Category: ramblings of a madman

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ramblings of a madman

… It’s been awhile

Hello one and all. Yes it has been a long time since my last post. That last post was April 3rd of this year to be exact. The McKeeSpot is still around, and I am still alive and kicking.

So you ask, what have I been up to? As I mentioned in that April post, I have found this to be an interesting time in my life. And much has transpired over the past six months that I plan to write about. I have been very busy, both personally and professionally.

Lets start with the professional. I am still working a normal work week. I am still in my current job. Soon I will have surpassed 35 years of employment. I will turn 65 next year and will be old enough for Medicare. As I write this, I plan to continue to work for a while longer. Guess I haven’t found a better gig to support the third act in my life, yet.

Personally I have been exploring the world in terms of the internet. And yes, it is a dangerous place. There are scams and there are scammers. You can be hacked and not know what to do. It doesn’t matter if it’s a dating site. It is a random and you are infected before you know it. It can be a random email, or a text message from some unknown number. Even established websites (LinkedIn, Substack, FaceBook, etc.) have their share. They are full of scammers who prey on us lonely hearts (or naive people). The established sites don’t know who these scammers are. However, they are aware they exist. Good luck trying to report them to get them removed. All you can do is block them.

Or they block you and have moved on to their next target. Some have lots of followers. They may not be legitimate influencer’s but they certainly can influence one’s future if you get connected with them.

And why does the magnificent seven tech companies sell tools or allow the scammers to run? Why do these large companies allow for fraudulent email services to be established? Mask phone numbers? Good luck using tools to search phone numbers and location, or explore the names of people. If they do not have a legitimate footprint on the internet, they are fake. Alternatively, they have correctly limited their information. But once your information is out there, good luck trying to remove it. With AI, a machine creates a whole new life for you. It’s not created by yourself or by fact. This machine can destroy your credibility and take your ID. Cyberdyne is alive and well. I read this morning about growing grassroots efforts. Their objective is to limit or not allow data centers across the country. They take too much power, they destroy a hard working jobs, thinking that the future will be better.

And the tricks are the usual. Found you interesting or love your posts. Lets continue the conversation on some other app. WhatsApp looks like the instrument of choice, but there are others. There I have personally conversed with six different women, all who have the same line. They are lonely. The younger men their age are immature. Let’s invest jointly into a crypto account and make lots of money. This way, we can travel the world together. Yet they are all young, attractive, and are tech savvy and have good jobs. Or so it appears…

I have found that several crypto platforms that are defi, or decentralized finance, are fake, and the scam is set. Some are actually registered with FinCEN. Some of the crypto companies know the fake sites but will not tell you as such. You send your money and it is lost, all the while they suggest excellent returns. They may look legit. Some are legitimate. Nonetheless, most will let you withdraw some, but not all, of your money. Why? Because your money left the moment it was deposited. The women always want you to invest more. Those ocean houses and world travel cost dollars.

You can quickly end the conversation with the scammers in most cases. State up front that you are not interested in investing with them in crypto. They quickly move on. For others, it takes awhile. They sell you on their legitimacy. They have great pictures. More often than not, the pictures are from other people’s Instagram or other sites.

Over the past year, I have conversed with six. I will write about all six and the trials and tribulations. You can (and will) lose money. Sadly, our government, and the crypto companies, are unable, or unwilling to deal with these fraudulent investment scams. The government has limited tools. The crypto companies will do only so much, and it is to limit their liability, not yours.

I am sure that there are legitimate crypto investments. I have found some of those. Often, legitimate women that I have conversed with have helped me. They are exploring the internet, just as I was, while looking towards the future. I still converse with them. The real test is whether they want to meet in person, no strings attached. I will write about these, because they too run the gamut of stories and falsehoods.

Exercise caution with anyone you meet on the internet. The future we are leaving our children will not be as great. It will not be as wonderful as the one our parents left us.

I will write more in the future. Until then, it’s a brave new world out there. Be safe. Be careful.

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ramblings of a madman

A cold spell. Has Mother Nature snapped? Have I snapped?

A cold front has transcended the United States this week. Cold, wind and snow in some places, below zero temperatures in others. Here it has been very cold and windy. I think winter has finally arrived, almost in full force. Except for the lack of snow.

The climate doomsayers constantly remind us about various days as being the warmest the earth has experienced. Never do they talk about or trend the coldest days. Or they frequently discuss the warmest year on record. They also talk about how weather phenomena continue to drive bad conditions. It is worse this year than in previous years. The situation continues to get worse year after year. People attribute the magnitude of destruction from the California fires to the Santa Ana winds. And all of the destruction that we see is because of climate change. I am certain the Santa Ana winds have been around for much longer than either you or me.

Suffice it to say, the fires are bad because of the lack of poor land management. There is a lack of reducing fuel on land. Additionally, there is insufficient investment in infrastructure because the land becomes overpopulated. Mother nature has not snapped.

The intensity of storms or winds may have increased compared to what was experienced in the past. We all likely agree on this to some extent. And I think we would all acknowledge that the human race has had some impact on those changes. However, we will all disagree on the specific conditions of the change. Increased CO2 from the emissions of cars, petroleum products, burning coal for electricity? Decreased forestation, where less trees cover the planet. Changes in water and air conditions (pollution). More buildings, roads and parking lots. We differ on where humans have played a role in changing the climate. And I am sure that we differ on how to fix it, if it even can be fixed?

