....be nice to them.
They are having a hard day. They cannot return to the building until all residential packages on their trucks are delivered.
They have quite a few this evening.

Oh look...winter clothing.

Posted by: The Brickmuppet at 03:29 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
Post contains 56 words, total size 1 kb.

....combine to thwart my blogging.

I get up for work at midnight....I work till 9ish then go to school, then work on my term paper and cram. Sleep brings the day planner to 31 hours but there's not enough space on the page for that so there may need to be additional adjustments to my schedule.

There's not much to add...except perhaps this...
more...

Posted by: The Brickmuppet at 09:01 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 105 words, total size 1 kb.

This dinner came at great cost.


  You see, my father managed cut the end of his finger off (about a centimeter actually) yesterday morning. There was blood spurting EVERYWHERE. Of course we could not get him to go to the emergency room...because...Thanksgiving.
He didn't want to ruin Thanksgiving...
I tried to explain to him that having dinner a couple of hours late would involve less ruination than it being "....that Thanksgiving where Dad bled to death". This admonition did not have the desired effect...so there was stitching, gauze pads, a finger splint, surgical tape, peroxide and duct tape. Ironically, after the blood was cleaned off the ceiling, cooking resumed and the decision made to ummm...not serve ham or potato salad this year...the relatives ended up being three hours late anyway.

Beyond that dinner was uneventful. There were no fanatical partisan cultists in attendance to ruin the get-together for which I am quite thankful. The only further unexpected incidents involved my 18 month old niece demonstrating that she can count to 13 and the comet exploding.

Dad has had to change his dressing twice but still refuses to go to the ER. OTOH there is no longer any spurting so hopefully he is on the mend

Posted by: The Brickmuppet at 07:35 PM | Comments (5) | Add Comment
Post contains 208 words, total size 2 kb.

Some months ago I was informed that I was to recieve veterans disability benefits. This caused me some concern as I'm not disabled. Although it was hard to get hold of the proper people to resolve that, once I did it was resolved quickly and hopefully that money is now helping a disabled vet. 

Well, a bit over a week ago I received a check from the VA for a tad less than 900 dollars.

This was...unexpected. I was surprised to find that I was still eligible for any VA benefits. What's more I'm a part time student this semester so that seemed like an excessive amount.

Anyway, I called the VA and after some PEBKAC errors with the phone tree and a 27 minute wait I got an operator. After answering some questions I learned that I was indeed eligible for some educational benefits. I explained that I was a part-time student this semester. The operator confirmed this, told me what courses I was taking and that I should be receiving a check so everything was fine.  I pointed out that the amount she quoted was substantially less than the amount the check was written for. The operator said that this was probably back pay and not to worry about it.

Ummm...NO!

So...I ended up speaking to her supervisor. After some digging It was revealed that the check was not, in fact, vaguely rationalized "back pay" but rather educational benefits for the full course load I took during the summer semester.

This sounded much more in line with the amount the check was written out for and would have resolved the matter if I had, in fact, taken any classes during the summer.

I explained the discrepancy.
I was told that since they had received confirmation of of my enrollment that the check was indeed for the proper amount. I pointed out that it was improper due to the fact that I had not taken the classes. She then asked if I had in fact enrolled in the classes.

I said yes.

She then said that as I had just confirmed what was on the screen the matter was closed. I pointed out that had withdrawn from the classes whereupon I was asked 'WHY I would do that'? I explained that My father had a hernia operation and my mother had back to back gall bladder and foot surgeries at the beginning of the summer and that given my domestic responsibilities it seemed unwise to take the classes.

I ended up talking to her supervisor.

The supervisor implied that if I tore up the check another one would be reissued after a year*. She further explained that the only way to make the check be not officially mine was to go to the VA office at the school, and have them send confirmation of my withdrawal to the VA. At that point I would be mailed a letter containing a kit for the proper disposal of the letter (presumably a SASE).

So I hightailed it through rush hour traffic on a Friday, went to the info desk and talked to the VA rep. He was sympathetic but couldn't do anything right then. You see, in order to process this claim he needed an E-mail from me..which he would forward with the proper information. So I walked down the hall and found a workstation, logged onto my University E-mail account, sent him an E-mail explaining my worrisome windfall and why I'd withdrawn. I walked back down the hall and he verbally confirmed that he'd gotten it and Monday I received E-mail notification from the school that the mater had been resolved.

