Tyla's School Pic

Spring 2010 school picture. My little girl is growing up fast!

Call the Nestle Hot Line

TAKE A MINUTE AND DO THIS! Call the Nestle Hot line at 1-800 295-0051 When asked if you want to continue in English or Spanish, wait quietly for about 10 seconds and you will smile. Keep going and press 4. Then press 7. Whoever thought of this at Nestle deserves a raise -

IF IT IS BUSY KEEP TRYING

Only Being Able to Use One Hand Is For The Birds

Had surgery on my right hand yesterday. Carpel Tunnel Release. All is good except I can't use it at all right now. Some pain but not unbearable. Originally, they said that i would be in a cast but final decision was just a splint. I will be able to take it off and shower a little later today, so thats a good thing.

I was really wondering how I would be able to function but surprisingly doing quite well. Slept decent, but was quite uncomfortable come 7:00 this morning so i didn't get to sleep in. I decided to try and check email this morning and after changing the mouse settings to accommodate my left hand, I was able to get it down. A little cumbersome but seems to be working. I am quite amazed at how well I can type with one hand. I have to look at the keyboard while i type (which I normally don't do) but am doing good.

I have really only had 24 hrs to get used to this but have realized that i have taken a lot for granted. just putting on my jeans this morning was a chore. Try brushing your teeth with your left hand (or your right for all you lefty's out there). For me, i had to think about it.... seriously... was really slow going.... ohh, putting deodorant on is just as tough. Gonna shave here in a little bit, not sure how thats gonna go...

10 Reasons to Dump Daylight Saving Time

10 Reasons to Dump Daylight Saving Time

(Original post here)

1) Daylight Saving Time (DST) was sold as an energy-saving measure. But it doesn’t save energy. The results of a natural experiment in Indiana (where the state was moved onto DST by a change in the law in 2006) showed that DST actually increased residential energy demand by 1% overall — and by 2%-4% in October.

2) You think DST is something we do for farmers? From the same paper: “A common misperception is that DST is an agricultural policy. Farmers have historically been one of the most organized groups against the practice of DST, as it requires them to work in morning darkness for an extra hour in order to coordinate with the timing of markets.”

3) Here’s an easy one: time wasted setting clocks backward and forward.

4) Another easy one: appointments missed because of time-change confusion.

5) When the clocks are set ahead in the Spring, it causes more car accidents.

6) Also due to the shift back to DST, workplace injuries rise, likely due to employees’ lack of sleep. According to one study of the number of injuries reported to the Mine Safety and Health Administration from 1983 to 2006: “there were 3.6 more injuries on the Mondays following the switch to daylight saving time compared to other days, and 2,649 more days of work were lost as a result of those injuries.”

7) The clocks being set ahead in Spring also interrupts our natural adjustment to changing sunrises, with possible impact on our long-term health.
It sucks.

9) DST really doesn’t save energy.

10) When Ben Franklin proposed the idea, he was frickin’ kidding.

Below the fold, one way DST is good…
Getting more light in the morning reduces winter depression. But we could combat the morning darkness with some simple tricks, such as using a “dawn simulator” or setting a bedside lamp on a timer for 20 minutes before our alarm clocks.

What's The Buzz about...

Click on Google Buzz below for the You Tube Video. Google Buzz is a new way to start conversations about the things you find interesting. It's built right into Gmail, so you don't have to peck out an entirely new set of friends from scratch — it just works. If you think about it, there's always been a big social network underlying Gmail. Buzz brings this network to the surface by automatically setting you up to follow the people you email and chat with the most. We focused on building an easy-to-use sharing experience that richly integrates photos, videos and links, and makes it easy to share publicly or privately (so you don't have to use different tools to share with different audiences). Plus, Buzz integrates tightly with your existing Gmail inbox, so you're sure to see the stuff that matters most as it happens in real time.

I Feel Old!

This is an older post on Wired.com but thought it worth the read. I am sure there are several more that we can add to this list, so feel free to comment!

100 Things Your Kids May Never Know AboutRead More

Global Warming Conference Cancelled Because of Blizzard in DC

Event Postponed: The Global Implications of Climate Migration

Due to inclement weather, this event has been postponed. We will notify you of a new date and time as soon as possible. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Global Warming

If you can’t find the book you’re looking for…. You’re probably at the……..

Use any version of Windows 7 free for 120 days

So the Geek is coming out today. I subscribe to a newsletter Windows Secrets and received the following artical. I thought it interesting and may have some interest for a few of my readers... (all 2 of the 7 of you!)

http://windowssecrets.com/comp/090820/

I am wanting to try the new Windows 7 as I have heard that it is far better than Vista ever was.

(Also just bookmarking for later use!)

