And Dick's will lead the way

Wait, that title doesn't sound quite right, does it?  There's the implication of... or that...  I mean, well, some people can be real dicks, but at the same time you can's say all dicks are bad... if you know what I'm inferring here...  I mean there's dicks and the there's Dick's - the Sporting Good's store.  Over the years I've bought quite a few things from Dick's, including my Sole 95 Elliptical, the one with hundreds and hundreds of miles on it.  And why Dick's?  Just a bit ago they announced that they are ending the sale of assault style rifles.  They are citing the murders in Florida as one of the reasons.  They have a conscience.  Articles are popping up all over the media now... probably not at Faux News though, and when they say something they'll put a negative spin on it.  Interestingly enough, if you read the article you'll that they are acting because Congress doesn't have the balls... well, they don't exactly use the word 'balls,' but the implication is fairly clear.
Show your appreciation by going and buying something from Dick's.  They've taken a big step in the right direction.
Oh, and I am off again today.  And the weather is going going to be simply wonderful... again.  I was going to go see my Mom but I may put that off until next week when the weather is shitty:  cloudy, cool, and rainy - spring is approaching fast.
Yesterday I took the dogs to the park.  They loved it.

180 pounds of dogs

And I also got in over 11 miles on the bike.  I had also wanted to start striping some of the wallpaper boarder from the dining room... that didn't happen.  I'm off 4 days next week - so I'll put stripping on my schedule for one of those days.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go online and check out Dick's.

Cook This

No work today!  Not scheduled.  I feel odd about that because today is Inventory Day.  All of the management team was at the store bright and early, some at 0500 and some at 0530.  I don't know, perhaps out of sympathy for them, but for some reason I woke up around 0330 - which would have been when I would have gotten up for Inventory.  That's right, I got up early, had some coffee, threw a load of laundry in the washer, and then went back to bed where I slept until 0630 - a sleep in for me.  This is how it goes.
Yesterday I got to hear a stupid customer complaining about how a mistake she made was our fault.  That's right, she was blaming us for her own stupidity.  You see, this woman went online and purchased a Natural Gas range.  She doesn't have Natural Gas, she heats her house with Propane.  She seemed to think they were pretty much the same thing - they're not.  To use a Natural Gas appliance with propane it needs to be converted.  Warnings are fairly prominent in the instruction manual.  Guess what she didn't read?  In fact, she didn't do any research what so ever, just ordered the range online, had it delivered, and had someone who didn't know what they were doing install it for her.  This was 2 months ago.  Since no conversion had been done, and propane burns hotter, her pots and pans began to melt when she used them.  When was the last time you put a pot on your stove and it started to melt?  She had soot in her oven....  I have no idea what she tried to roast, or bake, but finding soot in your oven after wards is not a good sign.  And this was our fault because we sold her a stove that didn't cook with propane.  Remember, this all started 2 months ago.  She turned rather nasty when they told her that this was her responsibility, and as such, we were not going to take back the range she bought and credit her account.  This is a nice definition of stupidity, don't you think?
Oh, and how about the Idiot Jerk in the White House saying he would have run into Parkland?  I guess his comments were once again fodder for the late night comedians.  His approval rating had actually climbed a microscopic bit, but... once again it's begun to go down the shitter.  This is all to be expected, of course.  There was an interesting bit in Bloomberg by John Dean, (the Watergate John Dean for those who are either too young to know).  Dean was the one who pleaded guilty and pretty much ended Nixon's presidency.  He said the Rick Gates' pleading guilty is going to do the same thing to the Idiot Jerk.  I believe most people this to be a foregone conclusion.

Toasty, huh?

Some are blessed... some ain't

So I see that the Idiot Jerk in the White House's breeder spawn (I vant it) Ivanka is as colossally stupid as her old man.  I wonder if the NRA promised her a copyright if she echoed their belief that teachers should be armed... of if perhaps they just offered to loan the Kushner family some greenbacks.  The only people in this country who don't want any form of gun control are those Crazy Conservatives and their Republican representatives.  These representatives, when it comes to a choice between your child's life and being funded by the NRA in order to get re-elected, are always going to take the money.  For them, staying in power is much more important then living children.  Even more amazing is that many of these Crazy Conservatives claim to be Social Conservatives, supposedly Christians through and through.  These fools don't understand that they've made the NRA's phony 2nd amendment claim much more important than the sanctity of human life.  There's going to be hot time in hell when they die.
And Congress goes back in session today... don't look for any noticeable change in the Republican gun control tactics.  Once your soul is sold... there's no getting back.
Speaking of souls, now I know many, many Social Conservatives have already signed that pact between themselves and the Idiot Jerk in the White House.  They love him.  They praise him.  Does anybody know if they actually bow their heads when he walks into the room?
My cycling shorts arrived yesterday.  Olive green.  They look like regular shorts.

The spandex lining (with the padding) is separate.  Now, I have to tell you, I'm not a spandex kind of guy... not in the least.  Back when I was in college, not only did I direct a couple of shows, I also did set design and chorus work.  One year they did "Once Upon a Mattress," a show I'm not too fond of, and, unfortunately ended up being cast in a bit part:  Sir Studley.  Go ahead and laugh.  Anyway, I had to wear tights... and hated them.  And comments... boy, did I get comments.  Things like "oh, I see you got the part because of your talent," to "don't you get tired of being typecast."  I'd never realized that such a blessing could be such an embarrassment.

Make My Day

It's Sunday morning and some of you are sleeping in - not me.  As usual, I was up at 0500.  And, while some of you are still snoring, I just finished 59 minutes of cardio - 528 calories.  The only problem I had was Garmin updated the Fenix 3 HR and my elliptical app didn't reload so I ended up using their treadmill app - not the same thing.  After I finish writing this I'll reload the app.
Not only have I decided on the new ceiling fan, I've already ordered it.  I'm getting a Vento Fiore with retractable blades.  Originally I saw it on the Home Depot website with a price point of $399 - way more than what I wanted to spend.

So, when I got home from work I Google'd it - Amazon had it for $111 less (that's right!)  I ordered one and paid with my Amex using my points and paid quite a bit less.

