Only The Strong Survive

Well folks, it's 2009 and there is a world of hurt going on out there.

I'm sure that I don't have to mention how terrifying the economy has become, although Congress may still be somewhat hesitant to admit that we are in a recession. I suppose that it is comforting to know, if you can call it that, that it is very much the same all around the globe.

People from all walks of life, from every nation, and in just about every home, things are stressful at best and only getting worse.

But we just can't let it get the best of us; this happens every 5 to 10 years - some worse than others such as in the current cycle, but it ALWAYS gets better. Even the Great Depression last century went away, eventually. Wars end, disasters are overcome, and life goes on. We must not give up, we must not falter, we must not tire of the unending challenges that face us on a daily basis.

Personally, I had my third (AND FINAL) marriage end two and a half months ago. Sure it hurt, of course I was depressed and felt lost, and naturally I just shuttered myself in and sulked in a brooding maelstrom of infernal despair.

But I got over it! Now I feel great; I am recharged and energized looking forward to the exciting life that lies ahead of me unencumbered by the contemptibly toxic relationship that was putrefying my very soul. It's like walking out of a dank, musty cave into the bright, warm sunshine. And life, once more, is good.

We cannot get mired down in the worries and stress of the current economic catastrophe that is lingering throughout America and the rest of the global community. We must struggle forward and survive this challange today to meet and enjoy a better day tomorrow.

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

I must apologize for my lengthy absence from this blog as I have been overcoming several crises of a personal nature and have not had the time to attend to this.

Being that it is Christmas Eve, I would not be able to forgive myself for not posting on my favorite Holiday of the year. So here I is!

Christmas is typically experienced as enjoying good times with family and friends, snuggling with your loved one on a cold and snowy evening, and generally soaking in the contented feelings of love and friendship. And it should be.

Having moved from the frigid wastelands of northeast Ohio to the tropics of southwest Florida, I am missing the wintry Currier & Ives scenes from outside my windows and the bone-chilling, frost-bearing winds that threatened to freeze my very bones. Well, maybe not the wind.

Nor am I missing straining my back shoveling that heavy, wet snow. Neither am I missing having to shovel my driveway and walking back to where I started two hours ago only to find a new two inches taunting me.

Still, it is somewhat disconcerting to wake up on Christmas to a sunny 80 degrees. And did you ever try to decorate a Christmas Palm tree?

Anyway, I would like to take this moment to wish everyone around the globe a very Merry Christmas and a safe, healthy and prosperous New Year.

See you there!

Inhuman Nature

It is interesting, in the study of relationships, how a pair of individuals, bound together in marriage, can be completely different unbinding in divorce.

One can only stare and wonder in abject amazement, where, from humble beginnings, such hedonistic and self-indulgent tendencies were given rise from. These deeply disturbing sociopathic tendencies that slowly dissolved not only the nature of the relationship as it had once formed and grown, but also the very substance of the person that once had been the closest person to me in my entire life.

Sadly the observable trend continued to deteriorate into a state of sustained alcohol-induced paranoia and wildly delusional behavior. I can only imagine that mine is not the only story out there, nor is it the worst of its kind. It is, however, much more than I can bear to deal with.

It is, therefore, with great sadness that I choose to end this relationship, not for the bleak emotional wreckage that it has become, but for all of the great and vast potential it once had that has since been consumed by intemperance, self-gratification, glib indifference, erratic behavior, contradictory thinking, and constant drunkenness, all of which, of course, are vehemently denied.

I turn my back in disdain and move forward, alone, into a better life.

The Slow Uphill Climb

The fall down isn't the part that kills you, it's the sudden stop hitting the bottom that does it!

Well, I am glad to say that I not only survived the fall, but also the sudden deceleration in my velocity coming to a sudden and, quite extreme, stop.

I have secured employment in my field of expertise at the beginning of the year and things are going very well in that aspect.

I am slowly recovering from deep, deep indebtedness caused by trying to survive on credit cards whilst unemployed, and I am preparing to initiate the final proceedings for terminating my very much failed marriage. I guess the third time ISN'T the charm after all...

SO, intrepid readers, keep an eyeball peeled for the forthcoming tales and adventures as I claw and fight my way back to the standards of my previous life.

Hitting Rock Bottom

Is the glass half empty or is the glass half full?

Well, from where I am standing, at the very rock bottom, you can only go up from here!

Now I call Florida home. the Forgotten Wasteland that they call Ohio has taken enough of my life and given me nothing but hardship.

So, once more, I am starting over. At least I am with my family now. THAT is a big plus.
Anyway, I've lost everything else...

The job scene still looks pretty grim. I guess it's that way all over (unless you're a politician.)

Still keeping my chin up though, at least as much as I can.

:^ )

The More Things Change, The More They Stay The Same

Well, I have had it with the state of the State of Ohio. Whoever says the economy is booming is a Damned Bloody LIAR. With over twenty years of experience in the IT industry, you'd think it would be a no-brainer to get a job.

NOT!

Even the so-called employment agencies are only out to pad their head counts, they don't have their prospects best interests in mind, only their own pockets. And the advertised jobs don't even pay a sustainable wage. There are an incredible number of people working more than one job just to make ends meet. So much for the United States of America that our forefathers created and fought so hard for...

