I may have found a bike shop that I like. It hasn't been easy. The first shop I went into a few years ago (as chronicled in an earlier rant) felt a bit like the headquarters of a cult that I was invading, unknowingly. There was just a creepy vibe and I really don't want to have to go back there. The second shop was good until they did some work on my bike, overcharged me, and didn't tighten my rear bolts so that within a minute of riding, my wheel had slipped and the tire was rubbing against the frame. I tried to talk to them about some things I'd like to do to my bike, but they didn't seem really interested. The third strike was the fact that they closed about 10 minutes before the posted closing time when I had rushed to make it before then, but couldn't get my bike because they felt like going home. There was absolutely no response to this when I mentioned it the following day.
Full disclosure here, I have a bike that is at least 20 years old. It's a steel alloy frame and cost me $60 used. I used to work in a bike shop where the owner stressed the importance of the commuters and to treat their bikes and them just as well as the higher end bikes and their users. I've been having a tough time lately dealing with bike shops that don't pay much attention to me or my bikes (or kids' bikes) and I've been getting tired of it.
Moving on, I wanted a shop close by, but I found one within about 30 minutes that I got some positive feedback about. I went there today and returned with my bike, but it was actually a good thing. The mechanic was upfront with me that it would be a while before he could get to checking out my bottom bracket, but things would slow down in a week or so. I talked to him about the things that the other shop wouldn't consider and he gave me a couple of options and actually seemed interested in helping me. Marty's Bicycle Shop has earned a new customer and I have a feeling it will keep me.
Showing posts with label Rants. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rants. Show all posts
Friday, August 17, 2012
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Lament from the outside of the IT department
I used to be on the inside. I used to be the guy they went to to get something done. Then I went and actually learned some things about computers other than what I picked up just by playing around with them which led me to the conclusion that playing around with technology is the best way to learn anything about it. I'm pretty fearless when it comes to playing around with technology because I know that it's pretty hard to mess anything up, provided you don't actually know too much. In fact, I think there's an inverse relationship between how much you know and how much you can mess a computer up by playing around. Actually, it's probably more of an exponential function because it takes a while before the damage really starts adding up, but that's beside my point.
I used to be on the inside, but then I was on the outside with very good connections to the inside, which was still a good position to be in. I got what I wanted most of the time because I could be trusted to know what to do and actually kept a lot of lower level problems from making it to the tech department. I have been cut-off for a couple of years now, and I feel like Dennis the Peasant from Monty Python and the Holy Grail. But I don't think the argument that "supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses" is going to get me back inside.
Three years ago I was trained as a CFF teacher (Classrooms for the Future), which gave me some benefits such as a projector and a laptop that I could put software on and take home and use to prepare lessons. For two years, things were great. I found a program I thought would be interesting and I tried it out. If I didn't like it, I removed it and went on with my life. If my printer needed new drivers or I got a new piece of hardware, I installed the drivers and went about with my business.
This past year, all administrative rights were revoked from my account (along with everyone else, it wasn't just me). While there was a very efficient tech help request protocol for getting things installed, it was still an irritation. The worst part was that all laptops had been re-imaged over the summer, so every little program had to be reinstalled. Still, the tech department was very responsive; I just needed to get organized so they wouldn't have to make multiple trips.
This summer it got worse yet. I am going away and needed a printer to go with my laptop. Even though my home printer drivers survived the re-imaging and the printer somehow remains as an option for my laptop, it is way too big to bring with me. I got a cheap little printer (it might even be cheaper to buy new when the ink runs out rather than buying new ink). I plugged it in to see if Windows 7 had the drivers; it didn't AND I do not have administrative power to install them. I checked with my tech department to see when I could bring it in to get someone to install them for me (Mommy, can you tie my shoes for me?) and did not get a happy reply. The tech said, "we do not support personal software or hardware. We can only install what has been purchased or otherwise tested by the tech department." How exactly am I supposed to work on a machine at home where there is no expectation of going into school in the summer and not be able to print! They're printer drivers, not exactly risky software. I've put up with all of the changes because I can understand where the head tech is coming from, but this is too much.
At this point, I think I'm going to have to buy a (relatively) cheap laptop that I can put drivers on. I'm not happy about it. I think it's ridiculous. I miss being on the inside. It's not so much the power I miss, but the ability.
I used to be on the inside, but then I was on the outside with very good connections to the inside, which was still a good position to be in. I got what I wanted most of the time because I could be trusted to know what to do and actually kept a lot of lower level problems from making it to the tech department. I have been cut-off for a couple of years now, and I feel like Dennis the Peasant from Monty Python and the Holy Grail. But I don't think the argument that "supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses" is going to get me back inside.
Three years ago I was trained as a CFF teacher (Classrooms for the Future), which gave me some benefits such as a projector and a laptop that I could put software on and take home and use to prepare lessons. For two years, things were great. I found a program I thought would be interesting and I tried it out. If I didn't like it, I removed it and went on with my life. If my printer needed new drivers or I got a new piece of hardware, I installed the drivers and went about with my business.
This past year, all administrative rights were revoked from my account (along with everyone else, it wasn't just me). While there was a very efficient tech help request protocol for getting things installed, it was still an irritation. The worst part was that all laptops had been re-imaged over the summer, so every little program had to be reinstalled. Still, the tech department was very responsive; I just needed to get organized so they wouldn't have to make multiple trips.
This summer it got worse yet. I am going away and needed a printer to go with my laptop. Even though my home printer drivers survived the re-imaging and the printer somehow remains as an option for my laptop, it is way too big to bring with me. I got a cheap little printer (it might even be cheaper to buy new when the ink runs out rather than buying new ink). I plugged it in to see if Windows 7 had the drivers; it didn't AND I do not have administrative power to install them. I checked with my tech department to see when I could bring it in to get someone to install them for me (Mommy, can you tie my shoes for me?) and did not get a happy reply. The tech said, "we do not support personal software or hardware. We can only install what has been purchased or otherwise tested by the tech department." How exactly am I supposed to work on a machine at home where there is no expectation of going into school in the summer and not be able to print! They're printer drivers, not exactly risky software. I've put up with all of the changes because I can understand where the head tech is coming from, but this is too much.
At this point, I think I'm going to have to buy a (relatively) cheap laptop that I can put drivers on. I'm not happy about it. I think it's ridiculous. I miss being on the inside. It's not so much the power I miss, but the ability.
