It is 82° in my house, with the windows wide open, the sliding glass door open as far as it can, with a fan placed in the window trying to bring in some cool air. I miss the crisp cool air in the north, this house is always too hot. It will probably be another three hours before it reaches the 70s..
Thursday, December 5, 2013
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Reality is an illusion.
When I was in fourth grade, I remember writing these words as I created a very simple picture on an Apple 2e. I remember a teacher commenting on how I was too young to know that. I also remember printing it, and having it hang on my bedroom wall for years. It was something, I would later find Einstein had written. I don't dare place my intellect to the levels of his, I imagine I am probably lower than average.
It was just something that had dawned on me, in my youth. It has always stayed with me, a fundamental truth of perception.
I don't know why I am going on about this, I suppose I just want to keep my blog going by adding a bit here and there. There really isn't very much to update, no adventures, no losses, no major wins. Just saving a bit for Christmas and thereafter hopefully fixing up my sailboat.
It was just something that had dawned on me, in my youth. It has always stayed with me, a fundamental truth of perception.
I don't know why I am going on about this, I suppose I just want to keep my blog going by adding a bit here and there. There really isn't very much to update, no adventures, no losses, no major wins. Just saving a bit for Christmas and thereafter hopefully fixing up my sailboat.
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
$50 was too much
Today I helped move a hot tub from the back yard of a gentleman's yard to the front yard and loaded it into a trailer. There were four of us there, the owner, two coworkers and myself. It took all of an hour, after which he treated us to some ice tea and friendly conversation.
When it came to the end, he asked how much we should charge. We all told him we were not sure, he offered $100, $75 or $50.. the others agreed to $50 but I felt it was too much.
I took it though, but now I feel like crap. I should have told him no, but then I'm not sure how my coworkers would feel and if they would have felt obligated to take less as well. Then there is the fact that we are so poor and it would help with Christmas presents for our kids.
I dunno, this is not the sort of person I am though. $50 was just too much money, for a job that was this easy.. I'm used to making $8 an hour for doing similar work. I feel like I've taking advantage of him, I don't know how people can do this to others without any remorse.
Last week, I was offered a tip for doing my job and turned it down. That is the sort of person I like being, this.. it was just greedy. I dunno, I have little else to write about and this has been on my mind all night.
When it came to the end, he asked how much we should charge. We all told him we were not sure, he offered $100, $75 or $50.. the others agreed to $50 but I felt it was too much.
I took it though, but now I feel like crap. I should have told him no, but then I'm not sure how my coworkers would feel and if they would have felt obligated to take less as well. Then there is the fact that we are so poor and it would help with Christmas presents for our kids.
I dunno, this is not the sort of person I am though. $50 was just too much money, for a job that was this easy.. I'm used to making $8 an hour for doing similar work. I feel like I've taking advantage of him, I don't know how people can do this to others without any remorse.
Last week, I was offered a tip for doing my job and turned it down. That is the sort of person I like being, this.. it was just greedy. I dunno, I have little else to write about and this has been on my mind all night.
Friday, September 6, 2013
I got a job!!!
Wow, it took long enough. After probably thousands of applications, I found a real job, where I make a difference in people's lives. I've been working there part time for the past month, but did not want to post until I past the month mark, and was accepted by the employees and employer.
I know that is silly, but I really did think I would jinx myself. You have to figure, four years of trying with extremely limited success has to wear on the psychology of someone lol.
At any rate, it is working at a thrift store (no names, don't want to jeopardize the job just in case) that sells merchandise to help the poor. I can actually feel good about going to work, because my labor is helping out someone and it is honest. The pay is only slightly over minimum wage, at $8.00 an hour.. but I am fine with that. It is 30 hours a week, and for someone who lives as frugal as I do it is a lot of money.
Labor Ready is hard work, it is inconsistent and you are sometimes treated like garbage. I would suggest it to people who are as desperate as I was though. The company doesn't pay much for the effort you put in, but it is work. I would also suggest to seek out filling out surveys, even though the pay is lousy.. check out survey police on google, to find reviews on the different sites. Be weary of scammers out there, never spend money to make money on these sites. Most of all, I wish any of you going through hard times the best of luck.
After we catch up on a few bills, fix up our girls rooms, fix our central A/C, and save for Christmas the boat will start resuming repairs.
Family comes first of course.
I know that is silly, but I really did think I would jinx myself. You have to figure, four years of trying with extremely limited success has to wear on the psychology of someone lol.
At any rate, it is working at a thrift store (no names, don't want to jeopardize the job just in case) that sells merchandise to help the poor. I can actually feel good about going to work, because my labor is helping out someone and it is honest. The pay is only slightly over minimum wage, at $8.00 an hour.. but I am fine with that. It is 30 hours a week, and for someone who lives as frugal as I do it is a lot of money.
Labor Ready is hard work, it is inconsistent and you are sometimes treated like garbage. I would suggest it to people who are as desperate as I was though. The company doesn't pay much for the effort you put in, but it is work. I would also suggest to seek out filling out surveys, even though the pay is lousy.. check out survey police on google, to find reviews on the different sites. Be weary of scammers out there, never spend money to make money on these sites. Most of all, I wish any of you going through hard times the best of luck.
