Wednesday, August 31, 2011

"Mini Update..............................."

Good Evening;
I'm at Starbucks in Mt. Washington and it's Wednesday night the 31st of August.
Survived the storm.
Have been at Jenn's since Saturday afternoon, without power until 1:35 am. Tuesday morning.
Went to the Maryland State Fair with my fearless daredevil 7 year old thrill seeker, Rachel on Tuesday afternoon.
MTA is staffed by idiots, managed by morons, and driven by cretins.....3 HOURS to get home, at 1:00 am.!...because of the fact the Light Rail is down and the "shuttle" replacing it consisted of ONE bus every 30 minutes as the Fair was closing and emptying out at 10:00 pm.......DUH!!! Why not the multiple articulated buses like during the daylight hours? Between the normal shift workers going in to works at 10:00, 10:30, and 11:00 pm., and the fact that there will obviously be a crowd exiting ALL AT ONCE when to Fair closes.....this is not rocket science people!
Back with full details of the past few days soon.

Later.....................Dave

Sunday, August 28, 2011

" The Mega Clapper?........Or.....BOOM BOOM....Out Go The Lights.........On Time Delay......LOL!......(First Time I've Had 'Net Access))............"

Good Morning;
So, I'm at Jenn's and Tom pulls in the lot after DJing a wedding in Hershey Pa. about 11:30 pm......and the main transformer for the complex, which is right next to him, blows up! No power, but still have gas and water service, so the toilet flushes, the shower is nice and hot..though dark....lol....and the stove works.
We are actually in a lull between bands of rain and wind at the moment, but more's-a-comin'!

I'll be back in the morning, I need to sign off now because the MiFi hotspot will not hold a charge long and we want to save it for emergencies, if needed.

I've charged the portable TV and it will keep a 2 hour charge, so we are just checking the news every now and then for updates.

Later.....................................Dave

Saturday, August 27, 2011

"The Scorpions?................OR....................Jimmy Buffett?......................."

Good Afternoon;


Well Irene has reached out and touched Baltimore with fingers of clouds and sprinkles of rain. A gentle caress before she comes roaring in like a full contact Mixed Martial Arts cage fighter with a kick in the crotch and a punch in the face.


I'm at the library just killing a few minute before I head out to catch the 1:01 pm. bus to Jenn's. I've got the battery lantern and the portable DVD player with me to charge, along with both our phones and the laptop and Tom's bazillion candlepower handheld searchlight, and just in case all his battery packs for his power tools.


"One Never Knows...Do One", as Fats Waller used to say, (and Archie MacNally too)!


The sky is awesome right now, with about 12 different shades of gray clouds swirling and roiling across the sky in a counterclockwise direction. Having been through and lived through Hurricane Andrew while in South Florida, (a storm of such magnitude that if you are truthfully able to wear an "I Survived Andrew" tee shirt....you damn well deserve to!), this is as close as I wish to be to the eye of a major storm! As a high school friend used to say...repeatedly!....lol!...when we were out riding around and drinking Miller Ponies, (back when it was legal to drink and drive........LMAO), every time he slipped into a melancholy philosophical mood........"Sinister Yet Beautiful/ Beautiful Yet Sinister".


Okay, I'm out of her to grab the bus.....speaking of which, did you know that New York City is shutting down it's ENTIRE Mass Transit System as of 6:00 pm. this evening!?! Wow, N.Y.C. without buses or subways...hard to picture.


I hope everyone is inside somewhere for this storm, even though it is only, (only...HA!), a tropical storm this far inland, sustained winds of 35-45 mph are predicted, with gusts up to 60 mph., and 8-10 hours of continuous heavy rainfall.

Imagine being in the worst thunderstorm you've experienced, for most of the night.

I have not heard what Baltimore is doing to aid the homeless at this time, I assume that the Code Blue winter shelters will open for a few days. I am blessed to be able to stay at my oldest daughter's through the weekend.


I am hoping that the State Fair is free from damage so Rachel and I can go on Monday or Tuesday, between the hurricane and forecast thunderstorms on Wednesday night through Saturday.


See you again this evening, if the wifi infrastructure holds up, and the power/ my battery does too.

Later...................................Dave












Friday, August 26, 2011

"Hampton Roads Officials Help Homeless Prepare For Hurricane Irene"

Good Afternoon;
A third link;
and that's enough;
Later................Dave

Homeless Shelters Preparing For Hurricane Irene

Good Afternoon;
Another link;
Later..............................Dave

Hurricane plan for homeless - ABC News 4 | News, Sports, Weather for Charleston S.C.

Good Afternoon;
One link on the subject;
Later..................................Dave

"The Doors.............OR...........REO Speedwagon?" .

Good Afternoon;
Well, I'm here at the coffee shop on this bright, sunny, breezy, & humid Friday afternoon. Of course all the talk going on everywhere is focused on Hurricane Irene, when will she arrive, what sort of track will she be taking, and what kind of an impact will she have on Baltimore and the surrounding area. I'm in the shed tonight and heading over to Jenn's on Saturday at ??:??, sometime after Noon depending on when the downpour is supposed to begin. Looking at the roof of the shed yesterday morning after the early AM. thunderboomers I could see where I would be able to punch right through the remaining wood fibers and shingles. If it was reminiscent of a colander from a normal heavy rain, I don't want to imagine what a tropical storm/hurricane rated wind and rain would like.....a sieve? I was going to be staying at Jenn's Sunday night anyway to pet sit while they all spent the night at Tom's Mom's for Ed's first day of school on Monday. (Tom and Ed have already been sleeping there to get him used to it, as this is where they will be moving as soon as construction starts and is done..end of Sept. maybe.) Rachel may be coming over to spend the night with me and we will go to the State Fair from there on Monday.....of course this too depends on whether her mother will come drop her off if it is raining too hard or the power is out, or any storm damage at the Fair.

But I got off track, I'm spending Saturday night there both to avoid traveling by bus in the heavy wind and rain, and because Tom asked me to go up to his mother's early Sunday, (same caveats), to help him pack and tape boxes in the basement where they are building their separate apt. He also said something about paying me, but I did not press him about numbers though I am HOPING that it will be enough to cover the Fair expenses.

I have been searching for announcements concerning evacuations and shelters for mention of what is being done to contact, transport, and house the homeless during this hurricane. And what about those with homes but no transportation? I'll be posting links as I find them.....and as long as the laptop allows me to if the power dies. Starbucks had a planned early closing at 8:00 pm. tonight and tomorrow and Sunday anyway for more work on the renovations. I figure with the way Mt. Washington Mill closes for flooding anyway......Saturday sometime about 5:00 pm. (or earlier if the storm shifts inland just a hair)...and maybe not even opening Sunday at all. Well at least I won't have to worry about waiting on bus stops those days, or getting dripped on in the shed.
Monday is supposed to be clear and comfortable and 81 degrees, with any luck the Fair will be untouched. The largest wind obstruction, the Giant Ferris Wheel is rated at 90 mph wind resistance capability, and the whole amusement part can be packed up in 6 hours, so reducing the target area is not a problem.