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Post Wisconsin Observations
Madison is changing - mostly vertically
They sell beer by the six pack and there has been no apocalypse - contrary to what the beer distributors here think will happen if Pennsylvania were to make that move
If you put in bike lanes, people will bike - trying the converse is neither practical nor responsible
Budget Bicycle Center's service department is disappointing - it shouldn't matter how fancy or unfancy a bike is, you give it the same attention as every other bike. We took my daughter's bike (which we won in a drawing - it's not fancy) to get the chain tightened and the service guy couldn't even be bothered to get out of his seat to talk to us or even get the ticket. When we picked it up, they hadn't even bothered to put the training wheels on in a way that the rear tire touched the ground. I'm actually opposed to training wheels, but they might be right for her. Either way, we were clearly treated with less than acceptable service because of the pedigree of her bike. I will not return there on any trip. I should have gone to the Yellow Jersey where I know the owner values any bike (or at least any customer) to come through his door.
Beer tastes better on the Terrace
The Dane County Farmer's Market is still amazing - how many different beasts can you get jerky from with one circuit?
You need to go to the source to get truly delicious fried cheese curds
There is an art to making a Brat
There is an art to making a Kringle
The best cart (name) I saw - FIBS: Fine Italian Beef & Sausage (they went with the alternate meaning for that acronym)
There is a much wider variety of beers than just pale ales and IPA's
Woodman's is still the best grocery store around
My new favorite brewery doesn't distribute out of state
They sell beer by the six pack and there has been no apocalypse - contrary to what the beer distributors here think will happen if Pennsylvania were to make that move
If you put in bike lanes, people will bike - trying the converse is neither practical nor responsible
Budget Bicycle Center's service department is disappointing - it shouldn't matter how fancy or unfancy a bike is, you give it the same attention as every other bike. We took my daughter's bike (which we won in a drawing - it's not fancy) to get the chain tightened and the service guy couldn't even be bothered to get out of his seat to talk to us or even get the ticket. When we picked it up, they hadn't even bothered to put the training wheels on in a way that the rear tire touched the ground. I'm actually opposed to training wheels, but they might be right for her. Either way, we were clearly treated with less than acceptable service because of the pedigree of her bike. I will not return there on any trip. I should have gone to the Yellow Jersey where I know the owner values any bike (or at least any customer) to come through his door.
Beer tastes better on the Terrace
The Dane County Farmer's Market is still amazing - how many different beasts can you get jerky from with one circuit?
You need to go to the source to get truly delicious fried cheese curds
There is an art to making a Brat
There is an art to making a Kringle
The best cart (name) I saw - FIBS: Fine Italian Beef & Sausage (they went with the alternate meaning for that acronym)
There is a much wider variety of beers than just pale ales and IPA's
Woodman's is still the best grocery store around
My new favorite brewery doesn't distribute out of state
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Oh Yes It's Honors Night and the Feeling's Right
We had our middle school's annual honors awards banquet tonight. This is the sixth year I've been teaching at this school and the sixth time I've attended. Is it a night of my free time that I spend to attend? Yes. Do I have to go (is there any mandate or official remuneration for going)? No. Do I attend grudgingly because of an unofficial expectation? Surprisingly, no. Is it nerve wracking being up on the stage to give the awards, even if I'm not speaking? Yes.
Why do I go? I go for the kids. I go because this is one time during the year where the only expectation is to honor kids who go the extra distance to do remarkable things. Is it geared towards academics? Yes, but it also goes beyond. There are kids who are invited because their grades have been stellar all year long, but we also invite students who have done something special. These reason range from doing good things for others, being helpful, being a positive leader, basically just being awesome for the sake of being awesome.
That being said, I cannot understand why people would regularly not attend. Sure, things come up once in a while, but aside from that, what message is being sent to the kids. "I'll teach you during the day, but beyond my classroom doors, you don't exist to me." It bothers me that there is not a better representation on a consistent basis.
Am I trying to put anyone on a guilt trip? No. I just don't understand why, if our primary responsibility and focus is on our students, everyone wouldn't make an effort to attend. This isn't a night to make a statement that one doesn't feel valued by the administration or some other gripe. We are honoring our best and that should go above politics and conditions that they have no role in or control over.
Every year I love seeing the reactions of different students to the awards they get and the public attention for something good that many often fail to receive. We have some great students. We need to let them know. Being there is the first step.
Why do I go? I go for the kids. I go because this is one time during the year where the only expectation is to honor kids who go the extra distance to do remarkable things. Is it geared towards academics? Yes, but it also goes beyond. There are kids who are invited because their grades have been stellar all year long, but we also invite students who have done something special. These reason range from doing good things for others, being helpful, being a positive leader, basically just being awesome for the sake of being awesome.
That being said, I cannot understand why people would regularly not attend. Sure, things come up once in a while, but aside from that, what message is being sent to the kids. "I'll teach you during the day, but beyond my classroom doors, you don't exist to me." It bothers me that there is not a better representation on a consistent basis.
Am I trying to put anyone on a guilt trip? No. I just don't understand why, if our primary responsibility and focus is on our students, everyone wouldn't make an effort to attend. This isn't a night to make a statement that one doesn't feel valued by the administration or some other gripe. We are honoring our best and that should go above politics and conditions that they have no role in or control over.
Every year I love seeing the reactions of different students to the awards they get and the public attention for something good that many often fail to receive. We have some great students. We need to let them know. Being there is the first step.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Wine by mail, beer still by the case.
No, the title is not misleading. It will make sense at the end.
Here is an excerpt from the recent Gene Yaw newsletter outlining how one can get a free photo ID which will be necessary for this fall's general election.
If you do not possess any of these forms of identification, you may obtain a free photo ID from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. It is a simple process. First, you must sign an affirmation that you do not possess any forms of identification listed above (Voter Affirmation), then you must complete an Application For Initial Photo Identification Card (DL-54A). Finally, take these documents to your nearest Photo Licensing Center along with your Social Security Card, accompanying proof of citizenship such as a birth certificate or passport, and two proofs of residency such as a utility bill, car registration or lease agreement.
I have three questions about this.
1) If you have a passport, I'm pretty sure it satisfies the requirements stated in the first option of acceptable photo ID:
Identification issued by the United States Government that includes your name, a photograph, and an expiration date that is not expired.
Even if a passport doesn't meet those criteria, I believe, correct me if I'm wrong, that passports are far from free and as a possible supporting document kind of negate the whole FREE photo ID thing.
