Bertt's Blog - 2old2play

Recipes

So my Mom gave me a cookbook that she got from my Grandma the other day and my Wife and I kinda browsed through it to see if we would like anything from it. About an hour later, we finally stopped laughing. I thought I would share some of the more tantalizing treats and funny names they had;

Rum Tum Ditty -tomato soup, milk & cheddar cheese over toast

Golden Rabbit - cheddar cheese soup, tomato soup and milk over toast (sound familiar?)

Creamy Tuna Mold - mmmmmmm! (too many ingreds. to mention)

Creamy Peanut Butter Soup - tomato soup, peanut butter and milk.....WTF?!

For the very advanced cook... Pronto Chili - 1 can condensed chili beef soup, 1/2 can water.

BBQ hamburgers... not one, but two recipes for BBQ Hamburgers...

shape 2 lbs of seasoned ground beef into 8 patties. Brown in butter, add BBQ sauce, simmer

Or, for the outdoor cook, Make patties as in skillet method, place on grill, cook 15 minutes. Wow... I hadn't thought of that!

Thirsty? How about a nice Friskey Sour? beef broth, water and lemon juice serve over ice.

or some Chickety Chick? cream of chicken soup, water and poultry seasoning served warm in mugs.

oooh, how about a nice glass of Sunbather's Special? condensed beef broth, 1/2 can apple juice and a dash of cinnamon. Served over ice...yummy!

And the winner in the "best name" category.....

Cock-A-Leekie! leeks, butter, chicken vegetable soup, water, 4 to 6 cooked prunes, salt & pepper. Penicillin shot extra.

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And now, the most sports talk you'll ever hear from me.

The year, 1998. NFL draft. The top pick came down to two QBs. Peyton Manning, and Ryan Leaf. Anyone who follows football knows who Peyton Manning is, but many may not know who Ryan Leaf is. He is from Great Falls, MT where he led his high school to the state title in '92. He went on to play at Washington state and was a finalist for the Heisman his junior year. It was widely believed that he would do very well in the NFL.

I was living in Great Falls in '98 and the draft was a pretty big deal. The funny thing is, that he was also widely believed to be the world's biggest ASSHOLE. Great Falls is a very small town... pop about 40,000 when I was there, scuttlebut was rampant. So we watched as he was picked up by San Diego. Huge signing bonus and salary. I was not impressed. I hate it when an asshole gets ahead in life.

Well, we all watched as he failed miserably his first season. Yay! Karma is finally sneaking up on him! Well, his career swirled around and eventually went the way of the turd... down the drain. Conversely, Peyton Manning not only had an exceptional first year... and beyond, but he is also well known for his approachability, enthusiasm and sportsmanship. Hee heeeee... see, good guys do win eventually.

Anyway, what is all this about you ask? I didn't know it because I don't follow football anymore, but it would seem Ryan got himself a job coaching QBs for West Texas A&M. And... lol... got himself suspended for asking a member of the team for painkillers.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shutdown_corner/post/NFL-bust-Ryan-Leaf-placed-on-leave-from-college-?urn=nfl,119970

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Got an email today about the job I just interviewed for... no luck.

Let's check out totals shall we?

applications made: 71
interviews: 5
"no thanks" responses besides interview: 18

that's 48 applications that have gone unanswered (+/- 3 or 4, I may be off on my count). I do have 3 recent apps out now that I may get a response on, let's hope.

It's disturbingly frustrating to say the least. Above it all, I am trying so hard to stay positive, but it is becomming difficult. I never thought in a million years I would have to go through this. I had heard of people that had been in a career for 20 years suddenly finding themselves jobless and it lasting for a long time, but always thought I was safe. I guess it was just wishful thinking. It is definately a bad time to be without a job. The economy is spiraling the drain in the shithole so less and less companies are hiring. Unemployment is way up so I have a lot more competition for any job out there. Maybe I should start turning tricks? Do rich women still hire male escorts? I wonder if my wife would mind? Hell, at this point, she may even pimp my ass out!

