The Imperial Shipyards
Imperial Community => Imperial Blog => Topic started by: Phatty on June 17, 2008, 08:35:32 AM
-
So, I'm on vacation still until Thursday, and my intention was to put in a fence in part of my yard for the dogs. I bought the materials, had them delivered Monday so I could begin and be done by Wednesday at the latest. However, I found out Sunday night that you need a permit to build a fence (I thought you only needed a permit if it was over 6' tall or an enclosed structure), and so I applied for one Monday morning...only to find out it takes a few days to a week to get the permit back. So now, all of the materials are just sitting in my garage, and the weather is simply gorgeous, and I can't do a freaking thing...
-
Its always the case you get fired up for a project, then poop happens, great big pile of it usually.
-
They are pretty lenient about the permit thing around here. I think most of the neighbors built their fences without one and I didnt get one to build my deck 3 years ago. If I were to ever finish my basement, I would have to get one.
-
The biggest thing I learned about the whole permit thing was...I'm not getting one again. There was no point in it at all!
On another note, and a serious one at that, here is a public safety message: When visiting the beach, and the lifeguards tell you to stay out of the water, and the waves are 4'-6' high, STAY THE HELL OUT OF THE WATER, YOU WILL DIE!!!! I'm not kidding either. The taller the waves, the stronger the undertow, and stronger the riptide. What happens is, sandbars travel parallel to the shore. When strong currents exist, it creates a gap in a sandbar, where there is a strong undertow, taking things from the shore out into deeper waters. Riptides travel parallel along the outside of the sandbar, so when the undertow takes you out past the sandbar, the riptide will take you and keep you underneath the sandbar. You will drown. It's not a question of if, but when. Yesterday, I had to go out and look for the 2nd kid in a month who came to Indiana from Chicago, didn't know how to swim, and because the lifeguards told them to stay out of the water, they just went further down the beach where there were no lifeguards, and drowned. The waves were so bad, we almost tipped our boat twice, rolled our waverunner multiple times, and were unable to put rescue divers in the water. And when we have to call off the search because the wake is too bad, and it gets too dark, it's the families who yell and scream for us to do something. So, in conclusion, listen to the lifeguards, they know what they're saying, and it's for your safety.
-
Couldn't have said it better. Riptides are nothing to mess around with, especially if you don't know how to swim.
-
If those famalies had been watching their kids to begin with they would have nothing to gripe at you about. Who would let their kids go to the beach with 4 to 6 foot waves and a stay out of the water warning. Everyone knows that kids are drawn to water like we are the SW pegs. You cant tell a kid to stay out of the water and have them listen unless their parents are supervising.
-
I have been swimming in several oceans in different parts of the planet and have always heard of the dangers of the undertow but i still have never experienced one.
I feel for you buddy, I am glad that I place rebar for a living.
-
Ah, to be me! It looks again, in God's infinite wisdom, as though it's time to play the game, "Let's Crap on Pat!" Besides both computers taking a crap on me in the past month, more fun things have occurred in Phatty's Household. Friday, the dryer stopped drying. So the wife called out a technician yesterday, who charged us $125 to fix it. Apparently the sensor had gone out. $95 to fix it and $28 for the part. Lovely. Then yesterday, or rather at 2am this morning, while I was at work running all over town in the firetruck to assist citizens during a horrendous storm, and when I returned from one of them, I was told to call my wife. Report was, there was water coming in from the ceiling in the bedroom...the downstairs bedroom. When asked if she had checked out the rest of the house, she hadn't, but then when she did, it was all dry...until I reminded her to check the basement. Sump pump was out due to no electricity, and battery back-up pump was not working either...probably because it was not a battery back-up. 3"-4" deep. Lucky, all of my SW stuff in the basement were in plastic tubs, and thus far looks like they were undamaged. The power came on around 10am this morning, and the sump pumps took care of a lot of it. Squeegeed the floor, put some fans down, and it's mostly dry already. I'm going to have to figure out something for the musty smell, and also to be sure there isn't any mold going to grow. On top of that, my car has now picked up another charming glitch! Every now and then, the car decides it doesn't like the speed and gear the transmission is running at, so it kicks into a lower gear and the check engine comes on. But when you put the car in park, shut it off, and turn it right back on, it's all reset, no problems. Appears to be electrical instead of mechanical, as far as I can tell, but it's not making me happy. My car is a 2001 with 115k miles on her, and has really run rather well up until lately. She needs to be replaced soon, but the wife stakes claim to the next new car (hers is a 1998 with 57k original miles on it, but she's had it for 9 years and is ready for a new one!), so I'm not sure where we're going to get the money for 2 new cars. I'm still hoping to be walking down the street and trip over a briefcase with $10 grand in it just for me! Don't see that happening though. Might have to get me a 2nd job afterall...
-
Wow. I know we could be related. Your luck is exactly like mine. Poor guy. Glad to hear your SW stuff wasn't damaged though. This would have been an unrecoverable story. I know the basement flooding issue firsthand. I just used a dehumidifier for a few weeks and I am doing ok with mine. I know the issue with the car stuff too. If you trip over that briefcase, look for another will ya? :D
-
You are not having a very good day bro, hope it gets better tomorrow!
-
Ah, vacation time once again! I'm on vacation today until October 23rd. I do have to go back for 2 1/2 shifts, plus Dive Week, but that's not a big deal compared to the rest of those 2 months! So, in my spare time, I have 3 goals...Finish up image guides for Gentle Giant and Sideshow Collectibles, finish LEGO Indiana Jones in time to play and complete The Force Unleashed before I go back to work, and NOT gain more weight! Last year when I took 6 weeks off, I ended up gaining 15 pounds. Gotta try and DROP that much this time!
-
Off for 6 weeks? I would forget that I even had a job in that amount of time. I hear you on that force unleashed game, it's gonna rock!
-
No, last year was 6 weeks, this year it's 8 weeks! It's my longest stretch yet, so we'll see how it goes!
-
Enjoy your time off. I know that FU game is gonna get my attention for a bit too. Man, I would love to have a few months this time of year off. I love the sound of those image guides. I really like the look of em.
-
You gotta love that Lego Indiana Jones game though!..very entertaining
-
Got me a new toy today! I went out and bought me a lawn tractor yesterday, and it was delivered today! Now, instead of push mowing for 2 1/2 hours in my half acre, it took me just over an hour, but that's because I have a lot of trees, planters, a fence, and an odd shaped yard. Today was a perfect day for it to arrive as well, because the humidity would've made it almost impossible to mow!
-
What kind did you get, Pat? Does it have a drink holder? ;D
-
LOL! It DOES have a drink holder! It's a Yard Machines 17.5 HP Briggs and Stratton engine, 42" deck, 7-speed shift on the fly tranny. I like driving it for fun!
-
Sounds nice, buddy. Nice big motor as well. I'll bet I could do my yard with that in 20 min.
-
Yeah, it's pretty nice. I almost want to mow the yard again just because!
-
Always nice when ya want to mow the lawn huh?..... ;)
-
Tell me about it DA! I've been waiting all week for the stupid grass to grow so I can mow again! It's supposed to rain today, so hopefully there will be a full lawn to cut tomorrow!
-
Man, what a long weekend! Traveled to Indianapolis for my wife's brother's wedding. Kind of a pain since NO ONE lived in Indy, but hey, it was nice. Weather was beautiful, and couldn't have had any better for an outdoor wedding and reception. I, of course, ROCKED my tuxedo (I was an usher), and it was pretty fun. Stayed in the #7 Marriott hotel in the country, and they proved it well. Very nice accommodations and the staff was very kind. Now, I"m in full football season mode, watching all of the games from my couch with StatTracker up on the computer screen. The poor dogs are exhausted today, we had to board them at the animal clinic for the weekend. The older dog doesn't eat well or sleep when we do that, because he's not at home, and our youngest girl has abandonment issues, so I know they had a rough weekend. Poor dears are snoring right this very moment! Tomorrow, I get to play in the Mayor's Golf Outing for our city, and for free no less due to our PAC membership, so that'll be fun.
-
sounds like a good weekend Pat. Have fun at the golf outing. You sure did clean up in FF yesterday!
-
Okay, so the golf outing got rained out after 5 holes, but we did get vouchers to go back and play another 18 holes (it's a private club, too), and on top of that, I won a 24" television! I've never won something as big as that before!
