Without calling names, naming individuals, or calling...dropping dimes, however you see it...I would like to mention how society seems to run on mediocrity these days. Its not good enough to make sure that you do your part and seal things up tight so as to make sure that the next guy doesn't have your inadequacies to deal with, no...there are those out there that would like to half step, take short cuts and leave a little extra work for you to discover on your own.



While looking necessity in the face these people will ignore whats in front of them, because it 'just doesn't matter' and the next guy can take care of it. Whether its making sure that the air hose on the air machine at the gas station was wrapped back up when they were done or if it is changing the furnace filter on the house you 'so-called' remodeled to make a killing, these are all the same people. Consideration for the person that will soon walk somewhere near the footsteps that you have already traveled within.



It makes no difference what they are or who they are at face value...they still have the tendency to be one of these 'backstabbers'. Not necessarily stabbing someone directly, but indirectly its the same result. They may not know what they are causing at the time of the incident, but because of them someone may suffer far beyond what they may have comprehended at the time of their negligence. Kinda sorta sounds like criminal in nature, but rest assured that there is nothing that one can do to regain the ground when the incident hits them at the most inopportune time in their lives.



I spent the entirety of my most recent Saturday afternoon laying insulation in my attic. When I took a peak up there around lunchtime I found that whatever was there (in existence from the last person, and there was definitely evidence that someone who had done some work within these walls had been up there to lay new power runs, etc.) was so depleted that it was almost non-existent. Inadvertently creating one hell of a 'National Fuel' bill that is ridiculous to accommodate in the financial times that we face these days.



Not to mention the lines that were replaced showed of the littered lines that were cut loose. Would it really have been all that troublesome for someone, no matter who it was, to actually grab those lines up and toss them through the attic access and into the trash? Not at all, but that would have made it so that the next guy to crawl up there to take care of the first issue that they had neglected, would have had a little bit of an easier time facilitating what they had to do. Which is just my point. Why is it that nobody these days thinks about the 'Next Guy'?



Shortcuts...how many people these days will actually volunteer to go the extra mile for the guy that stands next to them? Not too many, perhaps if some of them had to take a few months and visit the other cultures in the world, say...those that fight sandstorms on a regular basis, they may gain a new appreciation for what the guy they may leave behind has to walk through. Perhaps if it was one of their offspring they would do the same. But in reality these types of people do not view their career or job choices as significantly as that....what would it take to put it into perspective.



I guess if we could back charge the guy that half arsed the repair job on our cars, or the banks that screwed up our deposit (and created an overdraft), or the receptionist who forgot to get the number, all the fees that could have made things a little easier on us, then and only then would we actually see a difference in the performance of "Employee's".



Its sorta like when you want to find out about what you can do to ensure that you consume water from a clean source. You cannot take for granted that the water company is making sure that you are consuming a clean source of H2O, you must actually get a water test, and then submit it to someone who is capable of testing it (also at our expense) and then and only then would you be able to sit with the comfort that what you are consuming is 'safe'. Or you could buy water in mass amounts to just avoid the topic all together and incur all the appropriate fees associated. Either way it costs you more money. So really is it worth it? I dont know the answer to that question, but I know that our society just keeps getting more and more screwed up, and those out there that think a president is going to fix it...really need to take a look in the mirror because that's the only person that is going to make the difference that really matters.



I am going to include a photo here that just makes me sick to my stomach. In addition to water leaking through windows in my house and gutters that freeze on the roof in a glacial state, I have yet found another nuisance that I found utterly ridiculous, with no answers to be delivered that would even be remotely satisfying....go figure:

Anyone who has even the most remote understanding of how a house works, let alone those that do this sort of thing all the time, would (and I assume) know to check on something like this. I don't think that in all the time I have been alive, have I EVER seen a Furnace Air Filter look this bad. From this view and this side of the filter you could not even see any portion of the filter.

This is a great contributor to sickness, gas bills, dust all over the place, etc. I am literally awed by this (I guess that's obvious since I took a picture of it).

