Saturday, January 29, 2011

POTW Week 4

Had another bout of frustration with the Bank of America today holding my deposits.   But this time, the blame is mine for not getting off my ass and switching banks the last time this happened.

Announcing....
Nanepashemet Peeps of the Week for 4th Week of 2011

Peter Crawford
Scott McBurney
Steve Lewis
Emily Engardia
Lisa Panakio Rowe
Alex Watts

It I had enough money, it wouldn't bother me that that the bastards steal the float.

Jill Phillips said...

please let me know you complaint...I will be sure it will be heard.





Done Digging

There's something about the inherent futility of shoveling snow.   Working so hard to move a material that will eventually turn to water and flow gently away by itself.
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There is an ironic, life's lesson somewhere here, but I don't  feel like digging it out.
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I'm done digging today.... whether it be snow or for Life's Hidden Meanings.

Friday, January 28, 2011

Justifiable Lapse

This has been a decent lapse between Blog posts.  It's because on Tuesday, the new cabinets were delivered to Sundance, in between snowstorms.  The extra activity of snow removal is an unplanned contingency that has strained the daily progress.Plus I've had a nagging cold that has sapped my energy big time which has really been a hurdle.   In the middle of it all, Nanepashemet Telecom has been busy, and I had to spend the day today at the Dennis job on Cape Cod.
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Course, it's none of your frigging business why I haven't posted recently, but I guess my exhausted physical condition has caused me to let my guard down. and be nice to you.
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Anyway... the move date stays firm for a week from tomorrow, and I'm optimistic that all of the big stuff will be in place.  Joanne has done a great job painting, and we are getting some help from a bunch of close friends with a range of the remaining details. 
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Ultimately, it will all get done, and life will slow down a little.  When that happens, experience shows that some other crazy bullshit that I don't even know exists now, will liven things up.

~

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Extreme Violence and Strong Sexual Content

Spartacus is back on Starz and is as bawdy and gory as ever.
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If you like extreme violence and strong sexual content, then this series is for you.
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But historical research has shown that the Roman culture, which accepted human slavery, and watched human butchery in the Gladitorial arena with the same zeal that we watch a football game, makes the depictions accurate in detail.
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Granted, the Spartacus series presents the worse aspects of the culture, and if some future audience viewed a depiction of our culture with its most lowly face, then we too would seem to be barbaric, with our drugs, alcohol, random acts of violence, technological warefare,  and the disolution of the family with a 50% divorce rate.
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But the Roman practice of Gladiator combat makes for an interesting series.

TommyO said...

Loved the first episode of this season.
Can't wait til Friday Night....
Gratitude!



Monday, January 24, 2011

Simple Drop Off

It was a cold day today with temperatures starting off below zero and staying in the single digits.   A good day to stay indoors and get some paperwork done.   But I had a couple of 80 lb. bags of concrete in the back of my F-150 from the Cape Cod job, that I knew I had to get into the warehouse or they would be ruined by moisture
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As it was, we didn't show much intelligence in loadng the bags in the first place and they were carelessly thrown next to some shovels and hoes which pierced the bags on the ride home.   So I had a bit of a mess with loose concrete mix combining with handtools, straps and snow.  Had to climb into the back of the truck and shovel out the loose mix
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Just opening the door to the warehouse required a decent amount of shoveling too.
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So a simple drop off ended up to be a decent physical ordeal.   I had the workcoat that Katelyn bought me for Christmas and figured that the low temps would bother me, but I actually broke a sweat.  That coat is really warm.
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This wintry weather is starting to complicate things.   Another foot of snow due by mid-week.

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Nice Initial Take

Dale and Gale Johnson picked us up last night for a an evening of revelry and food at Harry's 240 restaurant on Rantoul Street in Beverly, Massachusetts http://www.harrys240.com/ .
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Peeps who know me best, know that I don't recommend a place to eat right off the bat..... even if former POTY, Jeremy Johnson's, parents put an enthusiastic hype on it.
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Dale and Gale are regular patrons though, and Dale even has the nickname, Sea Otter, from the waitstaff, which I never did get an adequate explanation about.  
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We ate at the bar, and I wish that I drank martinis, because they really looked good, but the Sam Adams on draught worked out well enough.    Great mussels and nachos for aps, then I had the swordfish.  Prices were reasonable, so we'll be going back.  So far, so good.
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But I don't want a lame nickname.

