Just wondering what might be next

Marriage....Be ready....Do it right

2006-10-11T01:01:00.000-12:00

I was together with a woman for close to ten years, married approximately five of them. I lived with her for quite a while before we got married. When I got married I never wanted to divorce because I was brought up that marriage is forever. My folks have been together forver, I believe well over forty years.

I have been divorced now for a couple years. I have a bad taste in my mouth about marriage but I know I will marry again as well as a few things I will do differently.

I will not live with my girlfriend before marriage. This creates a loss of excitement when the big day comes. I will work out of my own checkbook until we have an understanding about a budget. I will be the provider, not dictator. The Bible says the man is to provide. I would'nt say my wife could'nt work, I would encourage it, if she did'nt want to that would be o.k.

Some people say that the downfall of most marriages is about money. That is not true. It is the words used to miline charachter, and personally insult. This is a forbidden act the next time I get married.

So....When people say it's great to live together before marriage, tell them that thay will exhaust all excitement when it comes to the big day.

Well......I'm Back

2006-10-09T22:30:00.000-12:00

Not that anyone really cares. I havent posted in quite a while. I've gotten a few e-mails asking me to start again. I am coming in to work early now to spend some time with my blog.

There is a lot going on locally and nationally that is disqusting. I don't want to write anything about the worlds problems, wars, scandalls, republicans, democrats, gays, preists, gas prices, oil, presidents, North Korea, Iraq, murder, guns, drugs, T.O., Yankees, Tiger, winter, or who will win the election in 08.

Maybe we all should spend a bit more time on our knees praying about these problems instead of complaining about them.

Safe Driving Tips

2006-01-17T04:15:00.000-12:00

In Ohio we have had a very mild winter thus far. Instead of snow we have had rain. When weather conditions change, that does'nt mean we all stop commuting.

I started a new job at the beginning of the year and it requires me to travel approximately 25 miles one way to work. This takes about one half hour, as long as I travel one of the most deadliest freeways in Ohio. 71 North and South bound are extremely dangerous even in beautiful weather. Since the beginning of the year I have avoided an oncoming spare tire that was lost from a vehicle going 65 mph, I have avoided crashing into the median from hydroplaning, and I have avoided numerous accidents by utilizing some safe driving tips.

I always wear my seatbelt first and foremost. I never tailgate other drivers, and I always remember that in rain and snow my brake is my enemy. I linked the word hydroplane for your knowledge. When a car starts to loose traction a lot of people panic and step on the brake or the accelerator. This actually looses more traction. If you realize your car is loosing traction, simply let off the gas, and your car will regain traction on it's own. When acceleration stops in the drive tire it allows the tire to grip the road and let the tread of the tire do it's job. Don't panic, stay in control, and never stop driving your car.

Tookie Is Dead

2005-12-13T06:46:00.000-12:00

Tookie started the Crips
Tookie killed four people
Tookie got sentenced to death row

Tookie tried to change
Tookie wrote books
Tookie was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize

California denied clemency
California killed Tookie

Maybe Tookie will go to heaven
Most of California probably won't

Tookie is dead

Get Off The Phone And Drive Your Car!

2005-10-21T12:25:00.000-12:00

I own a cellular phone and I own a car. I do not use them both at the same time. I am beside myself when I see someone driving erraticlly, and on the phone. I see so many people do this. It has been documented that numerous accidents have been caused by cell phone useage while driving. This disqusts me.

Number one, nobody is THAT important nor anything THAT important to risk other peoples lives you don't even know. I don't care what kind of business you are in. Get to where you are going and then talk on the phone. Alot of times I see little ditzy girls playing with their hair, driving, and on the phone. Probably with a friend gossiping, and swerving. When I pass them (with care) I mouth the words "get off the damn phone". They don't appreciate that, nor does anyone else because I do it to everyone I see on the phone.

I am ready to battle any comments on this issue that goes against my view on this one. Six thousand pound vehicles don't mix well with cell phones. Forget the ear piece, forget the hands free. Get off the phone and drive your car.

Mothers will always be....

