Ogre

Snack Time!

In between online teaching, meetings, mask production and PT, I whittled away one armed at this project to enclose the underworkings of my deck. Being an esoteric builder, I couldn’t stand to go with a cookie cutter enclosure so I bought raw material and fabbed all of this. Added a few mullions where needed. Overall cost?....$28....I really like it.

Before the change to the tax law, back when I could itemize my hefty expenses, I could alter my withholdings to match my OT hours so that at the end of the year, Uncle Sam and I would come out Even Stephen. I would sometimes file a dozen W-4s a year. First year post change I owed a ton. I tweaked this year and over payed by a few hundo. Underlying truth though, my total tax bill is more than pre change. I’m convinced that standard deduction going up(discouraging itemizing) and the reduction in payroll withholding was a carnie’s trick to hide the fact that your middle class tax obligation increased. The regular disclaimer about my uneducated opinions apply.

We looked into it at the start of our empire but it seems like a lot of extra work shipping stuff. We also wanted to keep our handy work in our community. This entire mask thing is exploding like crazy. My wife does the majority of the work. I cut fabric and stock up her pile. I also iron the pleats. She’s been sewing hours and hours because more and more people have heard we make them. People are buying up elastic and mailing it to her. More institutions every day call for masks. The Women’s Auxiliary League has contacted her and have more orders and supplies. I’ve affectionately nicknamed them the League of Extraordinary Women as they do this stuff for the community every day. I think they’ve made her an padawan or something. Then I hear that there are a bunch of people on FB selling them for $10 each. Made me vomit in my mouth a little when I heard that. I may have a way about me but it is born out of true love and concern for my fellow human being. Neither my wife nor I would even entertain the thought of selling one of these masks.

Just pm the info and I’ll send you one. We aren’t selling anything but common sense humanity. The therapeutic effects of mask production are the reward.

I’d sure like to know the results of this biopsy from my colonoscopy that was deemed essential. Over a week now. It was essential to have it done but the results can wait? Wtf?

When you file for UI they ask if you were fired. If your answer is yes then your former employer is contacted. If their reason for your firing is a performance based reason then they will most likely be denied. If only I could have been a fly on the wall at the meeting where this decision was made. Were the deciders aware that they could be excluding these guys from UI? That’s a big tactic in my world, make an example of a few people and the rest will be more “cooperative”. I’m not saying they’re wrong to fire people but JC, how can you fire someone right now? If the behavior was so bad that you need them fired, why not have a set and do it earlier? Even my wife’s non profit that is in the theatre setting has continued to not only pay everyone, but not use this as an excuse to shed people they don’t really like. It’s not a good look.

My wife quilts from time to time but hasn’t in a long time. Up until a month ago I couldn’t see any possible reason to save multiple bins of fabric scraps. She’s a smart gal.

Mrs. iT and I have been making masks for the community. First batch went the fire department. The second to a local doctor. We got a call from the town hall because people keep asking them for masks. We figure if people want the masks and will wear them them we’ll make masks eight hours a day. Check out our spring ensemble.

Is it the box office manager’s fault that they couldn’t put ***** in the seats? Poor ticket sales has zero to do with the box office. That’s like blaming Target because your My Pillow isn’t as comfortable as you’d thought it would be. If the firing of these three is performance based(I know two of them through my wife) why wouldn’t they have been fired before the Covid hit the fan, when they had the chance to look for a new job? Why now? Am I the only one that thinks this is a dick move? If these three we fired for performance then they can’t claim for UI and there’s not a jobs to apply for. What are they supposed to do? Was the performance so bad that you’d ***** them over like this? Bad timing for a performance based firing. Another trick from the old book.

Jedi: Fallen Order Outer Worlds I’m currently really enjoying Assassins Creed: Odyssey. Set in Ancient Greece.

That’s not being fair to me at all. On several occasions I have openly shared the fact that the opinions that I post are coming from “a dumb ***** Ironworker”. I don’t BS. Would you care to hear why I am so obsessed with that story? I’ll give you hint. The good guy loses.

