From A Christmas Carol

Scrooge's Nephew Lectures him on the virtues of Christmas

“There are many things from which I might have derived good, by which I have not profited, I dare say,…Christmas among the rest. But I am sure I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round …as a good time: a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time: the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow-passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys. And therefore…though it has never put a scrap of gold or silver in my pocket, I believe that it has done me good, and will do me good; and I say, God bless it!"

ESL

I know of a man who makes tons of money

He looks very strange and he is kind of funny,

He set up a store for selling some words

and his business was good, it took off like birds.

I am glad that this man is my friend,

we do business with each other, again and again.

I buy words from him, some short and some long,

Can you guess which words are making up this song?

I hope that his business doesn’t change course

Or else I will have to find a new source

Of words to use that I can bet on,

So I can keep branching out with these songs.

seriously?! Two weeks?!

I had some time to kill at work today so i decided to scroll back through the old posts. I read a rant by Pete saying we never get cool, exciting weather. Funny how just in the past two weeks we've had 110 degree weather and now today its been raining all day....well drizzling anyways. Then i looked to see if i had written anything in 2007 about leaving my old job for this one. I did in fact. There were two. One was that i gave my notice and the other was that it was my last day. I thought it was interesting because i feel like i'm in the same position now that i was when it was my last day...i'm bored. I have two more weeks, give or take, until the "blessed event" and this week holds my last scheduled event to work. So now i'm going to be sitting at my desk, bored, waiting to go into labor. Its an odd feeling when your not needed but you still come to work. I do enjoy not getting 30 emails a day though. And i won't miss it when i'm on my landline, my cell phone is ringing and someone else is calling me on the walkie talkie. So that part is quite refreshing. i feel bad for those around me who have to work overtime cuz i'm not going to be here though. i'm really good at my job and i like it a lot. so its going to be kinda hard to be at home all day.....yes i know i will be busy but it will be a different kind of busy.

Two weeks people, two weeks! Where did the time go? Wasn't it just yesterday that Pete and i went over to the DeClerk house to tell Steve and Nina? And then later that night he called Tim and Tom? And from there it spread like wild fire! lol. And now the next phone calls you'll all start getting is that there's a baby. So surreal.

Now that i think back, i'm a little bummed that Pete and I didn't blog more about getting Barney and his cute pictures. And that we didn't post more on the pregnancy progress with ultrasound pictures...actually, i hate ultrasound pictures. They do not do the baby any justice on the cuteness factor. But anyways, you know what i mean. Because the fact that this blog can have our stories logged from 2005 to present, no matter how many times we actually posted something, its all there to read back and remenise. Facebook doesn't do that. its just a quick blurb about something and then you lose it.

So i think we should all take this opportunity to start blogging again. Let's think of it as a scrapbook of memories.

Sheila: Let's see some pics of the house and all the work you've done.
Lynlee: Beer Pong Tourney?
Pete: Barney videos?
Alex: CA trip pics?
Randy: Fantasy Football updates?

You guys get the point. :)

Arian Foster, fantasy stud

Hey dudes. Who's got a good team in your league??

Love,

AJ

Happy Birthday PETE!!!!!!

To Clean or Not to Clean

I'm going back and forth about whether or not i should hire a cleaning service. I'm also not sure if i want to hire someone that family and friends use or just get a company in to start my house off fresh again. I've called two companies for estimates and apparently the one factor that makes the price go higher is the fact that i have a dog. Poor Barney. He does make cleaning the house much more difficult. Perhaps that's why i feel the need to get outside help. I'm getting bigger and slower and cleaning every weekend just doesn't sound fun to me these days. i guess i'm not in the "nesting stage" quite yet. Has anyone used a cleaning company before? is it worth it? Any recommendations?

Saturday

Yesterday, Saturday, was a very nice day. The weather was nice and sunny. Pete and I spent almost all day hanging out in the backyard. We did yard work in fact! Trimmed some trees back, trimmed some bushes, cleaned the garage and worked on the sprinklers in both the back and front yard. I dare someone to tell us that we aren't incredible house renters! I enjoy renting a house. Cuz its a great learning experience. We know about having to clean windows and work on broken sprinkler heads. And if we mess up or can't fix it ourselves, then we have a back up....the landlord! Pete has knowledge on the HVAC and i can program the sprinkler system. Its very rewarding to do things yourself. And by the end of the day, your kinda beat and very dirty. Like i said, its very rewarding. So now that our backyard is in pristine condition, who want's to come over and bbq?!

A friend for Barney??