So I am leaving this lousy State and heading out to better prospects. I am also videotaping this life-changing journey for prosperity. Perhaps I will post a clip or two...
Stay tuned!

Falling Down

My, oh my, how things can change in a big way in a short amount of time.

It seems that, after two months, the owner of the machine shop I was working at decided for me that it wasn't the right job for me to be in.

How considerate of him.

So now here I am, one week away from my 48th birthday, unemployed with no more unemployment benefits and having all of my savings used up covering what financial responsibilities my unemployment benefits wouldn't.

I am really at the end of my rope. I am trying to fight off depression, feeling sorry for myself won't help me out. There just don't seem to be any jobs in this area that will provide me with enough income to stay alive and cover my financial responsibilities.

I am sure my soon-to-be ex-wife is gloating.

Reminds me of a Michael Douglas movie...

Pumped

Hey there, me again!

I am getting excited about my life, now. Things are going rather well for me. My job is going great, I am making small amounts of progress in my business, and my personal credit rating keeps on getting better and better!

I am looking forward to the day when my business is able to sustain my modest lifestyle and I can start saving for retirement, which isn't all that far away really.

So anyway, I am making forward progress and keeping my chin up here.

Cheers!

Things Are Starting To Look Up!

After 3-1/2 months of being unemployed and using up the last remaining amount of my unemployment benefits, I have secured employment.

I am now going to be running CNC machinery - something I have never done before and completely unrelated to my career path to this point, but hey, it'll pay the bills (almost).

Anyway, after being screwed by previous employment in the IT industry, I guess a change of tracks might be just the ticket to keeping employed for more than 4 months.

Stay tuned!

What are YOU looking at?

Well, punk?

(okay, I got nuthin')

Just thought I'd shake up the tree a bit and see what falls out.

Is there anybody out there???

What Happened to the United States of America?

I am becoming more and more scared of what is happening to the good ol' US of A. Our elected officials, who WE THE PEOPLE put into office, who are supposed to SERVE THE PEOPLE, who are supposed to have OUR BEST INTERESTS in mind, are completely, and utterly running amok. And not only at the local level, not only at the state level, but all the way to Washington D.C. - right up to, and especially, the President of the United States of America and his cabinet.

People, this isn't Nazi Germany from the 1940's. The government is taking away our civil liberties, one at a time, piece by piece. Our freedoms, the very concepts with which the founding fathers of this country established and fought for, are being consistently eroded to the point of irrelevant uselessness.

Case in point, this poor schmuck was only doing his job. What happens? The political highbrow doesn't like the question and has the reporter arrested. In comes the Gestapo and off goes the reporter. And don't even THINK about taking a picture of the police doing their job. You WILL be arrested. What are they trying to hide?

Now the President screws with our freedom and makes it possible to have any UNITED STATES CITIZEN arrested for ANY reason OR NO REASON AT ALL. A woman in New Hampshire was arrested for MAKING FACES AT A POLICE DOG.

Soon we will all be in state of lockdown IN OUR OWN HOMES. Big Brother isn't coming, ladies and gentlemen, BIG BROTHER IS ALREADY HERE! Try driving through an intersection, passing through a toll booth, or shopping in your favorite store WITHOUT HAVING YOUR PICTURE TAKEN. Soon, the government will know not only what you buy, when, and where you bought it, but the route you took to get there, where you go afterward, who you talked to, what you ate, how much you spent, and what you do online.

Is the United States of America becoming a police state? Will we all be prisoners in our own homes? How far are we away from becoming the communist country that we, not too long ago, defended ourselves from? I am ashamed at what this country is becoming. The government was originally setup to protect and defend its citizens. Now, it seems as if the government is protecting itself FROM its citizens and serving its own out of control needs.

I was once proud to be an American. I still am. But the way this government is treating its citizens just makes me want to puke! I am sure the founders of our country are spinning in their graves. I hope things get better real soon - as in the upcoming election year...

The Amazing Colossal Skyrocketing Price of Gas

It is amazing how much Americans will just go along with anything…
Raise the price of gas to record highs and dumb Americans say:

“Duhhh, okay…”

The sad thing about this is that the rest of American business is keeping a close watch on reactions of Americans to the outrageous, nonchalant screwing raping of the American consumer by the oil overlords because they are ready to jump on the bandwagon in the blink of an eye to cash in on Americans apparent willingness to be docile, drone-like sheep to be so easily lead around by the nose.

Food prices will be next followed closely by utilities and every other profit leech in the country.
Perhaps women won’t notice until the price of shoes doubles or triples. And all of these drones with cell phones permanently attached to the side of their faces won’t notice until the price of service plans doubles.

Hey, since plastics are petroleum-based, do ya think anyone will notice when the price of anything made with plastic (about 95% of EVERYTHING in this country) jumps exceedingly high as with the price of gas?

The excuse that are currently being spoon-fed to the unaware masses in this country will not prevail too much longer; then what will be the excuse for gas price-raping America? The refinery broke and they are waiting on parts? Locusts ate the refinery? In-laws are visiting the
refinery and won’t leave?

Puh-leeze!