OK, I'll Lighten Up

Last week I inundated y'all with items from my newspaper and then I dissected them with my take. I suppose some were boring, but I at least hope one or two brought a few chuckles.

With that said, let's talk about Sunday's race. Well, actually there's not much to talk about. I held my breath for the entire race and I didn't watch the end. Yes, I walked away, especially when the last restart showed The Whiner coming on a little too strong for my tastes. Oh yeah, and that other one, the one who thinks he is the best thing since sliced bread. When I saw those two joining forces, I knew NASCAR did it again. Tony, you know you were right.



I'd like to talk about Tony and what happened recently. I truly believe he chose the easy way out when he bent over and apologized to NASCAR for things he said on his Sirius radio show. Always one for controversy, he made me laugh and I felt like he was getting better as a crusader, not so much against NASCAR, but to make them realize that the drivers and the fans felt they just weren't being fair. We all have wondered at one time or another the same thing Tony spoke about, more so this year than any other.

Throwing cautions near the end of the race, especially when a dominating car is far ahead of the others (unless it is a Hendrick car), sure as hell does change the outcome of the race. It tightens the field up giving NASCAR exactly what they want at almost every race this year. And that is close finishes. Maybe they can't manipulate in a way for a particular driver to win, but they most certainly can change the outcome with those "phantom debris" cautions. Funny how a caution flag flew when Jimmie Johnson was heard over his radio while talking to his crew chief that he was not going to make it to the end of a recent race. I saw that one coming. I like it when some cars won't make it on fuel. And by the way, Junior wouldn't have made it to the end either in that particular race.

So, Tony, thanks for opening many eyes, and also for taking some of the heat off of Junior's contract mess. And a note to NASCAR: wise up and take heed. I hope what Tony said doesn't get pushed by the wayside; the fans are irate. Attendance and TV viewing is down because they are sick to death of seeing Hendrick cars in victory lane week in and week out. Enough already. NASCAR without fans is like DEI without Junior ~ neither one will be successful.

So there you have it. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. Don't try and change my mind. It's too late for that. Have a good day.

Picking Apart My Newspaper...Again

• 
  
• Kraft To Scale Down Valley Plant (The processed cheese production line is being split up amongst three out-of-state plants. Yesterday it was candy, today it's cheese; what next?)
• Valley Air Is No Longer On The Side Of Caution (Major cause? All those outsiders that came here for so-called cheaper housing from neighboring states. They settle in our territory and then proceed to tell us what to do. And it is a major hub for drugs etc. So, yeah, we have pollution of all kinds.)
• Home Equity Loan ~ Rates As Low As 6.19%. (And on the next page is Get A Great Money Market Savings Rate At 4.75%. Not really a headline, but I would like to know why it costs more when the money is going into others' pockets and less than when it goes into our pockets? No wonder young families can't/won't/don't have any savings.)
• New Standards For School Snacks Would Limit Calories, Fat (OK, where the hell were they when I was in school? Maybe I wouldn't be battling my weight all my life. And maybe I could sue them now? hmmmmmm.......)
• The View To Lose Sharpest Tongue (All right, let's get real here. I never liked that program before Rosie was on or when she was on. Although I must admit I did catch some glimpses while she was on. I never could understand why she was always talking when I peeked a little. I mean, who died and left her boss? I know, because of her they gained more viewers and their ratings went up.)
• New Agere Parent Reports Disappointing Profit (Well boo hoo, too bad so sad ~ greedy buyers should dwell in their own crap. All they do is eventually cause monopolies, not to mention those huge salaries they pay to their CEOs. So go cry elsewhere 'cause you ain't gettin' no pity here.)
• On a good note, my Mets are doing me proud again this year trying to stay on top of the heap in their division. The Braves keep nipping at their heels though, and I can only hope that they get incentive from that.
• And finally...
  The person who robbed our house ten years ago next month, and who has been in and out of jail since for the same thing, was recently denied parole. He is once again eligible this July. Maybe I will write a post about what happened way back then when he decided to invade our domain. No, I am still not over it because to this day I still take all kinds of precautions.
• And one more thing...we knew it was coming, so why were we all so dang upset (me included) when Jeff Gordon tied Dale Earnhardt Sr. for all-time victories? I'm as guilty as all the other Earnhardt fans. Human nature I suppose. Yeah, I'm over it now. So let's move on.

