the lives of others is on the line, that can be very, very important.
Friday, October 27, 2006
X-Mas Wish List
The ex-wife once commented as to the reason that I was so very difficult to shop for with regards to X-mas gifts, in that I didn't wait around for someone to give me a gift, if I saw something I liked, I bought it right then and there.
So, in a remarkable show of self-restraint and taking into consideration the feelings of those around me, I didn't purchase several items this week. There was a nice Bluetooth presentation remote on Overstock.com that I had in my cart but let slip away, along with a 1000tc sheet-set. Then there was that nifty little 3MP retro-look digital camera at WM (I believe it was made by Philips and was less than $70... hint, hint). However, I did buy the new laptop computer from Dell, but that was too expensive to be a X-mas gift.
Buford just chimed in that he'd like a few chew toys, the spoiled-rotten little pooch...
So, in a remarkable show of self-restraint and taking into consideration the feelings of those around me, I didn't purchase several items this week. There was a nice Bluetooth presentation remote on Overstock.com that I had in my cart but let slip away, along with a 1000tc sheet-set. Then there was that nifty little 3MP retro-look digital camera at WM (I believe it was made by Philips and was less than $70... hint, hint). However, I did buy the new laptop computer from Dell, but that was too expensive to be a X-mas gift.
Buford just chimed in that he'd like a few chew toys, the spoiled-rotten little pooch...
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
The Clueless or Worse...
I recently got an e-mail letting me know that someone had posted a comment in the Fire Department's website guestbook. I log in and check it out and just have to laugh.
Once again, an attack against me and my family, telling how terrible my family has been to the Department and how everything would be so much better if my brother and I weren't Chief and Assistant Chief, respectively.
Obviously, this person has either never been in the Department and is just ignorant, or is and ex-member and, in addition to having some residual anger, is a complete idiot.
In December 2004, in what can be described best as a palace coup, my brother was voted out as Chief and the then Assistant Chief voted in as Chief. Ten months later, this person was removed not only from office, but from the Department entirely. In ten short months the Department went from being caught up on its bills to being several months behind on bills, with the threat of repossession of the engine on the horizon. All-in-all, we were over $25,000 behind on our payments.
So this person was removed and my brother was asked to take the reigns once again. Now, a year after his resuming control, all of those bills have been paid and the Department is not only completely caught up, but is several months ahead. In addition, the Department has purchased twelve new sets of SCBA with spare bottles, five new pagers, and ten new handhelds. We sent three firefighters to Texas A&M over the summer, something we didn't do last year because we didn't have the funds. We have recently received word that we have been awarded two grants, one for wildland gear and another for a new tanker.
But my family screws the Department over, if you listen to the ignorant...
Once again, an attack against me and my family, telling how terrible my family has been to the Department and how everything would be so much better if my brother and I weren't Chief and Assistant Chief, respectively.
Obviously, this person has either never been in the Department and is just ignorant, or is and ex-member and, in addition to having some residual anger, is a complete idiot.
In December 2004, in what can be described best as a palace coup, my brother was voted out as Chief and the then Assistant Chief voted in as Chief. Ten months later, this person was removed not only from office, but from the Department entirely. In ten short months the Department went from being caught up on its bills to being several months behind on bills, with the threat of repossession of the engine on the horizon. All-in-all, we were over $25,000 behind on our payments.
So this person was removed and my brother was asked to take the reigns once again. Now, a year after his resuming control, all of those bills have been paid and the Department is not only completely caught up, but is several months ahead. In addition, the Department has purchased twelve new sets of SCBA with spare bottles, five new pagers, and ten new handhelds. We sent three firefighters to Texas A&M over the summer, something we didn't do last year because we didn't have the funds. We have recently received word that we have been awarded two grants, one for wildland gear and another for a new tanker.
But my family screws the Department over, if you listen to the ignorant...
Thank God for DSL!!
Digital Subscriber Line, you pervs, not the other kind!!!
One of the biggest sacrifices moving back from Denton was saying goodbye to my 1.5Mbps cable modem and saying hello to good ole dial-up. Yep, we were still in the Dark Ages here in this little part of East Texas. To make matters worse, it seemed like everyone around me could get DSL EXCEPT for me.