After we catch up on a few bills, fix up our girls rooms, fix our central A/C, and save for Christmas the boat will start resuming repairs.
Family comes first of course.
Saturday, June 22, 2013
Second day at labor ready
Ouch, it hurt. This time, we were at Saint Leo college and the work involved moving two desks, two large night stands, two dressers, and a large cabinet to each dormitory room. Oh, this was mostly on the second floor, with no elevator.
Four straight hours, of lifting things up to a second floor took a major toll on me. Mind you, I stayed on the stair well most of the time lifting the furniture up the stairs over and over again. People would cart the furniture to the bottom of the stairs where I and others would grab it, we would climb the stairs with the furniture, place it on other carts where they would be pushed away by other people. This was a non stop flow, we would get to the top of the stairs with the furniture, and more would be waiting for us at the bottom. There were many times where I had to stop for a few seconds, catch my breath, drink some water get yelled at, and get back at it. By the time it hit 12:00 we finally had a break, the hour promised to us for the nine hour day.
I drank a bit of Gatorade felt better, and the next three hours we repeated the process. The last hour we went from room to room, taking the furniture out of the cardboard and throwing it in the recycling bin.
Two weeks ago I weighed in at 257, today I was 242.
Yeah, the labor is that hard. I'm sticking with it though, I know it will get easier as my body adjusts.
The sad thing though, is that for working that hard I only made $54 for eight hours..
Four straight hours, of lifting things up to a second floor took a major toll on me. Mind you, I stayed on the stair well most of the time lifting the furniture up the stairs over and over again. People would cart the furniture to the bottom of the stairs where I and others would grab it, we would climb the stairs with the furniture, place it on other carts where they would be pushed away by other people. This was a non stop flow, we would get to the top of the stairs with the furniture, and more would be waiting for us at the bottom. There were many times where I had to stop for a few seconds, catch my breath, drink some water get yelled at, and get back at it. By the time it hit 12:00 we finally had a break, the hour promised to us for the nine hour day.
I drank a bit of Gatorade felt better, and the next three hours we repeated the process. The last hour we went from room to room, taking the furniture out of the cardboard and throwing it in the recycling bin.
Two weeks ago I weighed in at 257, today I was 242.
Yeah, the labor is that hard. I'm sticking with it though, I know it will get easier as my body adjusts.
The sad thing though, is that for working that hard I only made $54 for eight hours..
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
First day at labor ready
Well, I had my first job at labor ready. It was on a garbage truck, I was the guy hanging on the back tossing all of the garbage in the truck. It is a lot harder than I thought it would be, I've got bruises all over my arms from bumping into the truck.
Much respect to the garbage men out there, it is incredibly tough work. I made it about four hours before I started to feel exhausted, dizzy, and out of breath. At 250lbs I am incredibly out of shape, I think I may have been suffering from heat exhaustion. At that point, I kept having micronaps on the back of the truck clinging on as hard as I could. I ultimately decided to inform the driver that I couldn't do it for much longer and they should contact another person to take over. I stayed another two hours working on the back while waiting for my replacement.
I was afraid I was going to pass out and fall off the truck, there isn't much room back there it is basically just a step you stand on, and you hold on to a few bars. Going 40mph at times, while feeling really dizzy and all the strength being sapped out of you can be a frightening experience.
To top it off, I have huge blisters on my feet from going to Disney world last week, they got much worst after this ordeal and now I can't walk.
Labor ready was top notch about the whole ordeal, they told me they would find something else, I'm gonna take off tomorrow though in the hopes that my feet heal enough.
Much respect to the garbage men out there, it is incredibly tough work. I made it about four hours before I started to feel exhausted, dizzy, and out of breath. At 250lbs I am incredibly out of shape, I think I may have been suffering from heat exhaustion. At that point, I kept having micronaps on the back of the truck clinging on as hard as I could. I ultimately decided to inform the driver that I couldn't do it for much longer and they should contact another person to take over. I stayed another two hours working on the back while waiting for my replacement.
I was afraid I was going to pass out and fall off the truck, there isn't much room back there it is basically just a step you stand on, and you hold on to a few bars. Going 40mph at times, while feeling really dizzy and all the strength being sapped out of you can be a frightening experience.
To top it off, I have huge blisters on my feet from going to Disney world last week, they got much worst after this ordeal and now I can't walk.
Labor ready was top notch about the whole ordeal, they told me they would find something else, I'm gonna take off tomorrow though in the hopes that my feet heal enough.
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Woot, another job!
As I had planned a few days back, I decided to give Labor Ready a shot. I already am getting phone calls for work, so I am once again gainfully employed. I am a bit worried, as this is one of the lowest rungs in the work force.
I don't mean to sound discriminatory here, I am a poor person after all. I just know that at this level, we have criminals, and people that are here due to extremely poor life decisions. Last week, when I went in to apply there was a guy there talking loudly on his cell, complaining about how he was fired for doing drugs on the job. That is the sort of thing that worries me, people with a nasty attitude on drugs, first because I would rather not deal with an idiot that is prone to violence, and second because I don't want to rely on someone at a work site who is drugged up and not paying attention. I really don't want to deal with some sicko scumbag either, nor do I want to have people trying to do criminal activities near me.
