1422: Henry VI becomes King of England at 9 months 1803: Lewis and Clark begin their voyage 1864: Union General Sherman launched his attack on Atlanta 1888: Jack the Ripper kills his first victim 1939: Nazi German makes preparation to invade Poland, beginning WWII 1991: Krygyzstan declares independence from the Soviet Union 1994: The IRA declares a cease fire 1997: Princes Diana dies
AND 2009: I sign the paperwork buying my house!
Yep, it's been a whole year already! Can you imagine? I can't. It seems longer...and shorter.
And what a year it's been. Six windows replaced so far, replaced the water heater, first Christmas here, new washer and dryer, paid something like $3000 in interest so far, and something like $98000 yet owed, two obscenely high electric bills this past winter, several flowers planted and still growing outside, two visits from Puntabupeeps, after a rough start with the neighbors everything's improved and is working out better than I could have ever expected a year ago, seven different male...visitors, countless friends and family stopped by, shoveled out from two blizzards in one week, and had a pretty bad funk in February. But still and all, it was a great year!
Here's the photo I took upon returning to MY house with MY keys after signing the paperwork!
First, it was a Monday, which is usually my day off, but since a coworker worked for me Saturday so I could attend my cousin's wedding (more on that in an upcoming post), I worked today for her. Nonetheless, I hate working Mondays. And I didn't want to get out of bed. At all. And I was in a bad mood all day, snapping at and being curt and short with people I really shouldn't have.
Bossy, Know-it-all Coworker (here on out, known as BKC) decided she was only going to do 2/7ths of what she was supposed to do, and left the rest for me to do. Just cause she didn't FEEL like doing it apparently. She's due to retire sometime around the end of the year, and if BKC said she was retiring tomorrow, it would NOT be too soon.
There's three of us in my department, and one of us is on vacation. Frankly, I'd prefer to just go the whole week alone without BKC there. Sure, it'd be extra work, but I wouldn't have to deal with all the drama and shit she brings to work. See, she USED to be the big fish in the pond. She had the ear of the powers that be, and anything she wanted, no matter how stupid or illogical, no matter that the other 2/3rds of our department felt it should be done a different way, she'd just go to the power that be and have them decide to do it her way. She was the unquestioned queen, not only of our department, but of a good portion of my workplace in general. She could do what she wanted with impunity, with no fear of reprisal cause of her relationships with the powers the be.
Well, over the last three years, two of the three powers that be retired. Leaving just one, the one that was least sympathetic to her. And people filled the positions of the two that retired, that knew what kinda person she truly was and saw through her facades and basically cut her off at the knees. The power she perceived she had went from immense to miniscule, or at least, no moreso than I or my other department coworker had. In fact, I dare say, I was listened to more then she was in some cases. And that has pissed her off to no end.
Depsite the innocent, good Christian woman facade she presents, I and my other department coworker knew her true self: a sneaky, lying, slimy, back-stabbing, bossy know-it-all who threw childish tantrums if she didn't get her own way. She's got a vicious streak a mile wild, albeit being very passive-aggressive. And she nurses a grudge forever, until she gets milk from it. And since the retirements, more and more people at work have been seeing this side of her.
She burned many bridges when she was 'in power', and it's all coming back to haunt her now. And she's mean, bitter and vidicitive. And now that's she close to retiring, I think her thoughts are two-fold. 1) "I'm gonna try to fuck up as much as I can before I leave to show them they can't treat me this way." and 2) "I'm going to do whatever the hell I want because I'm retiring. What can they do to me?"
And so, I had to deal with her drama and shit all day. Hence, my melodramatic and crappy day. Thank God it's over. Unforunately, since the third department coworker is on vacation all week, I have to deal with BKC's drama and shit until Friday. Thankfully, Saturday will be a day by myself, like they always are, and that should go well.
And I just keep telling myself, "in less than 4 months, she'll be gone, and I'll NEVER have to deal with her again. And things will be drama and shit free (or at least free of HER drama and shit)." How great that will be not to have to deal with all the tension and stress.
BKC...you're a bitch. And you're sad. And you know it. Get over yourself. You're not impressing anyone.