That ended yesteday. After months of constantly checking SBC's, then ATT's, website, last Friday I finally got the message I'd been hoping for: that DSL was finally available at my home. I placed my order and waited, rather impatiently I might add.
Yesterday all of the necessary equipment showed up. Now, they weren't supposed to activate the line till tomorrow, but I thought, "What the hell," and hooked it up. All the lights were green and we were a go.
So I type this from my much faster internet connection. No more waiting for minutes for pages to load, it's done in the blink of an eye.
Life is good...
One of the biggest sacrifices moving back from Denton was saying goodbye to my 1.5Mbps cable modem and saying hello to good ole dial-up. Yep, we were still in the Dark Ages here in this little part of East Texas. To make matters worse, it seemed like everyone around me could get DSL EXCEPT for me.
That ended yesteday. After months of constantly checking SBC's, then ATT's, website, last Friday I finally got the message I'd been hoping for: that DSL was finally available at my home. I placed my order and waited, rather impatiently I might add.
Yesterday all of the necessary equipment showed up. Now, they weren't supposed to activate the line till tomorrow, but I thought, "What the hell," and hooked it up. All the lights were green and we were a go.
So I type this from my much faster internet connection. No more waiting for minutes for pages to load, it's done in the blink of an eye.
Life is good...
Sunday, October 22, 2006
Frackin'
OK, I'm sure that there are those of you that wonder where that term comes from. Well, if you has to ask, it is because you are simply not cool enough, not hip enough, and dare I say, not intelligent enough to watch the best drama, as well as the best written show, on television today...
Battlestar Galactica
Wipe that smirk off your face before I march over there and kick your frackin' @$$.
That's right, Battlestar Galactica.
Forget the cheesy, Star Wars ripoff from the '70s. This is the new, re-imagined series that is light-years (no pun intended... no wait, maybe it was) above and beyond that old show. Seriously, it is as good as, if not better than 24 or Lost or ER. Really, really good.
You owe it to yourself to watch...
Battlestar Galactica
Wipe that smirk off your face before I march over there and kick your frackin' @$$.
That's right, Battlestar Galactica.
Forget the cheesy, Star Wars ripoff from the '70s. This is the new, re-imagined series that is light-years (no pun intended... no wait, maybe it was) above and beyond that old show. Seriously, it is as good as, if not better than 24 or Lost or ER. Really, really good.
You owe it to yourself to watch...
100-Proof of Forget-it-All
Well, for those of you who don't know me that well, I'm an aspiring songwriter. I don't know what it is, the idea will pop into my head, words will flow, and a song emerges. Some of the songs can be really good, at least according to friends and family.
Well, tonight I had a whole bunch of people over for dinner, and after they left, these words just popped into my head. Now all of you amateur (or even professional, damned though you may well be) psychologists out there, don't try to read anything into this. It's just a song.
100-Proof of Forget-It-All
Well it’s too late for conversation
Too early to go home
Too late to shoot a game of pool
Guess I sit here all alone
Got a bottle in front of me
To help me forget the pain
I’ll get so drunk that I can’t see
Maybe even forget your name
Chorus
Well it’s 100-proof of forget-it-all
I’ve got here in my hand
Sometimes when it gets too hard
It helps me to understand
How a woman could just walk away
Leave me here to cry
It takes 100-proof of forget-it-all
Just to help me get by.
No, I really don’t want to dance
Don’t care to two-step or waltz.
It’s just too soon for another chance
Scared of running into a wall.
Now this bottle in front of me
Is the one thing I can count on
Too erase every memory
Make it easy to be strong
Chorus
Well it’s 100-proof of forget-it-all
I’ve got here in my hand
Sometimes when it gets too hard
It helps me to understand
How a woman could just walk away
Leave me here to cry
It takes 100-proof of forget-it-all
Just to help me get by.
Let me know what you think. Also, if you ever hear it on the radio, let me know. We'll split the royalties....