The matter is still not resolved.

I just received a terse letter from the VA (sans 'kit") informing me that I owed them nearly 900 dollars. There is no return address beyond the PO Box on the letter and I'm antsy about just sending the check out.

I hope to get this matter finally resolved this week.

_{*I'm uncertain on this particular point.}

Posted by: The Brickmuppet at 09:18 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
Post contains 678 words, total size 4 kb.

The head gasket on the Cressida blew.
Now, changing a head gasket has the potential to be upwards of 1500 dollars and on a car as old as mine it can sometimes be impossible. To express my thoughts on the matter would be non-conducive to both stoicism and Arete..so I'll let this imaginary girl do it.

Fortunately, thanks to SCIENCE there now exists Head Gasket Sealant. It doesn't always work...but this time it did.
Yay!
Of course the oil and coolant had to be flushed, the injectors and spark plugs had to be cleaned and an unrelated bulb needed to be changed but it still was under 300 dollars.

That sucks...but it's not a catastrophic suckasge.

In other news: I work for UPS...not one of the Obamacare contractors...so I'm considering myself pretty lucky at the moment.

Posted by: The Brickmuppet at 05:54 PM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
Post contains 140 words, total size 1 kb.

Many however, don't want to believe this.
For them we provide a comforting lie:
"That asshsat that Buzz Aldrin punched didn't know the HALF of it!"

Posted by: The Brickmuppet at 04:50 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
Post contains 893 words, total size 7 kb.

The other day I got off early and had a few extra hours between work and class with no pressing assignments looming, so I decided to clean the car. Unfortunately, the gas station I chose has no working vacuum. Thus I simply cleaned things as best I could organized the textbooks and papers that had gotten under the seats and decided to clean the trunk.

The trunk  was a complete mess. The toolkit and the various containers of stuff like brake fluid, power steering fluid and 5w30 were clustered in this big pile in the middle. TheWD-40 had discharged. Closer inspection revealed the bug out bag had sunk into the floor occupying the space where the spare tire should have been and the beaverboard floor-liner has curled up. at its edges and managed to pry open the first aid kit.

I started to clean everything out, beat the beaverborad flooring into some semblance of flatness, , got a box for the....
wait....
back up...
"space where the spare tire should have been".
spare tire...
SHOULD HAVE BEEN.
What the HELL?
I'm guessing it got removed and forgotten about when I had the radio installed, or perhaps when the mechanics at another auto-shop fixed the drainage problem...or when a mechanic worked on the tail lights wiring...or perhaps during an inspection. Which means that I've been driving without a spare for at least 6 months...
I drove to DC and Luray with no spare tire...
"shudder".
Well, an inquiry of all the places I've had the car worked on over the last year or so naturally turned up naught, so Friday I ordered a junkyard tire which should arrive at the local mechanics on Monday. In the meantime I've invested in a new can of fix-a-flat and I'm sincerely hoping that my trips to Norfolk today and tomorrow are uneventful.


(Picture is Unrelated)

Posted by: The Brickmuppet at 02:43 PM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
Post contains 315 words, total size 2 kb.

Twenty hours...

I should have set the alarm.

On the one hand, I'm WELL rested.

On the other hand, Saturday was...non-productive.

Posted by: The Brickmuppet at 11:33 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
Post contains 24 words, total size 1 kb.

GASP!



Here's the thing.
I had like 14 tabs open and was looking for info on cycler times between Earth and the main belt so I have NO idea what site this pop-up spam scam was lurking on...but I gather that they're preying on space geeks.

Posted by: The Brickmuppet at 01:52 PM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
Post contains 49 words, total size 1 kb.

...to all the people I butt-called...the new Blackberry holster was apparently not designed for my model.

Here is some cake as compensatio....

Posted by: The Brickmuppet at 04:28 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
Post contains 28 words, total size 1 kb.

My Monday was one of those...
more...

Posted by: The Brickmuppet at 10:19 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
Post contains 956 words, total size 6 kb.

I've been trying to get various things resolved at ODU over the last few days and while I accomplished a great deal, many of my efforts were to no avail. Several people I needed to talk to won't be on campus until classes start tomorrow and I don't have a good E-mail address for an instructor I NEED to get a hold of.