Saturday, January 22, 2011

POTW Week 3

Joanne reminded me this morning that it was time to pick the Nanepashemet Peep of the Week.
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I know.... I don't need any prodding.   What she doesn't realize is that the POTW selection is not a conscious action... It happens organically from a source deeply ingrained in the Akaskic Records.   I don't select the Peeps.... I am just a Channel writing down the Devine Decision.
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Or something like that....
~
Announcing...
Nanepashemet Peeps of the Week for the 3rd week of 2011

Mike Rockett
Gino Cappelletti
Tom Brady
Linda O'Shea
Katelyn Nestor
Tommy McMahon

I really don't have any say at all.

Another Door

Crunchtime at Sundance is this weekend because the new granite countertops come next week.  It would be nice to have the painting and spackling done prior to that but not crucial.  The more we can get done before moving day, the better it will be because I have a feeling that Nanepashemet Telecom will be absorbing a ton of time in Feb.
~
Even though we lost that large proposal, we got the promise of significant orders to be received by the start of February.   What did I tell you????  If we had won that big job, which we pitched at a reduced margin, our best resources wouldn't be around to work on these quality, fair margin orders.  The big job would have strained our regular business.
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When God closes one door, he opens another.

Friday, January 21, 2011

Apres-Snowblow

So I'm  sitting here in my apres-snowblow attire, after once again shoveling out Beverly Ave and Sundance for the third time in less than a month.
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Either I'm really starting to get old, or this snow is more than I remember, but I'm feeling pretty sore and tired from the snow removal.
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If I didn't buy the Ariens Snowblower two weeks ago, I'd probably still be at Sundance now, or be sitting in a coma with no energy to even Blog.  Thank g\God for the Ariens.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Ask Not

50 years ago, President John F. Kennedy uttered the following sentence in his inaugural address.
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"Ask not... what your country can do for you.    Ask what you can do for your country."
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I know I'm getting old, because I can remember when this happened.
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But, think about that statement coming from a Democratic President who inspired us all.  It is not at all a liberal statement.   It is a statement that says.... Stand on your own two feet.   Contribute to society.   Don't look to society to cure your worries.   Look to do whatever is required to help your society.
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 This government is not here to make things better for some.  It is here to allow all to contribute to everyone else.... and to give us the freedom to thrive on our own.  I believe that is what Kennedy said on that cold Jaunuary day fifty years ago.
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It was a challenge to everybody... not just the "Haves" or the highest wage earners.   It wasn't a plea for others to fund the welfare system, so that everybody could have government provided benefits.
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Who has inherited these words?   Ironically,  not the present crop of liberals.  I think that John Kennedy would be vilified by the left if he were to utter this phrase today.   This is a conservative statement that tells us to stand on our own and seek to help others.

Laser Focus

After taking care of a couple of details at Sundance this morning, I'll be deadheading to Dennis on the Cape to dig a few more post holes.  With the storm brewing for Friday slated to hit the Cape, we have to get this done to keep the site project on completion schedule.
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This weekend is also crunch time for the Sundance drywall completion because the kitchen cabinets and appliances get delivered next week, and after that, we should only have some spackling and painting to get done.
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The Patriots loss was my gain because the Crawford Brothers had plans to fly to Dallas on moving day, Saturday, Feb 5, the day before the SuperBowl.  Although I didn't appreciate being second priority to a trip to the Superbowl, I can overcome the slight, and welcome their enthusiastic re-involvement in the move.
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Superpeeps Brian Butler and the lovely Stacy have to go to Vermont that day with some lame exuse of being Godparents at a Christening or something.
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Being a Mountain of a Man means that you can't get thrown off track by things like Baptisms or Superbowls.....    and your priorities remain laser focused.   Maybe that's why I'm not anybody's Godfather.

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Out of Synch

Yesterday we found out that Nanepashemet Telecom lost the big proposal that we submitted last week.
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Even though, my philosophy tells me that this is a message that a better path is in store for us... I am pissed.  
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Emotions don't always synchronize well with philosophies.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Astrological Forecast

