The "O" Word
Conservative by Nature, Christian by Choice
Wait!  Where's the pictures?  They're supposed to be right here!  I swear, you can't find decent help these days...

Gooooooood Morning!

September 21st, 2009 . by Cary

It’s amazing how much more rested you feel when you don’t drive a cab for thirty six hours, trying to do the last twelve on five hours of sleep and four hours of waiting in line, then getting two hours of sleep before going to a day full of church activities.

For those of you wanting to know – TMBWitW came through the procedure with no major issues, other than a continuing feeling of dizziness and pain that seem to want to stick around for the holidays. She is resting at home, in her own bed, and doing a lot of much-needed sleeping.

I’m off today – the owners of the Paper Plate Deli are driving back from Telluride today, after a much-deserved extended weekend away from work. I’m back on the clock first thing in the morning.

Remember, The O Word is back on the air on BlogTalkRadio starting this Friday at 0700 Mountain Standard Time.

How was your weekend?

Chat ya later…

cary

Thank you for stopping by, In GOD We Trust, God bless you all, don’t buy or breed cats or dogs while homeless pets die (spay, neuter & adopt a pet, one by one, until there are none), Wear Red on Fridays, and support Warriors for Innocence!

Not A Normal Friday

September 18th, 2009 . by Cary

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When last we left our fearless hero, he was fuming about 9/11, starting a new part time job, and worrying about his wife’s surgery…

Hi there! You probably wondered where I got off to. Last Thursday I started a part-time job in a deli as a prep-cook/person/gopher. Basically, my job entails getting the salads ready for the next day and keeping the items stocked in between helping customers. It helps that I know most of the customers, because the Paper Plate is located in and targeted to the Arizona Republic staff. Since my wife works at the Republic, I’ve been down to visit her many times in the last couple of years (what with all the free time I’ve been enjoying). This part time gig allows me to drop the more risk-laden adventure of driving a cab. No one I’ve talked to is sorry about that. This week, the owners of the deli went on a long-postponed, much-needed and highly-anticipated mini-vacation to Telluride, Colorado, to enjoy the blues festival this weekend.

No, it’s not the first time I’ve worked with food service – I cooked for a Girl Scout Camp in California many, many years ago. I enjoyed it then, and I am enjoying this now. THe only difference is I don’t have to make supper for the deli!

TMBWitW had her scheduled procedure this afternoon (I had to go in to work this morning, and then run home, get her, and take her to the doctor’s office for the procedure and then drive her home, which is why I haven’t blogged until this afternoon) and is now at home and resting in her own bed, where she will most likely be for the rest of the weekend.

A big thank-you to everyone who held her up in prayer, and I will keep everyone posted as to updates if they should be warranted – suffice it to say that no news is good news, and unless complications develop, just assume that she is healing nicely and will be on her feet soon.

As a side note – due to my new work schedule (I will be working Monday, Tuesday, Thursday for a few hours each day [and making more than working 36 almost straight driving a cab]) “The O Word” on BlogTalk Radio will most likely resume next Friday morning at 0700 Mountain Standard Time. I will be going in to schedule the shows and if you are on the list you will start receiving notifications. Hope to see you there!

Chat ya later…

cary friday

Thank you for stopping by, In GOD We Trust, God bless you all, don’t buy or breed cats or dogs while homeless pets die (spay, neuter & adopt a pet, one by one, until there are none), Wear Red on Fridays, and support Warriors for Innocence!

The Letter

September 9th, 2009 . by Cary

I received this in email today. The letter truly was read on the air by Glenn Beck on his June 25, 2009 show.

