Fermon Odre sound Irish to you?

My great grandfather in 1979
I still hear his voice,
I still feel his gentle watching,
I still hear his laugh,
He still keeps a peaceful air in my soul.

And every time I hear the Randy Travis song "I thought he walked on water"...my eyes water because it so describes my Pa Ode.

THE JOY OF BEING TERMINATED

There is a word that is used profanely to describe someone whose behavior is hurtful, self-centered, or particularly abrasive. The metaphorical use of the word to refer to the worst place in a region (e.g., "the arsehole of the world") is first attested in print in 1865; the use to refer to a contemptible person is first attested in 1933. (Lighter, J.: Historical Dictionary of American Slang, Random House, 1994.)

There are various occasions in life where that could probably rightfully be applied to most anybody. Then there are those who keep that characteristic so close at hand that it presents itself as a predominate identifier of their personality. Up until yesterday I've had the opportunity to work for someone who I would have to say could be the "poster boy" for "the arsehole's of the world".

Now don't quickly jump to the conclusion that it must have been someone I had a grudge against or a chip on my shoulder about...this judgement or weighed out/thought out opinion is made without malice or anger of any kind. It is actually made with genuine stoicism.

"The stoics considered destructive emotions to be the result of errors in judgment, and that a sage, or person of 'moral and intellectual perfection,' would not have such emotions." (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy). There is an interesting article in wikipedia on "stoicism" and particularly the shared/not shared characteristics found within Christianity.

Having recently watched all the Star Wars movies, I can freshly relate how the Jedi worked to overcome and eliminate the pulls and tugs of "the dark side". Though my motivation in all my developing years wasn't to be a Jedi, but rather to mold into the characteristics found in Jesus in my dealings with abusive, abrasive, horrendous people...There is a common bond between the Jedi, the stoics, and the Christians in this regard.

With humbleness, recognizing our own flaws and capacity for error, it is generally my practice as an employee to "forgive" derogatory, insulting, abrasive treatment. Not only to "forgive it" but to try to sift thru it for any true value, anything "constructive" that I could benefit from. Though sadly, often when dealing with a boss like I had, there wasn't a constructive lesson to be found...it was more of a venting of a poorly trained personality.

Walking into work yesterday morning and being called in the office and "terminated" was actually a relief. A door to freedom. He and I both knew the "real" reason for termination...I wasn't his type, he didn't like me, we had nothing in common, and there was some kind of ego thing there I haven't fully processed but anytime I offered to produce something for him that would make his job easier (whether it was a quick simple computer program or a watering system for the 74 trees that were being watered one by one with a hose)..I witnessed extreme resentment like reactions. This would usually be followed by a couple days of concentrated micromanage criticism like..."I told you a thousand times start from the left side move to the right"..or the next day.."I told you a thousand times start from the right side move to the left"..

Dealing with the public I often saw how short tempered he became with them, and after they left I would hear how they were trying to relate something to him and how he really really didn't care so he would "cut them off" and get them out of there with absolutely no compassion or desire for interaction...Yet he had extreme focus and patience on painting and decorating his office or the walls or the floor.

I did wonder though as he wrote on the termination papers that I was "unable to learn the basic work of the trade"..why he wasn't brave enough to write the truth. Historically it would look kind of dumb of him to have that listed when in my resume I had two previous years experience even in management capacities of the business and many many years in the "basic jobs of the trade".

But it doesn't matter actually. Not to me anyway. Though I do plan to write a letter to the higher ups, not to seek a vengeful jab but to help someone else from having to endure that nonsense.

It actually helps me the way it worked out. The allergies out there had quickly mounted up to the point I ended up spending 4 days with pneumonia. Frequent battles with bronchitis. Constant insults and abrasive rudeness. And now? I've got my application in and have taken the test for a much better job that even pays 30% more than I was making. This morning I will apply for unemployment...which I actually could keep the bills paid on without too much hardship...while I spend up to 6 months perfecting my resume, improving my job searching skills and zapping resumes into interesting jobs multiple times a week until that proverbial "door opens".

My friend and now former coworker called me last night to make sure I was ok. Then he asked me if my wife was mad at me...I laughed, "she was mad", "but not at me", "had to stop her from taking her pistol and shooting both his knee caps". Hardest part of the whole ordeal was getting her to realize that "Arsehole" didn't hurt my feelings in the least...just handed me a golden opportunity to time off, unemployment income, and a better job to come. Just let it go..let it go...Yesterday is gone forever.

Stormy outside, snow storm coming in. Hope Ma makes it back before the roads get icy.

I'm happy :)

Wonderful Week

Finally started actually feeling some improvement Tuesday and a bit more every day since. Having pneumonia in both lungs, both in the lowest lobes of the lungs could have easily meant time in the hospital but fortunately 40,000 mg of augmentin (fancy name for basically penicillin) over 10 days seemed to just do the trick. It is WONDERFUL to feel good again.

Had a chance to work on my newly acquired used car this weekend. It would start, idle, then the rpm would jump then dive to its death. First suspect was the fuel injector pressure regulator though it wasn't too likely since typically when it fails too much fuel pressure goes thru and black smoke is evident..which wasn't the case. Then suspect was the fuel pump or filter...though that really didn't jar with me either since it consistently restarted fine. So I replaced the Mass Air Flow Sensor and wahooo!! The car took off and ran like it was supposed to. That and a new battery ran about $200. Ouch. But..it works now!!

