Forwards

My f-m account started giving me tons of problems lately.
The cause of it? Forwards.
What is it with people and forwards?

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Every time I would log in lately, there would be 8 or 9 or 50 forwards. All of them with attachments. So once the account was full, other emails would get bounced. Odd thing is, as soon as I would delete emails, there would be NEW forwards instantly, that must have been trying to be sent repeatedly. However, real emails that I would be waiting to receive would not do the same. So emails from Buick about my dashboard, Sprint, etc. have never been received. So I have no idea if they never sent them, or if the plague of forwards stopped them from making it.
Sure, my f-m account has limitations. There is a size limit, whereas with many free email services now are unlimited. There is a bandwidth limit as well, whereas with many free ones there isn't. However, I have always liked its simplicity. So I always used it as my primary personal email account.
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I sent out an email to a lot of people, giving them my yahoo email address. I use that one for all of my billing, online ordering, and pretty much everything now that I think of it. The f-m account is becoming more and more obsolete. However, what most people don't realize is that while they are receiving emails from me that have my yahoo address on them...I really sent it from my f-m account, and cloaked the email. I always liked that feature.

So we'll see what happens. Hopefully I can restore life into my old, beloved account.

Fuel Efficiency

The Black Granny never got above 10.7 this morning.
I can't tell if it's the EGR valve or not, because the service engine soon light is not on. So who knows. This car is just full of unpleasant surprises, these days.

Cooking Again

Updates

My knee hurts pretty bad lately, and pops all the time.
Just putting weight on it is getting to be difficult. I think it's time to get it looked at.
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I am cutting some fat from my bills. Recently, digital cable got the axe, along with the cable phone. I replaced the digital with basic, and the cable phone with Skype. I have an online number that has the same area code that I live in. Savings: the cable phone cost over 30.00 per month while the skype phone costs 66.00 for an entire year.
Overall, I save $80.00 per month by making these changes.

I also changed my cellular plan for one that better suits me. All the stuff I use all the time, without the crap I never used. I saved $20.00 per month as a result.

Going out to eat has almost disappeared. I only do it now maybe once a week. This saves me anywhere between 200.00 and 300.00 a month.
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Bree is getting better. She was cooking last night, and when I called Theresa not too long ago I could hear Bree making all kinds of noise. Theresa said she was pounding on frozen food. How's that for a hobby?
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Wildman and Amber have not had their baby yet. It was due on the 21rst, I think. Far as I know Wildman is walking on pins and needles waiting for this thang to pop out.

Back In Bitniss

Return of the nasty.

Cookin!

Look who's cookin'!
Obviously feeling better, and acting like Rachael Ray.....I hope the meal doesn't give me heartburn!
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Theresa tells me that she made the meal with lots of love.
So I am sure it will be just fine.

Dashboard Blues

Half the people I talk to say the mileage is stored on the dashboard.
The other half believes it is just stored in the computer and the dash is nothing but for displaying the information.
Buick says it is stored on the car's 'computer' but I would need to have a replacement dashboard 'calibrated' somehow to match what the computer says. Otherwise they will not match...and I am not sure what happens if they don't match. Nor do I understand the fact that they would not match. To me it is all a bunch of malarkie. Buick is supposed to call me at some point, for some reason unknown to me at this point.....they just insisted they would call back.
Whatever dudes.
Now one might just ask why not just get the dash from the scrap yard and put it in?
Well, it is a third degree felony to swap out dashboards that do retain the mileage without having them calibrated first. And I guess you sign a waver with the serial of the dash that you also have to put the VIN of the vehicle on. Then it is submitted to the DMV, and they will have a record that the dash was swapped.
If a discrepancy is discovered, then it is the person who is on record as swapping the dash who gets in trouble.
Interesting.
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I at least put the dash back in last night. I was ok driving to work and back. But driving to a parts store afterwards troubled me when a cop drove behind me for a few miles. I can only imagine getting pulled over and when he asks if I know how fast I was going, noticing the missing dashboard, and impounding it. Not a charge I need to deal with at this time. But I left all of the paneling off, so I look like I am driving a ghetto-mobile.
Sa-weeeet.
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Interesting side note: The 'Service Engine Soon' light is now turned off. So unplugging the dashboard evidently resets messages. If the EGR valve were still saucing problems, the light would turn on again. However, it looks like it is an intermittent problem. So I am not replacing it until I see it causing problems continuously.