I hope to find more people working there such as myself, live and let live types, who are there more so because conflicts of schedule, or are just down on their luck. If I am to believe what I have read on the internet, a lot of people that work there are felons, crack heads, and all sort of nasty. I don't know, perhaps I am lucky because I live in a nice town. Outside of that one guy that was fired, most of the people I saw there were nice.
On the plus side, I have a job where I can work whenever I want. I will be outside, doing hard labor, so I will lose weight, I will be learning new skills, and we may just be able to have air conditioning throughout the house for the summer.
For now, I am going to be assigned to working on the back of garbage trucks, slinging the garbage. I don't mind that, to be honest. It is honest work, it may be harder than working on the phone, I'll smell trash all day, but at the very least I won't feel like it by trying to con people out of their money.
The unfortunate part is, that is considered overflow work. I will be on call for when someone calls out, or feels like a day off. So, on the days where I get no call I am to report to a branch at 5:30 in the morning and be assigned work. From what I have been told, there is more work than they know what to do with. To be honest, I am excited to learn new trades.
I really hope there is work on boats, such as fisherman. That would be really cool.
Outside of the employment scene, I am going to have to take off a semester from school. I hate to do this, but I am paying out of pocket as I don't want to collect a lot of debt. It is about $800 for six credit hours if you include the books, and at this point I just can't afford it.
I hate to do so, because I still have college algebra to take and it is best to take your algebra courses one after another. I also want to get a bit more in programming. I should be able to afford the winter semester though, as I will be saving up.
The boat is doing well, I've seen some coleman 5hp long shaft outboards that retail for around $500 new and have been considering purchasing one. I have a feeling my boat will be in the water soon, and can't wait to take my wife and kids out on it.
I don't mean to sound discriminatory here, I am a poor person after all. I just know that at this level, we have criminals, and people that are here due to extremely poor life decisions. Last week, when I went in to apply there was a guy there talking loudly on his cell, complaining about how he was fired for doing drugs on the job. That is the sort of thing that worries me, people with a nasty attitude on drugs, first because I would rather not deal with an idiot that is prone to violence, and second because I don't want to rely on someone at a work site who is drugged up and not paying attention. I really don't want to deal with some sicko scumbag either, nor do I want to have people trying to do criminal activities near me.
I hope to find more people working there such as myself, live and let live types, who are there more so because conflicts of schedule, or are just down on their luck. If I am to believe what I have read on the internet, a lot of people that work there are felons, crack heads, and all sort of nasty. I don't know, perhaps I am lucky because I live in a nice town. Outside of that one guy that was fired, most of the people I saw there were nice.
On the plus side, I have a job where I can work whenever I want. I will be outside, doing hard labor, so I will lose weight, I will be learning new skills, and we may just be able to have air conditioning throughout the house for the summer.
For now, I am going to be assigned to working on the back of garbage trucks, slinging the garbage. I don't mind that, to be honest. It is honest work, it may be harder than working on the phone, I'll smell trash all day, but at the very least I won't feel like it by trying to con people out of their money.
The unfortunate part is, that is considered overflow work. I will be on call for when someone calls out, or feels like a day off. So, on the days where I get no call I am to report to a branch at 5:30 in the morning and be assigned work. From what I have been told, there is more work than they know what to do with. To be honest, I am excited to learn new trades.
I really hope there is work on boats, such as fisherman. That would be really cool.
Outside of the employment scene, I am going to have to take off a semester from school. I hate to do this, but I am paying out of pocket as I don't want to collect a lot of debt. It is about $800 for six credit hours if you include the books, and at this point I just can't afford it.
I hate to do so, because I still have college algebra to take and it is best to take your algebra courses one after another. I also want to get a bit more in programming. I should be able to afford the winter semester though, as I will be saving up.
The boat is doing well, I've seen some coleman 5hp long shaft outboards that retail for around $500 new and have been considering purchasing one. I have a feeling my boat will be in the water soon, and can't wait to take my wife and kids out on it.
Friday, June 14, 2013
Oh wow, I got to lose some weight
250 pounds didn't seem like too much to me, I was about 220 when I was 17.. I just saw a video of myself though, and damn I am chubby lol. I've been floating around 248 to 255 the past week, depending on what I am wearing and the time of day.
I'm gonna aim for the 230s by the end of the month, it shouldn't be too difficult when you weigh as much as I do.
I'm gonna aim for the 230s by the end of the month, it shouldn't be too difficult when you weigh as much as I do.
Thursday, June 13, 2013
I don't want to live a "normal" life
I really don't, I am horrible with routines and I hate commitments held to others outside of my family. I don't want to work forty hours a week, fifty weeks a year, until I reach the ripe old age of seventy so that I can "enjoy" life.
If there were such a disorder, where people were the opposite of OCD - I would probably have it. I like change, routine is my nightmare.
Unfortunately, I am not talented. If anything, I am a bit below the norm when it comes to others. So, living such a life would prove to be difficult. But, where there is a will there is a way. I don't need a big home, nor a brand new car, I don't need expensive clothes or the best of foods, I don't need expensive vacations nor do I need to outdo my neighbors.
The thing is, I am not swayed by status. I don't feel the urge, to be valued by strangers. I don't need to feel that I am better than other people, by my material possessions. My inexpensive 1200 square foot home is plenty large enough for my family. My 23 foot long sailboat, built in the 80s, is huge to me.. my $10,000 SUV is more than I need.
