Another Year Gone By

Another year gone by...

Current mood:nostalgic

Here it is, almost September again, and about 4 days away from the ol b-day. This has got me thinking back over the last couple of years. Saturday, I put my earring in. Lori had mentioned I dont wear it anymore. I had thought the piercing had closed, because I have not worn any jewelry since my accident. She went and got it and put it back in, and that made me think of all of the things that have happened since last I wore it.

I have been blogging for one year this month. My first blog was in September of 2005. Many of you reading blogs at MySpace may not realize there is a button to the left that says "Older and Newer" and that when you hit the end of a blog, there may be older posts lurking. I have 4 pages of content in my blog.

Back in the 90s, I kept journals for several years. I am not sure why I quit, but I did. I have them tucked away...about 5 years of daily handwritten ramblings. I may have to transcribe them to the pc someday. I used to post about what was happening in my life at a karaoke forum I haunted...and it is cool to read the archives and see the drama around the hurricanes, and the accidents, and the deaths... Kind of like an early attempt at blogging, since the public could post responses. I probably should archive them as well incase anything ever happens to their server.

Was looking at some of the old posts about taking care of my Mom and her inevitable demise. While I still think about her daily, I do not miss her suffering, and selfishly, the demands that her care placed on my brother, Lori and I. But I would do it all over again tomorrow if I had to . No complaints here, just observations.

Then there were the hurricanes. The current forecast has me waxing nostalgic over dealing with those things, especially in 2004 when we got the big whammy. I am not ready to face another major hurricane season, but if it comes I suppose I have no choice. Not much of a chicken little here...most of my preparation involved raising my insurance limits.

2004 would have been a good year to be blogging. This month will mark the two year anniversary of my accident. I have come a long way since then, both physically, mentally and financially. I had an amazingly fast recovery, but the full recuperation will take time, and is still ongoing. Still having good days and bad days, and I am sure that I will have lingering effects for the rest of my life.

Financially, it is a pretty hard blow to lose your income, maintain your current expenses, then add in all the medical expenses from the injuries. I managed to keep my head above water thanks to the generosity of my community...friends and strangers alike, who donated to my benefit fund. Now that I am getting on my feet, I find myself with a much more charitable nature. I see the point of helping when I can...that others may need what I have more than I do. It made a profound difference in my life, and I fully intend to pay forward all my contributions made to me 2 years ago. I understand the value of quiet, anonymous benevolence.

I work 6-7 days a week right now, merely because I can, and because the work is there. In my business, it can be feast or famine. All it takes is a change in the public favor, or for a venue to go out of business or change formats to cause you to lose a job. Fortunately things fell into place for me this year at the start with some better paying jobs, and all my days filled. I vowed to try to keep the pace for a year to get my debts in order. I had to do some financial juggling of my resources to make things happen, and now SunTrust has a very big hand held out to me monthly, but, I am aggressively taking care of it, putting every penny I make toward my problem this year. This is my rainy day plan. This way if something comes up in the near future affecting my income, I wont have any pressure immediately. AND, if all goes as planned, maybe next year I can schedule a day off, and the year after that, actually work a shorter work week and smell the roses a bit.

Lots of other personal changes this year, as well as changes involving those around me...friends, family, pets... My little puppy has turned into a lovable moose, lol, my other dog is showing more signs of her age and I think about her emminent passing. She is the Lulu to my Sidney Poitier. Her and I have come a long way, and I am looking forward to getting a similar result from Foster. He is already getting a little more obedient, and I take him outside off the leash. Will look forward to maybe walking him off the leash one day, like I do with Tiny. She was wilder than he was at the start so there is hope.

Samantha's 9 month old is a frequent lodger at the homestead. (I am reluctant to use the g-word...grandfather? LOL!) I am not a big fan of kids, but I will concede that if you had to have one, he is a pretty good specimen. There, how is that for antiseptic praise, LOL!!! No really, he is pretty cool...

Well, I could keep going on, but I think I will save it for another day. Lets see what another year brings in this life. Still feel and look younger than my age, although I have a grey stain on my soul patch that I cant seem to wash out, and Lori loves...I just tell everyone it is dry milk.

Best to you all...

