December 16, 2005

Hey,

No, this time it is strictly my fault I have not posted a new entry. No power outages, no shut-offs, nothing but good ole' fashion home grown laziness.

Actually, I haven't been all that lazy recently. At work I have been racking up the overtime every night for the past week or two. So far I put in about 25 hours of OT in the month of December. Starting work at 12:30 in the afternoon allows me to go to bed fairly late (5:00 AM typically), but now I have been working from until 11:00 rather than the standard 9:00. A simple two hours each night and I get time and a half. The only true draw back is that my body has gotten used to being up for about 8 hours after work each night, so now that I have been going until 11:00, I am finding myself going to bed between 7 and 8 in the morning and having to get up 10:30 to 11:00.

Tess at work and her sister have been quite sick lately. In fact, I can probably count around seven people who have all come down with some odd virus that mimics the symptoms of Strep Throat but is in fact not actually Strep. Go figure, I get a ridiculously low amount of sleep, refuse to wear a jacket or coat and did not get the flu shot and I am healthy but the people who get their full eight hours and dress warm are getting sickly.

At work, I have let it slip to a friend/co-worker that I am carrying a bit of a torch for Dee and Tess and he has been hitting at me for it since. Will's a great guy and I know he wouldn't say anything that would tip of these two ladies, but he has been having some fun lately. Dee is in a position of a bit of authority and Will has been asking Dee to keep coming over to his station to talk and even kind of flirt with her. A few days ago, he ever jokingly asked Dee out to dinner. I trust Will enough to believe him when he says he isn't interested in her (he's got a steady and is head over heels) and if she had agreed he would have gotten out of it. All of his overtures have been a little to... flamboyant... to be legit.

He has been doing some of the overtime with me and when everyone around us leaves at 9 he and I just shoot the shit for 2 hours and he has basically admitted he wouldn't want to date Tess or Dee. Not because he thinks that they are not worth his time, but he feels they are a bit to immature for him. In fact he might be right on the money when it comes to Dee, who is 19. Tess is 21 but carries herself like a 24 year old to me.

Earlier today during lunch I heard Tess pontificating about romance and relationships to a co-worker. I tried not to listen in, but she has a distinct voice and my hearing is damned near perfect so I just can pick her up whether or not I want to. She was saying how she was single and enjoying having regular friends, but than mentioned how she thought all of the 'good' guys out there were taken, and most by women she considered to be sub-par. I was tempted to break in and mention that the majority of guys in off kilter relationships tend to be so as they have not been given a better alternative, hence they stay in a romance they may or may not be happy in as that is perceived as being better than being alone. I must say, there are times late at night where I will find myself hugging a pillow, or waking up for a bad dream (which I frequently get) and just wanting to hold someone so bad it feels like I am dying inside. However, as I said before, I am not up to Tess' standards. I will NOT cross any lines. If that means I have to watch her get into another relationship than so be it.

In other news, that '69 Charger I was so optimistic about seeing hasn't happened yet. I actually drove around the town he is in to no avail, and the guy just doesn't answer his phone. Maybe before winter really kicks into gear, but the more time passes the more I lose hope.

Speaking about winter, the first real snow storm is forecasted to slam into my state early tomorrow morning. They are talking about ice, freezing rain, sleet and copious amounts of snow to fall in a 12-14 hour window. With any luck, I will just get snow and not loose the power, but...

Anyhow, I'll try to post again before Christmas. I'm going down to my dads place for the holidays, but only for two or three days at the most. Talk to you later!

December 2, 2005

Sorry about the delay, but life has just been far too boring to make any one who reads this suffer with an update. Even now the content is going lack, but here we are.

Not much going on at work. For the month of November I collected more money than I have since April 2004, so at least I'm cool with management. Have been doing a bit of overtime and had to cancel my medical coverage until Feb '06. For the privilege of having Blue Cross I paid $55 every two weeks. For the over thousand bucks I have put into their coffers in the last 11 months alone I have not used one penny of that coverage. I never go to the doctor, I don't use medications or go to the hospital and I tend not to get sick. Fiscally I'm a bit stretched for the next month or two and the more money per check the better for now. Obviously in Feb I will get it back, but by that time any raise I get will have gone into effect and hopefully I will be making more and can re-justify getting it back.

Haven't really spoken with Tess lately. Dee was kind of ignoring me for a few days, but whatever was the problem (if any) seemingly has been put to rest as for the last couple days we have talked more and more. I'm now trying to decide if I can/should get either Dee or Tess or both a gift this Christmas. I know if I did it could be called a simply nice thing to do, but if nobody got anything from me I would feel like a heel to the other multitude of women at work. I just don't know.

One solidly interesting this that has happened recently is that I have gotten wind of two more Chargers (a '68 and a '69). The '68 is in a town called Windham about 40 minutes from me. Terry and his girlfriend saw it when they accidentally took a wrong turn. Terry said it was partially covered with a tarp and up on blocks. No "For Sale" sign, but sometimes a stop in can yield great dividends. The '68 that we got from that guy earlier this year had no markings on it either and it was just happenstance that I met that guy at a salvage yard. I may have to check on this new one. I really cannot afford them, but on the other hand, can I afford not to if the prices are good?

The '69 however is a matter of more consideration. For one, I know it is for sale and moreover if Terry isn't yanking my chain it is for sale for a really, really good price. I spoke with Terry last night on the phone and he basically gave me permission to contact the guy selling it, so tomorrow I will no doubt give him a ring and try to set something up for Saturday. If all goes well I may end up just buying the thing right then and there. Terry has never seen this car, but as it was described to him was that it was basically complete void a few minor panes of glass and a grille. The condition of the metal was not discussed and I have been told there is no engine or transmission with this either. For the price I was quoted, a few little interior pieces could pay for the buy out price of the Charger easily.

If I broker this deal, this will be my car completely. The General Lee and the white '68 are both kind co-owned with Jim and as such we have to kind of get permission from the other to do mod's and make concessions occasionally. The '70 Coronet is Jim's car. I have no say with that car and he is even refusing my attempts to help him pay for it, but if this new '69 deal goes down, this will be my car where I control it's fate and no one else has to be consulted. Of course, Jim said he would help me out just as I would help him out with the Coronet, but the ownership will never be in dispute.

I suppose the '69 is my car as I paid the bulk of the money for it and I actually won it and Jim really didn't start to accept the car for a month or so after I purchased it, but now he loves it so much I will not deny him 50% ownership of her. I have a connection with the General that I have never known was possible with an auto and if/when comes the day Jim and I part ways in life to be separate people I hate the day the General is brought up, but it's reassuring to know he will care for her like I would if I ever become incapacitated. I know it sounds like I am talking about a human child, but if you ever have something you feel connected to like I feel connected to this car, you know just how I feel.

I'll post some more when I get more info on this new '69.