And that was the conclusion I came to when I quit my last job, I would rather be able to sleep at night than bully the elderly into buying magazines, so I could have nicer things. Today I went to a place called labor ready, it is a temp agency that puts people to work for brief periods of time. I like that, it is honest work where no commitments are held. I get to choose when I want to work, and when I want to take a break. The pay is horrible, but I don't have much that I need to spend it on, so it will do.
We make sacrifices in my household, but we are free. That is what matters most to me, being free.. You only get one life, enjoy it.
If there were such a disorder, where people were the opposite of OCD - I would probably have it. I like change, routine is my nightmare.
Unfortunately, I am not talented. If anything, I am a bit below the norm when it comes to others. So, living such a life would prove to be difficult. But, where there is a will there is a way. I don't need a big home, nor a brand new car, I don't need expensive clothes or the best of foods, I don't need expensive vacations nor do I need to outdo my neighbors.
The thing is, I am not swayed by status. I don't feel the urge, to be valued by strangers. I don't need to feel that I am better than other people, by my material possessions. My inexpensive 1200 square foot home is plenty large enough for my family. My 23 foot long sailboat, built in the 80s, is huge to me.. my $10,000 SUV is more than I need.
And that was the conclusion I came to when I quit my last job, I would rather be able to sleep at night than bully the elderly into buying magazines, so I could have nicer things. Today I went to a place called labor ready, it is a temp agency that puts people to work for brief periods of time. I like that, it is honest work where no commitments are held. I get to choose when I want to work, and when I want to take a break. The pay is horrible, but I don't have much that I need to spend it on, so it will do.
We make sacrifices in my household, but we are free. That is what matters most to me, being free.. You only get one life, enjoy it.
Friday, June 7, 2013
I'm a horrible salesman
I had finally gotten a job, it was selling magazines over the phone, all the calls were inbound, the pay would have averaged about ten dollars an hour, but I couldn't do it. The thing is, the people calling in received a letter telling them they could win a million dollars, and all they had to do is call in a number and place an entry.
My job, was to try to sell them magazines. Four attempts at selling magazines had to be made, with each attempt you had to read off a script of several magazines, then nearly demand them buy them. It felt like bullying, really. The worst part is, at the beginning of the call you would try to be as friendly as possible with them, then after you gained their trust you pushed your pitch. It felt so manipulating, grimy, and went against my morals.
The clientele almost exclusively was the elder, people in their 80's who wanted the money to give to charity or their family, most were ill, in poverty, and just couldn't afford the $60 a year commitment, for four years, many didn't even feel they would live that long.
I would rather be digging ditches, knocking down concrete, or any other physically demanding jobs than be the sort of person that bullies around the elderly. I gave it my best for three days, and it made me sick to my stomach. I felt like such a scumbag, and had to detach myself entirely to get through the calls. At the end of the work day, I would feel like a sleaze bag.
I couldn't see myself doing this seven to eight hours a day, five days a week. So, it is back to surveys, and perhaps labor ready.. and continuing college.
I've got to wonder, is this all life has to offer a high school graduate anymore? I can't work in an environment where the objective is to scam people out of their money, I can't work at a place where I am not allowed to be myself. I'm not the sort of person, that likes to take advantage of anyone. I am the sort of person, that loves to help other people, without expecting them to purchase my product. For example, fixing things such as computers. I wouldn't want to sell people computers, just fix them at a reasonable rate.
I'm really missing my old job, working in IT. If only there were more demand for it now. For now, I'll just work for my self. The pay is lousy, but at the very least I can sleep at night.
Sunday, February 24, 2013
Finally have a good vehicle and my daughter is 7!
Not only do I have a great vehicle, I have a great vehicle I can tow with! A 2005 Dodge Durango, which can handle up to 5,900 lbs for towing. This truck is great, for the family and for the boat. It comes with all kinds of neat features, and a class three hitch connected to the frame along with all of the connectors. On the inside, it is full of creature comforts. Plus it was incredibly affordable, on the downside it has 91,000 miles on it.
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| On the side of our yard, she looks lonely. |
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
A name for my sailboat
I've owned my sailboat for nearly a year now, and contemplated a bit as to what to call her. I've had a lot of funny suggestions, but she deserves a proper name. Earlier in the day, while doodling on a bit of scrap paper it came to me the symbolism of the sailboat, what it all meant to me.
It comes down to freedom, that is what draws me toward sailing. While freedom is a fine word, it is a bit over used and not something I would consider labeling my sailboat. Instead, I will use a foreign word ;p
It is pronounced Seer Sha, and is the Gaelic word for freedom, often given to women. How fitting of a name for my first sailboat. It is not entirely original, other boats have borne her name before, however, I don't think anyone will be offended.
Well, I'll be getting a vehicle to tow my beloved Saoirse here shortly. I've been lookin at Ford Explorer's that are rated to tow 5,000 lbs. Plenty enough, as the combined weight of my boat and trailer is no more than 3,500 and more likely 3,000.
I'll be sure to post a few pics when it happens, as well as relocating the boat to my backyard. I don't like it's current location, because it is too close to the neighbor's house and I don't want them thinking I am prying on them while goofing about on my sailboat.
