tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77763438902320203432024-03-05T11:51:16.997-06:00Traveling TransgenderA lot of people travel for work, so that's no real big deal, but it gets a bit more complicated when you are transgender.Kimberly Huddlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11668019327622021786noreply@blogger.comBlogger335125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7776343890232020343.post-78697847238596778422022-07-01T19:54:00.002-05:002022-07-01T20:02:49.833-05:00Thanksgiving<p><br /> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</p><p class="MsoNormal">Trigger warning! This post speaks bluntly about my grandchildren getting hurt in an accident. It is not happy and uplifting. If you have horrible memories about a car/atv/what ever accident, you may wish to skip this one.</p><p class="MsoNormal">You know, I had pretty much given up on my blog. I sort of
figured that it had become repetitive and so I might as well call it a day, and
yet here I am again. I’m fairly deep into the depression right now and have
been for about a year or so. There seems to be a lot of that going around as I
keep seeing facebook posts by others saying much the same thing. It’s almost as
if depression is more contagious than COVID is. </p><p class="MsoNormal">As you might imagine, a great
deal has happened since I last checked in here. Probably the most significant
was when my youngest son was hurt and I almost lost both of my granddaughters
during last Thanksgiving. We all gathered at my sister in laws out in the
countryside of Central Texas, along with much of her husbands family. My daughter
in law wasn’t going to come as she does not always feel welcome by my sister in
law but I pushed and pushed and finally talked her into it. With her husband
(my oldest son) off on a US Navy destroyer in Asia, I didn’t want her to feel
isolated and wanted to be sure that she felt like she wasn’t alone. It turns
out that I should have left it alone, but I had no way to know that at the
time. </p><p class="MsoNormal">We all enjoyed the typical Thanksgiving dinner and then most of us found
comfortable places to relax while we let the food settle in our stomachs. Me? I
found a nice comfy sofa out on the porch and was sound asleep in no time at
all. The next thing I know, my wife’s phone rings and shortly thereafter she
yells “The kids are hurt out on the road!” Everyone ran for cars, and some just
skipped the car and sprinted for the road. Still half asleep, I headed for my
car and followed the crowd. The first thing I came across was my daughter in
laws SUV parked on the side of the road. Right when she needed it the most, it
had up and died on her, so I stopped and let her pile into the car and we
headed up the road. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I really don’t like thinking about that night. Half a year
later and I still tear up thinking of it. </p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFBl20jxs9Fc89OqcDBLAw8qJGCcPCzxSjTqgShHQ7xVpkQ2q6a5riNHyTuDWS-R6CjnWfuBh0UxYA1hwQUt1vE0oHtjERKsfW18N9nDChaYaqAZgSl7OwLUWXLCIqrUDzoKKvOeew8lHnDkbfw3c_s7M6-b2kORWnxm2Whw2DbiFwaG8TJC-KUlxy/s761/Temp.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="761" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFBl20jxs9Fc89OqcDBLAw8qJGCcPCzxSjTqgShHQ7xVpkQ2q6a5riNHyTuDWS-R6CjnWfuBh0UxYA1hwQUt1vE0oHtjERKsfW18N9nDChaYaqAZgSl7OwLUWXLCIqrUDzoKKvOeew8lHnDkbfw3c_s7M6-b2kORWnxm2Whw2DbiFwaG8TJC-KUlxy/s320/Temp.PNG" width="320" /></a></div>A few hundred yards up the road we find an ATV cart flipped
over and both of my granddaughters are laying in the middle of the road soaked
with blood. My smallest granddaughter doesn’t look too bad to the eye but she
keeps going in and out of consciousness and when she is conscious she just
keeps screaming. My older granddaughter looked like something straight out of a
horror movie . . .<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was going to
describe this but don’t think that anyone else needs this picture in their
heads. Her head wound makes her look like she has no business still being alive
and yet she was calmly telling everyone that she was all right. She’s laying on
the road with half of half of her face peeled back, in a huge puddle of her own
blood telling everyone that she is fine. . .<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I spent a few minutes trying to comfort them when I noticed something
that shocked me even worse – there is a third little body laying on the ground,
this one just off of the pavement and it’s my own little boy. I hadn’t even
known that he had left the house and here he was laying hurt on the side of the
road. My granddaughters had much more serious wounds and had the bulk of the
adults gathered around them, so I went and comforted my son, laying next to him
on the ground and trying to keep him warm. At last an ambulance arrives and the
paramedics head for the girls. I explained to my son that they were hurt much
worse than he was and so the medics needed to see to them first, and then they
would take care of him. He was so brave and I was so proud of him! Unlike the
girls, his wounds were not life threatening, but they were serious, and yet he
bravely and patiently waited for the paramedics.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Soon, two helicopters arrive and they loaded
one granddaughter into each. My son they put into the ambulance to be sent to a
entirely different hospital. <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There were a few pictures that seriously stuck in my head
and wont go away. One is the large puddles of blood on the pavement – one where
each girl had lain shivering and bleeding. The other picture that sticks in my
head was my daughter in law standing in the middle of the road as the sun went
down, trying to figure out which one of the helicopters she was supposed to get
into and which one of her precious children was going to have to go without
her. The look of absolute misery on her face haunts me even now as I type this.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I gave my daughter in law my word that I’d
be at the trauma unit with her other daughter just as fast as I could drive
there and she boarded one of the choppers. My wife went in the ambulance with
my son headed an hour east, my daughter in law and her girls got into
helicopters going a two hour drive west, and I got into the car with my
daughter and headed to the trauma unit in San Antonio. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Relatively speaking, my sons wounds were minor. Enough to
make any parent heart sick, but much less serious than the girls. My youngest
granddaughter had a fractured skull in multiple places. While she <i>looked </i>the
best of the three, it turns out that her injuries were far more serious than
the others. The oldest had a major head wound that will require cosmetic
surgery once the skin has had time to heal some. We jumped through all of the
hoops to get my son, their father, home from Asia and I have to say that the
United States Navy deserves a good deal of respect here because they move
heaven and Earth to get it done even though the nations he had to fly through
were forbidding most travel due to COVID. His boat basically paid his fair to
the USA and went to a great deal of trouble with multiple governments to get
him flown home. Another moment that is stuck in my brain. Seriously hurt, a
week in the trauma unit, my oldest granddaughter had managed to be brave and
kept assuring everyone that she was fine. The night when I picked her father up
at the airport and brought him home to her, she absolutely broke my heart. I’ve
never heard a human being make a sound of such despair as the way that little
girl wailed when she saw her father and ran to him. She had all of that hurt
bottled up and let it go when she saw her daddy. The sound of her wailing as she
hugged her father . . . </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So, it’s half a year later and everyone is recovering well
now. My son has scars that he can brag about and show off. My youngest
granddaughter looks like she was never hurt. My oldest granddaughter has a
major scar on her forehead that she tries to hide whenever she gives you a hug.
All in all, we are grateful. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As I admitted, I was sleeping on the porch so I got the
majority of the story from others. One of the older boys that lived out in the
country was going to take one of their gator carts down to their house and the
smaller kids all asked to go with him. My granddaughter had asked if she could
drive, and was told in no uncertain terms that she was not allowed to. She <i>had
</i>driven one of these carts before, but it was one of the work carts that are
geared really low and cannot go fast. THIS cart was NOT geared low and could
happily do 60 MPH and so there was no question that she would have no business
driving it. The young man that was driving was specifically warned not to let
her drive but . . .<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As soon as they got
out of sight, my beautiful little granddaughter pleaded with the young man to
let her drive, and he gave in. This little girl that had only driven a very
slow work cart, and video games that ignore the laws of physics, was suddenly
in charge of a vehicle capable of highway speeds and it was full of children
not wearing helmets. She got in and literally pressed the accelerator to the
floor and flipped the cart at the very first curve in the road. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We all learned lessons that night. One young man learned to
listen to adults when they warn him not to do something. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">My granddaughter learned the consequences of not listening
to the adults, and she also learned a few hard physics lessons about inertia
and momentum. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">My son learned that maybe its better to step on out of the
car if you think the driver isn’t up to the task. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I learned not to take naps at family gatherings. . . </p>
<p></p>Kimberly Huddlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11668019327622021786noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7776343890232020343.post-59455990153484645382020-04-14T07:44:00.000-05:002020-04-14T07:52:17.272-05:00Make it so . . .<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqMApZA1Gbvygld3GYj0e-uUYxIFRWfPak2dPicuk-qxyTb5eWE-Pc6QKZpRscQqzhkomfr-PQwaymTSk6jsSMH-keXco7r1j4xL-4nGsIrAE-ADN-9ekBVWFkAhVFs9K6FvUq-7cFXv8I/s1600/1970s+Mustang.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="470" data-original-width="786" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqMApZA1Gbvygld3GYj0e-uUYxIFRWfPak2dPicuk-qxyTb5eWE-Pc6QKZpRscQqzhkomfr-PQwaymTSk6jsSMH-keXco7r1j4xL-4nGsIrAE-ADN-9ekBVWFkAhVFs9K6FvUq-7cFXv8I/s320/1970s+Mustang.PNG" width="320" /></a></div>
Ok, I know that you all sit with baited breath waiting for
me to review TV shows and movies, so here are my latest opinions. Being a life
long Star Trek fan who also happens to be quarantined during a world wide
pandemic, I signed up for the free 30 day trial of CBS All Access just so I
could binge watch the new Star Trek series "Picard" and "Star
Trek Discovery."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
While dipping into darkness here and there, I think that
"Picard" remained relatively true to Star Trek. The story is good,
the acting is outstanding, and the characters are real and believable. I'd give
it a 7 or maybe 8 out of 10 and considered it worth watching.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"Star Trek Discovery" on the other
hand . .<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What to say that will get my point across without spoiling
it for anyone? I pretty much <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">hate</i> it.
They threw everything that Star Trek stood for, the very core principles, out
of the window.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not that I suppose I have
the right to speak for all Star Trek fans, but I’ve always felt that most diehard
fans weren’t just in it for the shiny space ships and “pew pew” weapons. Many
of us loved what the show and it’s characters portrayed and represented – that the
human race had grown up, devoted itself to worthy and lofty goals of Science, exploration,
and the betterment of all life, human and otherwise. These are the very core
principles of the Star Trek universe and “Discovery” threw them right out of
the window. We have Star Fleet officers who very quickly choose to commit
mutiny against their beloved captains when they feel that captain has made the
wrong decision. We have multiple occasions where officers totally ignore their
orders and duty when those orders got in the way of what they wanted to do.
Cases where they utterly disregard their oath, duty, and shipmates because they
thought their family issues were more important. What’s worse is that the show
repeatedly rewards this behavior, ultimately patting these people on the back
while whispering “There there! It’s all right that you threw your shipmates and
duty under the bus in order to chase after your mom/dad/sister/brother. Since
it was so personally important to you, we will act as if it’s acceptable and
tolerable that you forgot all about duty, honor, and integrity.” OK, so they
disregarded and degraded everything that was beautiful and altruistic about
Star Fleet and the people in it, so what about those shiny space ships that I
mentioned earlier? Yeah, they messed that up too. Now a starship runs on plants
and spores that permeate the universe on multiple dimensions and is essentially
the source of all life in the universe. Can you say “Use the Force Spock, use
the force?!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s now more of a fantasy
show than a science fiction. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I might have somewhat enjoyed this program if they had made
it in it’s own stand alone universe, but they didn’t do that. They defiled my
beloved Star Trek and its bright future with their petty people and their
fantasy star ship that runs on the force, and it pisses me off. When this is
all over, I expect most Star Trek fans will look back on this show and refuse
to acknowledge it, much like the way Ford Mustang fans look back at the
mid-1970’s abomination that Ford tried to call a Mustang. You can slap all of
the Mustang emblems on that little God-awful Pinto that you can fit, but it
still aint a Mustang, and this isn’t Star Trek. On a scale of 1 to 10 I’d give
Star Trek Discovery about a negative 3.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
All right people, let’s make this shit happen. Let’s bring
about the future portrayed by Star Trek by caring for more than just ourselves.
Let’s reach for the lofty goals and be worthy of attaining them. Make it so . .