Then there was the little matter yesterday of the 'ODU SAFETY ALERT' which chimed in on my library workstation as I was trying to print out syllabi. ODU sends these to student's campus E-mail accounts. However ODU's G-mail system doesn't allow its E-mails to be forwarded to mobile devices so one has to physically log in to ones Student account to recieve E-mails. While I was logged on yesterday, I received the following E-mail:

 

A gas main has been broken during construction in Lot 19/20 behind the Batten Arts and Letters Building. ODU Police and the Norfolk Fire Department are on scene and restricting access to the area.  The Fire Department has confirmed no buildings need to be evacuated at this time.  Access to Perry Library is restricted to the 43nd  street entrance. The area should be avoided until police and fire units clear the area. 

Posted by: The Brickmuppet at 07:41 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 261 words, total size 2 kb.

They need a different container....



....this is NOT toothpaste.

Also: "Blargh...Ptooey! Ptooey!"

Posted by: The Brickmuppet at 12:57 AM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
Post contains 16 words, total size 1 kb.

1 Heh.  Nicely positioned on my monitor so I had to scroll down to see the punchline.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at Sun Aug 4 21:29:23 2013 (PiXy!)

2 Well, if you didn't sit on your niece, you might not need the cream.

Posted by: Mauser at Tue Aug 6 02:28:42 2013 (TJ7ih)

Hide Comments | Add Comment

Fair warning: Clicking on this link will take you to a UK view of the intersection of hate, fear and intimidation in American public discourse. There is more on this here.

It's sad and a little troubling.

Posted by: The Brickmuppet at 05:52 PM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
Post contains 45 words, total size 1 kb.

Thursday I was laid up with a terrible cold. I stayed in my room all through the 4th trying to heal up for work Friday night. Well, I got up and felt terrible but one does NOT call in the day after a holiday at UPS, so I hustled outside and....cold snap.

It was 40 degrees in July! So I ran back in put on a heavy workshirt and a hoodie and hurried off to work.

Ghaah! The heater in the van was broken!

I got to work and noticed that a bunch of crazy people were coming to work in shorts in 40 degree weather.

...oh wait.

It wasn't the weather...it was me.

Well, I lasted about 3 hrs before I broke morale and asked to go home. Fortunately I looked horrible enough that management gave me no grief, but rather encouraged me to leave.

I was MUCH better by Saturday evening.

This afternoon I was well enough to notice that I hadn't actually published this post.

So all is well I suppose.

_{The following picture is unrelated to the text concerning my weekend. I am very grateful for that.}

Posted by: The Brickmuppet at 01:00 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 198 words, total size 1 kb.

Saturday night I made the trek out to Virginia Beach where a friend and I went to Gus and George's, one of that cities few remaining old fashioned steakhouses. The purpose of this journey was to partake of their Romanian Steak...which defies mot attempts to adequately convey its awesomeness.  In this our mission was successful and we delighted in our consumption of the marinated flesh of the cowbeast.

Unfortunately, as the night became morning, the brakes on my car began to feel progressively more and more ..."odd". I was able to brake...with effort...but something was wrong. I had brake fluid, it didn't feel like the master cylinder had gone, there was no grinding..so after dropping my friend off at his house and convincing him to watch Gargantia, I headed home...wherapon the brakes became basically useless, so I decided to head towards the repair shop.

At this point I should mention that the sound of a safety brake cable snapping when the lever is pulled up violently is that of a loud chirp and is accompanied by a loss of all resistance in the brake lever. In my limited experience it is also accompanied by profanity, evasive maneuvers and downshifting....which in an automatic involves unpleasant and expensive sounding noises.

Anyway, the car is still in the shop as I type this...which is why i could not find my normal set of keys at 03:30 this morning when I went to work and why I had so much trouble finding where I'd parked.

Now as I ponder the lessons learned today, I look with some satisfaction upon the front door key that now graces my spare set of car keys.

Posted by: The Brickmuppet at 02:15 PM | Comments (6) | Add Comment
Post contains 299 words, total size 2 kb.

My Dad had a hernia operation Wednesday following close on the heels of mom's gall bladder surgery. I've been mister butler man for a bit, doing all their errands as well as the lawn and garden stuff. Dad isn't supposed to lift anything for a week and then has a gradually increasing weight restriction for a further five weeks. Thus, Friday, when I drove up in the van from work and noted my dad in the front yard hauling around a bag of pine cones, my response was...

...but in a rather less calm fashion.