Gas Prices

Gas Prices

Current mood:aggravated

I am confused about the gas market right now. I know gas prices are coming down to bolster consumer confidence. I know gas prices should be going up due to the pipeline problems. Everyone seems to fear coming away from the $3.00 mark. When prices were escalating, everyone was quick to raise the prices, and now that the market seems to be in decline, even though we see a reduction, I am suspect that feet are being dragged.

I travel 600 miles a week or more in commute. I keep tabs on where the cheapest gas is and who is consistantly the most expensive. When the traditionally expensive places are matching the prices of the bargain guys, I just cant help but feel someone is pocketing a large profit margin at my expense.

Hey, this is America...free enterprise and all that. It just irks me to see costs so high when the oil companies are reporting record breaking profits. That is their right, but somehow, in this climate it feels a little unpatriotic for some reason.

We still have it better than most countries, fuel cost wise, then there is Argentina...still supplying its citizens for under a quarter a gallon...and then there is Brazil who responded to the gas crisis in the 70s by becoming self sufficient by planting corn and developing corn based fuels.

And here we are...America...the biggest consumer per person in the world, and we are told by our administration that consumption is the American way and we dont need to stop consuming...and no one seems to be pushing alternative fuels.

Could it be that the powers that be happen to be oilmen? But I digress...

Having been in the fuel business myself for many years, I guess I am just a little more skeptical as well as analytical toward the retail marketplace.

Just venting....

Article In Todays Paper

Article in todays paper...

http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/News/Neighbors/NewsTribune/flaNT21080906.htm

August 09, 2006

Karaoke highlights the night life at Beverly Beach

By KENYA WOODARD and LAUREN SONIS
Staff Writers BEVERLY BEACH -- On Saturday night, Pat Mynes and her "buddy" Sid rock the mic at The Shark House in Beverly Beach.

Mynes, who lives in the Hammock, has performed karaoke at the restaurant and bar for the past 12 years -- with dummies. The ventriloquist has performed with dummies for more than 30 years and often at The Shark House with Sid, the old biker, or Joe, the smoking camel who coughs while he sings.

Mynes calls the dummies her "buddies." They sit on her lap and croon along to the songs, she said.

Sid -- who wears a leather vest and sings with a gruff voice -- loves to belt out tunes like "I Love This Bar" by Toby Keith or "I Got You Babe" by Sonny and Cher, Mynes said.

People who are initially hesitant to sing before crowds often loosen up after they see Sid, Mynes said.

"I bring him out and have him do a song or two," she said "So it kind of breaks the ice."

Mynes, who performs three times a week, said she loves singing karaoke with her "buddies" and the locals who come to The Shark House. "I have a great time," she said.

And so do the regulars. Mike Morgan of Palm Coast is one in a community of singers who takes pleasure in karaoke. The retiree who was in a band "about 100 years ago" is known around Flagler County for his Marvin Gaye renditions.

"I guess it's like how somebody would wear a Dale Earnhardt shirt," he said. "It's just a small way to say, 'Marvin, I miss you.' "

Regulars say about 50 to 200 people or so travel from bar to bar during the week throughout the county. They've become friends from their routine, cheering and slow dancing during the four-hour shows.

Flagler Beach resident Gladdys B. Chesser started singing karaoke when she was 76. Now 80, she's a regular, and residents say they've seen her dancing at a Flagler Beach bar, Finnegan's, until 2 a.m.

And some folks have gotten married, said karaoke show host Harry Smith.

The host runs his show, Harryoke!, six nights a week, a favorite among locals. In 2004, residents had a 12-hour benefit concert for Smith after he broke his neck and split open his head in a car crash. He didn't have health insurance at the time.

And after months of recuperating, Smith is back in action. He said the karaoke industry has changed some over the years.

He's wary of hosts who use pirated music to offer a wider selection. And though television show "American Idol" has encouraged more people to practice their singing, Smith posts an essay on his MySpace Web page about the pitfalls of "American Idol" and how he thinks the contests are rigged.

His waist-length ponytail blows in the air conditioning on stage as he nimbly shuffles through his thousands of songs and calls singers "Angolalala" or "Sassy" onto the stage.

"If you have an interest in getting a tattoo, you'd seek it out," he said, drawing a comparison to the karaoke following. "Other people work up to the idea, and once they get down to it, it becomes a lifestyle."

kenya.woodward@news-jrnl.com

lauren.sonis@news-jrnl.com