I understand the Idiot Jerk in the White House called Faux News and had a bit of a meltdown.  Oh, my, this is becoming old hat, don't you think?  He wants to arm teachers and people call him a dumb shit - and you know he hates that.  And then we find out that armed Security didn't rush inside Parkland - and the Idiot Jerk calls him a coward. Tell me, do you really think the Idiot Jerk would have rushed inside?  Hell, no, he's as spineless as most Republicans.  Then we find out that 3 deputies arrived on the scene and they didn't attempt to take down the shooter.  And the Idiot Jerk says these are the people who are supposed to take down the "sickos?" He is so damn stupid.  No one wants to rush into a building just so they can take a bullet from an AR-15 in the mouth.

And those kids from Parkland, the ones the NRA is really beginning to hate?  Don't they make you proud!!  Talk about having big brass balls!!  Not only are they turning the tables on the gun lobby, one of the most powerful in America, those kids are also shoving their fingers into the faces of all those NRA crazies, and they're turning into Dirty Harry as they do so.  Can't you hear them?  With power and anger they are saying "Make... My... Day."  How many people ever thought that the NRA would be blown away... with words.

The ceiling, the NRA, and the padding

Saturday morning - I'm off.  I'll have to work Sunday and Monday but then I'm going to have off for another 2 days.  Right now I'm working 32 hours a week and that's fine with me.
As for yesterday, I got everything accomplished that I planned on - this doesn't always happen.  Usually my 'to do' list ignores time constraints and not everything gets finished.  Yesterday?  Everything ran slick.
The dining room ceiling is painted.  Counting a primer coat to help cover the different shades for green, I used to more coats of Behr Premium Plus (flat) - the color is Garden Rose White (sort of a very, very pale peachy yellow).

You can see where I started ripping off some of the boarder - can't wait until that's gone.  And the ceiling fan is going to be replaced.
And the Idiot Jerk in the White House spoke at CPAC yesterday - after Wayne LaPierre's ranting the day before, these crazy conservatives seem more bent then ever on isolating themselves away from Centrist America.  Of course, our phony president lied about all of his accomplishments because this fool is a serial liar.  What's even funnier is that those morons applauded his lies.  These people are so out of touch I find it amazing that even one of them can wipe his ass without getting it all over his face.
Florida wanting to raise the legal age to 21 for gun purchasers is a small step in the right direction.  You do have to remember that there are a lot of seniors living in Florida who have been brainwashed by the NRA into believing any from of gun control is an attack on their 2nd Amendments rights.  Of course, that's bull shit.
An interesting thing about that NRA - by their estimates, there are only 5 million members.  In a country with a population of almost 330 million where do they get those very major dollars they give as campaign contributions to Republicans?  We're not talking about small change here.  If each one of their members gave $100 each they'd have $500 million in their coffers - until you started deducting wages and business expenses.  However, most of their funding doesn't come from members, rather it's the gun manufacturers and those who sell accessories are those who provide the bulk of the monies. 
Anyway, I ordered a new pair of bicycle shorts - they should be arriving tomorrow.  Bicycle shorts, you ask?  Yepper.  Bicycle seats are not the most comfortable and if you're planning on spending more than a half an hour riding you're going to need a little extra padding.  This comes in the form of 3D chamois (not the real chamois, the fake stuff) which looks a lot like a splayed Kotex (if you know what a Kotex is).  If you don't, here's a picture.

Maybe Kotex isn't the right word....

Colossally Stupid

Well, here it is Friday.  I don't work today, but you might... that's life.  The alarm was set for 0530, it went off, I turned it off, and laid back down for a couple of seconds and woke up an hour and half later.  That is also life.  And I just finished a small bag of caramel corn left over from our Holiday Party, sealed of course, not stale, and I thought it was pretty tasty.
My plans for today are not that complicate:  go to the supermarket, put the final coat of pain on the dining room ceiling, and go for a bike ride (hopefully 10 - 15 miles).
I find it rather amusing that there are people out there who believe that the Idiot Jerk's idea to arm teachers is pretty good.  They have no idea how close that would get us to living in a Police State, all because there are some people who just can't give up their guns.  Let's be honest here.  The idea of using an AR-15 to go hunting is simply ludicrous.  Putting 15 bullets into a White Tail Deer is not hunting.  Nope, that is killing for killing's sake.  Going to a shooting range, pointing an AR-15 at a target and pulling the trigger as fast as you can?  That's not target practice.  You're not aiming.  Just because you get your jollies from pointing and shooting doesn't make it a sport.
The 2nd Amendment does not guarantee you ownership of any or every weapon you want.  Of course the NRA wants you to be able to own any fucking gun that you want, not matter how crazy you are.  Mental instability should not be a barrier, they shriek.  And for a small group of people, around 5 million members, they have a lot of political power, thanks to the bullet makers who pump their coffers full of dollars.  You see, it's the ammunition makers who make a financial killing; bullets are expensive.  And no Republican is going to turn down those buckos.
Just as amusing... well, no, a hell of a lot funnier was the reaction of most people to the Idiot Jerk's suggestion.  The one comment I thought to be strikingly pertinent was the one that called it "colossally stupid."  Isn't that a nice word?  Colossally?  Bigger than immense.  And stupid?  Well we all know that the Idiot Jerk is the king of stupid.
And another funny thing is that there's a special election coming up in Pennsylvania and the Republicans are shitting bricks!  They're guy is in such bad trouble they're planning on bringing in the big guns.

No, no, no, they're not sending in the Big Guns Bobble head from Fallout IV.  If they were wise enough to do that, I'd have to tell you to stand back.  Nope.  Pencil Head Pence will be showing up to try and erase some of the growing animosity among the voters in the Western part of the state.  He's also supposed to be preparing the ground work by a visit from the Idiot Jerk.  You know, that guy loves playing to small crowds.  They don't seem to understand that his showing up might just be... colossally stupid. 