2) As a second option for proof of citizenship, birth certificates aren't exactly free either.
3) Is there any conceivable situation in which someone has no proof of residency, but is a resident (perhaps an elderly parent living with a child who is not responsible for paying any bills and doesn't drive)?
I checked the website, you can bring someone to vouch for you. However, that seems to undermine the whole point of this new legislation
OK, only one of those was actually a question, but you know what I meant.
Then there's Senate Bill 10:
Senate Bill 10 - is a proposal that seeks to amend Pennsylvania's Constitution by allowing individuals the freedom to purchase their own health care. The legislation would prohibit the enactment of any law requiring a person to obtain or maintain health insurance coverage, except as required by a court; prohibit a person from or penalizing a person for making direct payment to a health care provider; or instituting any penalty, tax, assessment, fee or fine for a person's failure to obtain or maintain health insurance coverage.
On March 28th, this bill passed the Senate by a vote of 29-19 and will now go before the House State Government Committee for their approval. Since this bill is seeking to amend the Pennsylvania Constitution, it must be voted in two consecutive legislative sessions and pass a statewide referendum before it can be approved.
Yeah! They are guaranteeing freedom. That means it has to be good. I can only guess this is in reaction to healthcare reform. Is a constitutional amendment a bit strong? I admit; I'm a bit confused by this.
Finally, we have Senate Bill 790:
Senate Bill 790 - is a proposal which amends the Liquor Code to allow for the direct shipment of wine from out-of-state to Pennsylvania residents. The bill would permit a producer, with a direct shipper's license, to ship up to 18 liters per month to any Pennsylvania resident who is at least 21 years of age.
The state is going to allow mail order wine from out of state, but we still have to buy beer by the case?
This state is confusing and disappointing me.
Here is an excerpt from the recent Gene Yaw newsletter outlining how one can get a free photo ID which will be necessary for this fall's general election.
If you do not possess any of these forms of identification, you may obtain a free photo ID from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. It is a simple process. First, you must sign an affirmation that you do not possess any forms of identification listed above (Voter Affirmation), then you must complete an Application For Initial Photo Identification Card (DL-54A). Finally, take these documents to your nearest Photo Licensing Center along with your Social Security Card, accompanying proof of citizenship such as a birth certificate or passport, and two proofs of residency such as a utility bill, car registration or lease agreement.
I have three questions about this.
1) If you have a passport, I'm pretty sure it satisfies the requirements stated in the first option of acceptable photo ID:
Identification issued by the United States Government that includes your name, a photograph, and an expiration date that is not expired.
Even if a passport doesn't meet those criteria, I believe, correct me if I'm wrong, that passports are far from free and as a possible supporting document kind of negate the whole FREE photo ID thing.
2) As a second option for proof of citizenship, birth certificates aren't exactly free either.
3) Is there any conceivable situation in which someone has no proof of residency, but is a resident (perhaps an elderly parent living with a child who is not responsible for paying any bills and doesn't drive)?
I checked the website, you can bring someone to vouch for you. However, that seems to undermine the whole point of this new legislation
OK, only one of those was actually a question, but you know what I meant.
Then there's Senate Bill 10:
Senate Bill 10 - is a proposal that seeks to amend Pennsylvania's Constitution by allowing individuals the freedom to purchase their own health care. The legislation would prohibit the enactment of any law requiring a person to obtain or maintain health insurance coverage, except as required by a court; prohibit a person from or penalizing a person for making direct payment to a health care provider; or instituting any penalty, tax, assessment, fee or fine for a person's failure to obtain or maintain health insurance coverage.
On March 28th, this bill passed the Senate by a vote of 29-19 and will now go before the House State Government Committee for their approval. Since this bill is seeking to amend the Pennsylvania Constitution, it must be voted in two consecutive legislative sessions and pass a statewide referendum before it can be approved.
Yeah! They are guaranteeing freedom. That means it has to be good. I can only guess this is in reaction to healthcare reform. Is a constitutional amendment a bit strong? I admit; I'm a bit confused by this.
Finally, we have Senate Bill 790:
Senate Bill 790 - is a proposal which amends the Liquor Code to allow for the direct shipment of wine from out-of-state to Pennsylvania residents. The bill would permit a producer, with a direct shipper's license, to ship up to 18 liters per month to any Pennsylvania resident who is at least 21 years of age.
The state is going to allow mail order wine from out of state, but we still have to buy beer by the case?
This state is confusing and disappointing me.
Monday, April 16, 2012
Pensions cost us paper!
It's that time of year again. The school year is over 3/4 finished and supplies are starting to run low. Today we get the message that we are going to run out of paper; please conserve. Within an hour later we get the message that the two cases of paper in the copy room have gone and will not be replaced. Now I know that everyone wants paper to make copies with, but raiding the only paper left so you can make copies in a couple of weeks is just lame! Now all copies have to go through administration first to get approval. Many thanks to the vultures and jackals that have made this possible.
But as you can read in our illustrious paper, the real culprit is the exorbitant pensions teachers are getting these days. Why are education funds being slashed? I think it's summed up best here (Click here). Yeah, the rhetoric is getting hot again and it's our greed that has led to this problem.
But as you can read in our illustrious paper, the real culprit is the exorbitant pensions teachers are getting these days. Why are education funds being slashed? I think it's summed up best here (Click here). Yeah, the rhetoric is getting hot again and it's our greed that has led to this problem.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
FedEx is useless
I ordered something online on the 3rd. It shipped the next day. It was scheduled for delivery on the 11th. Today is the 12th and it's still not here. I checked the tracking again and below is what I found:
Jan 12, 2012 5:04 AM Arrived at FedEx location LEWISBERRY, PA
Jan 10, 2012 11:40 PMArrived at FedEx location FEDEX SMARTPOST ALLENTOWN, PA
Jan 10, 2012 8:38 AM WINFIELD, PA
Jan 10, 2012 6:52 AM Arrived at FedEx location MUNCY, PA
Jan 9, 2012 8:49 PM Arrived at FedEx location LEWISBERRY, PA
Jan 6, 2012 7:47 PM Arrived at FedEx location FEDEX SMARTPOST ALLENTOWN, PA
Jan 4, 2012 8:58 AM Arrived at FedEx location FEDEX SMARTPOST GROVE CITY, OH
Jan 4, 2012 2:21 AM Arrived at FedEx location GROVE CITY, OH
Jan 3, 2012 3:31 PM Picked up COLUMBUS, OH
To make this clear it went from Columbus to Grove City to Allentown, to Lewisberry, to Muncy, to Winfield, back to Allentown, and back to Lewisberry again.
