Ill Day

Not feeling well. Toothache seems to have gone away for the most part but lack of sleep and now diarrhea seem to be on me. Still need to look for a job, study tax stuff and coupon clipping need to be done plus some house cleaning. Really just want to sleep.

Big Day

Every thing seems to fall on the same day. Today we have Tammy's BIG SPA day sale and party. So someone needs to watch the kids. But it is also Brandon's baseball league finals. Tomorrow is pick up food from church, another baseball game and Chelsea's graduation BBQ. Sunday is nothing. I never can figure out how to balance all this stuff up.

Which Way

So I applied for a job at the Water Treatment plant. The same job I quit/got myself fired from in Harris County. Now I have taken the pretest and am waiting for a call for an interview. Still applying for other jobs but if I get this one it will be better. No long drive and I will learn more about this county which I want to for the Fire Department and the future plan.

Kids

Well the last few days have been intense. Grandkid sleep overs and Mother's day and call after call and getting ready for tests and finding a job it is a miracle I keep my head on straight.

Well today is look for job, write, add to coupon book and study for test which I still haven't gotten a date to take yet.

Keep on Trucking

Fun Class

After weeks of classes tonight we get into one of the subjects every Firefighter lives for; how to do search and rescue. All Firefighters want to be the hero who saves people, of the reasons many go into the field.

It is also one of the things we hope to never do since risking people's lives is not something we want to see happen. Unfortunately for Ladonia we don't get much of a chance to attempt this since you generally need a large building on fire to do search and rescue and we don't have too many of them. Still it might happen some day and we will be ready.

Another day of nothing

Yesterday was alot of running around and getting only minor things done. Today I plan on getting some writing done and cleaning. The house being clean is something I really want to get done and better. Yesterday I took the Hydrogen class, a class in Financial responsibility and picked up drugs for Tammy. Today needs a different take on things.

Out of work

Finally have a day of no work and no spouse. Well not really since I have fire class tonight and have to get the house after the weekend with the grandkids. Still need to get the writing started and the tax lessons going and find a new source of income. Oh well at least I have things to do.

Next to last

Well tomorrow is my last scheduled day but everyone keeps telling me I need to show up for the last two days anyway. Of course I have my fire class and my legs are still killing me and I think I am finally over my whatever illness I had. Time to start figuring out what the next step in the game is.

Of course the obvious answer is find another job and get ready for next year. Maybe this time I will try something else. Just need to find the means to survive while I figure the rest out.

Topical

Woke up this morning to a story on the news about tax fraud. This time done by a nation wide company who used the old this is your tax refund but we are taking this much. Saw this myself on one return where they charged the client $500.00 for the return and also charged more money for efiling and services.

I blame this on the truly complicated system of taxes and the fact people do not have the time to figure it out yourself. I mean I study this stuff all year and I still learn things while doing taxes. Most people should be able to handle the simple form but if you've never done it before it can be intimidating. Still I try to explain things to people while doing it which slows me down and I don't get as many returns done. So even my own company sort of encourages keeping clients in the dark.

Coincidents?

So last night we had one of our very irregular proby tests for new firefighters. Tammy was taking the test and I left work to be there. So what happens when things are about to start? We get a call from the Red Cross that someone's house has burned down and we need to go and do the Red Cross thing and help them. Since we are also Red Cross volunteers.

I went and Tammy stayed to take her test. We have only had three other calls and both times me and Tammy could not go together. I really wonder about these calls and whether we are really supposed to be doing this.

Almost done

Well at most I have four days left on the schedule before tax season ends. Then I start the look for the next job again. Lucky I have some saved but this leaves me in the quandry. Do I get a real job and work it forever or do I get a pay the bills job and study my butt off for next tax season. I mean why study taxes if I am not going to use it next year. Of course I could try and go back with limited hours next tax season. But I did that last year and with two jobs and the Fire Department I get really worn out. Guess I will find out soon enough.

Easter

Another Holiday. Here's the funny thing about Easter, does anyone know how they figure out which day Easter will be on? Every year its different and every year we check to see when it is and every year we accept the day they tell us. Just think it's weird people who don't usually believe or accept anything just wait to be told what date to celebrate Easter on.

Book Review IV Catching Fire

For those living under a rock, Catching Fire is the second book of the Hunger Games trilogy. This one was pretty obvious given how the first book ended with the set up for the second.

Things here start a few months later and we get to see how our heroine has been doing and how she is prepping for her Victory Tour. We learn more about her world and how the political side works. Do not want to give to much away but she ends up back in the arena again.

This trilogy would not be so popular if the story did not work on many levels. Everyone will find something to relate too and this is the book's biggest advantage.

Pick up a copy of all three and read away people.

Test Day

Well today we start the new Block of our Firefighter I class. This time around we were given the study guides and told to do them and study. Then tonight we will go over the chapter and power point slides and then test. Which is backwards from last cycle but since the information will be fresher people should do better. Not that anyone is really struggling since everyone passed everything last cycle except for the five who quit.

