Furlough Week ...

I know nobody really reads my crap so I'll just write whatever the friek is on my mind... I'm bored currently though I shouldn't be. I have a million things that I should be doing, but yea here I am sitting writing this stupid blog. So yep, you guessed it, this is my furlough week, my week off of work without pay, this really sucks. The writing is on the wall and my time is limited at The Star. As much hard work and dedication I have given to that company, I feel like they are shitting on me. McClatchy's mentality towards me and any other employee is that I should be thankful to have a job period. Honestly, I don't know any more, I'm certain my time is limited there, but for how long...?

I guess I'm just pissed off at my current situation, of course I'm always angry about something, this is coming from the guy who has taken court ordered anger management classes. I can't complain about my life though, if you were to compare my life to the rest of the world, I am living as a god amongst the animals. But, my problem I guess is that I always thought that by the time I reached my current age of 37, I would have obtained much more success. I have achieved a lot more than most, however I'm better than that, I did things when I was 19 that most people could have never accomplished, though here I am.

Looking back, I have made a lot of stupid decisions. I would be a lot further along in my career path if I would have listened to Dad, I can finally admit it, but he was pretty much always right. The thing is, I had the notion that once I graduated college that the world would open up for me, and finding that dream job would be a piece of cake. Everything always came to me so easily before. I always slacked off in high school simply because it was so boring, and I thought it was cool to be apathetic, I never went above and beyond, and rose above the creme to allow myself to be noticed.

Now I feel as though I'm stuck in this rut, spinning my wheels, with everything I do seeming to be a waste of time, and not getting any further towards my goals and dreams in life. I guess I'm being negative, but hell sometimes the negativity in the world consumes me, and I can't filter it out quick enough...

It's funny, I always knew I was different, but some people think I'm a weirdo, and some whom used to be my friends, well won't return my calls, that kinda hurts. I know, I have done some things in the past that people didn't agree with, or things that people thought were immoral and just plain stupid, like smoking, but the thing is I've always been a good person, never done wrong to know one, paid my taxes, and always held a steady job, while paying my bills on time always. I think I visited room 237 one to many times, maybe that's why some people don't know how to take me.

I feel as though I'm lacking in many ways, I had a friend tell me I needed to reaffirm my relationship with God, but really how does one go about doing that, I mean do I sit and pray, or meditate for long periods of time. I find God in the kindness of others, when someone is kind or does something nice for me, I thank God for that special act of kindness.

For the naysayers, I am somewhat psychic, I had a business meeting with an extremely intelligent gentlemen a few weeks ago, and I kept picking up on this vibe that he viewed me as a complete idiot. Of course he did not present himself that way during our conversation, but it has made me hesitant to do business with him. The thing is I grew up poor, and compared to most of the kids growing up today that are Tech savvy and/or Internet savvy, I didn't have all this shit when I was growing up, I didn't have a fucking computer growing up. But, then there are people like my friend Paul that is way savvy on all kinds of Tech operandi, and he's way older than me, so maybe I am just an idiot...

I'm just venting if you are actually reading this. I don't have anything funny or cute to say, other than maybe I need to apply to be the village idiot. I'm sure I could support my family with that kind of pay and great benefits.

Hello out there where is everybody at???

The Buck Stops here!!!

Money is no laughing matter!!! Money has ended relationships, saved them, saved peoples lives, and even on a grander scale have caused wars, caused famine, and to say the least brought people closer to God. Money effects every aspect of our daily lives. Those who have it vs. those who don't. The ones who don't have it are envious of those who do have it and the ones who do have it are constantly doing what they can to preserve and nurture their wealth.

I've been around wealthy people, as well as dirt poor people who live on the streets. Wealth in the form of money comes in so many different facets. Some place value on paintings, while some it is a car, or others it might be real estate, for some it is that stash of gold coins buried in the back of the bedroom closet. The one thing that I see a lot of are those without, and people constantly living there life's with this notion that one day the money train will stop in and make all there dreams come true. Sadly, most of us know this to be untrue.

Unfortunately, what most people don't realize is that the US is one of the greatest producers of Millionaires on the planet. Most of us working class people will earn over a million dollars in our lifetimes, however we never retain that wealth, which begs the question-Why NOT? Why is it that most of us by the time we die have not accumulated a million dollars worth of assets? I will tell you why...

Stop wasteful spending would be my foremost piece of advice. If you spent your money on getting your hair done, or going to the casino, or going out to eat on the regular, or maybe you have an addiction to buying hordes of action figures; these things need to stop! Especially, if you can't afford your electric bill, and for some reason the gas company shut you off, and now you have no hot water to take a bath. If I poured you a tall glass of water from my filtered tap water, and told you, "That'll be a buck fifty," you would laugh at me, and call me a shark. However, anytime you walk into a convenience store and made yourself a drink and a paid a dollar to three dollars for that drink, and not even blink at the person running the register while paying, yea your getting ripped off for sure. I guess my point is there are so many ways I see people wasting their money on frivolous crap, that I simply laugh at them when I hear them complain about not being able to pay there car payment, or the landlord is about to kick them out because they can't pay rent. Some people live this way, and I can't be hypocritical too much, however most people don't realize how much money they spend on fountain drinks alone, or cups of coffee. Take for instance the cost of a large cup of coffee at Quik Trip, which I believe is up to a $1.89. That is almost $700 a year if you bought a cup everyday, and for some that is a house payment, or dare I say a car payment.