Quite simply, there are too many people on this planet.

Climate and weather is Chemistry and Physics. I am reminded of Le Chatelier’s Principle. When a reaction at equilibrium is disturbed by a change in conditions, the system will respond. It will act in a way that counteracts the disturbance. Then it will re-establish a new equilibrium. Or is it the simplification of Newton’s Third law, that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction?

Some interrelation mathematical dance tied to a myriad of hydrodynamics codes. Whether it is the weather, nuclear weapons design, investing in the stock market, who knows (or cares). Perhaps I have snapped!

My coworker and I were talking about this the other day. Not the have I snapped part. A conversation separates the normal workflow of the day. Schedules, reports, review reports or data, technical presentations to prepare, meetings to attend (and accomplish nothing). The status of our activities. Earned value management? She was getting things wrapped up work wise before venturing off onto another photography trip. This time it’s to British Columbia and Alberta to visit among other things, some lake that has frozen methane spheres. And if nature and conditions cooperate, animals will be photographed in their natural habitat. Hopefully, the northern lights will also make an appearance.

You can read all about the methane bubbles here: https://www.abrahamlake.com/Frozen-Methane-Bubbles-at-Abraham-Lake.html

As for the scientist in me, I wonder if you can burn the methane ice bubbles like cow dung. Or will they just explode?

She travels the world whenever time permits, which is another way of saying when vacation hours accumulate. She has photographed penguins in Antarctica, twice. She has captured pictures of volcanoes in Iceland. Stayed in an ice hotel in Scandinavia as part of a trip to see the Northern Lights. Castles in Scotland. She has documented (on film) animals in Africa. She has taken photographs of wildfires. She has photographed the crews working to contain them. She has also captured images of polar bears here in America. And of my daughter’s horse Ruby…

Our conversation was about melting glaciers and their impact on global warming. We also talked about the salinity of the water (Le Chatelier’s Principle in action). Why does one use salt to melt ice? Lastly, we discussed ideal beachfront investments for the future, as I have to trivialize everything. Does melting ice actually flood the planet and change the coastline in the future?

Her vacation travels make me think about my need to travel across this country, and elsewhere. Especially as I ponder retirement. Unfortunately, I accumulate too many vacation hours and hardly use them. OK, I occasionally travel for concerts. Early May is already set with a planned concert. A few other trips are in the planning stages. As for work, our paid time off, or PTO, combines vacation hours and sick hours. I seldom use all of it and so it accumulates and then I just take days off. As I seldom get sick, those hours also just accumulate. I might suggest that is because I take good care of myself, but we know that isn’t entirely true. However, my last physical indicated that I was in good health. There are a few things I need to work on as I get older. I will address those issues this year.

Next week, many people will snap because Trump will be inaugurated as our 47th President. Talk about a cold front settling across the nation! As for this post, I am left with many topics to detail in future posts. Until next time, stay safe, stay warm and enjoy. All is well.

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ramblings of a madman

Embracing Change: Autumn Reflections, Family Updates, and Thoughts on the Future

Glancing at the clock, I noticed it’s already 11 am Mountain Standard Time. This morning, I had the luxury of sleeping in, waking up to the delightful prospect of having a day entirely to myself. It’s been some time since I last experienced a day like this, although the thought has crossed my mind more often lately.

In the past, this weekend would have marked the Telluride Blues and Brews Festival. It’s been quite some time since I last attended—sixteen years, if I recall correctly. Nevertheless, I’ve visited Telluride twice since then, the most recent being in 2016 for a special two-night performance by Neil Young. It remains one of my favorite destinations, and I’m due for a return visit.

The reason I mention this is that autumn is upon us. The days and nights have grown cooler recently. There’s a distinct scent in the air, and the trees are starting to display their autumnal hues. There’s still a lot I need to accomplish before the cold sets in. I’m eager to go camping before the end of the year.

Recently, I had a conversation with my daughter about the significance of reading and writing. She was completing an assignment for her class, and I took the opportunity to review it and provide some feedback. It was refreshing to see her write about a topic beyond horses. Her horse, Roman, has accompanied her back to college, which means my routine visits to the stables for feeding are paused. The stables require some repairs, but there’s nothing on the agenda for this weekend. My son celebrated his birthday recently, and the week-long festivities wrapped up with a dinner at his favorite steakhouse in Santa Fe. I wish I had more opportunities to interact with them.

Yesterday, I enjoyed a long morning walk with Jewel, but not today. However, I did manage to step out this morning for a Starbucks coffee. Afterwards, I made my rounds in town, dropping off mail at the post office and paying the county utility bill by placing my envelope in the free drop-off box. With October approaching, my gas, electric, water, and sewage bills are set to increase by several dollars each month. I still adhere to writing checks and mailing payments. Yes, this means occasionally visiting the Post Office for stamps. Society has undergone significant changes with modern technology. Yet, it remains crucial, even for a hermit like myself, to venture out and engage with people. I believe the diminishing of face-to-face interactions is one of the factors driving our division in this nation.

And here is another thing that is clearly dividing us. Thinking about the next election as my phone sounds regarding yet another text message asking for donations. I have been donating this year to numerous House, Senate and the Presidential race this year. This election is just too important for the future of our country. Kamala and the Communists must be removed from power. It is that simple. If you want a nation that has a chance to provide a better future for our children. The decision is simple Yes, I am thinking about my son and daughter. It is this important.