I called FedEx to see what was going on. Once I gave my tracking number the very sorry operator informed me it was a SmartPost package and is being handled by the post office. She understood that it was confusing that all of the tracking information is through FedEx and all of the packages locations are FedEx locations, but she couldn't help me in any way because FedEx has nothing to do with this package. To make it worse, to other packages were both in Allentown on January 6, but they made it here already.
It's schedule for Saturday and I need it for Saturday night (I guess I foolishly thought that ordering on the 3rd would be enough time to arrive by the 14th).
Thursday, July 28, 2011
So glad I've gotten rid of Windstream
My wife and I had finally had enough of our current telephone and internet provider, Windstream. A year or two ago, they bought out our local provider. Up to that point, I actually enjoyed the few talks I had with customer service and always felt that I was treated well by the company. Windstream bought them out and almost immediately, we started have connection issues with the internet. Then our phone lines started getting extremely fuzzy. It got so bad, that we could hardly hear the people we were talking to. Windstream said they detected no problems with the lines, so it must be inside the house. It also got to the point that we had to restart the modem at least 3 times a day to get internet access and often even that wouldn't help. Windstream told me that our connection was fine.
We switched to the cable company for everything. In order to do the switch, I needed a passcode to port my number. I called Windstream and got a code. A day later the cable company said the code was rejected. I called back and got a completely different number, which this time worked. I planned on shutting off the Windstream service a few days after the switch so I could get all of my email contacts switched to a new address when all of a sudden, I couldn't access my email anymore. I couldn't even get to a login screen. I called today to cancel Windstream and they had already cancelled when the phone number got ported. I asked why that would cut off my email and got some BS answer. Luckily I didn't use their webmail and have all of my old emails, otherwise, it would all be lost.
It's sad that a good, well-liked, local company that did it's job well was bought out by what clearly seems to be a large corporation that acts like a child when it doesn't like what you do. Good riddance to Windstream and I haven't had to restart a modem all week!
We switched to the cable company for everything. In order to do the switch, I needed a passcode to port my number. I called Windstream and got a code. A day later the cable company said the code was rejected. I called back and got a completely different number, which this time worked. I planned on shutting off the Windstream service a few days after the switch so I could get all of my email contacts switched to a new address when all of a sudden, I couldn't access my email anymore. I couldn't even get to a login screen. I called today to cancel Windstream and they had already cancelled when the phone number got ported. I asked why that would cut off my email and got some BS answer. Luckily I didn't use their webmail and have all of my old emails, otherwise, it would all be lost.
It's sad that a good, well-liked, local company that did it's job well was bought out by what clearly seems to be a large corporation that acts like a child when it doesn't like what you do. Good riddance to Windstream and I haven't had to restart a modem all week!
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Realtor Rant
If you schedule a visit at 1:30, a 15 minute buffer for me to get out of the house should be more than enough. Stop showing up early, without even calling with a warning. I have a 5-year-old, a 3-year-old, and a large dog that all have to get out of the house. Said creatures need to be cleaned-up after before we leave and I don't care how much you clean ahead of time, there will be magic clutter that appears where they exist, and as we all know from watching HGTV, it is impossible to sell a house with any visible clutter. I'm already conceding the fact that children live in the house, so I'm working at a disadvantage here. Don't make my live more difficult by showing up early, during nap time and wondering if I mind that you are early. I want to sell my house. You have somebody with you who wants to sell a house. At least apologize or even acknowledge the inconvenience.
Next time I sell a house, I'm writing into every document a deduction to the buyer's agent commission if they or anyone from their office brings somebody to my house more than 15 minutes before the scheduled time. In fact, I'm including a deduction for any showings that last less than 5 minutes or are scheduled after 6:00.
Next time I sell a house, I'm writing into every document a deduction to the buyer's agent commission if they or anyone from their office brings somebody to my house more than 15 minutes before the scheduled time. In fact, I'm including a deduction for any showings that last less than 5 minutes or are scheduled after 6:00.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Enough is enough
America is under attack. I am not speaking metaphorically. I am not using hyperbole. We are under attack. The opposition has been building up its forces, its munitions, and its other resources for many years now. It has been waging a propaganda war for quite some time now and has been softening us up without our even knowing it. The first shots have been fired. They have been strategic attacks aimed at our best and only defenses. They attack now with impunity secure in their beliefs that we have become so apathetic and helpless that there will be no resistance. They fight with words. They fight with ideas. They fight with money.
I've had enough. I am not content to let this happen. Wisconsin has shown us that resistance is not futile. We have numbers. We are the people and we should all be saying, "Enough is enough!" Sure we have differences, but we should be united by what we have in common, rather than divided by how we are different. Divide and conquer has been their mantra. We need to stop saying, "Why should that person get something when I don't?" We need to start saying, "What can I do so we can all have that?"
There is an orchestrated concerted effort on many new/ish Republican governors acting under the guise of fiscal conservatism. They are making a power grab. They are eliminating their competition. They are working to do the opposite of their traditional role of limiting government. The patterns are there across the country. Anywhere they can, they are increasing the influence of corporations and diminishing the rights of actual human beings. Michigan's governor is trying to pass legislation that would allow a corporation to swoop in during a "financial crisis" and actually dismiss elected officials. Who decides if it's a crisis? The governor. The Wisconsin governor has been trying to eliminate public unions' right to collective bargaining under the guise of a budget repair bill. Thanks to a prank phone call, we got proof that he is just a tool for corporate money.
It's time for elected officials to stop pandering to corporate interests. They represent us, not a company. They need our best interests in mind, not how they can raise more money for their campaigns. Across the nation, our "leaders" are attempting to push through legislation that limits people's rights. In the name of fiscal responsibility, education is being gutted with school vouchers to private/religious institutions as an alternative. Schools are being told that they need to increase performance, will be held accountable for students scores, and must do all of this with drastically reduced funding that will result in larger class sizes, fewer resources, and no respect. The Pennsylvania governor announced a budget that would no longer reward teachers for earning Master's Degree and would actually lower the requirements to become a teacher!