. </div>
Kimberly Huddlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11668019327622021786noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7776343890232020343.post-4832466235190431972020-03-27T19:33:00.000-05:002020-03-30T20:03:24.088-05:00Traveling in The Twilight Zone<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3IruUpcJw5fmX4Owhv-v-a8K4LJj6Uyir8qrpLsC0kvwXxHpSQc4MuqxB4mNbN8v-sFCokrgQs5sNBkfAQ5s3YHyGp-M8BUIckftZK2xLiYt0h10OL_DMvuez-Quf06rr9L_4icOzt6MR/s1600/IMG_7313.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1136" data-original-width="1512" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3IruUpcJw5fmX4Owhv-v-a8K4LJj6Uyir8qrpLsC0kvwXxHpSQc4MuqxB4mNbN8v-sFCokrgQs5sNBkfAQ5s3YHyGp-M8BUIckftZK2xLiYt0h10OL_DMvuez-Quf06rr9L_4icOzt6MR/s320/IMG_7313.jpg" width="320" /></a>So yeah, when the entire United States decided to shut down for the Apocalypse, my happy ass was on the way to a customer in Indiana. I've done quite a lot in my life and seen quite a few unique things. I served 12 years active duty Army. I've spent the last 25 years traveling for a living, and between my civilian and military careers, I have seen much of the world and thought I'd seen just about everything. I was wrong. This last week was the most bizarre experience I think I've ever had<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXeDYFWeykblaPuAknmoHmJ0v6TTUhflqD8ERdhJptBFQYOh82sayZxndO8wx9CgLEHrp8aIbfg62ViQohjbYq6xC9v2Tx7ps5xnY7RsRYJVOrTFlMO_sEz9hFtJfwV31oiN5hjP1SLnqq/s1600/IMG_7314.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1231" data-original-width="1477" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXeDYFWeykblaPuAknmoHmJ0v6TTUhflqD8ERdhJptBFQYOh82sayZxndO8wx9CgLEHrp8aIbfg62ViQohjbYq6xC9v2Tx7ps5xnY7RsRYJVOrTFlMO_sEz9hFtJfwV31oiN5hjP1SLnqq/s320/IMG_7314.jpg" width="320" /></a>Normally the shuttle buses for the parking areas all cue up in a designated area to drop you off at the airport, but there was no need for this because the airport was absolutely empty.<br />
No long line of cars disgorging or picking up travelers.<br />
No endless series of taxis and buses.<br />
No pedestrians trying to cross the busy road.<br />
The Austin International Airport was all but EMPTY.<br />
I waked directly up to the Delta counter - not one person in line.<br />
I walked directly up to the TSA inspector at the checkpoint - not one other person going through security.<br />
I walked clear to the end of the concourse and passed maybe three or four people. Bemused, I looked back and took a couple of photos.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp5g0bhLhtTilRXOWZhNM69hyx_Sbfqm51P5UiSgKr_AdsjVGJlXwheylMoFNc_EKmwege5_dIkjmhy8si3t_PraNHwGmJmym9FD9yvXAC_uC4UBigvOdeXFXLihzDBkaCa6idSB8px4hT/s1600/IMG_7315.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp5g0bhLhtTilRXOWZhNM69hyx_Sbfqm51P5UiSgKr_AdsjVGJlXwheylMoFNc_EKmwege5_dIkjmhy8si3t_PraNHwGmJmym9FD9yvXAC_uC4UBigvOdeXFXLihzDBkaCa6idSB8px4hT/s320/IMG_7315.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
When it eventually came near time to board my first aircraft, I struck up a conversation with one of the Delta representatives that I've known for years and asked her if she thought they would close the airports at some point. She assured me that there was no way the airports were going to close, but that I could definitely count on a whole lot of flights being canceled. She told me that they had had one flight arrive that morning with ONE passenger on it! We managed to do a little better than that on our flight, and packed that puppy with a whole nine passengers . . . My connecting flight to Indianapolis? Fourteen passengers. When my flights landed I had a voice mail from one of our engineers that lives in Indiana telling me that the governor had signed something decreeing that all non-essential companies were to close their doors, and that everyone was required by law to stay home unless they were considered "vital" or "essential" and so the first thing I did was to call my customer to make sure they were going to be open for business in the morning. He assured that they were indeed considered vital, and had just that day been asked to start producing face masks. Thus assured that I was doing the right thing both morally and legally, I went ahead and headed out for the hour drive south to where my customer was located. Along the way, I thought maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea to stop at a grocery store and stock up on some sandwiches just in case I wouldn't be able to get food anywhere once the governors decree went into effect. I stopped at a super Walmart, grabbed six huge sandwiches, a 12 pack of Pepsi, and just for shits and grins looked for toilet paper. I've already failed to find any in New Mexico and Texas, so maybe Indiana would treat me better? Nope. No toilet paper in Indiana either!<br />
It turns out that my customers company may not have been quite as vital as my contact had thought, because as I was packing up my tools and spares at the end of the service call, he came back into the room shaking his head and looking shocked.<br />
"You see all of those technicians out there?" he asked, pointing out the large window into the huge bay.<br />
"Yeah?" I answered.<br />
"Every one of them just got laid off . . . "<br />
<br />
Do you know that I spent a week at the Holiday Inn and never saw a single other guest there in that time. Not one. Including my car, there were three cars in the parking lot and I think two of them belonged to employees. Obliviously no breakfast was served and no housekeeping was provided or offered during my stay. At the end of each day, I made my way through almost empty streets, to my empty hotel where even the people working there hid in a room behind the counter. I think I spent to two entire nights watching "Abandoned Engineering" on the Science Channel while eating sandwiches and slurping Pepsi. For the record, I'm pretty damn sick of store bought subway sandwiches at this point. Just sayin . . .<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC8rOZ_DtPf_5NzXyEB0RsKen7_r6ZZYO_KmTIpQreqXOlYhyphenhyphenn9FigHREl8jUzkJAaaD3KEw98PWGPaQcT-wSlt9DxGnaSxC7MreR8wFJ7WN-g505iqK2WNIfPPlfCpl8EOeuUh2BRfaQw/s1600/IMG_7321.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC8rOZ_DtPf_5NzXyEB0RsKen7_r6ZZYO_KmTIpQreqXOlYhyphenhyphenn9FigHREl8jUzkJAaaD3KEw98PWGPaQcT-wSlt9DxGnaSxC7MreR8wFJ7WN-g505iqK2WNIfPPlfCpl8EOeuUh2BRfaQw/s320/IMG_7321.JPG" width="320" /></a>Not a big surprise, don't get me wrong, but my flights home were canceled. I booked alternate flights. An hour later they were canceled. I again booked alternate flights. They were canceled. I got it right with my last attempt though and headed for home this morning. My first stop upon entering the concourse was at the Starbucks for some badly needed caffeine. I cued up behind three other people, all of us minding the 6 foot or so gap between each other, and so the line was moving pretty slowly and I was surfing Facebook on my phone . . . when I heard someone behind the counter . . . cough . . twice. Right then and there I decided that I didn't want coffee quite as bad a I had thought I did and exited the line.<br />
<br />
I had to laugh on my flight from Atlanta to Austin though, when it became obvious why this flight had not been canceled - most of the people on it were Delta flight attendants. By luck, I'd managed to select a flight that Delta was apparently using to transport about a dozen flight attendant on their way to other locations.<br />
So yeah, I'm home now, and I will not be getting back onto another airplane until the dust settles on this virus.<br />
Oh, and if anyone notices that several rolls of toilet paper went missing from my hotel and the airport stalls I visited, I had nothing to do with it . . .<br />
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<br />Kimberly Huddlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11668019327622021786noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7776343890232020343.post-19923430459224419282020-03-21T10:48:00.002-05:002020-03-21T10:48:34.341-05:00Day 5 of Quarantine<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="fv3fv" data-offset-key="70g5d-0-0" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
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<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="fv3fv" data-offset-key="4ttg-0-0" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="4ttg-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<span data-offset-key="4ttg-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;"><span data-text="true" style="font-family: inherit;">The photo sort of says it all, doesn't it? </span></span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="6ic7v-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
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<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="fv3fv" data-offset-key="ltev-0-0" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="ltev-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<span data-offset-key="ltev-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;"><span data-text="true" style="font-family: inherit;">I received a email message from Delta airlines about my upcoming flight. They tell me to avoid placing my cell phone and wallet in the TSA bins. I just can't wait to tell the TSA inspector "Nope, I aint putting my stuff in your stupid bin!"</span></span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="32qmc-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
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<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="fv3fv" data-offset-key="39mrh-0-0" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="39mrh-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<span data-offset-key="39mrh-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;"><span data-text="true" style="font-family: inherit;">They follow that wonderful tidbit with the advice to allow a few extra feet between you and the next schmuck during the boarding process because "A little distance goes a long way". So they want us to keep our distance during the boarding process where we are then going to be placed into seats so tightly packed that you have to keep telling the guy next to you to get outta your lap! </span></span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="ee0tv-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;"><span data-text="true" style="font-family: inherit;">Oh! The fruitless search for toilet paper continues . . . </span></span></div>
</div>
Kimberly Huddlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11668019327622021786noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7776343890232020343.post-24056238132373335662020-03-20T12:40:00.003-05:002020-03-20T12:40:44.241-05:00Day 4 of quarantine <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Message Header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Salutation"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Date"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Block Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Hyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="FollowedHyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Document Map"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Plain Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="E-mail Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Top of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Bottom of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal (Web)"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Acronym"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Cite"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Code"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Definition"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Keyboard"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Preformatted"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Sample"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Typewriter"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Variable"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Table"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation subject"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="No List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Contemporary"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Elegant"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Professional"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Balloon Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Theme"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="List Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="List Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="List Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 5"/>
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Emptied the 5 year old water out of our 50 gallon barrel in
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hose. It then rained all night long, so mother nature would have filled that
barrel for free but who am I to quibble? My 10 year old son was curious as to
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having no water at all available would affect his life. You should have seen
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3 to 5 gallons of water and then asked him how nasty he thought it would get if
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The wife stocked up on an assortment of liquors and wines
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I’m scheduled to be on an airplane Monday to visit a
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Kimberly Huddlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11668019327622021786noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7776343890232020343.post-89384456459274245512020-03-20T07:59:00.002-05:002020-03-21T10:48:56.499-05:00Day 3 of Quarantine . . . <div dir="auto" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
Day Three of Quarantine with the kids home from school, and my wife and I both working from home. Just had the "use the toilet paper, fold it in half to cover the used part, and then use it again!" class with the kids. Oh my God you should have seen the look of disgust on their faces. Lord help them if they ever have to use an actual outhouse. . . </div>
<div dir="auto" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
The wife and I aren't glaring at each other over the laptops any more, but we ARE both eye balling our dwindling supply of toilet paper and I'd swear I hear the "Good, Bad, and the Ugly" theme song in the back of my head. Pretty sure she is hoarding a roll somewhere, but I'm on to her shenanigans . . .</div>
Kimberly Huddlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11668019327622021786noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7776343890232020343.post-58250827848725711212020-03-19T12:13:00.003-05:002020-03-21T10:49:05.674-05:00Day 2 of quarantine . . .<span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;">Day two of quarantine with my wife and I both working from home. Starting to question the wisdom of having bought AMMO for both handguns yesterday as we are glaring at each other over our respective laptops . . .</span>Kimberly Huddlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11668019327622021786noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7776343890232020343.post-7578173188829272212020-02-27T20:27:00.001-06:002020-02-27T20:27:41.512-06:00Not in my happy place . . . <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footer"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="envelope address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footnote reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="line number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="page number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="endnote reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="endnote text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="table of authorities"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="macro"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="toa heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Acronym"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Preformatted"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As many of you have noticed, I’ve all but stopped writing my
blog these days. I guess I really ought to get around to formally saying “I’m
done with it”, but it keeps calling me back from time to time. In some ways it’s
kind of cathartic I guess, and is something like a diary for me. Sometimes it makes
me feel better to write it, and sometimes it condenses and distills my feelings
and makes me feel worse. You just never know until you start writing. One thing
for certain though, I’ve always tried to be honest and up front here, so I’m
not gonna pull any punches with this one either.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Honestly, there are just so many ways that you can keep telling
essentially the same story:</div>
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I went to the airport. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I got on a plane.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I got off the plane and went to a hotel.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I may or may not have met someone along the way.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Something interesting or amusing may or may not have occurred
along the way.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It got to the point where I could pretty much create a
template and just fill it in with details:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Today I went to “ <INSERT CITY HERE> “ where I met up
with “ <INSERT NAME HERE><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So yeah, I’ve kind of backed away from the blog and all of
the time and effort required to write them.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidnK0FI5crDTo4yiLYAGkJVe4rxca4SDq2TtdQYrJlqTfhJ0K2kyPC5wYkB1WxsSe8WahKYKVEIk3vVg5jorI-HlaTKVhni1viHDGC2jNn1XRWa6gRp88WkS1xOYFwgFtAkAHYdMyeaZiw/s1600/My+Drawing.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="531" data-original-width="592" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidnK0FI5crDTo4yiLYAGkJVe4rxca4SDq2TtdQYrJlqTfhJ0K2kyPC5wYkB1WxsSe8WahKYKVEIk3vVg5jorI-HlaTKVhni1viHDGC2jNn1XRWa6gRp88WkS1xOYFwgFtAkAHYdMyeaZiw/s320/My+Drawing.JPG" width="320" /></a>As seems to be the case for most of us, I play with
depression quite a bit. It’s an old and constant companion with a presence that
ebbs and flows but never quite goes away. These days I dwell quite a lot on my
wife of almost 33 years and what being married to me has done to her. I wasn’t
going to talk about this here, but its haunting me to obsession the last few
months. I’ve shared all of the happy and fun stories with you, perhaps encouraging
some to take the chance and step out into the world in the hope for, and in search
of, happiness or acceptance. The full truth though, is that I, and those around
me, have paid a price for who and what I am. </div>
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<br /></div>
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I’ve talked to a lot of women through the years and have
seen so many of their eyes light up with admiration when I tell them that I am
transgender. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“You are SO brave!” they tell me, eyes glittering with
sincerity, “And look at you – you’re beautiful!” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Women find this brave, and admirable, and
perhaps inspiring. . . unless it’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">their</i>
husband that we are talking about. <i>That </i>brings it a bit closer to home. A bit more
real. A bit more significant. Now it’s no longer about someone being brave for having
the courage to be themselves, it’s about “Oh my God, what will my friends think
if they find out? What if the neighbors see my husband leaving in the morning?
What if my father finds out what my husband is? What about my church?!” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a whole different story when it’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">your</i> husband. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Often, it helps when you have others to talk to, to share
your worries with, and to help you carry the load, and so several times in the
last 30 years my wife has told friends of hers about me. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">All</i> of them, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">every single one
of them</i>, no longer talks to her. Oh, they will still say hello when she
crosses their path, but they no longer call her, or come over, or invite her
over. In many ways, I’ve taken what used to be a vibrant and outgoing young
lady and turned her into an isolated woman. Her best friends have all bailed on
her, and the knight in shining armor that all little girls dream of, and that she
had thought she had married, thinks <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">he’s</i>
the fricking princess. I feel guilty for what I’ve done to her. I feel over
whelming guilt. So the bright eyed little girl that I married is afraid to have
friends, afraid that her family will find out that she married a freak, and is
spending most of her days and nights alone while I’m on the road. To make
matters just that much worse, with all of my health and heart problems, we
haven’t been . . .well . . .you know . . . intimate . . . in years. So now I’ve
given her a lonely <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and</i> passionless
life and marriage. Yay me. Way to go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When I started having all of the heart problems, do you know what one of
my first thoughts was? It wasn’t “Oh gee, I hope I don’t die.” Nope, one of my
first thoughts was “Gee, maybe it’s not too late for my wife to meet someone
else and have a normal life if I die.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So yeah, I guess I’m in a bit of a dark place right now.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Oh, this week I went to <DETROIT> and I met <ABSOLUTELY
NO ONE BECAUSE I CANT DEAL WITH THE ANXIETY RIGHT NOW></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sigh . . .</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Kimberly Huddlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11668019327622021786noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7776343890232020343.post-90047778377440291752019-04-30T22:31:00.003-05:002019-04-30T22:31:51.480-05:00A Change in Perspective<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8NboAHov8iVEJ5m-vhSzg8LHdWPS9rUS4TIhENt_LLkN9jfDghMP5NbJYwSadhjCKw7zmByl3TVwEFsVVHJdac8M97IVnchDPwtyZLAdF3_i1r4cUkpwdqm7oPgwe5R-CzUEAgq4miY1k/s1600/2019-04-30+Minniapolis+015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="692" data-original-width="750" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8NboAHov8iVEJ5m-vhSzg8LHdWPS9rUS4TIhENt_LLkN9jfDghMP5NbJYwSadhjCKw7zmByl3TVwEFsVVHJdac8M97IVnchDPwtyZLAdF3_i1r4cUkpwdqm7oPgwe5R-CzUEAgq4miY1k/s320/2019-04-30+Minniapolis+015.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
I’ve found lately that I have had to change the way that I see
myself these days. For all of my talk and writing of bravery in being out and
about, up until relatively recently, I’ve often enjoyed the privilege of passing:
being perceived as female by those that I interact with. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve
never passed perfectly, but I used to pass well enough that half of the people
I interacted with never noticed me, and most of the remaining half wasn’t sure
enough one way or the other to say anything. Not true anymore. These days, the
vast majority of those that I deal with are quite sure that I am TG and this
has caused me quite a bit of depression and trepidation. A combination of old
age, bad health, etc, have all conspired to work against me and make me a much
more obvious “man in a dress.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a result,
I’ve had to sort of reevaluate my own perspective and decide if I do or do not
have the courage to still step out into the world, knowing that most of the
people I will deal with will know that I am physically male. For much of the
last year the answer has been “no”, but at least for this week, for this day,
and for this moment, the answer was yes. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have indeed dredged up the courage to once
again head out the door. </div>
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I’ve had to start flying United Airlines again because my
company has reached some sort of agreement with them so that we now get a
corporate discount. As a result, they come in so much cheaper than the other
airlines that I can’t justify not flying with them. They aren’t mean to me or disrespectful
or anything like that, but they really aren’t warm and friendly like Delta
airlines is with me. Half of the Delta customer service representatives in
Austin know me by name and greet me warmly when I arrive at their counter.
Usually the United Airlines representatives give me a bit of a sideways look
and turn utterly professional when dealing with me. Again, they don’t mistreat me
in anyway, they just aren’t terribly friendly. For this reason, I was kind of
surprised Monday morning when I<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>checked
in and the lady behind the counter was genuinely friendly to me and even went
so far as to tell me that she thought I looked quite pretty. We both know that
she fibbed, but at least she made the effort to talk to me. The bad news is
that she caught me so off guard, and I was so full of my own internal anxieties
that I didn’t follow-up on this by striking up a conversation. She had gone out
of her way to reach out to me and I had failed to reciprocate it. It wouldn’t
surprise me if she now thinks that I am the cold and unfriendly one. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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I spent the entire day wound around the axle and filled with
so much anxiety that I think I literally jumped when a gentleman spoke to me as
I was entering the Minneapolis airport from the jet bridge. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Miss?” I heard a voice softly saying from slightly behind
me and off to my left side. I slowed and turned to look at the man, all of the
while wondering what stupid thing I had done to draw someone’s attention. Had I
left my phone or tablet behind on the plane? Was the back of my skirt stuck up
in the waist band? Did I have toilet paper stuck to my shoe?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I just wanted to tell you how pretty that skirt is,” he
said, with a kind look in his eyes.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Thank you,” I all but blurted out, just relieved that it
was something nice, and that I hadn’t done anything stupid or embarrassing. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“You don’t see that sort of skirt very often with a pattern
like that that in it, “ he elaborated, apparently speaking about the flowers
embroidered into it. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Thank you,” I repeated. “That’s exactly what I liked about
it and why I bought it!” I agreed, at last starting to pull my head out of my
ass long enough to try and hold a polite conversation. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He gave me a warm smile and headed off his way
down the concourse and I headed off on my own. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Holiday Inn I was staying at is literally across the
street from the customer I was visiting, so I really can’t complain much about
convenience. I did have to fight the urge to roll my eyes at the woman that
checked me in though.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Hi! Can I help you?” asks the woman behind the counter.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Yes, please. I have a reservation and would like to check
in.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Name?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Huddle.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Ok,” she says as she starts looking through the paperwork looking
for mine. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Oh, here we are. Matthew?” she asks, quite loudly.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Uh huh,” I answered, all of the while noticing the way the
other customers around the counter are turning to look at me.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“All right then Matthew,” she continues, still quite loudly
going out of her way to say my first name, “If you will please provide all of
the highlighted information on this form, I’ll get you all checked in!” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By now of course, all four of the other guests
and another hotel employee are all staring at me. I honestly don’t think that
she was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">trying</i> to be a witch, I think
that she was just being thoughtless.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Despite my utter lack of confidence, I still made it a point
to go shopping at the Mall of America because . . . well . . because it’s the
freaking Mall of America and I<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>just had
to!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-family: "wingdings";">😛</span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG8OGLFbQ1B0HJ8ipzS8AWnXsq5vniCk64LRSDCIgymXKz6hlR2AHUPbJLsdXsphVrix0oDRNqXURuIc10puFttL3DVGErpJ0KekbIidVdQtWxaAZhjXyeKIARR2Pl1lcAYtghL8HYfgFq/s1600/2019-04-30+Minniapolis+018.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="660" data-original-width="750" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG8OGLFbQ1B0HJ8ipzS8AWnXsq5vniCk64LRSDCIgymXKz6hlR2AHUPbJLsdXsphVrix0oDRNqXURuIc10puFttL3DVGErpJ0KekbIidVdQtWxaAZhjXyeKIARR2Pl1lcAYtghL8HYfgFq/s320/2019-04-30+Minniapolis+018.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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The following days work was about as smooth a day as you
could ask for, with no surprises, and no real challenges to speak of. My
customer was paying very close attention to everything that I was doing and
clearly wanted to have some idea how to take care of his own equipment, so I
went out of my way to explain everything that I was doing as I was doing it.
