I drove about 70 miles last thursday to a board meeting. I spoke out against what I thought was wasteful spending. They wanted to buy a near new building. It was much too large for our needs in my opinion and $600,000. I might have been too vociferous because I had two reporters call me yesterday from two different newspapers.
*******
I saw something yesterday that has had me chuckling every time it crosses my mind. In a nearby town there is a trampoline, near a house, on a steep sidehill.
"Mom, can I go out and jump twice on the trampoline?"
Or if they ever sell the ad will say- For Sale: Trampoline. Like new condition. Used only for short periods, usually just two jumps at a time.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Friday, February 22, 2008
Just So You Know
Our tap water is 39 degrees. I just checked it. I thought you should know.
*******
The radicals are against water boarding some guy caught dragging a headless Marine through the streets because it's a form of torture.
But yet they are going to allow the Academy Awards with Jon Stewart to be shown on national television. Go figure.
*******
The radicals are against water boarding some guy caught dragging a headless Marine through the streets because it's a form of torture.
But yet they are going to allow the Academy Awards with Jon Stewart to be shown on national television. Go figure.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Survival Mode
It is -10 as I write. But the weather man says that with the bright sunny skies and wind that we can expect to get up to oh, about zero.
I've decided to not even try trucking corn and will leave the tractor-trailer in the shed. At least in there when it jells up I won't have to tow it. I can just 'tow' the Knipco heaters over to the truck.
We have gone into survival mode again. You know, things like asking Marilyn to start my pick up for me when she goes out to start her car. Planning is the key when life gets tough.
I've decided to not even try trucking corn and will leave the tractor-trailer in the shed. At least in there when it jells up I won't have to tow it. I can just 'tow' the Knipco heaters over to the truck.
We have gone into survival mode again. You know, things like asking Marilyn to start my pick up for me when she goes out to start her car. Planning is the key when life gets tough.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Things About Me You Did Not Want To Know
I have been tagged by Paul and Villas Girl to fill out some lists about myself.
I have started the first of several days of leadership type training. This training will occur on at least 4 days spread out across the year and Nebraska.
How do these two have anything to do with each other. Well I'll tell you.
The results of a personality test, the Myers Briggs Type Indicator were given to us last week at our conference. We had taken the test a few weeks earlier. The College Prof who ran the 3 hour session apparently makes his living doing this as he was very good and very entertaining. Many of you have taken this test. Out of the 8 personality types there are 16 possible combinations. I am an ISFP. Introverted-Sensing-Feeling-Perceiver
My P or perceiving scores were all max'd out. In explaining us perceiving types as opposed to the opposite type of Judging he said, "A judger will get up in the morning and make a list of priorities and really attempt to complete it before the day is done. A 'P' or perciever will not make a list. He hates lists. If he does make a list, he will lose it. His desk is a mess, his refridgerator is not neat, everything on his desk is in piles and the clothes in his drawers aren't in neat little piles because 'P's like to stir their clothes when looking for something to wear. He's been reading my mail. If you go to this website it explains my type and is really very accurate. That way when you come to Blogstock you won't have any surprises.
Now as for Paul's bucket list, I made one but I lost it. If I remember correctly it involved several changes on the county level that I wanted to help bring about while I'm still in office. (I AM the candidate of change and have learned that I really don't need to be specific to be able to say that.) I'd like to make enough money so that Marilyn wouldn't need to work so long or so hard. She just barely has enough time to clean house, cook, and bring me my iced tea and blanket as it is.
Someday I'd like to build a new house with very specific features. We have made hudreds of lists of ideas we would like to incorporate in this new house but I keep losing the lists.
We do want enough time to be able to sit on the sidelines and watch our grandchildren 'do stuff'. They are all 10 and under so that is coming up.
We would like to be able to travel south for two or three weeks every winter.
I can't remember what else is on my list. The list is on my desk somewhere.
As for Villas Girl's list of quirky thing about me. I drink iced tea constantly. I'm trying to lose weight and have been since birth. I'm on our county board of Supervisors. I sit on 6 other boards. I can't say no apparently but am learning. I sleep with my best friend. (36 plus years of that) I taught my children that there will always be someone stronger, faster, richer, poorer, more talented and better looking but that they should try to be one of the best there is at something. They all have.
