The Bohemian

I am still here

2006-11-16T14:33:00.000-05:00

This depression is a bitch, I don't know how I'm dealing with it.
Thanks all for your kind words.

At present

2006-10-20T12:56:00.001-04:00

To all you wonderful folks who have been e-mailing me and voicing me due to my lack of content the last month, I apologize from the depth of my heart. At this time I am incapable of writing to any degree as my depression has by far gotten the better of me. Drugs do no seem to be the answer as my Pdoc (very good one indeed) continues cocktail after cocktail and hospitalization is NOT an option to me as I couldn't take the loss of freedom, it would be like incareration. Where life takes me from here I have no idea and no longer really care. If things change, then so be it.

LOVE TO ALL OF YOU, MY DEAR FRIENDS.

SAGE

It's Been A Bad One

2006-09-13T15:43:00.000-04:00

I've had the worst battle with depression over the last month that I can ever imagine.The battle seems to let up one day and then the next it becomes worse than the proceeding day. Pdoc gives me Effexor and it causes me to go loopy, sleeping at at a table while eating, can't drive as I start to to fall asleep, my balance goes out of whack, needless to say wife #1 Diane goes crazy about it. She bitches up a storm over it and I can't say she is wrong however the bitching does have the capacity of causing me to just get more and more tense. As for the Effexor I think I am going to stop taking them. As I have not been taking them that long I feel I can just stop and give the Pdoc the remaining boxes of samples and all will be OK with him.
Last week on friday we had an exciting event, at 2:58 we had a lightning strike the house. It blew out 2 modems, and killed 2 TV's, as well as killing 3 Digital internet cable boxes (2 with DVR)/ The Cable company came out quickly and got the TV's going but the Internet took them 4 days and the kicker was I even had to go out and buy a new BELKIN as that was blown as well.. Diane bought one for her room, a 20" flat screen, she likes the size, not me as I have a 32" HD is more my taste. To watch sports on a 20" is tough whereas on a 32"HD its much clearer and crisper.
We have been living well as there have been no hurricanes bothering us just that little lightning storm just wish the BP would balance out and it is getting better. Have a wonderful Therapist that my Pdoc turned me on to. She is wonderful, thoughtful, insightful, warm,critical, and honest. What more could you ask for? She is straight forward but I have freaked her out bit with the homestyle which I live .She spun around in her chair when I told her about Diane and Remy. That is the subject matter for the next meeting! Oh well some people freak out easily even in their 30's when the're pretty!!!!!
Enough for now, will post more now that I have my 'puter back.

Hurricane we go again

2006-08-29T15:30:00.000-04:00

Yeah, here we go again. My phone starts to ring as Ernesto makes its way along its way up the Florida Coast. I'm sitting back watching the storm work its way north up Florida. If you all remember last year around Katrina time I told you about the how we in the Tampa area have this Gulf Stream in the water and Jet Stream in the air that works acts as a protective buffer from storms which has been proven over the last 90 years. Again this storm is breaking up as I type this missive it's funny because anyone can check my words against the time as it is Tuesday night at 7PM and the storm is breaking up!!!!! Enjoy folks as that old Sage was right again.

Why's and Why Nots I've Been Here

2006-08-25T20:36:00.000-04:00

Its been a rough couple of weeks. The Sage as witty as he can be also can suffer from depression as well. The last couple of weeks have been that depressive hell. Unfortunately this time prevents me from Blogging. I really can hit the bottom of the ocean at times like this. For those of you who haven't noticed in my profile, I am a Bi-Polar II who does definately need to take meds on a daily basis. Now I am not talking about serious stuff here but I take Lexapro, Effexer,and Seroquel. I do take a sleeping pill on occasion but that thats about it. The problem is that frequently I get down in the dumps and when I do nothing pulls me out. Here in the Sage's Home unfortunately nobody has the wherewithall to bring me out of the the funk. I love my wives and son dearly but no matter what they say or do I just can't break through this down feeling. Many of you have sent me e-mails in the last week wondering what happened to me and asking why I haven't posted recentedly, well, I hope this explains to you the reasons for my absence. In the last week I have added a Therapist to my list of Drs. so maybe she will be an asset to me.
So for you Facet, Raine, Queen, Jon and others who have cared enough to write, thats whats happening.
SAGE

My Ice Maker

2006-08-08T11:23:00.000-04:00

We have a ice maker in our side by side fridge. Now this unit is a Kenmore (really a Frigadaire) and is 8 years old. I've replaced the ice machine 2 flippin' times since I bought it as I just did it again. Well, it is one of those spiffy ones that deliver the water and ice through the door. Well, after the machine was replaced and making ice and I may add that $250 left our checking accout. The little thing that pushes out the ice stopped working. Now, The Sage, is losing his cool as it was working fine prior to the ice part not making ice and is a seperate part altogether. I tell the repairman to get the part and fix the DAMN thing. an hour later guess what the phone call tells me? The manufacturer no longer makes the part!!! I called Sears today and they explained that I can by it by individual parts of the assembly if I wish. Ready?$373.27!!!! I figure that by the time that I have repaired this ice machine 2 times and if I was to repair the ice bucket/deliverer, I will have put out almost $750 which is enough to buy a NEW ONE.
People complain about gas, food, flowers, soda, and virtually every price but there is one that I have yet to hear anyone say anything about. So I think I'll just thought this little ditty up for you to think about.

Up until about 5 years ago when one went out to but carpet or any type of flooring you would pay in this manner. $4.99 @ SQ.YD today its $1.99@SQ.FT just a little thought.

Everytime you turn around, someone will screw you!!!!

The Sage found the Soapbox

2006-08-06T04:18:00.000-04:00

I have been rather cool about the political going ons in the world as of late, and if the politics aren't rough enough then the Warring actions make it downright sickening. Now before I go on any further, its important to realize that I am NOT ANTISEMETIC, nor am I PRO ARAB. I'm just a guy who traveled over there 35 years ago and am sick and tired of watching the war perpetuating over in the Middle East. The Israeli's and the Arabs are a good start to draw this fighting to a halt.
In 1947 "as the victors go the spoils" an area was carved out and GIVEN to the Jews who were in prison camps and had been displaced during WW II. Consequently a group of people known as the Palestinians lost their land to these misplaced Jewish people. Over the next twenty years these industrial people managed to create a wonderful country bordering on the Mediterreanean Sea. They did such a wonderful job creating this country that they felt they had best expand so what did they do?
In 1967 they had a lightning 3 day war TAKING land of other countries. Immediately they built on it, fenced around it (as we should on our borders) and called it their land. THIS HAS CONTINUED UNABATED for the 30 some years with the blessing our Country and its Allies. Now at long last someone has the balls to say CUT IT OUT!!! And what do the Israeli's do, FIRE MORE MISSLES!!! The reason we are all upset is that Syria and Iran are supporting them in Lebanon. I say they they deserve some help.
America get the hell out of there. We've caused enough trouble in an area that thrives on it since before Magellan. Leave the politics of the Middle East alone along with Iraq. I, for one, am tired of it.

Oh, How Hot it's Been

2006-08-03T20:10:00.000-04:00

Gee whizz, you'd think that it was the hottest summer on record. I read the paper every day and see that the country is just being slaughtered by this intense heat. People in the West are drenched with sweat as the heatwave moves across the country I see the same occurrig thru the Midwest and now into the East. As I was watching the Evening News tonight the Talking Head said that tomorrow this tremendous Heatwave was going to break at long last.
Folks, I'm here to tell you that all you folks got up there in the rest of the Country is what we deal with in Florida every Summer. Granted the temperature doesn't ride at 100 degrees daily but our humidity stays at 75 percent or higher from May until October. Hence, I say to all of you up North, BOO HOO!!!

You don't know what heat is, and don't come down here either, we've got enough of you folks already!!!!!!

Lost Electronic Remote Controls

2006-07-29T02:26:00.000-04:00

Usually I attempt to add a bit of levity to my posts on here but tonite if that happens, it will be by accident. Well maybe I'll jot one or two for the hell of it but don't expect it. You see something happened tonight that really pissed me off. As I am one of those people who spends too much time in front of a Television there are certain items that are essential when indulging in this activity, not many to be sure but a couple are needed. The things that come to mind for todays couch potatoes are (1) a beverage, (2) a munchie which is optional, and (3) a Remote Control which is a mandatory item for all electronic items.
Now, The Sage has a problem which most of you fortunately do not suffer from, that is, I am disabled, with a back that gives me quite a bit of pain. So in the Living Room the wives have made sure that I have a VERY comfortable reclining chair and the TV is a 50" High Definition with Digital Cable, HD stations, and all the HBO and Showtime Stations. The Cable Box remote after you turn on the TV operates everything so I have a Remote for it downstairs and a spare upstairs as well. I do keep the 'clicker" close to my chair all the time so that I maintain the station control. If the girls wish to see something else, NO Problem, I ususally will turn it over to them and go upstairs if I wish to see something else.
Hence we come to the problem at hand. I also spend quite a bit of time in bed as I have one of those "Therapedic Beds" from Sweden which is great for the back plus Remy just loves it as well as its a King mattress. Well, 4 months ago, I found a GREAT DEAL on a HD TV through Tiger Direct and purchased a 32" HD TV for under $900. I had the HD Cable Installed and VOILA I could lay back, relax, keep my back feeling better, and watch quality TV. Only one catch to this setup though was I had to utilize the REMOTE that came with the TV to turn it on, switch it to High Definition and turn up the volume to reasonable levels. The REmOTE that came with the Cable handled all the channel changes except would not change the TV picture alignment to HD and will not turn it on/off. The on/off I can do by getting up and pushing the button on the front however there is NO WAY to change it to HIGH DEF without the REMOTE. Guess you're figuring out where I'm headed aren't you?
Last night Remy and I went up to bed and she turned on the TV with the TV REMOTE. I in turn switched the Cable to the station we were going to watch. we sat back and after a while she fell asleep and I looked for the TV REMOTE so I could turn off the sound (I have a wireless headset that works without the TV's sound on), but lo and behold I couldn't find the REMOTE, I looked everywhere for it unsuccessfully. As I was up, I turned the sound off at the set button and used my headset. So tonight when my darling wife, Remy, decided to go to bed I went up with her and asked her to help me find the "clicker". No luck!!! What do you think was her response to the problem? "Oh, it'll show up." REALLY!!!! And how is that going to happen? Who is going to mystically show up and present it to me. I WANT MY F**KING REMOTE CONTROL!!!!!!! You see this is the thought process of almost every woman I know. It'll show up. HOW? WHEN?

My Bi-Polar Mind

2006-07-27T02:55:00.000-04:00

A lot of people with Bi-Polar disorder are very reluctant to discuss it in person let alone on-line, where there is a record of it forever according to the experts and Google. Atleast that is what they tell me, that you can be traced forever using these seach engines. Well, at 58 (soon to be 59) I don't give a damn what lasts in perpetuity about my mind. No, this is not a goodbye post, I'm not about to commit the ultmate act. I'm in an unusual mood tonight and thought that I would explain that side which very few of you know any part of at all. Although many of you who share in the same Disorder will understand why I am doing this and share in my particular need to purge.
I am not going into each and every specific detail but I remember at about 8 years old sitting by myself at a little league baseball field at sunset and knowing that I had been there before and the bird flying over was going to let down on 2nd base. It did!!! Was it deja vu? I don't know. This kept happening all the time to me almost weekly until my late 20's and then it slowed down but still happens on occasion. Crazy? Maybe, but this is the first time I've ever told anybody.
Things really started going wrong when I was about 10 or 11 (Hunter's age) and I started feeling real different from other kids. The other kids seemed happy all the time and I just wasn't, I had to fake it. Sure, I had friends but it was different as I came from a divorced home and they had MOMS and I only had a Grandmother, my father wasn't even around very much. I was not a great student and my father put me in Private School when he found out I had an exceptionally high IQ but my "NAN" was too old to handle me. I hated the first one and got thrown out hoping to go home, but my Father fooled my ass and placed me in a second School that was in the Sticks of New Hampshire with the stated following purpose, " For Potentially Superior Students With Emotional Problems". Now if that wasn't some kind of horses**t to lay on a 14 YO boy. I just wanted to go home and no one wanted me was my outlook on life.
The school was strange and for the first year they didn't even require that I attend classes if I didn't want to. All I did was read, listen to the radio, go for long walks in the hills surrounding the place and shooting basketballs. I did get a girlfriend however as it was co-ed and I lost my virginity, so the 1st year was not a complete washout. The school only had 40 students but after 6 months I kicked in and became a straight A student. I even taught myself how to speed read so I really kicked ass as I completed two years in one cleanly.
I was rewarded by given a summer with my mother (I'd never lived with her) in Florida with her family. I'd never lived with a family before and here was a MOM, a Step-father, a half sister, and half brother. Well after six weeks they asked me if I wanted to live with them all the time. What do you think a 16 YO hormonal driven boy spending his summer on the beach, looking at young girls in 2 piece bathing suits would say? That's right. HELL, YES!!!!!! Anything away to get away from snow and to live in Florida.
Florida was kinda good for me. school was a snap as it was so far behind the North that I never had to crack a book and I was a great student. After graduation the last thing I wanted was more school but Vietnam was right there so I enrolled in Jr. College in order to avoid the obvious draft. College and I just didn't get on well as I enjoyed smoking pot and playing cards. Studying was the last thing I wanted to do so my grades suffered. You see this was before the Draft Lottery and to be drafted was a virtual guarantee to a fully paid two year hitch in the US Army. If nothing else in my life I always enjoyed having choices and control over my future consequently, The Sage entered the Air Force. After quite a bit of luck and being in the right place at the right time I ended up spending my tour based out of Germany traveling all over the world doing classified work. In 1970 after being offered the chance to stay in or work in some rather high powered Agencies of the Government, I put on my civilian clothes in Charleston, SC, boarded an aircraft and flew home to Bradenton, Florida. Life was about to begin and I sure wasn't ready for it.
I stayed at my MOM's house for a full 6 days before moving out on my own, never to live at home again. Yes, we had a falling out, get this.... about the Vietnam War...She was all for it and I had already lost enough friends. I had a job, got a little one bedroom on the beach and thought I had life by the ass. It was the time of fine music, dope, and plenty of easy sex and The Sage took complete advantage of each and every one. Over the next 7 years all I did was live hard, partied hearty (even ran a swingers club), go from job to job , then the leash got pulled back, I got busted for posession of marijuana!!!!! No, not tons but sufficient enough to give me vacation time at the expense of the taxpayers of the State Of Florida. I didn't fight it as I was guilty and I did my time. My lady at the time stuck with me all the way until the last month and then she left and moved out to Denver. Fortunately I had a friend (who is there today) that assisted me assimilate back into life.
Little did I realize at this point in my life that something was happening in my brain that was to affect me and had affected me throughout my life. I met someone who was starting up a new business and wanted to find a salesperson to represent his company. It turned out to be right up my alley. I didn't need to do drugs socially, I could work long hours (I was hyper anyway), money was great and I even had a nice lady. Everything worked out fine for a few years and then Job Change, into the Car Business and became Management in 2 years. WOW!!!! I'm in Atlanta, Ga. now which is the third largest Auto Market in the Country and I'm cookin'. Then the world fell out on me. My then wife, who meant the entire world to me, left me for the attorney she was working for at the time. I was totally shattered, emotionally wrecked, dazed, confused, unable to function or work. The end result was the owner of the dealership gave me two months severence pay and my friend in Florida made me promise to come straight down. I left everything except my personal items and one TV and a bed, loaded my Blazer, and drove straight to Clearwater.
After coming back to Florida, I spent a couple of months trying to get my head straight after all that had happened. My friend and I had many long talks about where and what I should do with myself. Finally he talked me into trying the Pest Control business out. He explained that there was not a lot of money in it but the work was good and steady. He had a place for me in his company so that is how I got into the Pest Control business which I stayed with until I became Disabled 3 and 1/2 years ago from Heart Disease and 2 shots of cancer.
I've also been dx'd with Bi-Polar II which has been the Major Problem throughout my life since that day at 8 years of age at summer camp. It's cost me many jobs and a number of relationships. Do I regret the losses in my life?
Some of course, but I have the greatest son and wives any man could ever want or wish for.
I'll close this monologue for now as now you folks have some more grist to chew on and to critique me about. I'm just trying to be a bit of an open person for those of you who wish to know me better.
Questions? Just ask, you know I'll answer.

