Okay, so committing myself to writing a blog has basically backfired.
As I write this post, I am finally working again, actually have been for well over three months. Its a good position, though it leaves some to be desired, but hopefully that will come in time.
A trip back in September to visit Busch Gardens Williamsburg has left me thinking that this year I need to seriously get back to my park hopping. We made the trip to say goodbye to the Big Bad Wolf suspended coaster, which right now has finally been demolished due to age and wear. As I get old, so do my favorite rides, and theres no telling how long they'll be around.
So looking ahead to this year, Im hoping that trips of plenty will welcome me as well as a daily trip to the gym.
More to come... I promise!
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Sunday, August 16, 2009
This New Healthcare plan is TERRIBLE
I recently spoke to a man who is a CPA and owns his own business. He has been looking into the healthcare plan and found some interesting discoveries. First off, as the owner of his own business, it is going to cost him an additional $40,000 to cover his employees and if he hires anyone after it is passed, they cannot go onto the plan.
Eventually, with this plan, the government will determine if you should receive health care and will choose a doctor for you.
He also talked with me about a recent trip to Niagara Falls where he was visiting a winery. He happened to ask the owner what he though of his health plan. The response was "It's great if you're not sick"
In Canada:
• There are 2 out of 3 things you can choose: Convenience, Medication or Price
• There is a 10-month waiting list to see a doctor for Pregnant women
• There are more MRI Machines in Franklin County than there are in the Country of Canada
• Most Canadians come to the United States to receive health care
Frankly, this scares the hell out of me. We need to seriously stop this.
Here is a neat article as well: http://www.city-journal.org/html/17_3_canadian_healthcare.html
Eventually, with this plan, the government will determine if you should receive health care and will choose a doctor for you.
He also talked with me about a recent trip to Niagara Falls where he was visiting a winery. He happened to ask the owner what he though of his health plan. The response was "It's great if you're not sick"
In Canada:
• There are 2 out of 3 things you can choose: Convenience, Medication or Price
• There is a 10-month waiting list to see a doctor for Pregnant women
• There are more MRI Machines in Franklin County than there are in the Country of Canada
• Most Canadians come to the United States to receive health care
Frankly, this scares the hell out of me. We need to seriously stop this.
Here is a neat article as well: http://www.city-journal.org/html/17_3_canadian_healthcare.html
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
The Ohio State Fair Trip
Goodness, It's hard to believe that it's been a few days since my last post.
The wife and I took our annual Trip to the Ohio State Fair. It was my 12th Fair trip as I started attending it in 1997. The fair was it's same old self, and not disappointing... though since I have gone so many years, things have felt redundant. The food was as great as ever.
The black-eye of the trip is when I found out my digital camera quit taking pictures, so I had to rely on her camera.
The big attraction in my book, is always the Midway. Every year I perform my ritual of riding every ride I like and looking to see what else is new on the midway, and giving that a try. What is new to Ohio has usually been around a few years already, so every year I look forward to what we could be getting. I have noticed that the older I get, the less I ride carnival rides as opposed to Roller coasters. Frankly, I don't feel like waiting for a Tilt A Whirl or Zipper anymore, there are also some that completely HURT with their constant flipping and turning, so I am one for more "fun" rides as opposed to extreme ones.
Problem is, is Amusements of America, the main midway contributor, has been selling off some of their older rides in favor of new ones... that I just don't like.... so gone are the days of the Double Ferris Wheel, the Paratrooper, the Swiss Bob, The Spider and the Scrambler... until someone else trucks a similar one in.
I always seem to be a bit disappointed at the ride selection, but equipment gets swapped for others and I would say that for the most part, it's probally better than what it was 12 years ago... Minus the Double Ferris Wheel, which was my favorite.
This years "new to the fair" ride was a Tivoli Remix 2 called the "Extreme". After watching it, I didn't think it was as fast as it was, considering I rode a "Re-Mix 1" a few years ago. I was smart to make it the last ride of the day, though. This thing is smaller, faster and harder on the body than the previous, and it wasn't a bad ride until they left it going and going.... at least from where I was.. it felt like an eternity... the forces pulling my legs so hard that they tingled. When the ride did finally end, I could barely stand up straight.. legs completely shaking... I had to sit a while. It didn't make me sick, but the forces were too strong to enjoy for more than 30 seconds or so. So theres another ride I'll probally pass up from now on.
The wife and I took our annual Trip to the Ohio State Fair. It was my 12th Fair trip as I started attending it in 1997. The fair was it's same old self, and not disappointing... though since I have gone so many years, things have felt redundant. The food was as great as ever.
The black-eye of the trip is when I found out my digital camera quit taking pictures, so I had to rely on her camera.
