You can't go home again
11:46PM on May 12, 2009

I had the opportunity to go back to the neighborhood, I grew up in, the other day.  It has changed so much in the past 8 years since I was last there.
Let me tell you this, to begin my story.  10 years ago we had a devastating flood. My old neighborhood was pretty much under 15 feet of water from the runoff and the creek over flowing it's banks.
I stopped in to see my Mom's old friend. She lives three doors down from Mom's old house. We sat on her porch and talked for a bit before she asked me what I thought about the city did to the old homestead. I have to admit when I saw what had happened I was shocked. I know the city had sent a letter to the family  to let us know what was going to happen. It is a different thing to see what happened to the house I called home for 19 years.
The city had torn down the house!!!!
It seemed so strange to pull into the driveway and have nothing but the trees still standing. I can remember the house, garage, the garden, Mom's prize rosebushes..... all bulldozed away. The one thing that set my mind at peace was the stone marker, where we laid my sisters dog to rest, was still standing by the back fence.
I looked at the old pecan tree in the backyard. I sat under that tree, many an hour, and taught myself how to play a few songs on my guitar. I parked under the cottonwood tree that my oldest brother had carved his initials in. I remembered how we would put towels on our shoulders and pretend to be super hero's and jump off the garage roof to save the city from all evildoers.
As I walked around I picked up a few bits and pieces of a past gone by. Old bottle caps, a piece of train track, some square nails. All junk to the crew that demolished the house and garage. The square nails were brought home from a job my Dad had done in the late 60's. I remember Dad telling me the story of how the nails were made by the owner, of the house he had worked on, back in the 1890's.
The last time I set foot on this property was to put plywood on all the doors and windows to keep the kids and drug dealers out. We had planned on rebuilding the house but my Mom started getting sick. After another year or so we pretty much gave up on the old house. Mom and my sisters had moved into a new place. My older sister is trying to find a buyer for the property. Until then it sits holding the memories of summers running in the sprinklers, playing ball in the backyard, the fortress of superhero's and a a beloved rose garden tended by the most gental lady I will ever know.
As they say...You cant go home again....

My new Hunny
4:41PM on February 10, 2009

So the day before my Birthday,1-23-09, My brother calls me and says" I have this cute lil blonde,kinda small framed, Loves to give kisses and hugs, and wants to be your Birthday present. Should I bring her home or not?"  I replied "Hell yes bring her home."  She is a sweetheart and has me wrapped around her cute lil paws... She is a rescue puppy. Someone tied her legs together and dummped her on the side of the road. One of the guys, my brother works with, found her and had her checked out. She is about a year old and in very good health. We took her in because he could not keep her. She is the reason I've not been on Rude lately.

Another Year gone
12:17AM on January 14, 2009

Welcome 2009....
 I was just sitting here thinking of the past year. It was a very tough one for me. Between the death of my Mother and Aunt, my job being cut from the budget, and finding out my girlfriend was cheating on me, I needed some good news.
  Well I got it on December 9th. My oldest brothers daughter had her third child. He is a cutie. The best part is her husband was there for the birth. He is in the Army and was deployed when she had the first two children. Now that he is a month old he must say goodbye to his father. He is being sent to Germany for more training and will be gone for six months to a year. My niece decided to stay here in Texas since the children are established here. The oldest is in pre-school and loves the fact that Grandpa comes to visit him every few weeks.
  I am moving on with my life as well. I have applied for another position, within our company, and hope to hear back soon on it. It will mean a bit of a raise and better potential advancement than working in the stores. If that falls through, I have been approached by others for advancement to a new managment position in the stores. 
I have also started going into my "mid-life crissis" ... lol I am seriously thinking of buying my first Harley.  Either of the new jobs will mean I have to commute and the fuel savings will justify the cost of the motorcycle...he he he Plus, bikes are chick magnets and I already look like a biker....lol
 I will be on vacation next week and will be going to the local Harley dealer to check things out. Did I mention the 22nd is my Birthday? I will be 44 years old.
Damn, when I was a teenager, I always though that 30 was old. Now I see it is just another number in a collection of what if's....
Here's to a bright New Year and may it be a happy , joyful, time in all our lives....

Been a long few weeks
8:44AM on June 01, 2008

Howdy Ladies and Gents,

this has been a long, tough, month for me. May 4th was the anniversary of my Dad's passing. The 16th my Mom passed away. And last friday, May 30th, my Aunt passed as well.  I have spent the whole month in morning. I know it will take some time to recover but it just seems so hard right now. I find it so funny that my friends and co-workers don't know what to say to me these days. Tell me a joke. Talk to me about your latest conquest. Kick my ass for just sitting around not wanting to do anything. ... In other words treat me like you normally would!  I need some motivation to get me out of the funk I've been in all month.   