Crib notes from Hell

Yesterday the temperature hit 82 (F) around here - hot, humid, muggy as hell, and then showers moved in making it cooler, but still humid and muggy as hell.  Today the temps are forecast to be a more seasonal 46 (F), though right now it's still fairly humid.  Today is also a dumbbell morning... and also my last day of work - 2 days off, then 2 days on, then 2 days off.
The dogs are outside right now, but because of the on again, off again showers, their paws are getting muddy.  This is life.  We all have to deal with a little mud now and then.
Mud is okay, shit is a lot worse.  Like yesterday.  There was a lot of shit happening yesterday.  I understand Marco Rubio was at a Town Hall and things didn't go well for him.  You know who I'm talking about?  The Latino, Republican from Florida who sold his soul to the NRA for Campaign Cash?   Evidently he got booed... not a good thing, and jeered... people yelled things at him... and then when asked if he'd stop taking contributions from the NRA?  Well, he avoided that question.  They're saying he was grilled.  I wonder if he understand that those teenagers, some of whom are already 18, and many who will be turning 18 this year, want gun control and they are going to vote for the person who gives them what they want.  They are not members of that minority group, the NRA, but rather individuals who are learning that their votes count, and they will use them.
And then there was the Idiot Jerk in the White House.  When I heard he had actually suggested to a group of grieving parents and student survivors from Parkland that they were considering arming teachers and administrators in order to keep students safe, I wanted to hit him upside his head with a brick.  This is America.  We should not have to arm teachers and administrators because a minority group, the NRA, has twisted the 2nd Amendment so crazily to the right it now holds sanity contemptible.  Making this ignoble insult even worse, the Idiot Jerk in the White House sat there among these grieving parents, beside these students who had seen their friends shot to death, holding crib notes.

This turd of a human can't even think of appropriate questions to ask.  He needs them written down, no doubt by John Kelly, who most likely said "don't forget to ask these questions, they'll make you look sympathetic."  The time has come to flush this turd.

Bump Stock Scam

Wednesday, middle of the work week - well, kind of, I only work 4 days so I don't really have a hump day.  I got a little over 5 miles in on the bike this AM - in 20 minutes, I'm pleased with that, averaging about 15 mph.  I used my Fenex 3HR rather than the Suunto, which I tend to prefer for cycling indoors.  The Suunto uses an algorithm to calculate mileage which almost precisely matches the mileage I get from Rouvy.  For the Fenex to provide mileage, I'd need to invest in a 'cycling pod'.  Riding outside, both the Suunto and the Fenex do a great job using GPS to track mileage and speed.
My Mom's meds bill arrived yesterday and I have to call Trinity Pharmacy - there are 9 copay line items from 12/4 ($81).  I need to find out why they're billing me 2 months after the fact.  They will need to explain and provide backup as to why these charges weren't billed earlier.
Yesterday the son-in-law of a Russkie oligarch was charged and pleaded guilty in the Mueller probe, which is funny.  Seems to me as though they're prepping the Idiot Jerk's administration for one hell of a colonoscopy.  Maybe, when it comes to the Idiot Jerk, we should all start chanting "lock him up!, lock him up!"
Oh, and I see that the Idiot Jerk in the White House has said he would back a 'bump stock' ban.

I'm sure some people out there said, "my, isn't that nice, maybe he's coming to his senses."  Wrong.  Way back, after all those murders in Las Vegas, the NRA had actually... in their own way, green lighted the banning of bump stocks, most likely because they knew it would never make it through Congress.  The Idiot Jerk's comments amount to nothing more than a scam.  He's trying to sell a phony bill of goods.  He knows the NRA has bought enough Republican souls they have no worry about bump stocks being banned. But then, what more can you expect from the lying sack of shit in the White House.  Mueller can't move fast enough at flushing this turd.

Vote Blue

I was going to go to the gym this morning but it was foggy out... so I decided to throw around some free weights - dumbbells: 15 and 25 pounders.  The only way to grow muscle is to work muscle.
And for those who didn't hear it or feel it, yesterday there was a Republican Shit explosion in Pennsylvania.  The state Supreme Court issued the new district voting map for the state.  I spent some time looking at different websites and news links to see what the general consensus was:  as noted in the New York Times, most think it's very fair.  One of the words I'm seeing is 'partisan' in which all parties are fairly represented.  However, that's not how Republicans view the new map.  You see, the map they wrote favored white, Republican males, those who most supported the Idiot Jerk in the White House.  The new map eliminates that advantage, and I don't use the word 'eliminate' lightly.  Evidently shit must have shot out of every possible Republican orifice.  Lucky for me, none were standing nearby.  Below is the old map, and the new map.  Holy Republican Shit Storm.

This is going to mean big changes, not only in Washington, but in Harrisburg as well since Democrats, the majority in the state, will now have fair representation.  Vote Blue.
Yesterday was also a weird day at work - President's Day, you know?  A holiday for some, but a lot of others had to work.  The store was busy in the morning and early afternoon, the flooring desk exceptionally so, but then everything died off.  As I was ready to leave for the day, I had some customers come up to the desk who'd had their windows measured for blinds.  The Specialist they were working with had gone for the day, before he'd left, but he'd spent 3 hours designing 2 sets of blinds for them to review.  We are running a special, 20% off select blinds - the styles of blinds they'd chosen don't get the discount.  Unfortunately, we don't know which styles are on special. These customers wanted faux wood, and faux wood rarely gets the discount.  Of course, they wanted me to sit there and go through different vendors to see if any of them were offering the special of faux wood blinds.  Sorry, that wasn't going to happen.  This customer wants cheap blinds and a 20% discount to boot.  Custom made blinds are never cheap.  If they want cheap, they need to buy the grab and go.

Souls for Sale

Well here it is, Monday and I get to go back to work.  Now I know there are a lot of people out there for whom today is a holiday.  Not for me.  They're jumping around all skitty happy because they have a 3 day weekend.  That's nice, because while they will all we working on Friday... I'm off.  No work.
Anyway, my dining room ceiling is nearly complete.  Just one more coat of paint and the job will be finished.  I think it looks nice.  I am seriously debating on whether or not I should replace the ceiling fan since it's 30 years old.  I usually only the use the fan in either the spring or the fall, during those days when it's cool enough that I don't need the Central Air, and warm enough that I don't need to turn on the heat.  I will have to wait and see on that one.
Oh, and I saw this interesting article this AM on how Social Conservatives have been selling their souls to the Idiot Jerk in the White House.  I've been saying this for some time.  For them, it's not about faith or belief, rather their focus is mostly on dictating control.  The fact that their killing their religion doesn't even occur to them.  They don't understand that the Idiot Jerk in the White House gives them what they want because they praise him, they love him, and they bow their heads in his presence... well, I don't know for sure that they do that last one.  Hhhmmm, yeah, my money says they do.
Oh, and in case you didn't hear, Gates is going to plead guilty... and then drive a stake into Manafort, who probably puke up some sort of plea bargain to keep from going to jail... and losing all of his money.  The dominoes are beginning to fall.
Bloomberg pointed out how the Idiot Jerk was blaming everybody but Russia, in fact the Idiot Jerk shrieked a Tweet about how Russia was laughing their asses off... and they are... at him.  He is exactly what they wanted in the White House: a total fuck up.