One of my coworkers, who I shall call Mauck, plays base in a local band, Thick Shift. (I by the way frequently call it Thift Shaft. Only occasionally by accident.) This concert was going to be the first time they played in public. And they were playing in the town I live in.
So a few months ago, another coworker, whom I'll call Ann, cause that's her name, told me she was going and that I was going with her. I said okay. And then last week another coworker, whom I'll call Chelsea, cause that's her name, invited herself along. And then Friday, the day of the concert, another coworker, whom I'll call Bob, cause that's his name, invited himself along. So the four of us came to my house, then ate at Montezuma's resturant (yum!) and then went to the concert venue, what used to be a small bowling alley and that was still located right across the street from Montezuma's.
Several week's ago, Ann and I decided to get t-shirts made for the concert. We got the band's logo off thier webpage, then went to a custom made t-shirt webpage and put it on a tshirt and ordered them, one for each of us. And between the restaurant and the concert we drove to the local Dollar Store. There, Ann bought a purple lacy bra and white thong. She and Chelsea threw those at Mauck right after the band finished while he was still on stage. HiLARious.
As for the concert itself...well, it wasn't my kinda music. It was heavy and hard and loud and with a LOT a screaming. I could feel the music vibrating up through my feet and legs as well as hear it. And hear it I did, even with cotton balls in my ears. It's not really the type of music I listen to, but, it was played very well. They were really a good band, but just not my type of band. There were about 50 people there in total. And none of us were near the stage we just sat back at tables and couches and watched. Still I had a great time, not only at the concert but with hanging out with all my coworkers as well.
And of couse I got photos!
This Ann and I in our custom made "Thick Shift" tees! Jealous yet?
The band playing. Yeah, the lighting wasn't so good. Nor was the distance.
I zoomed in and....things got no better. See that yellow blotch of color above the green blotch of color over on the left? Well that's my co-worker Mauck.
I tried again apparently at the exact same time that Mauck split himself in two like a cell dividing. But then he reassembled himself into one person. And yeah, my camera skills are quite impressive.
I got the hang of it a bit later and took another one. And this one turned out not so bad, except at the exact moment I took it, Mauck stepped behind the speakers and I didn't get him in the picture. *SIGH*
Ann looking particularly thrilled. I think this reaction was cause of the camera and not the music.
Coworker Bob and and overexposed Chelsea.
Mauck cousin works with us as well. He just started earlier this year. And since he's newer and younger and a bit smaller than Mauck, but with the same last name, we call him Little Mauck. Mauck had a few free t-shirts to give away, just to family, thought, so Little Mauck got one. But we took this photo to show just how much more awesome OUR custom made t-shirts are as opposed to the band's shirts. We rock, Ann and I.
Another cousin of Mauck's was there as well. We took to calling him Mauck 3. So this photo is comprised of Little Mauck, Mauck, and Mauck 3. (It was taken by his wife, and I pilfered it off Mauck's Facebook page. Along with the one below.)
This is all my coworkers that were there. Mike (who came with his wife and teenaged son), Bob, Chelsea, me (obviously, and showing off, once again, the awesome t-shirt), Mauck, Ann, and Little Mauck.
Also, I took a short video so you can get a feel for their music. That's my coworker Mock over on the left, strumming the bass.
And when I pan to the right, the idiot that starts attempting to 'bang her head' is my coworker Chelsea.
Just in case anyone's not aware, Glennie Beck is having a rally on the Lincoln Memorial in DC to 'take back' Martin Luthor King Jr's, "I Have A Dream" speech, cause we ALL know the Reverend Doctor was giving that speech for all the white, wealthy, middle-class, Republican, conservative, batshit crazy teabagger's of his era. *SIGH* If you're going, don't forget to take your Confederate flag and white sheet with ya, 'kay?
And I'm certain, Faux News tonight, tomorrow and all throughout the next month will accurately report the number of people attending as 947 billion. Or at least as some outrageously large number bigger than the number that actually attended the "I Have A Dream" speech all those years ago. Cause that's just how 'fair and balanced' they are when it comes to facts.
