Sunday morning/Monday morning, a sad contrast

The contrast of Sunday morning and this morning could not have been more stark. Yesterday, I was in bed, sleeping late or reading the papers while I was listening to good music when I wasn’t getting my daughter to and from CCD. The bed felt, oh so nice!! It was so nice, so undemanding. Even the kids helped and didn’t ask me to get out of bed and help them with things. My God, I was so content. & I knew it would be so different 24 hours later.

This was one time I wish I wasn’t so right. This morning, I woke up about a ½ hour before the alarm went off. I still let the snooze alarm go off once in a feeble attempt to sty in the place that was my refuge (the bed). I got up later and Maribeth was in a foul mood and getting upset with our oldest son because he couldn’t locate his keys.

Then, it also hit me that we have the problem with the pool at the condo, and there’s no real solution to getting it fixed or even a timetable to getting it fixed. I felt terrible, getting ready, driving to the train, being on the train. It didn’t even help getting some Rolos candy which I usually enjoy.

All the words of consolation were like so much water falling into a big fire. Here’s how I feebly tried to cheer up:
Well, at least I have a job, it would be worst if you didn’t have anywhere to go on a weekday morning………..SSSSSSSSST! (sound of water hitting fire)
If I didn’t have a job, I wouldn’t be able to help or do anything for my household, that’s what would be depressing……….SSSSSSSSST

There’s so many people in the world who are worse off than I. Heck you could say that well over ½ the world is considerably worse off than I………..SSSST & everyone you know at work and at your club has a house whereas you have a limited little condo. Everyone around you is driving a nicer car, has a better paying job and has a nice home. YOU LIVE IN OAK FOREST, AFTER ALL!!SSSSSSSSSSSSSST!

So, I sat there and took it one minute at a time. I was too upset and down to take it 1 day at a time. I would just go through the motions and do what I normally do.

Then finally, late in the morning, early afternoon I felt better. There was enough to think about at work, and enough that I got off my chest about our pool problem that I simply felt better. Let’s hope that nothing goes wrong for the rest of the day.

& I am thankful that I do live in a decent place with a decent car and job, & the Lord is in my life. The morning was a sign that he needs to be in my life more so that I can deal with these situations better.

something to cheer me up

I really, really love history, so, obviously I enjoy talking about it. During work, there was a general announcement to shut down your computer. They were doing some work to the network so everyone had to turn them off. Well, in a law office, if the computers go down there is nothing to do, 99% of your work is done from the computer and I'm not even exaggerating.

So, we went into this lawyer's office and talked about history and current events. We were saying how Bush is probably going to go down in history as one of the worst presidents since Harding. We were pretty amazed that his vice president would ask, "So" (who cares?) when told that 2/3 of the American people were against the war. Bush thinks the same thing that happened to Pres. Truman will happen to him. (Truman retired in 1953 very unpopular because he put us in the Korean War, then history gradually rehabilitated his reputation now he is considered a great or very good president). But there's a difference. Iraq didn't invade anyone and in the Korean War, N. Korea did invade in 1950. There's a really good show on last night and tonight called Frontline on PBS channel talking about the war.

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Another topic.

I'm not sure if anyone local (in the Oak Forest, Midlothian, Tinley Park, Frankfort area) reads this blog but if you do, please come to our TMA Clubhouse the afternoon. It's April 19 in the afternoon; my sister-in-law is having a crafts show (bring $$, it's good stuff!).

Amel, we will rent you a jet so you can fly into Oak Forest, Illinois and come, too. (he, he)

a few issues

I got up this morning and after getting the kids off to their grandpa, I felt anxious and very worried. At first, I couldn't put my finger on it (have you ever been worried for no apparent reason??? I actually have).

• But then it hit me as to why I was worried. As my profile on the side says, I am the president of our 28 building, 160some unit condo complex. We have an apparent problem with our pool because there is buckling near the pool. But we have to spend 10s of thousands of dollars to find out what the problem actually is!
• Our Treasurer says that we will have to pass a special assessment/bill to all the owners to pay $100 per month for 3 months. It makes me cringe just telling people about that. They are going to hate us! It just makes me feel awful.

I think the other reason why not only me and others are not so happy is that this has been such a long, cold, snowy winter and it's March 25 and we are still having days where it is literally freezing.

laughter and more laughter

Maribeth usually has a saturnine personality. Work at Loyola is tough for her and her co-workers, and there’s obstacles that come up at home, not the least of which is paying all these expenses for a household with 3 kids. So usually she’s not too happy. Maybe in one respect, I’ve failed her because I’m no comedian and she would be happier if I was one.