On to the bad news. I have a leak in my roof, that I thought was confined to the bedroom downstairs on the main level, but while cleaning my den/Star Wars room, I noticed wet carpet under my heavy display cabinet. I moved the cabinet out, and lo and behold, there was soaking wet and brown carpet (the carpet is actually a light purple) and mold growing on my baseboard in the corner. So, I called my home warranty company, who sent out a roofer to do an estimate. He said that because part of my roof is a 2/12 pitch, it should have been done with rolled shingles as opposed to the standard shingles that were up there which allows water to pool. The roof is about 10 years old, so for the most part, the roof should be fine, but in that low of a pitch and those kinds of shingles 10 years is about it's max. Anyway, he told the warranty company that it was "improperly installed," and they said they weren't going to pay for it to be fixed because it was an existing problem. When I argued that it hadn't leaked in the past 9 months I owned the home, they put me on hold to scour my agreement, and came back to say that since it was "improperly installed," then they are not liable. I tried to make them understand that there is no standard code on what kind of roofing to use on certain kinds of pitches in roofs, but they said they don't have to prove anything to me and that they are going by the roofer's estimate. So now I'm trying to contact the roofer again to have him clarify the situation so that they will pay for it, and in the meantime, it's raining tonight and is supposed to continue through Sunday. I don't want to touch the roof until I get complete closure on the situation. On the plus side, if there is one, if I have to do the work myself, it's only approximately 12'x26' section and would cost about $100 or so. The hard part is disposing of the old shingles. So tomorrow I'm going to Menards and getting a heavy duty tarp to put up there for now. Gotta love these warranty companies. On top of all that, they actually tried to get me to renew my home warranty for $416. I asked them why I would put that kind of money out there if they weren't going to cover anything anyway. No response. Imagine that.
-
I have never tried to use my home warranty company. Probably I would get the same result. A person gets home warranty coverage for things like this and then they want to say its not thier issue. I am sorry, once they agree to insure the home its thier baby imo. Did the previous owners have warranty coverage on the home? Maybe if the issue happened as a result of a previous condition the old coverage would work if they had it. Might be worth a shot if your existing coverage won't cover it. On another note, if you get another contractor they may come up with an entirely different opinion which would be covered under your policy. Estimates are free. Its just the hassle of getting them out there.
-
Yeah, I'm awaiting a return phone call from the owner of the company who did the initial estimate on it. All I need them to do is call the warranty company back and inform them that the roof was installed properly as any roof should be, but with such a low pitch, it has reached it's end and needs to be replaced. The warranty company's decision hinges completely on the words "Improperly installed." If that won't work, maybe I can call someone else out to give me the estimate I need. It's all way too frustrating.
-
Pat, one would think the contractor would be smart enough not to give the warranty company that type of information if he wanted the job, knowing that a pre existing condition would mean the warranty company would not pay it. Not that I am saying the contractor who did your first estimate was a bad guy, but surely he has dealt with insurance companies before and knows if the wording they get is not correct then they will use any loophole to deny a claim. That is how insurance companies make money. I would also suggest that if this insurance company refuses to deal with regular issues like this then perhaps shop for a new home warranty company. I have used Erie and they were decent if not expensive, and I just switched to State Farm. They also added 5000 dollars to my home warranty for my Star Wars Collection. It is only costing fifty bucks extra a year and has no deductible and I can have anything replaced for any type of damage no questions asked. Now thats an insurance company!
-
Damn, Shawn, that does sound like a pretty nice warranty! Anyway, I spoke with the owner of the roofing company who did the inspection, and I'm sunk. He emailed me a copy of the installation instructions for the shingles on my house (though I argue how does he know that my shingles are this particular brand, and never got anywhere with that) which does stipulate that those shingles are never to be used on a roof with a pitch less than 2/12, and mine's about a 1.5/12 pitch. Not sure how that can be either. SO, regardless of what the building codes say about what kind of roofing material to put on what kind of roof, the shingles that were used were inappropriate, and they will not change their statement. Furthermore, without using these exact words, he basically told me that since the warranty company throws a lot of business their way, they aren't going to do anything to upset them. Nice. On top of that, it's pouring down rain here all weekend, my yard is completely flooded to the point you could do some kayaking or rafting in it easily. I did get a tarp up on my roof yesterday, but my upstairs closed did take in a tiny bit more water overnight. I guess I should be thankful it was only a bit and not the massive amount that it was sure to be with all the rain we had, but now I'm wondering if it is being caused by a secondary spot or a combination of both...
-
Dang Pat, sorry to hear that. So, your contractor is in league with your insurance company. They will probably use his statement over another contractor anyhow. Still might be worth getting another contractor to do an estimate who might be able to refute this person's "testimony". I would also think if this was sold through a real estate agent that they "in good faith" should cover some of the replacement cost. You bought the house in good faith that issues like this were taken care of. Might be a lot of bother though. It should really be the original owner's cost who had the faulty shingles on or the contracting company who put them on as it is thier job to put on the right type of shingles. Ah the joys of owning your own home. I too found out things about my house after it was built that raised my blood pressure a bit. The sad thing is I had the original contractor back in a few times to fix thier problem and had to end up doing it myself to get it done right anyhow. Sometimes you just have to take it, get on with it, and fix the problem. If I was closer I would help you. I hate hieghts though!
-
Heights are fine for me, but it's pouring down rain since last night and hasn't stopped yet, nor is it supposed to until Tuesday. The tarp is doing it's job for the most part, with just a little wetness in the closet upstairs. Nothing downstairs though, which is good. I just want to get it done, but of course, the days it's supposed to be nice and sunny out, I'm in training until at least 4 or even later, and the days I have off are going to rain still.
-
Maybe the weather will let up and you will be able to get to that roof. I can understand how that would drive you crazy. Glad to hear the tarp is doing its job though.
-
Man, what a week it's been! Last week, I hurt my back bad enough to go to the ER and get some muscle relaxers and pain pills, which helped, but still had a nagging back pain that just wouldn't go away...until last night when I got my very first kidney stone while being at work! I'm here to tell you, I can take a pretty good amount of pain, but that was the worst I've ever experienced. It hurt so bad, I couldn't even think as a paramedic to try and ascertain the problem myslef! The guys at my station had to put me in my own ambulance and drive me to the ER. After 2 rounds of dilaudid and finally passing that rock through my ureter, I'm feeling much better now, including my back pain. The bad thing is, though, that the ER doc told me that I would get these again someday. Could be tomorrow, could be in 20 years, but they will return.
In the middle of all that, the insurance adjuster has finally come to adjust for the damage to my roof and interior damage. His words were that when I got the final payout, it would be enough to do the entire roof if I wanted to, but his suggestion was to just fix the portion that was damaged, since the rest of the roof looked fine for another few years yet, and pocket the rest. Yes, he told me to take what was left over and keep it for myself. I love honesty! So, I went out and bought my wife a laptop of her own so that I could get mine back, as well as get my car fixed. I was planning on spending a little over a grand on my car, but it turns out, all it needed was new tires, so I saved $600...which I spent on a new laptop for myself like my wife's! It's a sweet HP with 4GB of memory, 250GB HD, DVD/CD Burner with LightScribe, Windows Media with remote, built in webcam, and a 15.4 monitor. This is one beautiful machine! Now comes the task of trying to import all of my bookmarks and settings from my old laptop to my new one. We'll be keeping my old one as a back-up in case our others go down for any reason, as well as being using it for a shared computer for pictures and music.
As long as my body feels up to it, I HAVE to get out into that yard and get these leaves cleaned up! I remember the nightmare we had this Spring trying to get them all cleaned up from the previous fall, and I don't want to repeat that again!
-
I have heard those kidney stones are some of the worst pain a person can experience. I have had a few women report the pain from kidney stones being worse than childbirth so I sure feel for you. Glad that is over with for the most part now. Hope you don't have to be too active and can rest. Sounds like you are like me and trying to get the fall chores done before the snow hits. Glad to hear about your roof windfall. You sure did deserve a break.
-
My stepbrother passed a couple of those last month. He said that it started out as a severe back pain. I feel for you buddy. Those things are supposed to hurt.
Good deal on the roof money. The new PC sounds sweet!
-
Boy howdy! I feel great today, which is a plus. Did some yardwork today with no troubles. The new computer is fantastic, and the speed difference is definitely noticeable compared to the laptop I bought last year at this same time. 2GB memory compared to 4GB is a definite step up!
-
Good to hear feeling good !
-
Glad to hear that Pat! Go do something fun!
-
Okay, so we're finally going to get our roof fixed on Friday, which means I can clean up my SW room and put it back to normal. I'll probably get to that next week. This weekend, I am off on Saturday and work on Sunday, so it looks as if we'll be outside raking leaves even though it's supposed to be pretty cold. It's a lot more difficult to wait until spring, that's for sure. With having my finger in a splint and unable to use it since I had a hole drilled through it, I wasn't able to get any work done the past week or so.