How I long for the days of Ronald Reagan. BTW, great movie if you haven’t seen it yet.

And I do not expect it to be a clean and fair election. The democrats, with their supporters in the media, unions, and government, will be pulling out all of the stops. They aim to cheat and steal this election. Please tell me why voting has to start in some places tomorrow, a full month BEFORE election day. What checks are there in mailing a ballot? It does not require proof regarding who sent it. It also does not require proof of who filled it out. This is just wrong! Our nation is based upon one person, one vote. And before you speak, illegals do not qualify.

And the illegals are lining up. And the cemeteries are emptying their dead. They are choosing to use mail in ballots. The ballots will be sent to drop boxes. No signature or date or proof of citizenship required. alive or dead. And let us be clear. The illegals need to be rounded up, arrested and deported.

For myself, this election is simple. It is based upon my beliefs surrounding rugged individualism. You will not be taking my guns. You will not be weaponizing the government. You will not be relying on endless wars to feed your plans to destroy this republic. You will not be taking my hard-earned monies from my current and future employment. You will not be taking my hard-earned monies from my current and future investments. You will not be taking my hard-earned monies from my children! Your sick policies have increased the deficit, and you cannot solve this problem through inflation. And damn, please follow the science. We the people, are going to triumph this November and return the government BACK TO THE PEOPLE.

Closer to home, I have noticed a change in myself. Actually, I have been noticing it very much of late. And it is a change for the better. I am spending more time on myself, less time for work and other things. I think it is clear that I am getting close to a retirement date. I am only working my defined hours, and not working longer for nothing. The laboratory had an opportunity to correct its past injustices towards me but chose to not to do so. I am done giving. I am thinking about what comes next for myself.

To that end, I am reading more in the evenings. I now actually spend more time in the morning reading my online subscription to the Wall Street Journal. I have subscribed to Substack. I have found some very interesting reading there. I’m nearly prepared to sever the cable TV connection and exclusively stream the content I wish to view. It’s all about saving money and advancing things that I want and need. Many books go unread from my travels. I am enjoying music once again. I dusted off that old acoustic guitar and bought a how to play the guitar book. And I have been working on more posts for this blog. Let’s hope that I can follow through and post.

Well, I think I’ll end it here for this post. I should have posted this about an hour ago, but I have been playing with the AI features available. I have some housecleaning to do, stuff to read. Preparations for the week ahead, etc, etc, etc. Until next time. God bless.

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ramblings of a madman

Today is Sunday, July 16

Happy Sunday. It is sunny and almost noon here in Northern New Mexico. I have had my morning coffee, paid the bills, caught up on some news, and managed to get to the grocery store. Quite a productive day, so far. I found a brief moment to rush a posting on the blog. So here we go…

Yesterday I managed to take a Steve day. A Steve day is where I get out of the house and go off on some adventure or execute a ritual from times past. Well in this case, I went to Santa Fe, for all things…wait for it…lunch at Red Lobster. Yes, it is the simplest things in life. Given the distances between points in the west, compared to the east, one can drive miles as part of the adventure.

Except this was not much of an adventure. Only a 30-mile trip by car. Checking out the blue sky, running the air conditioner on high, and blasting the music while driving. Relaxing! Yet with gas still at $3.59 a gallon, the road trip has become somewhat more of a luxury than an adventure. That may be why it is best to combine the trips into the weekend getaway or plan multiple errands for the same trip.

I finally used that gift card that the kids got me for Christmas. It was tasty and filling. Followed that up with a trip to Dillard’s. Yes, I was at the mall! Malls still exist and are an important socio-economic element in society. Dillard’s remains an anchor tenet at Sante Fe Place, the mall south of Santa Fe. Malls were first hit hard by on-line shopping, and then the pandemic. There I bought some dress clothes for a possible trip in August, to attend the wedding of my cousin’s daughter. Not sure yet because there is much going on later in the month work wise. After clothes, some coffee and a grinder. Necessary for my morning habit.

When I first got to New Mexico, I spent lots of time at the mall, trying to adjust to my new surroundings, meet new people, get out of the house and have something outside of work look forward to. It was typically lunch and a movie, or lunch, a movie and a trip to the bookstore. After the long years of work, marriage and divorce, what I have become to call the hibernation years, I am finally resuming what I hope is the return to normalcy. After all, I am a human of habit. As the kids get older and are onto bigger and better things in their own lives, what becomes my third act in life is slowly taking shape, or so I may think.

For me, life is basically reduced to three acts. The first act encompasses the first 29 years and covers growing up and going to school. The second act, which I guess is slowly coming to an end, are the work years. These years represent the 30+ years here in New Mexico. When I retire, which remains unclear, will be the end of the second act and the start of the third act.

As soon as I have laid out that third act, then I can pull the lever and make it happen. I find that music is an important element of those periods and perhaps that is part of the problem. I have not found the correct sound for the next act. Yesterday I found myself dusting off some old music from the 80’s and 90’s, in the form of the Screaming Trees, Husker Du, the Buzzcocks, and other vintage sounds. According to Wikipedia, the Screaming Trees are no more, but the Buzzcocks released an album in 2022.