This I can do without seriously impacting my productivity as long as I just
need to describe what I am doing as I am doing it. Now if a customer wants to
ask me questions about some other aspect of the equipment than the task that I
am currently performing, it’s a whole different story. Anyway, I arrived at
730AM and was done and on my way back to the hotel across the street by 1130AM,
so I figured that I was going to spend some more time in the real world. I
started off by shopping at DSW Shoe Warehouse because a lot of my shoes are
older than some of you that are reading this blog. As I was sitting on the
bench trying on a pair of shoes, I could hear a woman apparently talking to a
little girl a few feet away from me.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Oh, you look fabulous! You wanna see them in the mirror?”
Grandma asks the toddler. I can’t quite make out what the little critter says
back to grandma, but a few seconds later a little girl of maybe three years
walks past the isle that I am sitting in, accompanied by the very loud “clip
clop” of a pair of huge red pumps that her feet are all but buried in. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“OK, turn and face Grandma so I can take your picture! You
are totally ROCKING those pumps girl!” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Photos
apparently taken, Grandma meets the little critter at the end of the aisle
where I am grinning like an idiot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“You’re starting her out kind of young don’t<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>ya’ think?” I asked Grandma with a grin on my
face to make it clear that I am teasing.</div>
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“Oh no, it was all her idea! I think she’s got it going on
though, don’t you?” asked Grandma.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Sure!” I said, playing along.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I think they’re perfect for you!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I continued, looking at the little critter
this time. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe it was just a little
person being shy that a stranger had talked to her, or maybe she was a child
that realized that something about me wasn’t quite right, but I’d have to be
honest that it kind of broke my heart when the little girl just stared at me blankly
without the slightest hint of a smile until Grandma dragged her off down the
store. I visited a few more stores but bought nothing of note and eventually
followed my customers suggestion and headed off to a Casino that was about 10
miles away. As usual lately, I received more than my fair share of grins from
people I walked by, and more than one “What the hell?” look, but I continued on
about my way. At one point, I was down about $50 playing 25 cent and dollar slot
machines. I threw in the last $5 that I was willing to risk and had to laugh
out loud when I won $80 on the video poker game. I wasn’t about to let them win
that money back, so I cashed it out, and headed for the hotel!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Two days back out in the world, but I still can’t decide how
I feel about it. I’ll let you know if I figure it out . . . </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
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Kimberly Huddlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11668019327622021786noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7776343890232020343.post-83727939214497201962019-02-09T17:34:00.000-06:002019-02-09T17:34:54.268-06:00Whirlwind<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
So many of my blogs start this way these days, and I am
sorry about that. I dislike being repetitive, but I am truly unsure where to
start on this one since <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">so</i> much has
happened since I last wrote.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A lot of
this happened almost a year ago and so will be shared in only the vaguest way
here, and again, I’m sorry about that as some of this deserves more than a
cursory mention.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The last few years have been a bit rough on my family, with
so many loved and cherished family members dying with little or no advanced
warning. God help us, but my generation is now the oldest remaining in my
family, and we had all come to realize that the only time that we bothered to
go through the effort to see each other was when there was a death in the
family. First my mother, and then followed not long after by her husband. We
finally decided that we had had enough of meeting with death in the air and it
was time to have a family reunion that did not involve a loss. After much
debate, we agreed to gather our family from all over the continent on a lake in
Northern California in July. We had no way to know that we would be too late
for several that we all adored. . . </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
First, we lost my niece – my big sisters daughter Sunshine.
Sunshine was special to me in so many ways. I was “the baby” in our little
family, and so Sunshine was the first person that ever “looked up” to me and
maybe found something admirable in me. I adored that little girl and to this
day would not hesitate to trade places with her if it were possible to bring
her back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I received that call from my
sister at about 3AM, and by about 6 AM I was in my truck and headed out driving
from Texas to Arizona where the family gathered around my sister. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Only a few short months after that, I received another call.
This time, it was my sister-in-law; my brother’s wife. With no warning and no
serious illness that we were aware of, my sister-in-law just died on Halloween
night. They were handing out candy when she told my brother that she didn’t
feel well and was going to go take a nap. He found her dead in bed shortly
after. Once again the family gathered with death hanging in the air around us.
Just to add a little more pain to the day, my sister’s home burnt to the ground
while we were at the funeral. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Also attending that funeral was my Aunt Sandy, the mother of
my cousin Scott. Scott was so close to us growing up that we more or less
considered ourselves brothers; we were pretty much inseparable and were often
into trouble together. I took one look at my aunt and knew instantly that I’d
never see her alive again. The vibrant woman that I had grown up with was gone,
replaced by a heart breaking thin and frail woman in a wheel chair. I hugged
her every chance that I got that day because I knew it would be the last time
that I saw her, and I was sadly correct as she died only a month or so later. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So here we were, people that were smart enough to have
realized that we needed to plan an event that allowed our family to get
together just to enjoy each other and we had been too late. Please don’t bother
offering condolences. While I appreciate the compassion that prompts them, they
pretty much just open the wound again. I only tell you all of this to put
everything into context. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Along about May or June, I started to notice that I was unusually
short of breath anytime I did anything at all strenuous, and an ever increasing
pain in the center of my chest started to grow to the point where it could no
longer be ignored. I mentioned my growing concern to my wife, and being the
Army veteran that she is, she assured me it was probably because I had allowed
myself to get fat and out of shape, and encouraged me to get up off of my ass
and do some exercise. I was pretty sure that this was more than my being out of
shape as I’d been out of shape before in my life and it was a totally different
feeling, but I still had to agree that it was a reasonable conclusion and so I
made an effort to get more physical exercise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Each time, the pain in the center of my chest would get ever worse as I
worked up a head of steam, and the pain would only decline when I would stop
jogging. I went to the doctor several times, they took several EKG’s and
declared me normal at the conclusion of each one. This appeared to bolster my
wife’s theory that I was just out of shape and so I’d go home and try to jog
again, only to be forced to stop due to the pain. Eventually someone got the
bright idea to do a cardiac stress test where they have you work out a bit on a
treadmill and then do a fancy type of x-ray that lets them see how your heart
is reacting to it. I had been afraid that this would be like taking your car to
the mechanic and having it show no signs of the problem you took it there for,
and so was oddly pleased when my chest began to hurt almost immediately after I
started walking on the treadmill. At the conclusion of the test, the doctor
approaches me with an odd smile on his face.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Well, I’ve got good news and I’ve got bad news.” He says.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Okay, do tell?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“The good news is that you are not crazy, and it’s not all
in your head. The bad news is that you do have a heart problem.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Awesome.” I groaned. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So yeah, like a day later I am in the Austin Heart Hospital
with a widget inserted through my wrist that allowed them to snake a device
through my veins all of the way from my wrist to my heart where they inserted a
heart stent to open a blocked vein. I woke up part way through this process to
have the doctor point to a video screen and show me where he was installing the
heart stent, and then also show me a branching vein that was mostly closed. He
explained that installing stents into the branching vein was a bit more complex
and would have to be done in a separate procedure at a later date. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You should have seen the look on his face
later that evening in my hospital room when I flat out refused to come back in
a few days to have the other heart stent installed. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I’m not sure that you understand the gravity of the situation,”
says the surgeon. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Oh no, I understand it and I thank you for your concern
doc, but tomorrow I start my first vacation in over a decade. It’s not just a
vacation either; it’s a family reunion that was setup specifically because we
were sick of only seeing each other when someone dies!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s been planned for over a year and I will <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i> miss it, and I do not intend to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">be</i> the one that dies just days before it
takes place.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So the doc argued with me, my wife argued with me, and I assured
them both that they should save their breath because I wasn’t coming back until
after my vacation. Eventually everyone calmed down and with a stern warning
from the doctor not to exert myself, we headed for home. A day later, and we
packed up a rental car and headed out for two weeks of road tripping across the
better part of half of the continental United States. Many years ago, we had
taken a vacation to visit my family in California and we had made it a point to
stop at almost everything of interest between Texas and California. We had thoroughly
enjoyed that trip and so we decided to do much the same on this trip. And thus
began an epic and whirl-wind journey . . . </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
The first place of note that we stopped at was the <a href="https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/94/William-Bonney">grave of Billy the
Kid</a>. Much to my surprise, neither one of my children had any idea who the
heck Billy the Kid was, and so they were a tad less than thrilled about it. Still,
it was along the way, and so we stopped.</div>
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZdlV_FCO1wY2J7zBbXIlbqSS1nchSf_9hLmr8OHdFd1LlnXNpg0xNsLkXkIJmCKClm0ywVp9c7m1Xnzn82r0TYjRtAGYbcVNzakfEKjfutFWow_lS5-fEfQjNUClWEeH23PUD0OhRbOkA/s1600/IMG_5135.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="847" data-original-width="1129" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZdlV_FCO1wY2J7zBbXIlbqSS1nchSf_9hLmr8OHdFd1LlnXNpg0xNsLkXkIJmCKClm0ywVp9c7m1Xnzn82r0TYjRtAGYbcVNzakfEKjfutFWow_lS5-fEfQjNUClWEeH23PUD0OhRbOkA/s320/IMG_5135.jpg" width="320" /></a> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZdlV_FCO1wY2J7zBbXIlbqSS1nchSf_9hLmr8OHdFd1LlnXNpg0xNsLkXkIJmCKClm0ywVp9c7m1Xnzn82r0TYjRtAGYbcVNzakfEKjfutFWow_lS5-fEfQjNUClWEeH23PUD0OhRbOkA/s1600/IMG_5135.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a> </div>
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Our next stop was the Painted Desert and <a href="https://www.national-park.com/welcome-to-petrified-forest-national-park/">Petrified
Forest</a>. For those of you that have never heard of it, the Petrified Forest
is a large stretch of desert that once was forest, and it is littered with the
now fossilized remains of trees. Some of these fossils are the size of pebbles,
and some are quite large portions of the original trees. Considering that my
son has expressed an interest in becoming a paleontologist, I thought that this
would be a really cool experience for him.<br />
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Moving on, we stopped at <a href="https://www.meteorcrater.com/">Meteor Crater</a> in Arizona. Everyone in
the car started laughing when I played the theme song to “<a href="https://youtu.be/e-QFj59PON4">2001: A Space Odyssey</a>” as we were
making our way up the long drive to the crater. Space and earth science are
both two of my favorite subjects and so I spent a good part of the drive
pontificating on and on about how the large hill that we were approaching was
not made by your typical geologic event, but by the impact of a meteor. I’m
pretty sure that I failed to excite either child. What can I say, it was a tough
crowd. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK4vUtfrtwQwvEglaX35CmLdIVJvk6ZcDquUySekqPb6CE1P7blPPY47NhWwGlouQMFkFNM8K8E257dGg-wF8qmhv6uNzZYcqBfg8u41ykweZ7FCDfXpvP7eF6o_7UIEn5c1YG0MXEylBk/s1600/IMG_5203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="847" data-original-width="1129" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK4vUtfrtwQwvEglaX35CmLdIVJvk6ZcDquUySekqPb6CE1P7blPPY47NhWwGlouQMFkFNM8K8E257dGg-wF8qmhv6uNzZYcqBfg8u41ykweZ7FCDfXpvP7eF6o_7UIEn5c1YG0MXEylBk/s640/IMG_5203.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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We hadn’t really intended to stop at the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/grca/index.htm">Grand Canyon</a> as we figured that
it would take too long, and we did have a reunion to get to, but the more I
thought about it as we were passing all of the exits for it, the more I just
couldn’t bear the thought of taking my children right past one of the biggest
wonders of the world and not stopping. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone thinks that they have a concept of
what the Grand Canyon is, but trust me, you don’t have a clue unless you have
seen it. All of the photos and videos in the world just cannot give you a
proper sense of the scale of the thing, nor a proper appreciation of it. It’s
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Next, we headed out across Death Valley to Big Pine
California and had a bit more adventure along the way than we had anticipated.
I really don’t recall a year later the exact route that we took, but I think it
was <a href="https://www.mapquest.com/search/result?slug=%2Fus%2Fca%2Fbig-pine&query=Big%20Pine,%20CA&page=0&mqId=282037549&index=0">HWY
168</a> that we took through the mountains and then down into Big Pine. Now the
fun came into this when after driving for hours without another car in sight,
you find yourself on the top of a HUGE mountain, at midnight, the road turns
into dirt, and then becomes an endless series of sharp switchbacks with cliffs
on the side. It <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">really</i> becomes
interesting when you realize that you are down to less than a quarter of a tank
of fuel, haven’t seen a human being or building in three hours, and you are
starting to think that you may have screwed up <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">really</i> bad. We did have a moment of levity though when we reached
the crest of the mountain. Both children were asleep in the back and so I
whispered to my wife that I was going to stop the SUV for a moment, shut it all
off, and then just stand outside in the peace and quiet, hundreds of miles from
any other human being, their lights, and their noise. For some reason, the
thought of one truly quiet moment really appealed to me, so I pulled to the
side, turned the car off, stepped out, and closed the door behind me. After a
brief moment, the interior lights went out and I prepared to soak in some peace
of mind. I was to be disappointed though, because suddenly there was a knocking
on the window behind me. I chose to ignore it.</div>
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“Daddy . . .” says my daughter, knocking on the window
again. I hear my wife shushing her and trying to quietly explain that she needs
to be silent for a moment, but of course there isn’t another sound for hundreds
of miles so this is all very loud and more than a little annoying given that it
is ruining the very purpose of my stopping. Still, in a moment the quiet begins
to settle and my heart rate slows, and I anticipate the first truly quiet
moment that I have had since I was a teenager . . .<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nope. With all of the subtlety of a freight
train, the peace is utterly destroyed when the car horn starts to blow over and
over, with the lights flashing in sync. Apparently my wife had locked the door
when I got out, and when my daughter tried to open the damned thing, it set off
the alarm. I’ve gotta admit that I was absolutely furious for a good five minutes,
but ultimately we all laughed like hell at the absurdity of the thing. Now
fully awake, adrenaline coursing through my veins, we made our way down the
scary scary dirt road switch backs into Big Pine.</div>
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By now we had been on the road for something like three
days, and so we were a little less than bright eyed and bushy tailed the next
morning when we headed out to <a href="https://www.nps.gov/yose/index.htm">Yosemite</a>.
Yosemite was an absolutely incredible thing to experience. I cannot do it
justice with words, and certainly cannot compete with others who have already
tried to do so, so I will pretty much leave it at that. Absolutely incredible
place to visit and drive through, and I strongly advise you to check it out if
you ever have the chance. After many more hours of driving, we at last found
ourselves at the lake in Northern California that we had all agreed upon for
the reunion.</div>
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The whole concept of the reunion had been to get together
without a death being the focal point, but of course that was out the window as
we lost three cherished members of our family mere months before. We still
tried to make the most of it though, and tried not to dwell on those that were
missing. All in all, we spent a very pleasant week there and I was glad that my
younger children were finally getting the chance to meet people from my side of
the family. The bad news is that the grueling schedule of the prior week began
to take its toll on me and I grew tired pretty quickly every day. I don’t
advise getting heart stents installed and then heading out the next day on a
cross country road trip. It grew awkward a couple of times when I had to beg
off early, because I had made it a point to not tell anyone about my heart
problems as I thought that my sister had had quite enough on her plate lately
and didn’t need the worry. </div>
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I had let my sister know that seeing the giant redwoods was
on my bucket list of things to do before I died, and so I was delighted to find
that a trip had been planned for everyone to go for a hike through them. Oh.
