Up on my Soapbox

Its 12:27 am

*warning...this post has some salty language,so if you are easily offended....this entry is not for you.

     Summer decided to leave SE Michigan for a couple of days as yesterday we had a massive thunderstorm hit our area with heavy rain,winds and hail. I was at work and as the sky grew darker by the second,we waited for the deluge to hit us. Soon...we could hear the sound of rain hitting our roof....but it only lasted 5 minutes. For the all that sudden dark cloud cover,it was rather anti-climatic.

  My co-workers and I were commenting on the sad size of the storm while waiting for the sun to come out. And come out it did...even while it was still raining.  We continued to work and a couple of hours later,the scene repeated itself but the second round was the real deal...this storm just pounded our area.
It lasted a hour before it ended,we had to put some buckets out because we had some leaking in the store.


I like to take a minute to thank everyone who supported my newest "8 Questions with...." interview with Karen Dumas. This interview not only has gotten the most comments on my blog but is now the 2nd most viewed in my series. I am very grateful not only to Karen but to everyone who took a moment to comment.
My next two interviews,with professional photographer Suzanne West and musician Dave Miller of the band Talky Tina are in the chute and will be online soon.


 Had a weird day...I tweeked my elbow at the job this past week...normally that would send someone to our healthcare clinic but I decided to wait and work out the week because we had a crew working overnight polishing our floors and I was asked if I would stay over to help reset the aisles after they were done. I agreed and so I worked it through. I have had sprained ligaments before but this time its a little different as I think I have pinched a nerve as I have numbness all the way to my fingertips.  Its not painful but I do notice a weakness in my hand so I decided to go yesterday to the clinic but the one closest to us was closed. So my ASM said to go today,Monday. Now I have only been there once in 2.5 years with the company and I had a idea of where it was at...so at 11:00 am I headed to the clinic and promptly spent the next three hours looking for the damn place and that was with even asking for directions. I thought I had overshot it and gotten the street address wrong so I backtracked to where I thought it was but to my chagrin,I was wrong again. Now I know many of you are wondering,use your cell phone and find this place...well that is why I asked three different businesses where it was at...I mean,doesn't a industrial medical clinic have to standout??

 So after fruitlessly driving in 3 big circles in busy traffic looking for this place,I pulled the chute and headed home where I looked up the address and all three businesses had given me the wrong information and that included one using Google Maps!!! I didn't feel so foolish afterwards but I also don't think I have been to this place as I had originally thought.
  So tomorrow morning I will venture once again into the mix to have my elbow looked at. I hope its something that can be dealt with easily as we are headed into our inventory time and we need all the help we can bring to get this done....I will let you know how it goes tomorrow.


Its almost time for my fellow pals to drag me to see "Guardians of the Galaxy" which has been getting decent  reviews and I guess based on pre-sold ticket sales,already has been green lighted for a sequel. I know my fellow fanboys will over the moon to hear this bit of news....but I am on record as not being impressed and while I do think James Gunn is a talented director,I just can't get over with the changes from the source material which I have written about over and over. But you know Disney is going to make cute Rocket and Groot toy figures and cram this film down our throats. But based on the rather underwhelming Spider-Man 2 movie and the X-Men film (which I don't hear ANYONE talking about now) this is not a wise course of action...movies that ignore the audience that made them possible in the first place tend to crash and burn quite loudly (Catwoman and Green Lantern anyone?).
  The one bit of good news is this sudden interest in the Guardians has sparked a new series from Marvel featuring the original GOTG team and I'm pretty happy about that.

Its 2:24 pm - Tuesday

    Just got back from my 2nd attempt to find this medical center,I did my homework this time and was able to finally find it. I got the usual work clinic treatment plan:

1. 800 mg motrin
2. a x-ray (on a sprained ligament,this was not needed but hey,they have to bilk,err,bill my company somehow)
3 Psychical Therapy

I have to admit,my arm was a lot more sore then I thought so being put on light duty isn't such a bad thing but since there really isn't too many things under 5 pounds,I don't know how this is going to work out. I also had my feet looked at and I have corns....lovely,right? But now that I know this,I can go online to find out the best way to get rid of them.
   And one last thing about my TMI trip to the clinic....I am not the only one who has not been able to find this place,it happens quite a bit actually. But next time,I will be ready...I may not have a phone but I do have a iPad...which could have saved me so much trouble yesterday,all I would have had to do is go to a WiFi hotspot and well....look for this place myself....


  Been watching the Ray Rice circus play out this week in the press. Rice is a football player who knocked out his fiancee while they were in a hotel elevator. He was charged with assault but quickly married because a wife cannot be compelled to testify against her husband.