I don’t know why music fills much of the stages of my life. Corny to call the selections an operatic soundtrack? I have a lousy voice, cannot carry a tune, I cannot play an instrument, but find that music is at the center of many of my memories, from growing up in Pennsylvania, to college, to today. I have given thought about taking up an instrument when I retire, so maybe that will happen.

Sadly, I should have gone back to Pennsylvania last weekend for my uncle’s funeral. The last immediate relative from my childhood passed away earlier in the week. Except for the neighbors, who are in their 80’s, some cousins scattered throughout the state, there isn’t much of a reason to return. My connections with that time are limited and relegated to memories.

Except for the occasional Facebook postings, much of my interactions with where I grew up are now just memories. There is no more Chief Logan High School. Most of my friends from high school, or for that matter, college, have moved on. Away from Pennsylvania. Contact is reduced to Facebook.

It has been very hot the past week or so, with the daily temperatures getting up into the high 80’s or low 90’s. Some wind, low humidity, but no rain. I have been growing tomatoes and sweet peppers on the back deck. So far, so good, but I have been applying lots of water to them.

Too hot, unfortunately, to work outside at the stables and finish the fence. Might have to adjust my schedule and work very early in the morning. We shall see. Hay deliveries resume in a week and so I need to get into the summer weekend activities. After the fence, I need to work on repairs to the stable buildings, the back yard at the house, and my ultimate desire to find land away from everyone to have a weekend retreat, a compound, a place to get away from it all.

On that note, I will end it here. No pictures for this update. Just words about the weekend. Nothing about the happenings of the past week. Hope you have a great weekend and week ahead. Until next time…

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ramblings of a madman

My Second Post of the Year

My Second Post of the Year comes at the start of the third month of 2023. I have wanted to do better, and my list of topics continues to grow, but my time to devote on the writing has been short. Many topics beyond the normal ramblings of a madman currently populate my list. I notice that when the weekend comes, I find myself preoccupied with a great many things. And so, by Sunday, I just want to ignore everybody and everything. This leaves me to either read a book, vegetate on a movie or documentary, or even just sleep.

This weekend was no exception. Unfortunately, I returned from a week of travel and had much to catch up on. Saturday, I slept because I really don’t sleep well on travel. I ended up sleeping most of the day, after sleeping in. Needed to go to the grocery store as the house was out of food. Yet I slept and will defer that shopping, paying the bills, doing the laundry and general cleaning, until today.

This morning was quite productive. Bills paid. Taxes finished, but not yet sent. Sadly, this year I will be paying instead of getting a refund. Not surprised given Biden’s desire to tax everybody to pay for his progressive (socialist) agenda of illegals, climate change, criminal justice, reparations, student loans. Inflation is up, income is down, and I have certainly reduced my spending on things that I do not need or want.

Side note. Noticed a sign about highway construction upon my travel return, touting that the road construction was paid by his “Build Back Better” act. Odd since the construction started a year before his build back better bill was passed. Our governor was spending millions that she did not have upcoming to this past election, starting road projects that are still setting idle, years after the signs were put up, the orange cones were placed, lanes were reduced, and the occasional bulldozer was parked near the construction.

As I said, bills are paid. I still pay most of my bills the old-fashioned way. I get a statement, I write a check, I mail the bill. I do not like paying bills online. Every month it seems that I get a notice about this or that account having been “hacked”. They set you up with a service to view whether your information is being used, diverted, sold. They never pay you for your time to check your information, replace your credit cards, update changes, the sudden increases in unwanted e-mails. I want my privacy. That comes at a cost to me. One that I am willing to pay for.

Yes, I still balance my checkbook. Every few months, I order new checks. I go to the post office and get stamps. I have a supply of envelopes. I don’t save any money by not paying bills this way. I don’t save any money by paying bills electronically, either. The companies claim that it saves money.

Does it save them money? I am not sure. They just nickel and dime you. Every month it is something different. If not them directly, well then, they just past on the costs to you. My Verizon bill was two cents more this month than last month. Why? Because the State of New Mexico increased the state rural universal service fund monthly surcharge per communication connection. What is the state rural universal fund? Well, it is a broadband program that offers digital equity and digital inclusion in rural areas of the state of New Mexico. Not sure if my service gets any better. On a daily basis, I think about half of my cellphone calls do not connect. Over at Comcast, NBCUniversal will no longer include Peacock Premium with my Xfinity service at no additional charge. In other words, my HD Preferred Plus package will be going up in price with less service or an option unavailable. With everything going to streaming services, I am afraid that what I want to watch will cost me more what it’s all over. Stop watching altogether will become the end state.

Corporate America just continues to nickel and dime you. Amazon increases the cost for Prime, yet very few movies are available at no cost, and when did they last send a package with next day delivery? The credit card companies are the worst. The prime interest rate is less than 5%, yet your credit card interest is almost 17%. I pay my bills on time. And damn, I even paid my student loans! Should I not get a discount as a preferred customer? Of late, the balance is paid in full each and every month. OK, so you don’t want to pay electronically, well, we will send you the statement, but no envelope to pay the bill. But do you have to send a bill when the balance is zero dollars?

What I would like is one company to do all of my business. My banking and pay a decent interest rate on my savings. Instead of 0.1% interest, how is it that other places can pay 3%? 4%? Offer a credit card that pays what I actually cost them for interest because my credit is good. How about insurance? My auto insurance, my homeowner’s insurance, my other insurance has all seen increases this past year. Yet I have never filed a claim. Healthcare, the list goes on and on.