Hostipal Trip Results

I didn't misspell the title of this post. Bryanna calls the hospital the hostipal.
She also pronounces her name Bee-anna. Anyways.
Turns out she has a pretty bad ear infection. Her ear built up enough fluid to put some holes in her eardrum, but those are supposed to heal. I'm not sure if ear infections cause fevers or not, but she also kept running a temperature.
But the docs gave her stickers and antibiotics, so everything was fine and dandy by the end of the night for her.
It was a looooong night, though. I read every magazine in the room pictured above more than once, before falling asleep in the chair I sat in.
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Hospital Trip

She had to get antibiotics.
It was not a fun, or quick night. But at least she got JoJo, Nemo, and Clifford stickers.

She'll be all better soon!

Before Sunday Breakfast

Just a super hottie.

Dashboard

It doesn't look like I am going to be able to fix anything on this dash.
But I can at least call around on Monday to see if anyone can service it.

I am going to drive it without the dash on Monday.

Monkey Face

Dinner Last Night

Chance played catch with Bryanna. He also kissed her a few times.
I think they might have become friends. She changed Chance's name to 'Dog', though, and I am not sure he paid any attention to that at all. Just as long as she played with him, he was happy.
Of course Harvey was every one's buddy. This is him at his most active.
Well, just about. Bryanna was a bit more than he wanted to deal with, so he kept moving from room to room to avoid her. Kind of like I do sometimes.
Wildman is so domesticated.
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It was a very nice dinner. Amber cooked all kinds of good stuff.
Wildman made a fire in the fireplace.
He burned peanut shells...just to see if they would burn.
They burned.
They have a nice place, and the baby is almost here! Actually, I think today is the due date...but I am probably wrong. Nevertheless, soon his name will need changed to...Wild-daddy.
Um...maybe not.
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It was a good night.

I'm glad its Friday. At least I'm home this weekend.
I'll be leaving in a few weeks again, which really sucks.
But for now I am home.
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We're all going over Wildman & Amber's new place for dinner. Gonna check out their new crib!

I am back from Texas.
More to post later, but for now I am completely worn out.
Nice to be home.

Bree Pic O The Day

she doesn't really ask about me, according to theresa.

had my ass handed to me today.

13 Hours Flying, 2 Hours In Traffic, 2 Hours Working...

....and we get to get up before sun up to start the rest of the 17 hour work days.

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We are at the Erie Airport.
Flights delayed. Bummer.
This is putting wrinkles in our plans.

Dashboard

I stole the above pic from another site.
The odometer on the car broke a while back. Yeah, just add that to the list of issues the damned thing has. I drive this thing, wondering if the transmission is going to blow, with the SERVICE ENGINE SOON light turned on, the car wobbling because of a crappy alignment from Firestone, and no odometer.
The odometer is not just an annoyance. It is actually a hindrance. I can't get anyone to fix the transmission until they know the miles on the car, because they use the mileage of the car for the warranty of the work. Plus, dealers want to give me less on a trade-in because I can't verify the mileage on it.
So the first project on the books (in addition to all the other projects in the garage) is to tear the dashboard apart and look at why the odometer isn't working. I've looked this issue up online, and several people have had the same issue with this particular car. Hopefully it is an easy fix.
We'll see.

Packing Again

Flying out at 6:25AM for Houston, Texas.
I can almost smell the smog already.

Wildman's Nightmare

High Chief Squatting Dog, AKA Willie sent another defaced picture of me around to coworkers.

I tell ya, he is truly a genius. Although, I think it was the idea of Lisa, another coworker.

However, his artistry is perfect, and the results of his hard work are astounding.
He titled the email "(Wildman's) Nightmare".
His baby boy or girl will be due in just two weeks or less. If he is lucky, the baby will look as good as this one.
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P.S. I think it would probably bother his wife to breast feed a kid that looks like me.
I, however, would think that is the second greatest thing in the world.

Snow Removal Reply

Original Email To Agency HERE.
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Paul,
Removing snow from around the mailbox area is not part of the contractor's snow plow contract. In the past it has not been an issue. It must be our record breaking snow fall this winter that has caused the problem.
Our property manager looked at the area this morning and feels that the issue is correcting itself with the warming temperatures. However, should you receive an additional complaint from the mail carrier, please let us know and we will send a contractor right away.
We apologize for the notes from the carrier. I would have to believe the amount of snow they have had to go through has made them cranky! Warm weather will have to help.
Thank you for the notice. You may contact our office with maintenance requests 24 hours a day through the phone service or this email address.
Sincerely,
Property Maintenance

Bad Transmission

Well. The Black Granny just got paid off.
And it looks like it is already near dead.
I took the car in to have the transmission looked at, and was informed that it is shot and needs rebuilt.
Wildman went with me to pick up the car, and almost got into a fist fight with the dude that looked at it. Not only because he is a bad ass, but because the guy was being a dick.
So I am going to take it to another place to have it looked at again, but anything I have done will need to wait until after Texas.
This sucks.