Lucky Louie

2006-07-27T02:16:00.000-04:00

If no one has been kind enough to tell you about this new program on HBO, allow me to be the first. Sure HBO has given us the Sopranos, 6 FEET UNDER, ALI G, OZ, SEX in the City and a plethera of Comedy Specials but folks, they have finally outdone themselves. The newest program on their great run is called Lucky Louie. The title of course doesn't even explain its program.
Lucky Louie is about a couple with a 7 YO spoiled girl living in an urban arrangement apparently in the Northeast US. Louie, the husband , works at a muffler shop, Kim, the wife, works as a nurse at a hospital and the rest of the ensemble is a couple of guys from the muffler shop, and a black couple that lives across the hall .
Each show is truly adult fair as the subject matter has runs from Louie masturbating in the closet of the apartment for his sex relief to his Brother-in-law using his bathroom shower because his didn't work. Obviously he comes out into the kitchen with his peter hanging out as he dries off. The dialogue is truly great and this show WILL receive Emmy Awards, I promise you. Every show seems to be timed at 24 minutes but a wonderful, funfilled 24 minutes it is. The show comes on at 10:30PM Eastern Time on Sunday night so try it one time and then post me. I promise a great experience in viewing pleasure unless you are a Charter Memeber in the Fundamental Christian Church. Even then you're gonna giggle!!!!

REBATES

2006-07-25T23:28:00.000-04:00

No, I'm not gonna kiss and tell about out different companies. I do a lot of on-line biz and would be a nice quiet customer except I am THE SAGE and I owe it to you, my faithful readers to forwarn you of potential ripoffs. Here it is....... Last March I purchased on-line a beautiful 32" High Definition Television. The price was $849.00 minus $100.00 rebate. End price was to be $749.00 plus tax and handling giving me a total AFTER REBATE of $849.59. I felt after 2 months of research and checking different local outlets this was a GRRRREAT deal indeed. I bought it. It arrived 3 days later via UPS, Not even a ding on the box, I was a happy consumer. That evening Remy and I set it up and WOW what a picture. Even The World Cup was to die for. However I'm digressing, I filled out all the paperwork for my $100 rebate and sent it off the next day. Over the next few days Remy and and I set up the CD player and wireless headset, so she can sleep at night.
We waited for the rebate, no problem I paid off the TV, still no rebate. I called them and was told they would handle it, still no money. Long story short, no money. Called today and they said they will be looking into it. HUM, I'll call tommorrow and see what happens. I think I'm being stroked on this . We'll see.................
BTW.... The store is Tiger Direct and this is the first time I have ever had any problem with them. And as a sidelight I was watching a movie on HBO on Demand the other night and thank goodness for the cordless headset as I almost died laughing and had to get up and leave the bed. The Movie....The 40 YO Virgin..... Damn funny flick, ateast in the middle of the night when you're wide awake.

Three Cheers for Remy and Me

2006-07-21T23:38:00.000-04:00

WE DID IT!!!!!!! Yesterday during the day I burned up Verizon's phone lines, twice between Dallas, Texas and 3 times between the local CompUSA Store. now I don't know if it was a matter of me just pissing them off enough or the local Technical Manager of the Store having pity on me but finally THEY gave up. Remy and I went into CompUSA after dinner as requested with the "new" Printer they had sent me, the Linksys, both new cartridges and were given a Store Credit for $260. IMPRESSED? I sure was. Naturally the catch was the CREDIT. Big deal as we went and got a newer model, this time an ALL-IN-ONE. So we gave them the credit with a little more cash and as the MGR rang us up he asked us if we wanted a 2 YR Warrantee for $44.95 more. Remy and I looked at each other, laughed as we already knew there was ONE YEAR ON IT ALREADY, so we politely refused. The Mgr was very nice as he carried out and put it in my Scion XB, we all shook hands, and situation is closed to OUR SATIFACTION.

THREE CHEERS FOR THE SAGE AND REMY

HP, CompUSA and India

2006-07-19T21:18:00.000-04:00

Yesterday is one of the days that drive anyone completely crazy. You see out of a clear blue sky last week my printer quit printing Wednesday night after I finished printing about 25 assorted pages. Two hours later when I needed to print a letter to a friend, WHOOPS, it wouldn't print the letter. Remy and I tried everything from checking the drivers to all the wires being connected properly. NADA, nothing, the damn thing just wouldn't work. Please understand that I am no genius when it comes to electronics or computers. Someone else sets it up and I operate it. It was rather late so she went to bed and I knocked around the Internet figuring that I would get it fixed the next day. Logical? WRONG!!!!!! Remy talked to HP briefly in the wonderful country of India (couldn't understand the woman) and then being rather tired from work, went to bed early. NO PROBLEM, on Friday I called HP explained the problem and after about an hour of troubleshooting they decided to send me a NEW HP 5440 Printer.
So all weekend long I went without a printer without much of a problem. When I got up on Tuesday afternoon at my front door, there it was, my new HP 5440 Printer. I brought it rapidly into the house, opened the box, took it out, and did EXACTLY what they told me to do. That is to take the old one and immediately put it into the same box without the cords and send it directly back to HP. I went straight to UPS with the box and sent it off within 30 minutes. What a guy I am!!!! I know how to follow directions, folks!!!! Home I come and make sure that the wires are hooked up the exact manner, paper is installed properly, and then made sure the cartridges were ready. WHAT!!!!!! No Ink cartridges in there? And I sent mine as directed. Oh, sh*t. Off to CompUSA (where I brought the original one), bought both cartridges, home I go, remove strips (I remembered), install and turn on printer. Now I am ready to rip.
Immediately I find a document and press the print button, I wait and wait, nothing happens. Now The Sage is beginning to become upset, just a bit but I know that I am about to get into the Land Of India once again. I should digress for those of you that understand these things. let me explain quickly the order of how everything is setup on my system as its really easy.

1).... Laptop......connect to....2.) Belken54g router.....connect to....3.) Linksys wps54g....connect to.....4) HP5440 Printer.
Hope that help those that understand.

Now comes the fun part. I call HP and after 3 different people who I can hardly understand, some male starts to walk me through fixing my problem. He says, "No Problem". An hour and a half later and being cut off twice, giving the phone to Remy from frustration we still have yet to get it running. We broke for dinner and Remy and I tried again for another hour before she had to go to bed quite tired as she had worked all day. Me, I stayed up......fuming all the while, not at Remy but at these people who can't direct us how to get my printer to f**king print. One of the more funny things for you, but maddening things to me, was this one woman who insisted, even after I told her 4 times that I was a MAN, to call me MA'AM. It got so bad that I even said, "Lady, I have a PENIS, call me SIR." What did she say? "Yes, MA'AM" Swear to God!!!! I can't believe that these stupid companies keep using India for their Call Centers. Remy was on the floor laughing.
At this point it was about Midnight so I sat back for a while and was going to watch a movie on HBO when I got a second wind. As I hadn't talked to Linksys I called them and made sure the problem might not be in their product. After a 15 minute call, in America, all was okay. So at 1AM, silly me, The Sage, once again called HP and for the next 4 1/2 hours from base level one attacked this entire system. At one point we ran the cable directly from the computer into the printer and actually printer a demo page. Never could get it to do it again though. Today I have attempted to get help from COMPUSA, and you will never believe them. I have an extended warrantee and because HP replaced the printer, I must PAY for a new warrantee. Is there No justice?
Now comes the final salvo from HP, I finally reached "The Resolution Dept" because they called me at 9:30AM after I fell asleep at about 6AM and was told that the HP544o Printer which I have been using for almost 3 months, CANNOT work with a wireless setup. WHAT THE HELL!!!!! This was an American in an office in the States telling me this about a printer that I have been using since May 26, 2006, and they think I'm Bi-Polar. Help, please. I'm drowning in tears. (I say facetiously) I'll keep you folks posted on my progress. I'll even send you a printed letter when it gets resolved if you e-mail me your address. (BIG SMILE)

WHEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Religion and Lost Friends

2006-07-17T00:27:00.000-04:00

Sorry that I have not posted in a couple of days, however I've not been feeling tip top the last few days and am feeling a bit better so back to the Blog I am. One of the nice parts of having more than one woman close by is that someone is always there to make sure that I am okay. Two days of the blahs is enough for anyone though.
I had a crappy thing happen last friday that had been simmering and had finally broke into the proverbial full boil. I thought I would share it with you as it is the true reason for avoiding certain subjects with people. A person whom I had been friends with for about 30 years, who was also responsible for turning me on to Blogging, had a full scale falling out. Now I am not talking about a spat, this is the type that is terminal as far as a friendship is concerned. He had published on his blog some ideas pertaining to religion as he had been having problems with a death six months ago in his family. Well, the zealots came out of the woodwork in his comment section and yours truly of course stated that even the different factions couldn't make up their own mind with advice. WOW, the freaks come out at night except but you should have seen his Blog!!! Although I had never seen anything religious on his blog, there were over a dozen comments ranging from Just Regular Catholics to Jehohvah Whitnesses and all points in between. These people just couldn't agree if the sky is blue. So when I brought up this small point, politely, whoops, I got deleted. No problem but then, I was chastised for starting problems by stating what he considered improper things!!! Not my style. He actually had the audacity to do this a number of times. Then he posted on my comment section criticizing what I posted, over on my blog. I called him and discussed his viewpoint and we just had to agree to diagree. Then things heated up as he became irate over the fact that I, The Sage would write a post describing my family and how we live.
Now folks, a number of you had asked about my family and our life. Hence I gave a fairly good synopsis of it. His reply was that I was leaving myself wide open to be stalked!!! WHAT!!!!! Then he comes back with my family is going to be stalked. Now this is not something that I am really worried about and there is nothing to worry about anyway. I trust there is no conspiracy (smile) to stalk me or my family as I feel that I have made some wonderful friends on here and look forward to continuing to stay that way and make even more. As for the one I lost, I shall mourn that loss very much however life goes forward and to my new friend in waiting.
HELLO

What a Day with my Son

2006-07-12T00:38:00.003-04:00

Its now into July and for kids in Florida there is only about one month left until school starts. He and I spent the day together today, I kept him home from Day Camp as we both had to go to the Pdoc so we just took it casually all day. The traffic wasn't too bad so we just took it easy and meandered about. Yes, we got up late, got dressed after the girls went to work (twas 9:30 AM) and off we went. On to one of my Pest Control customers, who is also a friend and we sprayed his house. Hunter and I sat back and spent about a half hour just shooting the breeze with these nice senior citizens. So many folks just go about life ignoring seniors but we found that seniors are great folks to associate with. You'd think that my 11 YO was an older man the way he related to them. I was so proud. No, we didn't talk about the War in Iraq but we did talk about many things which were way beyond his years.
Off we went, swung by the bank and to the local lunchonette that Hunter so loves to stop and munch at. Well, you would have thought the Governor of Florida had just walked in. The owners just fawned over him and as they made their sandwiches waiting on others they carried on a full conversation with us. Hunter was in 7th heaven that people cared so much that they would just pay so much attention to us.Its not that folks ever ignore him, its that today everybody was paying so much attention it was great. We ate our sandwiches and off to the Pdocs (we each have different ones) we go. After spending about an hour in the office coverivng both Drs, off we go. Now those of you who are parents are going to find this one strange but my son actually said, "Dad, will you take me for a haircut?" Yup, he really did. I know kids don't do things like that, mine does!!!! In to the Hair Salon we go and to a new person of course because they are always changing stylists. I didn't even have to open my mouth, Hunter very patiently and politely explained exactly what he wanted and that is what he got. He looked great just as a young man should. Not like a bowl had been placed over his head and a clipper had gone around it NO, he looks like a litle businessman. Amazing as my hair goes past my shoulders and is braided!!!! DAMN, I love my son. After all these things we stopped at Walgreens and picked up the scipts and I had to get him something so we snuck down the candy isle. He got a BIG double Nestle's Crunch Bar. As we checked out I snuck a sixteen pack of AA batteries for his Game Boy (he didn't see me) and home we went.
Hunter and I were greeted by the dog and cat, put away the stuff we bought and then I gave him the batteries. He looked at me with a huge smile and said, "DAD, I love, You." What a son...............

Work

2006-07-09T19:12:00.000-04:00

Over the last week or so it seems that I have been reading more and more about people and their problems with employment. Now these are problems that are a bit different than I was accustom to dealing with when I was part of the workforce. Apparrently since the X generation has taken over as the Movers/Shakers (read:Management) of business in our fair country the entire concept of employment has changed. Somewhere along the line a rift must have developed between the Company and the employee because all that pretty well disappeared. Yes, there is a little left but very little indeed. Insurance? Ha, the employee pays most of it. Retirement, again, better save your own money. Paid vacation? Better wait a few years. You see those were things that were all a given before this generation took the reigns of power. Is that why salaries are now so high at the top and then so sharply drop at middle management. Everyone else shares the scraps. The inflation rate is running at about 5% today and Remy, my wife, gets a standard 3% raise like everyone else in her office. Fair? Is there any other reason to see why there is such a turnover in the workplace. Its the only way to get more money. No reason to be loyal as the Company doesn't show any loyalty to the Employee nor even keep up with the cost of living. This isn't just Remy's job, its all over.
The other thing that really hit me pertained to a post that realy hit me today by someone who had been having a major problem finding gainful employment. Now I don't know what type of work she was attempting to get but judging by her post it must have been a type of office position as she had a resume and had been attempting to find work for many months. She even went to the lengths of having a friend dummy up her references by her showing that she was doing contract work while looking for fulltime employment. She explained that she'd had many phone interviews and about 20 personal interviews with virtually nothing positive forthcoming and sees nothing pending. Over the last eight months she estimated a total of over 200 resumes had been sent either through the mail or faxed. Now why would a qualified person have such a difficult problem in what is considered a good economy have such a hard time finding work? Her answer to this is age discrimination. She is 59 years old, says she looks it and is being punished for that fact. If that is the case, I ask, why? You see I posed that question to Remy and she answered with a very interesting answer. She claims that employees over 50 tend to be there daily (less sick days used), learn well, don't forget what they learn, don't backstab/gossip, and are hard workers. Damn, if I was in charge of hiring that's my target new hire. But Hell, what do I know as I'm 58 years old, not an Xer that knows everything and missed that course in Human Interpersonal Relationships in College or for that matter any School.
So much for my rant for today. Sage out..........