Back to Business

Obviously I haven't been writing as much as I should. To much game playing. One of hint books say to write for ten minutes before starting games. Hopefully I can start this habit. That is the key to doing well starting habits. Most of us just fall into our habits and they are usually the not so good ones.

Funny I still get email updates from a guy on my fanfiction writing list. This guy writes like 2000-5000 words a day. I would really like to know how he does it. Well need to get on to the other writing so here goes.

Well tonight is the first night of the virtual con. Of course I have to work and deal with Tammy being off so I might not get too much done but am going to have to try. Not being able to play is always a problem with me. I have the time I just don't know players and don't really try to find any. Guess I should correct that.

Leap Year

Tomorrow is the day we bring about every four years to correct the calendar. This would be a good day to think about and try to correct the things in your life you can. Not to sit back and let them stay in your life.

Back on Track

Been a while since I last posted but the Peak is over and I can now get back on track if I choose too. That of course is the key. Making the choice to write and doing it. Not just playing games and goofing off all the time.

Dedicated orStupid

We have had four people quit on us at the Block. All have been new people who apparently could not handle the craziness of the Exchange location. Now me and Betty and Kelly and Cait and Jerry and our CSPs who deserve more credit are having to handle everything. We are getting some help from a few other long term Tax Pros but really it doesn't look like I'll be getting any time off any time soon.

Book Review III Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter

First off I liked this book. A psuedohistory or a docu-drama it is the story of how the former President was in fact one of the leading vampire hunters who working with good vampires fought the Civil War to help rid America of vampires before it became a vampire nation.

Now some people may have a problem with Abe as Buffy and his Angel partner but you just have to go with the story. One thing people may have a problem with is that several deaths in Abe's family are blamed on vampires including his own. This distortion on real deaths might be considered sacriligous but is necessary to the story.

Did enjoy the footnotes and the many true events in that I did not know about which it related. The author really did his homework on this one. Try it out and see what you think.

Nonstop

The Peak Week we are going through is of course driving me crazy. I was hoping to sit in the Food Court and do some of my writing. Didn't happen had to jump in and start clients two hours before I was supposed to. I just hate it when all I do is work and sleep. There is a little time to eat and play games but I would really like to do some other work.

Seriously underestimated

OK so in four days I have down more than 60 tax returns. Probably get at least 7 more today. Military W-2s dropped at 1430 EST. Who does that? Drop them at midnight or some off hours time. The middle of the day is weird.

Anyway three of the newbies have quit already. One of our CSPs might quit but she is hanging in there. Any way this is the rough week. It gets so much easier later on.

Today a half day and tomorrow I am supposed to be off so we will see. This is getting a little ridiculous. With the quiting.

Oh and apparently we have to mail in the NY returns for military to get their whole refund back.

The Big Event starts

Well we were expecting the Active Military W2s to drop today but apparently not. Or maybe they are but I can't see it from home. Anyway I start work today and then have to keep going until next Thursday and then on for another week.

Of course this will only last as long the customer stream continues and with Benning ya just never know. Yesterday's headline was "35,000 less troops to be trained at Benning" which cuts down some of our client base.

Oh well back to time budgeting and getting personal stuff when I can. Hopefully this year will go well. I am hopeful.

Nothing Really New

Watching CBS Morning show and they are talking about people who are treating dogs like grandkids because their kids are not having kids of their own. But this is supposed to be new news? The comic strip Cathy had this has a running joke back in the 80's.

I agree dogs and cats and other pets are an important part of the family but to say this is something new is just another case of the media finally getting around to it and declaring it new.

Busy Busy

Well I was just about to post yesterday when some idiot crashed his car and ran away. Nothing like a useless call to waste your time. Today I have been on two medical calls so far and have been asked to come into work for a few hours today. This is really getting to be a matter of organizing my time better.

So off computer and on to work around the house and then work and then beddy by.

Busy Busy

MLK Day

Well today is MLK day. A more devisive holiday I do not know. First they had to cancel Lincoln and Washingtons' birthdays and combine them together. Not much there but they we're saying MLK is more important then those two since they only get one day between them and he gets one to himself.

Not everyone wanted it. Seems it is a Federal Holiday but Arizona rejected it and were economically boycotted into accepting it. They voted but got overruled.

Now it is like other Holidays in which people get off and stores run sales but is not really celebrated by most people. Maybe they need to get in the MLK Day gift thing so they can be like Christmas, Easter and Halloween.

Saturday

Yes I know it's Sunday but today I am talking about Saturday. You see the wife is off on Saturday so it is hard for me to get on. Seems she doesn't like to have me sitting around typing all day instead of doing stuff. So instead of writing and gaming its shopping and wieght watchers meetings and Oh work called me in for a meeting and then over to some friends house to play a trivia game.

In the end just like wieght watchers you can miss a day just get right back on the writing track again. So here's today's thoughts and more tomorrow.

Friday the 13th

Today is the day they tell us is not lucky. Well I have been on three medical calls today and one of them was for a nonresponsive person. Well he had a bad day.