It comes down to freedom, that is what draws me toward sailing. While freedom is a fine word, it is a bit over used and not something I would consider labeling my sailboat. Instead, I will use a foreign word ;p
"Saoirse"
Well, I'll be getting a vehicle to tow my beloved Saoirse here shortly. I've been lookin at Ford Explorer's that are rated to tow 5,000 lbs. Plenty enough, as the combined weight of my boat and trailer is no more than 3,500 and more likely 3,000.
I'll be sure to post a few pics when it happens, as well as relocating the boat to my backyard. I don't like it's current location, because it is too close to the neighbor's house and I don't want them thinking I am prying on them while goofing about on my sailboat.
Monday, December 10, 2012
A fine month
It has been a fairly good month, my brother came down from New York and we were able to hang out for a couple of days. We had a few beers, built a fire, and talked about the past. It doesn't get much better than having family, a camp fire, and beer to lift your spirits.
I had tons of wood piled up, from trimming the trees in my yard, from pile of fence pickets, and also a couple of logs from a tree that fell in my yard. The fire burned from 9pm to about 4:30am, and even then we had to hose it down for about fifteen minutes before it completely went out. Wish I had taken a few more pictures, the steam from putting it out almost covered my entire yard.. it is a good thing that it was foggy that day.
I also have started to brew my own beer, as a way to save money and also keep me busy. Mind you, I don't drink every day - mostly once every other week, but the costs add up. I've been drinking the cheap stuff, such as Busch Lite, which isn't all that bad of a beer, but I would rather try to cut my expenses down in half while at the same time producing a better tasting beer.
So, a few weeks ago I thought I would have my hand at producing a cheap wine, using some Welch's grape juice, two cups of sugar and a bunch of baker's yeast. Mind you, I was not looking to create a fantastic wine, I just wanted to see how it worked out. Here is a picture of what happened after the first day, it foamed up quite a bit, and for the next several days it was bubbling like crazy as it fermented. In order to ensure it wouldn't explode, while at the same time not be contaminated I simply left the cap on top, slightly loose to ensure air could escape.
This is what it looked like after about a week, the color changed from purple to a rusty looking color. You can't really see the bubbles rising, but there were a ton of them. There was no smell though, which was interesting. I thought there would be a massive stench associated with brewing.
Here it is now, I moved it to another bottle as a bunch of yeast and other gunk form at the bottom while fermenting. The total fermentation time was about two and a half weeks, in temperatures that averaged in the mid 80s. It looks like wine, smells like wine, and tastes like wine... I don't really like wine to begin with, but my wife, mother, and brother enjoyed it. No one noticed any off flavors from using baker's yeast, so all in all it isn't so bad.
So, after that experiment, we bought a Mr Beer for less than $30, and I brewed my first beer. I didn't take any pictures of the brewing part, but it was pretty straight forward. Toss a can of liquid malt extract in boiling water, and add it to the fermenter along with colder water. It has been sitting in the jug, under the cabinet for the past ten days doing it's thing. Again, no nasty smells at all.
Today, I gave it a sample to see how far along my brew has come. It has a bit of a cider taste to it, and still a bit sweet, probably because I added two cups of cane sugar to it, and also because it was fermenting in 80 degree weather. It is not too bad though, I think I will bottle it up by the end of the week, give it to new years to carbonate and give it another try. Hopefully, it has a bit more to ferment out and the flavor will become a bit better. As you can see it is still cloudy, and I can see bits of yeast suspended in the liquid.
And that is all there really is to it, another month passed. A hobby picked up, which should be inexpensive. The way I look at it, is that I can brew up to 21 beers in the fermenter at a cost of about $16.00 if I purchase the liquid malt extract from Mr Beer. What I am going to do instead, is purchase a few hops, some malt extract, and yeast for much less than that. From what I have read, I can make almost five gallons of beer, that is fairly good quality, for less than $30. That is about 53 12 ounce beers, so it works out a lot cheaper than the inexpensive beer, and should taste better. It should also last me about two months, which is good.
Now, I don't want people thinking I am an alcoholic, nor that I waste money partying every night. I drink once every other week, at most eight beers, usually less, after my children are in bed, and while my sober wife is home in the event of an emergency. I enjoy the peace of mind it gives me, and quite frankly the break from reality :) I think this hobby serves two purposes, first, it gives me an interesting hobby to pass the time and keep me entertained, and the second would be a savings on my bi monthly escape.
In other aspects of a great month, I just completed my first semester and earned an A in both of my classes, I'm looking forward to doing 9 credit hours next semester and hopefully keeping up the GPA. I've also been day dreaming about my sailboat, I can't wait until I finally land a real job instead of doing these surveys, so that I can take her out.
I also have started to brew my own beer, as a way to save money and also keep me busy. Mind you, I don't drink every day - mostly once every other week, but the costs add up. I've been drinking the cheap stuff, such as Busch Lite, which isn't all that bad of a beer, but I would rather try to cut my expenses down in half while at the same time producing a better tasting beer.
And that is all there really is to it, another month passed. A hobby picked up, which should be inexpensive. The way I look at it, is that I can brew up to 21 beers in the fermenter at a cost of about $16.00 if I purchase the liquid malt extract from Mr Beer. What I am going to do instead, is purchase a few hops, some malt extract, and yeast for much less than that. From what I have read, I can make almost five gallons of beer, that is fairly good quality, for less than $30. That is about 53 12 ounce beers, so it works out a lot cheaper than the inexpensive beer, and should taste better. It should also last me about two months, which is good.