So here’s what happened all 3 of the kids, Maribeth and I were watching Family Guy. The punchline at the end was pretty funny. Yet, Maribeth thought it was hilarious. She laughed very hard, then she laughed more. She was laughing as I hard as I ever saw her laugh in about a decade!!!
Seeing her laugh so hard was really a wonderful thing to see. Just for those 5 minutes or so, it seemed like all was right with her world. It seemed like none of her problems at that small point in time mattered. At that point, Maribeth rose decisively above her worries and enjoyed laughing. When she was laughing, I just stopped and stared at her. It was really, really a beautiful, sublime sight to see Maribeth laughing so hard. Just for those few minutes. it was really nice to see a ray of sunshine brightening up her world.

a little note about the pix on the last post

Due to my backwardness and complete lack of savvy making my blog (I need to learn!). I put 3 pictures together. I wanted the 2 pictures of the WhiteStripes/Meg White to be together but not with the picture of "happy plant". I don't want people to have the idea that I'm associating the White Stripes with "happy plant". My intent was to put MJ at the bottom with the White Stripes being at the start of the post. But blogger outwitted me & I gave up. I'm so GOMER!

Lists inspired by Chocolate Mint Girl

I credit these lists to Chocolate Mint Girl. There were a few lists I had a lot to say, so I went to 10 instead of 8. Sorry, everyone, I still am not sure what a meme is and how to effectively use one. Really, I am!!!!!!!

10 things I'm passionate about:

1. Good rock and roll music.

2. My religious views, my pursuit of being in tune with God.

3. Politics, I’ve been a political junkie since I was 7 (I memorized the names of all the US Presidents in the summer of 70’)

4. Being a good friend.

5. The idea of being in love

6. My 3 kids – Andy, Ted & Brianna.

7. Doing well at work as a paralegal.
Now the negatives of my passion

8. I hate cynicism.

9. I hate sweeping generalizations (for example remarks like “all men are pigs”, “all politicians are corrupt” “all couples cheat”). Sweeping generalizations are such an exhibit of human stupidity, and I do know people who are convinced that all couples cheat (or as this one cynical woman would say “all men cheat”)

10. I can’t stand people who don’t listen to reason and who blindly, stubbornly cling to stupid, ill-informed views.

8 things I want to do before I die:

1. To buy a home of our own.

2. Go to Washington DC. and get a first-hand look at the institutions that I frequently read about. & getting a very good “dose of politics” :)!

3. Possibly hold a political office (I am an elected official, but want to go “further up the ladder”).

4. To be thought of as someone who tried to help and someone who made a difference.

5. To be thought of as someone who was a good father, and did a good job of preparing his kids for adulthood.

6. To feel just a little bitty ounce of financial security such that I won’t be petrified of retiring poor (like I do now).

7. To be in love again.

8. To use and listen often to an I-pod. (at the present time, I’m too poor).

8 things I often say:

1. “That’s so ‘gomer’ “ Gomer meaning something that’s backwards or poorly done or stupid.
2. “like” For example, I could say, “Like it’s so strange to say ‘like’ so much. You’d think I was like a Valley Girl.
3. I swear a lot so we won’t list those words, but I must confess that I do swear in front of my kids. (so much for being a good father?)
4. "I love that song."
5. "I need to get that CD."
6. "Why is she so tough on me??"
7. "This place is a mess…..& it’s partially my fault."
8. "I’m so happy to have my Chevy Cavalier back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

8 Things I've recently read/currently reading:

1. My beloved issues of The New Yorker.
2. A lot of medical bills and records for my job (part of my job is finding out how bad my clients are hurt in their respective car accidents).
3. State of Denial by Bob Woodward.
4. The Chicago Tribune and The Red Eye.

That’s definitely enough reading for one man, thank you, very much.

8 things I could listen to over and over:

1. The White Stripes (Currently, I am literally listening over and over again to DeStijl, White Blood Cells and Elephant.)
2. Led Zeppelin
3. Rolling Stones
4. Nirvana
5. “All Day and All of the Night” by the Kinks. That opening guitar riff is one of the most ferocious, the most righteous, most awe inspiring guitar riff EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
6. Nine Inch Nails (playing this band loud is a great way to vent anger)
7. Reggae
8. Certain songs by John Lennon which are wonderful to get stoned to (& they are “Strawberry Fields Forever”, “I’m the Walrus”, “#9 Dream”, “Baby You’re a Rich Man” “Cry Baby Cry” “Julia” “Sun King”) now, of course, I don’t listen to this group of songs over and over because I get stoned maybe once or twice a year. Yes, & I do it in a secluded spot & someone else is watching my kids, far, far away.

9. The Violent Femmes first album.

8 things that attract me to my best friends:

1. When they actually like me. Being appreciated and sincerely praised is a pretty nice feeling.
2. A good sense of humor.