My. God. Seeing these huge and ancient trees was one of the most awe inspiring
things that I have ever done. I’m sure that it’s a personal preference thing
based upon opinion, but I think I’d even place seeing them above seeing the Grand
Canyon. It’s almost a religious experience to see something <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">that</i> huge and that old that is still
living. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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After about a week hanging out at the lake with my extended
family, we headed for home – via Salmon Idaho. . . </div>
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My wifes mother had suffered a serious stroke a couple of
years ago and wasn’t doing so hot, so we were making it a point to visit her as
it was a somewhat feasible thing to do on our road trip. Things didn’t go as
well as one might have hoped though, as her mom ended up having to be taken to
the hospital that night by ambulance. We stayed a day or two, visiting her off
and on in the hospital. It was a bit awkward though, as the stroke had left her
unable to speak. At last the day came when we had no choice and had to head
back home as the children would have to go back to school and I had to get my
ass back to get some more heart stents installed. We had intended to pass
through Yellowstone on the way home, but my mother-in-law being in the
hospital, combined with my own exhaustion pretty much ruled that out. The
remainder of the drive home was no frills, no landmarks, and only stopping to
get a good nights sleep in hotels.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My
mother-in-law died a couple of weeks after we got home . . . </div>
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<br /></div>
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This time they had to install the heart stents through a
large vein in my groin, and yes, this was just about as much fun as you might
imagine. They ended up having to install four more heart stents, and due to a
few relatively minor complications, I ended up spending three days in the
hospital recovering. When it finally came time to start the checking out
process, I received a visit from quite a few people of differing specialties. One
of them was in their rehab program and she handed me an arm load of material
and strongly advised me to join their program. It turns out that it requires
three visits a week to exercise while they monitor your heart, and so I
declined. When she politely objected, I had to explain that I travel for my
living and would have to quite in order to participate in a program that
required me to be there three times a week. I wasn’t terribly surprised when
she implied that I might need to evaluate my priorities – work or life? I
assured her of two relevant things:</div>
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1 – If I lost my job, I wouldn’t be able to afford the rehab
anyway</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
2 – I’d rather shuffle off of this mortal coil, giving my
wife and children the life insurance, than to lose my job and see them
homeless. </div>
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My priorities are in the right place, they just aren’t where
she expected them to be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Three days later my happy ass was on an airplane to go
provide a week of training to John Deere. Remember I told you that the heart
stents were installed through a large vein in my groin area? Yeah, that ended
up scaring the holy living shit outta me, because while I was at John Deere,
the entire inside of one thigh turned a nice dark shade of red/blue all of the
way down to my knee. I called the hospital in a complete panic but was assured
that it was almost certainly just normal results of blood that had already
leaked during the procedure. It would have been just grand if they had warned
me in advance that this might happen. All of this was now months ago and I am
fully recovered, but at the time it was scary as hell.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I have made many trips for work since then, but very few as
Kim. I’m just too tired all of the time, and frankly everything has sort of
taken its toll on me. I feel old and I look like it too. I’m actually kind of
stunned at how much I have aged in the last year. I’ve seen that happen to
others but never anticipated it happening to me, and I have to say that I am
not delighted with it.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghiKXk7aZOXvSU-46NTiij8LpbqzV7AIGC4rTurVWGYb10pTDFkS920Mtw6sts4iv669PUA-sgmSqMeWXEW1ZuLgcOJqs2ePAe2mdJd4ShwndnmgaMCCgSfzMf595tO3-Xga6SqLhgoq4N/s1600/Jew+Jersey+020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghiKXk7aZOXvSU-46NTiij8LpbqzV7AIGC4rTurVWGYb10pTDFkS920Mtw6sts4iv669PUA-sgmSqMeWXEW1ZuLgcOJqs2ePAe2mdJd4ShwndnmgaMCCgSfzMf595tO3-Xga6SqLhgoq4N/s400/Jew+Jersey+020.JPG" width="300" /></a>My last trip was to New Jersey this week. Fortunately the
weather had improved from the prior week, because I had been scared to death
that it was going to be in the negative teens for my trip. In the end, it
turned out to be quite nice while I was there, so I really can’t complain. My
company has recently reached an agreement with United Airlines, and so I once
again find myself flying the one airline that I absolutely hate. Many years
ago, they destroyed a $1,500 guitar of mine and refused to accept responsibility
for it. It’s case was undamaged, but the guitar inside was shattered, leading
me to the conclusion that the guitar was taken from its case, damaged, then put
back, but United didn’t see it that way. The only thing they offered was $50
off of my next United flight. I told them that they could keep their money because
I would never step foot on another United Airlines aircraft again. A few years
later, my company tried to make me fly on them again and I was still so angry
that I told them they had a choice to make – United Airlines or me, because if
you try and force me to fly on United again, I quit. Apparently they valued me,
because the threat was not put to the test. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Welp, I’m older now so it wont be so easy to
find a comparable job, and I have a wonderful heart condition that requires
expensive drugs and doctors, so I’m no longer willing to threaten to quit. Yep
- my happy ass flew United Airlines again for the first time in over a decade. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When I landed in Philadelphia, I apparently managed to make
my way to the baggage area for the <span id="goog_1434155309"></span>wrong concourse, and once you leave the
secure area, the only way to get to the other concourse was outside. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t even have the energy to get pissed
off when I was making my way down the sidewalk and some asshole yells “You’re a
dude!” clear across the street to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Thanks man, because I had no freaking idea what I am and really needed
you to clarify it for me. Thanks so much. . . <br />
<span id="goog_1434155308"></span></div>
Kimberly Huddlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11668019327622021786noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7776343890232020343.post-21522301145614389602018-05-23T17:24:00.001-05:002018-05-23T19:47:58.947-05:00Bright Eyed Immigrant<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LCp_diFSc-o/WwXqGggOrVI/AAAAAAAACPo/ZIFIVcXzyLU7ahb0oB2ZL55zxXC_4cUfACLcBGAs/s1600/Map.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="309" data-original-width="630" height="312" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LCp_diFSc-o/WwXqGggOrVI/AAAAAAAACPo/ZIFIVcXzyLU7ahb0oB2ZL55zxXC_4cUfACLcBGAs/s640/Map.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
There was an elderly woman that sat next to me in the
gate area of the Knoxville flight to Atlanta. She was probably in her early 70s
and had the most brilliant blue eyes that I have ever seen. We traded a few
pleasantries and then she put her nose in her book, and I put my nose in mine.</div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
After making the flight from Knoxville to Atlanta and
having a two hour layover, we were both kind of amused as she once again took a
seat next to me, this time in the gate area for Austin. Anyway, we struck up an
actual conversation this time, but it was interrupted as she took a phone call,
presumably from family or friends. I wasn’t exactly ease dropping, but she <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">was</i> sitting right next to me as she had
her conversation so there was no trouble realizing that it wasn’t English. I’ve
traveled a lot in my life and can often identify a language even if I can’t
speak it, but I couldn’t quite figure out what hers was and so I asked her when
she got off of the phone. </div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
“Do you mind if I ask what language that is? It sounds
similar to German but not quite.”</div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
“I’m Dutch.” Replies this lady with brilliant blue eyes.</div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
“Am I right that it has similarities to German?” I asked
her. </div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
“It does,” she replied, “But as much as I don’t like the
Germans, I’d have to admit that their language has some nuances that ours
doesn’t have. “ Through our discussion I learned that she had come to America 40
years ago as a physician. Making it as a female physician 40 years ago
impressed me and I told her as much. She further impressed me by being modest
about it. I told her that as the parent of a daughter and having two granddaughters,
I loved to see that women were succeeding in fields that were once the sole
domain of men. As an example, I’ve seen a clear and unambiguous increase in the
number of female pilots in the last five years or so.</div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
Next we started talking about immigrants and the new
attitudes and apparent hostility of Americans toward them. You should have seen
the look in her eyes as she assured me that she had lived through WWII and had
seen this very thing happen before; she had seen a society blaming their
problems on immigrants and becoming hostile toward them. It didn’t work out so
well for anyone involved – not the Germans, certainly not the Jews, and it didn’t
do the world as whole a bit of good. </div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
What a thought that 40 years ago America welcomed this
physician with the brilliant eyes to our nation and profited in so many ways
from her addition to our country, and yet today they would discourage her from
coming. There was a lot more to this conversation than I can't possibly share,
but my eyes were watering as we wrapped it up. In the end, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">she</i> actually reassured <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">me</i>.
</div>
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“America is a wonderful and rich place. It will come back
to its senses.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
I hope so my friend, I hope so . . . </div>
Kimberly Huddlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11668019327622021786noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7776343890232020343.post-73471971621149531092018-05-22T19:54:00.001-05:002018-05-22T19:55:16.734-05:00Practice Makes Perfect<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-q1fBV--jZJU/WwS7UQO6idI/AAAAAAAACPc/hgSCRWE2qh8dBA1_GlOe7ov-NICCS0pugCLcBGAs/s1600/Knoxville%2BTN%2B010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="663" data-original-width="637" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-q1fBV--jZJU/WwS7UQO6idI/AAAAAAAACPc/hgSCRWE2qh8dBA1_GlOe7ov-NICCS0pugCLcBGAs/s320/Knoxville%2BTN%2B010.JPG" width="307" /></a></div>
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OK – First things first! I’ve seriously considered getting
off of Facebook lately because quite frankly, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think it’s seriously
hurtful to the soul to read so much negativity over and over, day after day. I don’t
mean to trivialize their loss or their pain in any way, don’t get me wrong, but
the heart and soul can only take so much of negativity and sadness. As I
mentioned the other day, I spent a good deal of time repairing my damaged blogs
a few days ago, and so obviously I was reviewing a good number of my own posts.
Guess what?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I discovered that I am
guilty of the very thing I just spoke about – posting negativity over and over
and over. I think it becomes something of a feedback loop, where once you get
into that loop, it just keeps feeding upon itself and it goes faster and faster
until it’s out of control and you are lost and overwhelmed by it. This doesn’t rise
to the level of a guarantee or a promise, but I intend to try and devote some
effort to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i> focusing on the
negative stuff so much on my blog. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll
still tell y’all when bad shit happens, but I am going to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">try</i> not to focus on it so much.</div>
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You know how I’m always yapping about how heavy my baggage
and toolbox are? Yeah, I had to giggle as I was getting on the shuttle bus from
the airport parking lot and the shuttle bus driver had to stop and use both
hands to lift my tool box onto the bus. I’m starting to think that maybe I am
not in quite as bad a shape as I had thought I was! Don’t worry though, because
I at least gave him a decent tip. </div>
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<br /></div>
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I was happily seated on the airplane, and with the boarding
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the center seat next to me just might end up being empty. Not so though, as in
the end a young lady came to claim the seat. She made a very brief nod to me
toward the center seat but then didn’t give me a chance to get up as she
started to make her way between me and the seat in front of me. <br />
“Hold on, I don’t mind getting up to let you in!” I assured her. Not to be dissuaded,
she continued working her way to her seat despite the idiot (me) that was
partially blocking her way. Gotta hand it to her – she made it, and she did it
without stomping all over my feet, so she gets points there. The thing that sort
of nagged at me though is that every time we spoke to each other, she went well
out of her way to say “Ma’am” repeatedly. While I deeply appreciate her trying
so hard to be decent, after about the tenth “Ma’am” in five minutes, you’re
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sir. Still, she was trying to be a decent human being, so many hugs to you
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I had two hours to kill in the Atlanta airport, and so I
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more or less the airlines country club. I don’t have the money to join, but
they let you pay with miles that you have earned, and I have plenty of those! I
handed my ticket to one of their customer service folks to check in and he
scans the barcode.</div>
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“Welcome Mr. Huddle!” he says. Ok, so I decided right there
that maybe having the young lady on the airplane over do the “Miss” thing wasn’t
so bad after all.</div>
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“Do you prefer Mr. or Miss?” he asks relatively softly, as
though it has just occurred to him that I may not particularly care for him
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“Mrs. Would definitely be preferred, thank you.” I answered
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“Well then, welcome back Mrs. Huddle!” he said with a smile,
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When I got to Knoxville, there was no shortage of people
staring at me as I waited for my luggage, but I’ve accepted this as the cost of
being out and about. I did get a smile though as I schlepped my bags to the
rental car lot and heard a woman speaking from behind me.</div>
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“Girl, you’ve got it going on with those heels. I can hardly
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“That’s from lots and lots of practice.” I said, looking
over my shoulder and giving her a grin.</div>
Kimberly Huddlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11668019327622021786noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7776343890232020343.post-48420597772249632202018-05-20T15:52:00.001-05:002018-05-20T15:52:04.253-05:00Still working on the old ones<div data-contents="true">
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="3tjn9" data-offset-key="7vsk5-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7vsk5-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="7vsk5-0-0"><span data-text="true">So my blog has gone from Myspace, moved it to Yahoo 360 when Myspace became so overwhelmed with adds, and then when the did away with Yahoo360, I then moved it to Blogspot.com. Somewhere in all of that moving, exporting, importing, cutting and pasting, a lot of things got screwed up. </span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="3tjn9" data-offset-key="ajmtg-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="ajmtg-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="ajmtg-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="3tjn9" data-offset-key="6glhr-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="6glhr-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="6glhr-0-0"><span data-text="true">I am trying to decide if it is my drive to not be part of something half assed or if is my ego that has prompted me to go back through and try and fix my older posts. So far I've killed almost the entire day trying to repair damaged posts and there are a lot more to go! Still working on it . . . </span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="3tjn9" data-offset-key="5fhjn-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="5fhjn-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="5fhjn-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="3tjn9" data-offset-key="6qn97-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="6qn97-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="6qn97-0-0"><span data-text="true">Of course just about the time that I get it all right, Blogspot.com will shut down or something. Sigh. . . </span></span></div>
</div>
</div>
Kimberly Huddlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11668019327622021786noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7776343890232020343.post-91511004398994350402018-05-15T22:56:00.000-05:002018-05-15T22:56:08.703-05:00It's a Tide Pod!<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBtu5_LCSMiy8QxGIeKMVkrhOZOH2G0cNzRf5INrMq7jDePgUG5Qp5pXBMg_5unSMOo7fcpT3t6onTnYf5cM_akD3QGiQH7rbP6jYNZfj1Ia9S3-NX98G-ProB9qVpMx9VEfaZwpQxzf2g/s1600/Greeley+CO+006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="753" data-original-width="569" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBtu5_LCSMiy8QxGIeKMVkrhOZOH2G0cNzRf5INrMq7jDePgUG5Qp5pXBMg_5unSMOo7fcpT3t6onTnYf5cM_akD3QGiQH7rbP6jYNZfj1Ia9S3-NX98G-ProB9qVpMx9VEfaZwpQxzf2g/s320/Greeley+CO+006.JPG" width="241" /></a>So I put my backpack onto the x-ray machines conveyor belt
as I always do, but much to my surprise, the operator slides it off into the “needs
a hand inspection slot” after it rolled out of the machine instead of sending
it on to me.</div>
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“I think you have a water bottle in there. Someone will be
right with you.” He told me.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Damn. Sorry about that!” I told him. “You would think I’d
have the system down by now wouldn’t you?” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Yeah, you’re here like every week!” he replied with a grin
and then moved on to his next bag.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So there I waited for someone to come and dig the stupid
water bottle out of my pack. I waited, and I waited, and I waited. . . After
about 5 minutes, a TSA inspector finally approached me . . . and then veered
off to the machine <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">next</i> to our x-ray
to inspect someone else’s bag who had not been waiting as I had! After she
inspected this other persons bag, she just walked off! No exaggeration, I
probably stood there for a good solid 10 minutes waiting for some super special
TSA inspector to finally decide that I was worthy of dealing with. I’m pretty
sure that this is the first time that the TSA in the Austin airport ever did
anything to piss me off and I’m still trying to decide if I was just being too
sensitive?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Got to the Denver area with nothing else to write about.