Now, I don't want people thinking I am an alcoholic, nor that I waste money partying every night. I drink once every other week, at most eight beers, usually less, after my children are in bed, and while my sober wife is home in the event of an emergency. I enjoy the peace of mind it gives me, and quite frankly the break from reality :) I think this hobby serves two purposes, first, it gives me an interesting hobby to pass the time and keep me entertained, and the second would be a savings on my bi monthly escape.
In other aspects of a great month, I just completed my first semester and earned an A in both of my classes, I'm looking forward to doing 9 credit hours next semester and hopefully keeping up the GPA. I've also been day dreaming about my sailboat, I can't wait until I finally land a real job instead of doing these surveys, so that I can take her out.
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Just a quick update
Since I have nothing going on in life that is exciting, I would like to update my financial progress. Since I last posted, I have made another $12 on Vindale, and another $16 on Cash Crate. The other sites are based on a point system, and have not been updating very often. I took yesterday off, because I had a ton of homework to do, plus classes and taking the kids out.
Otherwise, it has mostly been just a lot of day dreaming about sailing. Hopefully, 2013 will be the year I have my sailboat on the water. Right now, my main goal is to get a couple of tarps to put over her, because where I have it located now is under trees and my boat is filthy.
So, money isn't that great doing surveys.. Maybe $50 a week, for lots of time sitting around and waiting for a survey to pop up so you can grab it before anyone else does. I'm actively searching for other survey sites though. It would be nice if I could raise that another $20.
Wish me luck.
Otherwise, it has mostly been just a lot of day dreaming about sailing. Hopefully, 2013 will be the year I have my sailboat on the water. Right now, my main goal is to get a couple of tarps to put over her, because where I have it located now is under trees and my boat is filthy.
So, money isn't that great doing surveys.. Maybe $50 a week, for lots of time sitting around and waiting for a survey to pop up so you can grab it before anyone else does. I'm actively searching for other survey sites though. It would be nice if I could raise that another $20.
Wish me luck.
Friday, October 26, 2012
It's been a while
Well, I finally have work. It is not great, but I am my own boss and I make my own hours. I do surveys online, at around a dollar a pop. So far, I have made $62.00 using Vindale and another $8.00 on Cash Crate. I just started a couple of other companies, so haven't progressed that far with them.
I work a little under three hours every day, and have been doing this for about a week. So, I'm averaging right now about $3.00 an hour - which to be quite frank I am surprised. The work is easy, so I can't really complain. In addition to Vindale, and Cash Crate I have started Ipsos, and MySurvey. I will probably add a few more to that list as time goes by.
The thing is, this is better than nothing. I made over five times this at my last job, but my last job was nearly four years ago. I also save money on gas, and child care so it all is not so bad.
I'm also in college again, doing pretty well. I'm taking elementary algebra, and enjoy it a lot. I also am taking Micro Apps, but the teacher hasn't updated anything in the past month. I will be getting a financial aid check for the next semester, and that along with some tax returns I will purchase a truck so that I can find a job in Tampa, tow my sailboat, and do a lot of necessary yard work.
So, I'm pretty happy about things. Before to long, I will have my sailboat in the water and enjoying a bit of sailing. Heck, if I can make enough online I might just stick with doing online work permanently, and just enjoy life on my own terms with no boss dictating to me.
I really wish I had found these sites earlier, I always thought they were just a scam, but it turns out they are legit. Not exactly enough to support oneself, but definitely enough to have some extra spending money. If I can make $400 a month doing this, I will have more than enough to get things going. Of course, that would probably be six to seven hours a day doing surveys, and a job at McDonalds would pay more.. but hey, I sort of enjoy doing this.
My wife and I are incredibly frugal, and have been living off of less than $24,000 a year for the past two years. We have made it work, by clipping coupons, going to good will, cutting back dramatically on our utilities, cooking our own meals, and performing all maintenance work ourselves. We haven't missed one mortgage payment yet, which is surprising. I'm really glad we decided to go with a smaller home.
Regardless, if you are in the same boat, here is my list so far of survey sites that may help you. The only one that I have made enough money from to cash out is Vindale, and that was $50 check mailed off to me.
https://www.mysurvey.com
I know that it seems like a scam, but give it a try. Research about them online, and find out for yourself. There are a plethora of survey sites out there, and I am a newbie to the scene, these are just the ones I have been using thus far. One note here, you gotta actually put work in these sites to get anything out of them, I mean it when I say I average 3 hours in a day so far, it is devoted entirely to answering surveys.
I also am considering selling blood plasma, twice a week. That could pull in another $60.00 each week, but I am not sure if it is in demand in my area. I am also worried about any scars it could cause, I don't want to look like a drug abuser. Got to love the life of poverty, hey it could be worst. At least I am healthy, have two great kids and a wonderful wife.
I also am considering selling blood plasma, twice a week. That could pull in another $60.00 each week, but I am not sure if it is in demand in my area. I am also worried about any scars it could cause, I don't want to look like a drug abuser. Got to love the life of poverty, hey it could be worst. At least I am healthy, have two great kids and a wonderful wife.