Farmer In The Dell!

musicMagpie

I stumbled across a website that will buy your used CDs from you. Musicmagpie shows you the value of each by simply entering in the bar code off the CD.

I entered a few just for grins. The first two were one's that I recently purchased and they are only willing to give me about 4 pounds for them (that's $5.84 USD) I used this currency converter.

This Is The Time Where I Hate My Job

Just to cover my ass here, I will not say anything viable to or crucial to the company I work for. I mean no harm. I will make every effort to not say anything that is in violation of company policy.

I know that it has been months since I posted, but I have (no excuse) been really busy. I have finally got the job that I always wanted and I am actually really hating it right now.

Several hundred people have been laid off from the company I work for in the passed couple of months, and I have to be right in the middle of all of it. Now that I am in the IT Dept. (Computer Tech, Support Specialist, the "it" guy, the PC Geek.... what ever you want to call it) I have to be one of the ones that secures equipment when that person is "Let Go".

I am having a real hard time dealing with this since most of these people I have known for many years. I have become friends with these guys and know what their background consist of.

I know there were families that have newborns at home, were finally making there way back up out of the hole that they dug just to stay alive; to single dads that finally were able to provide insurance for there kids that were actually able to see the doctor for the first time without having to worry about the bill; the mother with 3 kids that got away from her abusive husband and started a life in a new home; a regular family that got excited about buying a new washer that actually cleaned their cloths, cut down on their electric bill and help save the environment....All of them just lost their jobs. All of them, might very well loose everything else...

I walk into the office and start taking apart equipment. I look at every one's faces and see nothing but fear. Scared, teary eyed zombies just stare in amazement. I carry out the the tin boxes that hold valuable information and all I can say is... nothing....nothing....

I walk back in to remove the remnants of cables and wires. Three women stand huddled, sobbing softly together. One women reaches up to the face of the other and wipes away a tear and says, " Just remember, God brought us to it he will bring you through it." I walk away with a tear in my eye...

Happy New Hallo-ThanksXmas Year!

I want one of these!

Finally Did It!

SandRidge Finally offered me the position as a Support Specialist! And I took it. I have never in my life been through such a process. Everything was all so formal, professional. I guess I am just used to the small town attitude of "Do you want a job?"... "Sure!"... "Then your hired."

I will start my new job on Nov. 24th. And, just to clerify something, I will NOT be moving to Oklahoma. I will work for the IT Department here in Fort Stockton. I may be traveling to OK a few times, but not to stay. This is gonna be fun and I look forward to it.

You know, I always have something to be so thankful for come this time of year, however, I just got little extra bonus this year!

Interview Update

This was a an experiance that I will never forget. First off we drove to Oklahoma City OK on the 24th of Sept. where Sandridge was nice enough to put us up in the Mariot Courtyard on the northwest side of town. After 8 hours of driving and almost getting us completely lost, which is very easily done when you are not familiar with any of the area, Shelly and the kids enjoyed the pool while I got ready for my interview.

The next morning I met with several members of the IT team at the Valience Bank next door to the hotel we were staying at. I really felt uncomfortable and underdressed. The hotel and the area was all business uper-class. Jeans and boots were presentable however I should have worn a tie. I was well accepted and warmly greeted by every person that made eye contact with me. As for the interview itself, though formal, it was more of a meet and greet type setting. Very few questions about the job, more so about getting to know my personality and if I would fit in to a close knit team. All the people I met with in the interviews were great. Very friendly! By the end of each interview I found myself very relaxed, even more comfident. I was actually just sitting there Bull Shittin with these people. This part is funny: Everyone of these people asked if I had flown in on the Coorperate Jet, and when I said No that I drove, their jaws almost hit the floor. I think I impressed them futher when I infomed them that I was on Vacation and traveling through. A nerve racking, yet awsome experience.

As of today, I still do not know if I got the position or not. There were several things that happened since. Besides going on the Kansas for Jay and Nichole's redneck wedding, we came back the next week and the Monday I was supposed to go back to work I found myself sick. Then on Tuesday ended up in the hospital with pnemonia, putting me out of work for a whole week, Yes I am doing great now so don't worry about that. Then I get back to work to find that the company decided to stack down (shut down) half the rigs, laying off a mess load of people temporarially, and putting the Lariat side of the company on a hiring freeze. If that was not frustrating enough I made contact with Human Resource concerning all of the above, and found out that everything was ok with the transfer and was still in the works, and not to worry about getting layed off, however, I would not have a definate answer on the position untill the end of next week.

Let me say this, when I spoke with HR about the pay, she infomed me that that was part of the reason for the delay in a final decision. I get anywhere from 30 to 50 hours overtime in a given week, so they had to come up with a salary that was comprable with my current income, since that amount of overtime in not included in the position requirements. You know what that means right? A LOT more money per hour AND way less work. (With her saying that, just makes me even more confident!)