We're having Thanksgiving dinner at our house this year. Both sides, too, to there should be 15 people here. I'm looking forward to that, but I have to get a couple of things done around the house before then. I have to make sure the TV in the basement has cable running to it and get the garage cleaned up so people can throw darts. Otherwise, we'll all be trying to sit on a couch and a loveseat!
-
Man, that is great news on that roof.
-
Okay, so got the roof fixed, and since I took my insurance adjuster's advice, Phatty bought a new toy last night...A brand spankin' new HDTV!!! I got a 42" Vizio 1080P LCD with 120Hz screen refresh. I've seen some sporting events in HD, but when I turned on Ocean's Thirteen in HD broadcast last night, I first thought it was a behind the scenes or something...it was so clear! Then i watched The Matrix, a movie I've seen probably more than I've seen the Prequel Trilogy, and saw some things for the very first time! Man this is a sweet TV! Now to get that Blue-Ray DVD player and get Star Wars in HD!
-
Nice purchase there Pat! Some of the best HD as far as resolution that I have seen has to be HD football. I know that you will be there on sunday. What kind of hookups does the new tv have. Componant video is good but hdmi is slightly better. I am running hdmi from both the cablebox and the PS3.
-
It has 4 HDMI inputs, 2 Component inputs, a DTV/TV Antenna input, and a few others. I watched a few minutes of hockey in HD last night, and that was awesome as well! I have to work tomorrow, unfortunately, so I'll have to wait until next weekend to watch some football in HD.
-
Wow, Pat, you are making me green with talk of that new TV. Congrats! Stinks you can't watch football on it today, but man this is great news. It is nice to see that roof ordeal came out good for you in the end. I remember the mess you had starting off with that. I bet you are glad that is over too. Man, I am gonna have to start saving for my TV! I gotta keep up with the Cloneheads and the Phatties, let along the Jones!
-
Man, what a difference a few miles makes! Here at my house, there is no snow on the ground at all. However, 15 miles away in Portage where I work and further East, they are under 9"+ of snow!!! Watching the news, they had parts of I-94 shut down and cars all kinds of spun out! Glad I wasn't at work last night! Tomorrow should be interesting though...
Well, now that the roof's been fixed, it's time for me to get back upstairs in my Star Wars room and put it back together. I think I'm going to get rid of all of my Marvel Legends except for a few. I need to free up some room, and what's the point of having them all in a plastic tub? Something tells me I'm going to be up there all night!
-
I hear your point about life in a tub! Have fun Pat.
-
Don't forget to snap us some shots of your SW room after you get it together.
We havn't seen any snow yet here in MO and are not looking forward to it.
You said that you havent gotten a blu-ray player for your tv yet right? I noticed that my movie rental place here in town just started to make blue ray dvds available for rental and I am excited to see how some of the more recent releases look.
I wonder how some of the newer upconverting dvd players perform. They claim to be able to upconvert to 1080I or P.
-
My DVD player, an Onkyo that's about 2 years old now, has HDMI and upconverts to 1080i, and let me tell you, it's still amazing. We watched Star Wars: A New Hope Special Edition the other night, and there were subtle nuances that were totally overlooked or just plain blurry in standard def. I have an entire list of movies that I own that I need to watch again now with the new TV but haven't had time yet!
-
Man, I completely agree, we have these giant monitors for our computers(yeah, old eyes need big screens) and recently we noticed they are about the size of small TV's(the one I'm on right now is 26"), so hmm, why not. .
Let me tell you for a hundred bucks, we bought a blu ray drive and then we started using it and media center to watch HD.
I was amazed by the difference, even in, like you said, movies we've seen a hundred times.
-
Wow, more than 7 months since I updated this, so I guess it's time I did so!
Time is but a luxury that Man cannot afford. It never fails, I have a month to 2 months off in the Fall, and very little to occupy my time. Now, it's the middle of winter and I have projects coming out of my Yin Yang, and not nearly enough time in the day to get them all done.
Project #1 is my Imperial Shipyards Check Point Security diorama. It has 4 parts, and none of them are near complete. Part 1 is the Hoth Imperial Attack base, which I'm closest to finishing. Once I get the computer room finished, I can work on a sniper's nest for the other end of the base, and it should be done. The 2nd part, which I'm stalled on, is Yoda's Dagobah playset, which I have painted and landscaped, but I'm stalled on how to incorporate that with part 1. I acquired an Ewok Village that I want to further incorporate along with the Dagobah playset. I haven't even TOUCHED that one yet! And part 4 involves the G.I. Joe Tactical Battle Platform, which I have SOME idea for, but again, haven't even started on that one yet. On top of all of that, I still have my ISY Security Forces to finish up yet.
Because I'm apparently a glutton for punishment, I also started on another custom ship, my custom A-Wing. I'm loving how it's turning out so far, but I have a lot of painting to go yet.
My main focus right now is my train set. I'm in the middle of building the table it'll go in, but I had plenty of trouble with framing the table supports so far. I mounted the legs, and it's the cross members that are killing me. I went with the old "Measure twice, cut once" theory, and still screwed them up. I have to go out and buy another 2x4 already because I ruined one of them. Now, I am by NO means a woodworker of any kind, but I'm trying so hard to make this look good. I filled in some cracks with wood filler and called it a night for now. Tomorrow is another day.
I love being busy, but I'm pulling myself in so many different directions, I'm having trouble keeping up with all of them. I hate leaving projects part finished, so now I feel I have to do them all at once! Oh well, it keeps me out of trouble!
-
Good luck on finishing those projects, Pat!
-
Thanks Dan! The good part is, this'll keep me busy throughout the winter so that I don't get too bored!
-
I know I don't update this very often, but I feel the need to share my woes. My productivity has been cut so tremendously, I feel disconnected from the rest of the world. I dropped my iPhone, and now it won't turn on. I lost my calendar, I lost my contacts, and I lost my entertainment. I lost the ability to simultaneously check 3 email accounts. It feels like losing a foot: Sure, I can still get around, but at half the speed and without all the extra things I used to be able to do. I can't get a new one until freakin' December from AT&T unless I want to spend $400-$600 on a new one. The sad thing is, if I had it, I probably would.
-
Man, that stinks, pat. I would be lost without my I-phone.
Don't they sell the 3-g one for $1-200 at Walmart now? Then you would just have to put up the activation fee.
-
They do, but you have to be able to sign a new 2-year contract, and I can't do that until December. I remember the days when they'd let you do that as many times/year as you want, because it kept you on the hook.
-
Well that just stinks Pat. Sorry to hear about your phone woes.
-
And as ever, a light shines at the end of the tunnel... I took my phone completely apart yesterday, figuring it was already broken so what more damage could I possibly do. I discovered that the wire ribbon for the power button had torn. I looked for a replacement part online, and found a site that will replace that ribbon and the power button to work for a mere $69.99. I can totally live with that, and will be sending it in soon to get that done! I sure hope that's ALL that is wrong with it!
-
result!
-
And now, even better news! And yes, I know I sound like a whiny little child that my toy is broken, but I had NO idea how ingrained in my day to day life my phone was due to it's functionality! Anyway, today Apple officially revealed the new iPhone 4, which will have some sweet upgrades including a 5MP camera WITH FLASH (lumination sensor, as Apple calls it since they hate all things Flash...), forward facing video camera to do videoconferencing on, and a host of new app abilities, such as Netflix movies direct to your phone. You can even start on your computer and continue on your phone. Not that I have any use for watching movies on my phone, but then again, I thought I had no use for an iPhone period! The best news, is that it will debut on June 24th, and AT&T will allow current iPhone owners to renew their contracts up to 6 months early! Since I'm due to renew on 12/23, that would mean that the day it comes out, I can upgrade! So with that in mind, I'm not going to bother fixing mine and just go get me a new iPhone 4!
-
blimey! apple are a bit slow off the mark my N95 came with 5MP camera Xenon flash ,Carl Ziess optics front/back facing camera with 30 FPS playback umpteen modes including nightvision oh and GPS & WIFI ...........3 years ago ! ;)lol
-
HALLELUJAH! I got the new iPhone today, and I'm back to being productive! The store opened early this morning, and I actually got the very last 16GB version in the store! Oh Lord smile upon me! I feel whole again!
-
A new car and a new phone? You're very, very lucky, my friend.
-
It's been a lucky week, my friend. It was about time: 6 months of BAD luck was enough!
