Monday, April 22, 2024

Pot Pourri OR Pot Pouring Misc. (smiley face)

😏   I made a list:

Purple Color.  sorta jazzes up that page, doesn't it ?

So far this morning, I have received 5 - FIVE - count them:  1-2-3-4-5, Yes, 5 phone calls asking me if I want to sell my rent house in Waxahachie.  This goes on all the time.  Daily.  It only stops on certain weekends and certain holidays.  Not all holidays and weekends are exempt.

I have two theories:   1.  Many callers demonstrate that our English language is a 2nd language for them. Their accents are profound.  That in itself is not always a negative.  I've found when kids are taught to speak English by their "English as a 2nd language" parents, these students have accents.  When a child learns to speak English in the 1st grade by teachers, they have no accent.  So, what do I learn from these calls?  Probably nothing.  I think they are calling me from China, Pakistan, India, or other places.   Boiler room callers with robocall machines...  Yes, I am rude to them.

    2.  Some hot shot in Dallas or Austin runs a real estate investment class every weekend.  You pay me $$$ & I'll teach you how to make a million in real estate just like I did...and, someday, maybe you'll have your own radio show which you can use to bilk $$$ from other non-suspecting poor souls.  "Now, run down to the Ellis County Courthouse and look up homes that are not protected from the Homestead Act."  "Call these owners on Monday morning."  "Buy a robo-whatever telephone machine and learn how to hide your own phone number..."

I am so TIRED of these calls.  If I were going to sell this rental, I'd never do it over the phone.  Why?  Why?  I ask thee?

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Moving on...  Walked in here this morning between calls and turned on my computer.  Nothing happened.  No lights, no hum, no nuthin.  The monitor worked just fine.  With much effort, I lowered myself to the floor and began plugging / unplugging wires.  I was looking for a breaker/fuse on my machine.  Maybe 15 minutes passed.  I wrote my son a text asking questions:  take it to the shop?  just buy a new one?  It is 6-10 years old.  I cannot remember when it was bought.  I sent 3 different messages within a couple of minutes - no reply - he's at work - I struggled to lift myself off the floor and collapsed in my rolling chair.  Sigh.  As I arose, as a passing thought, I hit the button again.  

It turned on.

Why?  Why?  I ask thee?   You can see by this missive that things are working.  I may never understand computers  - or females for that matter - or coaches - or Putin.

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Have I written about the Eclipse?  We saw it.  Sat in backyard with our necks craned upwards.  The clouds parted.  There it was.  Fascinating.  Equally, none of the disasters predicted in Texas happened.  No big traffic jams.  You could still buy milk and gas.  We had our solar glasses and were just fine.  Locally, there is this girl who wants us to give up our old solar glasses.  She is going to collect them & send to South America for the next eclipse - whenever that is down there.  Don't know.  Not going.  Been here and done that.

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When we bought this house 3 years ago, the yard was pretty.  Nice grass.  Now, it is not.  I cannot get ahead of the weeds.  I suppose it is possible to get too old to weed the yard.  Pay somebody?   You must be richer than this retired teacher.  I'm keeping my extra dough for things like ......  milk and gas  .........   It would be nice.  Maybe I'll win one of the lotteries.  Could happen.

Reminds me, I've figured out one of the things I'm gonna do with my billions when I win the lottery.  I am going to build a home and entertainment center for retired teachers - uhh, no, I mean retired music teachers.  Art teachers can build their own.  Well, maybe, them too.  Each teacher would have their own apartment w/ bath and little kitchen.  There would be a commons area with large kitchen - a music room with a grand piano  - a theater room for TV watching - maybe even a stage for recitals - keep cheap rent etc.  What a grand place for retired teachers who can't afford a big house anymore.

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if you like to read the obits in the newspaper every morning, would this habit be called Obitual?

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got a haircut Friday.  My last haircut was in November.  I was getting a bit burly.  But, the guy in Nov. whacked it so short, it took a while to grow out.  Old men don't grow hair truly fast anymore, & there is that hole showing in the back of my head.  When you have big ears like me, you like longer hair to help cover them.  Nobody likes to be called Dumbo.  So, I talks to the barber & tried to explain how I didn't want it as short.  I even reasoned that longer means I come back in more often.

He seemed to get it.  The barber cut my hair this time with scissors only.  clip clip clip  It took a bit longer.  clip clip clip.  When it was all over, my hair was just as short as November & he charged me $2 extra for the scissor work.  I am now beautiful.  I figure it will be September before I need another.   Just call me Curls - or Dumbo.  I can handle the abuse.  He was a nice barber.  I liked him.  