I'm outta here for a while,

Later............................Dave

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Homeless Men Found Sleeping In Caskets - News Story - WCYB Tri Cities

Good Afternoon;
Oh great, just what people need to hear.
This kind of thing only reinforces the stereotype in people's minds;
Why couldn't they just go sneak into a movie theatre
and fall asleep watching "Twilight!........lol.

Later....................Dave

"No Sex.....But Plenty Of Drugs....A Little Rantin' And Ragin'..........And Again With The Rockin' And Rollin'?........"

Good Evening;---&--Good Morning;
Well I made it to Monkee's and now have all my meds through the end of the month of August, hopefully I will be able to get everything in sync again so that the refill dates are at least within the same week of one another.

By the time I finished talking and catching up with Monkee the person I need to see at JAI's East Baltimore offices had left for the day, (early), so I need to get back there on Friday morning.

I went to Starbucks when the bus finally arrived, late and over crowded as usual.
Okay MTA........EVERYONE and their brother knows about the #13 line's problems...hell even people who DON'T ride the damn bus are aware of them!
The route is too long and should be split, the buses are always overcrowded and either spaced very far apart or 2 empty and 1 jam packed, arriving right behind one another. Why not use the larger articulated buses, adjust the schedule to meet real time needs?.....
Why waste my time, they never listen.

After I left the coffee shop just before closing I sat in front of the library for 2 and 1/2 hours until the battery faded out, then went to the gas station and talked with Daniel about State and County Fairs here and the equivalent in Kenya, where they go all the way to the National level with their livestock, agricultural products, crafts, and even manufactured goods. A sort of fair and trade show combined.
After the laptop got a bit of a charge, well.....here I am again.....lol.

And were any of you Loyal Readers still awake at 1:07:03 am. this morning?
That wasn't the Magic Fingers Vibra-Bed you felt, and guys, sorry but that wasn't you 'rockin' her world'....it was another 4.5 'quake in Va., about 35 miles NW of Richmond, in Mineral...again.
I was walking towards the gas station from the library and did not feel a thing, but noticed the glass in the FedEx/Kinkos vibrating.

Anyway.......................nighty night.

Later.................................Dave

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Homeless win voice on council | JournalNow.com

Good Morning;

I'm here at the library again, about to head over to Monkees and then stop at JAI's Monument St. facility to see about an appointment with the S.A. doctor/coordinator.

Below is a link to a piece in the Winston-Salem Journal newspaper;




I'll be back this afternoon from the coffee shop.


Later............................Dave

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

"Toots And The Maytals..............Meet..........................Carole King........................."

Good Evening;
Well yesterday was fun. Actually the fun goes all the way back to Sunday night when 4 of Baltimore's fine young upstanding citizens said "let's f*ck with the white boy" as I waited on the bench across from Jenn's apartment complex for the bus. Having seen and sensed that they were up to something, and hearing one pair call out to the other, I was already pumping the old adrenal glands at full capacity and as they began to flank me I rushed out into the oncoming traffic like a crazy man just as the light changed and a long line of cars started speeding past. I stopped the bus across the street and jumped on headed towards the subway station and as they got across the street finally the bus had pulled off. I saw them turn and attempt to cross over again but the other traffic light had changed releasing it's pent up lines of cars. As I got to the subway and hustled across the overhead walkway above Wabash Ave. they made it to the bus loop, looked around and headed over to the subway at street level. There was a train approaching in the distance but I did not know whether I would make it before they got up to the platform or not so I pulled a screwdriver from my bag...just in case. The train arrived and I jumped on and ducked down just as they got to the platform and began running down the length of the train, 2 in one direction, 2 in the opposite. Just as they started walking through the train from both ends towards me the doors began to close and I dove through at the last second. They saw me and tried to pry the doors open but the train was already getting up to speed and they could not. I jumped on the next train in the other direction which arrived moments later, getting off 3 stops down the line at Mondawmin and jumping on the bus up to Pikesville.....adrenaline still coursing through my system and endorphins starting to kick in as my heart pounded like a jack hammer. I got back without incident and went to the Giant to wash off with some cold water and drank a bottle of Powerade in about 8 seconds....lol. I thought I was too keyed up to sleep, but I crashed as as soon as I lay down.

I woke up early on Monday and damn what a "hangover" I had, and every muscle in my body felt like a tightly strung piano wire. I was on my way to the bus stop from the shed to go over Jenn's and shower when the bus surprised me and came around the corner early. I ran to meet it before he pulled off and got real dizzy and my heart started hammering and felt like it was out of sync and about to explode. I sat down on the bench and tried to catch my breath as the bus rolled past. A couple of paramedics were coming out of the RiteAid and I asked them to please check my BP, and when they did it was 184/116........not a good sign.
As it began to slowly drop, I refused to go to the ER and told them I was going to my doctor to get a new prescription, 'stat'...which I DID, after stopping at Jenn's to shower, and then getting there at 2:30 pm. and waiting until 5:30 pm. Which was fine with me because I was her next to last patient and instead of an abrupt 12-15 minutes, I got 45 minutes, and blood work and gave a urine sample, (which was so damn dark she ordered more liver tests for the blood work).
By this time my BP had fallen to 154/90 and my new scripts had been entered into the computerized order system and sent to the RiteAid. I also had her examine my side and abdomen to see the swellings and the neuropathy, and look at my legs, ankles, and feet which are swollen and 'taut', not puffy like the previous edema.

So, now...for the time being it's take the BP meds and monitor it for change, wait for the labwork to be returned......and..........lose some freakin' weight!, I put on over 20 pounds since mid May, and I feel and look like shit. I have been using food like a drug sometimes, and such is the result.

I also have a referral to see a psych doctor, and one to the substance abuse evaluator and coordinator to see about getting my bupes in a more.......conventional manner.

I went back to Jenn's and she was on the way out the door so I hung out and vegged on the recliner for a bit before heading back to the shed and going to sleep.

Today, Tuesday, I had just looked at my phone to see the time at 1:51 pm. when I saw the large plate glass window in the thrift store appear to ripple back and forth like a sheet of thin plastic. I thought it was either my tired and scratchy eyes or a heat wave off the sidewalk distorting my view. Nope...when I looked into the State Troopers Assn. building and their windows appeared to shake...and they were in deep shadow I knew something was up. Standing on the street corner with traffic rushing past, I felt nothing, but looking at signs hanging in windows jiggling and all the people running outside, I figured it was a tremor of some sort.

For some really neat earthquake info, including 'real time' reporting of quakes both country and world wide, go to;
It is amazing how many quakes are recorded and/or felt every day!

I went to the coffee shop in Mt. Washington and ate and read and visited with Abe, and later on Stewart, until close. The ride back was uneventful and after catching the #59 with no problems I am here out in front of the library after stopping in Giant for some OJ, my vitamin C intake has been too low and I can feel that too.
I called Rachel this afternoon and we chatted, and she called me back at bedtime to say goodnight. I told her we are going to the Fair one day in the next 2 weeks, (one way or another!!!...I have $40 towards what I need so far....), and she is all hyped up. I told her MAYBE we will be meeting Ed and Devin again this year if Jenn & Tom can work out scheduling as soon as I know when I'll have enough cash.