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Big day today

Interview... and I (in an irritatingly high voice) NAILLLLLLLED IT! Working in one of our hospitals' Conference Center. Good gig, although I don't know what they pay... I always hate asking that, I feel like a gold digger. Anyway... hurry up and wait.. they are interviewing this week, and I wouldn't be able to start for 2 or 4 weeks, depending on how long they take to make up their minds... which doesn't matter to me.. take your time... no hurry.

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The Old Man arrives

Winter that is... in a fucking dumpload of snow this weekend. the weather all last week was warning of heavy snow for the weekend, up to 19" forecast in town, up to 3 feet in the mountains. As usual, I take weather reports with a grain of salt, especially forecasts that are more than 3 days out. But they hit the nail on the head this time. It started Thursday night right on schedule, and although we didn't see much accumilation Thurs., Fri. or Sat., we woke up to a whole new world Sunday. I guess I picked the wrong night to get tee-totally shitfaced and stay up until 4 am playing Halo3!

My wife woke me up at 8 to show me the 5" branch that had split off of our neighbors' tree and land on their car. All over town branches were down and power was out. Our other neighbors across the street had a huge branch in their driveway, I would estimate the main part at about 4-5" in diameter. Driving down our street is a veritable obstacle course through the downfall. They even released an "emergency only" travel restriction on City streets, Something I have only seen a couple of times in my life. They rarely do that in town, usually it is on the highways.

So, the snow finally starts to lighten up by Sunday afternoon, again, right on schedule, yay weather dude! Parts of the City got 22" of snow accumilation, we got around 12-15" at the deepest parts in the backyard. The ski town an hour south of us got 40".... IN TOWN!

My wife and I decide to get started shoveling late in the afternoon, It's not too bad, the deepest part was right in front of our garage... about 10" deep, but it was very wet and heavy. She started on the sidewalk which didn't have much because of the trees on the boulevard, while I started at the garage. She had finished the sidewalk and was working on the lower part of the driveway when we heard a very large snap. I was around the corner of our house, up by the garage and didn't see the branch fall, but I could see her staring in its' direction in disbelief. I walked up towards her and saw the branch. It fell right across the sidewalk, right where she was not minutes before. A very large branch... large enough that she would have been seriously injured had she still been there. From now on, we are waiting for the snow to melt more before either of us even attempt to shovel under those damn things!

The fun thing about the storm is watching our 8 month old lab/golden retriever/shepard mix puppy play in the back yard. He is such a ham! he runs around like a spaz, then falls to the ground and lays in the snow. then he gets up and plays like he is a bulldozer, pushing his head down in the snow and then plowing it around. The goofball. I included a couple pics below. The weather is supposed to change again this week and hit 65 by the weekend, but that probably won't happen, the good weather news doesn't ever seem to be as accurate.

Goofball:

here is the murderous tree branch on our sidewalk, the main part is a little over 2" in diameter.:

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latest job search

this has got to be the best line in a job ad I have seen so far (being totatly facecous)

blah blah blah blah blah... job pays $9.00/hour DOE,The benefit offered on this job is the paycheck.

asshole

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just a thought

I was thinking today, we have an old theater that now sits empty, well, two of them actually. One had 7 theaters in it, and the other had 4. The thought I had was turning one of them into a business for hosting lan parties. You could use projection TVs and the existing screens. Players would be able to sit in comfort and play on a huge screen... possibly projecting more than one tv on each screen and also hooking up all of the theaters in a network. The theater with 7 would possibly be large enough for, what... 28 machines playing putting 4 on each screen. More could be added because there would be ample space for smaller screens... maybe charging more to play on the big screens.

I don't know if lan businesses are really doing very good business right now, and the town I live in only has 100k people living in it, so I don't know how much business I could muster, just a thought. ideas? am I crazy?