   The NFL turned its head yet again on a domestic violence/sexual assault case against one of its bigger stars and only suspended Rice for two games. The dumb fucks at ESPN condoned the violence,led by Stephen the Ass Smith,which after a harsh backlash,was given a paid one week vacation after his half assed apology.
But the one that floored me was the lead in on ESPN radio...."With Rice suspended two games,how will this impact Baltimore's offense"?
  Excuse me???What the fuck is THAT all about??? The man knocked out his fiancee cold,scrapes by with a slap on the wrist by the justice system (remember women,you aren't anything by a babymaker or target practice),a even lighter slap by the NFL and the only thing ESPN is concerned about is how this is going to effect the Raven's offense????
  Its things like this why I follow sports less and less these days,I have no real passion for anything pro related because of assholes who commit these kind of acts to the even bigger assholes who condone it.
Like the knucklehead Ravens fans who gave Ray Rice a standing O when he hit the field..the moral decay of America is continuing to gather more and more steam.

  My brothers and I saw domestic violence up close and personal and it is not pretty. There is nothing to condone or excuse hitting a woman for any reason. When I worked the clubs,I had to break up a few girl on girl fights and yes,I got scratched and even hit a couple of times but never have I even raised a finger against a woman.

  I don't understand the reasoning behind it,if both parties are that worked up....the man needs to walk AWAY and let things settle down. It should never escalate to where violence is introduced. But what more can I say,men are the weaker of the two sexes. Its the truth and until men learn how to communicate with their better halves,Americans will continue to see the rise of violence on women and sadly,some will even give it a standing ovation.


And while I am up on my soapbox....I listen to a local sports talk station as I drive home at night. Selling ads on talk radio is a extremely tough job,CBS owns the radio station I listen to and they are ALWAYS looking for "young bright professionals" who want to sell ads. The thing is,NO ONE really wants to buy a fully produced ad. They will go the budget route and have the personality with the highest listening audience read a ad copy instead of paying for a radio produced one.
  The late night shift is the graveyard for ads in radio,no one buys ads for the 1:30 am spot on Lesson and Leach. Many times,you will hear the host comment on the open lines and try and get you to call in. Open lines mean no one is bothering to call the show,the host is on his/her own until someone decides to call.
Many of the ads are state funded Public Services Ads (PSAs) with a few federal ones thrown in by the Department of Homeland Security.

   But the ones that crack me up are the gambling PSAs...you hear various folks talk about how gambling has ruined their lives and a voice over actor says if you have a gambling problem,call this number. What it fails to do is address that the STATE has created this problem by allowing casinos to invade the state so they can collect a wad of cash...they have led these folks down the road of destruction. I find it sort of twisted the same money the state collects for taxes on the casinos is then used to warn of the risks of gambling! What kind of logic is that?

 Okay....I am off my soapbox. Just had to get that out there...

Alright,I am going to end this....I know this wasn't the most cheerful entry you have read here but not everything is peaches and cheetahs....sometimes even a blogger has to cut to loose a little bit.
For those who stayed in the drift with me on this one....thanks for understanding.


If you are on Twitter,please,follow me @Jinzo_2400


Shout outs

Camille and Mocha - Sending you love and peace
Stephen Clark - thank you for your honest feedback and I will get better.
Pat Caputo and Tom Leyden - Thanks for letting me be a one man army for tiny EMU on your pages.
My friends on the "Plateau"...your support and RTs are just awesome!
Sydney - Glad you are back writing
Ken Helwig - Where do you want the Dodgers to send your broom to??
Ivy - Hope your vacation is going well! Should have asked for a URI sweater!
Tim Teets - Can't wait to see your shirts and your new project
Rachel Thompson - Thanks for giving us a bloggers a voice! #MondayBlogs
The Fluffy Twins - just because
Cheryl - For helping me find my feet
Jessica Clackum - for The Last Ship recaps,I have read them all!

8 Questions with.........Karen Dumas of Images and Ideas,Inc

Its 3:25 pm

      Welcome to an another edition of my ongoing interview series,"8 Questions with.....". I started this waaaay back when on another social media site and have re-started it here. The series features people from all over who in one way or another have perked my interest. So I ask to do a interview where they answer the questions themselves,in their own words.