I play bad golf very well and sometimes a lot of it. I have done a lot of emcee work on a local level as well as entertaining with a quartet. (my wife and another couple)
Some people ask me if I have a joke for them.
I leave everything that involves a deadline to the last minute especially if it involves speaking in front of a crowd. This isn't entirely true. I have a knack for being able to predict when I will need to say something to a group and probably have rehearsed it in my mind about twenty times. Same thing with the jokes. This leads people to complement me for saying the right thing off the cuff when actually I had thought it thru. I'm not so smart as to be able to come up with stuff on a moments notice.
I've always believed that in business or government that talented, well paid people are the answer. I'd rather give a good employee a raise and cut somewhere else. My phone doesn't ring very much and that is because of the quality of the employees in this county. That may not seem quirky to you but it's surprising the number of people who do.
This is way too long.
One more quirky thing. I don't do meme's so this post is one of a kind.
I have started the first of several days of leadership type training. This training will occur on at least 4 days spread out across the year and Nebraska.
How do these two have anything to do with each other. Well I'll tell you.
The results of a personality test, the Myers Briggs Type Indicator were given to us last week at our conference. We had taken the test a few weeks earlier. The College Prof who ran the 3 hour session apparently makes his living doing this as he was very good and very entertaining. Many of you have taken this test. Out of the 8 personality types there are 16 possible combinations. I am an ISFP. Introverted-Sensing-Feeling-Perceiver
My P or perceiving scores were all max'd out. In explaining us perceiving types as opposed to the opposite type of Judging he said, "A judger will get up in the morning and make a list of priorities and really attempt to complete it before the day is done. A 'P' or perciever will not make a list. He hates lists. If he does make a list, he will lose it. His desk is a mess, his refridgerator is not neat, everything on his desk is in piles and the clothes in his drawers aren't in neat little piles because 'P's like to stir their clothes when looking for something to wear. He's been reading my mail. If you go to this website it explains my type and is really very accurate. That way when you come to Blogstock you won't have any surprises.
Now as for Paul's bucket list, I made one but I lost it. If I remember correctly it involved several changes on the county level that I wanted to help bring about while I'm still in office. (I AM the candidate of change and have learned that I really don't need to be specific to be able to say that.) I'd like to make enough money so that Marilyn wouldn't need to work so long or so hard. She just barely has enough time to clean house, cook, and bring me my iced tea and blanket as it is.
Someday I'd like to build a new house with very specific features. We have made hudreds of lists of ideas we would like to incorporate in this new house but I keep losing the lists.
We do want enough time to be able to sit on the sidelines and watch our grandchildren 'do stuff'. They are all 10 and under so that is coming up.
We would like to be able to travel south for two or three weeks every winter.
I can't remember what else is on my list. The list is on my desk somewhere.
As for Villas Girl's list of quirky thing about me. I drink iced tea constantly. I'm trying to lose weight and have been since birth. I'm on our county board of Supervisors. I sit on 6 other boards. I can't say no apparently but am learning. I sleep with my best friend. (36 plus years of that) I taught my children that there will always be someone stronger, faster, richer, poorer, more talented and better looking but that they should try to be one of the best there is at something. They all have.
I play bad golf very well and sometimes a lot of it. I have done a lot of emcee work on a local level as well as entertaining with a quartet. (my wife and another couple)
Some people ask me if I have a joke for them.
I leave everything that involves a deadline to the last minute especially if it involves speaking in front of a crowd. This isn't entirely true. I have a knack for being able to predict when I will need to say something to a group and probably have rehearsed it in my mind about twenty times. Same thing with the jokes. This leads people to complement me for saying the right thing off the cuff when actually I had thought it thru. I'm not so smart as to be able to come up with stuff on a moments notice.
I've always believed that in business or government that talented, well paid people are the answer. I'd rather give a good employee a raise and cut somewhere else. My phone doesn't ring very much and that is because of the quality of the employees in this county. That may not seem quirky to you but it's surprising the number of people who do.