He seems to be of the opinion that pine cones do not possess mass. Despite my lack of any formal credentials in physics or botany, I am almost certain that this is not the case.

On what Dad insists is a completely unrelated note, shortly thereafter, he became aware of considerable pain and there was concern that he might have to return to the hospital. Friday was consumed by worry to the exclusion of sleep.

At this point he does seem to be doing better and can now get in and out of bed unassisted. Today I got home to find he had driven my mom to the beautician. This was worrisome but it does indicate that he's improving well. Thus, I can relax and sleep without fear that every little sound might be a catastrophe.

In other news. I don't own a van. I was driving theirs because  my '82 Cressida finally had the radiator die. I can't actually complain about this. After 31 years it was pretty much due. I should be reunited with double the gas mileage, comfortable seats, A/C, MP3 and surround sound tomorrow.

Finally, I just got a letter from the VA indicating that as a disabled Veteran I'm to be paid $625.70 a month in education benefits and that these benefits have been accruing since 2009 when the VA lost track of me after I moved.

Well, given how tight money's been after all the medical bills and missed work, this would be a most welcome development aside from one awkward fact.

I'm not disabled.

I seem to have huge amount of money following me that should be going to people who, unlike me, were wounded in the service of their country. There's a number to a robot to verify my enrollment but no way to cancel or clarify the situation. I'll talk to the VA office at school Wednesday. Hopefully, they can resolve this mess in short order.

Posted by: The Brickmuppet at 02:28 PM | Comments (6) | Add Comment
Post contains 422 words, total size 3 kb.

So...
Better cut the grass tomorrow then.

Fast storm is fast!

Posted by: The Brickmuppet at 07:34 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
Post contains 12 words, total size 1 kb.

 

Posted by: The Brickmuppet at 08:30 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
Post contains 519 words, total size 5 kb.

1 They just enjoy your presence so much that they want to keep you around for another year. 

Best of luck...

Posted by: Siergen at Wed Jun 5 16:11:23 2013 (Ao4Kw)

Hide Comments | Add Comment

Mac Specialists (formally Connecting Point) at 4772  Euclid Road in Virginia Beach is one of, if not the oldest Apple stores in Virginia. It was set up as a computer sales and repair store and school back in 1980 and has been a Apple-only establishment for most of that time. The store had an excellent reputation for service and greatly hyped Apple widgets in Southeastern Virginia for three decades. The store is no-nonsense and no frills but all service. 

But, they are even more impressive than that...

When Apple started its own line of hipster oriented, gorgeously designed, snobtacular stores, it threw the smaller computer stores to the wolves by cutting them off from ordering new machines. Apple even opened an Apple kiosk in the Best Buy across the street from Mac Specialists.

That was several years ago and Mac Specialists is still there, having persevered via sheer excellence in the quality of their repair work, Mac training and customer service. These qualities were made all the more glorious by the stark contrast to the customer service and expertise at the aforementioned Best Buy across the street. I gather that Apple got complaints....I further gather that there were rather a lot because, some years ago, Jobs allowed Mac Specialists to start ordering and selling (but not displaying) Apple products. It's a store with NOTHING on display....but if someone wants to order an Apple they can walk in, sit down, describe what they want and the parts will arrive...assembled.

Which is how I got Holo, my iMac.

The store does a bang-up job on repairs as well, when my iMac was struck by lightning some years ago they fixed it and saved the data. I upgraded the machine to a two TB drive tat the same time. Their bills are itemized minute by minute, part by part. The owner,  John Crow, is extremely knowledgeable and still gives classes on using Apple products.  He is also a former Brown-Shoe who flew an A-6 Intruders. He is both courteous and ethical. I have been thoroughly impressed every time I've been there.

Well, the other day, my hard drive blew. To my astonishment Mr. Crow informed me that my 2 year old drive was still under warranty.

Wo0t! For $106.00 in labor, I now have essentially a new computer in an old case which is neat because the steel & glass case is, IMHO, vastly superior to the new plastic one.

There was a bit of a delay in getting the drive, in part because the Express Air Freight service ran afoul of the recent Tornadoes.

I spent last night setting up, customizing and adding bookmarks, Parallells, Windows 7 and various Video Codecs to my new machine.

The old HD must have been 'off' for a while before dying because I am absolutely astonished at how fast this machine is now.

Anyway, I'm back online now.

Posted by: The Brickmuppet at 05:17 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
Post contains 485 words, total size 3 kb.