I just had this really awesome blog/rant worked up about Eight Belles and horse racing and animal breeding in general, and blogger ate half of it.
*sigh*
Maybe this afternoon.
Friday, May 9, 2008
Thursday, May 1, 2008
We might be screwed.
So I'm looking out my office window (yes, I'm blogging from work, but I'm caught up, so I'm allowed), and it's snowing. When I walked in, co-worker was all, "Isn't this great? Is it a relief for Hubs?"
Actually, no. It's not. It's snowing here, but out at Hubs' job, it's still dry as a bone. Their lake is completely drained. They don't know when they'll get water next. If it doesn't rain by tomorrow, we're kind of screwed.
Let me explain why. When you are growing new grass, when the grass seed is germinating, it MUST stay wet regularly. Or it dies. It dies, and you have to start over. Hubs' lake at work ran out of water the night before last. So, all of this snow I see out my window right now doesn't mean shit if it doesn't happen out where my husband works.
I actually just spoke to him. Since I hit the 'enter' key to make a new paragraph. Some dark clouds are rolling in, so my fingers are crossed. And my toes.
Even if it does rain, I am so livid with his job's new owners and managment company. They've been putting the cart before the horse for nearly a year. They've been making elaborate plans for a clubhouse and restaurant, and not looking at the big picture. The big picture being, if there is no golf course, there will be no restaurant. (So, I gave it away. Hubs works at a golf course, and they've been re-designing/rebuilding it for nearly a year.)
Hubs' best friend (and boss) has tried to tell these people over and over and over that the leaking lake is a HUGE problem when that is the source of all the water they use for the greens. Finally, they broke it down like this: "No one will want to buy expensive homes on a dead golf course that they can't use that has a dried up, stinky nasty lake!"
You see, the new owners are developers. They are the most evil of the evil. When they were being told, "Hey, we can't water in greens with no water", they didn't care. They didn't take any action knowing that these guys who have worked so hard all this time (Hubs has been there for 10 years, almost) were going to get laid off. The lightbulb only turned on when they realized that they'd lose tons of money. The golfcourse is secondary to them. The homes they'll build are primary. The golfcourse is a plus because they can sell the overpriced homes for even more money, they'll get richer, they can afford a third Bentley, and an even newer set of tits for their wives.
The owners/managers told the guys to get estimates on what it would cost to line the lake with PVC or whatever. $600k. And they can't do it until winter when the ground is at its hardest. They also got an estimate for a chemical they can put in that water to slow the leakage, and it will work about 60% better than what is happening right now. $98k. So, obviously, the chemical is the best option. However, there is no fucking water to put the fucking chemical in! And they don't know when they'll be able to fill the lake again! The greens could die between now and then! There's a good chance they will!
I am so tired of my husband working so hard for so little money, no one listens to him, and they get by on the skin of their teeth constantly. It's awful. And it's stressful. I'm waiting and waiting and waiting, checking my bank account every day for our 'economic stimulus package' because I'm afraid we'll have to live off of it for a while. But the IRS hasn't deposited my checks (since we owed, of course), so I don't anticipate it happening any time soon.
I don't really hate anyone, but these new owners.... I think I might hate them.
Actually, no. It's not. It's snowing here, but out at Hubs' job, it's still dry as a bone. Their lake is completely drained. They don't know when they'll get water next. If it doesn't rain by tomorrow, we're kind of screwed.
Let me explain why. When you are growing new grass, when the grass seed is germinating, it MUST stay wet regularly. Or it dies. It dies, and you have to start over. Hubs' lake at work ran out of water the night before last. So, all of this snow I see out my window right now doesn't mean shit if it doesn't happen out where my husband works.
I actually just spoke to him. Since I hit the 'enter' key to make a new paragraph. Some dark clouds are rolling in, so my fingers are crossed. And my toes.
Even if it does rain, I am so livid with his job's new owners and managment company. They've been putting the cart before the horse for nearly a year. They've been making elaborate plans for a clubhouse and restaurant, and not looking at the big picture. The big picture being, if there is no golf course, there will be no restaurant. (So, I gave it away. Hubs works at a golf course, and they've been re-designing/rebuilding it for nearly a year.)
Hubs' best friend (and boss) has tried to tell these people over and over and over that the leaking lake is a HUGE problem when that is the source of all the water they use for the greens. Finally, they broke it down like this: "No one will want to buy expensive homes on a dead golf course that they can't use that has a dried up, stinky nasty lake!"
You see, the new owners are developers. They are the most evil of the evil. When they were being told, "Hey, we can't water in greens with no water", they didn't care. They didn't take any action knowing that these guys who have worked so hard all this time (Hubs has been there for 10 years, almost) were going to get laid off. The lightbulb only turned on when they realized that they'd lose tons of money. The golfcourse is secondary to them. The homes they'll build are primary. The golfcourse is a plus because they can sell the overpriced homes for even more money, they'll get richer, they can afford a third Bentley, and an even newer set of tits for their wives.