The big attraction in my book, is always the Midway. Every year I perform my ritual of riding every ride I like and looking to see what else is new on the midway, and giving that a try. What is new to Ohio has usually been around a few years already, so every year I look forward to what we could be getting. I have noticed that the older I get, the less I ride carnival rides as opposed to Roller coasters. Frankly, I don't feel like waiting for a Tilt A Whirl or Zipper anymore, there are also some that completely HURT with their constant flipping and turning, so I am one for more "fun" rides as opposed to extreme ones.
Problem is, is Amusements of America, the main midway contributor, has been selling off some of their older rides in favor of new ones... that I just don't like.... so gone are the days of the Double Ferris Wheel, the Paratrooper, the Swiss Bob, The Spider and the Scrambler... until someone else trucks a similar one in.
I always seem to be a bit disappointed at the ride selection, but equipment gets swapped for others and I would say that for the most part, it's probally better than what it was 12 years ago... Minus the Double Ferris Wheel, which was my favorite.
This years "new to the fair" ride was a Tivoli Remix 2 called the "Extreme". After watching it, I didn't think it was as fast as it was, considering I rode a "Re-Mix 1" a few years ago. I was smart to make it the last ride of the day, though. This thing is smaller, faster and harder on the body than the previous, and it wasn't a bad ride until they left it going and going.... at least from where I was.. it felt like an eternity... the forces pulling my legs so hard that they tingled. When the ride did finally end, I could barely stand up straight.. legs completely shaking... I had to sit a while. It didn't make me sick, but the forces were too strong to enjoy for more than 30 seconds or so. So theres another ride I'll probally pass up from now on.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
The Joys of coaster construction
It's that time of year again.. the time when hundreds of pieces of ride-parts make their way into the backlot sections of the Worlds theme parks. Like giant erector sets, these pieces of curved steel will soon become rides and coasters of all shapes and sizes.
Yesterday, a few pices of track found their way to the North/South Carolina Amusement Park, Carowinds. With no formal announcement yet, it's fun to speculate what the ride will be like. (The photo is not mine, but was grabbed off Carowindsconnection.com)
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
The Joys of Tennis
Today I got back to my activeness and played tennis for a little while... working up a good sweat in the process.
I have never been truly good at the game, most notably having problems controlling my altitude of the balls when I return them to the opposite player. But that's okay, it's still good fun.
I have never been truly good at the game, most notably having problems controlling my altitude of the balls when I return them to the opposite player. But that's okay, it's still good fun.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
A Million Packages all going someplace
This morning at 3:45 am I woke up to go over to the UPS distribution center as I had a interview-tour over there starting at 5am. I counted about 18 different people and the HR person came out and took us around the facility.
It wasn't that the loading/unloading job seemed complicated, it was the fact that you are working non-stop with only a 10 minute break in 4 to 5 hour shifts... part time only for $8:50... not to mention that the warehouse is not climate controlled, so there would be no AC or heat.
The workers seemed a bit... um... Hillbilly and happily dawned their mullets.
Not sure if I am going to go forward with the job process, but there has got to be a better option.
It wasn't that the loading/unloading job seemed complicated, it was the fact that you are working non-stop with only a 10 minute break in 4 to 5 hour shifts... part time only for $8:50... not to mention that the warehouse is not climate controlled, so there would be no AC or heat.
The workers seemed a bit... um... Hillbilly and happily dawned their mullets.
Not sure if I am going to go forward with the job process, but there has got to be a better option.
Monday, August 3, 2009
It's 2009, perhaps It's time I started Blogging
Well, this is my first post... ever lets see where it takes us.
It is August 3rd, 2009 and I am sitting at my Mac not only following the latest construction Updates at California Adventure, but also looking at jobs. Yes, I am unemployed.. and it gets very tiresome.
I walked into a couple staffing agencies today where I found that I needed appointments first... no big deal though, since they were on my way home from an Internship I have been partaking in.
The more days go by and Im not working, the more I get discouraged... I try to stay optimistic, but there are some days when I think... if there is something wrong with me. Not trying to get so depressed, but when you have 3 mortgages and all you friends seem to be working, it's hard to hold your head up.
So until tomorrow... wash, rinse repeat.
It is August 3rd, 2009 and I am sitting at my Mac not only following the latest construction Updates at California Adventure, but also looking at jobs. Yes, I am unemployed.. and it gets very tiresome.
I walked into a couple staffing agencies today where I found that I needed appointments first... no big deal though, since they were on my way home from an Internship I have been partaking in.
The more days go by and Im not working, the more I get discouraged... I try to stay optimistic, but there are some days when I think... if there is something wrong with me. Not trying to get so depressed, but when you have 3 mortgages and all you friends seem to be working, it's hard to hold your head up.
So until tomorrow... wash, rinse repeat.
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