Living in a cage

Do you ever think about those animals in the zoo? You know the ones that pace back and forth all day long, looking out at you with mourn filled eyes. Looking as if they have had their souls sucked out of their bodies. Never knowing when they might have their next taste of freedom. These animals, that you could almost believe would rather be dead than in their cages. Even though in most cases animals in the zoo have it much better than their fellow animals out in the wild.

So does that mean that even if you are pampered you can be unhappy? I think so. If you found yourself having everything that you desired except for your own freedom would it be worth it? I think the term is life in a gilded cage. Every luxury you can imagine including gold bars for you prison. This must be the life that many very famous people lead. They can have anything that they want, and yet can not even just run out to the store for a loaf of bread without being mobbed.

If that is the price to pay in order to be famous then no thank you. I will be more than happy to remain unknown and free. I can come and go as I please. No one takes pictures of me or my family without me knowing about it, no one is trying to find out if I have ever done anything in the past that might haunt me.

It most take a special type of personality to be able to accept not being able to have the freedoms of everyone else around them. Of course you do always hear about celebrity's having some kind of melt down with paparazzi. I can't say that I blame them.

So, I feel sorry for those animals in their golden cages and life of extravagance. But what I really have to wonder is that even as we stare into the cage wondering if they want to get out. Do they stare out of the cage wondering if we want to get in?

Can I Un that?

As I was getting ready to go to work today I had an epiphany, well maybe short of an epiphany, but definitely a realization. I can't for the life of me think of a positive use of the prefix Un. Is there one? I will have to look and see. But right off hand I can not think of one. I know that many, if not all words that the prefix Un can be attached to end up having a negative connotation.

Unresponsive
Undesirable
Unwanted
Unneeded
Unused
Unwilling
Unwelcome
Uneducated
Undefined
Unnecessary

All words that come to mind when thinking of the prefix Un. But can we simply attach the Un to any word to infer the opposite meaning of that word?

Unevil?
Unvile?
Unhated?
Unrejected?
Undespised?
Undejected?
And on and on and on.....

I am sure there is a regulation within the mechanics of language that dictates what can and cannot be Un'ed. I do not know it. So if you do let me know, okay. Anyway, just thought I would pass this along as it's one of those odd things that popped in my head and needed to be written down before it escaped.

Hopefully my thoughts on the subject are fully Understandable. Which of course leads me to ask what is derstandable?

Today's Rant:Complete

It's for you!

Ring! Ring!

Hello...Who is this? oh!

It's for you.

And with that I will start today's rant. Cell Phones. I absolutely hate them. That's right, I can't stand them. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy talking with my friends and family. Usually for about two minutes before I have this incredible urge to hang up. But cell phones have become such an evil item. They are expensive, they break way to easily, they cause already bad drivers to become even worse and there is no end in site for the expansion that they will have.

Not to many years ago a portable phone was for the rich, they where large bulky things that most of us could not afford and or want. In fact a portable phone was a status symbol. Like having an expensive car only the elite would be seen with one. But those days are long since gone and we find cell phones everywhere. Everywhere and in every shape, color and size imaginable. As well as the fact that they are not just phones, oh no, they are camera's and MP3 players as well as having qwerty keypads for texting.

Which reminds me of one of my nightmares. In my dream I walk into a cell phone store and a salesperson comes up to me.

Salesperson: Hello, you who are about to be screwed. Do you wish to be lead down a path of deception as you are carefully maneuvered into a legal document that excises all of your potential rights?

Me: No, I just want a phone.

Salesperson: Well you came to the right place to be taken. This one is a camera!

Me: I just want a phone.

Salesperson: This one is an MP3 player that can hold 40,000 songs.

Me: I just want a phone.

Salesperson: This one is a portable operating table with cat scan and x-ray.

Me: I just want a phone.

And on and on and on.......

So you might be surprise to learn I too have a cell phone. I have been with my current service provider for almost two years. As soon as that two years is up I will be dropping my provider. Why? Because my service is horrible. That's right it's just god awful. I have poor to no reception at my house (Within my coverage area), at my work (Also with in my coverage area) as well as many other area's that are within my coverage area. I guess I should have asked if my cell phone would actually work in my coverage area or is that just where it is legal for me to carry it.

So why is that? It's not like they don't have the cell phone towers. The reason that my service as well as so many others is so bad is because of contracts. Yep, two years ago when I bought my phones I did not have the amount of problems that I have now. But as time went by the service declined until it is what it is today. But, since I signed a two year contrat I am stuck. If your service goes out the window what option do you have? Suck it up and deal with it or you can pay an early termination fee. Is it just me or is it crazy to have to pay to stop using a service because its not living up to the contract! Makes you wonder why they have an early termination fee. Could it be because they had a clear understanding that they would be collecting on it?

I should have know as much though. I live in an area that has almost no business competition, the results are that many of the local services are take it or leave it. The reason being you have no other choice. If you want to have a cell phone these are your two choices. Well what do you do when both choices stink? You can do what I plan on doing. Go with a prepaid no contract phone. Of course I still have to hope that my phone will work in places such as at home or work, but at least if they do not I can always stop buying additional minutes. Ha take that cell phone companies.

In the coming weeks I will be putting my plan into action. Hopefully I will be able to use my new cell phone for what I need it for. Just in case scenario's. So, if I don't write anymore it's because the cell phone execs got me and I didn't have any reception to call for help.

Today's Rant:Complete

Photo provided by: http//.www.freefoto.com/download/04-19-59?ffid=04-19-59

Fear of the L.O.M.

It seams that everywhere you look these days you hear the story of the dreaded L.O.M. Even I have had to endure this heavy handed brute stalking me. I thought that I was in the clear until the end of the year. This turns out to be untrue.