Oh...and after talking with my doctor and telling her about leaving Prologue and the papers not being filed, and having to start over again...she gave me a number and an introduction to a reliable lawyer who has helped some of her other patients.

Well, that's it for now....too much going on in my head.

Later..........................Dave

P.S.......Don't get the title references......lol;
"Pressure Drop"........................."I Feel The Earth Move"

"I Really Aorta Get That Fixed!..................."

Good Afternoon;

I'm here at the library returning and checking out books and I saw a computer with a few minutes left that someone had finished with but not logged off.


So...just a Wellness PSA for all you 'loyal readers'...

Blood Pressure of 184 /116 is a baaaaaaaaad thing!


Time is up, I'll be back from the coffee shop on the laptop....(knock wood).


Later...................Dave

Sunday, August 21, 2011

"Eye On The Sparrow............And.............'Fair' Market Value.................."

Good Evening;
So I'm still here at the Starbucks wondering whether the series of rainstorms hit Pikesville too, and if so, how much leakage occurred.
I unlocked and entered the shed last night about 11:00 pm. after sitting at the library reading for an hour, where I was falling asleep and dropping my book on the big black cock-a-roaches that crawl all over the sidewalk there. Pikesville seems to be teeming with them for some reason, more so than a lot of other neighborhoods.
When I put my bags down and prepared to unroll my bedding I noticed a large pile of seed husks and shells on top of the blanket that I use as a ground sheet, which is thrown over the sleeping bag, pillow, and large blanket as a sort of a dust cover, (since it is the side that contacts the cardboard 'mattress' anyway). This is the fourth or fifth time I have found such 'leavings' on the same place on the blanket, or on the shelf next to it...but never this much. I had not been there since Thursday Noonish when I left and locked up. It seems Mr. Mouse had some friends over to party! Every time I am away for an extended period I've noticed signs of rodents rocking and rolling, from a sprinkling of turds on the top shelf near the door to chewed up napkins for nesting material, to insulation and sawdust where gnawing has occurred during the construction of new entry holes.
I can just see them with a tiny deck of cards or teeny little dice in a circle around the seeds playing poker or shooting craps......lol.

This morning I woke up around 2:00 am. with my lantern still on, half undressed with my sleeping clothes laid out on the shelf. I finished dressing and passed back out until 6:00 am. when I woke up from the back pain, and needing to pee. After I took care of the necessary business and took my morning meds I went back to sleep for 45 minutes to be awoken by a noise that I at first thought was raindrops on the roof or drips on the cardboard......until a little sparrow fluttered across my face in a low level, out of control, crash and burn trajectory flight! I was not sure WHAT was going on, half asleep and eyes out of focus and crusty with sleep. Then I heard a 'skritching' noise on the 'floor' between the sleeping bag and the wall. I grabbed a tissue and my glasses for my eyes and the flash light and lantern and found this wild eyed bird hopping about and flapping it's wings. I tried to gently grab it with my hands but it took off on another kamikaze flight....and I saw the kind of mangy looking condition it seemed to be in. When it landed I caught it in between an empty Pop Tarts box and a Starbucks cup and took it down to the door to release. When I could not get he door open with one hand I lay the box and cup down, and seeing the bird lying on it's back, did not think it was in any shape to escape for the few seconds I needed to open the door......silly me..........lol!
The damn thing exploded out of the cup and took off towards the other end of the shed, AWAY from the open door 8 inches away. (Why do the birds that end up in the shed always do that? Ignore the obvious, easy, unblocked way out and head towards the barely noticeable glimmer of daylight dimly showing through a crack or hole too damn small for it to get through? Is the shed some sort of Darwinian fitness and intelligence test for the survival of the species, weeding out the stupid of the avian world?
I never did find where it got to, either behind a stack of metal shelving I am not moving unless-'I smell dead things', or inside the torn insulation-'ditto', or out a crevice or crevasse in the walls.
Tonight will be a sound check.....and in a few days there will be an odor check.....hopefully both will be negative!

I've been sitting here trying to figure out how to raise $165.00 by the end of the month, this is what I need for meds, debt, a cheap new pair of shoes, and most importantly to take Rachel to the Maryland State Fair. Admission for 2 is about $16.00, Ride Wristbands $22.00@=$44.00---[the only way to go, rides START at $3.00 and go up to $7.00 (if I remember correctly), you can get your money's worth in less than an hour...the rest of the day is gravy], plus $25.00-$40.00 for food, games, and misc. That's $85.00 to $100.00 I know, but it only comes once a year, and that is cheap, for the value of the memories compound with time. I had the same tradition with Jenn, and 2 years ago we all were there together, Jenn and Rachel, my daughters, and Ed and Devin, my grandkids.

Okay.............Closing time.

Later...........................Dave


"Rain and Pain............In Body And Brain................"

Good Afternoon;
Well it's Sunday afternoon about quarter to one and I'm sitting here at the Starbucks in Mt. Washington trying to deal with an unexpected and extremely rapid descent on the 'Deathcoaster Of Doom' into that wild and wacky subsection of the Mental Illness Theme Park known as 'Depression Land',....."Where All Your Hopes And Dreams Go Down In Flames".
Located between the 'Schizophrenic House Of Mirrors' and the 'Psychotica Shooting Gallery' on the corner of Paranoia Pkwy. & Suicide St., just look for the the laser light show being projected on the all encompassing 'Clouds of Misery And Despair' which rise up out of the 'Swamp Of Sadness' every 2 hours, and listen for the 'Prozac Players' on the 'Seroquel Stage' as they perform "Highlights of Souls In Torment from Dante's Inferno".

It is thundering now, and about to rain like hell here....how fitting.

Yeah........thank goodness for black humor. I don't know what caused the oh so sudden crash dive that got me to this level, but the 'external' triggers, root causes, and reasons are pretty simple to determine. Between the hype and letdown of Thursday night's party, losing that $50.00 which has been eating at me and has also pushed over the already precariously balanced financial house of cards for this month, the increasing discomfort and pain I am experiencing in the upper abdomen, the stress and worry over Jenn and family's upcoming move to Monkton and the loss of bathing facilities and regular contact with the grandkids, & the infrequency of seeing Rachel because of logistics and transportation, and the rapidly increasing deterioration of the shed.
There are also some things I'm not ready to put into circulation just yet, but these are all pretty much the same type crap I deal with all the time. What caused the stomach clenching, mind numbing, physically painful, and tear inducing feelings of near suicidal misery and desperation, self loathing, and worthlessness I woke up with this morning and am trying to keep at bay right now I don't know.....but it is no f*cking fun I'll tell you that.

The drenching rain that was deluging the area has just stopped and I am going to run across the way to get something to eat now, breakfast at 2:00 pm......., well as soon as this song is over....Bob Dylan-'A Simple Twist Of Fate'........