Headlines That Sorta Worry Me

1. Medicare, Social Security Funds Nearing End Of Rope ~~ (This concerns every U.S. citizen, not just the older ones. )

2. Bombing Kills 9 U.S. Soldiers At Base Northeast Of Baghdad ~~ (When will this madness ever stop?)

3. Philadelphia's Murder Rate On Pace To Be Highest In 10 Years ~~ (There were 11 people murdered over the past weekend for a total of 127 this year alone. And their baseball team is 'dying' too.)

4. Candymaker, Hershey Co., To Close Reading Plant, Cut 260 Jobs ~~ (And so it starts...)

5. Toyota's On Top ~~ (Oh boy, there go some more jobs. C'mon Ford and Chevy, let's get cracking; don't let them do this to our automakers!)

6. Virginia Governor Aims To Close Loophole That Allowed Gunman To Buy Weapon ~~ (Ya think? It's a little late for that, sorta like closing the barn door after the animals got out. Why the hell didn't they know about the loophole before something as heinous as that happened?)

7. New Cumberland Cyclist Killed In Crash ~~ (We're good for at least one or two of these a week. He wasn't wearing a helmet. Enough said.)

8. Feds Quarantine Hogs That Ate Tainted Pet Food ~~ (OK, now, this is getting scary. First of all, why the hell wasn't that tainted pet food destroyed? It was scary enough when our cats and dogs were ingesting the tainted food, but now it's getting to animals that are eventually consumed by humans. Just who or what is behind this? They have ascertained that the melamine was deliberately added to the wheat gluten in China. By the way, my cats are OK in that none of the foods they eat are involved. )

I Feel So Much Better Now

When I first laid eyes on Eddie Van Halen in this photo I wanted to run and hide. Really, he scared the bejeesus out of me. I couldn't imagine anyone of his stature letting themselves go as he did. I thought perhaps it was because of his breakup from Valerie Bertinelli.


But then, she seems to be having problems too with her weight.



When I saw Eddie during pre-race activities on Sunday, I wasn't sure who he was because I wasn't listening to the TV. Later, when I read more about it, I said to myself "Oh, so that's who that was. Wow!"

He got a haircut, had them lightened, and also got a new set of choppers. Glad to see him back amongst the living once again. (Rehab, you know.) Way to go, Eddie! Now, it's Valerie's turn.

Hello There

We're here to tell you Mom had a very busy day so she didn't have time to think about a post. Gee, it looks like my brother, Junior, had a hard day too. This is an old photo of us but it'll do for now.

It was 80 degrees on Sunday so Mom spent a lot of time weeding, pruning, and planting three trees by the deck. She said she wants to provide privacy to that side 'cause rumor has it that some type of housing is coming to the field nearby. She says she doesn't like being the center of attraction when she is on the deck.

So while she was outside (Dad was mowing grass), we had to be on our honor. Usually when they both leave the house we are put in our own room to nap so we don't get into any trouble, but Sunday was different. It confused us though, so when Mom came in from outside she found us in our own room anyway. We're such good kittens, aren't we?

-Dakota Sioux and Junior

Like Taking Candy From A Baby

Another Cup driver won last night's Bashas' Supermarkets 200 Busch race...again. I have always felt that it's not right or fair that Cup guys stink up the Busch races. Not only do they take money away from Busch drivers/owners, they also take points away.