Random (Slices Of Life From The Recent Past)

At the Zem Zem on New Year's Eve.
Theresa's friend, Scott, showing me some love at Church.
(Ahem)
It's a questionable type of love. But it was still nice.

The big, paper airplanes at the Cleveland Airport.

Waiting for a choo choo after work. I snapped this just as it was ending.

Some random photo booth action on an impromptu day out.
One of my favorite days.

Trip To The Beach

Did some relaxing today.
Theresa, Bryanna, and I made pancakes at my place. We watched cartoons.
And Bryanna and I danced to Michael Jackson's PYT.

Being in the house got a bit old after a while, so we went to the mall.
Then...we wanted some fresh air, so we all trekked out to the Isle.

Everything is frozen out at the Isle, but going to the beach is still awesome.
There weren't any places to sit, though. Bummer.
Bryanna collected rocks, which she later put in her mouth.
She was also pretty convinced that she wanted to swim in the water, but I think she would have changed her mind quick if we would have let her.
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Snow Removal

Email Written To The Company I Rent From

I rent the townhouse at XXX.
I keep getting notes in my mail box from the mail man, I believe.
He or she write on my mail notes about removing the snow.
This last time the note was:'Last time I ask PLEASE REMOVE SNOW'.
I am also getting notifications in the mail that it is my responsibility to clear the snow from my mail box.
Is this true, or is the snow removal service that I pay for supposed to take care of this?
I can be reached by this email account, or by XXX.My work number is XXX
Thank you,
Paul J. Smith

Always Working

Taking a break.
Working 7 days a week is starting to suck.
Bad.
Hopefully after my next Texas service trip I can cut back the hours.
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Well, at least I still disagree with the saying that all work and no play makes somebody a dull boy. Because I work alot, but I still freakin' rock.

good morning

XS360 On The Bench

Check out the kerosene heater. Sure stanks like hell, but after a while it starts to warm the place up. I was standing in front of it for about an hour, and near the end it felt like my arse was on fire.
Refer to this post for a trip down memory lane on getting kerosene for this little heater.
It looks like I need to switch my calendar to February. Oh well.
It took a bit of effort to get this heavy, slippery thang on the bench.
I believe I shot a testicle across the floor while lifting it.
It's all good. I have a second one so I am still in business.

Up close you can see why the engine needs taken apart, well at least ONE of the reasons.
The previous owner couldn't get it to kick over, so he kept kicking until he broke the kicker.

However, he took the time and money to find and buy a replacement lower case that is in perfect shape. As you can see, the kick-lever-holder-gizmo is like new.
That's a good thing.

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Well. It will be fun, even if I never get it to run.
Time to go now. Gotta get cleaned up for dinner. Theresa is making something good to eat.

Free Manuals

A link forwarded to me today got me looking all over the Internet now!
If you need a manual for an older bike, or just some additional info to the one you purchased, you may want to consider browsing the net before buying.

There are tons of manuals out there for free.
One such link is:
http://manualz.info/
I now have the official manufacturer's repair manual for the old XS360.
I start work on it this weekend.

service engine soon

now the engine light is going off on me.
piece of crap.
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update: bad EGR valve. no big deal. just going to run it as it is for now.

Getting Geared Up

The weather is cold out.
8 degrees F, when i last checked.
But I scope out the garage every now and then and start to get excited.
After my next Texas trip I am going to start on my projects I have.
All four bikes need work. So it's time to get busy.

Lower Brackets Removed

I drove the long drive down to the orthodontist today.
It seems as though I'm nearing the end of my time with braces!
My lower braces were removed today, and there is no need for a retainer because I have a permanent one bonded to the back of the teeth. It is a bummer in a way, because I will always have to be careful with how I chew, but it's nice not to have to wear a lower retainer.
And of course I was allowed to keep the bling bling.
I am going to add these to my collection of museum pieces from my mouth. I think it will be a totally gross and most excellent museum.
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Side note: The Black Granny is completely paid off after today. It's time to save up for the Forester!

Elevators

They are Bree's favorite.

Erie Car Show

Looked at cool cars today.
My favorite, of course, was the mustang.
But I also sat in the one I wanted to buy. The Forester.
It is pretty freakin' sweet.

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