I have started to plan a vacation for later this year, thinking that I will spend more time locally, with weekend getaways. And I want to get out and do some camping this year! Concerts will probably be few and far between, but I am working on that list.

The world around us isn’t that much better. As I get older, I see that it is getting worse. I see that the world that I am leaving for my children is in decline. The war in Ukraine continues. America continues its increasing debt drive into becoming a third world country. In short, our leaders fail to hold themselves, and the people, accountable for the problems. The crash is coming, and I hope that people are preparing.

Of late, I have also found myself using Sunday as a day to cook meals for the week. As the cold and snow continues into March in Northern New Mexico, I see myself thinking about a making some chili for the week. Not the New Mexico kind with Hatch Green Chile but rather the Texas kind, with beans and veggies.

And so, on that note, it’s time for laundry and off to the store. May these words find you safe and healthy. Until next time.

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ramblings of a madman

Tis a Saturday ramble on just about everything.

Good morning, everyone. I have been awake now for a couple of hours. Managed to get out and get my usual breakfast, a Chili Work burrito. I typically alternate between the Classic or the Jolly. A Classic is bacon, green with cheese whereas the Jolly is sausage, green with cheese. Eggs, potato and tortilla are a given. Yum. Of course, everyone should understand that green means green chili. You can get you burrito either as green, which is my favorite, red chili, no chili or even Christmas. Christmas is green and red. New Mexico is known for its chili.

Christmas shopping is almost complete. So, this weekend I will clean around the house and probably put up the Christmas tree. Like most Americans, given the poor economy with inflation out of control, I have limited what I am spending for gifts this year. Lacking snow on the ground, but cold weather, it isn’t very conducive to being in the Christmas spirit. Daughter is easy to shop for in terms of gifts. For her, it is things for the horse, or for her on the horse. Conversely, for son, he is harder to shop for. Video games is a given although I try to get him interested in other things.

I have been recovering from a stomach bug over the past few days. Not the flu, and not COVID. Could be my diet of late, or it could be work-related stress. I am not really sure. Trying to improve my diet. Have good days, and then not so good days. Applies to diet, and also for managing the work stress. Noting that my 32nd anniversary of work will soon be upon me, I have to wonder if I need to be done.

Getting e-mails from government health officials about the need to get a COVID booster. Yet, I had the original plus booster, and got COVID anyway. It is difficult to find some unopinionated science on the virus and so what to do next is difficult to decide. Having had COVID suggests that natural immunity would be ideal, yet I know people who have had COVID multiple times and so one has to question how far natural immunity will take you.

As I compose this post, the news is in the background. Topics being discussed cover many topics. From the broken border and increasing number of illegals crossing it daily, the prisoner swap with Russia, upcoming bowl games, the “Twitter files” and the suppression of free speech, politics, the economy, and America in decline.

And so, I will comment on all of those topics as I finish todays post. The border is broken. We need a wall. All of the illegals who have arrived need to be arrested and returned.

Drugs are coming over the border and it is our citizens who are dying. The precursors for those drugs originate in China. It is not in their interest to stop the exports of these materials. This is an undeclared war on our people and our way of life.

We are a nation of laws and if our government cannot enforce the basic laws, then it is time to get a new government. Impeachment is a just and prudent response to what has happened over the past two years.

The thought of a rematch between Michigan and Ohio State in the championship game is something to ponder, but I am not counting on it.

The “Twitter files” clearly show what we understood for a while. Twitter suppressed free speech based on the ideological bend of those who worked there. And of course, the fact that the Biden administration was involved should not surprise anyone. The Biden crime family and his administration is a cancer on our way of life. His administration is a disgrace; they are against the citizens of this nation and need to be removed from office.

Lastly, our economy is heading towards a recession as prices continue to go up. I expect it to be long and painful because the previous methods to manage economic decline simply will not work. Our government needs to get our house in order and stop giving away trillions of dollars based on policies that are not in the best interest of the people, the nation or the world. Nothing will put the country into greater decline faster than the economic decline, the educational decline, the decline in our standard of living, and the lack of lawlessness that we are seeing on a daily basis. Biden, like Obama before him, have been in office for a decade. Yet our budget deficit sits at $31 trillion dollars. In other words, these two men, in ten years, have managed contribute to half the national debt. And they have made our country worse, not better.

Expect me to cover these and other topics in future postings as 2022 comes to and end and we enter 2023. It is shameful that we are leaving this country in worse shape, on a path for war, famine, lower life expectancies and economic morass. Based on the results of the last election, we need to educate the electorate before it is too late, if it is possible. Or maybe the electorate wants to live in this type of cesspool. I don’t!

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ramblings of a madman

That morning cup of coffee and the thoughts that go with it…

Just coming off a few days of not being at work with the Thanksgiving holiday and such. This year I didn’t overdo the whole family Thanksgiving meal. I cooked a turkey, tried a new stuffing recipe, used lots of heavy whipping cream in the mashed potatoes and had a store bought pumpkin pie…for 6 hours of “practicing chemistry” in exchange for an hour of food and laugh with my kids.

Well the time off is almost over, although I have contemplated the fact that I could make it permanent. In a couple of weeks I will eclipse the milestone associated with the fact that I will have been working for over 32 years at the same place.

I don’t know as of yet how to fill the days in a post retirement world. My friends who have retired, still work part time. Maybe I should just start cutting my work time altogether. But then why retire in the first place. My plan is not complete and so I stick with what I know.

