Below are the 20 most recent journal entries recorded in Popcorn Pundit's LiveJournal:

[ << Previous 20 ]

Wednesday, October 5th, 2005
11:05 pm	OK… it’s now really really official. Today I traded my active duty military ID card for one that now reads: US Air Force Retired. I had to get my wife to drive me on to base to do this, as my former ID card expired on 30 September. I also redeemed $1,000 worth of US Savings Bonds to save my peace-of-mind while the rocket scientists at Mil Pay and DFAS try to fix my final active duty paycheck ($0.00). Apparently, this is a common occurrence when folks separate or retire from the military…. Thanks for the “heads up”, assholes. (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Friday, September 30th, 2005
9:11 pm	hodge podge I have been negligent in my posting… not that this has been noticed or commented on! Yet I still feel that I am being lazy here. It is too hard to try to get caught up, so I will make some broad comments and work harder on posting more often. Tuesday I received an email on behalf of the US Forestry Service (USFS) informing me that I have been found to be fully qualified for a position that I have applied for…. On 1 August of this year. My name would be forwarded to some other person and or department for further hashing. They’d be in touch… Well I had two, maybe three reactions: * Holy shit, I’m still in the running… please please please interview and hire me. * Holy shit, 2 fucking months for just this… *Wow… I need this and the money. Working for The Home Depot sucks The International Balloon Fiesta starts Saturday Michael will turn 8 on Sunday I really enjoy Captain Morgan (salutes the ol’ pirate) I just finished watching the Beatles Anthology (again). My favorite part is at the very end (disc 7 and 8) where Paul, George and Ringo are just reminiscing and playing guitars and two yukalaylees. A warm but sad scene… Oh Yeah… and this: My kids want to know if I am growing my hair long… I haven’t had a hair cut in 3 months… “No” I say… Just longer. I am officially retired from the US Air Force on 1 October 2005; damn-it. Current Mood: melancholy Current Music: Neal McCoy (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Friday, September 16th, 2005
12:27 am	random Well, job hunting/wishing sucks. I left Sprint to go to The Home Depot (THD) because I felt that it would be a better fit for me - and it is.... But, for the life of me, I can not understand how THD stays in business. I guess that it is concentrating on the customers that know what they want, will get it off the shelf and pay for it. MY GOD, I deal with sooo many pissed off people each day that I go home burnt out from trying to soothe these folks and get them the help they need. Associates laugh about not answering their phones when paged. Shit… You fucker, if you worked for me, you’d be cooking fries at Mc-fuckin-Donalds tomorrow. I really need to step up on the federal job hunt, this shit will drive me sober. Current Mood: irate Current Music: The Beatles (Comment on this)
Monday, September 5th, 2005
10:46 pm	Changing Gears Soooo, after two weeks of training at Sprint, The Home Depot finally called me back. The manager wants to talk terms and make me an offer. After 5 pm on Friday I says…. OK… I walked into his office and get an offer. Damn it, too little. Thinking that I have so little to lose, I tell him so. He gives me another $1.50 an hour and I tell him I need to think about it. It’s still less than Sprint is paying me, but I know that I will so hate the work at Sprint. I go home and throw some figures at Excel (my favorite MS product) and decide that I can work for The Home Depot. Monday I go into Sprint and give them the news. They are gracious but pissed (I can tell). I head over to my new store and I can smell cut lumber as I walk in…. oh yeah, this will be a better deal for me. Plus, Sprint sponsored Kyle Petty and The Home Depot has Tony Stewart – so, who’s the better company to work for, huh? Current Mood: mellow Current Music: Pink Floyd (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Tuesday, August 30th, 2005
11:14 pm	Can you hear this? The following music CDs are in my truck: Best of AC/DC (my mix) Garth Brooks live double album Green Day, American Idiot Sgt Pepper (need I say more?) Something by Toby Keith… it’s all good Stevie Wonder’s Greatest Hits – it’s a double… and I love Sir Duke Bobby Darin’s greatest, as well. It’s almost time to rotate the music… what say you? Current Mood: grumpy (Comment on this)
Thursday, August 25th, 2005