On a side note, Bob Casey Jr, PA Senator, asked that Mueller not do any indictments close to election day.  I can understand why.  Just imagine if Donny Jr. was indicted 3 weeks before the election.  All of those Social Conservative souls bursting in to flame at one time?  Talk about a conflagration.  You might not be able to get to the polls for months after that.

Snow

Well, weather forecasters said we might get some snow yesterday... they were right.  Around 4 PM we were put under a winter weather warning.  Snow was falling at the rate of 1 - 2 inches an hour and we got snow.

About 8 inches.  The dogs loved it.  Of course, Big Seig over did the fun and fell asleep early on the futon.

Anyway, I did spend some small amount of time yesterday checking out reaction to the Russian indictments and, just to find out what the crazies were saying, clicked on Fox and Friends.  Holy Shit.  I actually got to hear some imbecile say "now that the FBI has exonerated (the Idiot Jerk) they need to focus on the Democratic Party's collusion with the Russians."  Isn't it sad there are people out there who believe this shit?  Then I remembered that Fox and Friends is one the Idiot Jerk's favorite shows and they were definitely playing to their Number One Fan.
Oh, well, the sun is out, the snow is melting, not fast enough though, so I'd best head out and clean off my sidewalks... and my car.  I have to go to work tomorrow.

Not Compelling Enough

Well, it's Saturday.  Weather forecasters are calling for snow.  How much?  They can't decide so a good guess might be anywhere from 1 to 6 inches.  Right now it's sunny in Central PA.
Yesterday I went to see my Mom.  She has 2 remote controls for her television.  About 3 weeks ago she lost one of them and my sister bought her a 2nd, then sometime last week the one she'd lost turned up.  Both work.  She's fine as long as she doesn't think one of them is her phone.  She does that every now and then and presses the wrong buttons and the TV tries to play something from a non-existent BlueRay player.
Mueller announced 13 (lucky number for the Idiot Jerk) indictments yesterday.  The Idiot Jerk and his supporters are totally avoiding the most obvious implication:  that the Ruskies were working really, really hard to keep Clinton out of the White House.  I'd say that's a pretty good indicator they don't have any 'golden shower' videos of her.  You know?  The kind they can use for blackmail?  And his supporters are so funny, especially since this is rather bad news for them.  Just think how many of them voted for him because they Ruskies knew which of their buttons to press.  It's either that, or they're just plain stupid.
I watched some of "Altered Carbon" last evening.  It's not bad.  The idea of putting your consciousness into a different human sleeve is rather intriguing.  I kept thinking that this is what "Blade Runner 2049" was trying to be, and what it never quite accomplished.  I think it suffers from the same problems many of these episodic series have; not every episode is essential in the telling of the story.  Joel Kinnaman, who plays the lead, does a fine job at looking good, but his character comes across as too cool, too unsympathetic.  He does things to help others not because he cares, but sees these actions as necessary to get something else accomplished.

Will I watch the rest of the series?  Probably not.  As I said, I find it intriguing which is, however, a lot different than being compelling.

Chris has a penis

Well, here it is Friday... and I don't work this weekend.  The outside temp is 55 (F), the back door is open and the dogs are running in and out of the house, muddy, of course, because we've had rain.  Tomorrow they're calling for 3 - 6 inches of snow... well, it is February, isn't it?
I received a call from the VA yesterday asking how I was doing after the colonoscopy.  No pain?  no bloating?  Oh, and the biopsy will be back next week.  A funny thing about polyps:  when you tell someone one you've had one removed their face will grow narrow and serious, as though you've just received the worst diagnosis in the world.  One of my friends actually said, "well, it's a good think if they catch it now."  In their desire to get as many people as possible to undergo this procedure the medical community has demonized the little polyp.  Instead of being rare and the harbinger of doom, they are rather common, and the vast majority are harmlessly benign.  Unfortunately that message doesn't play well.
Anyway, I see the Idiot Jerk in the White House has once again said that the shooting in Florida is not a gun issue, but one of mental proportions.  The report that the shooter was a member of the Alt-Right is getting beaten back by his supporters on Facebook.  One dipshit actually said "how could he be a member of the Alt-Right?  Look at his last name."  Oh, yeah, how do we spell stupid?
There was an interesting article in the Chicago Tribune on how how the Idiot Jerk in the White House, and the Republican Party are desperately trying to keep America white.  They just don't want to believe in genetics, and in dominant genes; evolution is happening right in front of them.  We are getting browner by the day.  By 2044 there will be just as many minorities in the United States as there are White People.  Nothing is going to stop this... and they hate it.
And finally, I thought I post a picture of Chris Mazdzer, not because he's an attractive man in spandex... but rather because this photo hasn't been airbrushed.

Airbrushed, you ask?  Yes, airbrushed.  Puritanical minds object to some of Chris's details, finding them too revealing.  That's right, there are now a lot of photos out there in which Chris has been smoothly neutered.  The last thing these people what you to know is that a man named Chris, who is the first US medal winner in the luge, has a penis.

Pictures anybody?

Well, I had my colonoscopy yesterday - they also performed an endoscopy.  Things they discovered:  I have a tiny hiatal hernia, "nothing to be concerned about," I was told.  I have a few diverticular flaps, two to be precise, and they're just flaps, not even completely formed.  Some internal hemorrhoids - like we don't all have that little problem.  And one little, baby polyp.  When I questioned that I was told not to worry, 25% of all people aged 65 or older have polyps.  Not only was it very small, it's now gone, though I do have a picture if anyone would like to see it.  Contrary to what some people want to believe, a relatively small number of polyps actually go cancerous, a little of 7% if you're black, and a little over 5% if you're white.  Still, that's not going to stop some people from hitting the panic button.  Me?  Nothing is going to change.
There was a shooting at a Florida school yesterday, which means the GOP will do absolutely nothing - they will ignore anything to get those NRA votes.
The Idiot Jerk in the White House farted out something about "domestic abuse," but like most gas it dissipated rapidly.
Evidently there are quite a number of people in the Idiot Jerk's administration who have never had their clearances approved - Rob 'wife beater' Porter is not alone.  Some how this doesn't surprise me at all.
Oh, and Republicans here in Pennsylvania are shitting mad!  Governor Tom Wolf has shot down the new election map they sent to him... for a number of reasons, but mostly because even though they did change some of the districts, the map would still give a minority party the majority of seats in the House and Senate.  And they are furious!  They are losing control!  All their gerrymandering will have been for naught... and... they... hate... it.  Ah, well, it's time we flushed these suckers.
And about my pictures?  Let me know if anybody out there wants to see my cecum.

