Close? Clothes? Close?

We are so close to moving our clothes in to our new house after we close yet we are so far. The stars have not aligned for us recently, but we are still optimistic. Our close was scheduled for March 20th. Here we are a week later and still no scheduled date for the close. Seems a month wasn't enough time after signing the contract for the sellers bank to get their shit together.
I'm sure closes go wrong all the time..I've heard enough stories from friends. We are trying to be patient, but it is hard when you don't really get the communication you're looking for. Patty and I expect a lot from ourselves at work and our employers expect a lot from us. We wouldn't be employed long if we ignored or didn't appreciate the customer that is funding our paycheck. Our jobs, just like most, require a great deal of communication. When communication is lacking, then the customer is ignored and ultimately feels left out. How do you feel when you're left out? I know how I feel, and the temperature is rising.
I understand in business things sometimes go wrong or not as planned. I've worked for corporations long enough to know that the bureaucracy in a large company can be painful. The problem we are having is not with anyone on our side of the deal but with the sellers bank holding up the deal. They apparently have had some turnover at "Washington Mutual" (did I just out them) and the people fired were working on our close. In the meantime whomever has filled in is not the most customer friendly. Going so far to say that 'we are really busy right now and we'll get to you when we can.' 'It may be a couple of weeks'! WTF! And oh by the way...we don't think we should have to pay any penalties...my ass you aren't paying penalties! You signed a contract and don't you forget it.
The problem is the only people paying the price for this is US! ...and maybe the people laid off at Wash MU. The big boys at Wash Mu figured in that they would have a few customer service issues when they decided to cutback, but when you sit in the big office it's just trimming the fat. They'll bounce back and no matter what kind of comments I can make or how much I show my dissatisfaction it won't matter in the long run. Unless of course I had an unlimited amount of money to fight this in court. Then I could make a stink...
We are just going to have to wait until they are good and ready to come to the table and hope that our lawyer is good enough to get us the penalties we deserve because of the untimely close. And by untimely we are looking at least 3 weeks late.
Answer me this...if I couldn't close on time would I be paying penalties?

Our Super Hero!

Our little guy is getting a little braver...
He's wanted to do this for awhile but for one reason or another it wasn't the right time. Well, much to my surprise he decided last night was the night. He said I want a Mohawk!

Who am I to argue? It's only hair, it grows back...His Mom and I have both had some fun with our hair over the years and have no problem with him expressing himself in a non-permanent way. Yes, he's only 9, but to my knowledge he's not planning on interviewing for a job any time soon. Unless of course anyone out there wants to pay him for his services. He's a good dog walker, action figure designer, comic book creator and recycler.

DJ is a huge super hero fan and is becoming quite the comic enthusiast. He designs comics on the computer using Comic Book Creator and spends a fair amount of time reading and dissecting super hero comic books. To top it off he can actually draw very well and enjoys the fantasy world of creating stories with a few characters he creates. He's even started a website devoted to comic characters. I believe his interest in Super Hero's has fueled his desire to have fun with his look. His creative mind is always at work trying to excite the Super Hero within him. His passion has provided much humor around the house, but sometimes it really hurts to step on one of the many posed action figures he has so carefully positioned for it's next battle. Who knows how long his new look will last but with spring break right around the corner I'm sure he won't be in any rush to change it.



UPDATE: Our little guy didn't like it enough after all to keep it for more than a day and a half. I guess when everyone wants to rub you like a genie's lamp the appeal wears off. That and the ribbing his friends probably gave him. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted.

WebCam Granny needs a new Hobby!

I read the most unbelievable story today...well, I guess it's not that unbelievable considering how $#@%&! up some people are. Ok let me share..

A 49 year old married woman in Grand Junction Colorado has been chatting on the internet with a 26 year old man from Canada. This does not bother me because we see this sort of thing every day. Who am I to judge. If you aren't my family and you're not harmful, I don't really care what you do on your free time. Internet cheating has been around since the internet was started. So this woman is cheating on her husband. Happens all the time..nothing too strange about that.

Here is the strange and deluded part...

Did I mention the man and woman both had web cams set up? Well they did. The chatting must have been boring or they lived to far apart to visit, but either way they figured they would step it up a notch. The women was baby sitting her grandchildren while she was having this internet rendevous with a man half her age. While babysitting she decided to bring the kids in the room so the man could see the grandchildren. Did I mention that both grandchildren she brought into the room were girls? Well they were!

The woman decided she would spice up this web cam chatting by having her granddaughters touch her while the man watched. WTF? The woman began to give the kids instructions on where to touch her depending on what the man wanted to see. The article say's that the children performed sexually explicit acts on the grandma while the man watched. I'm getting ill just writing this..

How did they get caught you ask? Well, the man was busted in an Immigrations and Customs Enforcement sting and was arrested on child pornography charges in Canada. Investigators traced the woman through her screen name and busted her.

I'm sure the mother of the children and the children are going to need counseling for some time to come and the grandma will most likely be spending quite a bit of time in the big house.

How do overcome something like that? Your mother sexually molested your kids to pleasure a man that she is cheating on your dad with?