10:29 pm	Too Busy Well… time has flown by this week. I started training with Sprint on Monday. Home Depot is STILL waiting for my drug screen to come out of the computer (I called the mgr on Tuesday). I am really computer fried by the time I come home from training each day; so you can imagine my pleasure on Tuesday when I saw my front tire mostly deflated on my truck – as I am walking up to it to drive home. Someone with an air pump (12 v electric) pumped it up enough to get me to Discount Tire. Now, let me say this. Give Discount Tire all your business. No matter where I am, the service is always the same, and that is OUTSTANDING. I pulled in at 5:30 pm and they fixed my tire, rebalanced it and had me out the door in 15 minutes. Their prices are hard to beat on new tires, but I would pay more just for the quality service I get there… it’s rare. I left there in plenty of time to watch the last half of Michael’s soccer practice. Still no word from the US Forestry Service or the city of Albuquerque on the positions that I have applied for. I’m glad that I have a job with Sprint right now… the end of my terminal leave is looming near. Tomorrow night is the High School’s first football game. I’ll be there to watch the band. Two of the 260 players are mine! I’m drinking a Jim Beam and Coke right now and will soon take a shower and off to bed, where I will lay and think of my transition from being in charge, respected and consulted on all sorts of matters, to being a pee-on. Oh well… my family is better for it. G’night. (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Thursday, August 18th, 2005
12:19 am	Where did I put... This evening, as I started to end my day and prepare for the morrow… I collect my things into a central location. I can’t find my cell phone – that’s nothing new. So I look in the usual places… then next to the usual places… no phone. Hmmm… OK, I look in the unusual places such as the dirty closes bin, the bed (sometimes I just throw stuff there and it gets buried by the covers), the refrigerator and the garage. Nada. So I call it. Nada, no ringing sound in the house. Mild panic sets in and a bead of sweat breaks out on my forehead. (BTW, it’s 11 pm now) I left Michael’s soccer practice and called MaryAnn to tell her that we are on our way home and that The Boy is starving! BUT, did I call her from the truck or the field. I am pretty sure I called from the truck, but the longer that I cannot locate the phone, I start to doubt myself. Did I call from the field and drop the phone? Maybe!!? SHIT! Visions of my phone sitting in a dew covered grass field, with the screen flashing “3 missed calls”) are clear in my mind’s eye. Now I am in near full panic. MaryAnn wont let me drive out to the field to look for it (she is the level headed on in our marriage!) and says she will ask Michael if he remembers when I called home, in the morning. I have retraced my tracks 6 times now. Parked truck, came in through the laundry room, dropped off keys watch, ring and hat on the bookcase – on my way into the kitchen to sample dinner…. NADA. *@^^$$!& I pull everything out of the truck, NADA. Wait… Clarity. I pulled into the driveway, opened the garage door with the remote, pulled in and parked. Grabbed the empty can of Dr Pepper and the cheese cracker wrapper and threw them away. Surely my phone is not in the trashcan. I grab my flashlight, run outside and illuminate the interior of the can, and there is was. What is my major malfunction? (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Tuesday, August 16th, 2005
1:07 am	Monday Monday Today I drove up to Michelle’s school in order to take her to get a sports physical – in order to play volleyball…. Well, I was a day early. That’s fine with Michelle cuz she gets to ride home with daddy in his air conditioned truck regardless. She amuses herself by reading (out loud) the medical history survey. She giggles and reads the following line: Missing organs. Hehehehe. “Hmmm Liver, kidneys, testicles. Daddy, (me to self: oh shit) What’s testicles?” Me: “oh, that’s something for boys… hey, look at that cool car.” Thankfully a 1962 Corvette was on the road with us and she was digging it! I take the paper and stick it under my sun visor. Current Mood: melancholy Current Music: The Cars (Comment on this)
Sunday, August 14th, 2005
2:04 pm	twice in a week I got to pee in a cup again! Home Depot called and had me advance a step in their process too. So - being the experienced peeer, peer, peeing test person I am, I drank a Dr Pepper and a 20 oz bottle of water as I drive down to the testing place. It's kind of like studying for a test.... being prepared. This place is one step up from a free clinic. Un-tamed children running around and year old magazines to read. Of course i had to wait 2 freekin' hours till I got to go. MYGAWD! I hope to hear an offer next week from Home Depot - Sprint has already provided me one. It's about half of what I made in the USAF... so I'd be back to were I was when you factor in my retirement. On the bright side, the city of Albuquerque is advertising for a job that I am well suited for, and there two jobs with the DOE that I will apply for as well. Any of the federal or city jobs would raise my standard of living and "fit" me better, so far the other two would just maintain it. Tonight, I BBQ chicken..... Hmmmmm (Comment on this)