The Day of Liquids

So, my  prep work for tomorrows colonoscopy has begun.  To be truthful, it started last night when I took 3 Dulcolax.  As an individual who normally eats a high fiber diet, I can tell you they did their job.  And for the rest of today?  Clear fluids.  Later today comes the MoviPrep and if that doesn't give me the shits, well, all I'll need to do is look at the Idiot Jerk's budget: everything gets eliminated.
A large chunk goes to the military; a clear indicator of how backwards thinking Republicans are - if there is a next World War, it will be over in a few minutes, and will be done with computers.  Anyone who doesn't understand that needs to leave the 1960's behind and come into the present.  A prime example is... North Korea.  Everybody wrings their hands going "oh me, oh my," at their ability to launch a long range missile, totally forgetting their hackers.  Remember Sony Pictures?  People said, North Korea's hackers aren't that sophisticated... oh, yeah they are.
He also wants to shut down the National Endowment to the Arts & the National Endowment to Humanities... which makes sense when you realize Faux News represents neither.
And that great Infrastructure plan:  paid for by private funds and your state tax dollars.
On top of all of the funding the Idiot Jerk wants to cut, the federal government will still need to borrow beaucoup buckos to pay for what they want.  Now, if that isn't enough to give you the shits, nothing... which means the Idiot Jerk is prepping us all for a really big colonoscopy, or a least some sort of horrible procedure in which Republicans shove something up your butt because they'll never be happy until they rectumize us all.
Anyway, you may be wondering what I'm going to be doing today since the only nourishment I'll be getting is Gatorade.  Well, some free weights, there's nothing like hoisting around 25 lb dumbbells to help you forget that you're hungry.  And at least 10 miles on the bike.

Oh, and probably a nap or two with the dogs.

All will pass

Monday - the 2nd day of my vacation... and, of course, the dogs had me up at 0500.  The word vacation is not in their vocabulary, which might seem odd when you think that almost every day of their lives is a vacation.
Today is also the beginning of the terrible cleansing diet that's supposed to prepare my bowels for Wednesday's insertion of what I'm calling an alien anal probe.  Now, I'm not going to call myself the King of Fiber, but my diet normally consists of healthy, natural food.  Usually breakfast is oatmeal, almond slivers, walnuts, unsalted sunflower seeds, and chunky peanut butter, four of which I'm supposed to eliminate from my diet, so I can completely eliminate them from my bowels, until sometime Wednesday.  And that's just breakfast, I'm not going to list the fresh vegetables and fruits which are not out of bounds.  I find it interesting that in order to have this test performed I've got to switch to a diet I consider rather unhealthy.
Anyway, everything passes, figuratively and literally.  Starting sometime Wednesday afternoon things will return to normal.
The Idiot Jerk in the White House is going to be releasing some sort of infrastructure plan today which will conceptually rebuild roads and bridges and train tracks, and tunnels and... well, everything that needs to be rebuilt in the United States.  This was one of the Idiot Jerk's campaign promises... however, that his wall, this thing is going to be almost totally dependent upon someone else paying for it... not going to happen.  Remember when the Wall was supposed to be paid for by Mexico?  Well, if that monstrosity gets built American tax payers are going to be footing the bill.  And this infrastructure plan?  States will be footing most of the bill.  There's a big problem with that, states just don't have the money, which means he's just farting out lies again.

Some of the Samson cast ( yeah, that's Lindsey Wagner)

And for those with any interest, "Samson" starts playing in theaters this Friday.  "Samson?" you ask?  Yep, it's another Alt-Right Christian flick in which an 'all white' cast recreates the drama of the Bible story for an 'all white' Christian audience.  These things don't really make a lot of money, and quite a bit of the time ticket sales are to socially conservative church groups.  Your average movie goer has no desire to watch this sort of thing.  What makes "Samson" somewhat interesting is that it's being released on the same day as "Black Panther." and I can't help but wonder if this might be their version of alternative viewing.  Well, it doesn't make a lot of difference, ti's not going to do that well at the box office and in the end it will pass, just like the faux infrastructure plan.

Seig shares a Toy

Well, here it is... Sunday, the first of 8 consecutive days off.  Vacation.  People have asked me what I'm going to be doing, plans for anything special, and the answer is "not really."  Really, this is a vacation from work.  I don't know how, but for some reason the notion has evolved that 'taking vacation' means going somewhere and spending lots of money.  Not for me.  My definition is solely based on the concept of getting paid to not have to go to work; to be able to do things I find enjoyable without the constraints of a work schedule.
A couple of things about last evening.  When I got home from work I thought I might stream a little of the Olympics... right.  I clicked on the NBC Sports link and got to watch 5 commercials in a row...  that's not good.  There was also a small box in the right hand corner of the my screen: "verify now."  Since I pay for NBC Sports Gold, I figured I'd verify.  Well, it seems that doesn't do it.  Since I don't have FIOS cable I would need to purchase an NBC Sports Package if I wanted to stream the events from Pyongyang.  Sorry.  Guess I'm not going to be streaming the Olympics. 
Then later, when I laid down to go to sleep... in the dark... the dogs jumped up on the bed as usual.  Normally they find a comfortable spot and lay down... not last night.  They seemed restless.  Lying there, with the glow of the nightlight to dim to see anything but shadows, something wet landed on my face, right on my nose and mouth.  It was furry, so I pulled it off and turned on the light.  Big Seig had dropped his soggy, beaver... and it had landed... on my face.  Believe me, I can't think of anything worse then to have a wet, soggy beaver on my face.  So I threw it on the floor and turned the light off, and eventually he laid down too.
Since it's a drizzly, rainy morning, I think I'll go back to bed and take a bit of a nap.  The dogs are already there... and the beaver is no where to be seen.

