Friday, May 26, 2006

I'm Late...

...as usual.

Spent an ungodly number of hours driving back and forth to a training class 60 miles away this week, then spent last night getting the trailer ready to go camping this weekend, and I missed this.

Pop on over there and wish Kim well, even if it's late.

Tuesday, May 16, 2006

I'm Sorry

This apology is aimed directly at Kim duToit, Misha, Mr. Clarke, and Mrs. Larson.

Although you aren't the only ones deserving of an apology, you're the ones I know of.

RARELY will you find me apologizing for something I didn't do; however, since I voted for George Bush in 2004, I feel that after his speech tonight, I owe all of you an apology.

I'm sorry that the man I voted for for President in 2004 turned out to be a scumsucking sonofabitch who wants to denigrate the hard work each of you did to become American citizens.

I'm sorry that he wants to allow criminals to "cut to the head of the line" in front of the people in the countries you came from, who today are waiting their turn to apply for U.S. citizenship - or even a green card to come work here legally.

President Bush's speech tonight was a slap in the face to all of you who worked so hard to get here and become American citizens - and I don't agree with that at all.

I've read Misha, read (and once met) Kim; I've worked with Mr. Clarke, and I've heard about Mrs. Larson's difficult journey to American citizenship. Something I was fortunate enough to be born with, and I see people all over (many of them better folks than I) working their asses off to EARN a place here.

And Bush wants to give it away to criminals.

I still think Bush was a better (or maybe less bad) choice than Kerry... but, my friends, I'm sorry for this insult my President has given you.

Know that I value you as some of the best Americans I know, and I DON'T support President Bush in his amnesty proposals, no matter how they're dressed up. I appreciate the work you did to get here, and to stand beside me as Americans, and I WILL NOT support any shortcuts that demean the efforts you put forth.

Thank you, my friends.

Thursday, May 11, 2006

Two Good Ones

Sorry I haven't been writing much lately... unless you want to hear about (very painful) strained backs or sheetrocking a bathroom, I'm afraid I haven't been doing much interesting lately.

But a few folks have been doing some good writing, and I'd be a sorry sack if I didn't point it out:

Kevin has another GOOD fisking up.

To Professor Saul Cornell and his pretzel-like arguments, I have Just One Question.

Next up, Gullyborg seems to have found a bit of spare time, and writes about gas prices.

Not as utterly devastating as a lot of talking heads would have you think. I agree, even though I drive a Silverado that gets about 15 mpg on average. I LIKE having a full-size truck I can rely on, and I'll pay for that privelege. That's a decision Lisa and I made together.

Sunday, May 07, 2006

Doc Russia gets it RIGHT, again.

This is what I'd have liked to have written, if I could have stood to be in my computer chair at the time, and if I could write that well.

I don't want to know what my blood pressure was doing while I watched that movie. It's always too high, and I'm sure it was at dangerous levels during that film.

It was hour and a half or so of clenching and unclenching my fists, teeth, and guts.

Remembering that morning. Remembering my boss calling and waking me up (my shift started at noon then), telling me not to come to work that day, that we were closing shop, and that I should get up and watch CNN.

Seeing replays of the planes crashing into the Twin Towers. Going through the uncertainty of "Was this two freak accidents?" to "NO. THIS IS AN ATTACK" as the reports came in about the Pentagon, and United 93 going down in Pennsylvania.

Remembering preliminary reports that United 93 was targeted for DC, but apparently passengers crashed it.

Clenching and unclenching... Until finally, near the climax of the film, when Lisa had taken my hand and pulled it into her lap, trying to hold my hand, she said, "You're hurting me!". Without realizing it, I'd been crushing her hand when she tried to hold hands.

I left the theatre with my hands and forearms aching. I WANTED to be the one breaking that Islamofascist's arm, and choking the life out of him, even if it meant doing so on a plane plummeting to the ground, and my certain death.

I'd like to die an old man, and free. If that's not going to happen, I want to take AT LEAST one of these subhuman pieces of crap with me. The more, the merrier.

God have Mercy on anybody who acts out of line anytime I'm on an airplane again. I don't fly often (ever if I can help it) - but Ridge's Retards don't check for things like rolls of quarters, or rodeo belt buckles, and after September 11, 2001, I WON'T be disarmed on a plane. I just won't be using the arms they're looking for.

Fuck me if the plane I'm on gets turned into a guided missile. Not Gonna Happen. Give it up, Jumpin' Jihadis - that wad's been blown, and you don't get to pull it again.

Saturday, May 06, 2006

Ow.

This is gonna be fairly short. I've managed to screw my back up, again.

This is my apology for the lack of blogging... my computer desk chair is not the most comfortable of places right now, and for the past week, has been downright excruciating.

A week ago, I took delivery of a BUNCH of building materials from Home Depot... then had to get significant amounts of them under cover, as we're having an unusually rainy spring for Texas. Moving all that stuff by myself didn't do my back any favors, and I'm barely starting to recover.

But... the water line to the Garage is complete (although I haven't been able to leak-check it because of all the rain filling up the trenches); lots of trash and debris has been burned (since it's been so wet, and we've had a few windless days).

Bud got some mowing done, and we got the prelims done for framing in the Garage bathroom - a prerequisite to disabling the plumbing in the house as part of the repairs we'll be doing.

But, my back is still pretty F'd up. Gonna have to keep taking it easy, using muscle relaxers and early bedtimes to keep me going semi-productively, and letting Bud do most of the heavy work.

I hate this.

I hate that the night I seriously screwed up my back, I had a back spasm just as I was turning into my driveway, missed it, and smacked my neighbor's truck. Fortunately, Ford builds tough trucks and the only damage done was to my bumper.

I hate that I'm not as mobile or agile as my 85-year-old Grandfather. I guess by now he's better at being careful not to hurt himself than I am.

Well... hopefully I'll heal up ok pretty soon, and be back to my normal self. If so, I have several more things to write, so stay tuned :)