Thursday, August 11th, 2005
11:22 pm	L M N O Pee. As part of my continuing application process with Sprint, I had to go through a pre-employment drug screen.  What a let down.  So unlike how "we" did in in the Air Force.  For the first time, I didn't have an audience while I filled the container.  No small talk, no one to hold the cup for me (jk), just me and a closed door.  No initials all over the container, no serial numbers for me to verify either.  All they did was check the temperature of the "donation" (I say this because I was identified as the donor on the form....).  Despite the uncomfortable fact that the military uses a witness that the stream of urine leaves the body and flows into the cup - our method was ironclad solid.  No doubt that what was in the cup came from you.  I have much less faith in the system that is used in the civilian sector.  Oh well. I also finally interviewed with the (Beer break... BRB - OK back now) Home Depot today.  No reason given as to why the manager missed my first appointment.  He wants to see me again, and the folks at Sprint also want to "make me an offer".  We'll see.  I still view both of these jobs as fillers until I get my next real one for my next 20 years. My  three girls start school tomorrow (Friday the 12 of August) and my wife will be at work..... that leaves me and my almost 8 year old son at home and completely unsupervised! (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Tuesday, August 9th, 2005
11:27 pm	WTF? Yeah, so I got all dressed up and drove up to the Home Depot to interview with the manager.... he wasn't there.  Didn't call anyone, just didn't show.  On the way home. I noticed that Sprint was hiring.  I called and will interview with them tomorrow at 8:30.  I will feel so much better when I am getting a paycheck as I continue my quest for a federal job, or one I can earn some decent bennies and another retirement income from.  When I got home from my abortive job interview, I was rewarded by Michelle (youngest daughter) when I got to make her an omelet for breakfast...the little chow hound!  Later in the day I took Michael to soccer practice - for the first time.  All the other parents got to see that he really had a father! Here in Albuquerque, it was confirmed today that a Sheriff's helicopter that crashed on Saturday was brought down by gunfire.  Both the pilot and deputy are doing well.  Hope they get the bastard that shot it down. (Comment on this)
Monday, August 8th, 2005
11:04 pm	Will work for cash (starting my post over, the first one got eaten) OK... Tomorrow I drive up the road to a local Home Depot for a job interview.  This is the first time I have had to do this in well over 22 years.  Just filling out an application was an experience for me.  I now travel with a resume and a reference list where ever I go.  I applied at Home Depot (among others) - even though I have nearly 55 days left of leave because trying to get hired within the Federal system is a long and painful 4 month process at the best.  I NEED money coming in NOW... and I need a job just in case the several applications I have already submitted get eaten, burned or stolen by aliens.... so then organization hires the wrong person.  Heh... I have a decent "retirement" check coming in, but it's about a third of what me and the family are used to spending.  With a mortgage, car payments (Jennifer did just get out of braces - thanks dear) and a household full of folks that enjoy regular meals, I need more money! There are several agencies in the Albuquerque area I have or will apply to, such as the US Forestry Service, the Department of Energy, the various jobs on Kirtland Air Force Base - of a civilian nature and several municipal jobs as well.  I have two earmarked to apply to this weekend.  Please, wish me luck!   Current Mood: pensive (Comment on this)
Saturday, August 6th, 2005
12:26 am	Hello all... Look how long it's been since I've been here... O.M.G! I am stunned that I can still access this account. Maybe it's a sign - get back to blogging! A great deal has happened since I last posted and I will get caught up on it soon. But for now, I have retired from the US Air Force and for the first time in 21 and a half years... I am looking for work, yikes. More later and please bear with me as I try to remember HOW TO POST.... and stuff. Geo Current Mood: contemplative (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Saturday, August 16th, 2003