 Sitting outside the city of Detroit the past 15 years has been a real education for me. I moved here from San Jose,California when Lori and I met.
  I really knew very little about Detroit other then cars were made there,Jimmy Hoffa was murdered in a nearby town and of course,the sports teams.
  Sitting here and watching the decline and destruction of once was a great and proud city has been rough to watch. Sitting 25 miles from it is a hell of a lot different from being IN the middle of it. I have written many blogs about Detroit,both good and bad...about the places Lori and I went to,to the tireless people working hard to make a difference and the ones always looking to "get theirs" at the expense of others.
  One such person who could have made a REAL difference was Kwame Kilpatrick when he was elected mayor,not once but twice. He made a difference alright and not for the better and Detroit's image took a savage beating as Kilpatrick and several cronies were arrested and sent to prison.
  Dave Bing came on as the new mayor and again,hope rose as he brought along a crack staff to help him try and reverse the damage from Kwame.
   Karen Dumas was one of those sharp and dedicated people that Bing brought along. As the spokeswoman for Mayor Bing,she brought a real sense of what Bing was hoping to create here in the city.
Every day Karen would talk to other leaders,the news media and citizens as the mayor's voice. She was strong,whip smart and hard working. While those traits are always in demand elsewhere,in Detroit,it merely puts a target on your back as former police chief Warren Evans and one of the cops who helped bring Kwame Kilpatrick to justice,Gary Brown,can attest to. Asking people to work as hard as you can get you in deep trouble as Karen found out. After Bing became mayor,he started losing that great staff to various issues,some real and in Karen's case,rather "dubious". A employee who had a ax to grind made several claims against Karen and instead of subjecting the city and its people to another circus,Karen regretfully and graciously stepped down. It was a real loss to both Bing and the city as after this,it seemed the city went sort of leaderless as soon after the deputy mayor retired unexpectedly and several appointments that Bing made blew up in his face causing more problems.
   Karen has hit the ground flying,between her various news shows guest spots,she has own public relations firm,Images and Ideas,Inc that is even now trying to get new businesses into the city. All this plus a wife and mother,Karen is one very person.
  I have to admit,when I asked Karen for this interview,I really didn't think I would land such a high profile figure here. I like to thank Karen for agreeing to the interview and my friend Susan for her editorial advice.



And now.......8 Questions with.........Karen Dumas




(courtesy of Karen Dumas)






What was it like growing up in the Dumas house? Were your parents involved in public service?

   I grew up with my mother, but my parents—both of whom are deceased—were the most generous I have ever seen. Not just by making donations, but by being involved in that which made a difference in the lives of others, individually and collectively. Whether giving gloves to the paperboy who had none or hosting a cookout for those who participated in the neighborhood clean-up day or supporting political efforts of a cause or candidate, there was constant involvement. Politically or personally, I watched and was then engaged in every level of productive participation. I learned that just because something didn’t immediately impact you didn’t mean you shouldn’t be involved, or not support who or what was right.

(courtesy Dave Bing Facebook)

How did you decide to work for Dave Bing? Do you have regrets in doing so?

  The Bing administration was the 3^rd mayoral administration for which I had worked: The Scott administration in Highland Park, the Kilpatrick administration and then Bing. I was contacted by Charlie Beckham and Dave Bing asking to join the administration because they needed help on the communications side. I said no twice, but after several conversations offered to accept it on an interim basis, which indeed it was. I have no regrets.

What is the biggest difference in adjusting to a public service job from a private sector job?

 The majority of my professional career has been in the private sector—my own company, which I started when I was 24 after leaving Highland Park. So, the adjustment has always been the other way around—operating within the confines of government where accountability and performance were dictated or limited by politics and process.



(courtesy of Karen Dumas)

 
Deputy Mayor Saul Green
(courtesy of bing.com)


Former Detroit police chief Warren Evans
(courtesy of bing.com)

It seemed to many that as Dave Bing forced his more talented and skilled members to either resign or face being fired,his lack of leadership caused Detroit's sharp decline and the into getting a EM put in charge...how would you respond to that?

  The Mayor was unique in that he gave his staff—all of them-the autonomy and support to do their job; the challenge was that many didn’t do so, which undermined his ability to be more effective. And, he was nicer than he was political. While the EM was appointed on his watch, the financial compromise of the city was a culmination of decisions—or lack thereof—of every administration before.

Did you volunteer to resign or did Bing force you out like he did Warren Evans? Have you and Dave Bing talked since he has left office?

In an appointed position, you serve at the pleasure of the mayor. It is a temporary position—whether it ends before or when the administration does. So, no one is ever forced out, some just publicly oppose the decision that the mayor rightfully retains. It’s never personal for me, and the mayor and I continue to be friends.

How important is ego in doing such a high profile job such as the one you held?

It’s very important—that you DON’T have one. Because people are pulling at you from every direction, and being complimentary in so many ways it is important to not lose sight of the fact that it is not you, it is what people think you can do for them; that they treat you a certain way because of where you are, not always who you are, and at the end of the day it is not about you but all and only about the citizens you serve—the true reason why everyone is (or should be) in office.

What is the state of the city compared to when you served on Bing's staff?

  Every administration builds on what was done, or not, in the previous administration. The current administration has the benefit of generous state support and resources, and an EM with powers no other administration has ever had. This should prove beneficial, but for whom is yet to be seen.

 

Much has been made of color and race causing the incredible amount of violence in the city,some believe it has gone deeper then mere color and it now ingrained the culture,how can the folks here break the cycle? Your thoughts?