Hopefully, my next post here will deal a bit more with my sailboat. I'll keep updating the survey sites though, but don't worry.. I'm not going to focus solely on them, just a little something for the people out there that are in tough times.
If I find any other ways to make money, that do not end up costing you money in the long run, I'll post them to the blog.
Best of luck.
If I find any other ways to make money, that do not end up costing you money in the long run, I'll post them to the blog.
Best of luck.
Friday, August 17, 2012
Still stuck in neutral
Well, unfortunately the newspaper delivery job fell through. Despite us calling the manager several times, he kept promising to find us a route but never returned the calls. I've put an application in Office Depot last week, but have heard nothing thus far. I think they are interested in younger people as that is who they have been hiring as of late.
On the better side of things, my four year old was accepted in Head Start, which is basically a preschool that addresses the needs of families in poverty, she will stay there from 7:30am to 5:30pm on Mondays through Fridays. They are also assisting me with going back to college to earn my associates in computer programming. While going to school, I'll pick up an A+ certification, and also learn a bit about office so I can hopefully get a job doing some IT support. That is the job I had before being laid off in 2008, and I absolutely loved it. I was pretty good at it as well, but when the stock market crashed the contract my company had with E&Y was not renewed so I was out of a job.
In other news, I sold my Windstar to pay for a few bills - but plan on having another vehicle after tax returns so I should be able to get a job fairly soon out of my immediate area. With Cailyn going to head start, and having a car, I should be able to get a job in Tampa relatively easy. The past four years, had to be scheduled around watching the kids, commute without transportation, and working around my wife's schedule - which left me with the option of only working third shift in the local area.
Anyway, things are looking up - perhaps I will shift into first gear soon. I really hope so, being an unemployed bum is only fun for so long. I really want to get my boat fixed, which in itself isn't going to be too expensive until you add that I need a proper tow vehicle, and an outboard which is going to cost a lot.
Speaking of my boat, I finally moved it to the side of the house. This was a real PITA, but thankfully my father has a truck and he helped me out. Eventually, I plan on laying down a bit of concrete and creating an enclosure/boat lift. It is just one more thing added to the list of wishes I have.
I'm surprised the grass wasn't in such horrific shape. It should grow back in no time, my yard looks so much bigger now - but to tell you the truth I sort of liked seeing my boat in the front yard. It is nice that it is no longer under that damn palm tree anymore though, it was filthy and making a huge mess of my boat. Things are not much better where she is sitting now though, I am going to have to get a tarp and soon.
Well, that is all for now. Hopefully, by the next time I write a blog I will have better news. Hopefully I will be gainfully employed and in college.
On the better side of things, my four year old was accepted in Head Start, which is basically a preschool that addresses the needs of families in poverty, she will stay there from 7:30am to 5:30pm on Mondays through Fridays. They are also assisting me with going back to college to earn my associates in computer programming. While going to school, I'll pick up an A+ certification, and also learn a bit about office so I can hopefully get a job doing some IT support. That is the job I had before being laid off in 2008, and I absolutely loved it. I was pretty good at it as well, but when the stock market crashed the contract my company had with E&Y was not renewed so I was out of a job.
In other news, I sold my Windstar to pay for a few bills - but plan on having another vehicle after tax returns so I should be able to get a job fairly soon out of my immediate area. With Cailyn going to head start, and having a car, I should be able to get a job in Tampa relatively easy. The past four years, had to be scheduled around watching the kids, commute without transportation, and working around my wife's schedule - which left me with the option of only working third shift in the local area.
Anyway, things are looking up - perhaps I will shift into first gear soon. I really hope so, being an unemployed bum is only fun for so long. I really want to get my boat fixed, which in itself isn't going to be too expensive until you add that I need a proper tow vehicle, and an outboard which is going to cost a lot.
Speaking of my boat, I finally moved it to the side of the house. This was a real PITA, but thankfully my father has a truck and he helped me out. Eventually, I plan on laying down a bit of concrete and creating an enclosure/boat lift. It is just one more thing added to the list of wishes I have.
Well, that is all for now. Hopefully, by the next time I write a blog I will have better news. Hopefully I will be gainfully employed and in college.
Monday, July 2, 2012
Scrub-A-Dub-Dub cleaning the Venture of Newport 23
I decided to clean my boat (still no name) a couple of days ago. Seeing that I haven't updated information on her in a while, I thought I'd upload a few pics.
After that rainstorm, there was quite a bit of water in my boat. I had to wet vac probably five to ten gallons.
Then it rained again and I got more water :( I really need to reseal all of the deck fittings soon.
Over one hundred miles on my NEXT Parowan bike
Well, I have finally done it. I have pedalled 100 miles since getting my bike last Christmas. I would have put a lot more miles on it, but being a stay at home dad sort of keeps me anchored at the house. Any way, there are few reviews regarding this bike so I'll just toss a quick seal of approval. The bike cost $49 new at Walmart and outside of a slow leak in the front tire, I haven't had a problem with it. It is a cheap bike, and I'm sure I put a bit more effort in riding around than people who have much nicer bikes, but it doesn't skip gears, the brakes work, I haven't had to replace a single thing on it yet.