12:29 am	Hello... OK, I'm back (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Friday, September 20th, 2002
10:51 pm	Rock and Roll Music The Red Rocker Cruising home, in The Big Yellow Truck, I, in search of some appropriate driving music, surf the radio. Well the DJ is Blah blah blah about the movie Rock Star with Marky Mark… 'scuse plz, I mean Mark Wahlberg. I have caught bits and pieces of this on HBO so I listen to the info about "all these artists" that contributed songs to the sound track. Turns out that Sammy Can't drive 55 Hagar wrote Stand Up. Folks, he has it on his latest record (Sammy Hagar and the Waboritas - Not 4 Sale), and it KICKS ASS. (gk recommended) Workin' Like A Dog That's right, and I should be sleeping like a log. Right!!? Hell No! We are 4, count 'em FOUR days away from the DVD release of Hard Days Night by The Beatles. This is a Must Have, Gotta Buy movie (only $25.00). We have worn our VCR copy to pieces. The DVD has re-master digitized music and added scenes. It's mine. Hey, this is the same dude (me) that bought EVERY BEATLES CD on THE DAY it was RELEASED. Watch the movie. It's actually funny, entertaining, and full of good family values. OK, maybe I'm pushing it a bit on that last one. (gk strongly recommended) I want to buy a new gaming system, primarily for ME. I am looking for your suggestions, so give it up! Current Mood: enthralled (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Thursday, September 19th, 2002
10:19 pm	Woke up, fell out of bed… dragged a comb across my head… Left the house at 0610 (6:10 am) with eldest child in tow. She goes to zero period Jazz class at 0630. We cut up all the way to school, as usual, then I drop her off and head to work, 30 miles away. 90 seconds from school, head up ass, I meet another vehicle coming my way… with alternating flashing red and blue lights. SHIT! Speeding. Sooooo… I pull over, hit the dome light roll the window down and have my proof of insurance/vehicle registration ready, and am digging for the drivers license when officer ??? approaches me. Morning… I say. He flashes me with the light, glances at my documents in my hand and replies: " Put that shit back up! Why were you doing 47 in a 30?" Umm… wasn't paying attention to my speed. "So you were driving carelessly!!??" Yes sir. (I see where this is going…) "That's a $189.00 ticket. Be safe and slow down! Got it?" Yes sir. I think my uniform may have helped. Whew…. I'll take an ass-chewing for that much $$$ Jennifer went to Ballet for 90 minutes this evening, and when I picked her up, she was ecstatic. She gets to advance to toe shoes. Betcha see's still awake thing about it. What a great kid. So like her siblings. How'd I get so lucky? (rhetorical question) Geo (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Tuesday, September 17th, 2002
8:48 pm	Oh yeah... God, Keep your arm around my shoulder and your hand upon my mouth." Can I have an AMEN!!! Geo (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, September 16th, 2002
8:35 pm	words. eat them. fork and spoon 2 weeks ago, with football on, I called a buddy of mine (for the past 24 years) and lay into him about the Dallas Cowboys (his team) I tell him that at 0 and 0 it's as good as it's gonna get (.500 ball) for them. Today the phone rings... I answer and get it all back. How's it feel, he asks me, the day after my Packers (yes, the team is mine) get "a good old fashioned ass whuppin'." From the New Orleans Saints. For 20 minutes I get to listen about the effects of positive and negative MOJO. Apparently, while dogging the Cowboys out, I caused the MOJO Gods to frown upon me, and the Green Bay Packers. Little did I know. Seen today on the way to work: A nice SUV with a MaryKay America's cosmetics sticker on the window. It had custom tags that read: NUKEM Jennifer had dance lessons from 6:30 to 8:00 this evening. MaryAnn started her new job tonight, so I drive J (it's MY name for her) to dance... and loudly sing along with the radio. She laughs the entire time - out of shock I think. When ever we pass a car with the windows down, I sing louder. Hey, wadda I care what they think? I am 40 years old, married with 4 children, I have a mortgage and my hair is thinning!!! So What!!! She begs me to stop, my throat is sore so I agree. She swears vengeance - and trust me... she is MY CHILD and I am in trouble now. Geo (Comment on this)
Saturday, September 14th, 2002