  There needs to be a very open, candid and non-judgmental discussion about race. People don’t want to talk about it because they want to pretend it doesn’t exist, but it does. We need to understand that people are different—not better or worse, but different; that crime is more about economics and culture than race, and that we need to see things and people for who they are first, rather than what color they are. Sounds good, but it’s a tall challenge that needs to be undertaken.

You are now running your own Public Relations firm,Images and Ideas,Inc,as such,how do you sell the city to outside investors and companies?

Detroit has always been intriguing to those who don’t know about it. Right now, the interest and energy are high, although still tempered by apprehension because of perception. Those who want to participate will do so, and those who don’t will not, no matter what.

How can the city of Detroit develop and more importantly,retain good leaders?

Good is relative, as people base their opinions on some unique criteria including name recognition, limited encounters and what “they” say, whoever “they” may be. I think we need to be better educated on the political process—knowing who can do what in certain positions, so that expectations are realistic; we then can and should hold leaders accountable. Aren’t effective? Out. Give new names and ideas an opportunity. And, stop recycling and allowing folks to run from office to office. Elected positions are a privilege, not an entitlement.
  

 Detroit has been the heart of Michigan's economic drive,why does it have such a hostile relationship with Lansing (Michigan's state capitol)

 Detroit is the biggest city in the state, but many have long viewed it as the biggest headache, for many reasons. Only recently has the state realized the potential and possibilities therein. I think a lack of familiarity and disconnect long fueled the contentious relationship, which for many reason is dissipating. 



 


  Detroit voters have been accused of voting more for a "name" like Charles Pugh and Dave Bing then someone who may be more qualified in terms of leadership. Why does this happen in your opinion?

I think this happens everywhere simply because marketing if effective for everything, including politicians. People remember names, or a pleasant encounter which is sometimes enough to secure their vote. And, there are those who run from--and for--office to office, where their name recognition is helpful to their campaign. 





  Going back to crime,outside of downtown,do you feel safe to travel in the city? And what was the biggest obstacle in battling blight during your tenure with Mayor Bing's staff?

 I feel as safe here as I do anywhere; which means I am cautious--but not fearful-- everywhere I go--city, suburbs, etc. It's the society not the city in which we live that dictates our caution. I think the biggest challenge was the availability of resources--dollars. This administration has the benefit of state support and EM powers, both of which has brought money and the autonomy to make and execute decisions otherwise hampered by work/union rules, process, etc. 



 You had a critically acclaimed run as a radio host here in Detroit,is this something you are looking to do again if a opportunity presented itself?

 Of all the things I have done, I LOVED being on the radio and interacting with people. I believe Detroit is capable of and entitled to a more intelligent discussion, beyond conspiracy theories and gossip. People are empowered when they are armed with information and access to resources, as well as discussion that prompts  productive thought and action.

Walk us through a typical day of Karen Dumas, what, where and who we would see and do?


No day is typical, and that’s what I love most. The things I do, as well as those I encounter and engage with are as varied as they come. I do a lot of writing for clients and myself (my blog, opinion pieces, social media and working on a book); I schedule and coordinate business meetings so that they don’t occupy my entire week (I am a big proponent of organization and time management), go to the gym 3 times a week, and spend any other available time with my family. I enjoy dining out, and I love driving alone so I can listen to and enjoy my music (of which I also enjoy many genres). 

 What has been your biggest triumph professionally,career wise?

 I see everything as a staircase, each accomplishment or challenge as the next step up. I'm still climbing.


To learn more about Karen's public relations firm,Images and Ideas and Karen herself, please visit her website by clicking here.
You can also follow Karen on Twitter @KarenDumas.


Again,my deepest thanks to Karen for allowing me the honor of this interview. Please feel free to drop a comment or better yet,share this interview with your friends and family.

If you are on Twitter,you can also follow me @Jinzo_2400.


Shout outs

Amy,Rob,Camille,Ronnie - How did I do?
Susan - thank you for your input
My "contact" on the Plateau - is this newspaper worthy?
Tiffany Hendra and Willow - thank you for letting me share your story.
To my Pink Hat Mission supporters- thank you!!!
Lisa and Ashley - I very much love to do a mission with you and your readers!
Ivy - Glad you are all moved,now enjoy your vacation!
Monte Lebo- always a class act,thanks for keeping me sane.

Guest blogger Alexandria Ingham "A Relaxing Holiday With the Family"

Its 3:10 pm

    I have reached out across the pond again for a guest blogger. Alexandria is a hard working wife,mother and social media business whiz. I admire her writing so I asked her if she would write a guest entry.
The one question I get when I ask a person to do a entry is "What do you want in terms on content"?
I simply say my blog is a personal one and they can submit what they think would fit.
Alexandria said she would try and think of a subject after coming back from holiday and I wrote back and suggested "why not the holiday itself"?
  We agreed on this....I have always found the term holiday charming so I asked Alexandria where it came up..she pointed me in the right direction and so after reading her entry,take a minute more and read how the term we here in the States call "vacation" became "holiday" in the United Kingdom.