Stuff

2006-07-06T16:49:00.000-04:00

Over the weekend I went searching for a booklet of directions for a piece of electronics which I've had for a few years. Now I am real good about saving those booklets as one never knows when you're going to need them. This one was VERY important as it was for a clock radio that my Father had given to me 11 years ago. I know "Sage, that was 11 years ago!!!". Yes, you're right but it was a Bose clock radio (cost $300 new) and my Dad gave it to me and its a nice one, not some $19.99 one from Walmart. Well I looked and looked but be darned I just couldn't find the thing. I found books for virtually every piece of electronic item that we own though, even stuff that has been gone for years. Hell, I've got books for things I don't even remember owning! So that got me to thinking, just how much junk do I have in our home that we don't need or have any use for?
I generally tend to spend a lot of time laying down or sitting due to my health but I really jumped into this query. A little time was spent each day Saturday thru Wednesday so I could get a good handle on the entire scope of what apparently I have created with some help of my loving family. The final assessment to me was staggering. I figure that approximately fifteen to twenty percent of the stuff overall in the household can and needs to be thrown away. Now granted there many be some items that are worth keeping or selling but the bulk just needs to meet the landfill. Please don't misunderstand me, we don't live in a trash filled/strewn home as almost all of this has found a drawer or a box as a storage spot but it needs to go.
Now that I have accomplished all this you know what we are going to do, don't you? Not a damn thing. You see its not a home without an accumulation of stuff. If you don't have stuff you don't have a home!!!!! So I decided to just keep my mouth shut and let my wives be happy with all the things we have, and when they decide to do a spring/summer/fall/winter houseclean it'll be fine with me.

Insurance

2006-07-01T17:43:00.000-04:00

Oh No, Scottie is up to it again!!! What the hell is he going to talk about this time? Should I just skip it? PLEASE DON'T!!! I need to rant every once and a while and this is it.
Last night I watched the local news and boy o' boy did I ever get pissed off. For those of you that don't know it, I reside in Clearwater Florida which is located between Tampa and the Gulf of Mexico. I can drive to the Beach/Gulf in 10 minutes and Tampa in 20 minutes. Now as you folks know, hurricanes tend to hit land North or South of us so since 1923 that has/is not an issue with us. Well believe it or not with all its common sense the largest insurer in the State of Florida doesn't look at it that way and is raising the rates once again in our area. Yes, people, State Farm is raising their rates a whopping 68%. Yes, they raised it last year because of the storms but get this, THEY MADE A PROFIT OF 43 BILLION DOLLARS, THATS WITH A "B", LAST YEAR. That is just in Florida not nationally. You think the Oil Companies are making a profit, I just wonder what the Insurance Companies are raking in. You see they don't have to disclose except to their stockholders so I'll bet the profits are astronomical. The weird part about that is that EVERYONE ends up paying the increase. The Insurance Commission requires that a Surcharge is placed everybody's policies to balance the increase so that its affordable for their policholders. Strange indeed but that is how Florida handles it for the Insurers. Mine went up last year $237 and I have yet to make a claim in 10 years. Would that piss you off?

Laptops

2006-06-29T18:22:00.000-04:00

Recently we have had another scandal in Washington concerning security of Individuals Personal Identity. Its bad enough when when Identity Theft takes place in the private sector but to have it in the Federal Government is down right horrendous. Now when the entire truth comes out, we find that there is a missing computer with 26,000,000 names and ID's missing. Yes, that's twenty-six million names, whew.
Well, today at the last minute as the Congress was to open hearings on this act, the FBI walked in and informed them that the computer was returned today by a confidential source. Firstly, a confidential source? Yeah, right. Then we find out there were over 27 million names and ID's. Finally, it was on a LAPTOP. What the hell is all this information doing on a Laptop? Only reason is to take it home, WHY? Logic (although who says Gov't is logical) says information such as this should only be on a PC or Mainframe, but I guess I'm stupid cause I'm just a common citizen.

Laws

2006-06-28T16:49:00.000-04:00

The last time I checked, this County is run by a system of rules that we the citizens call laws. Today in my reading of the "Great Liberal Newspaper" The New York Times, I read an article pertaining to the esteemed Senator Arlen Spector (R) of Pennsylvania. It seems that the distinguished Mr. Spector is upset with the leader of his party, The Republicans, ie... The President Mr Bush has made a statement that he would NOT enforce laws that he was signing if he felt it ran contrary to his and the White House's best interests. REALLY!!!! Now I am a staunch American who is a believer in our system but when our Congress passes a Bill (read law) and it is signed by the President, not vetoed and he has the audacity to proclaim he will not enforce it, I'm upset also. Unfortunately I am unable to do what Mr Spector is proposing he wishes to do. He wants to censure the President. Too bad that is like a slap on the little finger but atleast it is SOMETHING. I am tired of Bush just going about, doing what he wishes, saying what he wishes, without any recriminations. Yes, I know he is going to finish his term but let him leave with a little smudge left on him by his own party as well.

Saturday Night Dinner Out

2006-06-24T22:47:00.000-04:00

Yes, The American Tradition is for the family to go out for Saturday night dinner. Now in my house if it is similar to your home we first must make that monumental decision of where we are to go and dine. Of course the conversation goes about in the house like, where do you want to go?, no you, no you, until it comes to me and I say where ever I decide that I want to go. Well, that in it self can lead to an entire discusion to where is best for us to go because invariably no one will want to go where I want to go nor where anyone else wishes to go. So the question comes to the final qustion...To be or not to be a PRICK, that is the question!!!!!

Tonight I finally had the whole quagmire figured out prior to the final question. You see, last week Diane and I has gone to lunch at a Thai restaurant not too far from the house and absolutely loved it. Hunter loves anything that evens comes close to Oriental so Thai was a snap for him and I had told Remy about it last week and went so far as to explain that this was going to be a place for only Diane and I so so she wasn't going to eat there anytime anyway. She was a bit pissy about it but no big deal. I figured that maybe someday I might take her but I'd keep it a Diane/Sage place. At the last moment, I decided that we would go to the Paradise Thai Restaurant. Diane was ecstatic, Hunter was happy, Remy was swooning with joy, and me?, all was fine.
After a quick drive to the restraurant, we sat down and perused the menu. Hunter very quickly for an eleven year old figured out his choices, as did the Wives, I took a little longer but made my choices and we sat back awaiting our food. The food arrived very quickly and piping hot. Hunter wasn't overly hungry (strange for him) but he still ate well and loved his meal. Diane and I of course after our previous visits knew what to expect and were both very pleasantly filled with the finest Thai cuisine one could ask for in Florida. However Remy on the otherside was quite disappointed. She didn't like anything about her meal. We have been married for 11 years now and as a couple and a group gone out to dine hundreds of times and for the first time I am/was shocked. This is truly incredible indeed. After this little fiasco I'm not going out to dine out for atleast a month as it really pissed off the Master of the Household.

Cosmo, The Wonder Dog

2006-06-22T21:34:00.001-04:00

You've heard about the abysmal bird, Blue... Then the Dominant and Possesive Cat Lily... now comes the Wonder Dog, Cosmo. Cosmo is a Boston Terrier who if you saw him is obviously the Runt of the Litter. But don't let that fool you as he doesn't allow anyone or anything to intimidate him except Lily the Cat. You see I had always wanted to have a Boston Terrier and I bought a puppy which I named Harrison. I loved that dog. He was about 10 weeks old when I got him and all I could do was love on him every day when I came home from work. We'd go outside and play, go for walks and just have a great time together. We had another dog at the time that was a Cairn Terrier like the dog in the Wizard of Oz. The wives loved him and his name was Joey. Joey loved to escape and run. After about 3 months Joey escaped one late afternoon and took Harrison with him. Off they went, galavanting all over the neighborhood and down to and through the park. They had about 10 people running behind them calling for them to come back as they crossed onto the busy cross street. Joey made it, Harrison didn't. An Econoline Van hit Harrison just as the little one was about to make it over and out. Remy screamed and got to the pup, picked him up and off to the vet we went. Remy was in the backseat giving the pup mouth to mouth as I was driving full tilt and then she said the worst thing...... "Scottie, Harrison has stopped breathing." I pulled over to the side of the road and just cried like a baby. Never thought that would ever happened to big old me, Scottie, Father of Hunter, Husband of Remy and Diane, but it did. After I don't know how long, I got back on the road, drove to the Vet's office and then paid them to cremate Harrison and home I went pledging never to get another Boston Terrier.
Well a couple of weeks go by and over breakfast between jobs as I read the ads in the paper for puppies for sale (silly me) there it is, a year old house broken male Boston Terrier that needs a home. OH OH, I knew it, I was about to be in trouble. Just like Roy Rogers or The Lone Ranger I quickly reached for my "Phone" and called the number arranging for a meeting that afternoon. I then call Remy at work and the arrangements were made that She, Hunter, and I would go and "see" the dog, Yah, right! About mid-afternoon we all gather together and drive about 45 minutes north and meet these very nice people at a parking lot next to a fast food joint. We 3 get out of the p/u truck as did they about 15 feet away at which time they placed this little Black and White dog on the ground. It took one look at us and ran full tilt right to me. I didn't have a chance, folks. believe me, I tried to hold back. He went to Hunter and made friends and then the same to Remy but then he was back to me and wouldn't stay away. One might say that he sort of liked me a little and that I kind of liked him a bit as well. Didn't even haggle price (unheard of with me) I just paid them what they asked and they gave us his things and off we went to home to introduce the new dog to Diane and Joey the Cairn Terrier. HE had his new home and a new name, COSMO. Everything seemed to work out well for about three months until one night when for some unknown reason the 2 dogs started to fight in the den. Diane ran in and grabbed Joey who in turned sunk his teeth DEEP into her thigh. The scream from her lips were heard by me upstairs and running I came as she dropped Joey with blood running down her thigh. To make a long story short, I took her to the hospital, got stitches after he took a chunk out of her leg, and in the aftermath Michael (my good friend and her ex)found a new home for Joey as Diane rightously became too paranoid of him to allow him to stay here. So the upshot was COSMO was the King of the Household as he was the only pet. He ended up picking Remy as his Person and has slept with her pretty much ever since but guards the house and its contents. He is a ripping 17 lbs and has charged Rottweilers but shies away from Lily the Cat since we got her. We love him dearly and play fetch, feed him scraps from the table (makes him fart) and he sleeps under the covers with us. This is the dog that every household would absolutely love to have. Yes, he's coming down stairs now......COSMO, The Wonder Dog.

Lily

2006-06-21T18:51:00.000-04:00

There is a cat residing in my home that owns the owner of the house!!!! Ain't that a bitch!!!!! Lily is her name. She has been a resident for about a year and a half now. Funny how she got here, as its like she just appeared from next to nowhere but of course that is not the case really. Diane came home frome work one day with a picture of a cat that a co-worker was putting up for a new home as it couldn't get along with other cats. The wives conspired (don't they always) and the next thing I knew there was a long haired multi-colored, mostly dark, four legged feline slinking about MY house. I watched as it went upstairs and went under MY BED and curled up by the headboard. For the next 2 days this animal stayed in the same place before coming out and perusing the entire MASTER BEDROOM area along with bath and dressing area. Well, of course the litter box was then set-up there as was the food and water bowl on MY DRESSING ROOM COUNTER. HMMMMM!!!! Methinks the first mistake had been made. I had no idea, but you readers already know, cats are territorial and this one knew it had already made inroads on my area.
After about 2-3 weeks Lily decided that the downstairs was ripe for exploration and did so. Finally after about a week, the Boston Terrier, who had owned the house for 5 years, came around a footlocker that we had as a table in the Livingroom sniffing as dogs do and BAM the cat bitch slapped him!!!!! Scared the crap out of that dog and that dog fears nothing as I've seen him go after a Rottweiler before, but not Lily. He now gives Lily RESPECT and that to me is nuts. Now the cat has trained the entire house.
The cat sleeps in the chair downstairs next to my chair during the day unless I am on my laptop. Then she will walk across the arm of the chair, then my lap, up onto the keys (if I don't stop her), she just hates me to Blog and not pay attention to her. but the last thing about her and her "talking" to me when her food or water is low comes bedtime. She will tell me with a strng meeeooow it's time for bed or food and then upstairs we go. She eats and then she decides to come to bed. Now thats when it really becomes a Dominant thing. She comes up on the bed between Remy and I in order to take HER PLACE and then starts rubbing against me until she has my undivided attention. I end up petting her all over until she is satisfied and then she rolls over on her back and I then scratch her belly as she curls up on my hand. She falls asleep and happily she purrs.....

Told you, she owns me.

Pets

2006-06-20T21:24:00.000-04:00

Do you have pets in your home? No? I don't mean your spouse or your offspring but pets. You see pets can have have just 2 legs and feet. We have one of those things, they call them a bird. I hate that Damn Bird. You see last year my lovely Wife Diane bought a green Quaker Parrot after work one day with a cage, set it up in the Living Room, called it Piper, and was a happy person with her little bird. Every morning she would talk and talk with that crazy bird and lo and behold it started to talk back to her. Little by little it started to repeat words like its name and other one word things. Then one day the family went down to the local Flea Market, which is a rather large one indeed. After we had been browsing for about 2 hours, about 1/4 of the Market, we came upon a shop full of birds, much to my dismay. As I walked down the row a bit, I hear Remy and Diane squeal with delight and as I turn around they had discovered another Quaker Parrot only this one was a rare one, it was all over BLUE in color. Well, there was no way out so I negotiated a $100 discount and bought it for $300. This bird was in the weaning stage and the girls had to leave in 3 days for a cruise in Alaska so guess who got left to wean the bird? YUP!!!!! You, guessed it, ME.
For the next 8 days I hand fed that crazy bird until the Wives and Hunter got Home. When they got back the weaning was finished and Diane then took over the care and raising of the BIRDS. Now with 2 birds the noise of chirping was at times deafening as they are in the Living Room near the TV and the CHIRPING of Parrots can become overwhemling. Diane was been pretty good about clipping their wings, feeding them and then getting a second large cage for outside that they can climb on during he day and not bother me. Well, it seems that Diane became a bit neglectful in the clipping of Piper's feathers and one day Remy came home from work to find Piper gone. It seems that that crazy, noisy bird took off, never to be seen again. Can't say that it bothers me much tho. Now we have only the blue one, oh, by the way it's name is BLUE!!!! Orginal heh?

Someday I'll tell you about our Boston Terrier (I bought it for me but it now owns Remy). His name is Cosmo.
Oh, Diane adopted a cat for the house (Who adopted me and sleeps with me)Her name is Lily.

Kids Today

2006-06-14T23:05:00.000-04:00

As you, my wonderful readers know, I have this fantastic 11 YO son named Hunter. Now Hunter is, according to his school and I think so too, a very sharp above average kid. He plays on a computer daily after spending the entire day at a daycamp running and playing with all the other kids and watches little TV. However today when Mom dropped him off she was told he had been "written up" over an incident at the City Pool where they went last Friday for an outing. Seems that my sweet little innocent Hunter (not really little or innocent all the time but is sweet) had been involved in a "spitting" match IN the pool with a few other boys. They "caught" a couple of the boys from his camp as there were kids from a number of camps there and they made the boys sit for an hour while the rest of the kids continued to romp in the water. You might be thinking, "Sage, what's the big deal?" Well, my dear readers, I feel that was improper a manner to treat my son!!!
Maybe I am getting to be an old fogie but I remember when things were a lot different. Let me see if you can remember those days not so long ago....
1. When we would cut in line and were pushed, both kids were sent to the back of the line not sent to the office.
2. When we would get caught running we would get sent back and made to walk not made to go to the office.
3. IF you did something wrong at recess you had to run laps, not sit.
4. We had recess something they don't have in public schools in Florida.
5. If you misbehave at the Pool, you sit for 5 minutes not 60 minutes in 90 degree heat.
6. Teachers took care of punishment at school by making students write sentences and compositions not taking grades away and then sending kids to the office.