Nothing Stops

Well, I tried to trim my eyebrows yesterday with my Braun shaver (it has a trimmer for sideburns).  Not a good idea.  Half of my right eyebrow is now gone and my left has two ends but no middle.  This means I'll have to be wearing my large frame glasses until they grow back.
Oh, and I do have to work today.  I will admit that the temptation is there to call off, that would give me 10 days off in a row, but I will not give in because... well, there are some things I need to pick up at the store and I don't want to have to run over during 'vacation time.'
What will I do during my vacation - well, most likely nothing too relaxing.  Hopefully by the time I head back to work, the boarder will be removed from the dining room and the ceiling painted.  The boarder is grapes and grapevines, which 18 years ago seemed stunning and now looks dated.  The ceiling?  Well, even though it's rather abstract looking, a long time ago I painted a tree on my dining room ceiling.

Time has not been kind to the 113 year old horsehair plaster.  To patch and repair it would be a monumental task.  There's no way I could match up the colors from so long ago, so I chose a nice buttery color.  The walls are going to be a dark bluish green, and the trim will all be a light tan color.  Hopefully everything will be done by June.
Will I miss my 'tree' ceiling?  Not really.  Change is essential.  Besides, I'm looking forward to something different.  At some point in the future, after the dogs are all gone, I will probably sell and the new owners will do as they want.  Everything is in transition, nothing stops.  The sameness some find essential will flutter away.
Anyway, the Stock Market had a little bit of a bounce back yesterday.  The Idiot Jerk's administration is jettisoning wife beaters, now why isn't that surprising?  Oh, and the Idiot Jerk is not going to declassify the Democratic rebuttal to the Nune's memo.  This man is so damn stupid.  Didn't his attorney's advise him that this is the behavior exhibited by guilty people?  But then this is also a standard pattern for him, trying to turn the tables on the prosecution, make them look like the guilty party.  He will keep doing the same thing, over and over again without ever understanding that in the end he will always fail.  Nothing stops.

Another Nail in the Coffin

Friday morning... and I'm off today.  The dogs let me sleep in until 0530 - wow! but then they started jumping around on the bed - that was 180 pounds plus of a canine 'good morning.'
I had a $5200 carpet sale go through yesterday from a customer who could easily afford the expense, his shiny, black wingtips sang of 'money.'
Also, measurements came back for a customer and his wife who are buying blinds - so I designed their blinds... basic price came to a little over $2200 for basic blinds.  He hyphenates his last name, which seemed odd for a man, so I Google'd him, evidently he's a prominent bankruptcy attorney so I'm betting they gussy up those blinds a bit.
Since I was up this AM I started watching the opening ceremonies from Pyeongchang.  All of a sudden the stream stopped and I received a message asking me to verify my cable company - I don't have a cable company which ended the 'live stream' from NBC Sports.  My first thought was that this was the result of the Idiot Jerk, and the Republicans, trying to eliminate Net Neutrality; where you need to have a 'service provider' to use the Internet.  I have FIOS, but I don't have cable.  And I'm pretty sure that whole Net Neutrality thing is locked up in the courts.  So this was most likely NBC Sports being stupid.
And what about Wall Street yesterday... oooohhh.  Now it seems as though there are those who have decided that this is a... market correction.  I believe are defined by losses up to and including 10%.  However, if the Market continues to drop - then this is something other than a 'correction.'  Problems abound.  The government is going to have to borrow $1 Trillion to pay for that wonderful Republican Tax Cut.  Lower unemployment leads to higher prices and inflation, which means we need a certain level of unemployment; it also leads to interest rates going up.
And, unfortunately for the majority of Americans, we have a numb nut in the White House, a Jerk who took credit for the Stock Market going up, who now has to deal with the fact that every point the Dow drops means another nail in the Republican Coffin.

I bet there will be dancing at this wake.

On Top of Old Baldy

Well, here it is... Thursday, and I get to go to work.  I was off yesterday and the weather was shitty: 3 inches of snow before it turned, first to sleet, and then to freezing rain.  I shoveled the sidewalks and the driveway - my car?  Except for the windshield it's relatively snow free - I'll take care of that this AM.  This is the 2nd day off I've had that the weather was shitty.  This is beginning to turn into a really bad pattern.
And I'm hoping I don't need to deal with any cheapskates today - I had 2 different customers on Tuesday who had serious problems with principles... and ethics.  Both are selling their homes and they're real estate agents advised them both to replace their carpets.  The first was an older woman; she and her husband are moving into a retirement community in the fall.  She's has to put new carpet in the family room leading to the "pool deck" and she wants to go with the cheapest indoor / outdoor carpet we have.  Why?  The new owners "are going to replace it anyway, so I don't see why I should spend more money than I have to."  I wanted to say "Hey, you old bitch, if you didn't put in cheap, shitty carpet they wouldn't have to replace it right away," but I didn't.
They 2nd couple?  They're pond scum.  They, too, are selling their house and they want to replace the carpet, but not the pad because "padding is an added expense."  I always tell people we don't do that, however the idiot associate besides me piped up, saying "on some occasions we do, but we need manager approval."  The customer's husband says "I'll pulled up some of the carpet and the padding's in good shape, so we don't want to replace it."  And, I ask "how old is it."  That's when the customer's wife showed how pathetically stupid they were, "it's about 18 years old," she said, with a smile."  I, and the idiot associate sitting beside me, just looked at them.  Think about it... they've walked around on that carpet and padding for 18 years.  Don't you find that rather reprehensible?  I do.
Anyway, unless you're Internet was down, thanks to a windy day, the whole world got to see how bald the Idiot Jerk in the White House is, and I couldn't help but wonder if Faux News showed that clip.  Probably not.  And now the whole world is laughing at this fool.  What else would expect from a phony?  After seeing it, I started wondering if perhaps he had Stormy Daniels sing "On Top of Old Baldy," now wouldn't that have been a hoot.