The owners/managers told the guys to get estimates on what it would cost to line the lake with PVC or whatever. $600k. And they can't do it until winter when the ground is at its hardest. They also got an estimate for a chemical they can put in that water to slow the leakage, and it will work about 60% better than what is happening right now. $98k. So, obviously, the chemical is the best option. However, there is no fucking water to put the fucking chemical in! And they don't know when they'll be able to fill the lake again! The greens could die between now and then! There's a good chance they will!
I am so tired of my husband working so hard for so little money, no one listens to him, and they get by on the skin of their teeth constantly. It's awful. And it's stressful. I'm waiting and waiting and waiting, checking my bank account every day for our 'economic stimulus package' because I'm afraid we'll have to live off of it for a while. But the IRS hasn't deposited my checks (since we owed, of course), so I don't anticipate it happening any time soon.
I don't really hate anyone, but these new owners.... I think I might hate them.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Uncomfortable
So, at my evening job, I work with this girl. She's 21, she's funny, we get along really well. And most of the time she's pretty great.
But she hates kids. I mean, she hates them. She gets freaked out by carrying the high chairs or cleaning them off. In her defense, cleaning those things is pretty freaking disgusting. Mashed food in the straps. *gag* But she's really visibly freaked out by children. The other day, we had clean day at the pub (which, by the way, is also disgusting. Did you know people can spill beer over ten feet up on the wall? Yeah.), and one of the managers brought her 4 year-old. This girl kept moving away from this little kid like she was diseased. She also has a shirt with a little boy and girl on it that reads "I hate children".
You know what? She's 100% entitled to her feelings and opinions. That's fine. That's one less hungry mouth to feed in the world, one less consumer gobbling up resources like it's an Olympic sport, since she won't be creating any new life. And I get that some people just don't like children. I don't like all children. That's totally fine and reasonable.
But it makes me really uncomfortable when she's so vocal about her hatred for children. She even made a comment once about my (very polite, respectful, clean and well-behaved) child. For example, it would be like someone going on and on to my friend about how much they can't stand Asian people when my friend happens to be married to an Asian man. It's offensive.
So instead of putting on my big girl panties and saying just that, saying, "You're being offensive. Cut it out, man", I make sure that all the families with small children are seated in her section of the pub.
But she hates kids. I mean, she hates them. She gets freaked out by carrying the high chairs or cleaning them off. In her defense, cleaning those things is pretty freaking disgusting. Mashed food in the straps. *gag* But she's really visibly freaked out by children. The other day, we had clean day at the pub (which, by the way, is also disgusting. Did you know people can spill beer over ten feet up on the wall? Yeah.), and one of the managers brought her 4 year-old. This girl kept moving away from this little kid like she was diseased. She also has a shirt with a little boy and girl on it that reads "I hate children".
You know what? She's 100% entitled to her feelings and opinions. That's fine. That's one less hungry mouth to feed in the world, one less consumer gobbling up resources like it's an Olympic sport, since she won't be creating any new life. And I get that some people just don't like children. I don't like all children. That's totally fine and reasonable.
But it makes me really uncomfortable when she's so vocal about her hatred for children. She even made a comment once about my (very polite, respectful, clean and well-behaved) child. For example, it would be like someone going on and on to my friend about how much they can't stand Asian people when my friend happens to be married to an Asian man. It's offensive.
So instead of putting on my big girl panties and saying just that, saying, "You're being offensive. Cut it out, man", I make sure that all the families with small children are seated in her section of the pub.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
God, I love a good show.
Last night, Katey, Ben and I drove from Colorado Springs to Boulder through Denver rush hour traffic to see Mike Doughty play at The Fox (with The Panderers opening).
And, God, it was so worth it. The Fox is, really, the size of a bar. A large-ish bar, but a bar. I love going to shows in small venues where you can stand 30 feet from your favorite musicians.
I think the thing I loved most about the show last night is how connected to the audience Mike Doughty and The Panderers were. The only show I've ever been to with visible security and extra separation from the musicians and the fans was a Tool show. And, really, I love Tool, but the Tool show I went to a year ago sucked. It sucked hard.
I love interaction at shows. I love when I can tell that an artist really loves what they do. I've been to some good shows, damn good shows where the musicians were just totally aloof. Humble, but closed up. Which is cool. I understand that. But I love these kinds of shows better.
The only real gripes I have about the show are that I really really REALLY wanted to hear more stuff off of Skittish and Rockity Roll. I like the new stuff. A lot. But, dammit, I wanted to hear "40 Grand in the Hole".