These are merely 6 quick things that hit my mind after hearing about my son in the sun. Bet you folks can come up with many more. Its just my pet peeve d'jour!!!

Meds Should You or Not?

2006-06-11T10:55:00.000-04:00

Recently, I have been following a number of blogs that have the usual give and take regarding taking dosage that their Pdocs have prescribed of meds. It seems that we patients are way more knowledgeable and just know what and when drugs are correct for us. Now lets take into consideration how we feel when we take these meds. Its important to realize that we are feeling better than how we felt prior to taking these mads. Not as well as we feel now, right? Then, what is the reason why one would stop taking meds on their own? I think I can tell you.
1. Cost too much.
2. Don't like the spacey feeling.
3. Don't like the onus of having to take meds.
4. Beginning to feel addicted.
5. Ashamed.

All of those are valid reasons for not wantng to take those meds and everyone taking them has at one time or another felt atleast 2 of them. The bottom line is that you need them and that is why you are taking them. They were prescribed to you by a Dr. for a DAMN good reason and that is why you have them to take. Now some of us are suppose to take them daily, some as needed (sleep?), and others for a few months or until whatever is stressing us is under control. However there is one thing we must remember and that is, JUST DON'T STOP COLD!!! Always stop under the direction of a Doctor. Recently I had a friend who decided that they would just stop and 3 days of intense headaches with an all over malaise followed that decision. Another friend who I hadn't chatted with in a few days told me that the reason for the absence was quitting a simple thing like Xanax cold turkey put them in the hospital with seizures. This is NOT uncommon, my friends. I did some googling and found out that this was more common than not. So, I have said my bit to all of you my friends. Please think before you do something stupid.

Work or Not to Work

2006-06-09T00:10:00.000-04:00

That is not my question!!!! I don't work and would give anythng to be able to work. Is that strange? Many people think my thoughts are quite strange indeed. My wonderful wife, Diane, would love to quit work, stay home, sleep in, play with the bird, soak in the sun like an Italian Sun Godess (she isn't Italian), and generally live a casual lifestyle. Not me, I haven't worked since 2001 and each and every day it drives me just a litle closer to absolute insanity. When I did work, I was up at 6:00AM, out the door by 6:30 and finished work by 2-2:30PM M-TH and on Friday by Noon. I ran a Pest Control Route and accomplished in those hours what all the other Route personel took 3+ more hours to finish. I was the highest paid and had the highest output of all, not bragging, just how I worked and attacked and scheduled my workload. Now what do I do? Stay at home all day. I have investigated virtually all types of work that I even am remotely qualified to do and NADA, nothing fits as I can't move about nor sit in one place for any length of time consequently it pretty well eliminates me from anything that brings in any paycheck let alone a respectable one. Please, NO PITY PARTY wanted nor desired. You know there are a lot of us out here and folks nobody tells you. you think we're mooching off the Gov't and taking SSI Disability but believe me that's not the case. We really want to work as that is how we judge our worth in life. Not what we make but that we work and are productive in society. sounds funny, but its the truth.

Hurricanes

2006-06-06T21:50:00.000-04:00

What a subject for the Sage to bring up. Hurricanes!!!! I'm not bringing it up for a lot of comments but you can, you know a lot of people do that, For those of you who don't know where I am, my location is Clearwater Fl, on Tampa Bay which opens dirctly on the Gulf of Mexico half way up the Peninsula of Florida. I am directly on the waterside of the Tampa Bay so one would say that where I am is the most vulnerable point for any storm off the Gulf. Nuff said about locale......

The Offical Hurricane Season started on the 1st day of June. Now to the vast majority of you reading this think it is not that big a deal. Oh yeah, you feel sorry for those about to be hit but on the larger scale of things it is not something to lose much sleep over. However if you live near the Coast of the Atlantic Ocean or the Gulf of Mexico then you might think a bit more about it. Now you think I'm preaching but I'm really not, as every stinking day I am deluged with newspaper articles, radio blurbs, and an endless supply of T.V. stories of what to do, when to do it, how to do it. Seems like a good idea, doesn't it? Especially after all the carnage of last year, we need all this warning right? Well, I for one disagree.
Every year Texas gets hit by a Hurricane and is warned in plenty of time, and they get damaged yes, but everyone survives and gets along in their business. The 1st time a Hurricane in my lifetime (58 years) ever caused major damage in the Gulf region was last year and had the levee's been actually been built as they were claimed to have been built, New Orleans would NEVER had succombed to the vast damage that was inflicted by Katrina.
Now, here in the Tampa Bay area the last time a storm hit was in 1923!!!!! In those days all the buildings were made like matchsticks and topples over the same way one would think. They would make us think that we are in temendous danger here but the fact remains that ANY time a storm ever comes up this way, it either veers North or Northwest prior to its arrival. A couple of times they have cut in east well before they got to us.
This all brings me to a short story from an old SALT (man) who I met back in the 60's just south of here. He was in his 60's or 70's and remembered that old storm of '23. Seems that he'd been a boat fisherman all his life and knew all about the currents, winds and stuff. What he told me when we met that twilight over beers on the beach with friends I never forgot. As we all know, there is a system of Air Currents (Jet Streams) and Water Currents (Gulf Streams). Here in the Tampa area we have a constant Air Stream which guides larger storms away from us as do the Gulf Streams guide the storms as well. Back in 1983 was the best example of this when a fairly large storm named Elena sat off our coast for 4 days without the ability to come in because of this natural defense we have established for us here in Tampa Bay. The Old Salt told me not to worry as the storms will aways be guided away. Its been an additional 40 years since I met him and it still holds true.
I wish they would stop all the Doom and Gloom in the press now, the past has always been the purveyer of the future. No more articles daily are needed as we have heard anough. I know what I need and I have it in case of a storm, now SHUT UP!!!!!

Massacre or What?

2006-06-03T20:47:00.000-04:00

Here we go again. After being a member of the U.S. Military back in the 60's and undergoing many of the same stresses that our men are experiencing today, its time I expounded on this outragous situation called a massacre. First of all, this is not what it appears and its about time we got some of the crap settled and put out there for all to see.
Let's start back in Vietnam as I know a lot about it. A General (Westmoreland) ordered a Colonel, who in turn ordered a Major (Medina), who ordered a young LT (Calley) to go into a small towm called Mei Lai and wipe it out as a message to all the other villages in the area not to assist the North Vietnamese soldiers. Hence, as there were no adult males between 14-50, they kiled all the women, children and old folks. Took a full year before anyone found out and then the only one who took the blame was the poor 1st term Lt Calley. Amazing as the one truly reponsible was a General but if you have ever been in the Military, the rule of what rolls down hill is so applicable its pathetic. That's why Gen. Westmoreland didn't get charged or Major Medina just poor Lt. Calley. The big question that remains even to this day is: Why did it take a year for anyone to take notice? How man times do you think that similar actions took place? 10, 20. 50, 100, more? We shall never know!!!!

Now lets skip Bosnia and all those other "skirmishes" and go to what's happenin' now, Iraq. We are now beig inundated with information about an incident in November of 2005 where allegedly a squad of Rangers took it upon themselves to , without any rhyme or reason, murder 28 women and children after one of their men was killed and an other one was injured in a bomb blast. Now don't get me wrong, I certainly don't want or wish any harm to any of OUR SOLDIERS but this if it did happen with malice and forethought then obviously some sort of punishment is due, but if it was like Vietnam with anyone a threat to your life then I can understand. But whay is this being handled the way it is? At first it was a gung ho lets get'um approarch to the situation by the Administration and Rumsfeld. However now the tune seems to be changing. The President has recently uestioned if these acts even took place. HMMMM, just another reason that we citizens don't seem to trust him as much anymorem.He just ought to keep his nose out of this and let the Military take care of its own business. That's to also say, Rumsfald should also stay very wide an clear.

Folks war is war but there is a fine line between fair and foul. Personally I feel that it is perfectly reasonable to do what they are allegedly accused of doing, as look at what is happning to them daily. Paranoid is only reasonable if people are setting bombs, sniping, and people with expolsives strapped to their bodies while they walk into a crowd and detonate it all in the name of Allah. 17 Virgins, Whoopie!!!!. I've had a couple of virgins when I was in my teens and 20's, nothing to cheer about, but I digress. Can you imagine how people can be that brainwashed to commit suicide for something that stupid. Well, I guess its not that stupid our Christians are made to think there is a thing called Heaven. Still haven't figured that one out. What happens there? Can you get laid? Oh well, just a thought.

As a final thought, just leave those troops alone, we've had enough as have the Iraqi's. Just bring the troops home and let everything go back to how its going to go anyway. Its been that way for Thousands of Years and you think we are going to change anything now in a mere 5 years or so? Naw!!!! That's like WMD's, did they find any?

Mortgages and My Phone

2006-06-02T20:53:00.000-04:00

I know, what the Hell is Sage going to say about anything so boring as a mortgage. Most of you get spammed even if you have filters which I do. I've got this "spam bucket" that catches about 40-60 pieces @ day. Some days I don't check them and other days I clean it out completely. Yes, I get the spam for pills and items to make me "bigger" and "thicker" and of course the newest one is to Gamble, and they will even start me up with FREE MONEY. But the one that is a constant over the years has been refinance my Mortgage. I want you to know that I have the best Credit in the Country, atleast that is what they imply. I have already been approved for $250K so I know I'm a great credit risk, guess they didnt realize I'm disabled. I like the fact that they are going to REDUCE my interest rate from its high rate now to a low 6.5%. HMMMMM, I'm paying less now. But the thing that is really pissing me off is.....I AM GETTING PHONE CALLS AT HOME NOW. I am on the No Call list through the Federal Gov't. I get no solicitors except MORTGAGE Solicitors. What is this? Do they have a pass on that rule? I actually asked one last night why he was calling me. He was dumbfounded and hung up on me!!!!!! Please help me, how do I make them stop? I even have one on my e-mail that has told me that this is the last e-mail three times @ day for the last 4 weeks. You know........ Maybe they're lying!!!!!!!!!

Crazy People

2006-05-31T04:05:00.000-04:00

I was laying in bed with wife tonight watching, RESCUE ME and they were chatting about the Catholic Church and Nuns. When out of a Clear Blue Sky, Remy says to me, "You know, Women are scheduling Cesarean births on the 5th and 7th of June to miss the 6th." Now at first I couldn't figure that out, then she explained it to me. I would have never thought of it but what is the date on June 6th?

6/6/06

And people think I'm crazy for being Agnostic?

The Family According to Sage

2006-05-28T23:44:00.001-04:00

Okay folks, here it is as you asked for it so I shall deliver. This is the story of my family, how we got together, and how we all live. Really we are not all that different than most families except well.... there is an extra wife!!!!!! But I jump ahead.

Back in 1993 a friend of mine (who has become my closest friend) asked me if I would be intersted in having a Kinky encounter with his then wife. She was a submissive and me being somewhat the opposite I agreed. Over a course of a few months we bonded rather closely and he had been seeing another woman so everything seemed to workout fine. Diane moved in with me and we became a wonderfully close couple. They divorced and of course a bit of spatting came along with it but I stayed friends with him and Diane and I went our way. Diane and I decided to associate ourselves with some of the folks within the Althernate Lifestyle community and in doing so Diane met a girl named Tracey. She was a college student, pleasant redhaired, and of the same ilk of Diane. Well, over a period of time the 3 of us became very good friends as Tracey left behind her former married lover. She would come over weekly as she lived about an hour away and would stay over a couple of days. The relationship kept getting closer and closer. Diane got her divorce and voila I told her we were to go get married and Tracey stood up for her. The evolution begins.

Seven months almost to the day in the midst of extreme passion one evening the unheard of happened, my dear wife got PREGNANT. Freaked me out as I never did that one before, all the others took the pill or couldn't get pregnant. I was ecstatic, beyond words, and couldn't believe it. She was so happy. Yeah, we did all the things expectant parents do, bought all the stuff, I went and listened to the heartbeat as well as the ultrasound. Walking on air!!!!! The 1st Father ever in this world was me. Tracey was around all the time as best friends and now lovers are. We fixed up the 2nd bedroom as a nursery, and as the time arrived unlike the Dominant Male I am with Diane I was very protective while caring for all her needs. Tracey was there about 3 days @ week and was a joy as well. 3 days after Diane's b'day we went to the hospital, checked in, and 4 1/2 hours later with Tracey just outside the room (they wouldn't let her in) Hunter slid out directly into my waiting bare hands. I have never experienced anything so emotional in my entire life. People who know me can't quite imagine it but I do swear that it was so intense that it brought the happiest tears to my eyes anyone ever experienced. Tracey was immediately let into the room so she got to share within moments of Hunter's arrival. A true family was born.

The next day Diane was discharged from the hospital and home we went with our little son. A new regimin was established by me and we changed the way we did things but not as drastically as one might think. I took the responsibility of bottles over completely. As Diane couldn't breastfeed I figured out how to make 12 bottles at a time, refrigerate them, microwave an exact time and feed him. I would do the night time feedings so Diane got sleep so all ran smoothly. There was nothing I would not do even diapers so all was fairly done. But the changes were about to happen. Hunter was about 3 weeks old and Tracey came over one evening and as I was feeding the boy we conversed about her moving into the 2nd b'room with Hunter. After a couple hours it was decided that was the thing to do. We all cared for one another, love was there, it would make it easier fo her and expenses would be easier handled, therefore logic took over. Oh, I should also say, that being a Dominant it was an Ego boost to have another submissive who wanted/needed me as well. So it made me feel great, we didn't go about telling everyone about it, but never the less didn't hide it either. We just did it.

Now as we had gotten together as a family, the girls wasted no time led by Diane, they told me we had to get a larger home soon. Hence the house hunting began. I shan't bore you with the details however Diane and Tracey in a matter of 4 months managed to find a new home and we purchased, moved and settled before Xmas (Hunter was born in July). A 2 story townhouse with a detached garage (will discuss later), with stockade fenced aound the yard. Both the front and back yard have large oak trees shading the entire yard areas. We've been here 10 years this year, have a low mortgage payment, kids in the neighborhood, 2 pools, tennis couts and a park so its family friendly with virtually no crime. We have a Home Owners Association of which last year Tracey was VP and now is the President. Membership of 283 homes and she will be Pres. for atleast 1 more year. So we are active and respected in the neighborhood. Little do they know it all!!!!

Three years after we moved into our home, Tracey over dinner one night asked if she could change her name again. This produced a geat laugh as her Mom had named her Leeanne Tracey Fowler and she was brought up as LeeAnn then as a teenager Tracey. so we couldn't imagine what was next. Well, she wanted for me to name her!!! She wished to pick her middle name (which became Justine after the Marquis De Sade character) and then the family last name. Both Diane were honored and I picked the name, Remy, for a 1st name her middle and Scott for the last. Hencece one Jnuuary 2 1998 she changed her name legally to Remy Justine Scott. Classy I think, don't you?