I'm sick of it. I'm sick of money ruling all. I'm sick of personal gain being a roadblock to societal success. Do we want to be a successful country, or do we want it to be easy for corporations to run their businesses? I'll leave you with one last question: Where do corporations go to make the most money? They go to countries with the laxest laws that let them do whatever they want to the workforce to mass produce products regardless of the cost to human welfare. Is that where we are going? (sorry, had to add another question.)
Please, contact any and all government officials that you can. Remind them that there are more of us than them. They call rile up the extremes of their party all they want, but all parties have reasonable people with common goals. People need to come first, not money.
I've had enough. I am not content to let this happen. Wisconsin has shown us that resistance is not futile. We have numbers. We are the people and we should all be saying, "Enough is enough!" Sure we have differences, but we should be united by what we have in common, rather than divided by how we are different. Divide and conquer has been their mantra. We need to stop saying, "Why should that person get something when I don't?" We need to start saying, "What can I do so we can all have that?"
There is an orchestrated concerted effort on many new/ish Republican governors acting under the guise of fiscal conservatism. They are making a power grab. They are eliminating their competition. They are working to do the opposite of their traditional role of limiting government. The patterns are there across the country. Anywhere they can, they are increasing the influence of corporations and diminishing the rights of actual human beings. Michigan's governor is trying to pass legislation that would allow a corporation to swoop in during a "financial crisis" and actually dismiss elected officials. Who decides if it's a crisis? The governor. The Wisconsin governor has been trying to eliminate public unions' right to collective bargaining under the guise of a budget repair bill. Thanks to a prank phone call, we got proof that he is just a tool for corporate money.
It's time for elected officials to stop pandering to corporate interests. They represent us, not a company. They need our best interests in mind, not how they can raise more money for their campaigns. Across the nation, our "leaders" are attempting to push through legislation that limits people's rights. In the name of fiscal responsibility, education is being gutted with school vouchers to private/religious institutions as an alternative. Schools are being told that they need to increase performance, will be held accountable for students scores, and must do all of this with drastically reduced funding that will result in larger class sizes, fewer resources, and no respect. The Pennsylvania governor announced a budget that would no longer reward teachers for earning Master's Degree and would actually lower the requirements to become a teacher!
I'm sick of it. I'm sick of money ruling all. I'm sick of personal gain being a roadblock to societal success. Do we want to be a successful country, or do we want it to be easy for corporations to run their businesses? I'll leave you with one last question: Where do corporations go to make the most money? They go to countries with the laxest laws that let them do whatever they want to the workforce to mass produce products regardless of the cost to human welfare. Is that where we are going? (sorry, had to add another question.)
Please, contact any and all government officials that you can. Remind them that there are more of us than them. They call rile up the extremes of their party all they want, but all parties have reasonable people with common goals. People need to come first, not money.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
I thought butchers ground meat
Tomorrow is my daughter's 5th birthday, next week she starts kindergarten, and I asked her what she wanted to eat for her birthday. She chose tortellini, which involves making the pasta fresh and hand folding each tortellino (4 semesters of Italian taught me that tortellini is the plural and saying tortellinis is wrong). I use the same recipe my grandma used and passed along through my mom and probably originated at least with my great grandma from Bologna and it's always been my favorite food. I've made it three times now. The first time turned out decently, but I couldn't get ground veal at the grocery store, so I used their meatball mix which included beef, pork, and veal. It wasn't quite tender enough. Last time I bought a piece of veal and ground it up myself in the food processor. This worked well, except the gristle didn't grind well and left chunks that I incompletely picked out of the mixture as I was folding. (There was also the side issue of drying them in the oven so the cats wouldn't eat them and forgetting they were there when I heated up the oven for something else. Baked pasta that has not been boiled yet is disgusting and no amount of sauce or cheese can save it.) On Monday I went to get ingredients and they had ground veal, but not pork. I asked the butcher if they had ground pork and she responded that they were out but a truck was coming in on Tuesday. At this point, many responses flew through my head, all with the common idea that "you are a butcher," "you cut meat for a living," and "don't you have some sort of meat grinder back there?" Then my thoughts turned to why they had to wait for a truck to bring in ground pork. With all of that big equipment back there, you have to do more than use the big heated plastic wrap dispenser. I eventually asked if they could grind some and was met with the reply of, "I guess, but you'll have to wait for it. How much do you need." The words themselves weren't so bad, but the total lack of initiative or desire for customer service was. I asked for my half pound and saw that it was only $1.50/pound. I don't think they gave me the best quality ground pork; we'll see. Since I moved here, I've tried avoiding this grocery store because there always seems to be a general atmosphere of inconvenience exuding from the employees whenever they are asked for something. I refuse to use the deli because they are outright hostile and nobody wants hostility mixed in with their cold cuts. But this latest episode just confirms my idea that there is something wrong with that store. Even though it was recently renovated, the only real improvement was the addition of buying beer in six-packs (this state has the weirdest liquor laws). I'm sticking with Giant.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Dell Rant
For the first 3 weeks of June, I was without my own computer. I had been using my school laptop, but they needed it for summer maintenance and I couldn't go back to my Windows '98 machine. A quick daily check on my wife's computer was the extent of my usage. For the past week, I have been spoiling myself with my new computer. The problem is, I have been completely unproductive because I have not had any Office applications to use. As I went to use Office 2010 for the first time, I was asked for my product key. After much searching, the key I entered would not work. Upon closer examination, and a bit of humiliation, I realized I was entering the Windows 7 product key.
I sent Dell an email explaining that I did not receive the product key with the computer. The auto-response email stated that they would get back to me within 6 hours. The next day I decided to call Dell. After explaining my situation, I was told that I needed to get the card with the product key on it and enter that. I repeated that I received no such item with my shipments. Anyone who knows me knows that when it comes to technology and its documentation, I don't throw anything away. Finally, the person I was speaking with said that they would send out a copy of Office with a new product key and it should arrive by Tuesday (the day was Monday).
Tuesday came by - nothing. Wednesday came and I got a response to my email saying that I did not need a product key to use the Starter Edition. Thursday came with nothing in the mail, so I responded to the email stating that I purchased, was billed for, and paid for the Home and Student edition and that I was getting a bit cranky. Later that day, I got a response stating that I need to go into the shipping boxes and retrieve the product key. Needless to say (though I'll say it anyway), I was getting a wee might irritated. I checked every box and piece of paper again and then responded that, as I said in the telephone conversation, I never received that card. At that point, I asked that I either get a product key by the end of the week or have my money refunded. I got a response this morning (Friday) saying that they don't send out physical copies, but that a new product key would arrive in 1-3 days.