Pete and I keep going back and forth about getting another dog. A friend for Barney to play with and to get into trouble with while we are both at work. We both constantly check the Pasadena Humane Society website to see if there are any cute dogs. We wouldn't get a Pit Bull or a Chihuahua, even those are the most needed dogs to adopt, but more of a smaller dog like Barney's size. We'd want to get a dog that is at least 2 years old already cuz then we won't have to worry too much about all the puppy hijinks. The dog would have to be pretty mellow to be able to mesh with Barney's personality too. Then there's the whole baby factor to consider. Is it wise for us to throw in another living thing that needs taking care of? But then again, will Barney need a friend cuz we will be too busy taking care of the baby? All the "what if's"!!!

oohhh

Hey Pete, nice change on the page. I think we needed a new background. I also think we need to start posting some stuff. yeah yeah i know, i'm all talk cuz i haven't contributed since.....well its been a while. Just curious, does anyone even check this blog anymore? If you do, add a comment. Just say, 'i do, once a week/month/randomly, etc". Maybe its time to give up and live only in Facebook land? *sigh*

I don't fucking sleep anymore. I haven't fallen asleep before 2am for months. And if I do you can be sure that I wake up at 3am and can't fall asleep again until 5am.

Response to Jeff and Dave (Not because I'm angry or overly excited, only because I like to argue)

My Argument is that what the framers had in mind with the First Amendment was to protect the expression of unpopular ideas and to protect political dissent.

My point is that there is nothing in animal cruelty videos to protect. It is a recording of crime being committed. I understand that it was a weak law that was being struck down, and that's fine we'll have to come up with a better law, but I don't think there is a First Amendment argument to be made here. Like I said, if someone were to depict realistic images of dogs fighting or or squirrels being crushed I wouldn't have a problem because there is no "act". In my mind the First Amendment protects the expression of an idea not an action. For instance, I respect someone's right to say in any medium or public forum "everyone named Pete should be killed" I don't respect their right to actually kill me and sell the videos.

I think of this way:
If someone rented a theatre and billed their act as crushing small animals onstage. They are protected. Everyone who bought a ticket to this event is protected. That's protection against prior restraint. However, as soon as the show begins and chip n' Dale get squished, the performer is no longer protected and can be arrested. In a video, the crime has already been committed so there is no prior restraint protection, the video is simply evidence of a crime being committed in which the person holding the camera is complicit. And whether someone buys the video or not a crime has occurred.

The First Amendment

The First Amendment:

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

Supreme court crushes law against animal cruelty videos and photos

Which one of the protections of the First Amendment covers Dog Fighting? Which one covers crushing small animals to death?

Free Speech you say? What then, do these activities say? If they "say" something, could the something not be said and not shown?

If a person where to release a book, video, podcast what have you extolling the virtues of watching two dogs maul each other to death I would not dream of trying to suppress such a publication. Likewise, I would not endeavor to suppress anyone from expressing the opinion that crushing small animals to death is a legitimate form of sexual arousal. It is the act of doing these things that is reprehensible and, in fact, criminal. We have existing laws against animal cruelty just as we have criminal laws against murder. Selling a video of someone being murdered is illegal, is it not? Why then should selling a video of someone committing an act of animal cruelty not be considered a criminal act?

I am not a vegetarian and I understand the concept of nature "red in tooth and claw" but this is willfully causing prolonged pain and suffering and exploiting that suffering for money. I don't see how this could have been the intention of the framers.

Enlighten me.

Upon Watching The Empire Strikes Back...

"Lauri, what do you take away most from Star Wars, whats your favorite part?"
"Yoda"
"Like what? His philosophy?"
"I like his puppet... I also like the Ewoks cuz they're, like, fuzzy little bears"
"sigh"

The Gift of Gab...

It's a good thing for me that we don't live in ancient Greece. If we lived in the time of Homer, I would be shit out of luck. I can't relate a decent story verbally to save my life. Sometimes, I'll try to tell a story about a funny thing that happened to me, and I'll realize half way through that I have totally lost your interest or that frankly the story wasn't great to begin with and I try to wrap it up quickly which ruins it. I think however, that I can't spin a decent yarn in written form.. I think it must be destiny that I was born into an age when blogging is possible. Writing and re-writing, that's my style. Yes, I do make up certain facts for dramatic effect, but admit it, so do you when you are telling your stories. My strength, I like to think, in the social situation is listening. I love to here a good story retold and I respect the skill it takes to do it. Please don't take me for being aloof when we are sitting there have a beer and I can't think of anything good to say, it's just that...well, I can't think of anything good to say. But I'll gladly listen to, and be genuinely interested in anything you might want to tell a story about.

Seeking Serious Advice

So when we first moved into the house, a lady came knocking at our door at 9pm one Tuesday night with her hand waving furiously. My first impression was that she was a new neighbor come to welcome us to the neighborhood...not so much as it turns out. When I opened the door she held up her hands with seven fingers. After several attempts in broken English I was informed that she had seven children. I further came to understand that she was seeking permission to take the recyclables from the bin on the curb. To this I said, "fine go ahead." and began to close the door. As I closed the door she said, "okay you remember me when I come back" Very quickly I realized she had taken my affirmative to be my acceptance of a contract between the two of us by which she would rummage through my garbage at my curbside every Tuesday night. I immediately regretted every aspect of the interaction.