Our family is on the outside just like any other and if one were to sit and observe us it is quite similar any American household. The boy isjust starting to get his chores as he is now 11 and trash and animal feeding are his tasks now. Obviously we go behind him but he tries. The rest of the duties aound here are divvied out in a rather balanced maneer. prior to my Disability I did qite a bit around the home but I no longer am able to spend any extended time on my feet or lift things over 20 lbs. Therefore I am tremendously limited in what i am able to do. Its f**king frustrating as I was always extremely active prior to my Heart problems and Cancer. The breakdown of how things are delegated around here are as follows: Cooking - Remy mostly but at times I miss doing it and make a fancey one or on by request. Diane cooks about once a month Dishes......Diane unles she cooks then Remy Housecleaning........Primary Diane but all chip in and share cleaning as Diane straghtens daily Laundry............Big job.........Remy does almost all while Diane folds some. I also wash some and hang many. Putting away is done by all.We have alot of laundry. Yardwork............By far mostly Diane, by Remy helps her and Hunter helps with cleanup, we have no grass on mulch yard so leaves and weeds and sprucing up plants are yardwork. Vehicle Maintainence....... is handled by me. I run the cars around and get them done. Grocery Shopping........Remy and I go once @ month and drop $350 and then fillin during month. Diane and Hunter forbidden, to much junk food if they go.
Diane works for a Hospital Lab Testing Service in scheduling from 9:30AM-6:00PM and Remy works for a Home Healthcare Company in billing from 8:30AM-5:00PM. Both are home in 20 minutes daily so thats the easy part on them. During the week dinner and TV is usual evening faire except Hunter uses the PC daily now (Yes, we are very careful)and during shool homework is done Directly after school with me before playtime. I am the stay at home parent. Diane goes to bed early, 9-10 and Remy 10-11:1130. Up until recently Diane and I ALWAYS slept together however afer some thought and I guess 11 years she has mellowed her position and now Remy and I are sleeping together. Remy just loves it as do I as she is quite affectionate when she sleeps and Diane is a leave me alone person.Not nasty just doesn't like to hug while sleeping.

As how things are handled that are not already structured here and just crop up, we have that handled as well. Even though I am not physically the guy the girls married I still have the mind and the aura hence my Dominant personality does exist still today. They both are still submissive and acknowledge my Dominance, so if something crops up my counsel is always sought. Granted they did go out and refurnish the living room but did anyone really think I wasn't asked first? Of course or it would not have happened. When I am treated as well as I am by these Wonderful Ladies there is no way that I would deny them the joy of redoing the livingroom. Quid Pro Quo.

In summation I realize that many of you have been left wondering about that one aspect that I have yet to tackle. So I will now. Trust me, I am going to do this in a discreet, polite, non-sleazy manner but I am sure some will become upset, I may lose some readers/friends but I do owe you honesty so understand this is concensual and if you wish for more details or more in depth questions, E-MAIL me. I will answer as both the girls have had the chance to censor this posting.And hear we go...

The freestanding garage, how shall I descibe our Dungeon? After we moved everthing into the house and put it all away a close dear friend came over, joined us for dinner and asked what we planned for the garage? We discussed it over a pad of paper and decided a dungeon was definately in order so over the next 3 weeks in the afterboon and evenings it was completely transformed into a fully stocked Dungeon. Two walls are made of block painted dark grey, the other two walls are soundproofed painted dark red (one is pegboarded) and the ceiling is soundproofed and painted black.The floor which is cement had thick foam padding put down and them the thickest sark red plush pile carpet one can imagine. Once all that was done thelighting was installed. Old fashioned hanging lights that looked like they came from a 16th century Hacienda in Mexico plus offfset lights all on dimmers. Next came the rest of the acoutrements and furniture. For furniture there is a full sized bed, an overstuffed lether chair, small chest of drawers for small items, a couple of end tables, 19" TV with Cable, Bose am/fm Stereo with DVD player, massage table which doubles for bondage, eyehooks in ceiling and walls and floor for supension and bondage. I also have masks and hoods for both parties. Ropes for any and all postions of different colors and textures. Bondage cuffs (6 pair) and 4 pairs of hand cuffs, bondage straps and gags. Dildos of all sizes and materials including glass as well as butt plugs the same.Obviously, lubes, rubber gloves and many safe sex items and cleaners although we DO NOT mess with others. We have 7 floggers worth from $600 to $50. Canes (18), whips (11), paddles (7), straps (5), strops(4), cat-o-nine tails (3), plus so many other items there are too many to list. They have all been used and I am well vereed on each. As for the women each has their likes and dislikes, pain tolerances. Yes, we have code words but after this many years we really never have the need to use them as I know their body movements and sounds well enough that I live in their heads.

I hope I have answered your questions, as in the future I'll get into how the BP issue has affected our home and how others in our family have developed their problems over the last decade. Mental Illness sure is a bitch. So are the meds!!!!!

Sharing Time

2006-05-23T02:41:00.000-04:00

Usually I try to bring a bit of levity or atleast some information about my life or those about me in a positive grain but today folks, I have to vent a bit. Its not the finest time of the year for me and have noticed that a few others recently are/or have experienced a similar situation including my close friend, Michael. Tomorrow is the 2 year anniverary of my Father's death. My Dad and I were estranged for almost 30 years of my life and then we finally got back together even though he lived in Boston and I in Florida.
My Dad didn't approve of my polygamous lifestyle for a number of years but finally learned to love my Family as well. For him that was a huge step as he was a Fundamental Christian and a Lay Minister in 2 Churches. He wasn't much of a Dad as he gave up custody of me to my Grandmother back in 1950 when he and my Mother divorced and he was never around. When he was around, he was only critical of me and how I play basketball and my grades in school, I only saw him on weekends if at all. When my Grandmother was no longer able to raise me at 13, he sent me to boarding school. I was really Bi-Polar but then nobody knew!!!!! 3 years later he shipped me to my Mother and stepfather as again the responsibility was not for him to handle. By that time the estrangement was now in full swing.
My Grandmother, who I loved dearly, always asked me to one day make peace with my Dad. She passed in 1978 without me getting to the funeral, as I was estranged from everyone at that point except her and nobody told me until too late. Who did I hold it against? Yup!!!! However, the ground work was laid. My grandmother in her will made it imperative that he contact me which he did years later and we slowly became "friends". yes, my Dad and I never bacame Father and Son but we bacame BEST FRIENDS. We would see each other after 1995 atleast yearly, talked on the phone a minimum once a week and usually more prior to that. We disagreed about Politics (he Republican/me Libertarian) and in morality as he was obviously a generation ahead of me. Our love of sports transcended anything that we could disagree about. We both loved sports and would talk Red Sox, Hockey, Football, Basketball by the hour. He didn't drink and when I smoked used to get on me about it. He was so proud when I quit cigarettes. He would tell me just how proud, frequently, and made me feel proud also. Sure my Dad had his weaknesses, he had habits that I couldn't abide by, but he was my Dad. I will always miss my Dad, I loved him DEARLY and still do. There was one thing I used to do just as I hung up after talking to him and excuse me as I tell him once again.
I LOVE YOU, DAD..........GOOD NIGHT

My Disabilty laid out

2006-05-20T01:25:00.000-04:00

The purpose of this post is to inform y'all fully of my disability, Therefore leaving no questions unanswered. All questiontions will be answered so please be patient as I am not the writer of Joel of Jon but I'll do you the very best I am capable of delivering. All questions will be answered even tough ones at the end. I'll be Very straight. Here we go.

After a lifetime of job after job, relationship after relationship in 1993, I met my present Legal wife, Diane. We hit it off immeditately and shortly after we met a girl mamed Tracey. The 3 of us hit it off very well. Diane and I got married and Tracey stood up for Diane. About 1 year and a half later after Diane and I had a child Tracey moved in with us and has been part of the family ever since. She changed her name 3 years later to Remy Justine Scott legally. Now you know how we got together. Splitting up has never been an issue and we are a very tight entity. If you wish to know more about our personal relationship in a polyamorous relationship, I suggest you e-mail me and I will be happy to answer. Just be ready for openness that few are willing to give in regards to their marriage. BTW if ya'll feel that my story of our relationship is worth a post, tell me in comment section.

Back in 2002 while doing a rather large residential pest control job, I found myself short of breath so I sat doun at the top of a stair landing. This continued all day and concerned me a bit. Thought I might only have a cold so got some pills and tried to work through it. Well it got worse so to the DR I went and was taken immediately to the hospital for a Mitral Valve prolapse operation. Well, I woke up with a tube down my throat and two sticking out of my abdomen as I couldn't move anything and couldn't breathe either. Remy was there and realized I was in trouble, yelled for the nurse and after an argumemet with her, thankfully, and they took out the tube for me. After 5 days they discharged me and home I went, in pain, coughing and breathing poorly. A few days later after a couple of tests they put me back in the hospital, opened me back up and redid the job as it wasn't done right the first time and the valve was flapping and not closing fully. WONDERFUL!!!! After another 4 day stay they sent me home on Sunday morning. Well, sitting in the living room that afternoon I coughed and my chest SPLIT OPEN and liquid shot across the living room. After a fast call to the Dr and were told to come in 1st thing in the AM and "Don't Cough", I took some meds, and went to sleep. Next morning, to the DR, then straight to operating room, restitched with biggest stitches made and a couple of days later home again.

Now one would think that would be enough for a guy to sustain. Atleast my family and I thought I had experienced enough. BUT NO!!!! I started running a fever and pain in my Heart. Obviously this was a life threatening situation. They took me in and put a tube all the way from my right arm to my Heart to allow medication to be given intraveinously. Home I go and a guy shows up, takes 15 minutes to show us how its done and leaves the plastic hanging bottles for me to use on myself. For the next 3 weeks, 4 times a day for 45 minutes I hooked these bags up to the line to drain into my body. Quite frankly, I was scared, petrified and thought my days were numbered. Obviously they weren't. I was directed to attempt Physical Therapy and did for 3 months but each day after the 1st month my progress remained stagnant. In fact it became harder and harder to do the exercises so that finally the therapist suggested that I stop. By the time all this Heart stuff came to an end it was about a year.

At this point I had been taking Xanax too heavily and my wives had me going to a Pdoc to handle my depression from what I thought was my inability to work. The Pdoc never told me, but was treating me for Bi-Polar, he weaned me off the Xanax which took 3 months and was taking his meds and it dawned on me that I had best make some money as I had not had a regular income in over a year. So what did I do? I checked the paper-NOTHING FIT ME, so I called some of my friends to kick some ideas around. A couple of guys came by and we talked but the more we talked the more it became obvious that I was incapable to physically fill the bill of those positions which I can perform the duties required. Yes, I have sat and ridden a desk many years ago, but not like is required now. I am NOT going to work a phone, type all day and collect minimum wage. I couldn't even sit all day anyway and to be walking or driving is out of the question. I discussed it with my Primary Doctor and he prohibitted me from working telling me in no uncertain terms, NO WAY would he authorize it.
Within two months of that, I went into the hospital for a biopsy of a lump in my left breast. Small little bump it was indeed. Woke up with someone shaking my foot. Looked at the clock and it was 4:30. Looked out the window, it was dark!!! I had been asleep for almost 16 hours. It was the Dr shaking my foot and I found out as I moved that he had done a RADICAL MASECTOMY of my Left Breast. I was in shock!!!!!!!!!! I had no idea that I was in for that ordeal but I had this large bandage and pain in my absent left breast.

Well folks, now you have an idea of my medical problems leading to my disability. The next thing I did was to get an attorney specializing in SSI, let him handle the whole thing. Never got a rejection, just got approval on the first go around and now have my Parking Permits for the cars, and sit in Disabiled Areas at Sports Events; get my Chech Direct Deposited on the 4th Wednesday of the month and such. I ask for NO PITY PARTY as I hate them, it just life. The hardest part is the Bi-Polar part dealing with all of this crap.
Til the Next Post.... my faithful readers and friends

Cable TV, The Great Choice

2006-05-17T02:06:00.000-04:00

I am just one of Millions in our fair country to be a subscriber of Cable TV. The name of my company is Brighthouse. A strange name, the company is based in South Georgia and bought our system from Time-Warner a couple years ago which I thought strange as it should have been the other way but I'm getting side tracked from my subject. As we all know there are basically 3 types of TV service: Over the Air, Cable, and Sattelite. Over the Air is quite limited and The Dish still has its limitations so Cable continues to reign above all but it still has it compainants, and one is me. I pay a pretty peeny for my service as I have 2 High Definition boxes with DVR's as well as one regular box and then add the programming charges. I also get my Internet Service through them for $44.95@mo. OOWW. I think the ISP is a bit High as is the equipment but what really gets me is the programming charges.

Let's take a gander at these stations the Cable company feels compelled to send along their wires to me I'd like to list some of real enticing ones we get here in Clearwater: 9 religious programming stations (are you kidding me, how much God do you need?)12 PBS Stations (2 regular & 10 in Hi Def Channel area, wow) 5 Hispanic Stations ( this is US, that's 4 too many),11 Shopping stations, 47 Music stations (mtv to Music Choice), Military Station, and I can go on and on but you can see where I am headed. Actually I found that there are 163 stations that I spend next to NO TIME watching each month on my cable.

Now on my Cable we have over 200 stations so I decided to check my use. I actually use the Locals, Hi Definitions, the Sports Packages, HBO&Showtime Pkg, News Channels, and a handful of others like Spike and A&E. My total usage is about 46 stations. Now I just don't see why I shold be paying as much as I dio when I use a quarter of the stations sent to me and 3/4 are NOT REQESTED and I have to pay. That isn't fair. THAT"S NOT RIGHT. But whatta ya gonna do/

Women And A Home

2006-05-15T00:15:00.000-04:00

Sometimes it just amazes me how women just can't be happy with how a home has become a home. Maybe its just me or maybe not but dammit everytime I finally get fully comfortable in my home and especially the downstairs area which makes up the Kitchen, Dining Area, Den, Laundry Room, Bathroom, and most importantly the Living Room, my wives decide its time to change things in some Major Manner. Now last summer wife #1 and I were out just and about and as we were in Circuit City, we saw some Big Screen t.V.'s. We already had a perfectly good 32' set in the Living room at home but as we walked and looked "SHE" said NOT ME "Let's get a widescreen." Well, you could have knocked me over with a feather as usually that's a male thing to say but I swear, SHE said it. To make a long story short, we have a beautiful 50" Samsung T.V. that is sitting in our living room today. Almost too big but just right, High Defifinition and is just georgeous.
Now I come up to the last week. The last month or so I have been hearing that we need "New Recliners". I figured that if I just keep my mouth shut the concept will just go away. The wives have gone out a few times after dinner leaving Hunter (my son) and I at home watching TV and still I've said nothing when the girls came home. Well all went well until 4 days ago, when the proverbial excrement finally hit, my silence just didn't work, my friends. Here I was, relaxing, watching a Boston Red Sox Game and a Happy Couple of Wives come BEE BOPPING into the living room asking if its a good time to break for a talk during the game. Shoulda known somethin' was about to happin'!!!!! OH, yes. They hit it BIG!!!! IT was a SALE!!!! Within the next week, delivered to my door, would be the following wonderful items for my rest and enjoyment....4 Large Recliner Chairs, 5 Tables of 3 varieties of size, plus I'll call it a wall unit (actually a fancy thing, indeed) for the T.V., Cable/DVR Box, DVD Player, and Bose Home Theatre System. Then for my feeties we have Area Carpet for Living Room, Matching Hall Runner, and Matching Pad at Front Door. $4500.00 Aren't you impressed? I just kept my silence, its easier that way.
Tomorrow the Cable man shows up to fix all the wiring again, wish I could but this disability thing just prevents me from too much. The women forbid me from even trying to attempt such things. I do find it very frustrating to be unable to do things that just 5 years ago were a snap to do. Oh well, off to bed to get that rest for the Cable guy. Atleast I can supervise (((smile))).