My maternal grandfather made his living as a barber.  When he lived in Kaw City, Okla., he had an older barber chair in the backyard that was fun to play on.  Climb on and get spinned around and around.  Jump off and stagger around the yard.  Good times had by all.  Spell check doesn't like the word "spinned."  They think I meant "Sinned."  Well, there might have been some of that too.

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Speaking of hair dooos.   I part mine on the right side.  There are not many of us in the world who do that.  Look it up on Google.  Interestingly, Google has articles about that very thing.  It seems that people who part on the left side are consider more manly than those on the right side.  They said other stuff too.  Go figure.  All these years, I didn't know that.  .   .    .   probably the reason I didn't play football or basketball in high school.   Probably.  

Let's close this out.  Y'all have fun tonight.  

FYI  i have had 6 calls today to buy my Waxahachie house.  They never give it up.  I wouldn't sell to these people even if I had financial stress & needed to - bad English sentence structure, but factual.   

Leaf me alone

mtz

Saturday, April 13, 2024

fortune cookie

When I eat Chinese, I always read my fortune cookie.  Always.  I have found that fortune cookies do not give your fortune.  I have a collection of paper "fortunes."  One of my long-term plans is to list these somewhere.  Someday.

Today, I got this one which I promptly read to my daughter (who is pushing 60).

"If you wish for good advice, consult your mom."

Works for me.

Sunday, April 7, 2024

I can handle...

 I can handle disappointment.  No need for counseling.

I did not win the 1.3 billion Powerball.

As a matter of fact, I had no winning numbers.  Not one.  Usually, I hit at least one number.  It might not be worth any money, but I get at least one number.  one.

Winner in Oregon.  What does someone in Oregon need with that kind of money?  That was a question.  It's okay.  I can handle it.

Next time, I plan to go to a Chinese restaurant - get the fortune cookie - and play that number.  A sure winner.

Now, I am going to put in a sad smiley face.😞

m

Wednesday, April 3, 2024

One Billion Dollars

 Tonight - Powerball - 1 billion dollars

Can you imagine having a billion?  Sure, I bought a ticket.  As son says, I paid my lottery tax.  Even though it is a billion, if you want money right now, it'll be about 500 million.  At my age, 30 yearly payments to equal a billion, doesn't make real sense does it?   

What to do with 500 Mil?  I could sit here and make a list.  Money given to charity.  Lots of charities out there.  Buy a new car.  Build a bigger house.  Take a cruise to Alaska.  Give all my relatives a million or so.  Why not?  The list is endless.

I was talking to the nice lady who sold me my ticket.  She said her father says, if he wins the money, he plans to build a home for retired preachers - in Tyler.  Tyler is the "kicker" in the story.  Why Tyler?

This would be a nice thing to do.  I have taught in seven different schools...maybe 8.  I could give a gift to each of their band parent organizations.  I would have to think twice about a couple of the schools.  They made me mad.    Then, there is the Texas Tech band program.  And Levelland High School - my alma mater.  Or I could turn it into $1 bills - fill my mattress and sleep on it.

Steaks every night?  You'd tire of them after a while.  Hire a personal cook.  That's a thought.  OOOOOO  OOOOOO  OOOOO  a sizable gift to my C.P.A. and attorney and stock broker.  I have always wanted to own a string of storage companies...   Apartment houses...  See my previous post, I'll change my name and run for President.  I'd like to own a kite.  Where can I get one of these?

cars - charitable gifts - trips - gifts to relatives - leave $20 bills in library books - 

There is no end to this.   Later,
















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Tuesday, April 2, 2024

Sorta political - humor

 In a Los Angeles times story:

or Dallas ABC affiliate WFAA:

A man in Tarrant County, Texas, has changed his name.  Ft. Worth/Dallas DFW is the area.  The judge wasn't amused.

Dustin Ebey has changed his name to: 

Literally Anybody Else

 Mr. Else, 35, is trying to get his name on the ballot as an independent candidate in all 50 states (etc.).   He believes he has a chance to be elected.

Sample Ballot

口 Joe Biden

口 Donald Trump 

口 Literally Anybody Else


Not that I don't think this is funny.  I do.  But, there are people who will jump in and help this man.  Plus, Ft. Worth doesn't need a Presidential Library.  Certainly, Dallas doesn't either.   Maybe he will build it next to 6 Flags.  Use to be a good Panchos restaurant near 6 Flags.  "President Else."  People didn't believe the southern border would be left open either.  Free admission and we'll give you stuff.  If this guy gets more votes than RFK, that would add more humor.   What is Mr. Else's opinion on gun control, the southern border, Israel/Palestine, moving confederate statues, marijuana legalization (bet he likes this one - shouldn't have said that - I have no clue), mustard or mayonnaise, oh the list is endless.  Use the comment section below to add to the list.