-
It's been a lucky week, my friend. It was about time: 6 months of BAD luck was enough!
I think you passed it off to me. Thanks alot, LOL
-
Sorry, my friend. I say you meet up with Shawn in Tennessee in August, and I'll pick you BOTH up and we can find someone else to pass it all off on!
-
Sorry, my friend. I say you meet up with Shawn in Tennessee in August, and I'll pick you BOTH up and we can find someone else to pass it all off on!
Now that is the best idea I have heard in the past six months!
-
Sorry, my friend. I say you meet up with Shawn in Tennessee in August, and I'll pick you BOTH up and we can find someone else to pass it all off on!
Now that is the best idea I have heard in the past six months!
Well to be safer then sorry i think i'll stay here in Oz....lol,.... good luck with passing on the bad luck...
-
Sorry, my friend. I say you meet up with Shawn in Tennessee in August, and I'll pick you BOTH up and we can find someone else to pass it all off on!
Now that is the best idea I have heard in the past six months!
Well to be safer then sorry i think i'll stay here in Oz....lol,.... good luck with passing on the bad luck...
Now we wouldn't have done that to you Trev.
-
My bad luck has gone...now how do i get over there? any spare good luck going?....... ;)
-
wish mine had gone ....i seem to wallowing in a tidal wave of crappy luck
-
Sorry, my friend. I say you meet up with Shawn in Tennessee in August, and I'll pick you BOTH up and we can find someone else to pass it all off on!
I can think of just the right person for that burden who we would probably run into. You don't think that I iwould get you and poor Shawn into trouble would you? Or, would it be the other way around?
-
Most likely, the other way around, but that's half the fun!
-
Most likely, the other way around, but that's half the fun!
Now Pat. You know we Shipyarders are a peaceful lot, well most of the time! Cmon Clint!
-
Ok, so I just got back from one of the most fun evenings I've had in a LONG time! I had heard on the radio a week or so ago, that one of my all time favorite bands, Everclear, was playing a FREE show at the Festival of the Lakes in Hammond Indiana. Those two words, Everclear and Free, were right up my alley, and I happened to be off work tonight, so I had planned on going to check it out. I looked up the info on the festival's website, and was surprised even further: another of my all time favorite bands, Sponge, was opening up for Everclear! Turns out, it was The Craw Puppies, Nicole Jamrose, Sponge, and Everclear tonight, all for free! Well, I had to pay $15 for parking, but WELL worth it. If you've never seen either band, you have missed out. Both are incredibly fan friendly, and REALLY get into the crowd. Literally! Vinny, the lead singer of Sponge, was out in the seats, standing on tables and chairs, singing with audience members, and several were pulled up on stage to help sing and stuff. It was so awesome! My wife and I brought our chairs, found a shady spot on the lawn probably less than 100 yards from the stage, and enjoyed a beautiful day/evening with some great music. After Sponge finished their set, they came out to sign CDs of theirs, so I got a CD I didn't actually have, and the whole band signed it! I may have to find me a frame for this one. For those of you with iTunes and/or Rhapsody, check out these must-listen to songs by both bands, in case anyone's curious...
Everclear:
Learning To Smile
Santa Monica
Father of Mine
Wonderful
AM Radio
I Will Buy You A New Life
Sparkle and Fade
Sponge:
Plowed
Molly
Wax Extatic
Glue
Rotting Pinata
Enjoy!
-
Sounds like a fun day Pat!
-
You were rokin out them, huh?
All of those bands sound too new fangled to me. LOL
-
Naw, they're just right! In fact, they came out big back around 1994-1995, which to me isn't too new! I did have a freakin' blast though!
-
So, instead of taking time to relax a bit after getting back from Celebration V, I decided to hit things head on. I blame it on the OCD and ADD, but whatever. I no sooner pulled into the garage yesterday after coming home from Florida, and I was out mowing the lawn because it was thicker than the tree tops of Endor!
On top of all that, I decided that I needed to build a work table in my Star Wars room. See, my SW room is upstairs, while my work table is built into the wall in my basement. So I went out, bought some 2x4s and a 2'x4' sheet of 3/4" MDF board and built it into a wall in my SW room. It's definitely NOT the prettiest piece of woodworking, because frankly, I suck with wood, but it's level, it's sturdy, it doesn't move, and now I can enjoy both my customizing and all of my SW collection.
Speaking of which, I have decided that I have too much Star Wars stuff that is collecting dust or filling up plastic tubs, so I'm on a cleaning rampage. I'm keeping the things I REALLY like, but everything else will be finding their way to Ebay. I'm keeping my complete Episode 1 carded collection, and then just the figures and ships I really like and don't already have carded. Some of my Unleashed figures are going too.
Tomorrow, I'll be taking pics of my new table, as well as my new set up of my Sideshow and Gentle Giant stuff.
By the way, Shawn, I counted my mini busts....48 on my shelves, with 11 more on pre-order, 3 more I haven't ordered yet, 5 classics busts, and 3 animated maquettes. What can I say, Gentle Giant's my crack!
-
LOL! Yeah, I would say you are hooked. I really have to say thank you for getting me hooked too! I am loving those new twelve inch GG Vintage figures and appreciate you hooking me up at CV. There are a ton of new busts too I will have to order.
Sounds great on your new room, boy you sure didn't waste any time. Did you get your art framed yet? I don't know why we didn't take pics of you holding that on day one. We might have to add those to the day one image gallery! I would have been a bit worried about you if you sold your entire Episode One collection after the stories you told me about getting it!
-
Stories hummmm?.... ;).....do tell....lol
-
The are will be framed by year's end, but that's after I get my tractor fixed and get some money set aside for Christmas. I'm glad you like those 12" GG figs, and you're more than welcome. I looked last night, and I can order them both right now if I want them, so no worries there.
As for my Episode 1 story, it goes a little something like this: Back in 1999, a Toys R Us near me had their Midnight Madness sale going for the new Star Wars toys. I went with a couple of friends, planning on picking up 3 figures: Darth Maul, Qui-Gon, and Obi-Wan. But, then I saw a couple others I liked, so I grabbed 5. See, I think I have a mild form of OCD, so I like even number groups (Yes I know 5 is an odd number, but it's the grouping I tend to lean towards!) and was happy with 5. But then someone mentioned that there were 4 different battle droids. Well, I didn't want to NOT have all 4, so I grabbed them all. Now I was at 9, so I grabbed an Anakin to make it an even 10. Then 13. Then 15, Then 20. And before I knew it, I was at 23, which was each figure in waves 1 and 2 for the line, and all that was out then. So, instead of getting the 3 I went in for, I got all 23 and spent quite a bit more than I had anticipated! And over the course of that year, I managed to get a complete set of Episode 1 figures.
-
I'm ashamed to say i had a similar experience with my local Kmart here. I'd gone along with a friend who had planned to grab just a few of the first wave, i was going to do the same.... At the end of it we had three trolleys full of figures , deluxe and vehicles between us. Needless to say that was a time when i had a lot more disposable income than i have now ..lol!.....
-
Ya know how they say, "when life gives you lemons, make lemonade?" Well, I've been trying to make some pretty high quality lemonade lately, and today, I found out my lemons are rotten!
A local hotel in the town I work in was found to be in violation, as their fire alarm system was non-functional. So, they were given the choice: Be shut down until it is repaired and operational as per city and state guidelines, or pay the guys on our Fire Department to do fire watch at $26/hour. They chose the latter, and it's pretty simple: we get to have our own hotel room throughout the duration of the repairs, and every hour, we walk the halls, initialing at 6 check points, and then go back to our room. At the end, they hand us $208 in cash for our "hard work." I make as much in 8 hours doing fire watch as I do in 13 hours at my part time job, so guess which one I'm doing this week!
In any case, I picked up one, to buy my wife stuff for her birthday. I picked up two more to buy myself a PS3. I'm currently working my second one as I type. Now, here's where the fun comes in... This morning while I was asleep at the firehouse, my wife calls to ask if I'd mind picking up something from the store on my way home: a new hot water heater. Yup, mine blew this morning, and need replacing. Better yet, it ran me just about the same as what I was setting aside for my PS3. Oh well, that's the price of owning a home, and I'd much rather have hot showers than another gaming system. Luckily, a friend from work came over this morning and helped me out, and we were done in about 4 hours. No copper pipes made it a lot easier. Just replaced the galvanized piping and it was all set to go.
Oh, and on top of all that, we discovered last night that my wife's license plates were expired as well, so that was another $125 today. We never got a notice in the mail, and with getting my new car all set up, it didn't dawn on us to check on hers! But that's ok, it's all taken care of, and now I can once again focus on picking up some extra hours here and there for my PS3!