A Relaxing Holiday With the Family

A Relaxing Holiday With the Family

     This time last week I was on the road back home. We’d gotten up at 3 am to make the almost six hour drive home in time for my husband to get into work to have paperwork signed off before professional exams that he completed a couple of days ago.

   Where were we? I hear you ask. We went on a family holiday to just outside Mablethorpe, near Lincoln, UK. It was a trip organised by my parents, and my sister and her fiance joined us so they all got the chance to see our daughter. With them living so far away from us now (well, so far away in the UK—four hours is probably nothing for those in the USA), they hardly get to see Little Monkey.

  It was a great break away. While I love my work and my life, sometimes I just need a break from it all. I like to be able to switch off the social media and the emails, and spend time doing things I wouldn’t usually.
   

  The first day we went to the Seal Sanctuary, where there was much more than seals around. It was the birds that Little Monkey loved the most, and we were fortunate enough to get a video of her running around in awe at them. The poor thing was tired though after the late drive we did the night before. In fact, all three of us were shattered and had to have a nap during the day!

   Our Monday was spent at a theme park that had a market. I think the market was the best part of the whole theme park, but that’s likely because I’m so used to the big rides at the bigger theme parks that these ones were a little disappointing. It was free entry to the park though, and you just paid for the rides you went on. We ended up going back a few days later but just for the market. I could see that place being great for the kids and families in the area since they get a day out without having to spend too much. The food was even reasonably priced, and was not  the usual fast food usually at theme parks. With it being by the seaside, there were the traditional seafood stalls that we get over here. I love crab sticks and packets of mussels and cockles from those stalls. It takes me back to being a kid and going to Bridlington and Scarborough on holiday.

   The highlight of the holiday has to be the trip to the farm closer to the end of the week. I’m really glad we decided on the one we did. It was just a 20 minute drive away (compared to the hour drive to the other one we contemplated), and Little Monkey loved the whole day. She got to run around without her reins, and was able to stroke some of the animals. There was even the opportunity to feed the animals, which we thought she’d freak at. Little Monkey loves animals but does not really like their faces coming up to her, so we did not think she’d take to the goats and sheep coming up to her hands. To our delight, once she saw me feeding the goats she wanted to do it. It was another part of the day that I was fortunate to get a video of.
 
(photo credit to the mighty David Gearing,Harrier ace)

  Of course, there were days at the beach. That’s got to happen when you go to a seaside resort, right? Well, this time last year we went to the beach and Little Monkey only wanted to sit on the sand and destroy sand castles that were built for her. This year, she decided the water was fun to splash in, and enjoyed putting on her Peppa Pig swimming costume to go for paddles. The attempt to dive into the water after watching other little ones do it—and then realize that it meant not being able to breathe!—did not put her off going paddling the next day.

  It was a holiday that I was really looking forward to, and it certainly didn’t disappoint. My next trip away is in August for a week, but that is volunteering for a church camp and not quite a holiday. In fact, it’s going to be one of the most tiring but rewarding weeks of the year—like it has been for a while. Before that though, we get a weekend at the Commonwealth Games since they’re in Glasgow (just a 30 minute train journey from us). We also have some plans to take day trips now that my husband’s professional exams are over and I finished my university module in May and don’t start the next one until next year. Between that it’s all work, but that’s okay since I love my job.

   Next month is also my daughter’s birthday, and I want to do a cake with the Minions from Despicable Me. She loves that movie, and loves the little yellow creatures. I thought I’d trial my attempts at doing the minion faces on something smaller first, so made cupcakes while we were away. We did do an early birthday for her since my parents and sister won’t be able to see her on her actual birthday as they live so far away. The Minion cupcakes turned out really well, so now I’m looking forward to trying a birthday cake.

What plans do you have for the summer?


Michael here....

   So in trying to find out why the English call going on vacation "holiday",this is what I found

vacation
late 14c., "freedom or release" (from some activity or occupation), from O.Fr. vacation, from L.vacationem (nom. vacatio) "leisure, a being free from duty," from vacare "be empty, free, or at leisure" (see vain). Meaning "formal suspension of activity" (in ref. to schools, courts, etc.) is recorded from mid-15c. As the U.S. equivalent of what in Britain is called a holiday, it is attested from 1878.

holiday
1500s, earlier haliday (c.1200), from O.E. haligdæg "holy day; Sabbath," from halig "holy" (see holy) + dæg "day" (see day); in 14c. meaning both "religious festival" and "day of recreation," but pronunciation and sense diverged 16c. As a verb meaning "to pass the holidays" by 1869.