Been reading the polls that state the the Democrats are in huge trouble this November. And certainly, they will lose seats in Congress, historically, the party the controls the White House loses seats in Congress in off-year elections. But the "sunami" the wingnuts are foaming at the mouth in anticipation of? Nah, I don't think so. And the current polls do not disuade me.
Remember, if you can late August/early September 2008. McCain just picked Palin as hi VP and for the first, and only time during the election, he pulled ahead in the polls. Obama and the Democrats sat back and didn't do a lot to counter it, at the time, causing me worry. But in September, he came roaring out with both fists swinging, told people what was going on, and won.
Remember, if you can, late August/early September 2009. Health Care Reform is stalled in the Senate. The wingnuts are going all batshit crazy at every town hall meeting held by Democrats, screaming at the top of their lungs and preventing any real discussion or question and answer session from taking place (which was thier intended effect) and just making asses of themselves (which was an unintended effect, surely). And Obama and the Democrats sat back, did little to counter any of it and, at the time, causing me worry. But in the end, Obama got out there, pushed for it and the Democrats got it passed.
Now comes late August/early September 2010. The polls show big losses for Congressional Democrats. Wingnut are working themselves up into a lather prophesying a 1994-esque Republican takeover of Congress, which would mean nothing will get done (as Obama still has the veto pen, and the Democrats will surely have filibuster proof numbers) except for numerous, time and money wasting 'investigations' of 'crimes and occurances' by the Republican leadership. And Obama and the Democrats has really done nothing yet about it.
But this time, it's not causing me worry. Obama and the Democrats haven't even started campaigning yet. They haven't even began running on the Health Care Reform saving us from Insurance company whims and greed, the stimulus that prevented us from falling into a depression, the $8000 first time home buyer credit (without which, I'd still be sitting in a third floor apartment instead of owning my own home), cutting the banks of the student loan program saving us lots of money, rescuing of the auto industry from bankruptcy (many of the affected companies are paying back thier loans now with sizable interest), a tax CUT for all but the richest of Americans, renewed American respect among out allies, and that's just what I can think of off the top of my head. And I'm not a political operative.
I'm hoping that this year is a repeat of the last two, and Obama and the Democrats come out swinging and extol the virtues of what they've accomplished over the last two years.
They'll loose seats, of course, as history patterns dictate. But with the savvy they display the last two times, they'll mitigate those and still come out on top. I hope (not worry, but hope).
Due to my love of all things purple, I suppose it should come as too much of a surprise that I have a lot of purple things in my home. "How many purple things, Polt?" you ask. Well, let's see.
Purple plastic cup. Just puchased this weekend at Wal-Mart, 2 for $5!
Purple curtain in dining room. Mama Polt made these herself!
Purple flower growing in front yard. Much ot my surprise, I haven't killed it yet! And it appears to be actually flourishing.
Purple hand soap.
Purple Anti-acid. Although why it's label is purpled when it's cherry flavored is beyond me.
Purple bathroom rugs.
Purple crate. What else this shows me is that I must get to work on organizing that middle bedroom still.
Purple mouthwash. Kinda tastes like crap, but it's purple, so I use it.
Purple paint on dining room walls. Although the credit for this actually goes to the previous owners.
Purple Photo Album. The rainbow one off to the left holds all my Gay Pride Parade photos from over the years.
Purple dust rag. Not that I really honestly dust much.
Purple rugs in the dining room.
Purple shamp00 and conditioner.
Purple t-shirt.
Purple tiara and beads. Shut up, it's not like YOU don't them too somewhere in your house!
Purple toothbrush carrier. So I travel in purple style on vacations.
Purple weed growing right off my back porch. I do wanna rip it out, cause it's just a weed. But it's purple. So it lives.
THE PURPLE EYE OF POLT SEES ALL!!! Rantings, ravings, and writings from a gay liberal Democrat in one of the reddest parts of a blue state - come on in, sit down, prop yer feet up! Check the archives, vote in the blog poll, post yourself on my map, make yourself comfy - and stay a spell!
"And while you're sleeping, I'll try to make you proud. So daddy, won't you just close your eyes. Don't be afraid, it's my turn to chase the monsters away." - "Monsters", James Blunt