2005-10-05T08:34:00.000-12:00

Mothers.
It's that simple
They will never stop loving you
Giving advice
Trying to help you
Mothers will always listen (may not like what they hear, as long as it's the truth)
Mothers will always be
It's that simple

Saying Goodbye To An Old Friend

2005-01-14T16:00:00.000-12:00

Well I finally parted with my 1964 Corvair Monza. It was fun while it lasted. I drove it for about 2 years and put a little bit of time and money in it. My wife hated it. I'm suprised I lived much longer after I brought this beauty home. It is not a very safe car due to the engine being in the rear of the vehicle and the trunk in the front. I got a lot of looks from it, but looks are'nt everything, especially when I pass another guy with a convertible, give it a bit of gas, and smoke the guy right out of the back of me in a hurry. Can you imagine what those kinda looks were? It was fun though.

Ode To The Corvair (author unknown)

Poor old man
Bless his heart
Hopped into his corvair, crashed it,
Put the steering wheel right through his heart

As I said, it's not a very safe car. Hopefully that poem is fiction.

Meatloaf Take 2

2005-01-02T00:10:00.000-12:00

The other day I went online to find a recipe for meatloaf. It was a very simple recipe. I made the meatloaf per the directions, pre-heated the oven to 375, put the meatloaf in and waited.

A couple of very important directions to this recipe, and others I would assume, is to never cook late at night, and never sit or lay down while you wait for the meal to be done. Of course these are directions that are not listed, but common rules of cooking. Well you can imagine what happened next. About four hours later (total bake time 55 minutes), I woke up to a house a bit smoky, and a couple of burnt loaves. This really isn't that funny because we all know what could have happened.

Today I will attempt this again during the daytime. I came up with a new term for this paticular situation. Whenever I go to take a nap, I say I am going to go "burn a loaf".

Happy Boxing day

2004-12-26T09:30:00.000-12:00

Today is a holiday recognized in Canada, New Zealand, Scotland, and other countries as "Boxing Day". I did a bit of research to clear up any questions regarding this day. It actually has some good history behind it. It also is a day which one of Jesus' disciples was accused of blasphemy and stoned to death. The popular hymn "Good King Wenceslas" speaks of the disciple Stephen.

Long ago in England people with a lot of wealth, had servants to help with Christmas. This was to make sure everything went smoothly. Most servants had the next day off and were given boxes full of gifts and bonuses. http://www.web-holidays.com/boxing/

In America this is not a recognized holiday. The only boxes here are being thrown away. Think about filling up a box with gifts and bonuses and give it to your local food pantry. Just a thought.

A Christmas Jingle

2004-12-24T09:35:00.000-12:00

T'was the night before Christmas and all through the city
Frozen streets and temperatures, oh what a pity
Drive to the store with the greatest of ease
Just watch out for frozen, falling trees
The ice has covered almost everything
I wonder what tomorrow might bring
We'll all be together to celebrate His birth
Just remember what this holiday is really worth
Jesus Christ was born on Christmas day
I think we can remember this throughout wind, ice, and rain

Merry Christmas

Taking one's life can be legal. (If you're a multi-billion dollar company.)

2004-12-17T02:47:00.000-12:00

Taking one's life is illegal in most cases unless you are a multi-billion dollar company who employs people "at will." These companies don't go out and bludgeon someone with a ball bat, or shoot a twelve gauge shotgun slug through someone's head. They take their life in a legal way.

Any company that employs people "at will" can terminate their employment for any, or no reason at all. This means taking all income, benefits, and possible future employment away. This makes me furious! How can anyone or any company have this right without some special circumstances? Loosing a job today is a lot different than a decade ago. We are at war, our economy is in a rebuilding stage, and there are very few jobs out there.

Most employers have an "employment at will" clause in their handbooks. In some cases I think this is o.k. to protect, but what keeps these employers from utilizing this in a way that is wrong.
Basically if upper management doesn't like the way your breath smells that day, or thinks your shoes need replaced, they can terminate you. At times I wonder if taking a beating with a ball bat might not be easier to recover from. Maybe employees should have this choice.