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Of principles, morals, beliefs and attitudes

I have a dilemma. Some of you may know, I have been out of work for 6 months now. I have applied to well over 50 positions locally, and a few in other cities with no luck. A couple weeks ago, an opportunity presented itself. It is a position that has become available locally that I am, well I wouldn't say uniquely qualified for, but I am qualified.... very qualified. There is a very good chance that I can get this position. Problem is, do I want it.

Yes, I want a job, but when I was laid off, I kinda hoped to start a new career. I have worked in my current field (video production and post production) for about 24 years now including college, and have become kinda burned out. The other problem, for me, is the employer. Can I work for this employer? Part of me feels that if I do, I may be selling out, to a certain extent. The employer isn't bad in the sense of illegality or anything like that, quite the opposite actually.

I guess to make any sense at all to any reader, I have to say it. It is at a church. I have concerns with churches. Not any specific church or denomination, but organized religion in general. I don't go to church, haven't since I was confirmed when I was young. This isn't to say that I am a non-believer or anything like that, I have just chosen to believe in my own way, on my own terms. I don't want to get into any big thoelogy discussions or arguments, let's just say, I have my reasons.

So, will going to work for a church somehow be selling out? I don't believe that I have to join the church if I work there, but I worry that there may be some pressure. In the job description it says, " ...is expected to... be interested in learning about the department as well as the ministry of (name of church),..."

I don't want to be a part of, or belong to any church, period. But I need a freakin' job. I can't, or won't, phone it in either. Either I go there and do the work and not go to services, or I don't want to work there. I can't fake it. I am perfectly capable of doing the work, and doing it well without worshiping with them. I have talked to the guy in charge, and they have my resume and demo. I don't know quite what to do if they make me any offers. Do I bring their expectations up? Probably shouldn't if I want the job, I am sure it would be a deal breaker with them. We'll wait and see, I need to think on it some more.

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one of my favorite artists...

I find this absolutely freakin' amazing. This piece was created by one of the foremost digital photo-realist artists out there, Bert Monroy. Check it out.

again, this is a digitally created picture, not a photograph!

Some specks of the piece from the website, http://www.bertmonroy.com/fineart/text/fineart_damen.htm www.bertmonroy.com

image size - 40 x 120 inches

flattened file is 1.7 Gigabytes!

took 11 months / nearly 2000 hours to create

over 15,000 layers - over 500 alpha channels - over 250,000 paths

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a new low

This is just fucking wrong, it has to be a typo....

job announcement:

Loss Prevention Manager

Wage: $7.00 hourly

Detect and resolve internal and external theft incidents and report internal theft incidents to Loss Prevention District Manager for instruction. Report serious incidents to store in order to resolve and reduce the number of incidents. Tour store daily, identifying deficiencies that cause shrink and implement corrective action. Maintain and complete accurate loss prevention records and submit in a timely manner. Supervising and training Loss Prevention Associates. Operating knowledge of register operations. Provide excellent customer service. Bachelors Degree is preferred and 2-5 years of experience is required. Benefits will be discussed by employer.

I have seen a lot of "security" jobs posted, and it just baffles the shit out of me how people are willing to pay their security team barely more than minimum fucking wage, and yet want them to protect their shit. Case in point, I interviewed with a local alarm company for the position of "alarm monitor". You sit at a computer and when an alarm goes off, you call the police (in simple terms). pay? $9/hour. What the fuck? What would stop someone that was making $18,720.00/year, which I believe is poverty level in the US, from taking a 10-20 thousand dollar bribe to not call the cops when an alarm went off? It's ridiculus. All they want is an alarm to call the police, and PAYING A HUMAN IS CHEAPER THAN A SOPHISTICATED ALARM SYSTEM.

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interesting quotes from spam

I cannot attest to the validity, but thought these were cool.