Personally I take my precautions and try not to do anything that would lead me to think I am being unlucky. Worked so far.

Counting Pennies

Today I am counting my pennies. Funny thing is I mean that literally. I keep a coin jar like alot of people. Actually I keep one four each coin and a jar for anything past 1965. But today I am counting them to turn in to the bank. Hey you got to do that sometimes. Final count was 615 pennies. Good thing I had $2.00 in Nickels and $10.00 in Quarters or I would have felt silly just turning in $6.00 in pennies. Hope I don't have to write my account number on them that is a real pain.

Book Review II---The New Dead

Finished another book and here's what I thought of it. The New Dead edited by Christopher Golden. Yes another collection of Zombie stories. This one did not seem to have as much of a theme as the previous book. Guessing it was supposed to be about those recently coming back but the only theme I could find was the Zombies have been around for a while and are accepted or at least have been dealt with. Some of the Main Characters are Zombies and some aren't. One story did not have a Zombie in it at all just a pool hustler getting killed.

Still some of the stories were really good. The Zombie Who Fell from the Sky by M. B. Homler was constructed well. Ghost Trap by Rick Hautala was predictable but posed some good questions. Weaponized by David Wellington had some interesting Zombies. Twittering from the Circus of the Dead by Joe Hill a story told by narration through twittering. Of course the Max Brooks story Closure was good and kept in his World War Z storyline.

Like most collections read it but if one story does not grab you drop it and go to the next. There will be a better one later.

Birthday

Yesterday was my Birthday. So many things to say about that but one thing stood out above the rest. The other people who share my birthday with me.

Before it was always just me and President Nixon. Not a bad one but he did have a bad reputation. Now I share my birthday with Kate Middleton the newest princess of England and with one of the guys at the Fire Station. This is more fun since one is more popular and the other is close.

Oh what did I do for my birthday? Not much, hung out, wrote some, went to work which I did not get paid for and than to the Fire meeting which lasted way too long for what we did. Of course Saturday starts the CPR class which is the lead in to the 1st Responder Class and than the real phone starts.

Dead or Not

Been having a discussion on what makes something which was not alive in the first place dead. We were going on about whether the vinyl record is dead or not. As a format it is dead. No one is producing any more right now. At least not for its intended purpose.

Same goes for Latin. It is still taught, spoken, books written in, radio shows spoken in and used by people for mottos and other sayings but for all regular purposes it is a dead langauge.

Of course all this is going on in the Star Frontiers forum which is dedicated to a dead game. While the fans still support it there is little chance of it coming back as an acceptable popular game so we are discussing dead on a dead game forum. Ironic huh.

Hammer Time

Fire Department has been getting hammered today. Right now it is around 1800 and we have had 6 medical calls so far today. I love working with the department but it is sometimes just so none stop that you have to sit back and wonder why you do it.

Fortunately others covered the afternoon but come tonight, I will probably be the only one answering. Have to stop the dropped calls.

Ranting now

OK so I missed yesterday. My car died and had to spend time working on it. Turned out to be another blown 30 amp fuse. This might get serious one day.

I did also write my 1500 word essay for the Fire Department. Was supposed to be a 500 word essay but that is just boring. You can't get into the story in just 500 words. Now to see if anyone reads that.

OK been wanting to mention this one for a while. Why is everyone so upset at Tebowing? You know kneeling to pray thing the quarterback does. I think because it taps into so much of what Americans expect and often don't get from our atheletes. Many have said they are not role models but when one acts like one they don't know how to act.

Also the guy is religious. Most people believe in some sort of God/Goddess they just don't want to be reminded about the fact they don't practice that often or go to church that often or the simple fact that some people can show thier faith while most would rather just have a good time.

Breaks

Spent the day not soing things for myself. Stayed up late for a medical call and then woke up to one. Then had to do reports and then spent most of the day watching two of the grandkids.

The one thing was once my daughter got back she needed sometime to herself on the computer. I know I spend too much time on it so sometimes just need to let others have a turn.

Anything anyone else spends too much time on that they shouldn't?

Commitments

Most people call them New Year's Resolutions but in truth they are commitments you make to yourself. Maybe it says something about people in that most people can not keep thiers. Of those that do it are the ones who have told others and have help and watchers making sure they do.

So to anyone listening out there here is my Resolution. I will write something creative every day.

So far so good I at least wrote the blog yesterday and today.

Happy End of World

Happy New Year!!! Of course this is the year predicted for the world to end by the Mayan calendar. So I guess we should start getting ready. Many people are prepping with food and guns and supplies and such. Of course if it is the end of the world then there will be no survivors so why are we getting ready.

Guess it is because everyone thinks that whatever happens it will not affect them. In zombie movies everyone thinks they are the guy with the shotgun and not the zombie. Or in the dungeon scene that they are the one escaping and not the skeleton chained in the corner.

In reality someone has the car accidents and fires and earthquakes and someone wins the lottery. We just never think it is going to be us except for the lottery which we never win. Hope is what we have and hopefully it will never go away.