This is the future

Well, here it is... Wednesday, and I have the day off... and it's snowing. not that I was planning on going anywhere.  I have things to do around the house.
One chore already accomplished was to take all of the dog toys from upstairs, downstairs and put them in their proper place... and 3 of them are already back upstairs.  This is how it goes.  Maybe I should just move their toy box upstairs.
The United States Supreme Court is not going to let the PA Supreme Court ruling on the anti-democracy gerrymandering stand, something which was expected.  They refuse to interfere with State Constitutions.  The state supreme court also ruled that the GOP must turn over the voter data they used to create these illegal districts. Joe Scarnati, a GOP Scumbag is refusing to comply.  They are losing control and it's ripping them to pieces... let's hope they take pictures, there's nothing quite so entertaining as seeing members of the GOP being torn limb from limb.
And the Idiot Jerk in the White House wants to have a military parade... in the fall... and in New York not Washington.  Maybe he doesn't know that military parades are usually held in the nation's capital.  Or, perhaps he's just stupid.  Yep, that seems more like it.  This is the moron who also said that Democrats who didn't applaud at the State of the Union speech might even be considered treasonous.  Doesn't that sound a lot like something a dictator would say?
What about Elon Musk launching a Tesla into space?  Brought a tear to my eye when I saw that rocket launch.  This is the future.  Of course, while some conservatives nodded their approval, there were many who groused about how this was nothing more than a stunt, or a gimmick.  But then many don't like Mr. Musk because he walked away from the Idiot Jerk in the White House.  He didn't drink the Kool-aid.  Interestingly enough, Elon Musk is a billionaire who's never had to file for bankruptcy.

Holy Crap!  I just looked out the window and it's snowing like hell!  Guess that means it's time for the dogs and I to take a nap. 

Blood Bath on Wall Street

My, wasn't yesterday interesting? 
I got about $1400 in sales at work - they track our sales figures, we don't work on commission, but we still have a weekly sales goal we need to reach.  I did well last week, over $11,000 in sales - they were happy.
Oh, and I understand that Faux News broke into their normal programming to give the Idiot Jerk in the White House a slap in the face.  You know?  About the Stock Market... dropping. At one point it had dropped 1600 points, the most it had ever dropped... ever... in all the recorded history of Wall Street.  According to Bloomberg, there was a period when the trading floor was a virtual 'blood bath.'

And, from what I've been reading, this is far from over.  But then, this was to be expected.
To complicate things even more... the government runs out of money on Thursday.  The House, of course, is pushing another temporary measure since that's the only thing these losers can do...  which is going to have a negative effect on Wall Street.  Ooops.  They also need to borrow $959 Billion to pay for the wonderful Tax Cut they gave to corporations and to the wealthy.
For those who don't know, the two overriding principles of Republican economics are Greed and Selfishness.  This is why every time they managed to get a majority in both Houses, and an Idiot Jerk in the White House, the economy always ends up going to shit.
Anyway, we'll have to wait until the end of today to see the markets are sitting, if this is a simple correction you should expect them to drop a total of about 10%. 
Keep in mind that all of this doom and gloom is even worse for his supporters - just imagine their horror as the 'big bucks' he promised are not going to come rolling in.  Think of all of those ultra-conservative Mom and Pops who dumped their savings into the Stock Market because they believed his lies.  It's a shame that they'll lose so much, but then they shouldn't have been so gullible, shouldn't have let their hatred guide their vote.
Anyway, for the rest of the week I work a day, and then am off a day, work a day, and then am off a day, and next week I'm taking vacation.
I downloaded a nice ride for tomorrow - almost 13 miles long.  I can't wait.  Soon I'm going to start working on hilly rides - can you hear my legs screaming in anticipation? 
Oh, and don't check the financial news unless the sight of blood doesn't bother you.

Winners and Losers

Well, it's Monday and I get to go back to work after having just one day off and yesterday was, except for a few things, pretty much a waste.  Blame it on the snow.  Now snow doesn't bother me since I have no problem shoveling.  For the dogs?  Play time city!  They went out for about 10 minutes, and then they came back in and I'd dry them off, and then after about 20 minutes they'd go back out again.  This was repeated frequently through out the day.
I did watch the UCI Cyclocross World Championship live from Valkenburg, Netherlands.  Many of the people who attend these races wear funny hats and drink lots of beer, and yesterday I'm sure they drank more beer than usual since the temperature over there was 1 (C).  The winner was a gent named Wout Van Aert, from Belgium - give him a round of applause for his 3rd win!

Oh, and my Dad's Eagles finally won their first Super Bowl.  My Dad was a lifelong Eagles fan.  Yesterday would have made him so proud.  They get a round of applause as well - I'm sure the city of Philly will be green for a number of days to come.  I wonder if the Idiot Jerk in the White House will invite them to visit - last year there was a bit of a problem - no one wanted to get that close to a dirty, stinky scumbag.
Last evening, while just about everybody else in the United States was watching the Eagles win, I went to the movies with my friend Patty.  What did we see?  "The Shape of Water."  What a great film.  Every accolade you hear about this movie is true.  This is a modern fairy Tale - "the story of a princess, and the monster who tries to destroy her happiness."  Sally Hawkins owns this film, but the supporting performances are simply stunning.  Octavia Spencer is remarkable as Eliza's true friend, and Richard Strickland as her artistic other best friend, the one with the bad toupee, gives a keystone performance; both are nominated for Supporting Performances.

And just a wee mention of the Idiot Jerk in the White House... and how releasing that silly memo has actually put Republicans on the defensive.  Like that wasn't to be expected.  And the spawn of the Idiot Jerk?  Their response demonstrates just how stupid they truly are, calling the imbeciles would be too kind.  This is life, and they are losers.

Messages abound

It's Sunday, and I don't have to go to work... and there is so much funny shit going on!  Mostly because of stupid ass Republicans.  I'm waiting to see a cartoon inspired by this headline:  Paul Ryan Tweets PA Teacher's Praise for Tax Break.  That's right, a teacher in Lancaster, PA was 'mildly surprised' to find an additional $1.50 per week in her pay check.  Of course, he deleted the Tweet, but only after the hysterical laughter had started.  This is indicative as to what these morons believe satisfies the average worker when it comes to getting a "Tax Break."  By the way, I first saw while reading the BBC this AM - this means the whole world is laughing.
Then there's the Idiot Jerk tweeting some sort of nonsense about the Nunes memo vindicating him.  You don't even need to cup your hand to your ear to hear about 67% of America laughing at that one.  This is an ideal example of just how much of a cretin this man is, I mean I'm sure those fools at Faux News started this knee slapper going.  We all know Faux News wouldn't lie to him.
And how about Melanoma's media moments, when the media tried to make you feel sorry for her?  Give me a break.  She was bought and paid for at the Trophy Wife Store.  She knows all about the Idiot Jerk's predilections for kinky sex, like golden showers.  I wouldn't be surprised if she hadn't advised Stormy Daniels which issue of Forbes to use for slapping his fat ass.
And then there's this bit about Michele Bachmann, that hoot and holler princess from Minnesota.  Evidently this lass with the Lollygag eyes saw Al Franken's empty Senate seat and decided to ask the Almighty if she should return to politics.  While she seems to no longer remember her campaign finance issues, He evidently still does, which is no doubt one of a multitude of reasons he disapproves.