"Here's my strategy on the Cold War: We win, they lose." - Ronald Reagan

"The most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help."- Ronald Reagan

"The trouble with our liberal friends is not that they're ignorant; it's just that they know so much that isn't so." - Ronald Reagan

"Of the four wars in my lifetime, none came about because the U.S.was too strong." - Ronald Reagan

"I have wondered at times about what the Ten Commandments would have looked like if Moses had run them through the U.S. Congress." - Ronald Reagan

"The taxpayer: That's someone who works for the federal government but doesn't have to take the civil service examination." - Ronald Reagan

"Government is like a baby: An alimentary canal with a big appetite at one end and no sense of responsibility at the other." - Ronald Reagan

"The nearest thing to eternal life we will ever see on this earth is a government program." - Ronald Reagan

'It has been said that politics is the second oldest profession. I have learned that it bears a striking resemblance to the first." - Ronald Reagan

"Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it." - Ronald Reagan

"Politics is not a bad profession. If you succeed, there are many rewards; if you disgrace yourself, you can always write a book." - Ronald Reagan

"No arsenal, or no weapon in the arsenals of the world, is as formidable as the will and moral courage of free men and women." - Ronald Reagan

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funny job announcement

I suppose the person typing the description could have been in a big hurry or something, but I found this kind of amusing, and it's a direct quote. Maybe the HR dude didn't have to pass any apititude tests to get his job.

"...Must pass drug and aptitude test. Mail resimay to..."

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Keep yer fingers crossed!

Well, I went on the interview today. It went really well and fast... only 15 minutes or so. The only thing I worry about is if it is too technical for my experience, but the only thing I can say is that I am willing and able to learn. At the end, one of the three interviewers asked if I was offered the job, would I take it (Hell to the YEAH!) and if so, when could I start (is this afternoon to early?). I thought those were exciting questions. They also said that they had it narrowed down to 6 people, so the odds seem good. They are interviewing today, checking references today and tomorrow, and expecting to let everyone know by Wednesday. So at least we know that there isn't going to be a lot of waiting/wondering.

Side note;

Open Letter to "Guy with unbelievably loud harley next to me at the stop light today".

If your motorcycle is so fucking loud that you need to wear earplugs to ride the piece of shit, what makes you think the rest of us aren't going deaf? Is your penis so small that the only way you can find it to pee is to scare it out of its hole? Do you really enjoy the nasty stares the entire public gives you? Why do you need everyone to look at you wherever you go? Is it vanity? I hope not, cuz the greasy hair, stained shirt and scraggly beard (I'm guessing) probably aren't a big hit with the ladies.

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Finally!

Awesome news on the job front finally. I scored an interview yesterday with our local School District for an Electronics Technician. Woo-Hoo! I had applied for this weeks ago, but it just closed last Friday. This is the first interview that I really want the job. All of the previous were just stabs in the dark trying to find something new.

The job is a little more technical than I have experience for, but they are willing to pay for certifications, so hopefully, they may pay for some edju-macation, or at least hire me and let me get more learnt. Wish me luck!!!

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I got a new attitude!

It's more than just a song, it's a lifestyle!!! After weeks of staying positive and upbeat, I hav edecided to try something new. I call it reverse positivness. Here is how it works.

About a month ago, I applied for a job I really wanted with a small national retail sporting goods store that is building a big brand new store here in Billings. Decent pay, benefits and a discount on anything in the store. Rock on! So, I applied and started right away with the positive thinking. They are going to call, they are going to call. I would tell my wife, I cannot wait unitl they call, maybe I could work my way up in the company. I wanted to arrange a bunch of activities in the community with the other employees thinking it would be a great form of advertising for them. I even had her approval to spend a little of my severance on a new AR-15, since I would get a discount and all. Something I have wanted for many years.

After 4 weeks of this, I have come to the realization that constant positive thinking is freakin' tiresome! It's time to try something new. So, screw them!. If they call for an interview, I don't want the job! And if they absolutely insist that I take the job, it will have to be for less money and NO discount on anything. There, take that!

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