But I digress. Next week it will be December, which in rapid succession will be a few long days at work to wrap up the year, and then it will be Christmas, some more time off, and then a new year.

Not finished with the Christmas shopping as of today, but I am sticking to the lists. Yes, like many, I am cutting back on the whole present thing. With the market declines, I have lost 10% of the value of my retirement account, but almost 50% declines in the college funds for my kids. And what money is spent, ends up costing you more to buy less. Well that is inflation. My daughter, who now drives and has to pay for gas, is beginning to understand the value of a dollar. That fact is bourne out be her world. It costs more to fill the tank, to get a meal at Sonic. Just wait till she has to get a job and become self sufficient. The world is becoming too expensive, especially the necessities in life. What will she do when she has to pay for the horses and their food, let alone her own. My son, on the other hand, doesn’t see it since is Roblux cost the same. And he always wants more.

Excuse me while I get that second cup of coffee…

So every week, I place a clean cup under the coffee maker. Each and every day, after I wake up and get ready for the day, making the morning cup is high on the list of things to start the day. It is a ritual each and every morning. I usually start the morning with two cups. The brand will vary, but with no cream and a scoop of sugar. Each and every day. Talk about inflation. The varying bags of store bought coffee often comes in a 12 oz pack. The costs have a single bag has gone up almost thirty percent since Biden was elected.

Addicted…absolutely. A vice…more like a crutch. An absolute. Never in withdrawal because I can get my fix, multiple times a day. I am in a very different mindset if I deviate from this ritual. On work days, I stop at the coffee kiosk as I walk from my parked car to the office. Each and every day. It is a must. My only vice? I need that magic elixir or else the whole day is just wrong. And my addiction has gotten worse. Sometimes, after a meal, especially on travel, I may endulge in desert with my meal. Desert sometimes…coffee always.

And on the days that I don’t work, I will splurge and visit the Starbucks. Meet friends over coffee. Stop at the Speedway and get a 24 oz brew when I am heading to the stables. Or get a cup at the bakery. And while our local grocery store has a beer and wine bar, I can also visit the in-store Starbucks and get a cup as I stroll tthrough the store shopping for what food I want for the week. One cannot stroll through the store with a mug of beer or glass of wine.

It was the start of the day, the coffee cabel. It is always the start of the day, even though my cowroker has departed and our morning coffee cabel is no more. And now it is the end of the day. Doctors have often suggested that it is why my sleep patterns are not normal. Four hours of sleep, and a tall cup of coffee in between. My body is impacted by that most basic drug. Caffine! How wrong can they be.

Having a coffee adiction makes shoping for gifts for me easier. You can always use one more coffee mug. A few mugs are displayed in the photo above. As for me, I am always interested in trying new roasts that the store, or other places can provide me.

I am really enjoying the Black Rifle Blackbeard’s Delight. The dark roast advertises that I will “find a smoky aroma and a robust flavor with hints of baker’s chocolate”. For me, I am exploring the unknown as I start the day.

The Kicking Horse Kick Ass dark roast is just that. It kicks ass. When I need that extra jolt to kick ass at the start of the day, well there it is. The Peet’s Coffee Major Dickason’s Blend is my fall back blend of late for starting the day. It describes it self as an “incomparable world blend, rich, complex, and full-bodied”. I find it to be one of the few things of value to come out of Berkeley, California. And if it is not a bag of Starbucks, it will be a bag from Dunkin, or Seattle’s Best.

Now for the purists, they are all store bought ground coffee’s. I have a grinder, but I am lazy, especially in the early morning. I don’t have a fancy coffee brewer. I actually like the old-style perculator’s the best. I currently brew my morning in a Keurig. No french press, no special machine. I don’t use special water. My tap water tasts just great and makes a fine cup of coffee in my opinion. However, it must be hot. Not warm. HOT.

So I start the day with a good coffee. I end the day with a good bourbon. Simple, yes. Predictable, maybe. A bit excentric, always. Until next time.

Categories
ramblings of a madman

Happy Sunday January 9, 2022

It’s Sunday morning, after the first full week in which I returned to work from the the Christmas/New Years vacation. Jewel and I are spending a quiet day here at the house. Relaxing, drinking coffee. Well at least I am drinking coffee; Jewel is sitting next to me on the sofa.

It has been weeks since I last enjoyed my Sunday morning coffee cabal with my coworker. My friend left before Christmas to go to his house on Sanibel Island and now finds himself trying to return today. He is caught up in the COVID induced travel cancellations that have been pretty significant around the Christmas/New Years travel period.

COVID is significantly on the upswing in the US, with over a million new cases reported each day over the past week. The increase certainly keeps me from going out unless I need to. In Los Alamos county, COVID cases are up. Ditto at work, where we were reminded to resort to video meetings and to work at home if possible. Earlier in the week I received e-mail from both the middle school and the high school, indicating multiple students with positive tests and others identified for possible testing and quarantine by contact tracing. Important information since both schools have some importance to me in that both of my children are enrolled in each. So far, I am glad that they are continuing to push in class teaching. Both my son and daughter (and I) hated the on line stuff, and it is clear that they suffered from the video instruction. Overall, the pandemic has taken much from kids growing up over the past few years.

