Another Missed Opportunity

President G.W. Bush missed another opportunity last night to humanize the tragedies of September 11, 2001. Instead, he chose to try to resell his pack of lies to the American people and the world. I do not have deep political convictions, but I do think what we needed last night was re-assurance that we are safe, and for our elected leader to share our grief and condolences for the citizens that truly lost something and/or someone as a result of our government's ineptness (not that I expected him to ask for forgiveness, although that might have been a better strategy) on that horrible day, and since.

My friend and fellow blogger Kelly Stern, has a post today that I whole heartedly agree with. There is a time and place for everything, and I just don't think last night was appropriate for his reiteration of lame excuses for our being in Iraq or the middle-east at all, for that matter.

Disney/ABC put their political necks on the line by airing their dramatization of the events leading up to 9/11. While covering their behinds by insisting it was based only loosely on facts, they made me wonder how loosely? There seemed to be alot of indisputable realities and events, so how many of the disputed events and facts could be real as well? Seems that most affected negatively are doing major "backpaddles" up their respective creeks.

Elections are a wonderful thing, aren't they? We'll see how the American people feel about things in a couple of years, if it's not already too late.

Another missed opportunity? Not for me... and not for you to speak out and let your voice (and vote) be heard.

Over and "Totally Out" spoken, from Toano, Virginia

Five years later...

It seems like just yesterday that I was watching "Good Morning America", at my comfortable home in Richmond, and chatting online with a friend of mine from Miami on September 11, 2001. My friend asked if I had seen the news on the fire at the World Trade Center, which I had. As he typed the next message Charlie and Diane were commenting as video of the fire filled my TV screen. The pair of newscasters was superimposed on the tube with the video of the smoldering tower as the 2nd plane ripped into the twin of the burning building. I actually jumped when I saw what happened behind the news team. It took them a moment to realize what had transpired.

Five years later? No way...

So much has happened in my life, yet it pales in comparison to the events that began for tens (maybe hundreds) of thousands of people on that day, that continue today: The occupants of the towers and other buildings (including the pentagon) and their surviving families and friends, the Fire and Police professionals (and other unknown heroes) that risked their lives trying to save complete strangers, the brave souls on flight 93 and their spouses, children, parents and friends... and that's just the start. Every soldier sent to the mid-east that lost his or her life has a family and friends too... Just how many people did this affect???

Five years later? No possible way...

I plan to watch the fictional production of the events leading up to 9/11 on ABC tonight and tomorrow, using it only for supplemental color. Based on what I understand to be the findings of the 9/11 Commission, someone (some politician) needs to take responsibility for not doing their job. We, as taxpayers and voters, pay their salary and selected them to protect us. Someone failed... Was it the elected officials? or was it the low voter turnout? or was it??? I suppose we will never really know...

Five years later? And no-one to blame, or is there?

"And that's all I have to say about that"...

Over and "Out" from America, God Bless everyone touched by 9/11/2001

Can you say "OH SHIT"?

OH SHIT it is... I got home from work last night - after a grueling 12 hour shift - to find my bank account frozen (I do my banking stuff online, as I'm sure most do these days). It appears there is some kind of judgment against me (personally) for a business/corporate credit account with Capital One from like 2 years ago, that I thought was all resolved back in June... What a disaster... I called CapOne and got the "gee we're sorry but there's nothing we can do until the garnishment expires on October 2nd". What a line of crap that is... Someone can always do something, but after being on the phone with them for almost an hour, talking to several "account specialists" that hadn't a clue what I was talking about, to a person in the "fraud" department - that was also unsure of my plight, to someone in the legal department that, while pleasant and courteous, was also quite short and abrupt, like she was reading from a script. Finally asking for a manager, I was told that there was nothing they could (rather than would) do until the expiration date on the court order. I never could figure out why some people do not have bank accounts, now I know why... I have a couple of weeks before the mortgage/family payment is due, and I am not quite sure how it's going to happen... I guess there's always a way... I just haven't thought of it yet.

Otherwise, life is grand. Today is "honey do day" a list (I love lists) of things to do around the old homestead. It should keep me busy and my mind off the financial woes for the time being, at least until I have a brainstorm, or a stroke!!!