Well, tonight I had a whole bunch of people over for dinner, and after they left, these words just popped into my head. Now all of you amateur (or even professional, damned though you may well be) psychologists out there, don't try to read anything into this. It's just a song.
100-Proof of Forget-It-All
Well it’s too late for conversation
Too early to go home
Too late to shoot a game of pool
Guess I sit here all alone
Got a bottle in front of me
To help me forget the pain
I’ll get so drunk that I can’t see
Maybe even forget your name
Chorus
Well it’s 100-proof of forget-it-all
I’ve got here in my hand
Sometimes when it gets too hard
It helps me to understand
How a woman could just walk away
Leave me here to cry
It takes 100-proof of forget-it-all
Just to help me get by.
No, I really don’t want to dance
Don’t care to two-step or waltz.
It’s just too soon for another chance
Scared of running into a wall.
Now this bottle in front of me
Is the one thing I can count on
Too erase every memory
Make it easy to be strong
Chorus
Well it’s 100-proof of forget-it-all
I’ve got here in my hand
Sometimes when it gets too hard
It helps me to understand
How a woman could just walk away
Leave me here to cry
It takes 100-proof of forget-it-all
Just to help me get by.
Let me know what you think. Also, if you ever hear it on the radio, let me know. We'll split the royalties....
Monday, October 09, 2006
The Art of Customer Dis-service
OK, I'm tired of every other company out there whining about losing out to the dreaded evil empire that is Wal-Mart. Wake-up morons, you're not going to beat WM on price, their economies of scale are just too enormous, so you need to beat them elsewhere, like customer service.
That's what I like about WM: if you buy something and there is something wrong with it, you can take it back. No questions asked.
My SIL bought some snow crab legs on sale at a major, nation-wide chain supermarket. Now these crab legs were in a box, and when she got home and removed them from the box, it was obvious that they weren't any good. They smelled VERY bad. So she calls the store and they tell her, "no problem, just bring 'em back with your receipt."
Now you have to understand, we live out in the country where the closest one of these stores is a good thirty minute drive. Today, I was heading into the Houston area to do some shopping on my own and planned on stopping by one of these stores to buy the same crab legs, steaks, and beer. So she gives me the package she wanted returned and the receipt and asked if I'd return them for her.
Not a problem.
Till I got to the store, that is. There, I am informed that since they were not purchased at that particular store, they couldn't be returned there, the SIL would have to return them to the store from which they were purchased.
Whiskey...
Tango...
Foxtrot?!?!?!
Did I mention that at WM, it doesn't matter at which store you purchase an item, ANY WM will accept the return. This national chain supermarket doesn't do that. BAM!!! They just lost the customer service battle in my opinion.
I walked out of the store, without buying crab legs, steaks, or beer, an app. $50 to $75 in lost sales for them. More to the point, it'll be a snowy day in Texas in July before I shop at that chain again.
That's what I like about WM: if you buy something and there is something wrong with it, you can take it back. No questions asked.
My SIL bought some snow crab legs on sale at a major, nation-wide chain supermarket. Now these crab legs were in a box, and when she got home and removed them from the box, it was obvious that they weren't any good. They smelled VERY bad. So she calls the store and they tell her, "no problem, just bring 'em back with your receipt."
Now you have to understand, we live out in the country where the closest one of these stores is a good thirty minute drive. Today, I was heading into the Houston area to do some shopping on my own and planned on stopping by one of these stores to buy the same crab legs, steaks, and beer. So she gives me the package she wanted returned and the receipt and asked if I'd return them for her.
Not a problem.
Till I got to the store, that is. There, I am informed that since they were not purchased at that particular store, they couldn't be returned there, the SIL would have to return them to the store from which they were purchased.
Whiskey...
Tango...
Foxtrot?!?!?!
Did I mention that at WM, it doesn't matter at which store you purchase an item, ANY WM will accept the return. This national chain supermarket doesn't do that. BAM!!! They just lost the customer service battle in my opinion.
I walked out of the store, without buying crab legs, steaks, or beer, an app. $50 to $75 in lost sales for them. More to the point, it'll be a snowy day in Texas in July before I shop at that chain again.
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