Arg. At least I have a pretty monitor.
I sent Dell an email explaining that I did not receive the product key with the computer. The auto-response email stated that they would get back to me within 6 hours. The next day I decided to call Dell. After explaining my situation, I was told that I needed to get the card with the product key on it and enter that. I repeated that I received no such item with my shipments. Anyone who knows me knows that when it comes to technology and its documentation, I don't throw anything away. Finally, the person I was speaking with said that they would send out a copy of Office with a new product key and it should arrive by Tuesday (the day was Monday).
Tuesday came by - nothing. Wednesday came and I got a response to my email saying that I did not need a product key to use the Starter Edition. Thursday came with nothing in the mail, so I responded to the email stating that I purchased, was billed for, and paid for the Home and Student edition and that I was getting a bit cranky. Later that day, I got a response stating that I need to go into the shipping boxes and retrieve the product key. Needless to say (though I'll say it anyway), I was getting a wee might irritated. I checked every box and piece of paper again and then responded that, as I said in the telephone conversation, I never received that card. At that point, I asked that I either get a product key by the end of the week or have my money refunded. I got a response this morning (Friday) saying that they don't send out physical copies, but that a new product key would arrive in 1-3 days.
Arg. At least I have a pretty monitor.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Disappointment and Dragons (not connected)
I finally made it to the new bike shop in town. I swung by on Friday, but they were closed. I walked in today, but it seemed a little dark. I went back to the open door and looked to make sure it said "Open." It did. I figured they were trying to save on energy. I went in and was pointedly ignored until I asked a question. I asked if they sold used bikes. They guy simply said, "No," and that was it. Having worked in a bike shop and knowing other people who have and run bikes shops, I know that the key to a successful shop is service and community. I continued walking around the store to see what they had and never once did the guy try to engage me in any way. Now this is a new branch of a local shop that opened up in anticipation of a rail-to-trail opening within a half block. There is already one shop in town and it's not a large town, so you would think that this shop would be doing everything it could to get customers. As I finished my circuit of the store, the guy was at the formerly open doors and was closing them and turning the open sign around. No longer hidden was the sign showing the hours. I said, "Oh, you guys aren't open yet?" and he barely acknowledged my comment and utterly failed to win me over as a customer...ever. That made me very sad.
Our downtown area puzzles me. There is a good variety of shops, but at very few of them do I actually feel welcome when I walk inside. I don't know how some of them maintain business. As I was walking from the mechanic to the bike shop, I was struck by how pedestrian (and bike) unfriendly our community is. There is now safe/comfortable path to take along the major route through town (separate from the downtown stretch). Sidewalks are in bad disrepair and the pedestrian crossing system is so car-centric that it takes a very long time to get a cross signal and they are some of the shortest signals I've seen. Our community is currently deciding the fate of the high school. Our population is growing and our current schools are going to run out of room. We have the pleasure of a school right in the middle of the community and as I walked past it today I actually realized the benefit of having a school in the heart, rather than on outskirts, of the community. We need to focus on lessening the sprawl and making the community more of a cohesive integrated one. I'm not sure how that will happen, though.
It's been a great spring break so far and we had great weather for a little birthday party on Saturday. Yesterday I took my daughter to see How To Train Your Dragon in 3D. She was almost too small for the glasses. I kept pushing them up her face periodically throughout the movie. It was really good. I mean, given dragons and vikings, it's easy to do well, but this was a very entertaining movie. I have only one minor complaint. Why do the vikings have vaguely Scottish accents? Is it that difficult to do a Scandinavian accent? Vikings get so little screen time as it is that they deserve a more accurate portrayal while they are fighting dragons.
Our downtown area puzzles me. There is a good variety of shops, but at very few of them do I actually feel welcome when I walk inside. I don't know how some of them maintain business. As I was walking from the mechanic to the bike shop, I was struck by how pedestrian (and bike) unfriendly our community is. There is now safe/comfortable path to take along the major route through town (separate from the downtown stretch). Sidewalks are in bad disrepair and the pedestrian crossing system is so car-centric that it takes a very long time to get a cross signal and they are some of the shortest signals I've seen. Our community is currently deciding the fate of the high school. Our population is growing and our current schools are going to run out of room. We have the pleasure of a school right in the middle of the community and as I walked past it today I actually realized the benefit of having a school in the heart, rather than on outskirts, of the community. We need to focus on lessening the sprawl and making the community more of a cohesive integrated one. I'm not sure how that will happen, though.
It's been a great spring break so far and we had great weather for a little birthday party on Saturday. Yesterday I took my daughter to see How To Train Your Dragon in 3D. She was almost too small for the glasses. I kept pushing them up her face periodically throughout the movie. It was really good. I mean, given dragons and vikings, it's easy to do well, but this was a very entertaining movie. I have only one minor complaint. Why do the vikings have vaguely Scottish accents? Is it that difficult to do a Scandinavian accent? Vikings get so little screen time as it is that they deserve a more accurate portrayal while they are fighting dragons.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Tale of the Brat Thief
I still can't decide if I'm upset with the events of last night or proud. I made a couple of brats that I had roaming in the freezer and cut them up to eat with some pasta. I was working on something else and when I turned around, about half of the brats were missing. My daughter was there and said, "I love brats!" and proceeded to continue pilfering my stash. I lost my cool a bit as I didn't have any back-up brats and told her to stop. She took the plate to the table and the next time I turned around ate all but two little pieces. I was really looking forward to those brats, but the enthusiasm she was exuding about them may have made up for not eating them. I quite proud of how much she likes brats. She even chooses them over hot dogs.
Tuesday night was one of the best nights of volleyball I've played in a while. Even though it was in a gym with a concrete floor and the end lines were the walls, it was a lot of fun. We played what was probably one of the best teams, and it turns out that we may also be one of the best teams. We split the 4 games and could have won all 4. I felt a lot more comfortable this week getting use to playing 6's again after three summers of doubles. This is going to be a fun season.