-
Daggone, what bad luck! I have been there before.
That sounds like a great part time job to have for sure though! You should be able to recoup those losses and get your PS3 quick like!
-
Bummer on the water heater, Pat. Yep, when you own your own home, it seems like it is always something.
Good luck on getting a ps3 soon.
-
Yeah, it could have been worse, but it's not the end of the world. I was able to get the money to get it replaced today, and that was all that mattered. And now that's one less thing I have to worry about, at least for the next 6 years until the warranty goes up that is!
-
It sounds like you have already done it, but I replaced my top water lines on mine with the adjustable mesh versions so replacing those sure does make replacing them easy even if it does stink. For the price a twelve year one was way overpriced. The worst thing is getting rid of the daggone thing. I remember moving mine out of my house when it felt like I was moving tons. I really don't think there is any way to totally drain the water out of the daggone things.
-
I don't think there is either. If I had an appliance dolly, that might make it easier. But I went even easier still: I called in a favor! My youngest brother's friend is trying to get on my fire department, so I wrote him a letter of recommendation. So, in return, I asked him to grab a few strong guys from where he does construction and get it out for me!
-
Pat, I knew you were fairly bright, but that is downright golden. Still, young guys have no problem with that kind of thing. Ah, I used to have no problem.
-
As some of you may have noticed, I've been a bit scarce on the forums as of late. I don't have any children, but I do have two fantastic dogs, who are our children. A couple of weeks ago, Max, my oldest dog, didn't have his tail up as he usually does. It was hanging there limp, so I took him in. It was thought of as a sprained tail, since he slid down the stairs about a week before that. At the time, I didn't think he'd hurt himself, as he was still his usual self. But it got worse. He began to have trouble standing and going down the back steps to go to the bathroom. He was eating less and less until not at all unless you fed him by hand while he layed on the ground. He couldn't drink water unless you held it up for him so he didn't have to bend down. We took him back in again, and they did X-rays and blood work. What we found then was that he had cancer, so far progressed it was already in his bones and that was causing his troubles. That diagnosis was on 12/1. I was able to spend that day and the next with him and spoil him rotten. I had to carry him outside and set him down to pee, and then carry him back inside, but I was ok with that. Then last night, my wife called me at work to tell me he couldn't even stand to readjust himself anymore, and he had nipped at her when she tried to do it for him. That was him telling us he was ready to go. This morning at 10:00 CST on 12/4, I laid my boy, Maxim Yoda Newell, to rest. We're having him privately creamated so tha we only get back his ashes, and we'll forever cherish all the great times, love, and affection we got from him and gave in return. There was no better dog on this planet, and he will be forever missed and loved. I won't be online much for awhile, as I need time for myself and my wife. This is the 3rd dog I've had to put to sleep, and it never gets any easier.
-
real sorry about the loss mate . my dog had cancer in his leg
-
so sorry to hear that mate ,we have cats and when we lose one its hurts just as much as losing a member of the family (heck they ARE a member of the family) my condolences my friend
-
so sorry the same happened to me a few years back
-
Sorry to hear the bad news. Take care of yourself and wife, my condolences.
-
so sorry to hear that, whish I could help.
take care
-
Sorry to hear that Pat, I am in the same boat as you as I don't have kids but the dogs sure gets treated like one. It's never easy to have to end your time with one.
Hang in there buddy.
-
So sorry to hear that, Pat. I still think about the kitty that I lost earlier this year. I'm not really sad about her loss anymore. I just remember the good times.
Take your time with this one, buddy.
-
that story brought tears to my eyes Pat.... only just been through the same thing with one of our dogs only 2 months ago its still fresh in my mind and only suddenly losing another a week before that one was more of a shock to all of us,
imagine going out side to feed him, calling him and nothing, then going looking for him and finding him lying in a corner still affects me today....
my condolences my friend its always tough to loose a big part of the family, on the bright side i tell my 3 year old that they are on the moon and she can say hello when ever she likes.... so she does it every day when the moon rises without fail
and that brings a smile to my face when she does because i know that they had an effect on her and she will never forget them...
-
I am facing a similar situation here with one of our pets. It is going to be a devestating loss to our family so I can somewhat associate. My condlences Pat, I wish there was something great I could say, but your remembering of the great times and time will make this loss bearable.
-
Sorry to hear of your loss Pat but remember every living thing has a destiny his was to bring joy and happiness into you and your wife lives. Dont depair hes in a paradise full of wonder and happiness waiting for the day when youll all be together again.
-
I was wondering where you'd been. Sorry to hear it was for a sad reason rather than something more joyful.
-
Thanks everyone, for your kind words. It's getting a bit easier, though I still feel like my home is fractured. I miss him so much, down to the smallest of details, but I don't seem to be dwelling on his final days and moments as much anymore. I just got word that his ashes are on their way home tonight, so that'll be a bit bittersweet; he's home, but it's just not the same.
-
I am sorry to hear about your loss, Pat. But it is for the best, and he is no longer in pain. It doesnt make it any easier, I know.
Just this year I have had all 13 of our fish, our guinnea pig, an uncle, a dear friend, and a grandmother all pass.
My grandmother had stomache cancer they found in February, and she suffered through until the week before Thanksgiving.
Makes for great family holidays.
It is still saddening, but it gets better, and the memories are forever.
-
Wow! I'm back from vacation, and I'm NOT happy about it! My wife and I decided to go away on an actual vacation for once, the first one since my brother's wedding in 2005! We opted to go to Disney, because we love it there, and this year marks 10 years since we got married. Our honeymoon was spent in Disney as well, tying it all together! I tell you what, Disney really has this whole thing down to an exact science! We used their magical express transportation from the airport, so we didn't have to get our luggage. We just headed straight for the bus, checked in at the hotel, and took off for Epcot for lunch at the World Showcase. By the time we got back later in the afternoon, our luggage was waiting for us in the room. Unfortunately, they gave us a room with two full size beds, but I called and asked for a King and we were accommodated immediately. Having that hopper pass means we can go to as many of the parks as we want, as many times as we want. We enjoyed a little Pirates of the Caribbean and Haunted Mansion at the Magic Kingdom that night as well, since those are our 2 favorites. The addition to Captain Jack Sparrow was pretty cool to see!.
That next day, Wednesday, we spent the day at Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. I've never been, and it's pretty cool. The highlight, of course, was the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. I tell you what, when you round the corner and look down that area, it's just like being in Diagon Alley for sure! The excellent replications of the town are immaculate, as is Hogwarts itself! We got in line for the Harry Potter ride inside Hogwarts, and the wait time was about an hour. It went by quick enough, but then the chaos began. Once you get INTO Hogwarts, you have to stow any bags or such in a locker there and then get BACK into line somehow. It's really quite a mess, very little organization at that point. When we finally got onto the ride, we were so excited, until about 3 seconds into the ride, it stops. Mechanical problem. Then they turn on the freaking lights! After about 10 minutes of that, they start moving the ride again, but no sound or visuals, so I figure they need to fix it longer and are exiting all of us from the ride. Nope, 15 seconds later, it all kicks in again, so we missed a good 15-20 seconds of the ride. When the ride is about a minute long, that's a pretty decent chunk! What ride we did see was very awesome, and I'd have really liked it if perhaps the staff let us go again, or took us back to the front of the line, so we could do the ride correctly. Instead, we were ushered out the exit, and the wait was now 90 minutes. The only line longer than that was the one to get into Olivander's Wand Shop! Apparently, they let in only a few at a time, and then pick 4 from that group to be "fitted" for your own wand. These are more unique wands than the replicas you can buy in many of the kiosks across Universal, but also flimsier and cheaper. I did buy myself a Harry Potter wand while there, cast in resin and finely detailed. You could choose from Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Sirius, Malfoy, Dumbledore, McGonnagal, Voldemort, and I think a couple of others.
(http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f51/pnewell8/DSCF0902.jpg)
(http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f51/pnewell8/DSCF0904.jpg)
(http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f51/pnewell8/DSCF0911.jpg)
(http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f51/pnewell8/DSCF0912.jpg)
The fog and haze of the morning really lent itself to the feel of Diagon Alley/Hogsmeade/Hogwarts! The rest of Universal was pretty cool, the Marvel area was incredibly colorful! They had lots of Marvel Universe figs, but none that I didn't already have, and at $16 each, it was easy to pass up. We spent the entire day there, and one day was plenty.