This world is messed up! read more...

It's March Madness...

Let me know if you want to join..it's free and there are a number of prizes.

Don't Press 1 for English!

Tonight I had to call AT&T (SBC) tech support to troubleshoot our DSL line. We had an orange blinking broadband light on our router. I accessed our 192.168.1.254 page to check the status and it showed down.
I assume one of two things...
1. We didn't pay the DSL bill
2. SBC confused our home line with patty's work line
I give the honking mega monopoly AT&T (SBC) a call on their 800 number and to my surprise the welcome menu has changed. After dialing the 800 number the computer picks up and says "blah,blah,blah.." and then I'm waiting for the press 1 for english..but nothing?
I heard a sentence of spanish and then it busted right into the menu. I didn't have to press anything to hear the menu of hell. It transfered me right to it.
It took me a minute to realize what had just happened but once I did I found myself feeling guilty for how good it felt. Believe me, I'm the last person that has anything bad to say about another nationality, but in America where english is the primary language, I don't think I should have to press 1 to hear english!
Technology is far too advanced..but finally the big honking mega monopoly AT&T (SBC) to the rescue. I have a hard time saying this but it was a pleasure calling AT&T tonight to get my DSL line fixed. The computer picked up and greeted me, then I heard a sentence of spanish, then it transfered me right to the menu which I successfully navigated to the High Speed Internet Technical Support. Once I was transfered to Tech Support my problem was resolved quickly and without too much hassle. No press 1 for English.
Here's one for the big honking mega monopoly AT&T (SBC).
I wish other companies would follow suit.

International Women's Day!

Today March 8th is IWD (International Womens Day) and the theme for the day is 'Ending Impunity for Violence against Women and Girls.'
Click the picture below to be directed to their site...

This is a global day around the world connecting women and inspiring them to live to their full potential. The website has some great info so be sure to check it out.

Illinois celebrates Pulaski Day!

Of course they do...all my life I've been hearing that Chicago has more Poles living in the city limits than Warsaw has in it's city limits.
Who knows if it's true or not but my Grandma swears by it.

Today is a state holiday created 20 years ago to honor Revolutionary War hero Casimir Pulaski.

How come a pollock like me gets Martin Luther King day off but not Pulaski day?
Rip off..

Ah who am I kidding..I'm just happy to be working.

Here is a little history on ole' Casmir from AP news..."Pulaski is considered the "father of the American cavalry." He was a brigadier general and the first commander of the cavalry during the Revolutionary War. Pulaski was mortally wounded at the Battle of Savannah in 1779 at the age of 32. "

Not a Millionaire Yet?

Friday's drawing has come and gone with no millionaire in site yet. The next drawing is tomorrow night and rest assured none of you have a chance. Well, maybe you have a chance, a 1 in 7 trillion chance! Or something like that...it really doesn't matter because if someone must win this time around it might as well be me. I would like to take the burden of hiring an accountant, signing Johnnie Cochran to me team (is he dead) and fighting off paparrazzi as I get into my stretch limo on the way to the airport to have breakfast in Amsterdam.
For those of you looking for handouts you have another shot at kissing my butt before tomorrow's drawing. I'm looking for someone to buy lunch today? Any takers?

$275 Million Dollar Lottery

I just wanted to let you all know now that tonight I will be winning the lottery.
The odds of winning the jackpot are approximately 1 in 176 million. But once I win will have to pick between a lump-sum payment of $163 million or take 26 payments of $10.5 million a year. Pretty easy choice if you ask me. Who wouldn't take the lump sum? Wouldn't you rather invest the money yourself than let the government do it?
I know all of you are wondering if I will share my winnings? Yes, of course! There are many great charities that I will be giving money too. Oh...you were wondering about yourself? Yes, there is a select few that will be getting charitable donations as well. Once I discuss the logistics with my lawyer I'll be dispersing the money to the lucky few. Better hope you're one of them. I'm not telling just yet on the advice of my lawyer.
You only have a short time to get on my good side in hopes of receiving some of the cash cow. I like back rubs, good food, beer and sporting events. Feel free to participate. The bribing starts now as the ticket will be drawn at 10pm tonight. Good luck to all participants.

7 Feet of Snow in the last week!

I'm just a little jealous sitting here in my cubicle in Chicago receiving snow reports from Squaw with this... "Two pacific storms blessed Squaw with 83 inches or 7 FEET of fresh snow since Thursday, February 22. To date this season, Squaw Valley USA has received 257 inches or over 21.5 feet of snow on the upper mountain. Current base depths measure 112-146" inches on the upper mountain."
As I've told everyone within earshot of me..'this is the week I'm normally in Tahoe and they received 7'feet of snow'.
Dammit Jim..why did I have to get on that skateboard!
To top it off, my buddies keep calling me from the chairlift as they are on their way up to the top of the mountain. They leave messages like 'where are you?' or 'I can't see there is so much snow in front of my face'. I've just stopped answering...
For 8 seasons I put in more than 100 days a year at Squaw on my skis..is it tough to take a year off? Yes, Extremely!