New and Exciting "Blog Terms"

2004-12-11T07:40:00.000-12:00

Here are some terms I came up with regarding "Blogger"

1) "Smog" A cunning and deceiving post to try to persuade you to buy re-usable toilet paper.

2) "Bog" A post consisting of music, huge jpeg files, and 4,129 paragraphs. (takes way to long to load)

3) "BlogBuds" Just go surfing and make some posts. You will instantly have REAL "BlogBuds"

4) "Blogaries" Personal stuff like, "well I'm going to brush my teeth and go to bed now." Nothing wrong with these, don't get me wrong, just kinda boring for people like me.

5) "Blogzzz" These posts put me to sleep Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. I want facts, and new knowledge.

If you have any good ideas, post a comment. Don't be shog.

Our Country's 1st Fu***** Ammendment

2004-12-11T05:59:00.000-12:00

Well here is a good one. An idiot in the Maryland area is seeking damages of 74k in a lawsuit directed at Wal-Mart. He claims Wal-Mart sold him a CD of the new rock group Evanescence http://entertainment.msn.com/artist/?artist=16583703 , which had the f-word in it and did not disclose this. Now his poor children have been subjected to this. Well buddy, rather than trying to get something for nothing, try being a better parent. Do your research, leave Wal-Mart out of it. Wal-Mart does not knowingly sell explicit CD's without the warning label posted on it. In addition Wal-mart is priced low to help hillbillies like you. My advice, drop the lawsuit, be accountable for your own actions. http://entertainment.msn.com/music/article.aspx?news=175750

"Home Grown United"

2004-12-09T12:37:00.000-12:00

The Band

Here is a picture of a great group of people I play music with. I am on the far right. We call ourselves "Home Grown United". We came up with this because we have a Russian drummer, a French female singer and the rest American. A lot of people who come to watch are of different nationalities as well. Good name for the band huh?

Damage Done

2004-12-09T06:28:00.000-12:00

A deadly shooting occurred in my hometown on a stage I used to perform on. Late Wednesday December 8th at the Alrosa Villa, a gunman opened fire on a band that that had just started performing. http://10tv.com/Global/story.asp?S=2669547&nav=LUERU0Gd I am bothered by this not only by the fact of the 4 deaths but that I had played on that exact stage before. In my days of playing the local Columbus music circuit, the only bloodshed was from the love of the music and only came from my hands, and dried on my instrument. No blood ever made it to the floor.

You can read more at the bands website. http://www.damageplan.com The site is heavily traveled right now and the server can't handle it at times so be patient. I guess I'm glad I wasn't playing on or even at that stage that night. What a mess...Literally...

Smog

2004-12-06T15:49:00.000-12:00

I went surfing through different Blogs earlier (by continuosly clicking "next Blog") and found that there is a lot of "Smog" out there. I understand trying to make money but give me a break. I am not interested in a credit card, loosing 15 lbs. in 2 days, (yeah right), or becoming a millionaire in a month. Let's keep Blogger.com original, not fake. I came up with the term "Smog" by the way. I kinda like it. "DOWN WITH SMOGGERS!, WE WANT REAL BLOGGERS".

10 Things I am Thankful For...

2004-12-06T13:32:00.000-12:00

My Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (that reminds me, I need to pray.)

My Folks, who are very supportive, ya know kinda like a jock strap, needed for support but sometimes makes me feel hot and bothered.

My Pets. Rosa, (tweezer cheese mongrel) and Edee, (EEEEDDDD!)

My Health. Just had cholesterol check. 161 total!!!! Look ma, no cavities.

My Friends. I know there is at least two. (real friends that is)

My Music. Guitar, Bass, Percussion, Vocals, Piano, and my mothers trombone. (I'm better)

My House Plants. Sounds funny but I keep them alive. They rely on me. I have a green thumb.

My House. I love it, three bedroom ranch overlooking two small lakes. Beautiful!

My Cars. They run.

My Heartbeat.

Any Questions?

2004-12-02T06:23:00.000-12:00

I would absolutely love to answer or research any questions anyone may have regarding their automotive maintenance, warranty information, and fair pricing questions. I have mentioned in a previous post that I have worked in the automotive industry most of my life. I cringe when people pay to much for automotive maintenance, get ripped off and lied to.