The rest of the trip was such a good time! I got to ride Tower of Terror a couple of times at Disney's Hollywood Studios, and enjoyed the Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular there as well. Star Tours isn't open yet, and that stinks, because it opens for Star Wars weekends coming up soon. We went one day to Disney's Animal Kingdom and did the Safari and Jungle Walks. Those were way too cool! Rhinos are my favorite animal, and when we got to the white rhino area, two of them walked right in front of our vehicle so we had to stop and wait for them, and there was a baby one there as well! The only thing we didn't see is the Lions who were sleeping! Definitely worth going to see!
I tell you what, we couldn't have asked for better weather, and that's a fact. Mid- to Upper-80s every day, no clouds, no rain, humidity in the lower 60s. I got a tad burnt on the last day, just walking around the World Showcase! Coming home to 30s and snow flurries was such a disappointment! However, we got to come home and see our puppy dog who got her own souvenir and was VERY excited to see us!
-
Awesome shots of the Harry Potter part of ioa, Pat. I need to go back there one of these days.
-
Instead of trying to post them all here, I uploaded all of the pics from my Disney trip to my Photobucket account, which you can find here:
http://s45.photobucket.com/albums/f51/pnewell8/Disney%202011/
Now, however, it's back to the daily grind. Gotta get a haircut and pay some bills tomorrow, have a Union meeting at night followed by a hockey game. Tuesday is my last day to myself, and then it's back to work on Wednesday. I can't tell you how it's completely flabbergasting to me how I cannot adjust to the cold, even though I've been a part of it this whole winter, minus last week.
-
That was awesome Pat! Thanks for sharing. The gardens there are truely a fairy tale and I love that new Harry Potter section!Great shots buddy.
-
I could sure use some summer air myself.
I am gonna look at those pics at lunch today.
-
Thanks guys! It's definitely worth taking the family to when you get a chance, so start planning now. Hey, maybe we can set up an ISY trip there!
-
Ah, where to begin. So much has been going on lately that I've been overwhelmed with so much in so many ways! It's been a busy summer for everyone's favorite Phat Kid. I spent the first part of the summer planning our Fire Department's annual golf outing. I took the reigns this year, and there was a lot to do since the guy who ran it before didn't keep very good notes. So basically starting over from scratch, from the bottom up, it was a lot of work. July took me by storm, as it started off the first week with my youngest brother's bachelor party and wedding, followed 4 days later by our golf outing, followed 3 days later by a roller hockey tournament in Chicago. And if that weren't enough, I was also in charge of planning, organizing, and executing out FD's annual Muscular Distrophy Association Fill the Boot drive, collecting money to donate to the MDA, which was this morning. I had set our goal to be $2400, the cost of sending 3 children to MDA summer camp. I haven't gotten all the change counted out yet, but as far as paper money goes, we raised $1483 so far. I doubt seriously that there is $1000 in change, so it looks like we won't meet our goal, but seeing as we didn't do it at all last year and raised a big, fat,, ZERO, I'd say we're well ahead. We may do an additional day in front of Wal-Mart in late August to supplement the initial drive, as there's no limit to the number of drives we can have. I promised the department that if we had beaten my goal of $2400, I'd buy and cook dinner for all 3 Turns. I was a bit disappointed in the fact that only 8 people off duty came out, and only one station (the one at the intersection we did the Fill the Boot) came out to help. Unfortunately, our department is suffering quite the low morale these days, and getting people to come out and help is virtually impossible.
However, now that ALL of that is done, I only have a few things left to do this summer. I have another roller hockey tournament in August, the same weekend as Wizard World Chicago, which they now call Chicago Comic Con. Kinda funny that they call themselves a Comic Con when NONE of the comic companies attend the show anymore. Still, it's a chance for me to go and see if I can't find some great deals on some mini busts, statues, and action figures I've missed along the way. Sometimes you run into some cool characters.
Maybe now, I can try and enjoy more of my backyard and relax around the house a bit. Then again, probably not.
-
awesome, I hope you can reach your goal.
are you planning on going to gencon?
-
I hear you Pat and am in the same boat with life/activities with 2 kids. Heck Dylan is 18 what am I saying? I have missed you here but understand we all only have so much free time. Hope to see you here more soon buddy.
-
I agree where has the summer gone? Bummer about your MD Drive Pat and the fact that only a few of your staff came out.
Sounds like you have a good plan for the rest of the summer.
-
HFK, I'm not sure about GenCon yet. There's not usually much there that interests me, but it's always a possibility. L.E., I have a LOT of work to do here to catch up since I've kinda left Tamer in the lurch with everything. I get to peek in regularly, but haven't been able to do much else!
-
hey Pat, whatever happened to your trainset project? I only ask as I am in the stages of acquiring goodies to build the gf's grandson one.
-
Its still going very slow. I need to buy a couple more legs and reinforce the table itself, and still haven't decided on a layout yet. Once I do those 2 items, which will probably be this Fall when I take my long vacation, I'll start picking up the track and get it all laid out. I'd LOVE to find an HO scale model of Hogwarts, but no luck so far. It's always in the back of my mind, I just haven't had the time or spare cash to get to work on it!
-
Had a great day today with my tournament roller hockey team up on North Avenue Beach in Chicago for the Tour Cup Series Beach Cup. We're still a new tournament team, so we did average finishing 4th of 5, but at least we got medals...from 2006! LOL! Now, I'm beat, sore, and either have a raging cold or just feel like crap from the cool weather this evening blowing in off the lake. Time to download the pics from the event and hit the hay, I gotta work tomorrow and need to shake this nastiness!
-
Ok, so for those of you who have known me long enough, you know that this time of year is when I take a nice long vacation. Due to my schedule, vacation availability, and some trade time, I take a minimum of one month off in the Fall. Anywhere from September to November, really. This year, it's the entire month of October. What do I do with myself during all that time? Well, the simple answer is: Nothing. Mostly, at least.
My first week of vacation was spent playing X-Men: Destiny on PS3. After I finished that off, I made my To-Do list for around the yard since the weather was uncharactaristically warm, with weather in the low 80s. Being from NW Indiana, you really never know. Last year at this same time, the weather was in the mid to high-40s. So I made my long list of things, wasn't going to stop until everything was done. Problem was, I got it all done on the first day. Ain't that some crap? I cleaned up the garage and got it all straightened up to get ready to store all the lawn furniture, cleaned up all of the weeds and overgrowth around my shed that's been accumulating since we moved in almost 4 years ago. I pulled up the landscaping blocks in the lawn around the daffodil garden that looks great for 2 weeks in the spring, then like crap for the rest of the year and killed off the daffodils with some Round Up. I cleaned out the shed and got rid of all the cob webs and sprayed it down to kill off all the bugs and spiders. I removed all of the low hanging limbs and shrubbery and piled it up for what will be a glorious bonfire. I mowed the lawn nice and short, edged around the cement, weed whacked around things, blew off the trimmings, and even cleaned any brush and dirt off of the roof. All in one freaking day.
Yesterday, the wife and I decided to do a heavy cleaning of our bedroom. Well, one thing turns into another, and we decided that our beautiful sleigh bed we bought while living in the house we were renting, was just too big for our long, yet narrow bedroom. So, we took apart the sleigh bed and bought a queen-size metal frame for our bed. Or so we thought. We bought it from the Salvation Army for $20, and they have a no-return policy. Turns out, ti was only a full-sized frame. So since we can't return it, I made the best of it and bought some 2x4s and some 1/2"x4x6" boards and made some supports that would fit in the frame to hold the box spring. Works great! So we rearranged the room, opened it up tremendously by getting rid of the sleigh frame, and then went through all of our clothes, getting rid of anything we don't wear anymore. 3 13-gallon trash bags worth. Sad, I know. Well, we couldn't stop there, so we decided to clean out our spare room quite a bit as well. We have a houseguest that is staying with us long-term, and felt we needed to make that room his room, so we removed all we could from there to give him more of his own personal space. On top of that, we turned our upstairs hallway into our "Fire Hallway." We've long talked about turning that hallway into nothing but pictures, collectibles, and nick-nacks of fire department stuff, so we hung all of that. 7.5 hours later, we finished some deep cleaning, rearranging, remodeling, and overall heavy work that was long overdue.
Today, I put up some Halloween decorations. I love how some of the houses on our street look at this time of year, and Halloween may be my 3rd favorite holiday, behind Thanksgiving and Christmas. The Missus and I always talk about buying decorations after Halloween when they're 75% off and what not, but never do. So I decided that we would start small and continually build. $40 was my limit this year, and we bought some lights to go on the ground in the landscaping rock that rings the house, and a couple of strands to go up the pillars on the front porch. A couple decorations for the front door, and 2 windmill items for the yard in front of the front porch, and it's a start. Next year, perhaps we'll get something to stand up in the yard. I know, I'm a dork, but aren't we all? I love Halloween decorations!