In the weeks that followed we realized that with a three bin system (Trash, recycle, Yard Waste) we really weren't generating enough trash to necessitate putting the recycle bin on the curb every week. (Well, that and the fact that we routinely forgot to put the trash out altogether) After a while I had nearly forgotten about the wayward (and overly reproductive) dumpster diver.

However...

Last week I was heading out to work at about 6:30 in the AM, and who do I see not only going through the recycle bin but chatting up the garbage men...you guessed it. Lets forget that I am notoriously surly at this time of day anyway, but something about having turned the front of my house into the garbage buffet REALLY got under my skin. So as I walked to my car I said, in a not overly unkind tone of voice, "Please don't through my garbage anymore". Her response was that I had given her permission. I said, "Well, please don't do it anymore." She fell back on what must be her standard mode of pleading and held up her seven fingers, and again informed me that she had seven children who all went to the school in front of my house (as if that was some sort of endearment to me). As I got in my car I again repeated, "don't go through my garbage anymore." My rear views revealed her moving quickly toward my car.. She was at my side window again holding up her seven fingers. I gesticulated wildy for her to get away from my car. She put her palms together and bowed to me. Had we reached an understanding or had she just sworn a blood oath to her god against all things Pete? She moved away from the car and went back out to the parking. As I drove by she gave me the creepiest smile I've ever seen. I was not at all happy about how the exchange had gone. Surely I could have conducted myself better and turned on the charm and calmly informed her that I was uncomfortable with her going through my cast offs, numerous though her offspring may be. Still, perhaps I had made my wishes clear and this would be the last I would see of her?

At this point your asking, what's the big deal? Let her go through your garbage and get on with your life. To you I say..."Yeah, but...." Look, there are several issues at play here that bother me about the situation, taken individually you will think me a hard hearted bastard and dismiss me, but perhaps taken together you can see my side?

First, with a stranger going through your trash you now have to be careful of what you put in the trash. Identity theft is a real thing and I have a lot to lose.

Second, someone who knocks on your door at 9pm asking to root through your trash clearly has boundary issues.

Third, had I opened the door to making my new neighborhood a haven for trash diggers? Not a very nice legacy to be sure.

Fourth, basic human nature says give a person an inch and they will take a mile. What was to stop her from deciding that if my aluminum cans were up for grabs, what about these rusty old aluminum rain gutters. And what about the bottles and cans that I had surely left in the back yard, why not hop the fence just to take a peak, after all she has seven mouths to feed.

Fifth, rubbish hauling contracts are in my purview at the job so I know that trash haulers use revenue from recyclables to offset the cost of operations, if all of sudden there would no recyclables to collect, trash hauling costs could conceivably go up. I can't have that on my head. I know that's more of big picture concern and, admittedly, it was distrust of strangers in general that led me to call an end to the smorgasbord of rubbish.

On Saturday there was a home invasion robbery, that ended with my neighbor a few doors down chasing the would be burglar into the nearby school and the Sheriffs having my block on lock down for a few hours until the police dogs found the suspect in the dumpster. Scavengers, burglars, oh my! You can see how paranoia might be setting in.

Then...

Tonight a knock came at my door at about 8:30pm. Guess who? She was back now with 3 of the 7 in tow. Presumably for the purpose of softening my hard heart into granting access to the remains of the past weekends shenanigans. I hadn't even brought out my bins yet. I did NOT open the door this time. When I saw it was her through the side window, again waving furiously with that, "there is really something wrong with me" smile. I simply looked in the eye and said "Go Away". She moaned a pleading "Nooooooo" as I secured the chain and locked the deadbolt. She left. She is about a 5 foot tall mid fifties Asian woman and at this point I have to admit, I'm nervous.

I know I've made light of some aspects of the situation for the purpose of holding your attention but in all seriousness I find the whole situation worrisome. And I also realize the person I am talking about is REAL person who clearly has REAL problems. But none of those problems are immediately mine or my neighbors. Recyclables can be accessed in any manner of ways (see previous posts) that don't involve knocking on my door or hanging around my house.

I don't worry about my own safety but for those under my care, especially the friendly dog who puts anything in his mouth including any manner of poison handed him by vengeful trash digger while I'm off making money in a more conventional manner than knocking on stranger's doors begging for access to trash. I know I'm probably being overly worrisome...but that's just me.
Any advice from the group on how I can solve the situation or at least some thoughts to put my mind at ease?