So far as I know the new job I applied for and tested for is still looking promising. It is supposedly 100 percent based on the test..which was actually very similar to an iq test...but surprisingly enough I did pretty decent on it. Should have the results of everybody elses in by Wednesday...it is an exciting opportunity but we'll see whether it pans out or not.

My mrs. Firecracker has her eye surgery Wednesday. With the detaching retina, thin cornea and borderline glaucoma it was becoming very doubtful that they were going to be able to do anything surgically to help but thanks to the latest and greatest technology it looks very promising. Lets just hope they do a better job than they've done the last couple of back surgerys !! Think she is starting to run out of spare parts so maybe this year won't be as profitable to the surgeons as the previous years.

Ma has done a most excellent job preparing for the trial to get the gross injustice corrected on Wolf's child support modification. Sounds like she has covered all the bases and came at each issue with the proper angle so that will be a blessing to him and I'm sure a relief off her mind. That happens Wednesday also.

Seems like Wednesday is going to be "the day" this week when so many things will come to fruition one way or another or another...strange how weeks can go by with nothing but work and preparation then all of a sudden..harvest time.

First thing I did with my newly acquired car when I got home? Backed up too far and broke my lens cover on my rear right turn light. Sheesh. LOL.

Anyway, there is much going on and I will try harder to post, but we'll see.
Since its 11pm...already 3 or 4 hours past my bedtime...I'm headed for the sack.

May this be a good week for all. Whichever way any of it goes...there will likely be a good side to it. Keep smiling, keep hoping, keep praying, keep forgiving, keep trying, and keep getting healthier. Goodnight all.

What is for supper? Fried rice stew

My little Grace Kelley said "Oh my gosh dad this is Amazing!". Made it all worthwhile.

So here I'll share the secret with all who might want to try it. But this recipe is an improvement over my hobo stew...and serves up enough for about 3 people. Most of my recipes are just created along the way based on what is in the cabinets.

Ingredients used: 1 cup of the slow cook white rice. a few pats of butter, non-stick spray if the pan is not non-stick, up to a 1/4 cup of vegetable oil, a couple cubes of beef bouillon, a teaspoon of salt, close to half a tablespoon of black pepper, a few hot dog wieners, some left over stew (at least a quart or two), a can of pinto beans (not re-fried)..or a couple cups of home cooked pinto beans. 2 or 3 eggs, a quart or two of left over vegetable beef stew.

1. Get a good size "soup pan" that will hold 3 or 4 quarts.

2. Pour in one cup full of uncooked rice. I used USARICE Gulf Pacific Blue Diamond Enriched American Rice (not the one minute stuff).

3. Pour in two cups of water.

4. Add about a teaspoon of salt and two or three tabs of butter. Also add a couple of cubes of beef bouillon

5. Turn the fire on under the pan and bring it to a boil.

6. Turn the fire down real low, put a lid or plate over the pan to cover it and let it simmer for about 16-18 minutes.

7. Turn the burner off, and move the pan off that still hot burner, leave the pan covered. Let it set for at least 5 minutes. (Depends on when you need it but the "ideal" is...let it set in that pan for about a day and kind of dry out...but most of the time its just about as good to just proceed after the 5 minutes, just makes it a little mushier but that is fine, that is how I did it this time).

8. While that simmering and cooling time is going on: Cut up 2 or maybe 3 hot dog wieners diced up into discs about as thick as a few nickels piled on top of each other. Leave these in a bowl or plate. And set the pan of left over stew (with all its diced carrots, potatoes, meat, corn, diced celery etc) onto a burner on medium to high heat.

9. Break 2 eggs into a bowl and stir them well with a fork till the yolk and clear is all blended pretty well. Set aside we'll need it in a bit.

10. Set a skillet on the range hopefully at least 10" across and 2 and a half or 3 inches deep. Preferably a "non-stick" but the sticky kind works too, just got to be sure to lightly coat the inside of the sticky kind with a non-stick spray like canola oil.

11. Pour at least a few tablespoons of vegetable oil into the skillet, whatever it takes to lightly cover the bottom of the skillet, and turn on the fire about medium. It will heat up pretty quick..give it a couple minutes anyway before dumping the rice into it. Spread it out to where its about level.

12. Dump in the cut up hot dog wieners and the stirred eggs, and a can of cooked pinto beans (or if you make your own pinto beans use a couple cups)..just be sure the beans are drained, don't need any water to be dumping in) then quickly stir the whole mix to spread the egg liquid and wieners and cold beans kind of even throughout the whole batch.

13. Turn the heat under the rice up from medium closer to medium-high, does better if its pretty hot.

14. Shake pepper onto the rice, not too heavy, not too light...maybe a half a table spoon or more all together spread out.

15. Don't walk away and do your taxes, stay with it, take a spatula (NOT METAL if you are using non-stick skillet) and keep turning the rice over every couple minutes so it can get "fried" through out.

16. When the rice is getting a lot of fried spots in it, and the stew is simmering hot, put a spatula or two or three full of the fried rice into a bowl, and dump 2 or 3 ladles full of hot stew (broth and all) on top of the rice in the bowl. Turn the fire off under the stew.

17. Stir the ready to eat bowl a bit to get the rice and stew mixed. Let it cool a few minutes before it is ready for the mouth. Grab another bowl and do the same, and another bowl too if there are going to be 3 people eating. Turn the fire off under the rice.

18. While the bowls are cooling enough to eat, the cooking pans are still hot, good time to rinse them out or even put water and a bit of dish soap and heat it up for cleaning.

This is SO good you'll understand why even my 7 year old was saying "this is AMAZING". :)