The players were just fine with what they did. The world appreciates their gift. You’re right to call light to this. I’m extending my frustration at our fellow posters incessant reminder of how grateful we should be of these young men that play hockey onto the players themselves with wording like that. I’m sure a lot of these boys are fine young people. The universe will celebrate their generosity.

Again. I have no problem with the donation, it’s the chest thumping afterwards that I’m repulsed by. BTW, I rarely yell at anyone. It does happen but I live in a world where bad decisions take lives. Sometimes it is necessary. Also, there is no way I hold a wealthy neurosurgeon that’s worked well into adulthood to achieve what they have by taking the responsibility of people‘s lives literally into their hands with a 20 something kid playing a game for huge amounts of money. The only similarity between the two is the $$.

You’re putting a lot of words in my mouth that aren’t mine. The post that you quoted of mine was in response to a question asked about another post in which I used esoteric philosophical wording. My response was in the same theme. I have no issue with their gift. My issue? That’s the equivalent of me giving $50 and then crowing about it on a message board. I’m sorry but coming from a group of young people who should be thanking the heavens that they were born into a family that had the means to get them where they are? I’m standing by it. Not impressed. Neither of these two things are contingent on the other. They also do not beget one another. There are plenty of hard working people who are not wealthy. As well, there are many wealthy people who are not hard workers. Absolutely! Show me where I said or even suggested otherwise! Again. Show me where I said they should give it all. So they are lucky to be in the one percent. Lucky first of all that their life’s situation afforded the game. Lucky that were more physically gifted than the 99% who also busted their balls off trying. Give me break. Wealth has as much to do with good fortune as it does with hard work. To cast everyone who isn’t wealthy in a negative light is unfair.

I’ve noticed that you’re a regular advocate for the wealthy and you noted that your line of work doesn’t speak in philosophical terms. Rightly or wrongly I am assuming you make your living by advocating for the privileged. There’s nothing wrong with that, just be aware that those with more than enough need to work extra hard to convince those without enough that <insert whatever point your making about the wealthy> I assume(again rightly or not)that you are trying to show us all how benevolent these young players are and what terrible lot the underprivileged would be in without them. A band of 50 young men making a combined $81.5 million per year managed to part with a collective $100G...that’s only .1% of their income. I should be impressed by that? I watched my father give 10% of his measly wage to the community. Now THAT’S giving! I think that these young men would be better served learning what true benevolence is rather than looking for someone to sell a better portrait of their collective likeness.

Are you here for work purposes?

Before the separation of man from his tribal roots..... Our modern society has an arrogant attitude about our place in the cosmos IMO. That Old Testament, those Old philosophies, they have a piece to the puzzle that I’m assembling. My own path to the light. I don’t want you to think I’m disrespecting your pledge to follow Christ, I’m not. Ultimately I believe that all the prophets from all religions were looking to lead people into the light. I personally think we just dissolve into it. Surrendering “yourself” to God so to speak. Anyways it sounds frightening but I imagine that it is a glorious, one time experience....could you direct me to the passage that you find similarity with? I’d love to read it.

Although Siddhattha Gautama was born wealthy, he realized that the light he sought couldn’t be bought or sold He went off and lived a life with nothing and he realized that suffering couldn’t bring him to the light either. Do you know the secret that he discovered?

Sounds delicious. I actually drain a very small amount the liquid for the kitties but I like to flake right in the can and add the whole thing. The only reason I give them any is because I’m tired of hiding in the closet to open a freakin can of tuna.

I’d use those nasty chick peas as bait to catch something actually worth eating.?

Snyder’s Special Dark

It’s almost like Joe is in a different, unequal class.

My orthopedic surgeon showed me the pics from inside my shoulder. Yikes! He really made me feel badly that a guy my age could have so much damage.The rotator tendon was torn all the way through, the bicep tendon and another tendon in there(can’t remember what he said) were frayed and frazzled like an old rope that’s been out to sea for two decades. My days as a regular weight lifter are most likely over. My career may be over as well too. Those pics really changed my expectations.

More than a great musician, a great man.