For some COVID cases, I understand that people have been vaccinated and still catch the virus. For others, this is a repeat infection. Either way, the virus is still with us, and will probably be around for ever. It will mutate and it will infect all of us at some point. Two points emerge from this, the 670-plus days into the pandemic. The first is that I, like many, are just fed up with the virus and how our government has handled it. Early on, it was shut down everything. It was the need for testing. Today, we still find ourselves short on testing. Shutting down the economy, not so much probably because the 15 days to slow the spread just didn’t do it. Government and employers still push masks and while I wear mine as so directed, I have to conclude that it only offers marginal protection. And while treatments exist, they are difficult to obtain, others are just now coming on-line, and others have may have been altogether discredited by the mainstream. The second is that while the vaccines offer some degree of protection, they do not make us immune. I expect as the virus mutates, it will be like the common cold or the flu and that we will be living with it for a very long time. But don’t take this as medical advice. It is just my opinion.

Today, much of the news is less about reporting events. It is more about reporting the opinion of events. I think objectivity has been lost in the modern age because of how quickly information travels and gets reported. Events can be seen real time. Stories are written and reported across multiple outlets, and the flaws, misinformation, lies, all can be shared without any evidence of truth or facts to back it up. The same story can show up in five, ten, or more newspapers, websites, twitter feeds, etc. Objectivity is now replaced with opinion.

The dictionary defines opinion as a belief, judgment, or way of thinking about something : what someone thinks about a particular thing. Newspapers now have opinion sections, where experts tell the story based on their beliefs, judgement, or way of thinking. Even what I write her is my opinion, based on my thinking, beliefs, education, background, experience. Included in that is political thinking and ideology. It is important to understand as much about the person who conveys the story as part of how one understands and interprets the story itself. This is the objectivity that people need today to understand what is going on around them.

Kevin M. Lerner recently wrote an article on the online website The Conversation in June 2020 about “Journalists believe news and opinion are separate, but readers can’t tell the difference”. Lerner is Assistant Professor

https://theconversation.com/journalists-believe-news-and-opinion-are-separate-but-readers-cant-tell-the-difference-140901

of Journalism at Marist College and edits the Journal of Magazine Media. His research focuses on the intellectual history of journalism through press criticism, satire, and magazines. The basic premise of the article is that the newspapers of today have sections that report news, and tell opinion. But is difficult for today’s reader to tell the difference.

The title of today’s post is “Happy Sunday…” It is my opinion that this Sunday is a happy day. I got a good nights sleep. I awoke in a good mood. I am not angry at my surroundings for the moment. But that could change as the day goes on.

There, I just gave you my opinion of his article. But we see it in the newspaper, on TV. Whether it is the Washington Post or the Wall Street Journal, or CNN versus FOX News. It is everywhere. Now more than ever, objectivity is needed as the world becomes a more troubling place. Russia looks poised to invade the Ukraine. China looks like it will use force to take over Taiwan. The Middle East continues to be in constant turmoil. And in the USA, the media continues to push the January 6 coup. The left hijacks the story line as an attempt to overthrow the government while the right pushes it as political protest.

We could write more about all of these political situations but I will save that for another time. Several things are still clear. It is Sunday. I am still happy. But I need more coffee. Until next time, be safe, enjoy reading TheMcKeeSpot and come back often. Drop a note if you like or dislike what you see here. I enjoy reading new things and conversing with new people.

Categories
ramblings of a madman

…out on the town.

Last night, and again this morning, I managed to get away for a few hours from sitting around the house. No vegging out on TV. No reading. No cooking, cleaning, or eating. I met up with a coworker and we went out for some food and drink. Now if you are familiar with Los Alamos, you quickly understand that there isn’t much in the way of choices, especially on the weekends.

My coworker, who is wrapping up about 30 years at Los Alamos, is moving. His plan is to vacate his place of residence, move back east for the holidays and when the new year starts, spend some time on a change of station with the DOE (Department of Energy) in Washington DC.

The downside, from my perspective, is that I will be missing a coworker who was part of my coffee cabal. No more conversation about work, bad managers, great coffee, discussions about science, economics, or whatever.

My task to get a life will become more and more…however you want to describe it.

We had planned to both retire this year, and now he is off for a few more years in the land of make believe. And I will be here, soon starting on my 32 year in the Land of Enchantment.

So the afternoon’s festivities started by walking to a local drinking establishment. We chose Boese Brothers Brewpub, which was only a half mile walk from our perspective abodes. I have been to this establishment several times, especially in the summer months, as they set tables outside in the grass and on the sidewalk. Usually go there with another coworker, but I can save those stories for another day.

Screenshot 2021-12-12 at 12-16-28 Boese Bros Brewpub – Los Alamos

There were a couple of basketball games on the TV screen’s when we entered. Largely empty but there were about a half a dozen people there when we arrived. It was too cold to sit outside so we grabbed a table and ordered the Double Dead Red, an advertised red ale at about 8% alcohol. Not too hoppy but tasty. As we were conversing, and our waitress was wondering whether we would have food with our libations, she mention about a new establishment right next door, which served cocktails. Neither one of us was aware of it and thought we would check it out. As the dinner hour progressed, we each consumed two of those, along with a sandwich the had chicken, green chili and other fixings. My friend had the panini and I had the club. After about 2 hours of food and drink, it started to fill up and we were ready for more adventure.