So what is the L.O.M.?

Why it's the Lay Off Monster. That time honored beasty that is employed by corporate America to do it's dirty work. Thinning down the herds of blue collar workers. And for what?

"To ensure a positive corporate position for earnings in the future". Or words to that effect.

Many have had the unpleasant experience of meeting with the L.O.M. this year. Few can truly say they are not worried at all about coming into work and seeing him lurking in the halls. He's out to ensure that those who have money, get to keep their money. That's right it's all about profitability. Which in layman's terms means GREED. Because:



No one cares if you are going to lose your house.

No one cares about your cars or bills or children.

Your wife, everything you have spent years building up.



It can all go away in the blink of an eye. And for what? So that some stock holder can remain comfortable in his house in the Bahamas! Yes, that's exactly why.

So what can we do? At this point...Nothing. That's right, we have been traveling down this path for so long that we should have seen this coming a long way off. But instead of preparing for it, too many of us ignored it, as if it would pass us by. Now we are Screwed! Yep, Screwed. If I do happen to be visited by the L.O.M. I will probably lose almost everything I have. If not, I'll consider myself lucky and prepare for his next visit, which will probably happen in January of 2010.

So stop screwing around and get your act together. If you have a lot of bills, you really need to try and pay them down or off. Get off credit. Close your accounts and pay them off. Don't throw your money away by giving it to companies in the form of interest. Don't listen to anybody that tells you not to worry about the economy, because they have no clue how bad it really is.

In closing if you are trying to keep up with the Jones, I heard they are living on the streets...because they where evicted!

Today's Rant:Complete

Amount Enclosed

I was taking the time recently to pay my bills when I noticed something. In each and every bill that I opened was a blank box to enter the amount of the check I had enclosed with the bill. For some reason this really irritated me. I don't know about you but when I open my bills I look for the amount due and send in a check for that amount. So what is the point of this Amount Enclosed box?

Asking around I received several suggestions for this box. All of which are directed towards making it easier for the company collecting the bill to process it. Well, okay I guess I should just jump right on that band wagon. I mean heck, why shouldn't I take on some additional work to make it easier for the people making a profit off of me....

Or

I could just not fill it out. Because, really does it matter? Do you think they even use those boxes? No one has ever called me to say "I'm sorry, we can not process your payment because you failed to fill out the amount enclosed section of your bill". So really what is the point? Perhaps I should just put something ambiguous in this box like:

Amount Enclosed: Yes
Amount Enclosed: Sure
or even
Amount Enclosed: You bet!

On the other hand I could just fill it in with some overly large number. What do you think? If I fill out $5,000,000 in the amount enclosed section of a bill for $5.00 do you think the company will send back $4,999,995? I kind of doubt it.

I have a sneaky suspicion that this Amount Enclosed box is the brainchild of some engineer. That's right, the over thinkers. You know, the guys that sit around and have conversations like:

"Hey Bob, everything is running great!"
"Really Joe, what can we change!"

Making people like you and me pull our hair out. why?, because something is added or changed or altered for no perceivable reason other than it can be done. That's what the Amount Enclosed box is to me.

"Hey Joe, lets put in this Amount Enclosed box on all our bills."
"Why Bob?"
"Because we can!"

So next time you are sending in a bill, take the time to locate the Amount Enclosed box and fill it in with:

Ask Bob!

Today's Rant:Complete

FYI

If anyone has been wondering where I have been, I will let you know. I had to travel to California to attend my Grandfathers burial. My Grandfather provided for me and my family when no one else would or could. I stood vigil with many of our family as he passed away. This was truly the hardest thing I have had to do. I am a better person for knowing my grandfather. I cannot write too much at this time because I am not able to put into words the true love and affection I had for this man. As soon as I am able I will put together a much more complete entry.

Steaming pile of Blog!

Just starting out in the whole Blog game I have come to learn a few things over the past days.

1. There are some very good writers on the Internet


2. There are some piss poor writers on the Internet


3. I fall somewhere in between

I hope that I can move towards being more of a #1 type of writer then being #2. (pun intended)

A majority of type #1 writers have in depth views and opinions on what they are writing. They develop their ideas fully and have good grammar skills. (Something I need to work on)

In contrast #2 type writers usually have poorly developed ideas or difficulty putting into words what they are trying to express. Their blogs are usually quantity over quality. Sure it's nice to look at a blog and see they have 150+ entries for a single month. But only if it's because they are writing something worth reading. It's an investment in time for someone to come to your site and read what you have written. So it is the responsibility of the writer or wanna be writer to provide content worth reading. I found an example of this on one blog. I will not mention the name of it, but I will summarize one of the entries I read.

"Woke up and had to clean up Petro's bloody crap off the carpet....Again!"

Let me explain my feelings about this particular blog entry.

1. Is that really something that people want/need to know?


2. Overall it sounds pretty gross


3. Dam man, take Petro to the vet already!

My personal idea of what a blog should be is as follows:

1. Have a clean layout.


2. Start each entry with a catchy title that is relevant.


3. Express your idea, story or opinion as clearly as possible.


4. Write something worth reading.


5. Hopefully be able to respond to people's comments on your writing.


6. Use spellcheck...it's free. Trust me I do because I should.


7. End each entry with a hook, you know the closing thought that cements the story together.

I will try and follow my self imposed rules, well maybe not rules, more like guidelines. Hopefully in time there will be people out there that will enjoy reading what I have to write. I will try and write entries worth reading. If I am not, or if I am making a travesty of something I hope that someone will let me know. In closing on this article I just have to hope...

That Petro is a dog!