I even went for a run the following day and felt good, not unbearably stiff. Anyone who read my last post saw that I found a new shoe store. It's really my new store. I decided that shoes were too big and contacted them to see if they could do anything for me. They have a 30 day return policy, regardless of the condition of the shoes. I'm glad that I decided to boycott Dick's Sporting Goods. I tried to buy shoes there and couldn't get someone to help me. It was clear that I was looking for shoes and wasn't just looking casually. I had my 1-year-old in a stroller, so I was definitely motivated to find a pair and make a purchase. You don't go trying on shoes for fun with a 1-year-old. As I stood looking at the display, holding shoes and looking intently at the sales people, the only response I could get was a curt notification that they only had that shoe is size 14 as one guy rushed to help someone else. I waited for a good 15 minutes and couldn't even make eye contact with anyone. No one even gave me so much as a, "I'll be with you in a minute," or, "Are you being helped?"
Anyway, I'm heading back to get some shoes that actually fit on Saturday and may get some more wool socks. I love those socks. I want to get some SmartWool clothing too. A friend of mine clued me into a site called Steep and Cheap that has some amazing discounts, so I'm watching that because I can't afford $70 for a running shirt.
Big game on Monday. I'm hoping the Vikings are for real and we see an Adrien Peterson extravaganza as he leads the Vikings to a rout of the Packers. Buffalo wings will be made and the kids will go to bed so I can watch this game.
Tuesday night was one of the best nights of volleyball I've played in a while. Even though it was in a gym with a concrete floor and the end lines were the walls, it was a lot of fun. We played what was probably one of the best teams, and it turns out that we may also be one of the best teams. We split the 4 games and could have won all 4. I felt a lot more comfortable this week getting use to playing 6's again after three summers of doubles. This is going to be a fun season.
I even went for a run the following day and felt good, not unbearably stiff. Anyone who read my last post saw that I found a new shoe store. It's really my new store. I decided that shoes were too big and contacted them to see if they could do anything for me. They have a 30 day return policy, regardless of the condition of the shoes. I'm glad that I decided to boycott Dick's Sporting Goods. I tried to buy shoes there and couldn't get someone to help me. It was clear that I was looking for shoes and wasn't just looking casually. I had my 1-year-old in a stroller, so I was definitely motivated to find a pair and make a purchase. You don't go trying on shoes for fun with a 1-year-old. As I stood looking at the display, holding shoes and looking intently at the sales people, the only response I could get was a curt notification that they only had that shoe is size 14 as one guy rushed to help someone else. I waited for a good 15 minutes and couldn't even make eye contact with anyone. No one even gave me so much as a, "I'll be with you in a minute," or, "Are you being helped?"
Anyway, I'm heading back to get some shoes that actually fit on Saturday and may get some more wool socks. I love those socks. I want to get some SmartWool clothing too. A friend of mine clued me into a site called Steep and Cheap that has some amazing discounts, so I'm watching that because I can't afford $70 for a running shirt.
Big game on Monday. I'm hoping the Vikings are for real and we see an Adrien Peterson extravaganza as he leads the Vikings to a rout of the Packers. Buffalo wings will be made and the kids will go to bed so I can watch this game.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Shenanigans!
Borders and their minion Waldenbooks have irked me. That's right - irked. I don't particularly like Waldenbooks in general because the selection is lousy. If I want them to order a book and have it sent to me, I'll go to Amazon and get a better price. The staff, in my experience, while nice and earnest, is not very knowledgeable of the books they stock. Perhaps it's the categorization system they use and all of the other miscellaneous places that books can be displayed, but they can never find anything. Last week I asked if they had a particular book. The woman helping me looked it up in the computer and told me that the computer told her that they might have it. What kind of system is that? What kind of inventory system gives book statuses as might be in stock? Do they have other statuses such as likely in stock, not likely but not impossible, or even probably, but I'm not going to tell you where? Well today, they pushed me over the edge. I get the weekly coupons from Borders which work at Waldenbooks. One of the coupons was worth $2 off of a fiction book. I took a book and the coupon to checkout and the lady at the counter said that I had a Fantasy book; the coupon is only good for fiction. I won't even go into how many responses went through my head in the next second. She seemed like a nice old lady, so I only said that fantasy is fiction. She said the book had to come from the fiction section. I'm giving Waldenbooks the benefit of the doubt here. I assume that they don't actually think that all of the sub-genres of fiction aren't actually fiction. I've read some pretty interesting stuff with a very strong leaning towards sci-fi and fantasy and I would be a bit worried if it weren't actually fiction - no matter how cool some of it is. Waldenbooks, you just continued to disappoint me, but Borders, you have taken a huge step back that took me close to five years to be willing to go back into one of your stores again. Granted, that was because you were half an hour closer than Barnes and Noble, but I say this to you now. I am looking forward to the Barnes and Noble opening locally in 2010.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Back in Action - Volleyball Style
Tonight is the first night of summer volleyball this year. I'm still not sure that doubles is my favorite, but I am sure that I prefer sand to grass. That aside, it's still fun because it's still volleyball. Each year we start off really strong, stumble into the playoffs in the upper-mid section or lower-high section of the standings. Then we knock off a higher level team, but can't get any farther. One thing I'm not looking forward to is tomorrow. The day after the first set of matches (we play 2 or three matches in a night). Two years ago I could barely move. Last year was better. I'm hoping that the weight loss and somewhat better conditioning will help, but those muscles that I just don't use outside of volleyball are going to be yelling at me tomorrow.
It feels so good to be out of school. I'm working the lazy out so that in a week or two I can get down to getting things done. Until then, I'm content to do very little. The one thing getting in the way of my sloth is the naming ceremony we have coming up next Saturday for our little guy. Keeping the house orderly with two kids, two cats, and a dog is not that easy. But it should be fun.
Ok, here's something that's been bugging me for a while now. Pennsylvania is becoming more and more smoke-free. I am very happy about that. But the thing that I've been noticing is the way in which employees of food-related establishments smoke. It's becoming more and more obvious. A couple years ago I was in the Lycoming mall and we ate at the pizza/Italian place there. I looked back and saw a guy smoking in the kitchen. That kitchen was not very hidden and he didn't seem to be trying to hide it at all. On top of that, I noticed that he was the same person who took our order and he had on something that designated him as the employee of the month. Suffice to say that I never have or will eat there again. The grocery stores around here have tables for their employees to take breaks on in front of the store. No problem there, but guess what these employees are doing on those tables in front of the store near the entrances. You got it - smoking! It gives me a deep feeling of disgust when I see the person who was cutting my lunch meat or bagging my groceries sucking on a cigarette. I've watched them as they go back into the store, and often they go right back to their stations without even washing their hands. These people are handling my foodstuffs? I don't know why smokers feel that they are entitled to do whatever they want. Aren't they getting the message that (slowly) society is realizing how disgusting that habit is and how dangerous it is for other people? Can you imagine telling your boss that you need to take a break to satisfy some drug habit other than tobacco? Then tell the boss that you are going to do this in front of the store where all of the customers can see (and partially participate in) your activity. At least I can go into most restaurants in the state and not have to worry about inhaling smoke that came from inside somebody else's body entering mine. It's a start.