The following letter, read on Glenn Beck’s show, is rapidly circulating around the country. Americans everywhere identify with this 53-year-old woman. She has given us a voice. Once you read this, you will want to forward it to all of your friends…

GLENN BECK: I got a letter from a woman in Arizona . She writes an open letter to our nation’s leadership:

“I’m a home grown American citizen, 53, registered Democrat all my life. Before the last presidential election I registered as a Republican because I no longer felt the Democratic Party represents my views or works to pursue issues important to me. Now I no longer feel the Republican Party represents my views or works to pursue issues important to me. The fact is I no longer feel any political party or representative in Washington represents my views or works to pursue the issues important to me. There must be someone. Please tell me who you are. Please stand up and tell me that you are there and that you’re willing to fight for our Constitution as it was written. Please stand up now. You might ask yourself what my views and issues are that I would horribly feel so disenfranchised by both major political parties. What kind of nut job am I? Will you please tell me? Well, these are briefly my views and issues for which I seek representation:

One, illegal immigration. I want you to stop coddling illegal immigrants and secure our borders. Close the underground tunnels. Stop the violence and the trafficking in drugs and people. No amnesty, not again. Been there, done that, no resolution. P.S., I’m not a racist. This isn’t to be confused with legal immigration.

Two, the STIMULUS bill, I want it repealed and I want no further funding supplied to it. We told you no, but you did it anyway. I want the remaining unfunded 95% repealed. Freeze, repeal.

Three: Czars, I want the circumvention of our checks and balances stopped immediately. Fire the czars. No more czars. Government officials answer to the process, not to the president. Stop trampling on our Constitution and honor it.

Four, cap and trade. The debate on global warming is not over. There is more to say.

Five, universal healthcare. I will not be rushed into another expensive decision. Don’t you dare try to pass this in the middle of the night and then go on break. Slow down!

Six, growing government control. I want states rights and sovereignty fully restored. I want less government in my life, not more. Shrink it down. Mind your own business. You have enough to take care of with your real obligations. Why don’t you start there.

Seven, ACORN. I do not want ACORN and its affiliates in charge of our 2010 census. I want them investigated. I also do not want mandatory escrow fees contributed to them every time on every real estate deal that closes. Stop the funding to ACORN and its affiliates pending impartial audits and investigations. I do not trust them with taking the census over with our taxpayer money. I don’t trust them with our taxpayer money. Face up to the allegations against them and get it resolved before taxpayers get any more involved with them. If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, hello. Stop protecting your political buddies. You work for us, the people. Investigate.

Eight, redistribution of wealth. No, no, no. I work for my money. It is mine. I have always worked for people with more money than I have because they gave me jobs. That is the only redistribution of wealth that I will support. I never got a job from a poor person. Why do you want me to hate my employers? Why — what do you have against shareholders making a profit?

Nine, charitable contributions.. Although I never got a job from a poor person, I have helped many in need. Charity belongs in our local communities, where we know our needs best and can use our local talent and our local resources. Butt out, please. We want to do it ourselves.

Ten, corporate bailouts. Knock it off. Sink or swim like the rest of us. If there are hard times ahead, we’ll be better off just getting into it and letting the strong survive. Quick and painful. Have you ever ripped off a Band-Aid? We will pull together. Great things happen in America under great hardship. Give us the chance to innovate. We cannot disappoint you more than you have disappointed us.

Eleven, transparency and accountability. How about it? No, really, how about it? Let’s have it. Let’s say we give the buzzwords a rest and have some straight honest talk. Please try — please stop manipulating and trying to appease me with clever wording. I am not the idiot you obviously take me for. Stop sneaking around and meeting in back rooms making deals with your friends. It will only be a prelude to your criminal investigation. Stop hiding things from me..

Twelve, unprecedented quick spending. Stop it now. Take a breath. Listen to the people. Let’s just slow down and get some input from some nonpoliticians on the subject. Stop making everything an emergency. Stop speed reading our bills into law. I am not an activist. I am not a community organizer. Nor am I a terrorist, a militant or a violent person. I am a parent and a grandparent. I work. I’m busy. I’m busy. I am busy, and I am tired. I thought we elected competent people to take care of the business of government so that we could work, raise our families, pay our bills, have a little recreation, complain about taxes, endure our hardships, pursue our personal goals, cut our lawn, wash our cars on the weekends and be responsible contributing members of society and teach our children to be the same all while living in the home of the free and land of the brave.

I entrusted you with upholding the Constitution. I believed in the checks and balances to keep from getting far off course. What happened? You are very far off course. Do you really think I find humor in the hiring of a speed reader to unintelligently ramble all through a bill that you signed into law without knowing what it contained? I do not. It is a mockery of the responsibility I have entrusted to you. It is a slap in the face. I am not laughing at your arrogance. Why is it that I feel as if you would not trust me to make a single decision about my own life and how I would live it but you should expect that I should trust you with the debt that you have laid on all of us and our children. We did not want the TARP bill.. We said no. We would repeal it if we could. I am sure that we still cannot. There is such urgency and recklessness in all of the recent spending.