Also? This is not a show gripe. It's a people gripe. The meathead standing next to me taking up about 3 feet all around him of dance space. He was freaking me out a little, and he almost hit me in the eye with his elbow at one point. Rock out, dude, that's great, but realize you're not the only one in the room. And? A group of CU girls standing two feet from me talked through almost the entire opening set. As the music got louder, they got louder. I didn't drive for over 2 hours to hear about what some stupid boy did or didn't text some girl about. Just as Katey was about to say something, a guy went over to them and said, "Excuse me. I came to hear music. And you guys are really loud. Could you go out in the lobby if you want to talk?" YES! Thank you, random guy.
Anyway. Yes. The show. Awesome. One of the first songs Mike played was "Fort Hood", off the new album "Golden Delicious". It was even more powerful in person than on the CD. And it's so fucking fitting that I went to this show and heard this song one day after the Pennsylvania primaries. I'm getting so sick of the Obama and Clinton pissing matches. I really am. There is so much at stake, and there is so much positive change that can happen, and they are kind of acting like children.
So, watch the video. Listen to the words. Really listen. It's phenomenal.
And, God, it was so worth it. The Fox is, really, the size of a bar. A large-ish bar, but a bar. I love going to shows in small venues where you can stand 30 feet from your favorite musicians.
I think the thing I loved most about the show last night is how connected to the audience Mike Doughty and The Panderers were. The only show I've ever been to with visible security and extra separation from the musicians and the fans was a Tool show. And, really, I love Tool, but the Tool show I went to a year ago sucked. It sucked hard.
I love interaction at shows. I love when I can tell that an artist really loves what they do. I've been to some good shows, damn good shows where the musicians were just totally aloof. Humble, but closed up. Which is cool. I understand that. But I love these kinds of shows better.
The only real gripes I have about the show are that I really really REALLY wanted to hear more stuff off of Skittish and Rockity Roll. I like the new stuff. A lot. But, dammit, I wanted to hear "40 Grand in the Hole".
Also? This is not a show gripe. It's a people gripe. The meathead standing next to me taking up about 3 feet all around him of dance space. He was freaking me out a little, and he almost hit me in the eye with his elbow at one point. Rock out, dude, that's great, but realize you're not the only one in the room. And? A group of CU girls standing two feet from me talked through almost the entire opening set. As the music got louder, they got louder. I didn't drive for over 2 hours to hear about what some stupid boy did or didn't text some girl about. Just as Katey was about to say something, a guy went over to them and said, "Excuse me. I came to hear music. And you guys are really loud. Could you go out in the lobby if you want to talk?" YES! Thank you, random guy.
Anyway. Yes. The show. Awesome. One of the first songs Mike played was "Fort Hood", off the new album "Golden Delicious". It was even more powerful in person than on the CD. And it's so fucking fitting that I went to this show and heard this song one day after the Pennsylvania primaries. I'm getting so sick of the Obama and Clinton pissing matches. I really am. There is so much at stake, and there is so much positive change that can happen, and they are kind of acting like children.
So, watch the video. Listen to the words. Really listen. It's phenomenal.
Also? I forgot. Check out The Panderers. They sound like Mike Doughty and Cake had a lovechild, and they rock.
P.S. If you ever want to fake sick the morning after a concert or a late night of partying or whatever? Just pretend you have diarrhea. No one wants you around, and no one will question your absence.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Pray for rain
My husband's job is in serious jeopardy.
His job depends on there being rain. And there hasn't been. At all, really. There have been fires and 70+ degree days with lots of wind. No real moisture, though.
It wouldn't be quite so worrysome if the lake they have didn't leak. But it leaks, the new owners don't want to pay the $500k it would cost to line it, so they're losing water all the time. They lose water, and they only get their lake re-filled every so often. They count on rain in those inbetween times to tide them over. And it's just not happening.
I really hope all the local yokels are happy now. It's dry as hell, there have been fires (I could see flames from my back porch from one of these fires), and my husband (and a handful of others) might lose a job, but I hope they're happy that they can all wear their fucking flip-flops.
So pray for rain for us. Rain or the decision to line the lake.
His job depends on there being rain. And there hasn't been. At all, really. There have been fires and 70+ degree days with lots of wind. No real moisture, though.
It wouldn't be quite so worrysome if the lake they have didn't leak. But it leaks, the new owners don't want to pay the $500k it would cost to line it, so they're losing water all the time. They lose water, and they only get their lake re-filled every so often. They count on rain in those inbetween times to tide them over. And it's just not happening.
I really hope all the local yokels are happy now. It's dry as hell, there have been fires (I could see flames from my back porch from one of these fires), and my husband (and a handful of others) might lose a job, but I hope they're happy that they can all wear their fucking flip-flops.
So pray for rain for us. Rain or the decision to line the lake.
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