Later....................................Dave

Friday, August 19, 2011

"Jimmy Carter Meets Charlie Sheen...............And..............Hef's Grotto Meets Ghetto......."

Good Evening;
Well I made it to the Baltimore Magazine "Best Of Baltimore" party last night. I ended up getting downtown to the Lexington Market Metro station about 45 minutes early because after I got to Jenn's to shower and shave and drop my bags off the clock I looked at was an hour fast.....hmmmm, little tiny fingers pushing buttons maybe....lol. I went into Lexington Market to escape the thunderstorm which had just arrived and wandered through for a while.....and remembered why I don't go there anymore.
As cool as the market can be with the amazing variety of meats and produce, and the delis and food stalls......having to run the gauntlet of drunks and junkies and beggars, being offered pills and methadone from the "recovering" addicts, "in the program", who are selling their daily doses to feed their other habits, and having to dodge all the little "Future Felons of America" and "Junior Crack Ho's" running in packs and having no courtesy or civility.....is it any wonder the middle class is not being lured back to the city?
Just walking down to the Hippodrome Theatre, 2 blocks down, I saw 3 people, a woman and 2 men...one of them in a wheel chair...go into the alley and/or parking lot and take a pee. The inner city is rapidly becoming a 2 class place to live....those too poor to leave, and those rich enough to live isolated and above the streets. I passed 2 different sets of belongings under the slight overhang of boarded up storefronts, where their owners sleep/'live', never getting too far away or out of sight for any length of time. Now these are some of the typical, long term, chronic and mentally ill homeless.
On the way back to the subway after I left the party about 10:15 pm., when all the other people left on Eutaw St. more than one block from the Hippodrome are either street people or street wise people, the tourists and 9 to 5-ers long gone, the area looks like a scene from either a zombie horror film or a post-apocalypse film. I was approached and offered body oils, jewelry, drugs, cigarettes and sex....of a variety of styles and flavors. And 5 people attempted to hit me up for money.

The reason I described leaving before arriving or being at the party is to emphasize the extreme polar opposites between what was going on outside and inside, a block apart.

There were about 2,000 guests, staff, vendors, volunteers, et al. there last night. The party was co-sponsored by Covergirl Cosmetics and I swear that at minimum.....MINIMUM! that more than 60% of the crowd were women....and 75% of them were between the ages of 21 and 39 in unescorted groups of 3, 4, or more! Most of them looked like models or Hollywood's idea of every red blooded American male's perfect woman.....almost all wearing...(and having the ability TO wear same)...a short, snug, formfitting, LBD, or it's equivalent in all the primary colors...and some version of FM heels. And the women who were a bit older or less fit were wearing clothing just as sexy and stylish that fit and complimented their particular physique. It was like seeing all the actresses who played the 'way too beautiful to exist in real life' hookers, actresses, waitresses, strippers, and teachers on "Two And A Half Men".......LOL!
What a huge difference from the obese females on the train wearing clothing too small and too tight, either revealing or emphasizing rolls of flab and stretch marks.
I'm not trying to be misogynistic or sexist, but I am an unrepentant male, (and latent lesbian....lol), who appreciates female beauty for it's own sake, believes that the acknowledgement of the fact is in no way improper, (as long as common courtesies and civilities are followed), and that PCers have done more harm than good.
After my heart returned to a somewhat normal rate and my breathing was under control, I started looking around for some familiar faces. I soon saw Evan Serpick, editor of Baltimore Magazine and one of the hosts of the party......and that was it! Other than seeing Duff Goldman, fromCharm City Cakes...aka the 'Ace Of Cakes' on the Food Network, I did not recognize a soul. Which was kind of a letdown. I hit the Bacardi bar, (one of 3 sponsored by a brand, the others 42 Below Vodka, and Cazadores tequila ...1 general full service bar...Noble Vintners wine bar...and Blue Moon beer bar), I started on the rounds of the 40 or so (+/-) food stations. OMG....to use a trendy abbreviation....sushi, steak, suckling pig, vegan pasties, cakes, and cookies...and regular ones too, raw oysters, crab and sun-dried tomato bread pudding, salads, salsas, pulled pork, shrimp salad sliders, meatballs in sauce, hot dogs wrapped in bacon....lots of dipping sauces, bruschettas.....and on and on......yummmmmmmm! I cannot remember everything I tried, I can only tell you that everything was from Best of Baltimore winners in various categories and the WORST thing I tasted was excellent. Ambrosia and nectar!

Evan had walked me back to the lobby to get a "Winner" badge to pin on my shirt, {look ma, I'm Charlie Sheen..............WINNING!......................LOL!}.........(about 3 dozen other people also chose to wear them...along with Staff, Volunteer, & Vendor tags), and I was approached twice by the photographer for Baltimore Magazine shooting the party, and by Elena Moscott Creator/Writer/Producer of an Internet site called "The Click On This Show", A Lifestyle Interview Series; www.clickonthisshow.com .
I was interviewed for a short little clip to be shown on their site....?????....sometime soon.
The anxiety and slight agoraphobia that I was feeling before and when I first arrived had been dampened...to say the least...lol!...by numerous return trips to the Bacardi Bar for "Oakheart", their new spiced rum, (think Captain Morgan....but smoother) and Coke and a judiciously timed dose of my prescribed muscle relaxer, so I was able to allow my gregarious alter-ego to surface and answer the questions and project the facade of confidence that hides the reality. After circling the lobby and , hallways, banquet and ballrooms dozens of times, and climbing and descending the stairs more times than I care to remember. I decided to call it a night and leave about 10:00 pm. As I said I had seen no one I knew, but I did have a few conversations with others wearing the "Winner" tags, the Owners of "Crush" restaurant, The Dirty Carrot vegan bakery, and also some folks from "The Single Carrot Theatre", Jessica and I'm sorry to say I cannot remember her fellow staffers name....[sorry guy :-( ].

On the way out I grabbed the commemorative pint glass with the logo etc. painted on, and a second one from someone who did not want theirs. There were people grabbing 5 and 6 at a time because the folks who were stamping hands and overseeing the distribution were overwhelmed...(or just did not care...???), but that was tacky and greedy. If there are a shitload leftover and anyone at the magazine wants to give me few....I would not turn them down though......lol.

I got back to Jenn's about 11:30 pm. and told her all about the party, it was nice and I enjoyed the free food and drink, and I was awestruck by the loveliness of all the ladies there, (and would have liked to be a winner in a more socially and financially impressive category so as to be able to have the confidence in my own mind to start up a conversation....lol), but it was kind of typical for my life, being among but not "of" the crowd.
Today I watched the kids for a few hours while Jenn and Tom went down to see their friend the tattoo artist. They are out in Hunt Valley now at the Free Friday Concert at the Town Center. I don't know if I am spending the night or not, but if I can...I'm going to, it's so damn humid outside.
I'll see you tomorrow,
Later................................Dave

Being Poor Isn’t a Crime

Good Morning;
This story strikes close to home because of a very similar experience.
Last summer JFS called Child Protective Services when the 'ex' went to them for help getting the electricity turned back on. (Which is one of a few reasons I will not deal with them for assistance...I had my own bad experience with them)
There was gas for the stove and hot water heater, hot and cold running water, working toilet and shower, and battery lanterns for light, with candles available for emergency backup if needed. And the weather was not yet hot, so no A/C was required.