Even though I’d been at it for over 14 hours and my makeup showed it, I went
ahead and went to a decent dinner when I got to Greeley Colorado. I had the
chicken and shrimp carbonara at the Olive Garden and gotta say that I loved
everything about it except the calories! Dinner all done, I headed to my hotel
to call it a night, but as I was putting my stuff away I noticed a long sun
dress that I brought with me to try on. I had bought it because I actually
thought it was kind of cute, and unlike most sundresses, it didn’t require
breasts and cleavage to wear it. I had to grin though as I took it out of the
bag, because my wife and daughter both had made their opinions abundantly clear
about the dress when they saw me wash it and hang it to take upstairs. As I was
putting the dress on a hanger, I heard my daughter speak from a few feet behind
me.</div>
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<br /></div>
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</div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_eRsnDFckLc/WvurHQJqqNI/AAAAAAAAB94/j7UTKoOnGQ0ycok0YRtC4M8DMl-xcjqdQCLcBGAs/s1600/Greeley%2BCO%2B015.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="594" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_eRsnDFckLc/WvurHQJqqNI/AAAAAAAAB94/j7UTKoOnGQ0ycok0YRtC4M8DMl-xcjqdQCLcBGAs/s320/Greeley%2BCO%2B015.JPG" width="281" /></a>“What is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">that</i>?” she asked, placing
heavy emphasis on the word “that” to make it clear that she didn’t like it in
the least little bit. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Umm, it’s a dress?” I replied, no doubt with a deer in the
headlights look. At that point, she put her hand over her mouth and made a
production of laughing while sort of kind of acting like she was trying not to.
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“What?! It’s cute!” I demanded, getting defensive.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Dude, it’s a tide pod!” She quipped, and then both her and
my wife busted out laughing. I turned and looked at the tide pod . . . err . .
dress again and had to sigh, because now that she pointed it out, that was all
that I could picture. In an instant it went from “Cute Sundress” to the “Tide
pod dress”. I’ve got a stubborn streak though, so I took it with me on this
trip just to see what I’d look like in it. Yeah, it’s going in the giveaway
pile when I get home.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jH1aLWU_vrg/WvurHTaTe0I/AAAAAAAAB-A/jS0o5CVkSIUWBjuPkidfoKyqIAMwpLY9gCLcBGAs/s1600/Greeley%2BCO%2B019.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="661" data-original-width="555" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jH1aLWU_vrg/WvurHTaTe0I/AAAAAAAAB-A/jS0o5CVkSIUWBjuPkidfoKyqIAMwpLY9gCLcBGAs/s320/Greeley%2BCO%2B019.JPG" width="268" /></a>Today got off to a pretty good start, with my quickly and
efficiently repairing my customers spectrometer. They had tried to replace a
consumable component on their own, but couldn’t get it right, and so they
brought me out to figure out what they were doing wrong. In a bit more than
three hours, I had the thing done and was headed back to my hotel room where I
got cleaned up and headed out for a movie and a day of shopping! I found four
records that I like: two Gordon Lightfoot’s, a Linda Ronstadt, and a Dolly
Parton, so I was off to a good start. Next I headed to JC Penny’s where I
received huge grins from everyone that walked past me. You know, the “Oh look
at the funny cross dresser!” grins that completely destroy your confidence?
Yeah, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">that</i> grin. So anyway, there I
am looking for clothes that just might fit my fat ass when the customer I had
taken care of that morning called me. <br />
“Hey, I’m having trouble getting it to dry out. We didn’t have this problem
before you worked on it today. Would you mind coming back?” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I looked at the time – 330 PM. I looked at my
skirt and heels – ‘yeah, that’s kind of a problem’ I thought to myself with a
mental giggle. I started doing the math in my head; let’s see, 10 minutes to
get back to the hotel, 25 minutes to shower and change, 30 minute drive out to
the customer. Sigh . . . <br />
“Yeah, no worries. Give me about an hour to get there.” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
No way around it, the job has to come first, so that was one
of the shortest Kim days I’ve ever had. I went from a remarkably short work day
to a damned late one and didn’t get back to the hotel until after 8 PM. Gotta
be up at 3 AM again to head to the airport, so I’m outta here!</div>
Kimberly Huddlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11668019327622021786noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7776343890232020343.post-84714774921471484022018-05-12T18:55:00.000-05:002018-05-12T18:55:00.216-05:00Pot Luck<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So I think I'll call this blog entry
"Pot Luck" because there is a little bit of everything in it. I'm not
entirely sure where to start to be honest. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/An.Artist.Recreated/photos/a.1230039887043296.1073741858.112252695488693/1703866426327304/?type=3&theater" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img alt="https://www.facebook.com/An.Artist.Recreated/photos/a.1230039887043296.1073741858.112252695488693/1703866426327304/?type=3&theater" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicVitzaWu-dSTmUg4MCTKKHLTAS4qOjGZOyYcMHtFZExwuFa0t6TyMxUIPTOiwlxXuzD_mzfGUcuZjdc1UBJVl92CWuoxbSB5iS3Y9lSdMQU8fUM2zKqLjIWUO3x6RwQeVNxVNQKkeNVRq/s400/Hand+in+Hand+Carolyn+Simpson.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Hand in Hand" - <a href="https://www.facebook.com/An.Artist.Recreated/" target="_blank">CarolLyn Simpson</a></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So a very good friend of mine,
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/An.Artist.Recreated/" target="_blank">CarolLyn</a>, is an artist, and a good one at that. I have absolutely no idea why,
but I felt the overwhelming urge to come out to her a year or so ago and so I
told her all about who and what I am. She was going through a tough time
in her life and I probably couldn't have picked a worse or more selfish time
in the world to put yet more on her plate, but I guess I just really wanted to
be her friend as the real me. Does that make any sense? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I had very little doubt
that she would be 100% fine with me and I was not at all disappointed. After all, artists
don't tend to be narrow minded ya know? I've seriously admired her courage in life and would have to admit that I envy her in many ways. She has been doing a
lot of work involving the space program lately, which I think is the coolest
thing in the world. I've been a huge fan of the space program for as long as I
can remember and would kill to play any part at all in it. I remember talking
my mom into letting me go to school late when I was small, because I
desperately wanted to watch one of the moon launches. In her personal life, Carolyn
has also taken great strides as an artist and has had several exhibits of her
work! How cool is that?! To top it all off, she is just an absolutely beautiful
person. If I had a list of people I wish I could be just like, she would be
pretty near the top I think. And now I notice that I am gushing again. . . </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I did
that with her once, when I'd had enough of adulting and got trashed one night
while traveling for work. I probably spent an hour chatting with her on
Facebook and telling her how awesome she was that night, and then got to feel
like a complete ass the next morning when I realized that I had almost
certainly made a fool out of myself. Important note to self - copious amounts
of alcohol and Facebook should never be mixed. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Anyway, she recently was part of an
artistic project where artists were given a color of the LGBT flag and a topic,
and they were to combine the two. The artwork must be at least 80% of the
required color and obviously have some connection to the topic that was given. The
color and topic that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">she</i> was given
were pink and female/male sexuality and off to work she went! One of the things
that really impressed me was just how much she cared about getting it right.
Not just the nuts and bolts of the painting, but that she really wanted to make
sure that it was appropriate and meaningful to the community. In other words, she
really put her heart into it. Knowing how much she cared about it, and how
much of herself she had put into it, I will not bullshit you - I teared up when
she told me how she was dedicating it. Thank you Carolyn. Thank you on behalf
of all of those like me, who live somewhat complicated lives that few are willing,
let alone capable, of understanding. Thank you for caring. Thank you for your
art. Most of all, thank you for your friendship.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I've hesitated to write about this
for several reasons, the most significant being my daughters privacy I suppose,
but she is very vocal about it herself and has assured me that she is fine with
my writing about it. Anyway, my 14 year old daughter has informed anyone
that would care to listen that she is pan sexual, but as a general rule prefers
girls. To say that my feelings about this are a bit conflicted would be a huge
understatement. The first thought to cross my mind was "holy shit, you're
only 14 and have never even kissed anyone, so how the hell would you know what
you prefer yet?!" Then I recall that I knew for absolute certain
that I was different at only 5 or 6 years old, so maybe it's not so
unreasonable to think that she has a clue at 14. Don't get me wrong, there was
never a question about whether I'd support my daughter or not, but I would have
to admit to a feeling of loss. From the moment I first held her in my arms,
I've envisioned a life for her that involved first dates, a marriage,
motherhood, and grandchildren for me to adore. Much of this now seems unlikely to
ever take place and I do indeed feel some grief at the loss. Still, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">she</i> is not responsible for the dreams
that<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> I</i> had envisioned for her life. Having
lived a somewhat unique and outside of the box life myself, I also do not envy
her the complications that being different will bring to her life. Many
times through the years I've wished like hell that I'd been normal, that I had
either been fully male or fully female, without the confusion and complication
of being so different that many people can't stand the very idea of who and
what I am. I would have much preferred that my children not know such
discomfort and complications in their lives. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">By the time that she decided to tell
my wife and I, she had long since already told all of her friends and school
mates, so my advice that it might not be in her best interests to be <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">too</i> vocal about it while living in small
town Texas were far too late. For better or worse, she is out and
vocal about it. Out of sheer curiosity, I asked her the other day why she felt
the need to throw caution to the wind and be so quick to let people know about
her sexuality. She gave a small pause to consider the question before
answering.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"I don't want to invest time
and effort into getting to know someone just to have them back away after they
find out." Hmm, fairly logical there I suppose. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Not that I can take credit for who
she is, but I am terribly proud of her for her self-confidence and her
willingness to be herself regardless of what others might think. She has always done her own thing and never been one to follow the crowd. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Do you remember being 14 at all? I
have some memories of it, but of course they are getting a bit vague. I do
recall that it was about this time when I really started to notice the opposite
sex, and I don't mean that in a sexual way, but more of a longing for someone
to love. It was around then that I might look at someone and daydream about
walking with them, holding hands, staring into beautiful eyes, and just
existing with someone else that just might adore me back. That was hard enough
when considering someone of the opposite gender as society expects, but now
imagine having those same wants and dreams, but preferring someone of your own
gender, thus making it infinitely more difficult to find someone. In the year
or so since my daughter shared this with me, she has hinted at some of her
thoughts on this with me; how it is hard to know someone that she cares about
in that way, but be unsure how or if she should approach them. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">On the upside, while I can't do much
about the complications this will bring to her life, she knows for absolute
certain that she has love and support at home. While I already miss the
grandchildren that it looks like you're not gonna give me, I got your back
critter! </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Of course all of this has me
thinking a good deal about my own life style and the cost of it. The other
night I had to get up at 2:30 AM to get ready for a flight, and so I went to bed
quite early. When I told my wife good night, she was kind of short and terse
with her reply. We've been married for thirty years now, so I know the signs. After all, I'm slow, but I aint <i>that </i>slow. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"Are you angry at me about
something?" I asked her.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"Yeah, a little." She
replied without looking up from her computer.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"What did I do?"</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"I don't want to talk about
it."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"Umm, we haven't hardly seen
each other for days - what could I possibly have done to piss you off?" I
asked her.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"I think you can probably
guess," was the answer I received. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So, my best guess is that she was
angry because after she had been gone for the weekend and we hadn't seen each
other, instead of spending time with her, I was getting ready to take a trip as
Kim. Getting clothes and makeup together, going to bed early because I'd have
to get up early to get ready, etc. Of course I'm probably wrong and missing
something obvious - I'm good at that. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Right or wrong, this has had me thinking
this week, and I'm wondering why the hell I bother to do this? Years ago, I
felt wonderful spending time in the world as Kim. I felt real, I felt right, I
felt at peace, and yes, I even felt beautiful. Truth be told though, I haven't
felt that sense of fulfillment in years. These days I feel almost entirely like
an ugly old man desperately trying not to be perceived as such. As I’ve aged, I’ve gone from passing and being accepted as a
woman probably 75% of the time, to being pegged as male the vast majority of
the time. In addition to my own dissatisfaction with my appearance, I’m almost constantly a nervous wreck. Scared when I leave the house
that my neighbors may just happen to walk out the door at 5AM as I am loading
my suitcase into the truck, and then I’ll have to have “the talk” with them and
then deal with my wife who would no doubt be angry and hurt at such a thing.
Scared when I have to use the bathroom, because these days I put my physical and
professional life at risk any time that I enter a bathroom. Scared that my wife
may eventually just say “Piss on it, I’ve had it with you” and our family will crash and burn. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I am not ready to fall upon my own
sword or anything, but it definitely depresses the hell out of me. I'm not
looking for sympathy here, and would really prefer <i>not </i>to get a bunch of
comments trying to bolster my confidence, I'm just continuing my long standing
tradition of being honest and blunt about my life and feelings here on the
blog. The point is, I cause my wife hurt and anger and I'm pretty much unhappy
and miserable most of the time myself anyway, so why do I bother to still do
it? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I don't know. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I don't understand it myself. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I can't bear <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i> being me, but I can't bear <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">being</i>
me either. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It's the proverbial unstoppable
force meeting an immovable object with all of us caught right in the middle.
Shit. . . </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This week I headed for the
Philadelphia area to help a customer that has been unable to use her
spectrometer for about two weeks. I'd been trying to help her solve her problem
by phone and email while I was home with the pneumonia, but ultimately had to
throw in the towel and prepare to go fix it myself. Others at my company had
reached the conclusion that it was a very complicated and expensive component
at fault, while I insisted that I didn't think so. Since I had failed to prove
my case remotely, I kind of had to go along with their recommendations though
and so had to wait for the replacement part to be purchased, built, and setup
for me. So, the customer was down and out for two weeks waiting for a
part that the factory told her she needed, and that I had argued was probably
not the faulty component - needless to say there was some anxiety going into
this. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4dPjVcmSy6XVy-0acN538CrO-AxsmS2at_wsVxj9eE8qqV1CA7KcAkgpm34vOzjjIZpyPhEJT7M7Tko3UlYCVVK8vakW4lTI4GJc6ogaaz8dOGnZK_uwffiIIBTjvy232SlwWjMtX4d6g/s1600/Philly+008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="829" data-original-width="560" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4dPjVcmSy6XVy-0acN538CrO-AxsmS2at_wsVxj9eE8qqV1CA7KcAkgpm34vOzjjIZpyPhEJT7M7Tko3UlYCVVK8vakW4lTI4GJc6ogaaz8dOGnZK_uwffiIIBTjvy232SlwWjMtX4d6g/s320/Philly+008.JPG" width="216" /></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I had to laugh as a young couple got
onto the airport shuttle bus behind me carrying two huge suite cases; one
bright blue and one bright green.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"I'll bet y'all have no trouble
what so ever spotting your suitcases!" I laughed. We ended up chatting the
whole way to the airport. I told them of the time when I was traveling on a bad
weather day and had arrived at the Austin airport several hours late to find
easily a thousand bags from delayed travelers piled up on the baggage claim
floor. Staring at that huge number of bags and trying to pick mine out of the
mess, I had sworn then and there to never buy a black or dark blue suitcase
again. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The shuttle bus at the other end of
the trip was a bit more awkward. Here I am with a 50 pound suitcase, a 50 pound
tool box, and a thirty pound backpack, trying to heft it all in and out the
rental car shuttle bus. To make it a little harder, the bus driver refused to open
the middle doors, and only opened the one up front by the driver, so I had to
not only get these bags in through a crowd of people, but had to hook them
around the corner. Being the graceful person that I am *cough* I ended up
rolling my suitcase right into this poor woman's toes. She was most
understanding about it though, and assured me that no harm was done, but I
still felt about six inches tall. Having started my day at 2:30AM and still
getting over the pneumonia, I was worn out when I arrived and pretty much got
dinner, showered, and went straight to bed.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The next morning I felt almost
human, but suffered from a major case of the nerves. A large customer of ours,
I'd already failed to identify the source of this customers problem by phone,
and I'd already argued with experts at my factory over what was wrong with it.
More or less, they weren't seeing any infrared and our experts were insisting
that it was the IR detector itself. I argued that it looked like the detector
was fine, but there was just no IR to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">be</i>
detected. There was just a bit or pressure here if you know what I mean. When I
examined their instrument, I couldn't help literally laughing out loud, much to
the non-amusement of my customer. Over the phone, they had insisted that they
had never touched a special set of mirrors used to align the IR, but someone
had fibbed. Not only had they touched them, but someone had completely removed
them and they were now entirely missing! The best analogy of this whole mess
that I can think of works with cars:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Customer says engine won't run.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Factory says engine needs to be
replaced.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I insist I think engine is fine, but
it sounds like a carburetor problem.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I ask customer "Did y'all
adjust the carburetor?" and I'm assured that no one would dream of
touching it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I arrive to find that the carburetor
is completely missing.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So, an hour later they finally find
the missing adjustment mirrors, and a mere three hours after I arrived I've got
the thing aligned, tested, and done. All of that anxiety over something so
silly. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgMvzMKrIaKv5wVlJhl_0mWdcmxv1TTUxrssMo33P417SOjI5aptjWAuELGLWlu9vF5bycNtjk3nba1HKBpEAsuieHW33u6MsioUo1SkDEXcdvmNTob4axoj4MyuOuXbCVWgB0LjwYPbmh/s1600/Philly+012.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="750" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgMvzMKrIaKv5wVlJhl_0mWdcmxv1TTUxrssMo33P417SOjI5aptjWAuELGLWlu9vF5bycNtjk3nba1HKBpEAsuieHW33u6MsioUo1SkDEXcdvmNTob4axoj4MyuOuXbCVWgB0LjwYPbmh/s320/Philly+012.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I'd told Sophie and Linda that I was
gonna be near them, but didn't expect to have any free time, and yet here it
was 11 AM and I'm done for the day. Time to give them a call to see if they are
up for getting together after all! The three of us met at the King of Prussia
mall, which Sophie, the font of all trivial knowledge, assures me is now the
largest mall in the world. We started at Macy's, and then made our way to DSW,
and then on to Nordstrom Rack. At DSW (a shoe store) I walked past a woman who
was trying on two colors of the same sandals - one foot white, the other blue.