Jumping off a tall Building while staring in a mirror and having cake that you can also eat

"No matter what we fear, we MUST fear the moment of truth"
That's the opening of the Gang Starr track "Moment of Truth" that legitimizes that whole cut and it has relevance here I think.

Ahhhh....(that's a sigh of relief) It's the tapping sound of keys being punched that reminds me that it has been too long since I've done this.

Life has certainly changed since we started this blog in 2005. We've gone from "Life Outside the Rat Race" to...hell I don't even know what to call it. In fact, I won't attempt to analyze the ups and downs of trying to make a comfortable life in the free market society. I will share something I've learned, having a little loose change in the your pocket can really alleviate some stress, and if the price is getting up every morning and putting in your eight, as long as you're not hating your job, then its well worth it. I've been wanting, for a long time to acknowledge how much life has changed in the few years since we started this and my fear has been that I wouldn't be able to entertain with words with much less of my time being spent Outside the Rat Race. But what I've come to realize is that it wasn't what we did back in '05 that was all that fun, it was the flourish of words we put on it, that made everyday an adventure. I also recall that every experience was approached with the intention of putting it into words, in doing so you tend to look for the fascinating in the mundane. I think, if we want to keep this thing going we, (or just me maybe) have to try to do that again, despite how different things are now.

Having said all that, I'm still not sure what direction to go with this blog. It might take sometime to get the grove back. I realize now that with Facebook here, this thing will have a much wider audience and I have to decide whether or not to be careful with words and what stories to tell. But...I suppose you all know me well enough, so if I decide to fret, hem and haw, or openly rant you just have to remember, that right now...life in general is good and the various humours of the passionate soul are all part of life. I will, however, put a word of warning in for my younger readers if you are out there...
*All stunts physical and psychological are performed by a professional. Don't try anything read here at home.

THIS IS BORING!!!

Hey everyone from Alaska I think we should get back to writing on the blog about what we are doing right now and stop putting our 2 cents in on facebook. Don't get me wrong I love facebook but rememeber when this blog was our way of telling a story about what we are thinking. I'm so bored and I'm wishing I was famous I could catch a plane and head down south. I should be reading for my history class but I don't feel like I'm in the mood to hear about WWII and Alaska's role in it. I'm half watching the Olympic Opening Cermony and I'm wondering...who comes up with this crap?! Really the Native dances were fine I've experienced them up here before. There was horrible side dancers wearing lights like they just bought them at Target. But what was with that trapeze on the fake mountain was that any good because I thought it was a reject number from Cirque de soleil. Whoa I just thought KD Lang was Micheal Buble...my bad. Now a opera song?! Nelly Furtado and Bryan Adams was a horrible pairing and their song wasn't that great. Then the talking for a hour about how Canada is so great we get it you got the Olympics and we didn't. I just hope the U.S. team can forget about this show and bring in a new gold rush into the U.S. (that means win a lot of gold). BTW it was sad that Georgia Republic Luger died on a practice run!! On an unsafe track...I think I would say I'll pass on this run. Anyway this ceremony is boring and I feel like I can't leave or change the channel cuz something cool might happen and I'll miss it.Wait a minute the lighting was messed up that one persons thing didn't raise. I know what to do BLAME CANADA!!! HAhahahaha. A lot of these big expensive shows at sporting events are not great anymore The Who was horrible at the Super Bowl too. I should quit whing but really I wish I could do these shows they would be the shit. Anyways hopefully this rant can get more people to write on the blog maybe Randy can start up his haikus again. One more thing I'm trying to come up with a title for my high school drama soon to be tv show cuz "Hamilton Hell" wasn't working I was thinking "Crossroads of Our Lives" or "Lives At The Crossroads". I know they are both kinda the same but they aren't also. Well the ceremony is over and I'm over too. Talk to all of y'all later.

The Rolling Underbelly

Last night on the drive from my house to Blockbuster Video I saw a homeless guy with 2 dogs. That was the second time I witnessed that unhappy sight in a few days. There was some other homeless guy camped out by the wash who also had 2 dogs. And they are both different from the homeless guy with 2 dogs you see in Sierra Madre and East Pasadena.
I also saw 2 trucks (both personal vehicles) loaded down with cardboard headed to the recycling center by Ralph's /Ichima. This was at like 9:30 at night so they weren't there to drop off their recycling, they were there to steal what they could out of the recycling center. How they planned to split up the loot I can only imagine. When I got home I brought out the trash barrels, it only took 15 minutes before someone was rooting around in my own recycle bin. (A veritable treasure trove after having Alex for a week, but don't get used to it). At work, we can't put on enough security to keep the collectors out of our recycling cans. I recently had to reprimand an employee on the dangers of crawling into a trash compactor, on duty or otherwise There is a seedy underside to the Crown City, The Rose City, and the poor economic conditions are only making worse. I'm wary of a city where the middle class is becoming scarce and times are only getting more desperate.