What do these agencies do when they find someone living completely off the grid, which more and more people are doing today?

I'll be back with all the info on the Best Of Baltimore party,
Later................................Dave


Wednesday, August 17, 2011

"One Sheet To The Wind......And Rain...................."

Good Afternoon;
So I'm back at the Mt.Washington Starbucks again. I got the access code for Jenn and Tom's WiFi last night and never got around to using the computer.
After I signed off at the library yesterday I met Evan at his son's karate dojo as they were on the way in. We talked for a bit and I met his wife again then they had to go inside. I went over to the Giant to grab something for dinner and caught the bus to Jenn's. They went out to a meeting and unbeknownst to me went to the food store afterwards, getting back near Midnight. Since the noisy neighbors seem to have somehow been notified of the laws and regulations and just plain old common sense and decency regarding excessive noise and violation levels in Baltimore, (quite possibly from a pamphlet available from the city explaining and detailing such things that may have arrived in the mail......hmmmm, wonder how that happened?), and there was no intruding bass or decibels....I spent the night in the recliner.
(With my feet raised as high as possible and the back reclined as far as possible without ALL the blood rushing to my head. My feet and lower legs are beginning to swell again, so I guess I better get to JAI on Friday and be prepared to spend the day in the waiting room so I can see my doctor to get my BP meds refilled.......and I can't put this off any longer either, my left upper abdomen has been getting steadily more uncomfortable to the point of pain on a full time basis, not intermittently, and my normal dosage of bupe has less of an effect on it. It is becoming too constant to ignore anymore. If you remember from the beginning of the year the spleen was enlarged with no specific cause found, but not yet in a dangerous amount. Between that, the pancreas, the left lobe of the liver and the neuropathy from the pneumonia surgery there is a whole smorgasbord of possibilities to examine......oh happy happy joy joy!

Tonight it is back to the shed and if I am feeling up to it and not sleepy I am going to drag all the waterlogged cardboard 'flooring' out and over to the dumpster. I think I am going to see how the concrete drains without it next downpour. I am still considering scrounging up some polyethylene sheeting and tacking it down over the shingles on the whole roof to try to reduce what started as a trickle and has grown to a steady stream of water back down to drips. I figure I need roughly around 30 x 10 feet of sheeting or tarp to cover most of the roof and a slight overhang on the side that will let the water flow away from the rotted wall. I want clear because it will be least noticeable, and I think I can find some 'end of roll' or used pieces in a dumpster nearby. If I can't find one big piece a few large pieces that overlap on the way down the slope would work, and Tom has a staple gun I can use.

It's time to eat some lunch.........................
Later......................Dave

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

"Morse Code, Zip Code, Da Vinci Code.....Got Ya Covered!.............WAC, [Wireless Access Code], ........Oooops.....Maybe Tonight......"

Good Afternoon;
Sorry about the almost 2 day gap in between posts.
On Sunday night when the battery ran down as I was sitting outside the Giant writing I never made it into the shed until close to 4:00 am., and I was way too tired to write any more. I had been planning to head right over to the shed and plug in the laptop right away but the heavens opened up again and put a stop to that idea. Between the very frequent rainstorms mixed with torrential downpours and lightning and thunder storms, and either being in the middle of fixing or eating my dinner, (at 2:45 am....lol!), or having books and things spread out all over the place as I tried to clean out and organize the bag when the rain stopped, and by the time I got things repacked neatly the rain having begun again, etc., it was 3:30 am. when I left Giant's 'porch' and headed over to the gas station to use the restroom and then into the shed. I unrolled the bedding and changed into sleeping shorts and passed out.
The alarm on my phone went off at 7:15 am. and I got up and dressed and rolled the bedding up and packed my bag, (I did manage to plug in the laptop to charge the battery before I fell asleep....with the lantern on.)
Tom called at 7:30 am. and said he was leaving the house to pick me up, (he also came out looking for me Sunday night after I left the apartment because of the noise and found me at the Metro subway waiting for the bus...[the one I tried to meet had left early and I saw it as I neared the bus stop]...at the Giant as I was locking the chain on the shed door so I hurried over to the Giant to use the restroom and grab a piece of meat from the butcher shop. Once I got to Jenn's I sat in the recliner and dozed until the kids woke up. Jenn and Tom had 8:30 am. dentist appointments and afternoon doctor appointments, and meetings in the evening, so I was there for the day and night.

When I tried to log on to the Internet,.....the unsecured WiFi in the area was now 'secured' and I could not get online that way anymore, And,...not having the 26 character pass code that accesses Tom's new WiFi hotspot device, I could not use their setup, and he had their laptop with him.
They had doctors appointments this morning and afternoon also and I forgot to get the code before they left, same thing this afternoon when they got back and he went out...so here I am at the library.

And I have to leave to meet Evan, of Baltimore Magazine in a few minutes to pick up my ticket to the Thursday the 18ths "Best Of Baltimore" party from him at 6:00 pm.

I am supposed to get the code this evening before they go out to a meeting tonight, (so I'm spending tonight in the recliner too...unless next door or upstairs start with their "music" or the surround sound again..), so I'll be back.

Later.......................Dave

Sunday, August 14, 2011

"Bad Day For Bullsh*t.......Part.1....................."

Good Evening;
Well, it's raining like a bitch again and I am all the way back against the wall at the Giant, under the overhang, about 20 feet back, and I'm still getting wet from the spray....and the SPLASH! It's a good thing I like thunderstorms and lightning...(the Appalachian Trail flashback a few posts ago, remember...........lol!)
Of course the rainstorms, (yes, plural), that were coming through the roof of the shed as if it were a colander in finger thick streams that turned the layers of cardboard box 'flooring' back into pulp had their negative moments. A new section of waterlogged insulation fell, revealing another hole rotted through the roof. Luckily, knock wood, 'my' third of the shed is still reasonably watertight, and raised above the other levels slightly. Although I did end up getting misted from disintegrating water droplets hitting a 'splash guide/drip diverter' that I had to rig up out of a 5" x 12" x [1/8">0"] cedar shim so that one errant drip would not keep hitting the foot of the sleeping bag.

Oh great...a blue screen 'emergency' shutdown and now a restart, and my battery is low again.

If I get to the shed I'll recap the day in more detail....but in the Readers Digest Condensed version it goes somewhat like this"

Wake at 6:00 am., after 2 whole hours of sleep with side hurting and bladder complaining,
Take morning meds, (except BP meds...see previous postings),
and fall back asleep until 7:20 am. when garbage truck collides with Cadillac Escalade 20 yards from shed....sounds of sheet metal, plastic, and glass losing battle to approximately 50,000 pounds of steel and freshly collected cantaloupe rinds & coffee grinds, used teabags & tampons, last Sunday's comics and last night's condoms.