So, after almost 6 months of waiting, I'm still waiting........ Will keep everyone up to date when I know something. I can't wait for all this to get settled one way or the other.

Carple tunnel

There is a couple of issues I have been faced with today, but I am going to focus on the positive.

I went back to the doctor to get another cortozone shot in my right hand and all he said was that the only fix would be a surgery. Im not ready yet so I said no. He gave me a shot in the palm of my hand just below my ring finger. This time he put the latacaine and decacan (thats not the right name but owell....) in the same injection and that that shit hurts... still does but the more I move my fingers and wrist the better it feels. (I am pecking at the keyboard to type this post with my right hand here)


I can move my fingers and whrist very well and I can't wait till tomorrow when I can lift my coffee cup in the mornin and not have a problem. (ok ok, I cannt wait to lift that 12oz piece of tin that contains something called "beer")

Tomorrow I will be doing great and will post more. hopefully it will only take me a few minutes to post next time !

Farting In Bed

This is a story about a couple who had been happily married for year. The only friction in their marriage was the husbands habit of farting loudly every morning when he awoke.

The noise would wake his wife and the smell would make her eyes water and make her gasp for air.

Every morning she would plead with him to stop ripping them off because it was making her sick. He told her he couldn't stop it and that it was perfectly natural. She told him to see a doctor she was concerned that one day he would blow his guts out.

The years went by and continued to rip them out. Then one Thanksgiving morning as she was preparing the turkey for dinner and he was upstairs sound asleep, she looked at the innards, neck gizzards, liver and the spare parts and a malicious thought came to her. She took the bowl and went upstairs where her husband was sound asleep and gently pulling the bed covers back, she pulled back the elastic waist band of his underpants and emptied the bowl of turkey guts into his shorts.

Some time later she heard her husband waken with his usual trumpeting which was followed by a blood curdling cream and the sound of frantic footsteps as he ran into the bathroom. The wife could hardly control herself as she rolled on the floor laughing, tears in her eyes! After years of torture she had got him back pretty good.

About twenty minutes later, her husband came downstairs in his blood stained underpants with a look of horror on his face. She bit her lip as she asked him what was the matter.

He said, " Honey, you were right. All these years you have warned me and I didn't listen to you"

"What do you mean?", asked the wife.

"Well, you always told me that one day I would end up farting my guts out. And today, it finally happened. But by the Grace of God, Some Vaseline and two fingers, I think I got most of them back in! "

Interview Update

I had my first of two, maybe three iterviews today with the IT Team at SandRidge Energy. An over the phone interview, that was just a nerving as actually meeting these people in person.

For the first time in my life I had an interview that consisted of more than 2 people. There were supposed to be 6, I think, that were in on the conversation.

As far as formal interviews this was only the second in my life that actually considered more infuses on what I had to say about myself and accomplishments than what my resume said.

After 30 minutes of answering general questions about what I have done and my accomplishments (giving me time for bragging rights included), I was informed that a person to person interview was a definite. I didn't mention salary since the interview contained several of the IT Team, but was informed by the interviewer that an immediate contact with HR would be about just that. Does that sound promising? I think so!


There was a negative that was stated a few times through the conversation that I didn't like to much. I was informed that it was important that my boss not be put in a bind due to a possible move of me to another department. OK, that could be a positive... just means there is someone else that could hold me back from getting out of the shop. That "someone else" is the one that I need to train to do my job which my boss has yet to find.

I have been very conservative on what the interview consisted of and responses I have made. I may very well have damaged my chance of getting the transfer by saying what I have but I am confident. If it does not work out than I am certain that there are far more chances out there.

Satisfied But Frustrated *part one*

I know that I haven't posted in a while but I have good reason.

I will start with the satisfied part first. About 2 months ago a hail storm hit town that did quite a bit of damage. It didn't break any windows but really put some dints in the paint on the house, the cars, broke branches off the trees which knocked over a brick pillar in the front corner of the yard, damaged vents on the roof and, well, caused a big mess. After calling the insurance company they came out and determined that we needed to fix everything that was damaged on the outside of the house. In order to utilize the EXTRA money that was given to us, I decided to contract some of the labor, then do most of it myself. I decided that I wanted to paint the entire house and trim before summers end. I've actually got almost 2 sides of it done in the passed month. That shows how fast this is going.

My big project is going to be the fence. I cannot get the stain that I want in town and have to order it. There is a national back order for 5 gallon buckets of ceder stain at every store I have gone to. At $80+ a 5gallon bucket and repeat customer you would think that they would bend over backwards to get you what you want....but not here..... go figure. ***Nicole, I need help here!***

You would never believe what a new coat of paint would do to make an old house look new and clean again!