Will Michele listen?  Now you have to admit that humor would abound if this addlepated hate monger actually did chose to run...  and lost as badly as Roy Moore, with almost 44,000 people either voting against you, or writing in someone else's name.  How hysterical would it be if more people wrote in Al Franken's name rather than vote for Michele.  I would say that would be a very clear and concise message from the Almighty.

Passing Gas

Well, it's Saturday.  Yippee Skippy, I get to go to work!  I am off tomorrow, Super Bowl Sunday.  Whoopee Ding Ding!  Now, I know I should be rooting for the Eagles, since Philly is only about 90 miles away but... well, tomorrow morning the Men's UCI Cyclocross Championships are on live!  That's what I'll be watching.
And yesterday was very exciting, now wasn't it?  The Nune's Memo was released, a bit of fiction which was supposed to be so explosive Americans would be sent reeling by the revelations that the Democrats were so vile, conspiring to foist lie after lie on gullible voters in their attempts to remove the Idiot Jerk from the White House.  Ho... hum.  What really happened was that most people fanned their noses a few times and wondered who 'cut the cheese' in Washington.  Well, that answer is simple enough - those crazy to the right Conservatives, that's who.  When the Idiot Jerk Tweeted out something about how "people should be ashamed," I don't think he realized those may have been the first honest words to come from his mouth in what?  Years?  But then again, I doubt very much if he knew he was talking about Republicans - that's to be expected.  He's not the brightest bulb in the box.
Oh, and the stock market dropped.  Oops.  Checking Bloomberg this morning, it actually tanked by 744 points! Wonder what that did to your 401K.  Looking over the financials this AM, almost every one agrees:  they don't know if it's over yet.  There is the possibility that the Dow may continue to fall in the coming weeks.  Ooops.  How's your 401K... oh, wait, I already said that.  Maybe we should ask the Idiot Jerk in the White House.
Finally, there was a older gentleman in the flooring department yesterday setting up a measure - he was not my customer.  I don't deal with people who don't shower, or shave, or wear bright red baseball caps that read "Make America Great Again."  You have no idea how difficult it was for me to not pull out my phone, open the Bloomberg App, and shove it in his face.  While I would have had much satisfaction, that would have been considered really bad customer service.

So, all I did was fan my fingers briefly in front of my nose, which is about all you can do till these little farts pass.

Ground Hogs, Squirrels, and Idiot Jerks

Well, here it is Friday, the 2nd of February.  They're calling for snow shower here.  And, of course, I get to go to work. 
Today is also the day that Devin Nunes, a Hard Right is planning on releasing a 4 page memo that he wrote after cherry picking bits and pieces of data, and then shading that data with a healthy helping of deceit.  Sadly, this is rather amusing since the only people whom this will impress are supporters of the Idiot Jerk in the White House.  Centrist America knows how much seething anger is bubbling up just below the surface of every hard core Republican.  Supposedly this memo will be the grounds upon which the Idiot Jerk will base his decision to fire Mueller, of course everybody knows, except these crazy conservatives, that to do so would be akin to a vampire staking himself in the heart... not that the Idiot Jerk has a heart.
And, of course, there are the sanctions which the Administration is refusing to sanctify, because... well... the Idiot Jerk loves mother Russia.  Once you start looking, you'll rather easily discover how many people are now saying that he's sold out the US.  So, is the Idiot Jerk a Traitor.  Not in his mind.  He's sees himself as a businessman.  And during the campaign, when the Russkies came knocking, he answered because that's what a "smart" businessman would do.  Crooked as hell, he is.  Which is why he wants the investigation shut down.  Those hard core assholes on the Right want it shut down because for them it will mean a loss of power.  For the Idiot Jerk?  The longer this investigation continues, the more and more things begin to unravel, including his 'empire.' 
What we're seeing right now are acts of desperation, and they'll throw everything, including the kitchen sink to keep it from unraveling anymore.
They may slow things down a bit, but they don't have a chance in hell of stopping it.
Oh, and in case you're wondering, Phil saw his shadow this AM which means we'll have 6 more weeks of enduring the Idiot Jerk in the White House... sorry that's wrong, we'll most likely end up with another 12 months of his bullshit.

For those who didn't know, groundhogs are members of the squirrel family... (I didn't know that).  What I do know is that ever since I got the dogs, the squirrels have stopped burying their nuts in my back yard.  I also know I have groundhogs on the hill behind my house.  The dogs watch them through the fence, all the time thinking 'toy, toy, toy, toy.'

A cold day in February

For those of you who didn't feel it, the earth trembled a bit yesterday as another rat jumped ship.  Trey Gowdy, (he with the ridiculous looking hair) announced he would not seek re-election.  Wait, wait... hold your applause, you see  a vacancy opened up in the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals shortly before he made his announcement.  That position is appointed by the President, but still needs to be approved through the House and Senate.  The Idiot Jerk is trying to make the Judiciary as conservative as possible... so I suspect that Trey sees this as a good move.  Of course, the way things are stacking up against the Idiot Jerk, that appointment might never happen.
I am halfway through my work week.  I have split days off.  I'm supposed to be getting consecutive days off...  sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn't.
We also have inventory coming up in 3 weeks.  This will be the first year that I will be working a regular shift - no getting up at 0300 so I can be at the store an hour later for a 12 hour day.  I do have to say that things have changed a lot - we used to have to wait until preliminary figures were in before we could leave for the day.  Now?  They let people go as soon as REGS starts packing up.  But, as I said, this year I'll just be working my 10:30 to 7 shift.  I'm actually looking forward to this year's inventory.
Otherwise things are relatively quiet, but then it's a cold day in February.
They say we might get some snow late Saturday into Sunday.  I'm off Sunday... no problem.