And the day went downhill from there.....
suffice it to say I waiting for the rain to let up enough to get into the shed to spend the night instead of sleeping in the A/C at Jenn's because of the piece of sh*t upstairs neighbor who not only would not turn down his damn surround sound TV system...but turned it up, and then would not answer the phone. I am unable to call the cops, and Tom was not about to attempt to deal with the drunken bastard,....so, screw it I left!


really outta battery.....
Later....................DAVE

"Beating A Dead Horse...........OR............Rant Redux...................."

Good Morning;
Well the table and chairs bolted to the concrete under the....waste of lumber, totally useless, winner of the "stupidest architecture structure fad currently being overbuilt everywhere".....pergola were not too wet. Nothing a couple pounds of paper towels couldn't handle, so I sat there until 10:30 pm. before catching the bus here to Pikesville. After visiting the restroom in the Giant and then picking up some juice, (Minute Maid 1/2 gallons are 4 for 5 [$1.25 @]...and they have everything but Orangeade?....wtf?....lol!), I'm sitting in the last 2 PVC with fake woodgrain impressed onto the extruded and/or molded plastic, Adirondack style porch chairs. (And I'm using 2 chairs stacked vertically, NOT horizontally, I mean my ass may be big...but not THAT big......lol!)

Between here and the other shopping center, and the observations at the library earlier, I am convinced that civility, common courtesy, and simple social decency, not to mention the respect of traffic laws and regulations are steadily decreasing in inverse proportion to the sense of entitlement and selfcenteredness.
Why the f*ck do some assholes have to back into a parking space where people are sitting directly behind the cars exhaust system, and then sit and leave the car running. Especially a damn diesel or piece of sh*t, out of tune, smoking junker? And the same goes for sitting in the Fire Lanes directly in front of the stores where the wheelchair and/or shopping cart 'curb cuts' and/or ramps are? In BOTH cases there are signs warning and prohibiting such actions.....and don't get me started on the assholes who think a 'color coordinated ensemble' means that their sneakers that cost more than their rent, and the oversize baseball cap that goes over top of the ears and halfway down in front of the eyes, with the "oooh shiny" size sticker left on the perfectly straight bill, both match the underwear on display because the morons have their pants belted across their nuts so they can let their asses hang out, immediately turning their stereos up so high the "quote-music-unquote" distorts, killing their cilia and brain cells alike, while the bass is so damn high the body panels and windows vibrate with every shouted Ebonic paean to violence, hate, and misogynistic abuse. (and by the way...."Yo ,dude,.....you're white Yo!" )
Sure, just treat the inconvenient laws like your teeth.......
'ignore them and they'll go away'...
But like I said, I don't want to get started......lol!

The laptop is getting weird again......time to shut it down.

Later........................Dave

Saturday, August 13, 2011

"Whatever Happened To The Concept Of Women And Children First?................"

Good Evening;
A link from the Fayetteville Observer newspaper's site;

And one where you can find out more about homeless vets, and ways you
can make a difference;


Later...............Dave

"Lounging Around...................."

Good Evening;
So..the question now is what to do and where to go?
The First Watch Cafe has taken the benches inside to use as waiting area seating, taking the chairs that were there and placing them in the eating area for more patron seating. These were the only covered seats in the area where there was lights and no worries about possible trespass issues. (And 2 free wifi hotspots in range!)
The outdoor tables and chairs here at St. Thomas Starbucks are exposed and wet right now, as are the library benches.
Well it looks like the shed, at least it not too hot and humid.

Oooo...Wait...the (for sale) chairs at the Giant in Pikesville, if there are any left unsold, and they stack, so the lower ones may be dry!

Stay tuned for the next exciting episode of;
" 'Chaise' Of Our Lives"

Later..................Dave

"To Tee Or Not To Tee.....That,...Is The Question!......................."

Good Evening;
The link below should take you to a story on NECN the New England Cable Network;
Personally, I think it is kind of slimy.

Later.......................Dave

Smoke from Virginia swamp fire reaching parts of Maryland, officials say

Good Afternoon;
I just get a kick that this link is from an Indiana newspaper;
Ain't the Internet great.....local news from out of state...lol

Later...........................Dave

"Mini Vacation With The Mini-Me............AND.........Waterworks & Auto-Jerks........................."

Good Afternoon;
Well I'm trapped here at the library for a while longer it looks like. I stopped in around 1:30 pm today,(Saturday), to look for another book and kill a bit of time. I could see the sky over the city was just pregnant with moisture, and if it was not raining at that moment, it was only minutes away. The sun was shining here but dark clouds were moving in steadily that at the time I assumed were only storm clouds. When I got onto the library computer, (because there were quite a few free at the time and no wait, and because it meant not having to unpack and re-pack the laptop in my bag......which I did anyway after the deluge started before I was able to flee....lol), I saw from news articles that an underground swamp fire in The Great Dismal Swamp, (an awesomely cool and spooky place if you ever get a chance to visit), was sending clouds of smoke and associated stench from southeastern Virginia up into parts of central Maryland, and beyond.
Of course with Baltimore's "Official City Aroma" being Stale Urine and Vomit, with hints of Rotting Pampers and Diesel Exhaust....the burning plastic odor was blending right in......lol.
It was raining so hard a few minutes ago that Reisterstown Road heading out from the city was flooded in the right hand lane to above the curb level and overflowing the sidewalks......of course this did not stop the asshat drivers from traveling their usual 20 mph above the speed limit, honking and cursing and changing lanes with no signal or regard for conditions or other vehicles closeness. The water was so deep that a roostertail of water, not spray but solid sheets of water, came off the right side wheels of the cars, reaching a good 15 feet high and falling well past the sidewalks onto the grass or Boston Market's parking lot and the parked cars thereon. I stood at the window for 20 minutes while it poured watching and counting cars and making a fairly accurate though non-scientific survey of the number of cars and trucks that went by, (158....+ or - ), and almost half of those drivers were on a cell phone....NOT hand free types either. I'm not even going to get into racial/ethnic breakdowns, because one of the major groups of really lousy drivers are not on the road today, and the results would be skewed.

Anyway, it seems to have stopped raining and I have to go down to Jenn's because I forgot to leave her house keys there...twice...DUHHHHH!
I stopped by last night on the way to the shed just for that reason!..DUHHHH!
LOL!