Which brings me to the here and now: I have nothing else to do, and don't go back to work until November 2nd. I could clean and reorganize the basement a little bit, but that'll take me a couple hours at max, so it's not that huge of a deal. Without spending money I really don't have, I can't undertake any more projects around the house. I'd love to have a few grand so I could build my deck, but that's not happening.
I have a lot of potential possibilities yet, however. I can get to work on SEVERAL custom projects I have in mind. I could FINALLY finish my story, "In My Father's Footsteps." I will be buying the new game, Batman: Arkham City when it comes out on 10/18. If it's anything like Arkham Asylum, it'll last me well after I go back to work. I can catch up on all the movies and TV shows I've been wanting to watch. And I can take lots of naps with my puppies! I brought my recliner back into the living room, getting rid of our loveseat that really was underused, and they both want to lay with daddy all the time.
Speaking of puppies, I think I forgot to mention, we got a new puppy on August 25th. We had 2 dogs before, a terrier mix named Max and a pit bull/boxer mix named Joon. Max contracted cancer and had to be put to sleep in early December after 8 wonderful years with us. He truly was the best dog I ever had, was so well behaved, so good natured. Turns out, I put so much effort into being strong for my wife, I didn't deal with it well on my own. As much as I tried to move past it, I was really struggling with his loss. Joon wasn't doing all that great either, she missed having someone to play with. So I made the decision that we were getting a new pup. I'd been looking casually, because I wanted a puppy, not a young dog. I also refused to pay what some animal rescues and places like that were charging for animals who needed homes. We paid $65 for Max from the local County Animal Control center when he was 8 weeks old, which included his first shots and neuter. Joon was free to a good home, and we said we'd take her because we were told she was a boxer. I laughed uncontollably when she got out of the car at our place, because she was definitely NOT a boxer! So looking for the new puppy, I'd been keeping an eye again on that same animal control center, and one day saw a lab mix who was 10 months old and looked like a potential winner. I sent the wife to look at him while I was at work one day, and she called to say that that dog was pretty nice, but a brand new pit puppy came in just that same day, was only 11 weeks, and adorable. So I went the next day to look for myself. The lab mix was way too big for what we were looking for, and one look at that puppy my wife had seen and I was sold. I didn't even need to think about it; I filled out the paperwork and said I'd take him. They sent him home with me, along with a kennel to use until I bought him his own that same day. He is a brindle coloring, and we have named him Lidstrom, after my favorite hockey player Niklas Lidstrom on the Detroit Red Wings. I feel like the house is whole again. Funny enough, he has picked up several of the exact same traits that Max had, which is both heartbreaking and joyful simultaneously. I'll have to see if I can find some pics of him to post.
Here are my 2 puppies; Lidstrom (brindle coloring on left) and Joon (brown on right)...
(http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f51/pnewell8/photo.jpg)
Happy Sunday, one and all, enjoy!
-
Sounds like good fun and getting some work done! orry to hear about your dog Max but great to hear you have a new pup becoming part of the family! Enjoy the rest of your time off buddy.
-
That is a good feeling when all the work is done and no other major major projects are to be completed. It is great some days just having nothing to do.
Ofcourse one other area that needs major cleaning it our ftp so I guess we could perhaps use one of your days for that. If you are getting into any reading I highly recommend some of the zombie novels I am into namely the Apocalypse series from J.L. Bourne and the Zombie Fallout Series from Mark Tufo. The later has a wit and humor I think you would get a huge kick out of.
-
Shawn, let's shoot for a night this week or next that we can do a phone or skype chat and get that FTP cleaned up somewhat for sure. I work my PT job this Monday and Wednesday, and next Monday and Thursday. Other than that, I should be pretty much open.
I do have 2 books that are sitting on my nightstand, both of which need to be read. One is "Choices of One" by Timothy Zahn, taking place between ANH and TESB with Luke, Han, Leia, Chewey, and Mara Jade as the Emperor's Hand. the other is "Dynasty of Evil," the third of the Darth Bane novels. I so need to get going on these at night!
On that note, I have started a couple of custom pieces. One being my entry for the Mandalorian contest, the other for a special project I have in mind, though have no idea how to execute in its finality.
-
Hello folks, and welcome to another chapter in the life of the Phat Kid. Today we update with quite a few new twists and turns going on around me. Let's see here, where to begin..
-My home owners insurance, State Farm, dropped me in November. Apparently, State Farm is there, but only if you're giving them lots of money and not asking for any in return. I've filed 2 claims from storm damage to my roof, 3 years apart and different parts of my roof, so they would no longer provide coverage for my home. Searching for homeowners insurance, especially when a company cancels you, is not a good time. My rates almost doubled, and that was for a company who I'd never heard of through a local Insurance broker. ON top of that, that company (Hallmark) dropped me as of December 4th because my front porch did not have a handrail. My front porch never had a hand rail. Now, it's really not a big deal. I'd be happy to install one. However, they gave me hardly a week's notice to do so and I was swamped with work at the time. They wouldn't give me a chance to install one, they were out. Fine. Went to my mortgage company to see if they could do anything, which they could not, but they referred me to the insurance company that was partnered with them. The woman there was all about taking care of me, and did everything she could to get me covered. However, no one would cover me until I had a damn handrail. So I called my father-in-law, who's a carpenter by trade, to see if he could help. 2 hours and $38 later, a hand rail was installed and I was covered. They didn't even want handrails on both sides, nor did they want guard rails on the porch; just one handrail on one side. Morons. SO, at least I have insurance without any gaps, but I can't WAIT to see what my mortgage payment goes up to...
-At about the same time, I had come home to my wife telling me that it was raining in the basement. Apparently, the drain pipe to our kitchen sink and a leak somewhere in the wall and it was draining into the basement. No big deal, I thought; I'll just cut away the back of the cabinet under the sink and replace that pipe, or at very least patch it. Except that it didn't just go into the wall and down. It went into the wall and 3 feet to the left, behind the rest of the cabinets and stove. I'd have to remove my counter top, cabinets, and stove, cut into the wall and stud, remove the entire pipe, and put it all back. Instead, we bought all new PVC piping, p-traps, t-drains, and directional T and made a whole new drain, leaving the existing pipe as only a vent pipe since it was still connected to the vent stack. Sadly, I'm learning quite a bit about plumbing this year. However, there is still a slight complication that we're just going to have to deal with until we have the money to renovate the kitchen: Not thinking, I poured liquid plumber down the drain to remove a clog while there was still the leak in the wall. So the basement and inside of the cabinets has that lovely bleachy smell, and there's only so much air freshener and plastic sheeting you can work with. Not the end of the world, but annoying.
-If that weren't enough, my older dog, Joon (she's 8 this month!) was out in the backyard to run around in the little bit of snow we've gotten this year, and let out a loud yelp and had developed a limp. Apparently, she tore a ligament in her right rear leg. $1200 in surgery, or 6-8 weeks of rest with aspirin and glucosamine chondroitin. Naturally, I chose to rest her. On one hand, she's pretty lazy and sleeps most of the day anyway. On the other hand, she is stubborn like me, so she refuses to NOT do things like jump up on the bed or couch, or run to the door to greet guests. I have to take her back in a couple weeks to have her reevaluated. Hopefully surgery is not necessary.
-Work has been CRAZY busy. This time of the year is usually busy anyway, because for some reason, cancer, cardiac problems, and respiratory dysfunctions are worse. Suicides go way up as well. However, there have been very few suicides, but a LOT more heart attacks and respiratory problems. I worked Christmas day, and it was by far the busiest Christmas day I've worked yet, and I've worked 5 of the past 8. I've been working on my acting engineer training, which when completed will make me eligible to be an acting engineer when a spot opens up. Engineers are the drivers/pumpers for our fire engines, and are promoted positions. I cannot test to promote until I am an acting engineer, and I've finally completed all of my required training. All I have to do is test out with the Division Chief of Training, and I'll be able to test in March. About time! Engineer is the rank I want to get to, and really don't have any aspirations of going any higher (Lieutenant, Captain, or Chief).