Summer in May?

2006-05-12T19:01:00.000-04:00

When I was a kid we had a very neat manner in which we judged when summertime was finally here. It didn't have anything to do with temperatures, sun positions, where the moon is, no, nothing that complex. It was when SCHOOL got OUT. Now for you folks over 30, I'm sure you know exactly what I mean. School got got for summer vacation in June, not May!!! Hell, I graduated on June 9th, 1966 and that was a week "before" summer vacation in Bradenton, Florida. Right, Half the month of June was gone before vacation started. Summer started in June not like today's world. Public schools in Florida break next Tuesday May 16th, for Summertime. If I figure properly that's one month almost to the day earlier than when I was in school. This is illogical and as a parent I don't like it one bit. School where I am originally from (Boston) started the day after Labor Day but in Florida it was one week before Labor Day. Up there school ends at the beginning of June, ALWAYS. Lest you forget, school starts in Florida the second week of August. Strange isn't it. Not like anywhere else in the country that I know of folks.
Now as a parent, this really messes up the household vacation time. Employers don't seem to understand the concept of children having vacation from May to Early August as it seems that all the employees, those that are past the age of children in the house, are ready for vacation. It makes little point about seniority or any other reason, those "senior employees" will get those weeks for vacation. Fortunately due to seniority my #1 wife has accrued so much seniority that she is able to raise enough Hell that every other year she pops the vacation time. Whoopee!!! Where do you go in May? To Florida? I'm already here so that's really not a great alternative.

Therefore, the floor is open for unusual places for vacation. C'mon now. No, Graceland, Branson, No, Vegas, Disney's or all the usual run of the mill stuff. Please don't break us, as its a family of 3 adults (1 Husband with 2 Wives and a 10 YO Son). We are in the Tampa Bay area to start and have a Scion xB that gets 32+MPH. We want to take about 8-10 days and even have a large enough tent (not really my thing though). Will be sitting back with eager anticipation....

How I Happened to Happen To Him

2006-05-05T01:15:00.000-04:00

Kind of a strange title for a post, huh? Well, it took me a while but I think you will see how apropo it turns out to be. Recently, I have started to investigate, study or whatever you wish to call it about Bi-Polar Disorder. As you, my faithful readers, well know I was diagnosed in 2002 with this strange disorder. My Doctor at the time didn't tell me what I had but started dosing me with all kinds of pills. On a monthly basis I would go visit with him and explain how I was doing, feeling, sleeping and etc thus the good Doctor would tweak dosage or try a different pill or drop another one. At one point he weaned me off Xanax as I had become addicted to it to the tune of 70-100mg@day habit. Yes, I was even getting it from Canada on top of his 40mg@day script. I was falling, bouncing off walls, and have yet to figure out why I didn't kill myself behind the wheel of a car. My wives would not allow me to drive my son nor them anywhere the last two months of the addiction. So you can well imagine the seriousness of the problem. My wives are the ones who pushed to get me "dried out" and without them, I wouldn't be writing this now. I should also add that my friend, Michael, played a major role in helping me get straightened out as well. Yes, I blame that Doctor for allowing me to become addicted as he should have never been prescribing that much Xanax anyway, but that is another story unto itself, so I shall leave it alone.
Now, let's hit the subject of Bi-Polar. The best I can figure is that my symptoms started showing when I was in Elementary school. Back then I was just an overactive child, today it is called ADD but when the more educated Mental Health professionals really investigate many times they find a child with Bi-Polar Disorder. My son, Hunter (11 YO in July) was originally diagnosed as ADHD in 2002 but a year ago a new Doctor re-diagnosed him as Bi-Polar. His meds were changed and he went from a C student to a Straight A student. He pays attention in clss, no daydreaming, no fooling around, he has become almost a model student although recently he has dropped off a bit the change is amazing. I know, drugging the American child. NO!! He acts completely normal, he learns normally, plays with friends, and his vocabulary has broadened greatly in the last 6 months. Now how does this all mesh together?
Before my Father passed away a couple of years ago, we had a very long talk about our upbringing, our lives, our general actions and mental outlooks throughout our lives. At the time I really didn't think too much about how all this impacted upon the Generations from him to Hunter but as in my research of Bi-Polar it has been definitely implied and inferred that there is a direct correllation between what happened between generations. In my family there seems to be a very strong trail to follow. My father explained that as a child he was quite Manic all the way through school, the military and up until his late 40's. In his fifties he seemed to have cycled away from Mania and became a victim of depression. To begin with, it was short lived and then he would cycle longer and longer easpecially into his 70's. In his 60's he started to see a Pdoc and was prescribed meds but Dad didn't like meds and didn't take them correctly nor regularly, so they didn't help him. When he passed away, he was just beginning to come out of a 3 month long depression.
My Mom, who was divorced from my Dad when I was 3, and I never really lived together except for 2 years in my teens. She suffered from Clinical Depression her whole life. In the 50's she has her first ECT treatment which was repeated numerous times over the next 30some years. She used to get up in the middle of the night, sit in the living room, and just cry. I remember getting up an asking her what was wrong on a couple of ocassions and she would only tell me that she didn't know why she was crying. She passed away afew years ago but I was always estranged from her and my step-father so all I really knew is her mental illness.
Now to me. I havee been Bi-Polar since back to my Elementary School days. I was so uncontrollable, my Grandmother was trying to bring me up, that I was put in Private School. I hated it. So, I got thrown out of the 1st one and was put into a 2nd one. For 2 years I was way out in the boondocks of New Hampshire (except to play Basketball) in a school that was set up for " Emotionally Disturbed and with Potentially Superior Intellect" students. Did they ever blow it with me!!! I became an A student and then moved to Florida with my Mom and my Bi-Polar surfaced again. It has been quite active to date (am 58 now) and now am taking my med cocktail daily.
Mother of Hunter, Diane my legal wife, suffers from Depression and has ever since we met 15 years ago. We got married 12 years ago and I have experienced her Depression with her first hand so I can see how this can effect an entire family.
The reason for all of this is that Hunter has reaped the results of all this breeding. He has become quite Bi-Polar. He ,when not on meds, is quite Manic. Talk, talk, talk, is the order of the day. His has energy that I wold give anything to have even a quarter of sharing. He may be the only child able to function on less than 6 hours of sleep. how does he do this at 10 YO? Now many of you folks have experienced the School Guidance Counsellors, teachers, or Nurses telling you about ADD or ADHD. BEWARE!!!!! This may not be the answer and the treatment for those disorders can be WAY MORE harmful than Bi-Polar treatment. They use amphetamines for those but not BP. Make sure you get the correct diagnosis not just some Family Doctor who says ADD. See a Psychiatrist, do it right, spend the money. Take proper care of those children as they can only trust you to care for them.

Anarchy

2006-04-24T02:22:00.000-04:00

At fifty-eight years of age I have gone through most of the political concepts and ideas that most folks pass by in their lives. Of course when I was a teenager it was the Day of the Hippie. The only problem with me was, that I was a Beatnik, not a Hippie. I tended to look into things in a political manner more than the "Always get High, Listen to music, and Screw" lifestyle. Sure there were others who delved into politics, also known as "Yippies", but they were pretty much in the larger cities and quite organized. They also tended to be somewhat Marxist whereas I had been more Liberal as in Democrat Left-Wing. Over the years similar to others, I became more and more centered. Culminating in the 70's of my joining the Libertarian Party. Yes, I was one of the first committed and registered members of the Libertarian Party. It wasn't the drug position that drove me there (although I do agree wholeheartedly) but almost every position the party holds mirrors my beliefs. Sure there are some differences but very few. I differ on Social Security and a few other Social areas but the Party was stating its posture on Immigration, which is build the walls, back in its infancy. However that is not my point.

Here is where I am heading today. I as almost, if not every other person in our country, am absolutely fed up with the petroleum prices. Now I know others are talking about it however I am going at it in another tack. Sorry if you don't agree but its my Blog and I'll say what I want. The price of gas is primarily is the basic point of where I'll come. Today the price of Unleaded Regular is $2.89@gal. Now this is approximately $.45@gal more than one month a go. To put that in perspective, when I was a kid, "gas wars" (price cutting) would go on and you would see prices drop 5-6 cents a gal. Now, that won't cause a hiccup. Why are these prices going up like crazy? Does anyone know? Has anyone ever taken the time to find out? I am no expert but have taken an enormous amount of time and found out a lot of information that I shall impart in an encapsulated form Hopefully some of this will be helpful to you as it was to me. Remember add it all together to get the bottom line.

1.)19% is Taxes
2.)53% is Materials (Oils and Additives)
3.)4% is Refining
4.)3% is Transportation
5.)You figure it out

Now, these are figures garnered from AAA, NBC Evening News, Internet, Petroleum Inst.

There are many questions that come up now as to why some of the items cost quite what they do, so lets look at them. Funny how all the local governments around my area are putting a minimum of 2 cents a gallon to fuel prices in the last 3 months. Why? Because they can get away with it!!!! That's why.
Now the big one. Materials..... There are a number of reasons for the cost of Oil to be where it is today. The obvious one is we don't belong in Iraq and we all know it. While I'm talking about it, lets also look at the fact that the entire upper echelon of the Power Structure in The White House comes from a Oil background. Bush, his family, Cheney, most of the Cabinet, aides, they all have been involved either directly or indirectly in former positions such as law, investments, or ownership of companies directly. I even question how much income these individuals are raking in through their "blind" trusts. Now shall we add that any and all in stability in the Middle East causes major jumps in the price of crude oil. Always have, always will. So this only puts more money in every Country's pockets or robes. Add to the problem the unease in Venezuela we amplify the problem a bit more. Now here comes the fun thing. No one seems to know when the directive came down from upon high, but we have to have this stuff called "Ethanol" added to the oil in order to extend the gas further. Well, we don't have enough manufactured yet, so, it is holding up the refining process providing us with an artificial shortage of gas. Guess what? Price goes up when gas is short!!!! Now your getting to see the problem a bit clearer? I live in Florida, the Governor is tying to stop rigs from being put in by the Coast, what do I think? DRILL 'EM!!!!!! You see the powers that be are holding back materials which ultimately hurts us all, mostly the little folks because the larger percentage of our check is for energy. But I digress.
Refining is the next problem. The refineries after Katrina in New Orleans have been put on back burner whereas the rest of the country needs the fuel. Here in the Tampa Port we have refineries and they are not being used to even half capacity. You see in this country NONE of the refineries are being used to capacity. Surprised? I sure was/am. Folks, this effects all of us. Does it piss you off? Well, it sure is getting to me.
Transportation is the next problem. What can one do. That is a fixed problem except the price rises as the fuel cost rises. Vicious cycle indeed. The more one thinks about this the more one tends to wonder what they can do, don't they? Well, don't you even think that the "Old Sage" would let you down as I am about to peer into the future with you. Ready?
Over the last few years I have been watching quite a bit of news as being Disabled one tends to read a lot and watch BBC, ITV, ITN, CNBC, MSNBC, CNN, FOX (rarely) as well as the Net. When one does all this you get a chance to really digest what is happening throughout the world. Granted we in our country are not in the worst shape of all the "Modern World" however as Dylan said, "Things are a' changin'". Things are as bad as I have seen them comparatively speaking against the rest of the world. Now what have I seen and what do I think we can expect. Tall order but I'll try to fill it. Back in the 50's demonstrators would sit in clubs, smoke, tell stories, poems, drink coffee, maybe wine, if really a rebel would sneak a joint and talk about politics and change It was a Marxist thing then, but peaceful. Then came the 60's with its Drugs, Sex, Great Wild Music, and Party Hearty. However something happened to upset the applecart of the funtimes. VIETNAM!!!! The kids got upset, their time was being shutoff, friends were being killed, people going to jail for drugs, all their things were against the Establishment. Then heaven forbid the kids found politics and saw it for what they thought it was and voila YUPPIES!!! Yes, there were rioting in the streets, at the colleges, beaches, cities, just anywhere. I personally lost many friends to jails, as well as death both in streets and Vietnam. Bitter? Sure I am, not that it will do any good. But I learned quite a bit and here is a small part, which if you're looking for guidance you can run with in a positive grain and help yourself and others, even though the Conservatives won't like it nor will the staid middle-class.
Back in the 60's people used to carry signs and march around unto High and then they'd break off go get higher, screw, listen to music and sleep. All wonderful things but not if one wishes to change public policy. After a while it started to get rather wild in the later part of the 60's as there was a cause developing. Vietnam. The kids were tired of losing their friends but uneven more, they were afraid of losing their own lives. What a concept. So they began demonstrating against the war. It became the proverbial snowball coming down the hill. People started demonstrating everywhere, all over the country. Due to the fact that no one bothered to get a license to demonstrate and thousands would congregate then law would get very upset and arrest all they could. Billyclubs, handclubs, dogs, pepperspray, were always there for armament and used accordingly. People were injured, incarcerated, shot and sometimes killed for their personal beliefs in places such as Kent State. That one even spawned a song by Crosby, Still, Nash, and, Young.
In the years since I have watched people of other countries with all the accouterments demonstrate at different meetings throughout the world. The best one known as the P7 which is for the alleged strongest 7 countries in the world economically. Every year no matter where they go the demonstrators are there. They break glass, put up signs, chant, throw items, flatten limo tires, just generally cause havoc for the people of which Bush is of course one. All this actually reminds me where I feel we seem to be headed. You most likely will feel me crazed especially after the hour but here is my wrapup. The demonstrators of today are much more effective as they plan and and they have access to computers and weaponry unheard of in my day. This in itself is going to eventually the undoing of the lovely planning and concepts on the power elite. My wish is that I could assist in this wonderful plot. At this point it's speculation on my point, but an educated one at that. At each and every of these Money meetings the demonstrators keep getting closer and closer so eventually the entire meeting and its purpose will be blown up wide open. When it is then the power base will be completely changed, The haves will take orders from the have nots and vice versa. The world will do a 180degree turn. Now this may sound scary but those of you used to watching SciFi have seen this and its rough. Mad Max was the movie. I wouldn't say that I would go that far but the manpower if there for revolt and knowledge is as well. Think!!!! It is not that far off to happen. I feel that we are about to see people take into their own hands their basics. And why not? No one is safe, the camaraderie is so that each will provide for each other. Just don't forget that movie MAD MAX as it very well may come true in your lifetime. Yes, it was just a Movie, however quite adaptable to our time today and the near future.
Yes, I am still sane and not high on drugs!!!!!!