With that, we moved on to the next establishment for cocktails. Upon entering the place, we spied several coworkers who had gathered for somebody’s birthday. We didn’t join them but certainly noticed that the place wasn’t very full. This place, right next door, opened about a month ago in Los Alamos. Called the Long Pour, it is a cocktail bar that serves drinks made from vodka, agave spirit, gin and bourbon that are being crafted at the Boese Brothers’ distillery in Albuquerque. I had mentioned to my friend that I thought that would be an excellent side-gig after retirement, one which I could put chemistry to practice.

Had we bothered to read the local on-line news paper, we would have learned that the establishment has been open for about a month…

https://ladailypost.com/long-pour-cocktail-bar-opens-downtown-tuesday/

The Boese Brothers now have opened several establishments in the state, as I was able to explore as I wrote this post. One can find more about their efforts here:

Boese Brothers takes advantage of slower times to add something new to its menu

Obviously the next time I venture off to Santa Fe, I will have to check out Desert Dogs.

So after another couple of hours and more libations, we vowed to return and managed to walk home after venturing out on the town. Parted company and agreed to meet up the next day for Sunday coffee.

While I mentioned that my friend was moving, I failed to mention that he provided me with some books from his vast collection that he is downsizing as he contemplates his move.

Some classic works of literature now added to my collection. Great reading for the throne.

I am pretty sure that the “dear Asshole” will be very worthwhile as I contemplate work over the next few months.

As Sunday morning came along, I found myself out and about, walking to the coffee establishment in town, as I have come to do on many weekends where I do not have the kids. Of course, it is getting cold, snow in the higher elevations, and the local celebrities were out and about…

The two geese who call the pond home…Homer and Edna.

I introduced TheMcKeeSpot Readers to Homer and Edna in a previous posting (August 8, 2021). Water was cold, some ice in spots, but there they were, just floating(?) in the water at Ashley Pond. I passed them on my way to Starbucks. There I had some coffee, Pikes Place I think, and my friend showed up for more conversation. As it was over coffee, the topic often focused on work.

Out of the house, exercise walking about town. Food and libations. All in the span of a single weekend. Some of my readers might think that I was getting a social life outside of kids and horses. Well let’s see what tomorrow brings. Until next time…

Categories
ramblings of a madman

There are less than 20 shopping days left until Christmas…

It has been a couple of weeks since my last post. It was about Thanksgiving, written a few days after Thanksgiving. On a positive not, I have either eaten, frozen, or otherwise discarded the Thanksgiving leftovers. After awhile, even turkey no longer enjoyable be enjoyable day-in and day-out.

And I just remembered that there are only 19 shopping days until Christmas. Only 19! Where has the year gone? I have completed my Christmas shopping, yet my son still comes up with new things that he “absolutely must have”. I am to the point where I simply say that “I’ll text Santa and maybe the reindeer can work through all of the supply chain issues.”

The Los Alamos Rock and Gem show was this past weekend. Son and I try go every year. That is where he typically gets his Christmas gift for his mom and his sister, mission accomplished. That said, neither one has given me the list of ideas for their mother. It is going to be a very strange Christmas.

And this is on top of a very strange year where we still have not returned to normal, COVID is still an issue, and people are just getting tired of it all. I see it with my friends. I see it with my coworkers. I see it when I am out and about. It has been a significant strain on my kids and school.

Another family tradition is that I find time to work on the annual family calendar. Well, I can say that it is done, ordered, and already here to be wrapped and sent out as Christmas gifts for the immediate family. It turned out rather well. The best thing about it is that some of my blog photos also made it into the calendar. And that happened without even trying. Also splurged and got some other special photo reminders for the kids. Now we actually have things for the stockings.

Just a few final things…when will we put up the Christmas Tree? Will it snow this year? What will I get Jewel? Do I have to get special treats for the horses?

Wait a minute Ruby, I need to get this text message to Santa about what I want for Christmas.

An anniversary of sorts is coming up soon. Later this month, and before Christmas, I will have eclipsed 31 years working at Los Alamos. Last year, I thought 30 was going to be my last. Somehow, I toughed out another year. But I can certainly feel that the time and work is draining my soul, my desire, my engagement. The enjoyment is no longer there.

Work sucks. Management sucks. Life sucks. It is clearly time for a change!

Of late, I have found that I am spending too much time at work and think that I have come to the end of the line. Many individuals talk about the split between work and home. I dream about it but very seldom do I get to experience it. I find it very disheartening that, after 30 year, I am still putting in long hours.

Don’t get me wrong, but I will certainly do what it is necessary to complete a task that I am assigned to, or agreed to have complete by such-and-such-date. But when I am to rush to complete task 23 when the individuals ahead of me failed to complete their tasks when promised, expected, or communicated…I am reminded of that old statement where

Lack Of Planning Quotes
https://quotesgram.com/img/lack-of-planning-quotes/2797083/

For too long, it seems that my energy and dedication has gotten me over these rough patches. But now work has gotten the best of me. I crave for a home life separate from the work life. And now, in the twilight of my remaining work time, I want it even more. NO I demand it. I am at a time in my life where I have experienced too much work. There simply is not enough people to do everything that is asked, required, or demanded. And so the piling on has to end. Program people will have to understand that unless they get more resources, it will just take longer to get tasks completed. And if it will take longer, it will cost more.

On that note, I will end it here. Until next time…and if I am not able to post before Christmas (or New Years), let me wish all of you a very Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year.