Granted, I am very guilty of watching Busch races because Cup guys are in them, but if they weren't then perhaps a few stars would be able to emerge from the Busch ranks. And that would give me impetus to watch just them. But right now, I couldn't even tell you of any rising stars. How the hell can they rise? They are being kept 'in their place' by bullying Cup drivers.

I was a happy cat when Junior emerged back in '98 and went on to win the Championship. He did it again in '99. Same thing when it was Martin Truex Jr. when he won back-to-back Championships not too long ago. It was fun to see them battle week in and week out to maintain their lead. Not any more.

Last year Kevin Harvick (Cup) ran away with the points lead. Every time I tuned in, it was to watch and see if a full-time Busch driver could perhaps win for a change. Or at least challenge him. (I am a Harvick fan.)

Well, here we are not quite three months into the season and already they are giving the Championship to Carl Edwards (Cup).

Can someone please tell me why this is allowed? And don't those Cup guys feel at least a little guilty when they stand in Victory Lane with all the accolades being heaped upon them? I guess not, because they keep doing it week after week.

(I know, I know...Junior runs Busch races too. But he only runs at selected tracks that he absolutely loves and also due to his love for the sport.)

Great Quote by Darrell Waltrip

I have ridiculed both Darrell and brother Michael in the past, but when I read what Darrell had to say about Junior when he jumped into Kyle Bush's #5 Kellogg's car the last nine laps of the Texas race, I changed my attitude. Here is what he had to say"

"I'm proud of Dale Jr. He's my hero. His father and I fought tooth and nail, week in and week out, but we respected each other. Dale Jr. saw that respect. He went to military school. He has an incredibly great education, and he's an incredibly intelligent young man. I just tip my hat because he didn't run and say, 'Sorry, get somebody else.' Another race team asked him for help, and he was there to give it to them. Way to go, Junebug. You're the man."

For you Dale Earnhardt Jr. fans out there...does that not give you goosebumps?

YourSpaceMySpaceOurSpace

I don't know all that much about MyPlace (altered for obvious reasons) because I've never cared to go there. To me it is a place where very young people and perverts and pedophiles hang out. Certainly not for me.

It has come to my attention recently that a lot of my former co-workers at Testes Express Lines have blogs on MyPlace. What a joke that is.

Included is a grown man who is a truck driver and ready to retire, an ex-Marine drill sergeant, an almost-blind bi female who thinks she's sexy (she was hired for data entry...um, almost blind? Yes), an unmarried mother that slept her way through the dock workers (and probably most of the males in the office) and who was hired when she was pregnant and showing, and I could go on and on but I won't. Why? Because I seriously cannot stop laughing whenever I think about them, let alone write about them. You name it, Testes hired it. Talk about scraping the bottom of the barrel.


Will I continue my quest of daily laughter by visiting them? You bet your sweet ass I will. I need my daily dose of laughter. But let me get something straight: this post is aimed solely at those kids and so-called wannabe kids at that site only; I am not poking fun at any others.

The last person I wrote about before the prior paragraph above was about 95% of the reason why I lost my job after 13 years. She came to the job like a lamb, but it didn't take her long to become the proverbial lion. She recently quit her job there without giving the company two weeks of work after giving her notice. To be honest with you, the company didn't deserve it either. They are just as much at fault as to what happened to me. No scruples. I would never recommend anyone to work for them.

What I never understood was why a company listened to a snot-nosed kid rather than a person with a spotless employment record. What she really needed and probably still does was for someone to take her over their knee and spank some sense into her. Today's kids in the workplace just don't know what it's like to be in fear of their superiors. They come into places and want to take over immediately without working their way up the ladder like we did. And that's a real shame.

Hey You, Little Freak of Nature...