Happiness is not necessarily discovering new things.  It is enjoying the things that you already have.
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That is a paraphrase of my horoscope this morning.   While astrology seems illogical and silly in concept, the forecast that I read once in a while from Jonathan Cainer, http://www.cainer.com/, often contains a bit of thought worthy general advice.  
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You're an idiot if you mould your behavior around what your horoscope tells you, but you're smart to take good advice wherever you find it.
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Sometimes, to enjoy the things that you already have, you have to get analytical.  You have to look at things from different angles, and try to see how everything fits in the big picture.  You have to examine how different factors interact with the things that you have. 
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Many times, a depressing situation can be defused and turned around merely by reflecting on new directions and possibilities that the situation points to.  Making lemonade from lemons so to speak.  I don't mean to sound too "New Age" but if you believe that everything happens for the ultimate good, then it makes sense to appreciate your surroundings and find enjoyment in the ride that you are currently experiencing.
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I take some of this inspiration from Ryan, who has truly made the most of a situation that most of us would have defined as abysmal.  As juxtaposed that it would seem, I'm really proud of him.
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Many times in my life, I've seen circumstances that appear to be insurmountable.... a financial problem with no solution, a social situation in a complete dead end.  But then people who say they can't get a job develop a full new career.... financial opportunities fall from completely unforeseen sources.  I could tell you specific instances, but you are better off filling in the blanks with your own experiences, because you know that it is true for you as well as for me.
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So find your happiness today, by enjoying the things that you already have.

Monday, January 17, 2011

Change of Scenery


It's mid January, the dead of winter.
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  Time to think of a warm summer day in Rockport. 
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It will be here eventually.

Agony of Defeet

The Patriots lost to the Jets yesterday, ending the road to the SuperBowl for New England.
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It's a sunny morning in Boston, but I'll bet there is denial and depression within the bright rays of the cascading sunshine.   It's just a game, but if you were going to be elated at the victory, it's only right to be deflated at the defeat.
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Jets Coach Rex Ryan, complete with his publicly exposed foot fetish, will be enshrined as a heinous villain in this area for years to come.

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Countdown to Super Sunday.

The road to the Super Bowl for the Patriots will be through the Jets this Saturday, the Steelers next week and then the SuperBowl on February 6.  By that time, the kitchen will be in at Sundance and we will have moved in.
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So SuperSunday will be even more significant.
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But there is a lot of work to do before then.  This morning we will take the Grandkids to see Ryan at FreshAyer, then I will be mudding drywall throughout the afternoon.  Joanne has done a good job painting the newly installed raised panels and this has significantly taken the pressure off for meeting the complettion date.

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Moulding Miscue


So I foolishly didn't buy enough of the 3 1/2" primed crown moulding from Peabody Building Supply at 65 cents per foot.  Now they are all out, with no clue when another supply will be available.
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They had unprimed, finger jointed crown at 40 cents per foot, and I'm hoping that it can be installed and integrated with the original stock that I bought.  So I picked up forty feet and will hang the moulding this morning.
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After I inflate the grandkids snow tubes, I'll be up at the Sundance building checking this out.

Friday, January 14, 2011

Solidly Booked.

Looking forward to seeing the Grandkids this weekend.  I know their Dad misses them more than we do so we'll all get a little FreshAyer.
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Between that, the Patriots - Jets, the Sundance Renovation and the fabrication of a ramp to easily get the new Ariens snowblower into the F-150... this weekend is freaking booked.
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That's right Ethan... so don't pull any funny stuff.

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Not on Our Watch

This rush to point fingers at Conservatives because a sociopath decides to go beserk in Tucson is starting to get under my skin.  At least Nancy Pelosi hasn't blamed the Bush administration yet.... but maybe I'm speaking too soon.
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To those editorial writers who say that we should "calm down the rhetoric" and only point to the Right while whackjobs like Keith Oberman and Nancy Pelosi spout off with impunity.... come on.
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The old adage that Liberals act on emotion and Conservatives act on thought really comes to the surface here.  We should all be shocked and saddened by random senseless shootings in Tucson.  But to blame anyone other than a crazy sociopath is the height of irresponsible classlessness. 
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Claiming that Sarah Palin is responsible for using "Crosshairs" in her campaign literature is pathetic pandering.  Politics is a contact sport, with all sorts of aggressive metaphors.  To say that these are the cause of a shooting is silly and worse.
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A study of our political history will show that aggressive rhetoric has always characterized our democracy.  When the Lefty Editorials and media call for the tone down of Conservative rhetoric, they are really advocating for a facist, one thought government.  Nice try... Not on OUR WATCH.

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Mayan Trash Talk

Nostradamus says that he could see out to the year 3797 AD.  That puts a lot of pressure on the Mayans, who are counting us out by the end of  2012.
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I'm not buying the Mayan prophecy for the end of days, and after December of 2012, I was thinking of heading down to the Yucatan Peninsula for a little trash talk. 
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Stuff like..."Hey Mayans... nice end of the world... Way to Predict... Nostradamus kicks your ass."  But then I'd cool it down by setting them up at the bar with a few Dos Equis and some Nachos.   Hopefully the Mayans down there have a sense of humor. 
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I'm sure they're not happy about their dire prediction anyway.  A few good Mexican Cervages should soothe over any ruffled feathers.