Anyone here going on vacation or holiday (or in my case,a staycation) and if so,where are you going?

My thanks to Alexandria for sharing her holiday with us...to learn more about her and her writing,she has a Facebook page that you visit and "Like"

If you are on Twitter,feel free to follow me 

@Jinzo_2400

A trip around the block....

Its 4:24 am




  So you are looking at this and wondering....what the blue blazes is this?

When Lori was in her final stages of her cancer journey,I was the person who administered her medications.
Be it a IV drip,norco,tamoxifen or liquid morphine,I was the one giving it to Lori. I was very faithful to her schedule and when I needed help,her oncology team was extremely supportive in walking me through what I needed and when the time came for hospice,the transition was pretty easy.
   After my lovely wife went to her reward,I was left with what do with the extra meds I had left over..I have blogged about my options,I could turn them into the police or toss them out...or even a flush them down the toilet. Those options were no options,the police really didn't want to have deal with disposal,you can't just toss away heavy narcotics away in the trash and certainly there was no way I was going to flush them.
  So that left me with one idea,to create enough coffee grounds that I could grind/pour the meds into the bowl and then toss them safely out.

  Funny thing happened to my plan,the bowl just kept growing and growing in size as I just kept on making excuses and reasons on why I haven't done this as of yet.
  So you are looking at every and I mean every pot of coffee that I brewed since May 2013. And no,I still haven't tossed away her meds as of yet. I am sure some shrink would have a answer for this...

 Got a knock on my door the other day...it was my neighbor's son who's bike I have been "keeping" ever since he left it outside against his mother's wishes. The parents and I both agreed that the son should write a letter of apology to the mom for disobeying her and leaving his brand new bike unattended to like that.
 This incident happened on 18 June and only yesterday had he come over with the letter. I had suggested to him he should write the letter two days after I had the bike. I told his folks my idea and they liked it a lot.

  But nothing happened so I hired the boys to help me do a project and again suggested a letter would be in order. He said he would and I talked to his mom about it again...but still heard nothing. I was a little confused about why he wasn't writing it,I knew it wasn't because he didn't care or respect his folks...so when he showed up and explained he had been gone two weeks on a camping trip,it made perfect sense. Hard to bring over a letter when you are 1,500 miles away!
   So I gave another mini lecture and gave back his bike and helmet and also put his letter on my fridge as a reminder that I would not see his bike outside again.

I am very down these days,I can feel my sadness and depression closing in around me. The long overnights at my job are ending just in time for me,I am getting beat up by the quiet once my co-workers go home at midnight. We still have people working,its just they are elsewhere in the store and we work alone pretty much after midnight.

  My energy and emotional levels are down,these three months are just the worst in terms of pure memories.
Death,union,birth...all swirling in my heart,far too many times as of late I have come home and just stared at where Lori's hospice bed was at...and going back to the times I sat with her,or giving her a drink,IV drip or a norco (a pain med). I asked a co-worker whose own wife has a very serious case of Trigeminal neuralgia
that he deals with on a daily basis,I asked him "When was the last time you were happy"? A simple question and my answer is as well...the last day I felt happy was the day before Lori's illness was discovered. I have ran the gamut of emotions ever since but truly happy wasn't one. I have been hopeful,thankful,loving,caring,angry,heartbroken, even peaceful in some respects but a wake up happy and go to bed happy day?

  Lori would have been 55 come the 25th of July...I know she would have wanted to travel somewhere fun,maybe a return trip to Washington,D.C. or somewhere south of here. Well,I can't afford nor am I in a mood for that but I can continue to do home improvements as I have been doing this week.
  My buddy Rich came back over today and we caulked the garage,cut away a dead heavy vine,cleaned the gutters and measured out where I am going to have to put in a board. Also went to spray some carpenter bees but ran out of spray so that will have to wait til tomorrow morning when I go get the supplies.
  Half of my basement is now clean and I am ready to tackle the Christmas side and the basement table as well. Of course the cheetah likes to come down and hang out with me while that is happening. He sits in the corner,purrs loudly and meows a few times as well....I believe this is called being supervised.
 
  The weekend of the 4th of July,the crew at work was talking about fireworks and how every year there is always someone careless who does something stupid. Everyone started telling stories about people they either knew or read about who managed to go to the extreme on the 4th.
   Lucky for me,I have never actually known anyone personally who did something that goofy (as I pat the BB still lodged in my jaw). I heard about a neighborhood kid who was hurt when he put firecrackers under a ceramic flowerpot that blew up in his face and when Lori and I lived in Northville,a man who lived not that far away ended blowing 3 fingers off his hand...and the guy in California (where else) who blew off BOTH hands fooling around with fireworks just this past week.