Rachel and I went to Starbucks in Mt.Washington yesterday afternoon, after spending Wednesday night, Thursday and Thursday night, and Friday morning just hanging around the apartment enjoying the time together while we were petsitting. I have told you of my sweet but WAY too early awakening on Thursday....well Friday was worse! The ignorant, self-centered, really should know better but doesn't give a damn, maintenance man from the Caribbean started with his reggae thump-thump-thumpa at full freakin' volume and maximum bass on a system that has no business being in an apartment, especially such a cheapass shoddily built ones such as these...that he works on every damn day and knows how thin the walls are!
The noise literally smacked me in the chest, it could be felt vibrating in the chest cavity with every downbeat, to say nothing about the walls of the apartment which it turned into a huge sub-woofer! I jumped out of the recliner looked at the time, saw it was BEFORE 7:00 AM.!, and started slapping the wall with the flat of my hand, making my own bass vibrations until he turned it down to see what the noise was.....THEN I started thumping on the wall with my fist, punctuating the short but sweet commentary covering the gamut from his parentage to my burning desire to call the police next time something burning over there seeped into the hallway strong enough to give everyone in the building a contact high. The music resumed at a lower, but still annoying volume that at least was not vibrating things within the apartment....and I decided to bide my time.
Jenn is leaving there soon enough, and what goes around comes around.

The rest of the day, Friday, Rachel and I spent showering and packing up and cleaning up, and then went to the coffee shop on the bus. This was the first time I had been in there since the remodeling started, (it's 90% complete), and the changes were major though not radical, other than the 2 large community tables placed where many smaller ones were before. The look is Industrial/Junior High School Woodshop with backless stools and worktables. New cabinetry and signage that is inline with all the other stores in the chain, no more chalkboard creativity. A new bench setup along the wall and some rearrangement and down sizing of the counter and work areas, and dark paint over most of the galvanized 'shed' areas. From what I have read and heard Starbucks is trying to force customers to shorten their visits and increase turnover. Some New York store are covering or removing electrical outlets so people with laptops, etc., cannot plug in and are limited to the time of their battery life. If it was not for simple economic factors, free refills, I would not patronize such a hypocritical company...their ads and posters insinuate one ideal, the 'community' coffee shop that cares about the environment and the underprivileged in Africa, South America, and Asia.
But what about placing some recycling bins here in America, or having an active plan to donate the unsold yet still good food to shelters or soup kitchens?
A simple way to do it would be to have the mark-outs packaged and picked up by he same driver who delivers every night. Since they use a 'distribution hub' system arrangements could be made for charitable organizations in each 'hub' to collect and distribute the food. We were able to do it with a very large doughnut/pastry bakery an distribution company I worked for years ago that delivered to thousands of convenience stores and small restaurants in a 4 state and D.C. area.

So I don't have to go to Jenn's to drop off her keys, her friend came by and picked them up on her way to pick up Jenn and the kids. Good!, I was not looking forward to getting on the bus, walking to the apt., turning around and walking back to the bus stop.....damn near running.....to make my connection, or waiting another hour if I missed it.....and I do NOT run.
Now I can choose from 2 or more options and coffee shops, and it's time to eat 'breakfast' now anyway, it's only 4:46 pm..........lol.

My back and my legs are hurting for some reason, maybe the rain? I am going to head to Owings Mills to the coffee shop there, one bus and less walking.

So far the laptop is working okay, as it was yesterday when Rachel and I played Bookworm Adventures Deluxe. Since I switched the power settings
and DO NOT let it go into 'Sleep' mode, I have had lees problems. I still need to get it checked out though.

I'll see you again this evening;

Later.................................Dave

Rhoda

Good Afternoon;

A link to a story fron invisiblepeople.tv;


Later.............................Dave

Friday, August 12, 2011

Thursday, August 11, 2011

"The Early Bird May Get The Worm.....But The Early Worm Gets Eaten!...................."

Good Morning;
So..after she ended up staying up past Midnight I expected Rachel to sleep until at least 9:00 am. today, like Ed and Devin do if given half a chance....or like her sister Jenn who is no stranger to waking at the crack of Noon....lol.
But, Nooooo, I am awakened to little fluttery kisses at 6:23 am.!
I went to sleep around 2:00 am. and was up at 4:30 am. hauling the damn dog outside to the patio, crate and all, because she was scratching and shaking her head, jingling collar and dog tags and driving me nuts. I got back to sleep about 5:00 am....knowing I'd have 4 hours to sleep.......HA!

(Okay...She is watching 'Phineas And Ferb' and this episode their parents are at a song filled Mexican-Jewish Cultural Festival........Oy-le`......LOL! )

She wanted an omelet for breakfast so the leftover steak from dinner was put to good use.
I'm not sure what we are doing today, we may be dropping off the laptop at Erik's (Pikesville PC) if I get hold of him by phone and it is something more than he can diagnose over the remote connection, (assuming I can reach him at all today).
I went through a couple blue screens and black screens/emergency shutdowns just trying to get the laptop started this morning. I'm hoping it is something simple, but there has been a whole slew of downloads from Microsoft in the past few days with about 15 different updates and there was a 'send error report' and an 'error message warning' yesterday evening that did not look like good news. I've 'de-fragged and optimized' the hard drive hoping that will help and lit some incense and offered some rice and sake to the Sony Buddha shrine hoping to appease any youkai that have infested the circuits..

Anyway, back this evening,
Later.............................Dave

"Black And Blue Screen Blues.................&............Revolving Daughters..............................."

Good Morning;
It's Thursday around 12:50 am. and before the laptop flips out and either 'blue screens' or 'black screens' me again with dire warning messages or blacks out entirely or won't start up....which it as started doing, oh joy!...I want to post a few lines about yesterday's, (Wednesday's), activities..

Okay, it started rough, waking with a pounding 'hangover headache' from the damn 'eco-friendly', 'safe' ant spray recommended by some treehugger on TV. Yeah safe for all the fuzzy, happy bunnies....but deadly to humans??

I was out of Jenn's before 10:00 am. so she could pack etc.for their trip. I stopped at JAI Medical Center to try to get my BP script refilled but the receptionist said I HAD to see the doctor and handed me the clipboard to sign in, then drops the bomb, ".....and it will be at least a 4 hour wait, possibly longer....
Uhhh, SEEEEEEEYAAAAA, and I was walking back to the Metro Subway at Cold Spring Station. When I got there I figured I had all this time to kill that I was not going to be sitting in a waiting room in the 'hood, so why not go downtown to the MTA certification office at the Charles Center Subway station and pick up forms to renew my bus pass. I went in and the girl behind the desk asked what color my pass was, and my name. I told her green and she entered that and my name in the computer and handed me a slip of paper and told me to go over by the camera and hand it to the woman there. I told her I had no money for a new card....and she told me that there is no charge for an update, only if you lose your card.

Well someone ought to inform the folks on the 'help line' because I was told by them I needed new forms filled out with doctor's signatures and had to pay a new fee.

I had my mug shot taken and the ID laminated and was out of there in 14 minutes total time!
Competence made a rare appearance at the MTA today.

Since I was downtown I jumped back on the train and got off at Shot Tower/Market Center and walked over to Harbor East to Lancaster St. and dropped in on Evan, editor of Baltimore Magazine. We chatted for a while and he walked me through their offices to take a look around. On the way out he gave me 3 copies of the 'Best Of Baltimore' August issue that lists yours truly as one of the 10 most interesting bloggers in the city. I left there and stopped at Whole Foods and grabbed an orange-mango Nantucket Nectar and wandered through the store sampling all the freebies being pushed this week.
as I headed back to the Metro I stopped in the Starbucks down there and asked if Lisa the former Mgr. of the Pikesville coffee shop that was closed by Starbucks corporate beancounters just as it began to make money. She was on vacation...again!..................lol. Everytime I've stopped by she is out.