11:09 pm	I want some movie popcorn - which movie? I just had a good conversation with a long time friend/nemesis of mine, our buddy Dave. In a recent posting of his he mentioned that he was having a hard time with the word Dude. Seems that Dave can not stop using it in "normal" conversation. Well… let's just say that when we hung up, he owed me $3.50. Also, he called me a Son-of-a-bitch within the first 5 seconds of our call, and called me a bastard at least three times. It was a good talk, eh? I was also reminded of a rant that I have been wanting to make: Radio Play Lists: They piss me off. It's like, they will take an artist, single out one song from their collection, and that's it. Joan Jett is allotted I Love Rock and Roll Pink Floyd gets Money and they edit the word Bullshit out of that one!!! Now I spend nearly two hours going to and returning from work each day. Folks, after two months here in Albuquerque, the music on the "Classic Rock" stations is STALE!!!! Another note: Not all cell phone users/drivers are bad people, as Susanna pointed out to me. They are fine, behind the wheel, when used in conjunction with the drivers brain. As Susanna does. Read her site folks. Link her. She's always a good read. PS: I will get a real site going soon. I had that thought today. Give me a little time. PPS: Football is here!!! Go Pack, GO!!! Geo Current Mood: hungry Current Music: Joe Walsh (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Saturday, September 7th, 2002
11:55 pm	Pure Random Dribble... 1. I average 400 miles, Monday through Friday, going to and returning from work. I couldn't even guess how many cars I commute with each day, but it is a shit-load. As I have stated before, there are a lot of real-live-assholes driving in this city. They know no sex, race, creed or social disposition either. I see at least 4 traffic wrecks each week. *** side note: Notice I said wrecks and not accidents. There is a reason, and that is: Most of these are caused and are not the result of bad mojo, or just poor luck.*** Why do they happen? Here's some of what I saw this past week: Cell phone use. I am able to predict cell phone use with dumb-ass drivers. Somebody doing 15 mph below the traffic flow? Serving across 3 lanes of traffic to get to your exit? Trying to make two objects occupy the same space at the same time? CELL PHONES, always stuck to the ear. Fuck you (the other driver) syndrome. Coming up on a intersection, dude in the white car wants to go from the middle lane to the right one. (I am behind him) There's a decent hole over there to fit his car. He turns on his blinker and starts over. Bitch in the silver Pontiac slams the gas and closes up the hole. She was right next to me, and really had nothing to lose, as the guy in the white car would have turned off of the main road that she stayed on. That was just mean. I really wanted to run her off of the road, but my truck is still too new. Left lane squatters. I don't like it, but I am able to deal with them OK... But... there are those that become ENRAGED by this and they WILL BLOODY WELL PASS those who refuse to move over. The folks doing the squatting are partially to blame, as they are aware that there is traffic behind them... but... they ARE doing the SPEED LIMIT, and are under no obligation to drive faster. Fine, do it in the right lane. The crazy sumbitch doing the passing often times will fit a 14' car through a 13' space. I do not know how they do it, but the pass is made. They will kill somebody one day. Tailgaters and rubber-neckers. nuff said. 2. I am listening to Cat Stevens. I love his music, but I hate him. 3. I planted my 10th tree today. It was a Japanese Black Pine. Michael HAD to help me. He is my shadow, and he absolutely adores me. There is NO BETTER FEELING then this. I will do everything in my life to make sure he and I remain best-buds. He'll be 5 on 2 October. He has informed us that dinner will be at T.G.I Fridays. on that day. 4. For no reason, today while working in the yard, I thought of a former best friend of mine. Fred and I both loved fast cars (he Mustangs and Triumphs, me Camaros and Jaguars) , The Beatles and Science Fiction. I left San Diego after my sophomore year in high school, and Fred died 18 months later, in his living room, in his sleep, surrounded by family - who had no idea that he died for some 20 or 30 minutes. 5. I will cook Bratwurst tomorrow, watch football, figure out who to hire to work for me in my new warehouse, and write a technical evaluation of the 7 bid proposals for the high density shelving that will go into my new warehouses. I'll try to wash the van and truck too. Geo Current Mood: thirsty Current Music: Stray Cats (3 Comments |Comment on this)