Yeah, I'm talking to you, Kyle Busch. What the hell is wrong with you...can't you see? Or were you out in the field plowing? Thanks for not only ruining my day, but Dale Jr's day also. You. are. an. idiot. with a capitol I, because that's all you care about: me, myself and I. Like you're the only freakin' badass on the track week after week. Your day is coming, buddy. You've messed with far too many drivers. Junior doesn't retaliate, but I sure as hell hope someone else does that you messed with today or in the past.

3 Days of Bliss

(Hey...it's Friday the 13th. Uh Oh)



A week off away from NASCAR drives me insane. Very agonizing. Painful. Let me tell you, the off-season is the pits but even one week depresses me. I don't have to tell you that I live, breathe and eat racing. Period.

When I worked I counted the minutes on a Friday until I would be home and watching qualifying. And even then I missed a lot because I didn't get home until 4:35, sometimes later, depending on the traffic.

I don't have to count the minutes anymore~just the days. I love Fridays for reasons other than most working people do. Fridays are full of NASCAR TV. My husband doesn't like Fridays because he loses control of the remote. Not that he has much control of it anyway. I just let him think he does. It makes him happy and it helps keep the peace.

If there's a Busch race Saturdays I am equally ecstatic. But the best is when I awaken on Sunday and realize what day it is. I'm like a kid on Christmas morning. My step is lighter. My mood is brighter. Nothing compares to raceday. Absolutely nothing.

And when I get to see something like this, well it's the next best thing to...uh, I'd better not say it; just fill in the blank.

****************
Dale Jr. has announced the following two paint schemes later this year.
This one will be raced on May 27th in the CocaCola 600 at Lowes Motor Speedway.


Photo courtesy of Jayski.com

This one will be raced on July 7th in the Pepsi 400 at Daytona.

Photo courtesy of Jayski.com

Off The Cuff

No pictures today, folks...not enough time. Today's post is about several topics, none of which can be written about extensively.

• We finally got the answer to who Dannielynn's daddy is, and I'm glad it's Larry Birkhead and not that dufus, Howard K. Stern. Even the locals were cheering for Larry.
• Our Easter was spent quietly at home, just the two of us. Of course we had ham and the trimmings, just not a lot of them.
• Baseball season is once again upon us. My Mets started out good but the Braves are currently at the top in their division. I don't know if either team played last night or what the outcome was if they did play.
• The weather in these parts is still not what it should be. We're expecting rain over the next few days. Two of the many jonquil bulbs I planted last Fall opened today.
• I started using a new and larger coffee pot at the beginning of the year because the other one died. It's a 12-cup Cuisinart with a thermal carafe. The only difference from the one it replaced is it holds 12 cups instead of 10. With the old one, whoever took the last cup of coffee would then make the next pot. With the new one, my husband has made exactly one pot of coffee and he whined about it. He says he doesn't like this coffeemaker. I have yet to figure out why, since there's no difference between the two and the process of making coffee is the same for both of them. Men.
• Junior's company, JR Motorsports, moved into a new building yesterday in North Carolina. That should prove to the naysayers that he is one smart cookie and not just some redneck kid who doesn't know what he is doing.
• And what the hell is going on with Michael Waltrip? He can't catch a break, can he? He was charged with reckless driving because he fell asleep at the wheel about a mile from his home, hit a utility pole, rolled the vehicle over, crawled out and walked the rest of the way home. It just keeps getting worse for the poor fella.

Crazy As It Seems, I'm Still Sane

Many months ago I received in the mail a CD to download software for filing federal and state taxes. I put it aside. And then one day it crossed my path, so I opened it and read the small booklet that was inside. Also included was a coupon for $25 to use if I chose to have H&R do our taxes in person.

I won't lie to you...I am one of the greatest procrastinators around~especially when it comes to having to do things I don't particularly care doing. Like federal tax filing. There are a lot of other things, but filing taxes make me want to run and hide. As far away from them as I can get.

A few weeks ago I once again reviewed all the material looking for the fine print. I couldn't find any. I never sent for the software and I have no idea where it came from; therefore, it was free. I am taking the liberty here and guessing that H&R sent their previous customers this new software hoping we use it and return to them next year.