   Every year our local media nationwide always harp on the public to keep it safe and avoid the crippling or even fatal injuries that go along with being careless about handling fireworks. That includes house fires as well as shooting bullets in the air (a Detroit tradition).
  So it was a surprise to hear about a local weatherman for our ABC local station in Detroit,Dave Rexroth,who was in Iowa for the holiday,was seriously injured when a firework either blew up by his face or he was hit in the face by a flying firework. Either way,he was in the wrong place at the wrong time and ended losing a eye in the accident. He still currently in the hospital where he is having surgery to put in a prosthetic eye and will be off the air until September.
  He is one of the favorite media folks in our area and in that regard,I hope he recovers quickly and is able to resume his duties at Channel 7.



 Found out that I missed the local DVD sale at my Dollar Tree. I stopped by there to pick up some household supplies and checked the small DVD area only to see fresh movies. I poked through them picking up every new title I saw regardless of what it is.
  Since I have a lot of new readers,let me introduce you to what Dollar Tree Theater is. You can click the link or know that Lori and I loved Dollar Tree. About twice a year,the chain will sell DVDs for a buck.  Many are older films you may have heard of,there are a even a few DVD sets of TV series (I picked up the series "Daybreak" at one sale) but most are low budget obscure films that no one saw. Once in a blue moon,you might find a recent release like "Red Light"..it just depends on lucky you are when you stumble across the rare sale.

   I buy every single title I see whether I know it or not,many times I will just put it on for background noise while I putter away. And sometimes I actually sit down and watch it. But my store had been pretty much wiped out so I got only four films...decided to cruise to another store a couple of miles away where I had more luck with finding 7 movies including a Japanese anime film which was a first.
  It was then that I found out just how long it had been since I had actually stopped by as the clerk said the DVDs had come in a month ago and that I was getting the dregs...I sort of guessed that when I saw the Jessica Simpson movie "Blonde Ambition" sitting in the bin and yes,I bought a copy. I wonder if I could get paid for reviewing these old chestnuts.

  I like to extend a invite to all the new folks who have come across the blog to join my Networked Blogs group or via the Google Friend Connect which are on the side of the blog.  Also,please take a minute to explore some of the writers I follow which include my friend Sydney who is a special young lady who writes a raw and personal blog like this one.

Well I guess that is it for now.....again,thanks to everyone who supported my Food Stamp Nation entry and left some great feedback.

If you are on Twitter,please feel free to add me @Jinzo_2400. Love to sweep tweets with you.


Shout Outs

Lisa Adams - Love and light to you.
Rob W. - Thanks for another late night chat...and for sharing. We can do this.
Sue E. - Thanks for the company always...hope you enjoy the Sherlock Holmes series as much as I did.
Barb - Thank you again!
Rich - Finally feel like our repairs are going to make a real difference
Jack - Hope your back feels better soon
Dollar Tree - thanks for the DVD sale,do it again soon!
Monique Parent - stay cool in Vegas
Huron Valley Animal Shelter - for all the hard work the folks there do,you guys rock
To everyone who leaves a comment - you rock as well!!
Debbie R - java!

A big thank you!

Its 6:01 am

     Just a quick note to say "thank you" for the great feedback on my entry Food Stamp Nation. I will be answering the rest of the comments either later today or tomorrow.

What if Jewel gave blood while eating a Subway sandwich while blogging about it?

Its 5:08 am

  Running on fumes as I had a rugged day getting only 2 hours of sleep the past 24....and I am no Jack Bauer.

(Jim Davis)

  Like to thank everyone who came and supported my first Blog Hop...so many kind comments,really warms my heart. I do think that some folks either couldn't grasp the reason behind my writing or they were on cruise control in dropping a comment...it left me a little flustered. But overall it,it was a positive experience and I hope Tiffany and Brad will follow through and do a blog hop as well. Lisa gets a pass because its rather hard trying to write during a chemotherapy cycle. I know which chemo she is on and its not a very pleasant ride..
Maybe with her permission,I can do a blog hop in her name and post it on here.


  Its 11:42 pm

   Still working on my newest "8 Questions with....." interview,its going to be slightly larger then the normal sized ones as this person has a lot to say and I want to provide the space for them. Its one of the advantages  of doing interviews in a blog,one is having someone not only write their own answers but also being able to be flexible in the size of the interview.
   This will be the biggest "name" interview I have done here on this blog so I am wanting to do everything correctly,it could lead to more heavyweights actually agreeing to talk with me on here and I would really like that to happen. With this interview,I am hoping it will open the doors to that.