3. A CALM PERSON!!!!!!!!!!!!
4. Tolerance - we can be different if we respect our differences.

5. An effective and sometimes creative problem solver.
6. Shared interests and passions. (If I fell in love with a woman who loved History, was a liberal and loved the same rock n roll I did, I would worship the ground she walked on morning, noon and night!!!!!!)
7. Someone who loves my kids.
8. A great lover.

sometimes it's better not to do anything

As I noted before, the only problem with my car is that the thief stripped off the ignition guard. However, there's no problem putting the key into the ignition and turning the car on. Since I've learned it's important to make the car safer, I have gotten a steering wheel club and have the doors locked 100% of the time when no one is in the car.

The steering wheel club (for example, THE CLUB) basically sticks out so far that the club bangs into the windshield and stops the steering wheel from turning or it hits the part between passenger and driver so it stops the steering wheel from turning right.

I mention all this because I had an insurance adjustor come out and assess what's wrong with the car. His estimate said that the ignition needs to be replaced, the locks and cardoor handles need to be replaced. That I totally disagree with they only want the door locks replaced because if they change the ignition than they necessarily will change the carkey. If they change the carkey, they figure they better change the door locks so the carkey can, not only turn on the ignition, but open the car doors (like it can now). But that's total NONSENSE! If I have a key to open doors, a different key to turn the ignition and it would safe me over $300, then I would gladly do that than pay over $600 for changing the ignition and change the locks.

• So today, I go to the repair place that the insurance company directed me to. I said, "you can replace the ignition but I don't want you to change the locks or the rear cardoor handles" (why that has to be replaced remains a mystery)
• The manager said, "No, we have to do what the insurance adjustor's estimate says, we have to do everything".
• "Well, no, you're not going to do anything if that's the case", I replied. She said she understood and we ended the encounter amicably but it seems silly that they feel that they have to tak orders from the insurance company when I'm paying 100% of the repair bill.
• So, I have decided that since the car is working just as it did before it was stolen (except that the area around the ignition is not as uglier), then I will not take it anywhere. The cost of the car being stolen then will be around $40 which was the cost of taking a cab out to where the thief left it over at 11365 S. Western Ave. in Chicago. Yes, I am really lucky and got off very lightly for having my car stolen.

another funny conversation at work

In the following blog, I had to use bullet points because I can't get line breaks from using just the "ENTER" key. If you know of a less awkward way to create a line break, pleeeze let me know!

• I work at a personal injury law firm. Many of our clients are injured in car accidents in the Chicago area and in the northern 1/2 of Illinois.
  Here’s a conversation between my boss, Whitney, and me:
• W: Vince, are you working on the Arriaga discovery? (Discovery is fact-finding work done before a trial).
• Me: Yes, I know we got a 201k letter in that.
• W: Yeah, we received another bill.
• Me: Ok, can I get it?
• W: Yeah, it’s on my desk, don’t lose it.
  
• Don't lose it? What an insult! I walked into her office laughing. Maybe it should upset me but if that’s her attitude, I figure it’s her problem not mine. I just don’t care. She can get another clerk. Yesterday, I had another lawyer that had a crisis with getting a large group of documents to the opposing attorney. Who was going to solve his crises? ME!!!!! He was nearly apologizing that I had to do it because I'm not assigned to do his work.
• In a way, I'm kind of proud of myself because that type of remark would have really upset me a year ago or even 6 months ago. But now I say, "the hell with her"
• HA! HA! HA!

strange, interesting conversation

There's a woman who works at our law firm but in a different department. Today is payday. When I went to the bank and deposited my check, this woman (who I don't know that well at all) came up to me and gave me $40.

She said, "Vince, can you give this to Claribel? I am not going back to the law firm today."
I said, "Ok. I'm surprised and a little honored that you would trust me."
She replied, "I know where you work!" (basically a veiled threat if I don't give Claribel her $40)

Still surprised

When I get in my car now, I'm just like, "Wow, I'm driving my car again! I didn't think I'd see my Cavalier again, and I'm driving it!!" I really am not taking my car for granted. The adjustor confirmed what I suspected, and that is the only damage the car suffered was the problem with the ignition. This should cost about $300some which is a far, far, cry from spending $7,000 on another car. Now, I'm going to go to Pep Boys and buy the Club. The Club keeps a thief from steering the car if they try stealing it. They used to have a deal that they would pay you $500 if someone ever stole your car and foiled the Club. I hope they still have that deal. I feel the need for more protection.

I was talking about car thefts to other people on the train today, and one of them said their father was going into the store and made the mistake of leaving the engine running. Anyway, a guy who just committed armed robbery jumped into his car and left. Luckily, they found the car the next day.