Granted you won't solve all of your money problems by simply cutting out fountain drinks, or coffee from your local convenience store, however but an overall assessment of your spending habits is obviously in need of an audit. Maybe getting rid of a couple more wasteful things might make a bigger knock into your money troubles.

I will say this, "Whether you make ten dollars an hour, or a hundred thousand dollars annually does not mean that you are spending it properly, or should you spend it at all?" Many times people fall into holes because they don't have the proper spending habits. We all need to tweak our spending habits on a regular to keep ourselves in check. A lot of times people can turn their situation around by creating new habits, a financial life change so to speak. Unfortunately many people are not willing to make those financial sacrifices in order to bring their personal finances into order, and eventually be debt free. Many people remain poor, and broke, and behind on all their payments because they cannot break those bad financial habits.

Until you identify, assess, and take hold of your finances you will never be financially successful...

MY FIRST PIECE OF ADVICE TO TURN YOUR FINANCES AROUND: Only spend your money on assets... Or something that will give you an asset in return...

More to come assets when the urge strikes or someone actually asks me what the hell I'm talking about...

An experienced life...

Ironic is a word I learned in Middle school, and a word that rings true now that I've been out of College for quite awhile. Why because everything I learned in College seems almost bunk now! Maybe that's pessimistic, or a fact, probably just an opinion, I mean really what does one do with a Creative Writing degree anyway.

It gets me, I have been turned down at jobs simply because I have too much education. Guess I'm not ignorant enough, I even had a lady at A-1 Staffing tell me to leave off a good chunk of my education on applications and resumes. "Wow," I thought at the time, this world is fucked up, I mean wouldn't you want the best candidate for the job, however I've come to realize that employers don't always want the best person for the job. What they want is someone who is compliant, shuts up, and does everything there told without going above and beyond the call of duty. A person who won't try and advance themselves, nor better themselves in anyway at all. Companies are looking for mindless drones to show up on time, take their medication, shut up, toil away behind a PC, or whatever device it may be... And not give a damn about the company they work for. Cause if they did care they might be a threat to upper management...

Granted I don't think I could be a salesman either because I've yet to find a product that I believe in that pays commission... So I'm stuck woes-woes me.

Stop your bitchin' Clayton and get back to work...

Frozen Burritos and then what?

I recently downed some El Monterey frozen burritos, and let me tell you I feel great. Eating frozen burritos leads me to a long gasp of life reflection. Many of my fondest memories are associated with frozen burritos. I remember back in junior high school kids picking on me and being comforted by the thought that mom had just bought burritos, and they were waiting for me in the freezer. I could also use the uneaten still frozen burritos as an icepack for my swollen black eye. I remember coming home from football practice craving those delicious El Monterey's.

I also associate losing my virginity with those infamous El Monterey chimi's. As awful as my first sexual experience was at the time, I was comforted by the fact I knew frozen chimi's were sitting in the freezer at home soon to be doused with Spanish Gardens Taco Sauce.

Even after those shitty baseball practices when I was the crappiest player on the team-you guessed it, I quelled those feelings of inadequacy with those frozen beef and starch delights. Even after entering adulthood those frozen treats stuck with me. They were cheap and delicious!

At eighteen when I foolishly moved out of my parents house and married a crazy hot Italian girl, and I mean crazy, those frozen burritos were always there to keep me company. When I had no money and the crazy Italian girl took it all, I could still afford those chimi's. On those nights I babysat for her, while she cheated on me those frozen treats filled my palate with delight.

I will definitely not forget all those days of bachelorhood, striking out on my own, being broke as hell, but free, those burritos by El Monterey were cheap and an easy fix after a fourteen hour shift in the Meat Locker.

Especially, during my eight long years of going to college, I ate the hell out of that manufactured beef and starch roll-ups. What can I say they are cheap, and delicious. A little cheese and some salsa, I just cannot get enough of El Monterey's treats. Three minutes on one side, then add a little sauce, two minutes more after turning them over, and finally add cheese and microwave for another minute and a half, add more sauce and voila! I typically eat three in one sitting smothered in salsa.

I will have to say after college I gave up my addiction because you know what they say about too much of a good thing, however recently, I have delved back into habit. I have been a bit lonely, I think it's cause my fiance has lost interest in sex, and is always at work, hey some oral would turn it all around, a burrito is somewhat shaped like a penis I told her, hmnn maybe she's into tacos, which would be cool as long as I can watch her eat them and maybe take some pictures.