And so, one day when I had time on my hands, I put the CD in and downloaded it. It didn't take long and soon there was a new icon on my desktop. And that's as far as I got. I didn't open the program. I dragged my feet, because I really dreaded having to do our taxes. Why? I guess I was afraid of the unknown. Like how much money we owed this year. Like not knowing what was in that program. Because once I clicked on that little icon, there was no turning back. The first thing I was greeted with was an update notice telling me some things changed since the software left them and arrived on my doorstep.

So far so good. That was fairly easy. But then I sat there and stared at the screen a few moments before clicking on START A RETURN. And then I was off and running. I wrote down the time I started. As I went through the forms answering questions and filling things out, I thought, this is pretty easy; I think I like this.

(A few weeks ago, I decided that yesterday would be a good day to work on the taxes because there was no NASCAR race. I forewarned my husband that I was going to be in my little corner of the world, with the door shut, and absolutely no one was allowed to bother me until I decided to come out or I was finished.)

It only took me an hour and not once did I have to throw anything, or cuss like a banshee, or even scratch my head. And even though we owe a few hundred dollars, I still had a smile on my face because it was a really nice experience.

Whew! I'm glad that's over for another year.

Sometimes I Just Can't Help Myself

The Good The Bad The Ugly ~ Part II

(I have had this in draft for some time and have been waiting to publish it. Because I am at a lack for words and/or thoughts, this will have to do for now.)

**********



This is all about what it's like when one retires.

THE GOOD

• I can stay up as late as I want and sleep in as long as I want (within reason).
• I can eat what I want, when I want, how I want.
• We can pick up and go somewhere on a whim at any time.
• We can make appointments for any day, at any time.
• There is no one looking over my shoulder or telling me what to do like where I last worked.
• We are no longer using an obscene amount of gas like we did when we worked.
• There are no freaking phones rudely ringing in my ears all blessed day long.
• If the weather's bad we don't have to go out and drive in it.
• I don't have to put up a front or be cheerful all day for the co-workers' sake. (Remember, I was admonished for being unsociable.) I can be the most unsociable bitch on this earth. Just cross me, you'll find out.
• I no longer get that sick feeling in my gut Sunday afternoons knowing Monday morning and work is looming ahead.
• I no longer have to look at a 30-year-old-wet-behind-the-ears-so-called-manager-who-is-afraid-of-people-older-than-him-so-he-fires-them anymore.

THE BAD

• No weekly paycheck, but that's OK. It's not like we didn't plan for this.

THE UGLY

• (See the last entry under THE GOOD)

Certainly y'all saw that one coming about the ugly; if you didn't, you missed out on a lot of good stuff over the past year and a half of my posts.

Rain Rain Go Away

Sunday's race at Martinsville was great up until the rain delay. Junior had been leading and was doing quite nicely I might add. It felt so good to finally see him in command of a race. When the race was stopped because of rain, I just knew that once they got restarted Junior's car would go downhill. The track was not the same. And once again I became frustrated.

To make matters worse there were three Hendrick cars running in the top four. Grrrrrrrrr. Nothing perturbs me more than that. Absolutely nothing. I was hoping that the two front runners would take each other out. No such luck.

As far as who the winner was...well, let's not even go there. He disturbs me. Really, really bad.

So there I sat, mouth agape at having to witness yet another win by a Hendrick driver. I am so sick and tired of having that team crammed down my throat week after week. It gets old and it gets sickening after awhile.

I thought to myself, let's see how the points played out. I waited patiently. In my mind I went over how Junior has come from waaaaaay down in the points: from 30th, to 40th, to 28th, to 26th, to 17th...and I figured today's foray would maybe, just maybe, bring him up to 15th. What a shock I had when I saw that he is 11th in the points!

Ahhhhhhh...all was well in my little corner of the world.