Without thinking, I spoke up as I walked by her.</span>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"Yes, they're cute on you!"
I said with a grin. She quickly looked up with an expression that implied she
was relieved to get an honest appraisal.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"Yeah, but which color?"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"Definitely the blue one!"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"Yay! That's two votes for blue
then!" She said with a laugh. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In all three locations I found only
two things that I really liked - two skirts at Nordstrom's Rack. The catch is
that they were well out of my budget, so cute or not, they stayed right where
they were. Ultimately I laughed and told Sophie and Linda that we could leave
any time that they were ready because I clearly didn't make enough money to be
shopping there, and so off we went for an early dinner.</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV_uP4chdOZOCysWvIQKe_h1FhrNFnXYIV6mrOHdRRDOTAUjj_XJ9iqjQ5ZjTNHOSoFQn_atak_I5KgVY04dor3cnINwGIi-QQAnb8jxcB3D72bHcW2bn5DfjRY0W4vra7nmtC1qmD6DaS/s1600/Philly+018.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV_uP4chdOZOCysWvIQKe_h1FhrNFnXYIV6mrOHdRRDOTAUjj_XJ9iqjQ5ZjTNHOSoFQn_atak_I5KgVY04dor3cnINwGIi-QQAnb8jxcB3D72bHcW2bn5DfjRY0W4vra7nmtC1qmD6DaS/s400/Philly+018.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Linda Lewis, Myself, and Sophie in the King of Prussia Mall</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">My flight home left at the miserable
hour of 6AM. It doesn't sound so bad until you put it all together. The hotel
was an hour from the airport and you have to get there two hours early. Do that
math and that means my happy ass was up at 2:30 AM again and leaving for the
airport at 3. I could have got flights that left at a more reasonable hour, but
it would have almost tripled the cost. The flight leaving at 6 was $300, and
the flight leaving at 8 was $800. I'm ok with spending a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">little</i> of my company's money for a
reasonable schedule, but that significant a cost difference would be a hard
sell to the boss.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So there I am, a tired old man
pumping gas into a rental car at a small deserted convenience store in Philly
at about 3:30 AM, when up drives this beautiful woman with long braided hair
down to her bottom. Gotta be honest, even as an old soldier, I wasn't entirely
comfortable in this location at this time of day, and I couldn't help wondering
how she must feel. If I was nervous, I couldn't help wondering what it would be
like to be her; a small and attractive woman pumping gas in a relatively dark
station at such an awful time in the morning. Funny thing is, she didn't seem
half as nervous as I felt. Maybe I'm just a coward that over thinks things. . .
</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Next week it's off to Denver! </span></div>
Kimberly Huddlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11668019327622021786noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7776343890232020343.post-53663256189066525772018-04-19T21:03:00.003-05:002018-04-19T21:03:45.879-05:00Parenthood and Insecurity<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
You know
there is just no way around it; while born male, I clearly am not and have
never been typical. Being raised by a single handicapped mother, I never learned many
of the things that most of your average boys learn. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I never got into
sports, and at the age of (almost) 53, I <i>still </i>can’t throw or catch a football
to save my life. </div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I think I
went fishing twice, once with my alcoholic father. We spent the day floating on
a lake with him drinking beer after beer. I don’t recall if he caught anything
or not, I just remember being horrified when he told me that I either had to
pee over the side of the boat, or pee into one of his beer cans and then <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">pour</i> it over the side. Most little boys
would have been golden (pun intended) with just peeing off the side of the
boat, but as I said, I wasn’t your typical boy. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Rough
housing?” Not so much. Never had a father or father-like individual around that
wanted to rough house, toss each other around, etc. The closest I had to this
was my big brother, but most of the time that we tussled with each other, it
really wasn’t in fun; it was brothers giving each other shit. I’d give him hell
with my mouth and my words, and he would reply by knocking me on my ass. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I never went
camping as child but the US Army made damned sure that I experienced that
particular past time to the fullest. When I was stationed in Germany, my unit
would watch the weather report, and when the weather was going to be cold, wet,
and absofrickenlutely miserable, we would pack all of our gear up and go live
in the woods for a few weeks. I grew to absolutely <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">hate</i> these field events, and 30+ years later I still flat refuse to
go camping. Some days I’d swear that my toes are <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">still</i> cold from my last field exercise. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I actually do enjoy time in the wilderness and
am happy to spend the day out in the dirt, dust, and bugs, but by God when it
comes time to call it a night, I want a shower and a clean bed to sleep in. If
you <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">really</i> wanna make my A-list,
throw an air conditioner into the mix. I aint sleeping in the dirt anymore. No.
Nope. Done with it. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
So fast
forward lots and lots and lots of years and here I am, the father of three
beautiful children. I’ve had zero role models for being a good father and pretty
much my main plan for dealing with fatherhood is to try not to suck at it as
bad as mine did. So no real plan to excel at it, just the desire to not totally
screw it up.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Recently my
wife has become almost obsessed with a fitness class based on self-defense that
is given in a neighboring town and she goes pretty much every night. I’m
delighted for her as she is clearly profiting from it, both physically and
mentally. She was so impressed with the way that this class made her feel so
much better about herself that she enrolled our 8 year old son in a similar
class in the same building, where he is just beginning to learn the very basics
of martial arts. I absolutely love the way it is changing his attitude! It is
giving him confidence and teaching him both respect and some self-discipline.
It also has the advantage of getting him off of the couch, out from in front of
the TV, and gets him doing something physical.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>A few weekends ago, we watched him test for his next belt, and it was a
serious pleasure to see the smile in his eyes, and just to watch him be a
little boy. At one point I looked at my wife and told her that I thought this
was one of the best ideas that she has ever had. <br />
“I know!” she replied</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
“I think
hanging out with Anthony (the instructor) is good for him. It gives him the chance
to hang out with guys that <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>. . .” and
here she paused and got that look on her face that after 30 years I’ve come to
recognize as her looking for a way to say something without hurting anyone’s
feelings. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Guys that
act like guys?” I finished for her with a laugh.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Well, yeah.
Sort of.” She agreed with me.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There was
nothing mean or ugly meant here, and she certainly wasn’t trying to hurt my
feelings. It was just a simple statement about the way that things are. Still,
it left me more than a little depressed and I probably spent the next two weeks
obsessed with the thought that I’m not doing right by my son. Not sucking as
bad as my father did is not good enough. Sigh . . .</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I’m off to
see two customers <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and</i> my big sister
this week. A small perk of my job is that on rare occasions it takes me to
where it is feasible for me to see family and friends that live thousands of
miles from me. In this case, I’m off to the University of California at
Berkeley, which just happens to be only a two hour drive away from my big sister.
I’ve scheduled the flights so that I will get to spend Saturday with my sister,
and then head straight from there to Indiana for my next customer Sunday
morning. My sister and her husband will be taking two of their grandchildren to
baseball games that they will be playing in. You know, one of those things that
most fathers probably do with their sons? Maybe I’ll learn something from the
experience – who knows?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_QmrO2ddYPrYStfZtR7gb7vspPxqhF-d9YbggS0i8QyeWMrCq7xengoB8igmpLUEgioNNB0vAq4xzQ7l5Sn41FFHt1TGmYdfi1UTUa8l9biidxUXEk8_339RIJetjPBbrswiw16Ihw5bM/s1600/Kim+California+010.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_QmrO2ddYPrYStfZtR7gb7vspPxqhF-d9YbggS0i8QyeWMrCq7xengoB8igmpLUEgioNNB0vAq4xzQ7l5Sn41FFHt1TGmYdfi1UTUa8l9biidxUXEk8_339RIJetjPBbrswiw16Ihw5bM/s320/Kim+California+010.JPG" width="240" /></a>Due to my ongoing
medical problems and my sedentary life style, I’ve gained some weight in the
last year or so, and so finally have had to start buying some new clothes that
will actually fit. I bought this skirt, fully intending to wear it <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">under</i> my top, but much to my surprise
and delight, I thought it looked better to wear the blouse tucked in, with the
skirt over it as it was intended to be worn. Tucking a blouse in is something
I’m pretty sure I’ve never done before due to a serious lack of a proper figure
for pulling it off. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I’m wrong and it
looks terrible, do me a favor and keep that to yourself, because for the first
time in a long time, I actually felt pretty.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5dcB4td6VcolHw8LZxBegHmP38FSdra_45SUE8c3oQMGEfCN2e9L1JxMACuY88TAaaH-00JnrqG0WT6Onuswvc-8VyJs7e-byHde-EHsNXeeGOheIAHMvjkjk6JBQui2my7vVPlwdTVxD/s1600/Kim+California+001.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5dcB4td6VcolHw8LZxBegHmP38FSdra_45SUE8c3oQMGEfCN2e9L1JxMACuY88TAaaH-00JnrqG0WT6Onuswvc-8VyJs7e-byHde-EHsNXeeGOheIAHMvjkjk6JBQui2my7vVPlwdTVxD/s320/Kim+California+001.JPG" width="240" /></a>So as I’m
getting out of my truck at the airport parking facility, I could feel that
there was something stuck to the bottom of my shoe. Mind you, it’s dark and I’m
dragging two large bags to the shuttle bus so I can’t give it proper attention
at first, but ultimately I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">had</i> to as
it was so large it was making it hard to walk. I stopped to pull the offending
item off of my shoe just to discover that the offending item was in fact the
sole of the shoe itself. Apparently the glue had given out and the sole had
peeled back, and it was now being dragged along under the heel itself with each
step. “Drag, clop, drag, clop, drag, clop” it went as I made my way onto the
shuttle bus dragging my tool box and suitcase behind me. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I wasn’t
feeling quite so pretty anymore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Anyway, I made
my way off of the bus, found a quiet place to sit down, and pulled another pair
of heels out of my suitcase. Being a multi-color plaid-like pattern, they don’t
really go with the outfit, but that’s pretty irrelevant at this point as I can
at least walk in them.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Having my
shoe dilemma resolved, I then made my way through the TSA inspection point
where I received a mixed blessing. The inspector looks at my ID for a moment,
then he looks at me in confusion.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Matthew?”
he asks relatively loudly, “I’m sorry – where is Matthew?” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I looked at
him for a moment, trying to figure out if he was messing with me or if he was
serious, but I was absolutely certain that he was sincere. I was just about to
explain exactly who ‘Matthew’ was when it apparently clicked for him.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Oh!” he
said quietly, then initialed my ticket and handed it and my ID back to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I smiled at him as I took my documents back,
then raised my finger to my lips.<br />
“Shhh!” I told him softly, winking at him as I walked by. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
When I got
into my rental car, I connected my phone to the cars Bluetooth, and was soon
listening to Vikki Carr as I was making my way to the exit. For just the
briefest of seconds, I found myself thinking “Hey, I’ve got to call mom and
tell her about the new Vikki Carr albums I found!” The thing is, my mom died
years ago, but I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">still</i> catch myself
thinking things like this from time to time.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
Kimberly Huddlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11668019327622021786noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7776343890232020343.post-32159403773128050392018-03-03T15:22:00.000-06:002018-03-03T15:34:49.365-06:00Did you try turning it on?<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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So the day got off to a bit of a rough start. Normally I
am up and at it at about 3AM to catch flights, but today's flight didn't leave
until almost noon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As the flight left so
late in the morning, I figured I'd wait until after the wife had gone to work
and the kids were gone to school to get ready. I told my daughter the night
before that I was gonna let her walk to school in the morning as I wouldn't
have time to take her and get ready, and she assured me that she was fine with
that. That was the plan anyway, but it didn’t work out that way. </div>
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<br /></div>
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The following morning, it turned out that my wife was not
feeling well and so she decided to stay home and take a sick day. The catch is
that at some point, she told my daughter that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">she</i> would take her to school, but the more that I thought on it,
the more I figured that I was being an asshole if I let my sick wife drive my
daughter to school instead of doing it myself. So, on this rare occasion, I
stepped up and did the right thing instead of the selfish thing, and I took the
critter to school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My daughter has taken
to drinking coffee lately, and when she got into the truck, she more or less
balanced her coffee mug on the dash and I failed to notice it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>About thirty seconds later, as I made the
first turn, her coffee mug fell over and landed on the floorboard at my feet,
soaking the carpet, and splashing coffee up on all of us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sigh. . .</div>
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Since I was still wearing sweats and would be changing
anyway after I dropped her off, that was no big deal for me, but her skirt had
several prominent coffee spots on it, and so I offered to take her back home so
that she could change.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The thing is, she
knew about my plans to fly pretty today, knew I wouldn't have the time to get
ready if I had to wait for her to change before taking her to school, and so she
flat out refused. </div>
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"Nope, I'll be fine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Besides, my tunic covers most of it, see?" She said while tugging
her top down over her skirt to prove that it would be covering the worst of
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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"Are you sure?" I asked her. "I don't mind
taking you home to change sweetheart."</div>
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“No. You don’t have the time to take me home <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and</i> get ready!”</div>
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“Yeah, but maybe I should take mom being sick and all of
this as a hint from the universe to not do it this trip.” I told her with a
grin.</div>
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"Nope, not a problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You don’t get the chance to fly pretty much
these days so you go and have a good trip!" She insisted.</div>
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I'm thinking that both her and my wife are better people
than I am. They both tend to put other people first when I am pretty sure that
I would have been selfish and insisted on going home to change. Anyway, I got
her off to school and then did indeed have plenty of time to get myself ready.
It was a wee bit awkward as neither my wife nor I are terribly comfortable with
her seeing Kim these days, but it is what it is.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQwlbAnZQ7_kKxOyCxkF8rST4KF0vs-jB5Hx2MkXXRDy-VCuNDYzhWaR5g4UQmFqcWbowZyjAqR-Yxct9BDa_IDf-__Uwzq_epr99XNeVp1g5yOfAryfmrNFUOUBnP4-JZg-obCZ21r8DT/s1600/Kim+20180302+010.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1030" data-original-width="780" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQwlbAnZQ7_kKxOyCxkF8rST4KF0vs-jB5Hx2MkXXRDy-VCuNDYzhWaR5g4UQmFqcWbowZyjAqR-Yxct9BDa_IDf-__Uwzq_epr99XNeVp1g5yOfAryfmrNFUOUBnP4-JZg-obCZ21r8DT/s320/Kim+20180302+010.JPG" width="242" /></a>As much as I thought it wasn’t possible, the problem with the huge bumps on my
legs has actually gotten worse. It has often hurt so bad, and with such a
sudden and stabbing pain, that I often find myself reflexively looking down and
expecting to see some sort of open wound or a knife sticking out of my leg.