Meds

2006-04-21T19:26:00.000-04:00

Been a few days however after drafting a few things today, a person I know very well stopped by and we talked a bit about MEDS. He has been on them for couple of months now and has some issues with the side effects of the two he's taking. One is an antidepressant that has done its job very effectively except the side effects according to him are two: drop in sex drive (very big deal) and loss of creativity. Both are cause for concern but I'll bet the Doc could do something to help him there. Now the other is a Sleep Aid which he has become completely reliant on. When he got it I advised him two days on and one day off and then take as needed. Well he didn't listen and HAS to take it nightly. I only listened, gave no advice except to talk to Doc as he told me he was going to stop taking meds.
Now, I get to purge myself. I know exactly how my dear friend feels. In 2002 my wives convinced me (with little choice from me)to get to a Pdoc as my haphazard attempts at self-medication for Pain had led to Anxiety and Agoraphobia along with a real good case of Depression. So for the next two and a half years this Doctor attempted thru mixture after mixture of "Drug Cocktails" to get a handle on my "problem", never explaining my official diagnosis. BTW I also got a Pain MGMT Doctor, so that's handled. Finally after all this time of switching cocktails, I got sick of pills and told the Pdoc. He took me off one leaving me on two. So smartass me, I weaned myself off a second one over a period of three weeks. Went to see him a week later and you will never guess what he said to me, as I never expected it either....." You, are fired as a patient, as is your son!!!!" Speechless is hardly the word to describe the emotions...Anger, Abandonment, Vulnerable is just to name three real quick. When I started to say something, his next statement was believe me or not as it the honest truth,,,,,"GET the Fuck out of my office". He then opened his door and walked out. I went to the front desk aghast and confused, cancelled my son's next appointment, went out to mt car and cried. Oh Yes, I have checked into ALL the Legal ramifications and have written letters of complaint to no positive result, but am now happy to be with my new Pdoc.
Now the new Pdoc is aware of my history. We have talked at length and continue to do so. Something the old one never did. Came to realize that this is a illness that has been with me some forty plus years. Its the reason for so many things that happened in my life. Not all the negative things mind you, I must take blame for much of my failings but quite a bit falls to my BP. My Pdoc screwed up a couple of months ago by giving me Cymbalta which caused Grand Mal Depression resulting in me planning suicide (1st time in life). That was rough to take but called him and he quickly weaned me off of it. Right now I am not convinced that all is balanced but better than before so I shall wait until next month as I am keeping a diary for him so that he can gain insight so as to tweak his "Cocktail" for me. I do believe the Blogging has helped me with all this as it has led me to read more (actually start reading) about BP. I know that one should never self diagnose but from what I read it seems that BPII fits me almost to a T. BTW I must thank "Bi-Polar Guy" for helping learn about that part of the disorder. Hell, I thought BP was BP so he was the one who started my search along with "Queen". Who I thank for getting me going on my son, who is also BP.
Time to climb off my box now and watch some Stanley Cup Playoff Hockey and Red Sox Baseball. Both my teams winning their games at the moment. Til next we meet.................
PS; Two Hours Later... Both my teams lost, not a stellar night!!!!!

Tagged

2006-04-19T21:34:00.000-04:00

I apologize to my readers as I have not been writing on my own blog and writing on other Blogs. The joke to this is that in one of these blogs I won a gift as the 2001 visitor. However with any gift there is always a catch!!! This one is that I got TAGGED. For those of you who have yet to experience this (be careful you may get TAGGED) it is telling 6 of your wilder, weeirder, or unusual quirks. After you do that pick out 6 people and "TAG" them. Obect of course is a little levity and fun and no not a chain letter. So here I go.

1.)I wear a different watch everyday and don't wear the same one 2 days in a row for over a month at a time. (counted 41 watches after giving my 10 YO son 9 a month a go).

2.)When I was 18-35 I collected screwdrivers. At one time had over 950 assorted types plus the little sets of which I had 71.

3.)I ask my wive's opinion on where to go or what to order in for dinner every Friday night and NEVER get what they suggest.

4.)Hang my clothes for the next day downstairs on a chair and underwear in a closet but Bitch at everyone else if they leave ANY clothes out.

5.)Will engage in oral play with wive's but won't let dog lick my face.

6.)I DON"T LIKE ANYBODY'S CHILI!!!!!

Now I think the following are good people for tagging.......

1.Jennifer
2.Erica
3.Michael
4.cdadave
5.Henri
6.Marletta

UFC

2006-04-15T00:20:00.000-04:00

Has anyone ever seen this UFC also known as the Ultimate Fighting Championship? I mean to tell you, that is some mean fighting. I had some friends about 20 years ago teach me about the nuances of Boxing. I thought that was fighting(forget that wrestling crap), but UFC is serious shit folks.
The fighters are paired into weight classes. Boxing is where the Heavyweights tend to be the drawing cards, but not here. In this sport, light heavyweights are the ones to watch. They are faster and seem to hit harder. The thing that makes this sport intriguing is that ANYTHING goes except NO hitting in the groin and No elbows into the back, other than that, anyhing goes. Choking is a regualr manner to cause an opponnet to submit, which is a manner which is used to win but knockouts, too much damage to either man ie... blood, broken bones can be used for the referee to stop the fight. I have never seen any sport as tough as this sport is. Blood flying, arms broken, referees stopping a fight because a fighter has been choked unconcious is the norm for this game. If you get a chance, WATCH IT!!!!! IT AIN"T FAKE

Plastic VS Paper

2006-04-12T02:55:00.000-04:00

Today I went to the grocery store and purchased a bunch of small stuff, bread, meats, fruits, Propel flavored water (Gatorade for white people), and Diet Soda for the rest of the family. Of course the last stop at the store is the trusty checkout stand. Usually I think nothing of it and just let them check me out, bag the groceries, load the car, come home, have help bringing the stuff in, and put it away. No Problem!!!! Except today I was alone and had to do the schleping of all the stuff myself as Hunter (my son) was in school and not there to help the old man.

Now today, I was astute!!! Remembering I had to carry all this stuff I had the Bagperson double-bag in paper all my things. Many of you don't remember when there were nothing but paper bags. In fact when I was a kid and had my first job (a bag-boy in a grocery store)we even had an aluminum lined bag especially for ice cream, but I digress. The reason I remembered the paper today is that God-damn it, platic bags ALWAYS break. I had 30 bottles (20 oz) of Propel, 10 (2 liter) bottles of Diet Coke, plus all the other stuff. I have never experienced bottles surviving a trip from the store to the kitchen without ripping through those bags with the thickness of a moth's wing. I can appreciate saving money (ie cutting overhead), or saving space, or weight. But this is ridiculous, and they even recycle them!!! It is an insult to our intelligence, that's what it is.
Back in the 50's and early 70's when I was stationed over in Germany, traveling all over the World (a Blog subject for later) women of the house used to do the grocery shopping for the home on a daily basis. This was of course before plastic bags and paper bags were not in use over there for that use. Paper bags in Department stores, yes, grocery stores, the women brought bags woven like potato bags except the size of a shopping bag that one would find at a Department store. Of course, becuse they were made of cloth, they were reuseable, and the woman did just that on a daily or every other day basis. No ripping plastic bags, no ripping paper bags, reusable cloth bags. Washable bage that would hold just enough. What a concept!!!I understand they still do it too, as I've seen them do it on T.V.

After today I have a stash of paper bags. I think I'll take them with me when I go to the gricery store again. That way I can recycle and not break bags so easily. You just know now how much I hate plastic bags.

Cycling

2006-04-10T02:08:00.000-04:00

Recently I have been going through a period which Bi-Polar individuals refer to as cycling. The cycle that I have entered into is a low one. To the uninitiated, one would call it DEPRESSION. Now I am not I'm not talking of just a case of the Blues, No, this is full-blown Depression. Those of you with BP will have to excuse me, however, I will explain it to those who have yet to experience such an event. I've never tried to explain this to anyone except to a Therapist so please bear with me as I am attempting this as self-therapy. Here are my symptoms.

1.) Can't sleep without both Ambien CR and Remeron. That will give me about 6 hour uninterrupted sleep, that's about all. Then I am wide awake.

2.) My Pain threshold drops and my back, neck and legs hurt way more than regularly. I leave my Fentenyl Pain-patches on an extra day when I put on the new ones. My Dosage is 125 MCG, changed every 3 days. I take 325 mg Soma @day, and 15 mg oxycodne 4 @day and I am using it all as I stay in pain. Usually I can take less pills in a day.

3.) Bed is my friend. I really don't wish to socialize with anyone (the opposite of how I usually am) at all. Not even answering the phone which I enjoy doing. When I do answer, I am quick to get off the phone.

4.) I am very short tempered with my wives. I love Diane and Remy dearly and would never intentionally hurt them but it makes no difference what words they utter, it just pisses me off beyond words. I just lose my temper, so I separate myself as much as possible so not to cause too many problems.

5.) My son, Hunter (10 years old) can do nothing right. He is also BP and on Meds (Focalin and Abilify). If he farts, I'm ready to shove a baseball bat up his butt. I know, he is just a kid, but DAMN, every little thing gets me. I DO LOVE HIM.

6.) Crying is someting I am doing almost constantly it seems with no reason. The tears just come flowing down my cheeks. I make no sobbing sounds just tears which cause me to take out my contact lenses, wear glasses and constantly clean the tears from them. Please don't ask why.

7.) Little to no appetite. This can be a blessing or a curse depending on ones perspective due to the fact that I can stand to lose a chunk of weight but it is not healthy to do it in this manner. I'm also not thirsty so drinking beverages is not a priority at all. Usaually I drink a half gallon of water, unsweetened tea, or some diet beerage such as Propel, daily but I doubt that I have drank more than 20 oz of anything in one day the last week.

9.) Suicidal thoughts lurk under the surface. I already figured out how to do that in complete detail in previous Depressions, so that's not a big issue. Hell, if I
really wanted to do it, I have more that enough Fentanyl to accomplish that. I doubt that I would ever do that as I can't conceive the pain it would cause my family especially my dear son, Hunter, who for no reason will come up to me and say, "Dad, I Love You". followed by a big hug and a kiss on the cheek. How could I ever do anything to crush the spirit of that youbg man? He is my heart and soul. He keeps me going. Thats not to minimize the relationship with my WONDERFUL WIVES as I love them dearly as well.

10.) Yes, I know, this low that this one shall pass as the others in my life have. Its just that each one becomes harder than the previous one to deal with. Will the day finally arrive when i can't beat back one? I don't know.

Maybe this helps explain to you others, maybe not. Atleast I tried.

I am still here and remain............

Why I haven't posted

2006-04-05T20:56:00.000-04:00

Recently I haven't been posting for a number of reasons. I have been holding off until my thoughts could be put together rationally as some of the Blogs which have been getting my attention have also scrambled my logical thought processes. Now that I have screwed up your brains a bit, I'll straighten it all out.
If you have Blogged to any degree you will notice that on the top right corner of the page telling you to click for next Blog. Well, for about a week or so every evening late into the night (4:00AM+) that is exactly what I did. Now obviously one can link through comments made on Blogs, and etc so that one can really go off on wild and weird side tracks about many subjects. Add the links the Bloggers themselves post and the trails become endless. Now as a person who is diagnosed as Bi-Polar I do have a tendency to read about others mental disturbances/disabilities as well, and whew, what a mileu of problems people are able to broadcast here into their personal thoughts and words, also called BLOGS,
The first diagnosis that I came across that was somewhat bizarre is called, DID which is Disociative Identitity Disorder, WOW... a new term for Multiple Personality Disorder or Schizophrenia. Isn't it amazing how they change the names so that they are not so threatening? I began investigating this mysterious disorder, asked questions in comment areas, responded to those who wished for dialogue. To make a long story short, I eventually found myself in a circle of approximately 8 people who took it upon themselves to "educate" me about this DID as well as just about every Mental Health Disorder known to mankind. Now this DID has very clearly been explained to virtually all of these "psuedo" experts as Multi Personality Disorder (think Cybil the girl with 8 different personalities). The crazy thing is that these folks claim that there is NO medication that can be given for this disorder. Now I am certainly not a Psychiatrist but I am aware of numerous meds used to treat this disorder. Hell, even I can read after Googling. Well, at 58 years I had my share of insults, my intelligence questioned, my sanity questioned (even by friends!!!) but the viciousness of the attacks which I endured was unbelievable. There was one person writing to me in the 3rd person (claimed she was DID, NO KIDDING)and was convinced there was no medication to help her and her Therapist (she claimed she was her Psychologist) even e-mailed me claiming the same. Most likely because she wasn't really her Therapist or because Psychologists can't prescribe drugs. These people just got so carried away that 3 days ago I rec'd 19 e-mails from them and after answering them all, I decided that NO More. There really are folks more off balance than I, took them all off bookmarks, I do expect a comment or so on here but I WILL delete as I learned my lesson.
I did meet a few folks in my meanderings on the DID thing who also have Bi-Polar Disorder that I am communicating with but these folks realize they can and are being treated with meds that don't cause them to be Zombie's. 3 Cheers for Lexapro!!!

Til we meet again

Blogging

2006-03-28T01:11:00.000-05:00

Blogging has become quite a past-time here in this world (it is International you know). I say this world because you can go up to the corner of the Bloggers Posting and there is a place to click which sends you on to the next Blog. VOILA you end up just about anywhere, reading anything, about anyone, in any manner you can possibly imagine. Then if you really want to have fun, many of these folks put links to other Blogs on their pages so you can find likeminded people. Well let me tell you, I have had a big new world opened to me, but you got to be careful as people don't always read with the same intention in which you write.
Recently I have been following a couple of interconnected Blogs of people who have mental issues. Nether of them know each other nor are they aware that I am writing about them so I will call one of them R and the other L in case they log on here they will know who they are and nobody else will. Each have different problems (don't we all) but never the less are very interesting people. Today I'll just talk about R and chat about L at another posting.
R is a most interesting middle-aged woman, who has been married a few times, is a self-admitted bi-polar (on meds)that lives in the Northwest part of the Country. Now for those of us living in the Sunshine State we can understand folks over there experiencing a bit more depression than us because after 3 or 4 days of overcast here we become rather cranky. Ah, I drift off the point. I had been following her Blog for a while and one day she (apparently at a down cycle) she wrote much the same as a Co-Dependent might write and for my first comment on her Blog was don't become Co-Depenent and to be strong. Well what a can of worms I opened up!!!!
She really misread my words and for the last 5 days has been carrying on about being accused of being a Co-Dependent. Of course those of you who know me, know I would never say anything so malitious but that is her take. Its too bad as I think I have some very positive ideas to share with her. She has a daughter who is just steadily into bad boyfriends and serious drug problems. Just cannot stay away from the Heroin and the lifestyle it provides and tears her up. This is the tip of the disfunction in her life but there is a nice side as well which shines through which is why I continue to go back.
I'll tell you more later when I learn more.

HDTV

2006-03-22T18:28:00.000-05:00

As I am disabled, my body clock has been modified quite a bit. My sleeping hours have moved to 4:00AM to 11:00AM so my TV watching times have changed accordingly. I get up, read the paper, shower, dress, and then at 2:30 off to pick up my son, Hunter, from school. We then come home and do homework while spending quality time together, you know, father/son time. As he gets older (he's almost 11) the more fun it is. He goes out with his friends about 4:30 to play and then I turn on ....OPRAH!!