Though just tonight I was speaking with a gentlemen, whom I consider the next home grown terrorist, an Anders Behring Breivik flunky, and of course while speaking to him, I am eating frozen burritos. Finally I told Mr. Anarchy that he wouldn't have all those anti-governmental feeling if he just ate some El Monterey Frozen Burritos. He accused me of being part of the thought police and hung up on me! But I still finished my burritos and damn they are yummy!

Abandonment Charges

Look at this poor little guy... Can you believe this??? At about 8:00Am in the morning Britt and I are on our way to Price Copper, driving along Blue Ridge Rd when we hear a dog barking and yelping. Britt exclaims, "There's a dog trapped down in the sewer!"

"What!" I of course heard the dog as we were cruising down the road, however, I didn't know of any sewer at that point in the road.

"Turn around and go back," Britt demanded!!!

"Yes Dear-of course Dear, I'll turn around dear..." So I immediately turned right into the Blue Ridge shopping center and headed back to the opposite entrance. When low and behold there was this little guy attached to this fence post! To say the least I was flabbergasted at the sight of this poor little dog tied up to a fence post right off of a busy main road. What jerk-off would do this to their dog? I told Britt, "Maybe the person who owns this dog is inside one of the shops and left there dog there momentarily?" I convinced Britt to go ahead and get our shopping done and well come back and check on him afterwards... Yep, you guessed it, he was still there an hour or so later, Britt was pissed at this person to say the least. So we hit up every business in the shopping center looking for the owner - no one laid claim to this poor little guy. Luckily for him, or so we thought, he had a rabies tag on his collar, so we called the veternarian clinic on the tag to try and locate the owner, giving the owner the benefit of the doubt. The clinic was reluctant to give out the name and address, but did so anyway, while simultaneously contacting the owner and leaving them Britt's phone number.

While on our way to this Mike Malone guy's house, which his address by the way is 11318 Bennington in KC, MO, called Britt, and gave some BS story of how he didn't want the dog, and that the dog jumped out of his car and ran away, and someone must have attached the dog to this fence post. We were convinced this guy was making up stories, for one he told Britt that the owners of the Truman Farm home allowed him to let his Pit Bull run free in the fenced in part of the yard. Yeah right Mike Malone your full of it!!! You left your cute little dog child attached to a fence post on a busy road four lane road!!!

So after a four hour long journey of phone calls, and trips to show potential dog owners we ran into a dead end. We couldn't keep the little guy and no one else wanted him either-sad day...

So, we finally decided to take him to Wayside Waifs. At least it's a no kill shelter, however come to find out there is a 6-8 week long wait to get him in. Sadly though, once we informed the dog shelter of the situation they called Grandview Animal Control because what this guy did was completely illegal, and cruel to say the least! We gave GVAC the man's address and phone number, and guess what he is being brought up on charges. That's right-Abandonment Charges!

Mike Malone at 11318 Bennington KCMO is an animal abuser, and will be punished, the one time the system is seeming to work for us!!!

I'm a dick...

No seriously, I am a dick! The sad thing is, I don't always realize I'm doing it, however here it is... I guess this is my apology letter to everyone who I have upset before.

For example: I was at a party a few weeks ago, where there were a couple of babies present and all the adults are ooing and cooing over these new borns, which was great, who doesn't love babies? While all this was going on my boys are running around the place going crazy, jacked up on sugar and caffeine, and I'm watching them out of the corner of my eye, while holding this beautiful small baby in my arms and thinking, "Yep that's what they turn into when they are older, and my kids aren't even teenagers yet, and they already act like crazy little hethans." I stared deep into this babies eyes, and I could see that he wanted to take part in the childhood mischief, but hadn't even taught himself how to walk yet, but I could tell this baby was ready to be a boy and raise hell.

After sometime went by my arms grew tired, and I handed the baby off to another gentlemen at the party whom was recently married, and still in the stage of being a newly wed. My boys are running around the room doing there thing, and I'm scolding them to settle down and act like descent little devils, and I turn to him and tell the gentlemen with babe in arms that he and his new wife need to get a couple of those, maybe two or three. I was kind of making a sarcastic joke, because we all could see my boys raising hell, so I was being a bit fecitious with him. I commented a couple times too him about making a few hellions for him and his wife to chase around the house. He casually smiled at me and laughed little bit cause he knew I was trying to be funny.

But, the real joke was on me, cause come to find out later this newly married couple could not have kids, so my witful sarcastic jokes, just made me look like a dick!!! ----- sigh, I did it again...

So, my apologies to all I've offended...

By the way Leanne, I'm just trying to get the job done!!! The Star is being flushed down the drain by corporate ego's, however, I won't be part of it...

Phweeehhh! Britt started her period! Gotta love the red sauce.... Facepaint...

I don't have the time to tell all the stories where I have made people upset by me trying to make a joke or just simply have a good time, please know that I am a nice guy --- mostly...

But please keep in mind I am the nice guy to a certain point, if you get into my face, I won't back down, so keep that in mind Prairie Village popo dept.!!!