Well, for the first time in all of these years, I wasn’t totally disappointed
when I pulled up my pant leg, because I found a large wet spot on my sock over
one of the bumps where nasty stuff actually <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">was</i>
leaking out of the nodule. Needless to say, there was not going to be bare legs
in my future for a while, not even with tights, and so I broke out a pair of
boots that I had bought over a decade ago but only worn once. I bought them for
those occasions when I was traveling to very cold places, but I found them to
be quite a bit less comfortable than your average heels, and so never really
wore them. It’s not that they pinch or don’t fit well, its just that they kind
of force your calve and foot to stay at an angle that doesn’t feel as natural
as your typical heels. Say, did you know that the interior of boots tend to
degrade and shed material with age if you don’t wear them for years? Yeah, when
I took them off to go through airport security, my calves and feet were mostly
black and covered with little flecks of fabric. This, in concert with the large
red nodules all over my legs, definitely didn’t make for the most attractive
legs that you have ever seen. The mornings mishaps, the discomfort in my legs,
and the fact that I was going to train a customer on a machine that I haven’t
seen in a decade, all combined to make me a jittery and nervous wreck. I
honestly wasn’t that surprised when my IPAD slipped out of my hands, fell to
the floor, and went skating down the aisle of the plane while I was trying to
put my bags into the overhead bin. I looked at it in disgust and seriously
considered leaving the damned thing there for its impudence, but it cost me too
much to leave it there regardless of how irritated I was with it.</div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Once I arrived in Omaha, I had to
stand in a short line of people that were waiting for the shuttle bus to the
rental car lot. There were two men standing behind me and talking to each
other, and one of them decided to strike up a short conversation with me.<br />
“So that’s tools I assume?” he asked me, pointing with his chin at my toolbox. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Sure! That’s how I earn my
paycheck!” I told him with a smile.<br />
“Yeah?” he asked, clearly not at all amused with me or my smile. “What do you
do?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“I’m a field service engineer.” I
replied to him.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“No kidding.” He responded with the
driest, most sarcastic tone of voice I’ve ever heard, and then he immediately turned
back to his friend, quite obviously dismissing me. Mind you, I am an expert at
sarcasm and at being an asshole, but I was seriously impressed with the sheer
contempt that this man managed to convey with so few words. I think I’d have to
give him at least a 9 and perhaps even a 10 as a score. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">At one time I was extremely comfortable
with the system that I was here to provide training on, I’d even written the
software that once automated an optional version of it. The thing is, I hadn’t
laid hands on one of these in a decade or more, and so was way out of practice.
Imagine my anxiety when I turned on the main breaker on the rear of the
instrument but only half of the systems powered up. Not only was my customer
standing there watching me trying to figure out where the problem was, but our regional
sales manager was also there from Colorado to try and learn a bit about the
system. The customer had offered to take us on a tour of their factory, and so
I encouraged them all to go on about their tour while I grabbed a volt meter
and tried to track down the source of the lack of power. They had been gone for
about 5 minutes when I realized what I had done wrong, and I pretty much had to
talk myself out of pounding my head against the wall in frustration at my own
stupidity. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Well, I’ve got good news and I’ve
got bad news!” I told them all when they returned a few minutes later.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Yeah?!” the customer asked me with
a serious look of concern in his eyes.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Welp, the good news is that there is
absolutely nothing wrong with your system.” I said, pausing for the dramatic
effect.<br />
“And the bad news?” asked our regional sales manager.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“They sent a complete idiot to train you.” I
replied, hanging my head in shame as I reached out and pressed the bright green
indicator/switch that was clearly marked “Power On” on the front of the
instrument. I’d noticed it when I was setting everything up, but I’d forgotten
that it was an indicator <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and</i> a
switch, and so I’d failed to press it. So here I was to train a customer, in
front of our regional sales manager, and I’d forgotten how to turn the darn
thing on. Sigh . . . </span></div>
Kimberly Huddlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11668019327622021786noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7776343890232020343.post-65060468540316104582017-11-27T20:41:00.000-06:002017-11-27T20:41:15.096-06:00Obsession . . . <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yh36GdVWdNA/WhzJrxEkxyI/AAAAAAAAB7A/r2qMbHFzlxoNt3um4B8sraZJQ9qLlXpnACLcBGAs/s1600/Philly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="413" data-original-width="896" height="292" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yh36GdVWdNA/WhzJrxEkxyI/AAAAAAAAB7A/r2qMbHFzlxoNt3um4B8sraZJQ9qLlXpnACLcBGAs/s640/Philly.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So if you are connected to me on Facebook,
you probably know by now that my most recent hobby is collecting records. My
current obsession is </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vikki_Carr"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Vikki Carr</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">,
who I am listening to at high volume as I type this. For those of you who are
too young to have heard of her, she was super popular in the 60's and 70's. She
is one of very few people that I'd be willing to compare to Barbra Streisand -
yeah, she's <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">that</i> good. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">(If
you don't know who Barbra Streisand is, then you need to get the hell off of my
blog, because we don't have anything to talk about.) </span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SBbMfVgZvVE/WhzKPaKcQoI/AAAAAAAAB7Q/kbbdEWr-fJw6lZdQNyroR0f-c98zFVeOQCLcBGAs/s1600/Vikki%2BCarr%2B%25E2%2580%258E%25E2%2580%2593%2BVikki%2BCarr%2527s%2BLove%2BStory.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="565" data-original-width="600" height="301" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SBbMfVgZvVE/WhzKPaKcQoI/AAAAAAAAB7Q/kbbdEWr-fJw6lZdQNyroR0f-c98zFVeOQCLcBGAs/s320/Vikki%2BCarr%2B%25E2%2580%258E%25E2%2580%2593%2BVikki%2BCarr%2527s%2BLove%2BStory.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Anyway, I've found quite a few of her
records in the last six months or so and I am in complete awe </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span>of her incredible
and confident voice. I wonder what it would feel like to know for absolute
certain that when you open your mouth to sing and express your feelings, that
something awesome is going to come out of it? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Obviously I travel a lot, and it's a
real bear trying to carry a phonograph, records, and amplifier with me, so I've
been trying to make digital recordings of some of the music that I really love
and want to enjoy while I'm traveling. It really is a major pain in the ass to
digitize these things though, so I went looking to see if I could download
these albums from ITunes instead of spending hours cleaning records, recording
them, then cleaning up the digital recording to remove some of the clicks and
pops, etc, etc. Anyway, two things kind of surprised me as I was searching Itunes
for Vikki Carr music:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1 - While they do have some of her
more popular songs, none of the records that I have are available on ITunes.
Considering the obscure and odd stuff that you <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">can</i> find there, this sort of surprises me. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">2 - She had a lot of Spanish albums.
I’m not sure <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">why</i> this surprised me,
but it did. Just for shits and giggles, I googled her and came across her real
name, which sort of explains the Spanish music: Florencia Bisenta de
Casillas-Martinez Cardona. Sort of rolls right off the tongue, don’t it? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">One of the cool things that records
had going for them, is that they often printed stuff about the artist or the
music on the album covers to let you kind of get to know something about them. I
had to giggle as I was reading the cover of one of her albums. Here is this
prim and proper lady, apparently the very definition of class and sophistication,
and yet one of the acknowledgements she makes is to thank Cheech of </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheech_%26_Chong"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Cheech
and Chong</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> for allowing her the use of his
home. I'm still trying to imagine Vikki Carr hanging out and getting stoned
with Cheech and Chong but it just doesn't compute for me. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If you really enjoy powerful vocals,
you should consider checking these Vikki Carr songs out:</span></div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IFMY9KLOCU"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">One hell of a woman </span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<a href="https://youtu.be/kUZy6svij3A"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Hurt</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<a href="https://youtu.be/wTVtD3rfPgY"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I've
never been a woman</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<a href="https://youtu.be/7Hp5wPM0DYk"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">One
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It's not terribly impressive
vocally, but "</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wV_uYsHcGBI"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Make it Rain</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"
is a fun song too. If you have ever dated an asshole, that song will make you
smile. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I've too many years working as a
metrologist, where being fussy and particular are considered vital assets, and
so it really annoys the snot outta me when some of these beautiful recordings
had distinct distortion every time the music gets loud and powerful. I spent
the better part of an entire day and a half tearing my stereo apart, cleaning
contacts and connectors, adjusting my stylus angle and weight, and swapping
wires and components trying to find the source of the distortion but all to no
avail. Over three decades of experience at trouble shooting all seemed to
indicate that the distortion was coming from the records themselves, but I
couldn't believe that so <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">many</i> records
would all have the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">same</i> flaw.
Ultimately I asked one of my friends on Facebook who has a HUGE record
collection for his advice. I'm pretty sure I could hear him laughing all of the
way from Ohio as he confirmed that it was entirely likely that the records
themselves were at fault. Decades of being played on old systems with worn out
needles apparently damages the recording and is a common problem. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Live and
learn. . . </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So the other weekend I loaded my
entire family up into the truck, along with my floor buffer, and we headed out
to help my sister in law strip, clean, stain, and seal the concrete floor of
the home they are building. We were almost all of the way there when we passed
a Goodwill thrift store. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"What do you think - do you
think they would have any records?" I asked my wife. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"It doesn't matter because we
don't have the time to stop," was her reply.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"You know, that's what I <i>thought</i>
you were gonna say!" I told her with a grin and then pulled into the parking
lot anyway. She just rolled her eyes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"We will wait here." She
said with an exasperated sigh, because let's face it, there was no point to her
arguing with me about it. We both knew damned good and well that I wasn't going
anywhere until I looked to see if they had any musical treasures hidden away in
there. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Happy happy joy joy, because not
only <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">did</i> they have records, but they
had <i>good</i> records! I got a few movie soundtracks to include "My Fair
Lady", about 10 Barbra Striesand's, a Spanish Ray Conniff, and about two
dozen other records. Sixty dollars later and I got to watch my wife break out
laughing as I approached the truck with a heavy load of records in my arms. My
decision to stop despite her misgivings was entirely vindicated when I
repeatedly heard her ooh and awe over the records as she went through them
while I drove. Normally I pick them out and then examine them for damage before
buying, but I didn't have the time to inspect them as my sister in law was
waiting on us, so I hope like hell that they are in good condition. I won't
know until I get home from this service call though. Keep your fingers crossed
for me. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Speaking of this service call, I'm
on the way to Philly way too damned early for a Sunday morning. I rarely fly on
weekends but this is a huge customer of ours and she all but begged me to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">please</i> be there on Monday as they
desperately need their FTIR up and running ASAP. So yeah, I'm on a plane. On
Sunday. Again. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I've really got to get my mental
shit together because I'm not gonna last much longer at this rate if I don't. I
feel absolutely exhausted and <i>really</i> didn't want to get on a plane, and <i>really</i>
didn't want to leave my family. When I apply my logic, I know that I need to
stop my internal whining and bitching because I've got it good and I <i>know</i>
I've got it good. There are people that would kill to have my job, and God
knows it beats the hell out of physically busting my ass off out in the weather
like just about everyone else in my extended family. I just feel mentally worn
out I guess, like I could just sit down and never get up. So yeah, I need
to get my mental act together. . . </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">There's a guy sitting in the row
ahead of me wearing a veterans hat, and I made the mistake of striking up a
conversation with him. I say it was a mistake because I decided pretty quickly
that he is full of shit and probably never served, and if he did, he probably
didn't last long. If you are a veteran, you have probably come across someone
like this at one point or another, who tells you his grand stories of the
things that he has done and of telling off superior officers who were so deeply
impressed by his super manliness and competency that they allowed him to get
away with his disrespect. Once I struck up the conversation, the guy is so
desperate to share his bullshit that I couldn't get him to shut the hell up.
Finally I played the headphone card by pulling out my iPad and earphones and
turning Vikki Carr's "One Hell of a Woman" up nice and loud. Good
song by the way, did I mention that you should listen to it? </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZcSWIK_4OL0/WhzJ4_nEh9I/AAAAAAAAB7E/FRFimqDeVW8qB3kGPC5ydNpS5ATiffxnACLcBGAs/s1600/23783555_1669497259761400_7477989417126428740_o.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="598" data-original-width="603" height="317" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZcSWIK_4OL0/WhzJ4_nEh9I/AAAAAAAAB7E/FRFimqDeVW8qB3kGPC5ydNpS5ATiffxnACLcBGAs/s320/23783555_1669497259761400_7477989417126428740_o.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">That evening I met Sophie and Linda
for dinner at the King of Prussia mall. We started off with our traditional
shot of Whiskey. Perhaps not the most lady-like of traditions, but it’s ours
none the less. I don’t remember how the tradition started, but I’m pretty sure
it’s Sophie’s fault. As I always do when hanging out with these two, we shared
a laugh or two before I cried exhaustion and bailed out on them. I’m glad
I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">did</i> call it a night early as the
repair the next day turned into a nightmare that ended up forcing me to stay an
extra day waiting for unanticipated parts to arrive. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">On the way back to the hotel from my
customer that night, I drove by a large thrift store and followed my standard
procedure of raiding it for records. Much to my delight, they had a large
collection of them and so I hunkered down and started going through them. I got
through about 75% of them when this guy walks up and starts going through them
as well, and we struck up a conversation as we looked for treasures. He was
looking for money makers – records that he can buy cheap and then turn around
and sell, and he was telling me all of the things that you should look for to
help determine if they are worth anything or not. His advice went straight in
one ear and out the other though, because I have no interest in collecting records
for money. My only interest is in the joy of the music. I don’t care if it’s a
first printing or the last, as long as it’s in good shape and I can enjoy the
music. He pretty much just encouraged me to work my way through the pile just a
tad faster to be sure that he didn’t grab anything I might have loved. As it
turned out, I was a little <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">too</i>
successful in my record hunting because I ended up with 35 of them – far too
much to carry in my suitcase! Realizing this, I bought a cheap bag right there
in the thrift store to carry the records in, but I blew it and got one that
wasn’t up to the task. As I was putting the bag full of records into the trunk of
my rental car before heading to the airport, the bag slipped, and the handle
tore loose when I grabbed for it. That necessitated a stop at Target, where I
had to spend more on a backpack to carry the records, than I spent on the
records themselves. Oh well . . . <br />
<br />
On the flight home, I was intrigued to note that the young teenage lady sitting
across from me was almost certainly transgender. I’m not positive, and I wasn’t
about to ask, but I’m pretty sure. She was sitting next to what I assume were
her older brother and father, and I couldn’t help notice that she was carefully
watching me as I was going through all of the records that I had collected and
reading their covers and inserts. About the tenth time I saw her staring with
great interest at a record in my hand, I decided to speak to her.</span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHwzsXOHoqPddEKZmRJx7EKp6MEjiq47A2aoqHBUBgQQvBDhRbqM3_FaGEXFC9btlc35dq2as1H_S2pIPkVr64scMYEhtOZObYATCfLcYeD9SstiX-CVJVXuUdv_-C7rFvLHieTxqBuGdx/s1600/Doris+Day+%25E2%2580%258E%25E2%2580%2593+Listen+To+Day.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHwzsXOHoqPddEKZmRJx7EKp6MEjiq47A2aoqHBUBgQQvBDhRbqM3_FaGEXFC9btlc35dq2as1H_S2pIPkVr64scMYEhtOZObYATCfLcYeD9SstiX-CVJVXuUdv_-C7rFvLHieTxqBuGdx/s320/Doris+Day+%25E2%2580%258E%25E2%2580%2593+Listen+To+Day.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span>“Have you ever seen a record
before?” I asked her with a smile. She didn’t say anything, just shook her head
“no”, and so I handed her the one that I’d been looking at. It was a </span><a href="https://www.discogs.com/Doris-Day-Listen-To-Day/release/3214544"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Doris Day album</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
that despite being well over 50 years old looked like brand new. She took it a
bit hesitantly and then inspected it with curiosity.<br />
“Yeah, that’s from a bit before your time huh?” I asked with a giggle. <br />
“So, this is from the 60’s then?” she asked, at last actually saying something.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Actually I am pretty sure <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">that</i> one is from the 50’s!” I replied
with a laugh as I accepted the record back from her. For the record (pun again
intended) she was technically correct as it came from 1960. The first record
she has ever held and the little shit already knows more about them than I do .
. .<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
Kimberly Huddlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11668019327622021786noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7776343890232020343.post-58218955323528704412017-11-12T18:51:00.000-06:002017-11-13T11:13:02.920-06:00One foot in front of the other<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">As
always, three AM came much sooner than I might have hoped when I had laid my
head down on my pillow the night before. It seemed like I had just fallen
asleep when the damned alarm went off. I briefly considered throwing my
phone (which I use as my alarm clock) but figured that in the end it would have
just made my life that much harder to make the trip without a working phone. I
had just returned from a trip to Knoxville that night, and so it is starting to
feel like my whole life revolves around getting on a airplane, working, getting
on an airplane home, do laundry, wash, rinse and repeat cycle over and over and
over and over . . .</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I
had hoped to wear a new top that I had bought a few weeks ago when my daughter
and I were shopping for a blouse for her school band uniform. It was a pretty
black thing, with open shoulders and long sheer sleeves, but despite being a
"large", it was <i>far</i> too small for me. It wasn’t even a close
thing; that puppy just barely went on and was snug in all of the wrong places.