Yes, my Living Room HDTV lights up and OPRAH shines in to my room followed by Dr. Phil, Remy (wife #2) comes home, and then the Evening News. AH, all in HDTV. Now until I got one my impression was "BIG DEAL". Guess what? IT IS!!!! Beside the fact that the picture is 50", the color is SO CLEAR and so very detailed. Every Monday night we watch CSI: MIAMI and the picture is like a Postcard. You can count the hairs of the actors flying in the breeze. One feels as if you're on the set. Hockey is so intense that you feel that you are in the stands watching the game live. I watched the World Baseball Classic last week and the experience was intense indeed.
As I write this, Law and Order is on and I can count the wrinkles on Lenny Briscoe's face.

My advice is forgoe any regular TV's now, save a little while longer and get the HDTV, it's worth it.

PS:I just ordered a 32" HDTV for the Bedroom that will arrive in the next day or so.

Healthcare, or Wealthcare

2006-03-20T00:46:00.000-05:00

In our country there is now a system of have and have nots when it comes to Healthcare. Please don't think that I am a Socialist as I'm not, but one might call me a Libertarian with Liberal leanings when it comes to social issues. One of these issues is Healthcare. The only people "allowed" to have affordable healthcare is the wealthy or the people with better than average paying occupations. If you don't think so. you are about to become enlightened to Healthcare 2006. Folks, this is the truth. So look at it as the preview of the really scary SHIT down the road. Just remember how it was 6 years ago.
I, as most of you know am disabled and draw disablility, my Wife, Diane, works for a Hospital chain and carries the heath insurance for me, Hunter (our son) and herself. The premium is a little over $225@month and on top of that we pay @25 co-pays for the doctor visits and $10 or $20 depending if it is generic or not for prescriptions.
My monthy medical bill alone comes to $170 and Hunter is $40. In my case I don't add in the Doctors copay as Medicare handles that. So for Just Hunter and I, we pay out over $200 dollars a month in drug bills. Whew!!!! Every month to keep me alive and keep my son mellow, we have to spend this unbelievable sum. "Senseless", you say and I say yes to a very large degree.
Why would a grand total of 15 prescriptions cost approximately $200.00? I'll tell you why!!! Its because the American public and the Government has allowed the Drug Companies to continually raise their prices without nary a word being said about it. The Veterans Administration negotiates contracts and gets drugs for pennies on the dollar compared to our (the consumers) costs. Why? I wish I could answer that one, but the Gov't sure could cause the Drug Companies to reduce there prices rather than
continue to rack up record profits quarter after quarter. They say they need the profits for R&D (research and development)but don't bother to divulge the grotesque amounts of cash given to them by the NIH (National Institute of Health) and other Departments of Government.
Now, who can pay for this? People of upper middle-class and higher. Senior citizens cutback on eating or cut their pills in half (or both) in order to survey. Remy (Wife#2) has a Mother who is 51 and disabled, VERY ILL, getting a small disability check, and is on Medicaid, She has a sister (Low wage Job) and niece (7YO who lives with her Mom. Now when they get sick, what happens? Yes, that's right... Emergency room... Not their fault, but how can one afford having Primary Care Doctors? You can't. So now here they are in the emergency room with all the others who can't afford to go to a Doctor's office. Oh, an and you wonder why you wait so long in that room? Why it costs so much? When no one can afford it, they charge those that can or the insurance companies!!!!! Oh, forgot to tell ya, the co-pay at the Emergency room is $500.00, YES, FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS!!!!! Unless you're checked in and stay in 24 hours and they rarely do that. Now if you have no insurance you're billed for it. How do you pay? Who knows? Goes onto your Credit Bureau Report and then you're one step deeper in the hole.
What is the answer? Well, back in the 90's led by (excuse me to say this) The Clinton's, there was an attempt to completely revamp the Medical system in the US. With the help of the Drug Lobby and the AMA the attempt was scrubbed. It appears more and more that something will have to be done. Especially after this joke of a Drug Bill that was passed last year. Hell, it would take a Doctorate from Harvard to decipher that thing. Glad my wife's insurance covers me.
Til my next rant

OOps, Don't Blink, It Happened

2006-03-16T22:20:00.000-05:00

I know, it's been a while, however, I promise that I shall be way more diligent in my self-imposed duty of posting for those of you who wish to read the ramblings of this old "Bohemian".

Recently, a concept crept into my brain which I wish to share with all of you. Now bear with me and let your minds go with this.

Yesterday was December 31st,1999. Remember where you were? What you were doing? Who you were with? Your wardrobe? Car? Occupation? Morality? Just think about all those things that were your life back then in 1999. Now that you have settled all that in your mind, remember gas prices under a dollar and a quarter? Or reasonable rents? McDonald's Hamburgers 35cents!Happy Hour Drinks 2/1 for $1.50? Two people could earn a decent living and buy a home , have a family and not always pinch pennies? Affordable Healthcare?

Now let's come up to today. I had to fill up my gas tank.. $2.49@gal (cut-rate station). Picked up my son from school, went to convienence store, coke... $1.49@btl. Drove home and thought, "Hey, what's been happening here?" So here goes.

These are just some of the things which have happened in the last 5 years 2 months and 16 days. Not necessarily in order but you'll get the idea anyway.
Sept 11, 2001 I guess words are not really needed but I feel they are. Everyone blames Bush in various ways but I don't share those sentiments completely. Yes, he can take a very minute bit of blame for not reading (which he doesn't do much of anyway) the classified briefings regarding terrorist activities pertaining to the US. President Clinton crippled the CIA, FBI, and the rest of our Intelligence Agencies over the course of his 8 years in office. Not placing blame just stating the truth. This one act was the most horrendous act ever perpertrated against our Country in my life or the History of this Country. Not just hundreds like Pearl Harbor but THOUSANDS, folks. I watched as the Second Building get hit, horrified. I couldn't speak, move, pick up a phone, only sit there transfixed in total disbelief. The days after were almost as bad and in someway worst as we found out who, how, and why. I still wonder and ponder the answers to these questions. I'll touch on them in another posting.
The Wars in Pakistan and Afganistan came along to eliminate the Taliban and Terrorists. Well we're still after them and there seemingly is no end in sight. Even now the Talibaban is re-arming and recruiting new members as we attempt to kill them off. Bin Laden has been cornered and the CIA let him get away, we know what region he is in but can't find him! This coming from a Military Satellite setup that can tell you what side of a dime is up from 50,000 feet!!!! Give me a break.
Iraq War.... We (The American People) were told by the Pentagon that this was going to cost approximately 1.7 Billion Dollars to complete this military action. Hmmmm Its over 3 1/2 years later and we in the Triple Digit Billions and counting. Is Iraq the real problem or is/was it Iran?
Iran appears to be a bigger problem in the long run but we'll blog that later.
Ahhhh, Today we were informed the Deficit is $40 TRILLION. I can't conceive Forty Trillion Dollars. What does that look like? All I know is that is yesterday (Dec 31, 1999) we had NO deficit, we had a balanced budget. They told me on the news that 40 Trillion Dollars equals $30,000 per every man, woman and child in the country. There's a lot of folks that would love to make that in a year!!!!!
VP Cheney... He shoots a hunting buddy and runs to DC leaving the Ranch owner to tell the press about it. What a way to handle an accident. Something seems strange here.
Healthcare...... Almost 40% of the people in our country cannot afford healthcare. The cost has gone up so high that senior citizens either have to cut their pills in half, skip doses, miss meals, do all, or some. What does the Gov't do? Comes up with a solution for prescriptions that would challenge a Harvard Doctorate to figure out how to use it!!! Possibly the biggest mess Congress has created since the Income Tax.

Hurricanes... Whewwww. Living in Florida, I can say we certainly have had our share and the rest of the country is hardly aware of the devastation which we endured with the 5 hurricanes in 2 years because of Katrina. We aren't complaining, just going about rebuilding, yes with FEMA help, and we will get back to normal. You should see where Andrew hit, you would never now it. Now for Katrina, what a mess. Whose fault was/is all the turmoil? Bush, Brown, The Mayor, The Governor, Chernoff? My guess is start at the top, he doesn't read or watch TV!!!!!

Now how do you balance a budget?

We'll continue again somtime.

SAGE

The Cheers for Google, Boos for the Library

2006-02-03T00:14:00.000-05:00

1) Of all the stupid things, the government wants access to Library records. Crazy, the FBI wants access to that and your records to Blockbuster and Hollywood Rentals as well.
2.) Add the phone taps by NSA with no approval by the Courts (only the President). What the hell is going on here. Can you imagine Bush himself giving the order to tap YOUR phone? I don't think so!!
3.) Now Bush is going to reduce our dependence on Foreign Fuel 75% by 2525. Now lets figure this out. That's just less than 19 years away or about 3.5%@yr.
Remember that Bush has less than 3 years to accomplish this magical trick. Amazing family this Bush family even his Dad is fiends with the Clintons.
HHHMMM

Border Crossing is Now a Big Deal

2006-02-01T19:47:00.000-05:00

As most of you know I spend quite a bit of my day reading, watching Broadcast News (except Fox), surfing all over the net (and I mean everywhere) and generally jelling due to my disability. Well one of the things that this allows me is the chance to really research some of the more outlandish things going on in the world today. Now we all know about Lobbying Scandals in Washington, the War in Iraq, Nuclear Buildup in Iran, even the Bird Flu working its way around the Globe. Now I am certainly not in anyway trying to minimize any of these very important events but folks, the night before last I came across Pat Buchanan on MSNBC referring to something going on along the US/MEXICAN Border.
Now most of us have heard about the tunnels recently found being utilized for drug smuggling. Some of the tunnels were as long as 3 football fields (300 meters) with enough material, wires and etc inside to stretch out another 1/2 a mile or so. Now this is becoming way more sophisticaticed than the 70's and 80's which I guess should be expected except that this apparently now is merely the tip of a very frightening smokescreen. Classified sources have revealed that the borders are now being infiltrated by Arab Terrorists carrying weapons of the type that can cause wide spread destruction and posible death throughout the country. Isn't it amazing that this is coming out all together as Al Qiada is now raising its head, tunnels being found, and sources claiming the smugglingis for weapons This is coming from Pat Buchanan, someone who I am not a fan of at all. I spent the entire day yesterday and a few hours today checking this out on the net, and it seems to ring true.
I wish to point out that we have never really successfully guarding the southern border, hell, if one lives in the South, you better start to learn Spanish if you're under 30 years old and you want to succeed in business. A damn shame, this is AMERICA folks. This was not the concept of the Constitution when it was written and the Politicians have proven abortion is legal by what they have done to OUR CONSTITUTION.
To simplify things, the Constitution states that the Goverernment's main function is to maintain our borders from foreign interests, not wage war unless provoked ie..attacked. Thousands of people stream into this country weekly and what is being done? Not a damn thing. It has reached a point that our border guards can no longer protect themselves. According to reports from NSA, FBI, Homeland Security, and other Spy related agencies there are presently Militias (that's right plural) from a number of Terrorist organizations that have oraganized in groups thoughout Mexico, Cenral America and and in small encampments located in the Desert Southwest US. I myself am not hallucinating this information, some came from as mainstream as MSNBC and then more from sources like Reuters and the etcetra.

Rights in America vs Religon

2006-01-30T17:34:00.000-05:00

Of course those of you who know me are expecting me to pontificate my thoughts about what has happened in the Bushie Regime and the freedoms which we all once just took for granted as Americans. Well I am not going to let you down!! You may not agree but I don't care as its my opinion and I'll still going to give it as long as that right lives!!!
As a preface here are a few random thoughts. People throughout history have utilized books written by obscure, anonymous, sometimes but rarely known authors to justify their actions or morality toward others in our society. To give an example shall we examime the Bible in short (not depth). When so called Scholars utilize this book to justify virtually anything, voila, it can and is DONE. Example..... Thou shalt not kill. Hmmmm An Eye for an Eye Wanna Kill my wife? Ya, I know, that's rather simplistic but you certainly get the idea. Anything one wishes to justify can be in the Bible, the Koran or a variety of Holy Books subscribed to by the worlds religions can be used as explanation for the inexplicable.
Now, being an Agnostic, I have to subscribe to some beliefs and I do as an American believe in the Constitution and its Amendments. These are very simply written, very simply to understand and unlike the Bible not doublespeak or parables. Now I don't have a Doctorate or even a Masters, really just short of a Bachelors but I do have the capacity to read and comprehend English. I'm telling you now even I can understand the Constitution and I for one am tired of these alleged educated idiots in Washington trying to reinterpret the Constitution and The Amendments (aka THE BILL OF RIGHTS). Here we go challenging to the Supreme Court everytime the Religous Right or the The Limpwristed Left (hear me ACLU?) that which we don't like.
Now let's get's back to the point at hand. How's your phone working lately? Now I doubt that I know anyone even distantly connected to Al Qiada, how do I know someone or even I haven't used some of those "keywords" that cause the wiretap to commence. Ain't that a Bitch. Gotta watch my verbage when I talk with my wife!!!! Everytime we turn around it seems that that those Damn Republicans lead by Cheney (oops) Bush want to attack our freedom of speech. Now if its not speech, they want to search without a warrant, attorneys (who needs them), weapons in the home (defend yourself?) and the list goes on ad nausem.
Just the rant of the day, isn't it great to be an American.
The Sage

2006-01-28T22:09:00.000-05:00

Isn't it something? Here I am married to a wonderful woman (Diane)the mother of my son (Hunter) and its Saturday night and wife #2 Remy is with them over in Orlando leaving me here in Clearwater all by my lonesome. Funny as I never thought that I would find myself feeling lonely when it is so peaceful around me. Ah, the dichotomy of life. When Hunter is here, its like a whirlwind half the time but peace descends at bedtime and adult fair hits HDTV. Tonight its Boxing therefore the Girls won't be bored too badly as they don't have to sit watching the bloodbath which this 1st fight is indeed. If she were here Diane would be watching her HGTV or SCIFI Channel with Hunter upstairs and Remy would be down here with me.

Went out to Chinese dinner with my long-time friend Ralph tonight. He makes me reflect how we age in this thing called life. Whereas my aging has sped up by physical ailments (which I shall go into from time to time in later musings), Ralph has allowed his aging to occur by mentally living in the past and somewhat in the present but never thinking of the his future. I don't mean this in a detrimental manner as I really love (not sexually) and care for Ralph. He just seems to be caught in a time-warp virtually everytime we interact either by phone or in person. The conversation settles into what "we" did back in the "Swinging 70's" or in the "weird/wild early 80's". Its not that I don't/can't look back with fond memories but not everytime we converse. There is way more to life than was coined by "Jethro Tull...... Living in the Past". Its tough to carry on an extended dialogue when it continues to fall into the same two or three subjects. His lovely wife, Jan, has by outward appearances aged VERY well, however Ralph relates that she has Cardiac problems as well as "Depression" (my guess is maybe Bipolar). They have insurance but are reluctant to use it and no matter what advice anyone gives them it makes no difference. It bothers me but as I get older I realize that I have not the right to tell those outside my family what to do. I trust that we maintain our friendship until one or more of us pass on as I am finding that friendships as we get older are getting rarer and harder to cultivate. IT IS BEST TO SAVOR AND KEEP THE FRIENDSHIPS WE HAVE MADE THAN LOSE THEM TO IGNORANCE.

2006-01-27T20:34:00.000-05:00

Welcome all all. Post what you will, argue what you will, please don't FLAME but be blunt as no subject is taboo or off topic.
Thanks all.
THE SAGE