There it is, still looking spiffy after being stored outside in Florida humidity for a few months. There is no rust that I can see. All of the parts are what came with it, nothing has been replaced. The gears all work, and everything works as it should. I will say, it did take about an hour to get everything put together and working right - but after that I haven't done any adjustments.
With that said, I have only really been hitting paved trails. I do ride over a bit of grass here and there, but nothing that would bang the bike up. The rims still rotate fine, and do not rub into the brakes.
The longest ride I've been on thus far, was a thirty mile haul on the Suncoast trail and you can definitely feel it, the one major complain I have with the bike are the hand grips, they are solid plastic and after a while of sweating they get really slippery, not to mention uncomfortable. The seat is not as uncomfortable as you would think, it is is not luxury by any means but after that thirty miles I wasn't in any pain from it. My legs, well that is another matter.
Today I rode 15 miles on the trail, and it was incredibly relaxing. It is always nice to get away from home and just enjoy nature while riding your bike. For $49 it has surpassed any expectations I would have of it, of course I would rather have a nicer bike.. but when you have been unemployed as long as I have, this bike is an excellent choice for cheap entertainment. If it makes it to 200 miles, I'll be sure to check back in with another post.
There it is, still looking spiffy after being stored outside in Florida humidity for a few months. There is no rust that I can see. All of the parts are what came with it, nothing has been replaced. The gears all work, and everything works as it should. I will say, it did take about an hour to get everything put together and working right - but after that I haven't done any adjustments.
With that said, I have only really been hitting paved trails. I do ride over a bit of grass here and there, but nothing that would bang the bike up. The rims still rotate fine, and do not rub into the brakes.
The longest ride I've been on thus far, was a thirty mile haul on the Suncoast trail and you can definitely feel it, the one major complain I have with the bike are the hand grips, they are solid plastic and after a while of sweating they get really slippery, not to mention uncomfortable. The seat is not as uncomfortable as you would think, it is is not luxury by any means but after that thirty miles I wasn't in any pain from it. My legs, well that is another matter.
Today I rode 15 miles on the trail, and it was incredibly relaxing. It is always nice to get away from home and just enjoy nature while riding your bike. For $49 it has surpassed any expectations I would have of it, of course I would rather have a nicer bike.. but when you have been unemployed as long as I have, this bike is an excellent choice for cheap entertainment. If it makes it to 200 miles, I'll be sure to check back in with another post.
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Florida is getting a lot of rain today
I meant to post this a few days ago, but my video wouldn't update on youtube. So here is a blog from a couple of days ago :D
I've been wanting to get outside to ride my bike around, but this rain is persistent. I still found some time to walk around in it and had a lot of fun, although walking a mile or two in flip flops can be painful to your toes.
I've been wanting to get outside to ride my bike around, but this rain is persistent. I still found some time to walk around in it and had a lot of fun, although walking a mile or two in flip flops can be painful to your toes.
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Nostalgic for the old Internet
Back in the 90s, the Internet was a much different place. There were so many competing web hosting sites, search engines, chat clients, video streamers, video players, etc. Social media was not really here, sure we had geocities and a few others sites, but it was nothing like it is now.
Web pages did not fit a particular format, it was just a cooler place. Everything was customized, people would write their own pages, and it was a bit of an art trying to find good sites out there. I even miss the old web rings. Now, well now it is all sort of bland. I don't find myself fiddling around with my OS anymore, I no longer download all sorts of software to connect with friends.. I dunno, I guess things got too easy ;p
Mind you, I do enjoy the new Internet too, I just wish there were more homepages out there written by their owners. I have been thinking of making my own, and started the search for free web hosting sites. I've also been looking around for a search engine that is specifically designed for personal web pages.
Since I spend so much time on my computer, and everything is basically trivial, I decided to give Linux a try again. Here is an OS that can keep me occupied for a while, as I try to relearn it.
By the way, I'm done with the water fast for now.. I'm really looking forward to starting my new job, and having money to restore my sailboat. Speaking of which, it has been raining here in Florida like crazy, my boat has tons of leaks in it. I had to wet vac several galons of water out of it, I can't wait to get all of the fittings removed and sealed. I also can't wait to build a lifting cradle for her, which will also serve as a shelter.
Web pages did not fit a particular format, it was just a cooler place. Everything was customized, people would write their own pages, and it was a bit of an art trying to find good sites out there. I even miss the old web rings. Now, well now it is all sort of bland. I don't find myself fiddling around with my OS anymore, I no longer download all sorts of software to connect with friends.. I dunno, I guess things got too easy ;p
Mind you, I do enjoy the new Internet too, I just wish there were more homepages out there written by their owners. I have been thinking of making my own, and started the search for free web hosting sites. I've also been looking around for a search engine that is specifically designed for personal web pages.
Since I spend so much time on my computer, and everything is basically trivial, I decided to give Linux a try again. Here is an OS that can keep me occupied for a while, as I try to relearn it.
By the way, I'm done with the water fast for now.. I'm really looking forward to starting my new job, and having money to restore my sailboat. Speaking of which, it has been raining here in Florida like crazy, my boat has tons of leaks in it. I had to wet vac several galons of water out of it, I can't wait to get all of the fittings removed and sealed. I also can't wait to build a lifting cradle for her, which will also serve as a shelter.
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