   While out promoting my blog,I have stumbled across a weird trend...people are now getting products from companies to push their goods. Bloggers are becoming paid hacks to tell us how awesome some companies new products are. They have disclaimers up stating they have been paid or been a product for free to write about it. Now I can understand doing this maybe on a 1-2 times a month but on a daily basis? That is not writing nor is it blogging. I am only mentioning this because on some blogging PR groups,we are encouraged to share our blog while visiting others and dropping a comment as well. It just seems all of a sudden I am reading more about how company's new diaper is catching 89% more poop then last year's diaper or how exciting that the new shoelaces they got from someone not only will help keep your shoes on but in a pinch,can be used to defuse a nuclear bomb.

(Adam Sandler in "Happy Gilmore")

  I find myself trying to relate to this and coming up short,I am supposed to be supporting other writers/bloggers but feel like I am in a Adam Sandler movie (Adam's films are the king of product placement)
reading about stuff I will never try. I think there can be a happy balance between writing about products and writing about things that really matter to you,places you have been and how cute your kids,husband,wife,cat are in your daily life.
   Am I being a bit too harsh or do I have a legitimate complaint? I welcome your feedback both pro and con.

   Lately I have been on a serious Jewel kick,listening to her greatest hits album while I have been blogging as of late. I don't know how to explain this other then suddenly her voice speaks to me. This happens to me when I listen to a handful of artists like Barbara Manning,Sarah Brightman,Penelope Houston,Dave Alvin and as late,Paramore.
   So it was pretty sad to sign on and see that she and Ty Murray are divorcing...quite shocking actually as many (including myself) thought that was a til death do us part type of marriage. Maybe she got tired of staying on the ranch,she still has a lot music in her and I just couldn't see her fade away to small concert tours and an a TV appearance here and there. Jewel just needs to go back to listening to her voice...it was maddening watching others trying to twist her into a sexy pop singer and then reshape her as a country singer
  She needs to forget the imaging part and trust in her songwriting which as always been her strength as a artist,not her figure or trying to please everyone except herself.
  I am sorry for both Ty and her because on paper,it really seemed quite a good match...

Today I had a appointment to give my 5th pint of blood. I drove to the Red Cross donation site and checked in. I had drank a ton of water as they always ask you to do so after I checked in,I had to use the restroom(because once you get hooked up,you are hooked up) and then get my blood tested.
Lo and behold,my hemoglobin was too low....I don't eat a lot of red meat but I do take a multi-vitamin every day so I was a little confused why it would be low....turns out when I switched from coffee to tea,that tea absorbs the iron and lowers your hemoglobin. Oh I still drink coffee but its more as a treat now then everyday. With my sleep already shot to ribbons,tea is a better way to go for me...unless I want to donate blood. The nurse suggested "no tea" for a week before donating,that seems logical and so the Red Cross calls me back,I will be ready.


  I have a new Pink Hat mission for July. I am asking you all to collect any books/novels that you have read and calling a local hospital,senior center,hospice or VA center to donate them. I recently had a chance to donate a large bag of books that I got in turn from someone else. The books are going to a large church parking lot sale. I decided that would be a good idea for a mission and so July that is what I am doing and I am hoping some of you will join me on this.
To learn more about the Pink Hat,click the link here to see the history behind the missions.






Well that is it for me,sorry its a bit of a short entry....but I will try and do better next time...

Oh....before I go, it seems like a very sweet woman who has supported many people through her various acts of kindness,once again stepped into the breach when she saw a woman in distress.  I first met Michelle Ball through our mutual friendship with the two Amys...journalist Amy Lange and Amy Neilson,who was fighting recurrent breast cancer.
   When Lori got sick with her own uterine cancer,Michelle extended her kindness and friendship to me as well,talking with me and supporting my family at Lori's funeral.
I had a chance to return some of that kindness when Michelle's beloved dog crossed the Rainbow Bridge and we chatted on the phone.
So when I saw this story about Michelle, I wasn't surprised at all by it because it was so her. She is an amazing young lady who helped a lot women through the years.

Only kindness matters


If you are on Twitter,follow me sweater monkeys or perish at @Jinzo_2400

Next entry up will be guest blogger Alexandria Ingham.


Shout outs

Miguel Diaz - Thanks for the refreshing talk,we may not see eye to eye but at least we listened to each other.
Barb - thank you again!
Sue - and thank you as well. That was a nice treat tonight.
Cheryl - I was going to write about your friend but I am going to wait...hoping Jerry and you have a nice vacation!
USA Today - San Jose State at No.76? I think we can do better and outside Auburn,we can win every game.
Lisa Adams - Light and love to you.
Dominic - We need to kidnap Rome for a SyFy Creature movie marathon!
Dollar Tree - About time you had a DVD sale! I was running lowish on Dollar Tree Theater flicks
Angie H - Happy birthday again detective!
Tiffany and Brad - Hope you will do the blog hop!
Derek Jeter- All Star.....yep,that is about right!