Just catching up
8:05AM on May 03, 2008

As some of you know my Mom has been having some health problems. I have been spending a lot of my time traveling to be with her. My days off have been spent on the road this past month. She is doing much better now after several surgeries and getting a pacemaker implanted. 
 While this was going on my job has changed a bit as well. I went from a four day week to a five day week. I am still trying to get used to the schedule change. After eleven years of having three days off a week that extra day, of work, is hard to get used to .... lol The only good thing is I now have more time to prev every day....he he he

Until next time,
perv long and perv hard.

Across The Universe
9:16PM on February 28, 2008

So, I just watched the DVD of Across the Universe. WOW!!!!
       I went into the movie a Beatles fan and came out with such a rush of emotions. As a child, in the 60's, I can remember much of what this movie dealt with. The riots, the protests, and the worry of a loved one being drafted and going to fight a war so far from home. The director, writers and cast were fantastic. The blending of dialog into song was seamless and, in my opinion, made this movie a timeless hit. The melding of the Beatles songs into a complete story was so well done. From the opening shot to the end credits the story flowed with a progression as if the Beatles had known this story would be told when they wrote the songs. The cast made me believe in the characters they played. The costumes and sets were a flash from the past for me. The thought the director put into each scene was extraordinary. The cast, although mainly unknowns, had strong voices. Who knew Evan Rachel Wood could sing. Her pairing with Jim Sturgess made the perfect duet on several ocassions. The supporting cast, and surprise extras, made for a wonderful vocal performance. Sadie reminded me of the great blues singers. Her voice brought shivers to my spine when she sang Helter Skelter. 
     All in all I would give this movie a 9.9 out of 10. The only detractor to the movie was a few liberties with the lyrics, to the songs, to make them fit the characters.    

My quiet little city?
11:03AM on February 09, 2008

   Last Sunday night I went to work thinking it was just gonna be another dull night.  It started off just fine. I had enjoyed the Superbowl and got to joke around with my stock crew about it. Then just about Midnight I get a call that we have a man with a gun shooting it in the parking lot of the store. I went into full Manager/Security mode. I called 911 and got the customers away from the entrance. I went to the door and secured it just as the Police arrived.
    I saw the man and remembered seeing him in the store a few minutes earlier. He had been arguing with a woman in our Deli. I was about to approach them and ask if all was OK when he threw up his arms and walked away from her. I asked if she was alright and she said "Yes." She had been at a Superbowl party and he tried to pick her up but she didn't want anything to do with him. He followed her and her girlfriends to the store and would not take NO for an answer. She and her friends left and he sat down on a bench just outside of our entrance. One witness said he saw the guy rocking back and forth like he was falling asleep. He then lifted his shirt and pulled out a semi-automatic pistol and fired several rounds in the direction the women had driven off.
   Our Police department was fast on the response. It took me three minutes to get from the back of the store to the front door. By the time I got there they had already arrived and were securing the area. As I went to close the door and lock it an officer leveled his M-16 at me and I had to quickly explain I was just locking the door. I was able to witness an officer tackle the man and watched him fight him to put the cuffs on. 
    Twenty minutes later the Police had him in a car and allowed the customers to leave. Then the fun began. We had to begin taking statements for the Police and for my security report as well. My quiet night had now turned into a full blown security investigation. I had to walk the parking lot and look for bullet holes. Get with my Loss Prevention team. File the report with Corporate security and make sure my partners were all OK. When all was said and done this little incident turned into an all night affair. 

Bubba    

Last day of freedom lol
4:35PM on January 30, 2008

It's Wednesday 1-31-08. I woke up today and felt fine until I realized I had to work again tomorrow. I have had the last 13 days off and it has been wonderful. I did some work in the yard, celebrated my Birthday, and bought a new laptop. 
 I have made it my objective to do all I can today and enjoy my last day of freedom. Started with a sexy phone call to my girlfriend, a bit of perving on line and later a nice dinner with my girlfriend. She promised to keep me up all night so I can sleep Thursday and be well rested for the night shift again.  

TTYL,
Bubba

Howdy
6:25PM on January 29, 2008

                                                          I want to welcome everyone to my blog. Not sure what I will put on here. I will just see how it goes.