-I had a very good Christmas. Half of my Christmas joy is giving presents and seeing everybody's reaction to them. I'd say I knocked the ball out of the park with my wife this year. She definitely made out like a bandit, as she got from me a new Coach purse, Open Hearts (Jane Seymore collection) ring and watch (co-designed by Citizen), and a new iPhone 4 (upgraded from her 3GS). The jewelry was a bit of a comedic endeavor, however. I asked for the ring in a size 9.5, but was informed that they do not sell those rings in sizes, it'll have to be brought back to be sized. Ok, odd, but ok. But then they wanted me to pay $16 to have it sized!!! You don't carry sizes in rings, but you expect me to pay extra to have it sized? Or for $20, I can have the lifetime warranty on the $70 ring. Unlimited sizing and buffing and cleanings. Ridiculous, if you ask me. On top of that, they wanted to put her Citizen watch in a Bulova box. They asked if that was going to be alright, otherwise they'd have to go to Macy's and borrow a box from them. I reminded them that I didn't buy a Bulova watch, and that they shouldn't even have asked; they went to get me a Citizen box. I made out very well also. I got a new pair of Bears warm up pants that I wanted, a new Indiana University hoodie, a new hockey stick, and a new HD Stereo receiver. Just a week before, my Onkyo receiver started to go out a little, with the sound fluttering from time to time while watching a movie. My wife needed more ideas for me, so while we were out wandering some stores, I pointed out a new Sony receiver with HDMI inputs tha I though looked nice and had all of the functions I was looking for. I got it all connected and watched RED on it, and was completely blown away! I didn't realize how much I was missing by only having the audio coming from my TV via digital optical cable. It's like going from standard def to high def in video; the difference was amazing! I have all of my components (Blu-Ray, PS3, and Cable) all going into my receiver, and out to my TV, so everything is now in HD. I'm currently watching the Giants/Cowboys game, and the surround is so incredible!
In what little spare time I've had, I've been spending playing Star Wars: The Old Republic and DC Universe Online on my computer. That is, until it fried out on me last Wednesday. I'm waiting for Toshiba to send me a shipping box to send it in for repair. It's driving me nuts because I was progressing so nicely, and now I can't play them. Ah well. 2-3 weeks and I'll be back to normal. Which is good, because my OCD isn't handling the change in habits too well!
-
Wow Pat. Talk about a day in the life of the home owner. Hope you get all that squared away.
When it rains it pours. Sounds like you had a nice Christmas though.
-
Wow, it has been quite some time since I updated this, hasn't it? Hello everybody! There are so many new faces around here, though I've quietly been keeping tabs on all of you here. I'm always so impressed with the high level of quality and creative customs you all create.
Since my last update, almost 4 years ago now, quite a bit has changed. I've gone through a divorce, which was sorely needed, but also quite difficult. And quite expensive, let me tell you. If I can offer anyone advice, it is that a prenup is not something to be taken lightly. Protect your investments and pension, if nothing else. Love is great, hatred is greater, and if you never need to use it, then a prenup is just a piece of paper. If you do go through a divorce, be sure to select a lawyer who is an expert at dealing with pensions and investments.
Enough about the negative, let's look at what else has happened! I hate to admit it, but I have sold off 95% or so of my collection. It was sitting in boxes in my garage, losing value due to the flooded marketplace, and I wanted to use the money for a greater good: School. I've returned to school to get a degree in Psychology. Not that I intend to leave the fire service anytime soon, but a lot can happen that is out of my hands. I could be injured on the job, the State of Indiana can win and make it illegal for municipalities to run a fire department (yes, they are actually trying to make municipal fire departments illegal here), or the funding for such things can dry up for whatever reason. I am eligible to retire in 8 years, or as many as 20 more years, so at that point, the choice will be up to me. No matter how you slice it, I didn't have a solid back-up plan, so I chose to get a degree. I'm due to graduate in June of 2016. At that time, I am looking at entering the Master's Degree program, which will take one year to complete. When I retire, I hope to move to the Southwest, where it's hot and dry, because I hate the Winter! Regardless, there are ample opportunities to gain secondary employment with a degree. So I sold my many, many items (12 Large Moving boxes worth) and paid tuition, books, and a new MacBook for school, and I'm not really sorry about it. I did keep my favorite items, and a few to distribute to my nephews and Godchildren.
Besides work and school, I have moved to the city I work for, and enjoy living here so much more. I kept one of my dogs from the divorce, my buddy Lidstrom, and along with my girlfriend (who moved in with me) got another dog, who's a goofy, slightly stupid pit bull/lab mix. I've gotten into photography thanks to my girlfriend, who is an actual photographer, and boy have I learned so much about the art! I wish I had the gear I do now back at Celebration V, I could have done so much more with the event! Combined with making Graphic Design a minor for school (I had a LOT of free electives to use up!), I'm learning more and more how to really create some fantastic pieces.
I'm always around, though I don't post often. I check in several times a day to see how you all are doing, and I'm so proud of this site that we built, and how you all have taken it to such amazing heights. Shawn deserves a medal for all the hard work he's been doing with the site, and I have to give him full credit for what we are today. See you all around!
-
Hello pat!
Sounds like you have been busy. Remind me how many years my junior you are?
-
I would be a robust and energetic 38, my good Sir!
-
Yep, that's how I felt about then. Spread your wings and fly then, former sw collector. Everyone changes. For some, it's just not as obvious.
-
Pat, thanks for the comments. Of course I knew a bit about what was happening in your life, but glad to hear how close you are to full degrees my man! I also loved hearing about that graphic design stuff, we can always use that around here!
-
It’s funny, I check in and look at posts daily, but I haven’t updated this in almost a year, again!
I held a (small) garage sale on Friday, trying to clean out the garage and other pockets of stuff I’ve accumulated. I had several boxes of loose figures and opened vehicles, just collecting dust in containers. I even had a few Clone Trooper mini-busts from Gentle Giant left over. I asked myself why I still had them, and didn’t have an answer. I thought about posting them here, or on Ebay, but the shipping would have killed me, on patience alone. So I put them in the garage sale, and they accounted for the majority of my sad little garage sale. I was pleased, though also a bit sad, that it all sold within 20 minutes of being open. Between 3 individuals, I sold all of the figures and ships, and within the hour, the lot of mini-busts to another. IN all, I damn near gave it all away for roughly $140. That was just about the last of my once large collection. I still have a shelf of my favorite items, and I’ll likely keep those for years to come, but the rest is now gone. I was a bit mad that all those years of collecting are now gone, but seeing the garbage that Hasbro, and even Gentle Giant and Sideshow are putting out, along with the outrageous prices, I’m not that broken up about it. At least the buyers were grandparents and younger adults who can now enjoy it, and that’s something.
School is almost done for me! I graduate at the end of October with my bachelor’s in psychology with a focus in mental health. Not leaving well enough alone, I’ll be applying for my Master’s. Why? Because why not? I’ll have to retire sometime, and I may as well have a back-up for then.
Then again, since apparently my body is already taking a crap, I better be prepared! I had to have my gall bladder taken out in the end of July and can’t go back to work until the end of September. Of course, I then go on vacation until November, so I guess it’s not all bad. I really miss the gym, though. You’d be surprised at how limited you become with a single hole in your abdomen. On top of that, I have lateral Chondylitis in my left elbow, which is obnoxious, and a mild shoulder impingement in my right shoulder. I’ve lost weight and size since I can’t be in the gym, so that’s messing with me mentally. I’m a walking calamity!
I took the money I made from my 2-hour garage sale (there wasn’t much left after my Star Wars stuff sold!) and bought some new camping equipment. I got a new portable grill and a new deluxe inflatable mattress. My girlfriend and I are going camping with friends of hers in 2 weeks, and I’m pretty excited about it. I’ve got the rest of the equipment I need already. I just hope it’s dry; my girlfriend is a sissy when it comes to storms! Then, at the end of the month, we’re going up to Door County, WI for a week up there for hiking and photography. Not a bad way to close out the summer.
You’ve all been doing some amazing work here, I haven’t failed to notice it all. I really should comment more often. As always, I’ll be around, feel free to leave me a note if you’d like!
-
Yeah Pat getting older sure stinks I can associate. Sounds like you are getting hit a bit harder though. I was glad to hear you are still being as active as you can, I so think thats the key to staying healthy and mentally tough.
Wish I would have been to that garage sale. I always say I am going to go to some, but never do. Guess thats my patience thing kicking in. Still get kinda sad to see another collecting buddy get out of the game, but I can sure understand your reasoning. I go through that every once in awhile myself, but always seem to get sucked back in.
Thanks for checking in and I hope to read about your camping excursions. My family officialy gave up camping about two years ago when storm had our tent 3 inches in front of our nose about 3am in the morning. It is a funny memory for us now, but not back then!