I am sure that this is no great story, however if anyone is reading this and you are not one to check your Furnace Filter...I would greatly suggest that you do so. From what I saw on the filters that you can purchase, you should be changing them about every 90 days. Food for thought....

C-Ya!

Surfing the net can always lead one into some interesting places. I recently encounter www.howobamagotelected.com and was a little amazed at what I read. I guess that amazed might be a little extreme. However, it always seems as though when someone starts to discuss things related to the government, opposite the outcome, they always get shot down for whatever reason.

The gist of what you may find there is related to 'Obama' voters after they had voted and their knowledge of the Presidential Candidates. The focus was to survey those individuals knowledge of the candidates and things related to them. I think that everyone, regardless of which side of the fence you remain, should take a look at it. Of course there will be comments, but whats the price of reading some material? $0.00.

One should know that I don't claim any sincere stake in Presidential Candidates or the Election. For one I really don't think that votes matter these days and will matter even less in the future. Having said that, any comments regarding my perspective are silly attempts at nothingness. I am just trying to live and have a good time doing so and ensure that I do my best to secure a great future for my daughter. Spending time in argument about things that I can't change is worthless. Anyway its moderately entertaining to read that others actually vest so much effort in stating what they believe.

Funny thing is that this whole idea that this guy had was solely to show how much of an effect the media has on any given situation, and then gets shot down on technicalities. Its a crazy world that we all exist in, and getting even crazier by the day. I would like to hope that things slow down a bit in the future, but am sincerely doubtful that it will. It tends to be a shame in a lot of situations. However if the financial situation doesn't improve there may be no alternative but to slow things down significantly.

On lighter notes I have been looking at a new website that revolves around "going green". That is another touchy topic but as I look into the future, I think it is only appropriate that I at least make an attempt to try to do something beneficial, being that I have a little girl that has a future that will exceed the time span of mine. www.treehugger.com is the one that I have primarily been looking at. Of course there are others out there, I just haven't spent as much time on any others as of yet.

They have a plethora of information on their site. I have actually been thinking of (may sound extreme also) collecting my rainwater from my gutters to use for car washing and gardening. Yes I have been thinking of creating a garden. They say for kids its a great thing as they will then be involved in the growth process furthering their education on other things also. Would be kinda cool.

I would like to save some of this snow for some type of use, but damn I would have to have like a roll off dumpster to do so, and then would have to worry about how I was going to make sure that it was somewhat clean. The costs associated with using whats around us in a safe and friendly way are so steep, it definitely explains why our governmental services aren't doing anything to help us out.

During the time sitting here I have been trying to find cheaper Internet, Cable etc. It seems as though moderately impossible. The phones don't get answered and its ridiculous. When we sign up for cable we sign up for Church channels, shopping, news, sports etc. and some of us could give two shits whether or not we have this crap. Where is that cable company that lets us choose what we want to see for our dollars? Oh yeah, they don't exist....that would make too much sense and meaning for our money.

No more rants, I am fed up till next time....!

Well its finally a new year, and we're finally getting what seems to be an appropriate "Pennsylvania" snow from years past. I cannot remember the last time we got snow that made me think, "can I drive in this?" Well its here. Here is a pic from this morning around 740am as soon as I woke (I couldn't believe it, most of the time that 'They' say its coming it never does:

Since I took this photograph I have shoveled the driveway twice. Luckily I cleaned it when I got home last night otherwise the 4 or 5 inches that we got over night would have been a whole lot more to move around.

For those of you who dont know I have moved from my last residence (if you call it that) to a new location about six miles away. Isn't it crazy how you can move and discover things that you knew that you had but thought that you lost, and then find again. Its almost like going shopping in your own dwelling, spending no money, but all the gratification you could want. Anyway here is an additional picture from this morning of the house.

When I woke this morning at 730 I looked out the gap between my blinds and the window and saw what looked to be clouds and sun shining through them. I thought man what an opportunity to get out and take a look and the Sunrise and maybe go and get some really good photos. So I got up and looked out the front window...boy was I ever so mistaken. I really am flabergasted at what is happening outside. Most likely more than 'they' have predicted.

AMAZING day, too bad I am not closer to some good slopes...have a good day all!!!