This is way too long.
One more quirky thing. I don't do meme's so this post is one of a kind.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Pictures of Me and .....
Ol' Woody
We've hung out so much we're starting to look the same. However you can't see my crack like you can Woody's.
Grandson Hudson Thomas
We're cheering for our favorite team during the SuperBowl whilst watching it on Uncle Dan's big TV.
Saturday, February 09, 2008
Gather 'Round Children
Note: I'm speaking here about people who are getting aide but who won't put out any effort to improve their situation. I don't mind taxpayers dollars being used to help those who need it, so long as they are trying. I am also a big fan of private and faith based organizations who are doing great things like Nora's "Second Helpings." Contribute all you can to these types.
I have just returned home from our yearly county supervisor workshop. As always most of the sessions were good, a couple were great and a couple were painful for our rears to endure.
I have had a theory that our steady move toward socialism in this country was not working. I think it has spawned a big group of people who feel entitled. "I can't work part time because I'll lose some of my aide." "Did you stop down and get the food stamps and the gas vouchers?
And there is the thinking that, "I've murdered someone so now I have more rights than the victim because you know what?." "I have the best attorney."
After the last three days, I am now sure of that theory.
Let me say first that we must and do help those who can't help themselves. To weed out those who could but won't is the key.
I've heard Hillary claim (In her oft used man-voice) that when she's elected president she will take 10 or 15 billion dollars from the biggest companies to give to the poor. To fix things.
Health care for everyone is the trend now in politics. She and O'bama say we need to spend more money to get votes... er make things better because by golly we can't leave anyone behind. "Gosh darn it, Our country is NOT giving enough money away so VOTE FOR ME!" We'll give you a tax cut. "Didn't pay taxes you say?" Then we'll find someone with money and take it from them and give you their money back. (well that and since there aren't very many rich people they don't have many votes so who cares about them.) They say it's just not fair that there are rich folks out there. McCain is no better.
Well I'm here to tell you that I just listened to the CEO of Nebraskas HHS speak for 45 minutes. She is new, and has been saddled with the chore of trying to reign in an out of control department. She reported to us that her annual budget is nearing 2.5 BILLION. We only have 1.8 million people in the state. (We could find the 50,000 neediest people in our state and write each one a check for $50,000 each year and tell them to hire their own help)
If anyone out there thinks we need to spend more money to fix something you are nuts. Money won't fix our problems.
Taking responsibilty for ourselves and our actions will fix it.
Getting a job, or two, or three will fix it.
Parenting our kids and showing them how parents should act and work and behave will fix it.
The rich pay almost all of our taxes. I'm not one of them. But I like rich people. Without them we are sunk. There are few ways to become wealthy yourself. But one way is to take money from someone who already has it. IE labor, services, and etc.
The rich people give us our jobs, that translates into houses and other retail businesses and whole communities. So lets not tax ourselves out of existence.
Lets cut our HHS budgets in half.
Lets not have kids if we can't take care of them. If we do have kids lets teach them that you win some and you lose some but you must get back up again and fight. Teach them that there will always be someone smarter, faster, richer, and better looking.
Yes Little Jimmy, someone else is better than you. So suck it up and maybe next time you will be the winner. (now back to our regular programming)
I have just returned home from our yearly county supervisor workshop. As always most of the sessions were good, a couple were great and a couple were painful for our rears to endure.
I have had a theory that our steady move toward socialism in this country was not working. I think it has spawned a big group of people who feel entitled. "I can't work part time because I'll lose some of my aide." "Did you stop down and get the food stamps and the gas vouchers?
And there is the thinking that, "I've murdered someone so now I have more rights than the victim because you know what?." "I have the best attorney."
After the last three days, I am now sure of that theory.
Let me say first that we must and do help those who can't help themselves. To weed out those who could but won't is the key.
I've heard Hillary claim (In her oft used man-voice) that when she's elected president she will take 10 or 15 billion dollars from the biggest companies to give to the poor. To fix things.