Game 7 Friday. Go Red Wings!
It feels so good to be out of school. I'm working the lazy out so that in a week or two I can get down to getting things done. Until then, I'm content to do very little. The one thing getting in the way of my sloth is the naming ceremony we have coming up next Saturday for our little guy. Keeping the house orderly with two kids, two cats, and a dog is not that easy. But it should be fun.
Ok, here's something that's been bugging me for a while now. Pennsylvania is becoming more and more smoke-free. I am very happy about that. But the thing that I've been noticing is the way in which employees of food-related establishments smoke. It's becoming more and more obvious. A couple years ago I was in the Lycoming mall and we ate at the pizza/Italian place there. I looked back and saw a guy smoking in the kitchen. That kitchen was not very hidden and he didn't seem to be trying to hide it at all. On top of that, I noticed that he was the same person who took our order and he had on something that designated him as the employee of the month. Suffice to say that I never have or will eat there again. The grocery stores around here have tables for their employees to take breaks on in front of the store. No problem there, but guess what these employees are doing on those tables in front of the store near the entrances. You got it - smoking! It gives me a deep feeling of disgust when I see the person who was cutting my lunch meat or bagging my groceries sucking on a cigarette. I've watched them as they go back into the store, and often they go right back to their stations without even washing their hands. These people are handling my foodstuffs? I don't know why smokers feel that they are entitled to do whatever they want. Aren't they getting the message that (slowly) society is realizing how disgusting that habit is and how dangerous it is for other people? Can you imagine telling your boss that you need to take a break to satisfy some drug habit other than tobacco? Then tell the boss that you are going to do this in front of the store where all of the customers can see (and partially participate in) your activity. At least I can go into most restaurants in the state and not have to worry about inhaling smoke that came from inside somebody else's body entering mine. It's a start.
Game 7 Friday. Go Red Wings!
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Fort Knox Pants
I guess I've been a bit busy as my last post was on April 1. We've made it though April and the last of the PSSA tests (today and yesterday were for Science). Now we've got the final push through May and the crazy last week. Lately, I've been noticing that the natives are getting restless, more restless than usual. That's actually putting it mildly. Let me try that again. Lately, I've been noticing some open hostility from my students. Various students are upset with me because I insist on not letting them chew gum, make them keep doing work even though there is only a month left and we finished our state testing over a month ago, or expect them to stay in their seats for more than two minutes at a time. The list goes on. What really surprises me is the level of apathy present in so many students. In one class, I have about 7 of 17 passing, with a majority of those being D's and C's. The F's aren't even close to passing. 60 is passing and I have students in the teens, because they refuse to do a single thing and never complete assignments. I really don't understand the mindset that would allow someone to be that apathetic. Some basic need is not being met.
I have one student who, despite everything he's done this year, I still like. He, in turn, continually lets me know how he feels about me. Whenever I see him, whether it's in the halls, in the classroom, anywhere else in school, he doesn't let more than ten minutes go by at a time without letting me know that he hates me. The other day, as I walked into school, he was in the stairwell window and pounded on the glass a la The Graduate and yelled that he hated me. The rewards from teaching never end. You have to think that if someone goes through that much trouble to let you know that he hates you, he must not actually hate you.
One mini-rant to close out this post: I am tired of wearing Fort Knox Pants. Why do dress pants have so many security devices built into the fly? If I ever had a bathroom emergency, I would be in big trouble because it takes a team of nimble-fingered gnomes to get me out of some of my pants. I have one pair of pants that has a zipper, two buttons, and a slidey-clasp thing. Whoever has been designing these pants must have had a traumatic experience with a fly technology malfunction.
I have one student who, despite everything he's done this year, I still like. He, in turn, continually lets me know how he feels about me. Whenever I see him, whether it's in the halls, in the classroom, anywhere else in school, he doesn't let more than ten minutes go by at a time without letting me know that he hates me. The other day, as I walked into school, he was in the stairwell window and pounded on the glass a la The Graduate and yelled that he hated me. The rewards from teaching never end. You have to think that if someone goes through that much trouble to let you know that he hates you, he must not actually hate you.
One mini-rant to close out this post: I am tired of wearing Fort Knox Pants. Why do dress pants have so many security devices built into the fly? If I ever had a bathroom emergency, I would be in big trouble because it takes a team of nimble-fingered gnomes to get me out of some of my pants. I have one pair of pants that has a zipper, two buttons, and a slidey-clasp thing. Whoever has been designing these pants must have had a traumatic experience with a fly technology malfunction.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Small beef, big hands
I haven't indulged in a good rant lately, so here's one that's been more of a slow simmer than a boil over, but it will have to suffice. I am getting really tired of commercials for food that is clearly either smaller than it used to be, or so cheap that it cannot be a very large amount trying everything it can to make the food look large. Burgers, in particular, seem to be the worst offenders. I don't know who came up with the idea that if the actors actually use two hands to hold the burger and hold their elbows pointing straight out, the burgers will look bigger, but that person needs to be found and beaten. I don't care how many times you hold a burger with two hands, it does not have the ability to grow to fill the space. That property is reserved for gases, class sizes, and the miscellaneous stuff I have in my house. As for holding the elbows pointing straight out, that just looks too ridiculous to examine further. Ok, that's all I've got for a rant.
The school year is working towards its close, but I can't help but be a little bitter as my wife has two or three weeks left in her school year, and I have almost two months. I definitely miss the university schedule.
Red Wings are in the playoffs, but I hope their three-game losing streak does not indicate what will come. I still don't have Versus, so I'll have to hope for an occasional game on one of the big networks.
The school year is working towards its close, but I can't help but be a little bitter as my wife has two or three weeks left in her school year, and I have almost two months. I definitely miss the university schedule.
Red Wings are in the playoffs, but I hope their three-game losing streak does not indicate what will come. I still don't have Versus, so I'll have to hope for an occasional game on one of the big networks.
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