The Individual blog, No. 77 for the week starting March 17, 2008.
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Boondocks is about farms, rural life, and power toys.
Energy looks at high energy prices and our future.
Enviroman looks at man and the environment.
Hayseeds looks at politics and life in our nation.
Outblog is all about my outdoor experiences.
Transit looks at the changing ways we get around.
Truck gives you stories and trips in my Ford Ranger.
Rain, Still Have That Cold. I have a cold I can not seem to recover from. Is it's asbestosis? That's what I'm starting to think after reading An Air That Kills.
I did after all, work for an asbestos testing lab a few years back, where they did crappy PCM tests on site. We enabled both contractors to get rich, and screwed over people as didn't find any asbestos, despite the fact that it would have shown up on a TEM test. But it's all the EPA's and to a lesser extent the state's fault, not the fault of a testing lab, which only followed the law.
At any rate, it's rainy out. It's also budget season, and they're grinding out the budget and it's details. There is relatively few exciting new proposals this year, as it's mostly a tale of how we can cut more money out of the budget, to ensure that the bills get paid at the end of day and the lights stay on in the state buildings, and most importantly that state employees like myself get paid.
Today is pay day. Which is good as I badly need the funds to pay all the bills that are due on April 1st. It's an expensive month with car insurance due at the end of the month. At least my prenium is down to $298 every six months, as I've been violation and accident free, except for getting my pickup truck stuck in the mud, which doesn't count.
I bought two new dress shirts yesterday at JC Penny's. I went to Crossgates Mall for the first time in over a year. I hate going there, but I was able to get in the store through a side door, and directly go to the mens section. I really like the shirts I got, they have a nice look. I also bought a new tie, a replacement bike chain, and chain replacement tool at Walmart, and a copy of Bill McKibbean's Deep Economy at the Book House. Truly now, I'm a swanky urbanite—going to the mall, and high class independent and book store.
I really like that bright blue tie I bought, as do I like the maroon and light tan shirt, that will add nicely to my wardrobe. With these longer session weeks in budget time, and my aging wardrobe, I really needed to get some additional clothes so that I look nice for work.
I'm still working on figuring out how to replace the bike chain. I installed it incorrectly twice, but at least with the chain link tool, it's possible to reinstall. The damned thing keeps slipping out of my hands which is a real pain. I will get it fixed tonight, I swear.
I'm probably not going to the Pine Bush dinner or that interesting Peak Oil Lecture. I don't think I'll be out of work that early, as it promises to be a long day a work with budget negotiations going on. Plus I want to work on my bike, and get it done right.
I wonder how late I will be stuck a work tonight. P'Link
Still Sick. Honestly, I've been sick for what seems like weeks now. I first started feeling ill on March 1st, and I've had flu symptoms varying in amount ever since there. It seems like that's a problem in the office.
I don't know. Maybe the Alfred E Smith Building really is a sick building. Actually, I do know. Jim Tedisco's men are stuffing infected blankets in the vents upstairs, so that when the air is recycled on our floor, we get sick. Kind of like how the Indians where wiped out by Spaniards. P'Link
Happy First Day of Spring. Wonderful spring weather for Albany out there, and it looks like we might see a little sun out there, with weather that feels like 31 °F with the wind chill factored in. Not exactly spring, but as I've been noticing, the average real temperature has been moving upwards a bit to well above freezing.
Is that manure I smell?
No, it's the vaporization of nutrients from poor farming practices or a insane commodity system, that wastes valuable nutrients, and forces farmers to complete stupid nutrient management plans to keep the DEC happy. Okay, I'll stop quoting Joel Salatin.
The daffodils are starting to come up by my parents house.
No comment on that smell, mainly due to the lack of any odor yet. But their nice smell is only a few months away. P'Link
Gosh Darn Sleeves. I bought two new shirts on Tuesday. One was a 18/34-35 and a 18/36-37. I felt the sleeves where too darn short on the 34-35, so I wanted to get all shirts with 36-37, but they are hard to get them.
So I ended up getting one. The problem, is as I found out today, those darn sleeves are too long, and the the damn cuffs are always in my way.
Life sucks. Get used to it. P'Link
Good Friday. So it would appear to be the weekend or pretty darn close to it. The weather looks nice.
I'm feeling a bit better today, but still kind of sore all over and with a runny nose and a cold. But what can one really do about that? I just pray I'm feeling better by this weekend.
It's disappointing I had to work on Good Friday, and we aren't getting Monday off either for a long weekend. People over at the legislative offices all got today off, and all the county offices I've called today are all pretty much closed up too.
It should be a nice weekend this weekend. The big peace rally at the State Capitol is tomorrow, Saturday, at 1:30 PM. I will probably ride my bike downtown as it seems awful strange to drive a gas-hogging pickup truck to a peace rally. It won't be a big deal this year I suspect and will have low turn out.
Most of the peace people are pretty burnt out, and the reality is the war has been going well this year. But it's still important to have our voices heard.
Sunday I will be up to Thatcher Park or Partridge Run and then to my parents house for Easter dinner. P'Link
Copyright ©1999-2008 Andy Arthur.
All mistakes are intentional or otherwise.
Mind where you step in a cow pasture or legal mindfield.