Health care for everyone is the trend now in politics. She and O'bama say we need to spend more money to get votes... er make things better because by golly we can't leave anyone behind. "Gosh darn it, Our country is NOT giving enough money away so VOTE FOR ME!" We'll give you a tax cut. "Didn't pay taxes you say?" Then we'll find someone with money and take it from them and give you their money back. (well that and since there aren't very many rich people they don't have many votes so who cares about them.) They say it's just not fair that there are rich folks out there. McCain is no better.
Well I'm here to tell you that I just listened to the CEO of Nebraskas HHS speak for 45 minutes. She is new, and has been saddled with the chore of trying to reign in an out of control department. She reported to us that her annual budget is nearing 2.5 BILLION. We only have 1.8 million people in the state. (We could find the 50,000 neediest people in our state and write each one a check for $50,000 each year and tell them to hire their own help)
If anyone out there thinks we need to spend more money to fix something you are nuts. Money won't fix our problems.
Taking responsibilty for ourselves and our actions will fix it.
Getting a job, or two, or three will fix it.
Parenting our kids and showing them how parents should act and work and behave will fix it.
The rich pay almost all of our taxes. I'm not one of them. But I like rich people. Without them we are sunk. There are few ways to become wealthy yourself. But one way is to take money from someone who already has it. IE labor, services, and etc.
The rich people give us our jobs, that translates into houses and other retail businesses and whole communities. So lets not tax ourselves out of existence.
Lets cut our HHS budgets in half.
Lets not have kids if we can't take care of them. If we do have kids lets teach them that you win some and you lose some but you must get back up again and fight. Teach them that there will always be someone smarter, faster, richer, and better looking.
Yes Little Jimmy, someone else is better than you. So suck it up and maybe next time you will be the winner. (now back to our regular programming)
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
UPS Update
I want to be fair here. The local people we deal with for UPS couldn't be better people or do a better job. The lost equipment was reportedly dropped at the door of a business that had moved. They reported to us (thru our local people ) that UPS had done their job by dropping it at the door. If you'll recall we had purchased an additional $200 dollars worth of insurance on it that supposedly didn't mean anything. After coaxing on the part of most of you readers and having even had my son call from Lincoln saying give me the claim number "I know someone."
We approached them again thru the local folks and this time they wanted some more info and told us they would send someone out to retrieve the package. A call yesterday wanted us to bring pictures of what was missing. I assume so they could decide if they were actually going to have to pay all of the $200.
Today the package showed back up in Tekamah. In good condition and we couldn't help but notice the stamps that said "Business moved" "undeliverable-return to sender". They were covered by other stickers that UPS had put on. We think the package was sitting in a warehouse somewhere un-noticed until someone was made to go look for it. The pictures are of the contents. Marilyn couldn't remember for sure what all was in it. The shears are all $70+ with a couple as high as $150. The clipper blades at left are all in the $30 to $40 range. Clearly not enough insurance. The big question is how the heck many blades does she have if she can have this many shears and blades intransit and still groom 8 or 10 dogs per day. It's going to take some refiguring and a little fortitude to put this all in the mail again. They still need sharpened. "Uh yes, I'd like to purchase a $1000 worth of insurance."
Yes you are correct. Three or four smaller packages would be wiser. But none the less, the price you pay for grooming may be going up.
See you guys on Friday.
Sunday, February 03, 2008
New Gig
Heard on a local radio station: Squirrels... Natures little speed bumps.
On another note, February 3rd is the anniversary of the 'Day the Music Died' back in 1959. You can go read about it by clicking on the link.
And lastly a friend of mine who is the editor for a regional farm periodical sent me an email a while back. This is the result of the negotiations that followed. It's a column to be published 18 times per year. Now if I can just think of something to say.
"Nipit"
On another note, February 3rd is the anniversary of the 'Day the Music Died' back in 1959. You can go read about it by clicking on the link.
And lastly a friend of mine who is the editor for a regional farm periodical sent me an email a while back. This is the result of the negotiations that followed. It's a column to be published 18 times per year. Now if I can just think of something to say.
"Nipit"
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