I took the train to Old Court Station after that and the bus to Pikesville where I picked up my prescriptions from RiteAid. Then I stopped in the Giant and grabbed some beautiful locally grown tomatoes, some garlic breadsticks off the reduced shelf for $0.50, and some Minute Maid Berry Punch that was on sale....and a package of petite sirloins steaks also on sale for Rachel and I for dinner.
(For a 7 year old she has expensive tastes....lol).
Jenn had just gotten back to the apt. and asked me to stay away until they were gone....the madhouse did not need anymore inmates at that time....lol.
I got there at 5:00 and Rachel got dropped of about 35 minutes later.
We cooked our steaks and ate, and I showered and got a load of clothes started in the washer and watched 'Coraline' in between with her.

She went to bed about 10:00 pm. watching 'Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs' as I fussed and fumed with the computer....which is acting all nice and lovey-dovey now....after I threatened to turn into a slagheap of melted hydrocarbons and silicon fused into glass!............LOL.

I'm going to see which available sleeping venue is least uncomfortable and pass out now.

Later.............................Dave

P.S.
Evan said that the jeans would not be too out of place at the Baltimore's Best party, and that he may be wearing a pair himself.

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

"Meds And Meat.............."

Good Morning;
I'm hoping, Loyal Reader, that you realized that the 'Guns For The Homeless' post and link was just a gag..........LOL!

Today I had to stop at the RiteAid to drop off 3 of my 5 meds for refills. Each bottle had 1 refill left, but of course with my typical luck they were refused refills because the computer for Medical Assistance said there were no refills left. After an hour runaround I was finally able to speak with someone with both the power and intelligence to simply access my file/account and compare the dates and number of the prescription filled and say "Oh Yeah......there's been a data entry error.....you still have one refill left"........arrrgggghhhhh!!!!
By this time it was too late to head to JAI to try to get my doctor to either write me or phone in a new script for my Blood Pressure meds, which IS in need of a new prescription, so I went out to Owings Mills to the coffee shop and had lunch, (scavenged panini and flatbread sandwiches rescued on the way to the dumpster from Monday night), and read and played on the laptop. I spoke with Rachel on the phone and she had agood time with her nephew and niece (Ed and Devin) on Sunday, and she is excited about petsitting with me while Jenn and Tom and the kids go to Dover to see my mother Wednesday 'til Friday.

I am here at Jenn's tonight because they went out to 'Fogo de Chao' Baltimore for Jenn's birthday, taking advantage of the "Restaurant Week' discount of $35.11 for a prix fixe dinner. They got home stuffed and raving about the food a little while ago and are about to pass out now.....lol. For those unfamiliar with these restaurants, they are a Brazilian 'meat on a stick' style place, where the servers wander the dining room with ribs, steaks, chops, leg of lamb, chicken and other fire roasted meats on skewers and slice and serve to your pleasure at tableside.
They said the food and service were fantastic, and that there was also an awesome salad/appetizer bar. I'm salivating as I type this, I hope I don't short out the keyboard............lol.

Tomorrow, Wednesday, morning I am heading to JAI to attempt to catch my doctor as she passes by the bulletproof glass door and windows separating the waiting room and the rest of the facility. YES, it is in THAT kind of neighborhood, at Park Heights Ave. and Cold Spring Lane. If I try to talk to the desk people it is like talking to a wall and I'll end up sitting all day needlessly.
Jenn and family are leaving sometime after 3:00 pm. and I'm going to go to RiteAid and pick up my meds, (with any luck all 4 scripts), and then get Rachel, depending on the time. She may just get dropped off here by her mother.
Our plans for the next couple days are fluid, nothing really special because of a lack of cash, but we'll probably do something in the kitchen kind of fancy, I do have food credits.

Well it's 2:05 and I'm going to sleep now.
Later.........................Dave

P.S. To Ricky;
Sheeeit,
They're easier to get on the streets of
Bodymore, Murderland
than finding a place to live..............lol!

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

"Happiness Is A Warm Gun...................."

Good Afternoon;
This is a link to a story about a program called
"Arm The Homeless" in Phoenix

Let me know what you think.


Later................................Dave







Gotcha..........see link below......................lmao!

Monday, August 8, 2011

"Thanks............ But,....No Thanks ............."

Good Evening;
Yet another link, this time to an article from Poverty Insights;


It has some thoughts and ideas to share on things to consider when you want to donate some old and/or unneeded items to shelters, agencies & organizations, or directly to the homeless.

A few of my own musings on the subject, from experience and observation, concerning direct gifts and donations are:

Food:

Perishables - Depending on the weather, if one has no source of refrigeration, there is only so much that can be carried and consumed before it becomes inedible.
Carrying and Storage Limits - There is only so much weight and volume one can carry, and not everyone has a safe, (from 2 and 4 legged pests and rodents), hideaway to keep any extra items.
Cooking Facilities - Sometimes the best it may be is the hot water from a bathroom faucet. In shelters that are more than a "Code Blue/Extreme Winter Weather" or "Code Red/Extreme Heat & Humidity" E.O.S. (Emergency Overnight Shelter.....where personal food items are not allowed inside...[must be discarded or eaten before entry]..), one may find a 'hot pot' water urn, microwave, or even in some cases a full kitchen.

Personal Taste - Just because someone is homeless does not mean that they still prefer some foods over others. IF!!! I am starving I'll not refuse anything and scavenge from trashcans if necessary,......

Uh Oh.....gotta pack up and run, (figuratively speaking), I've been sitting outside the Baskin Robbins it's 12:02 am. and the bus is leaving Owings Mills Metro station and will be here at 12:06 am.......see you shortly.

Okay I'm back....and before I finish the above thoughts I just want to comment on something that has me curious about what happened and why.......
I got off the bus at McHenry Ave. as usual and walked through the breezeway to the parking lot of the First Watch Cafe, again as usual. What was NOT as usual were the missing benches from in front of the restaurant! I was last there Friday night/Saturday morning....and so were the benches!?!?
As Jerry Seinfeld would say....."What's up with that!?"
So I am currently in front of the library......
.......and I have to finish this quickly because my battery just yelled at me....lol.


....but I'll skip a meal or 2 if all there are is beans!

So if someone refuses your offering, don't get insulted, angry or self righteous, (that last one is the reason I avoid Holiday charity 'Feasts'),
there could be actual reasons that he or she may have, (and don't forget food allergies).

Now there are plenty of homeless addicts and alcoholics out there who DO try to scam you only for money for their next fix, and you can pretty much tell in most cases who they are, but not everyone who says no thank you is an ungrateful
scheming bastard.


I gotta run,

Later..............................Dave