Over and "Out" for now, from Toano VA

New Faces - New Challenges

Well... I managed through the first day at the new store in Newport News. It's a 35 minute drive from our house in Toano - compared to the 10 minute commute I had in Richmond - to Newport News. I guess I took it for granted that I was accepted for who I am at my old store, not that my new team-mates don't like me, it's just I have to "come out" all over again to a new group of people. I don't want to hit them over the head with it, but I do want them to know that being gay is part of who I am. The sales staff - at least on my team - are a little more mature than the group I worked with in Richmond. Their tolerance/acceptance seems a little more hesitant in coming. Oh well...

Otherwise the store is very nice. I need to get used to the "operational" differences, but that shouldn't be that difficult. My feet hurt like heck after 12 hours yesterday. The floors are tiled over concrete, versus the floating hardwood at the Richmond store. It makes for some very hard stepping over a full day of chasing customers.

I would post some pictures I took this past week, but for some reason I can't get any photos to upload on to blogger.com??? If anyone has a suggestion or work around, leave me a comment. I am using IE6.0 and would prefer to stay with it and blogger, but I miss being able to put pictures up here every now and then.

From Toano, VA ... Over and "Out" for now!

The First Day of...

Today is the first day after Labor Day, the first day of school for most in our area, and the first day for me, at my new job in Newport News. This past week has been a whirlwind of sorts, with my move, family visits, and the remnants of Ernesto moving through. I suppose if JD and I can manage through something like - three days without electricity - and your parents visiting, we can weather any storm... And we did!! The first day through the last...

It will be good to get back to the rhythm of our everyday lives... I start this week with two 12 hour shifts, then off Thursday and Friday. I ended up on the same schedule as I had at the VCF in Richmond, so when things get slow, at least my old team-mates will be working and I can call and get the "scoop" on things in the old neighborhood.

JD and I went out shopping for a spa this weekend. He has some back problems and has always wanted to add to our deck and include a hot-tub when he did. The adventure begins... We will build a platform for the tub about 4-5 feet below the existing deck, install and use the new tub, then build a 600 square foot deck around the tub, in the spring - I built a similar sized deck at my old house around a swimming pool, so we should be able to manage a relatively simple, square deck...

Not much else happening in this neck of the woods... I will write more on our families visits on future posts...

Over and "Out" from Toano, Virginia...

The Simpsons vs Star Trek?

Click on the arrow and turn up your volume!

This was too funny to not include on a post. Can you tell I am on vacation this week? Filling my time with important tasks - like watching U Tube... hehehe

I have never been a Simpsons fan, but the combination is quite entertaining, and this guy is kind of cute in a silly way!

Back to the grind now... Over and "Out" from Toano

Home Sweet Home, Sweet Home...

Well... It's done! I am now an official resident of Toano, and James City County. My drivers license says so, and so does my car registration (oh yeah, I finally got the Sebring back last week after fighting with State Farm about replacing my windshield and winning). I even got my new tags and UM sticker the convertible in celebration! I am trying to get JD to allow me to add a UM decal to his jeep, but he is still "iffy" on the idea...

The move up was uneventful. I picked up the 14 foot U-haul at 7:30 Saturday morning, and started loading boxes and clothes and "stuff". BJ showed up (right on schedule) at 9:30 to help me move the bedroom furniture from my first floor room, out to the truck. We were both sweating like whores in church, by the time we finished. Is it possible to be 85 degrees with 110% humidity? It's pretty scary when ALL of one's worldly belongings fit into less than half of a 14 foot box truck. None the less, the van/truck was brand new and the A/C worked like a charm. We sailed down I-64 to exit 227 and my new place in the "burbs" of the "burg". Then the real work began. My furniture was all going up a slight hill, up the front steps of the house, around a real tight bend at the top of the porch, then up to the second floor. I think by then it was 95 degrees and about 150% humidity... YUCK! We got it all done in record time, and I got the U-haul returned to Richmond by the promised time of 1:30.

My new neighbors invited JD and me over for a "Welcome to the neighborhood" get together on Saturday night, which included many, many, gallons of liquid refreshments, dinner, and a yummy lemon cake for desert (which I am still enjoying for breakfast). Sunday was spent recovering from Saturday night, with a trip to the Prime Outlet mall mixed in for good measure. How could I possibly pass up an opportunity to go "outlet" shopping, even with blurry eyes and a pounding head? Ahhhhhhh, the life of a self-respecting gay man...

Yesterday, (oh yeah, I am on vacation this week) was pretty quiet. JD and I went down to Newport News in the morning to run a couple of errands, then came back up and lounged poolside at the neighbor's all afternoon. A great way to start what is leading up to be a pretty wild week with family visits.

More to come... from Toano, VA... Over and "Out"