From my perspective, it seems that all of you have gone insane. I also know that I am far from alone in these feelings. Do you honestly feel that your current pursuits have merit to patriotic Americans? We want it to stop. We want to put the brakes on everything that is being rushed by us and forced upon us. We want our voice back. You have forced us to put our lives on hold to straighten out the mess that you are making. We will have to give up our vacations, our time spent with our children, any relaxation time we may have had and money we cannot afford to spend on you to bring our concerns toWashington . Our president often knows all the right buzzword is unsustainable. Well, no kidding. How many tens of thousands of dollars did the focus group cost to come up with that word? We don’t want your overpriced words Stop treating us like we’re morons.

We want all of you to stop focusing on your reelection and do the job we want done, not the job you want done or the job your party wants done. You work for us and at this rate I guarantee you not for long because we are coming. We will be heard and we will be represented. You think we’re so busy with our lives that we will never come for you? We are the formerly silent majority, all of us who quietly work , pay taxes, obey the law, vote, save money, keep our noses to the grindstone and we are now looking up at you. You have awakened us, the patriotic freedom spirit so strong and so powerful that it had been sleeping too long. You have pushed us too far. Our numbers are great. They may surprise you. For every one of us who will be there, there will be hundreds more that could not come. Unlike you, we have their trust. We will represent them honestly, rest assured. They will be at the polls on voting day to usher you out of office. We have cancelled vacations. We will use our last few dollars saved. We will find the representation among us and a grassroots campaign will flourish. We didn’t ask for this fight. But the gloves are coming off. We do not come in violence, but we are angry. You will represent us or you will be replaced with someone who will. There are candidates among us when he will rise like a Phoenix from the ashes that you have made of our constitution.

Democrat, Republican, independent, libertarian. Understand this. We don’t care. Political parties are meaningless to us Patriotic Americans are willing to do right by us and our Constitution and that is all that matters to us now. We are going to fire all of you who abuse power and seek more. It is not your power. It is ours and we want it back. We entrusted you with it and you abused it. You are dishonorable. You are dishonest. As Americans we are ashamed of you. You have brought shame to us. If you are not representing the wants and needs of your constituency loudly and consistently, in spite of the objections of your party, you will be fired. Did you hear? We no longer care about your political parties. You need to be loyal to us, not to them. Because we will get you fired and they will not save you. If you do or can represent me, my issues, my views, please stand up. Make your identity known. You need to make some noise about it. Speak up. I need to know who you are. If you do not speak up, you will be herded out with the rest of the sheep and we will replace the whole damn congress if need be one by one. We are coming. Are we coming for you? Who do you represent? What do you represent? Listen. Because we are coming. We the people are coming.”

I think she speaks for a lot of us. What do you think?

Some update news – I have secured a part-time position that pays more for less hours invested than the cab driving. The hours are afternoon/evening three days a week. I won’t be driving cab anymore, at least I don’t plan to at the moment (i know, you’ve heard that before…) so as it currently stands I may be able to start back into “The O Word” on BlogTalk Radio. I will let you know. Also, TMBWitW’s surgery is scheduled for 9/18 at 1200 MST. If you are the praying sort, we envy your prayers.

Chat ya later…

cary

Thank you for stopping by, In GOD We Trust, God bless you all, don’t buy or breed cats or dogs while homeless pets die (spay, neuter & adopt a pet, one by one, until there are none), Wear Red on Fridays, and support Warriors for Innocence!

First Friday in August

August 7th, 2009 . by Cary

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Is it just me, or is summer flying by this time?

This is “close” week, so TMBWitW is working long(er) and strange(r) hours. As a result, I usually don’t drive on “close” Fridays – which means ya’ll get to have me lurking in the shadows!

(you can tell it’s me from the red shirt)

While I have your attention – take a moment and check in over at Project 2,996 and sign up for the 2009 project. I have signed up, and am waiting for the name of the victim that I will be honoring this year. In the meantime, you can also check out my previous post on “Minnie” Wong by clicking on the link in the left sidebar.