I pride myself with honesty regarding this un-trusted industry. Everytime a consumer walks into an automotive repair facility I'm sure they feel (and may look like) a shriveled prune.

I can relate to the shriveled prune feeling. Not from obtaining automotive service since I do most repairs myself due to my longevity in the business, but when I went into a veterinarian to have my wonderful kitty (Moodley) "repaired".

To be continued.....

Fraudulent Warranty Claims

2004-12-02T03:41:00.000-12:00

All car dealerships across America are basically independent from the car brands they represent. In other words they are the middle man between you and I ( the average consumer), and the manufacturer. They are to represent the brand of car, ( Toyota, Chevrolet, Ford, Nissan, etc... ) with the upmost honesty and integrity. Most new vehicles come off of the showroom floor with what they call a manufacture warranty. All cars vary in this category, for instance, one paticular car brand(which will remian annonymus), comes with a 3 year 36,000 mile manufacture warranty. This covers basically everything ( bumper to bumper ) with the exception of brakes and tires which are normal wear and tear items. There is also a powertrain warranty of 5 years 60,000 miles. This covers all components that "make the car move", such as transmissions, all internal rotating engine components, and also every gasket or sealer on the vehicle. Examples af gaskets and sealers are, valve cover gaskets, oil pan gaskets, and transmission pan gaskets. In a nut shell, this powertrain warranty is everything that contains or seals areas that have lubricating oil.

Most people don't know as much about these warranties than I do. A lot of people spend money repairing their car when it is still under warranty. This usually happens at another car repair facility other than the dealership. Don't ever forget to ask questions regarding your paticular cars warranty.

A lot of car manufactures pay for warranty claims they shouldn't have to as well. You're probably reading this and saying "how in the hell could that happen". THE PLOT THICKENS BELOW!

I have worked in the automotive service/repair business most of my life. I now would like to share with you how car manufactures pay for warranty claims they shouldn't have to.

EXAMPLE: John Doe brings his 2000 vehicle in to the dealership for an oil change, tire rotation and an anti-freeze change. Johns vehicle has 42,000 miles on it. The dealership performs the work and contacts John informing him his vehicle is ready and also says, "we found a small oil leak and repaired it under warranty". John is a bit puzzled because he never saw oil on the garage floor and never had to add oil. The dealership informs him it was a small leak at the oil pan, never the less it is under warranty at no cost to you. John is o.k. because it didn't cost him a dime. Before John comes to pick up his vehicle the dealership creates a new line on the invoice stating to "check for oil leak", a repair not asked for by John in the first place. The dealership then adds warranty labor and parts to the invoice that never was performed to the car, and submits to the manufature for warranty re-imbursement. Because the vehicle only had 42,000 miles on it and it fell within the 5 years of the powertrain warranty the manufacture pays it. This is an practice that happens usually at the end of a "slow business month". If a dealerships "numbers" are low in profit that month it is VERY easy to perform these bogus warranty claims.

I have been asked to perform these actions by my superiors many times. I did these things in fear of loosing my job. http://www.legal-database.com/whistleblower-laws.htm I hated it. It goes against my beliefs and moral standards. I had received numerous phone calls from clients stating that they had received something in the mail from the dealership stating they were just in a few months ago for service and it is now time to come in again. These customers had not been in since they purchased the vehicle. I then transferred them immediately to the service managers voice mail. Never the less these customers were quite puzzled and a bit concerned.

These fraudulent warranty claims are also performed to vehicles that were never at the dealership for anything other than the initial purchase. The management will scan their system for customers that haven't been in for a while. If their car still falls under the 5 year 60,000 mile powertrain warranty, the dealership will create a bogus repair order and add false warranty claims to it as if the car was there for repair.

I have had it with this type of behavior from multi-billion dollar car dealerships. I think they make enough money already don't you? What can I do about it? NOT A DAMN THING. Just create a Blog.

Hmmmmmm........

2004-12-01T14:52:00.000-12:00

In the beginning of the year I was given a blessing and felt on top of the world...
In the middle of the year I thought I had everything together...
At the end of the year I question what my blessing was really all about in the first place...