And, don’t forget to Flag Yourself!

Chat ya later…

cary friday

Thank you for stopping by, In GOD We Trust, God bless you all, don’t buy or breed cats or dogs while homeless pets die (spay, neuter & adopt a pet, one by one, until there are none), Wear Red on Fridays, and support Warriors for Innocence!

How Was Your Fourth?

July 6th, 2009 . by Cary

As I mentioned in a reply to a comment to the previous post, mine was acceptable.

A little background – about three weeks ago, a little piece of plastic and circuit board under the dash of the QX4 (my primary and paid for non-green transportation) decided that it would take the summer off. That little piece of electrical engineering wonder (let’s call it 27761N) is known as the Fan Speed Control Module Assembly. In a QX4 it’s job is to automatically control the speed of the fan to keep the interior of the vehicle at the pre-set temperature. Most new vehicles have either this or a similar system in it attached to the air conditioning and the heater. It also sends the signal from the manual fan control to the fan motor. Well, with 27761N on vacation, there is no way to make the fan blow. That means that there is no AC in my primary means of transportation. That means that I won’t go anywhere with MEG since I will not subject her to a 110 degree breeze from the windows.

Last Tuesday, TMBWitW’s work told her she would have a laptop to use from home, since the VPN had been shut off and our home computer would not support the new SSL. “Great,” I thought – “Now I can remove the VPN from our home computer and no longer have that annoying conflict that keeps me from printing and surfing at the same time.”

Boy, was I wrong. The VPN removal stalled out AND permanently conflicted the Internet connection – unless I boot up in safe mode. TMBWitW’s laptop works just fine on the same cable modem.

Friday evening the start/run capacitor on the house AC unit decided to join 27761N on vacation. I was driving cab, TMBWitW was spending time with MEG and our church family at the home of the Pastor, so didn’t know anything was wrong until she got home at 2130 and found the temp climbing. When I finished my 12 hour overnight shift, I fell into bed at about 0515 Saturday morning. MEG woke up at 0730, and TMBWitW got up to take care of her. She woke me up right after that to tell me the AC was STILL blowing hot air. $150 and five hours later, the issue was resolved. But, now I had to go to the cage on two hours of sleep and get in line to get in line for a cab for Saturday night. Friday had not been lucrative at all, and I was hoping I could make up for a little bit of that on Saturday. While I was waiting to get a cab, TMBWitW and MEG were with friends and church family at a BBQ and swim party. Saturday night was better for me, but still not as much as it has been in the past. Also, for the last week, the humidity levels have been bouncing everywhere and we had a little bit of rain Friday evening. I’m sure you all remember how that affects my body, plus, as a bonus, I have a sinus infection. Again. I did, however, get to spend about 45 minutes watching the fireworks show over Tempe Town Lake – I was in the East Valley most of the evening and spent a little time during the show (when no one was moving) playing spectator; once the show was over the streets were so jammed that it took me about an hour to get to a dispatched call that was only 3/4 of a mile from where I had sat for 45 minutes.

Sunday morning I got about 3 1/2 hours of sleep – which was an hour more than I needed if I wanted to get to church on time. I made it to church – but my body was hurting, my voice was not with me, and I must have looked like death warmed over, since everyone had a shocked look on their face when they saw me. TMBWitW and MEG overslept, too – I think we were all so exhausted that we slept through both alarms.

This morning I did some clean-up work at the church. My body was still not ready for hard labor, but it was stuff that needed to get done and I got it done. Now I can relax a bit and let my body recover and my sinuses unwind.

I hope your Fourth was patriotic and it reminded you why you are proud to be an American.

(quick note – the TEA party for my area was held on Friday at 1630, not the best time to get coverage since all the government offices were closed for the weekend and only mad dogs, englishmen and cab drivers were outside at that time…)

Chat ya later…

cary

Thank you for stopping by, In GOD We Trust, God bless you all, don’t buy or breed cats or dogs while homeless pets die (spay, neuter & adopt a pet, one by one, until there are none), Wear Red on Fridays, and support Warriors for Innocence!

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