My loss was my 14 year old daughters gain though as it fit that skinny
little shit perfectly and she was all smiles as she packed it off to her closet.<br />
“Sorry it didn’t fit you!” she lied as she took the hanger from me.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Women's
sizes are so damned inconsistent. You take a gamble every single time that you
buy something without trying it on first. As an example, I've bought two pair
of flat shoes in the last two weeks, both claiming to be size 10, but one pair
was so small that I could hardly get my feet into it, and the other pair was so
large that they wouldn't stay on my feet. My education and training from
the Army is in electronics and metrology. No, I didn't misspell
"meteorology", I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">meant</i>
"metrology” – the science of weights and measurements. For those of you
who are not in the loop, somewhere in the United States right now, people are
maintaining standards for almost anything that you measure: Inches, seconds,
volts, current, frequency, etc. While they may have gone to something fancier like
the wavelength of the suns farts since I went to school, there used to be a
metal block that was the formal inch for America. It was made out of highly
stable material, maintained in a controlled environment where it can't oxidize,
and it is never touched by human hands for fear of skin oils degrading,
contaminating, or altering it. Any device in the United States that claimed to
measure inches had to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">prove</i> that it
was in some way, shape, or form traceable back to that little block. In this
way, we can all be reasonably confident that an inch would actually <i>be</i>
an inch, no matter who made it or measured it. Yeah, well clearly the
women's fashion industry has never, <i>ever</i> heard of the concepts of
standardization or traceability, or else they threw that shit out the window a
long time ago. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"Screw
it, today <i>this</i> is a size 10!" Said the little shoe elf, throwing
his latest work into the closest bin to his bench. Would it be too much to ask
for a little consistency in sizing?!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="571" data-original-width="423" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ItKvn7Jkelo/Wgjn3hPF4-I/AAAAAAAAB6I/JjChsb_NRIYeGQ85ol0qZ1iexdqVwymCACLcBGAs/s320/California%2B029.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="237" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fat old bat</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ItKvn7Jkelo/Wgjn3hPF4-I/AAAAAAAAB6I/JjChsb_NRIYeGQ85ol0qZ1iexdqVwymCACLcBGAs/s1600/California%2B029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></a></div>
<br />
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">As
I've hinted at a lot these days, I've been kind of losing my shit lately, and
I'm hoping that most of it </span><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">is being caused by the steroids that I've had to
take off and on for the better part of a year and a half now. This became evident once I was ready
and had my backpack and luggage together to head for the airport, because I just stood
in the living room with my legs shaking so badly that I was afraid the sound of
my heel tapping on the floor would wake someone up. I really don't know if it's
the stress of multiple unexpected deaths in so short a period, the anxiety of
knowing what an emotional mess I'm headed to in California today, anxiety about
traveling to my childhood home, or the results of a shit load of steroids for
an extended period, but I am clearly a nervous fricking wreck. It's funny
how often military training comes in handy in ways that you would never really
expect. In the army they taught you that it didn't matter how large, hard, or
frightening the task ahead of you was, you waded in, put one foot in front of
the other, and you damn well keep going until it gets done. With that thought
in my mind, I headed for the front door, shaky legs and all. . . </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Today
I'm traveling on American Airlines in first class using tickets that I bought
with my airline miles. When I approached the counter, a bright and bubbly young
lady waved me forward with a big smile on her face. We both recognized each
other because I had flown American Airlines preferentially for a couple of
years until I got fed up with their always being late, and so went back to
Delta.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"Hey!
We haven't seen you in a while. Where have ya been?" She asked me.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"To
tell the truth, I’ve been flying Delta." I replied, ducking my head and hiding
my eyes behind my hand feigning shame. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"No?!
Why haven’t you been flying with us? Don't tell me that we haven't been
treating you right?!" She asked softly, clearly genuinely concerned. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"No
no, it's nothing like that!" I assured her. "Delta just seems to go
most of the places that I travel to." </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">There
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">was</i> a little bit of a white lie
there, as I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">do</i> just kind of prefer
Delta to be honest. Her friendly and outgoing attitude, combined with her
genuine concern that her airline might not have treated me well <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">did</i> manage to make me feel just a tad guilty
for abandoning them though. The joke is probably gonna be on me soon though as
my company is going to a new travel agency in an attempt to save more money,
and I suspect that they are going to farm me out to whatever airline offers the
very cheapest tickets to that weeks destination. This will make it impossible
to gain "status" with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">any</i>
airline. I’m just one flight short of platinum with Delta, and now it's
probably not gonna do me any good. Damn it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I
had a good giggle while sitting in the gate area of the Austin airport. I was
sitting under one of the televisions when the story came on about <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/07/us/danica-roem-virginia-transgender.html">Danica
Roem</a> - the first openly transgender person to be elected to the Virginia
House of Delegates. I couldn't help noticing several sets of eyes dropping from
the TV above my head to glance at me during the story. None of them were
hostile looks, don’t get me wrong, they were more of a "Huh, what do ya
know!" kind of look from most I think. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpJZVJtBEy2QVuBBL9iUNxocmcnTWWQ9fuhN6xFE94Ov1L5SU7IlAbSpr1ghn3xcMspffBiWOJ3piXwdNO4qhjkQ8sZhUh0vNqUSJV2ijyFQG1019q61u44h5u4e4WZj4wj-xyy9nE0LoK/s1600/IMG_4366.JPG" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpJZVJtBEy2QVuBBL9iUNxocmcnTWWQ9fuhN6xFE94Ov1L5SU7IlAbSpr1ghn3xcMspffBiWOJ3piXwdNO4qhjkQ8sZhUh0vNqUSJV2ijyFQG1019q61u44h5u4e4WZj4wj-xyy9nE0LoK/s320/IMG_4366.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gate Area in Phoenix</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Unlike
the quiet and sedate gate area in Austin, the gate area in the Phoenix airport
was absolutely insane. They had about 8 gates all located at the end of the
terminal and so it was a huge crowd of people all packed into a very small
area. I stood there for quite a while until someone vacated a seat which I
quickly helped myself to, but my luck wasn't to last. While sitting there
going through my things, I realized that I had somehow managed to lose my
ticket somewhere. I don't think that I got more than two steps toward the
counter to get a replacement before someone had swiped my seat. After I
obtained my replacement ticket, the only area I could find with enough
room to even stand was right next to the trash cans, so I made myself
comfortable there and rested my backpack on top of the trash can. I quickly
realized the flaw in my plan though when people kept saying "excuse me
ma'am" and asking me to move so that they could use the trash can for its
intended purpose. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">When
boarding the plane, the male flight attendant went out of his way to tell me
how nice I looked, so that was kind of nice I suppose. I was sitting there in
my seat and wondering if it was obvious to him just how nervous I really was
when a young man pointed at the seat next to me to indicate that the seat was
his, and that he needed me to get up to let him in. It's the little
things you know, because it helped my nerves when he said "thank you
dear!" to me. There may well <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">be</i>
assholes in the world, but not everyone is one of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Such a small act of kindness from him had
such a big effect on my state of mind.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Another
one of the wonderful side effects of all of the drugs that I take for my legs
is that I have to visit the bathroom a lot more often than I care for. As I was
exiting the bathroom on one of my multiple visits, the male flight attendant
was showing the female flight attendant a photo from his phone of him wearing a
nuns habit for Halloween. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out what had
prompted his desire to share that particular photo at that particular moment,
but I couldn’t help grinning all the same as I saw it. I was SOOO gonna ask him
if I should call him “Sister” or “Mother Superior” when it came time to exit
the plane, but he was busy putting things away as I exited and so I’d have had
to go well out of my way to get his attention. I decided that the laugh wasn’t
worth it and just trudged my happy ass off of the plane along with the rest of
the cattle.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Since
I used my Holiday Inn points to rent the car for free, I wasn’t renting with my
preferred vendor, but was using the one that the Holiday Inn offered –
Dollar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hence, I found myself standing
in line at the counter to fill out all of the typical paper work. I have no
idea what the problem was, but the woman in front of me was taking what seemed
like forever. The customer service rep looked up at me once or twice over about
10 minutes and assured me that she would be right with me, and I assured her
that it was no problem. When I finally had my turn at the counter, she went out
of her way to apologize that it had taken so long and I just laughed. <br />
“It’s no problem; I’m just old and tired and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">look</i> like I’m pissed off because I’ve been up traveling since 1 AM
your time.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“You
look great for having been at it since 1 AM!” she told me with a grin.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Thank
you, but we both know that you just fibbed. I can guess just how bad I must look
at this point.” I told her with a laugh. We continued to chat to fill the
silence while she was printing out all of the paper work, and she asked about
the small town in Texas that I live in. I told her that it was roughly about
the size of Apple Valley, CA, where I had been born and raised. She then asked
me what had brought me back to California on this trip and I explained that it
was for my sister-in-laws funeral. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“I’m
so sorry. Were you close?”<br />
“No, not really. To be honest, I didn’t really care a whole lot for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">her</i> but I love the hell outta my
brother, so here I am.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This
drew a laugh from both her <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and</i> from
the woman standing next to her who had apparently been listening in. In short
order, I had my little rental car and was headed up the mountains to the high
desert and the general area where I had grown up.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O7-bRq8ElFU/Wgjo0oJQV7I/AAAAAAAAB6Y/jNg47hkyCzwq3-GKzIhoXxVjmysBWwx-QCLcBGAs/s1600/Green%2BTree.png" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="604" data-original-width="451" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O7-bRq8ElFU/Wgjo0oJQV7I/AAAAAAAAB6Y/jNg47hkyCzwq3-GKzIhoXxVjmysBWwx-QCLcBGAs/s320/Green%2BTree.png" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Green Tree Inn</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span>As I
was exiting the freeway in Victorville to make my way to my room at the Holiday
Inn that I had also rented with my points, I found myself passing the Green
Tree Inn. Yeah, I know that name isn’t going to mean a thing to any of you, but
it was almost a mythical place for me. My grandmother had retired there after
working as a waitress in the dining room and country club for more than 15
years. My mother had also worked there for a few years and so had my aunt.
Hell, it seems like almost every woman in my family had worked there at one
point or another I guess. As I’ve told y’all before, we grew up without a whole
lot of money, and for many years my brother, my sister, and I lived with my
grandmother in her mobile home. She would come home from work, worn out and
tired, and sharing stories of her day at the “GREEN TREE”. Yeah, I capitalized
that on purpose, because to a little child, this seemed like a far away and
magical place. Of course all of these stories and memories are filtered through
a small child’s perceptions, but she would tell us about the great people that
she had taken care of, who laughed and had invited her to be a part of their
evening, and yes, were generous with their tips. She would also tell us all
about the awful people that she had taken care of, who despite their wealth and
privilege, were rude slobs that made horrific messes and then tipped poorly. A
decade of stories flitted in and out of my mind as I passed that sign, and I
seriously considered trying to find the time to get a lunch or dinner there
just to see what all of the fuss had been about. Ultimately though, I decided
I’d better leave this childhood fantasy alone, as the reality of the place 40
years later was unlikely to be flattering to the magical place that I had
created in my mind. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Even
though it was relatively early in the California day (around 4PM), I was
totally wiped out and so I begged off for the day when I spoke to my brother.
There was no way in hell that I was up for a couple more hours of driving and
all of the emotional turmoil that I knew was going to take place, so I promised
to join him first thing in the morning as he had to take a friend down into the
Ontario area for a doctor appointment. He thought that maybe I wouldn’t want to
get up so early to go with him, but I laughed and told him that the same two
hour time change that was kicking my ass that evening was going to work in my
favor in the morning and that I’d be up and running <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">long</i> before <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">he</i> was. The
friend that he was giving a ride to was quite the talker, which was both good
and bad. One thing that we didn’t have to endure was any kind of awkward
silences. She was being treated for breast cancer and had just had a mastectomy,
so that sort of put my own little medical problems into perspective. Let’s see
– bumpy painful legs as compared to missing breast and cancer still killing
you. Yeah, I’m good – thanks. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We
stopped for breakfast at Dennys after her doctor appointment, and I picked up
the meal while my brother got the tip. I’ve gotta admit that I was kind of
surprised when he put down a $20 tip on our $50 breakfast. Knowing that the
tips that my grandmother had received had fed us as children, I’ve always tipped
well, but I thought this was kind of excessive and told him so. Funny – he told
me all of the same things that I’m telling you, and it all boiled down to our
memories of my grandmother and how hard she had worked to provide for us. I’m
guessing that my brother made that young waiters day, and I can think of worse
things to do with $20. I spent the rest of the day hanging out with my brother,
his grandchildren, and my sister.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">You
wouldn’t think it possible, but things actually managed to get worse the next
morning. My hotel was about 30 minutes from my brothers home as he lives a bit
out in the sticks. I decided to hopefully make a good impression with the house
full of children that hardly remember me, and so I arrived from town bearing
about five dozen donuts. We were in the process of giving all of the children a
sugar high from donuts when my sister received a call from the sheriff in
Prescott Az urgently asking if there was anyone in her home at the moment. It
turns out that while we were eating donuts, my sisters place in Arizona was
happily burning to the ground and the sheriff needed to be sure that there was no
one inside of it. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Oh.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">My.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">God.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Her
35 year old daughter died two months ago. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">She
is in southern California for the funeral of my brothers wife, and is dealing
with my heart broken brother. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Now
her house has burned to the ground. I don’t even know where to start, or how to
console her. We are all just absolutely shell shocked. Obviously there was
nothing to be done for the house fire from so far away, and so my sister
continued on through the day as planned while just randomly breaking down in
tears at any given moment. She’s so lost. My brother is so lost. I’m lost with them,
because I have absolutely no idea how I can help them from 1,500 miles away.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9hk_g108uCM/WgjqoeisQyI/AAAAAAAAB6k/AaV1NZ0Wh0sJPd8uwobuqnVIC7Pg1PpHQCLcBGAs/s1600/Cathy%2BDon.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="215" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9hk_g108uCM/WgjqoeisQyI/AAAAAAAAB6k/AaV1NZ0Wh0sJPd8uwobuqnVIC7Pg1PpHQCLcBGAs/s1600/Cathy%2BDon.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Brother and his Wife</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Later
that afternoon a lot of my family got together at a restaurant called “BJ’s” before the funeral. Everyone there was extended family, but many of them are people that I had
grown up with but haven’t seen in 30 years or more. As a result, more than once
I had to admit “I’m so sorry, but I’m not sure who the hell you are.” Sometimes
this earned me a laugh, and sometimes a hurt look, but again, it is what it is.
Among this gathering were my cousin Sherry and her daughter Savannah. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sherry had grown up so close to us for most of
our lives that my siblings and I all consider her far more of a sister than as
a cousin. At this point I get one more head trip to add to my ever growing
list, because Savannah is also transgender. She, however, has been full time
for most of her life, is young and beautiful, and has a wonderful advantage in
life – a mother who understands and is supportive. I reached out to her a few
years ago on Facebook, just wanting her to know that she wasn’t alone, and that
I was both happy and proud of her, but I don’t think that I impressed her
overly much. We never had the chance to speak alone this trip, but I did go out
of my way to tell her again that I was happy for her and that I was proud of her.
I probably just came off as some creepy old uncle, but hey, I tried. I actually
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">did</i> get a few minutes alone with her
mother, and was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">incredibly</i> torn. I
wanted to tell her about myself, and express my respect and admiration for the
way that she had dealt with her own daughter, but I ultimately decided that
this would have been an incredibly selfish thing for me to do at this
particular time. I think that I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">will</i>
talk to her soon, but doing it when everyone is gathering for a funeral and my
sisters home has burnt to the ground is definitely not the right moment. </span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sunday
morning I made my way back down the mountain to the Ontario
airport. I’m physically worn out, but even worse is the mental exhaustion, so I
never even briefly considered flying as Kim. It therefore came as a bit of a
surprise when the lady that checked my rental car in turned out to be the same
lady that had given it to me, and she remembered me! I figure this is further
evidence that my looks have plummeted downhill, because 10 years ago no one
that knew me well as Matt would have ever recognized me as Kim, or the other
way around, and yet this woman that deals with hundreds of people a day
recognized and remembered me three days after having met me once. She asked
about the funeral and expressed her hope that I’d managed to enjoy some part of
my time here. You know what I thought was awesome? She obviously was well aware
that I was TG and clearly didn’t care. She treated me at least as well as
anyone else and just spoke to me like a human being. Damn it, I miss California
sometimes.</span></div>
Kimberly Huddlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11668019327622021786noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7776343890232020343.post-74481646109581525322017-11-08T18:17:00.003-06:002017-11-08T18:17:38.136-06:00Rambling . . . <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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Sometimes it is nothing less than astounding how things
can just fall into place perfectly so that everything works out for the best.
It is no less astonishing when things fall into place in just the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">wrong</i> way, thus making things <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">harder</i> than they have to be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was half way home from Knoxville last week,
sitting in the Atlanta airport waiting for my connecting flight, when I
received a purchase order from a customer wanting a service call immediately.
Yeah, that customer was in Knoxville. Had he come through with that PO just a
couple of hours earlier, I could have changed my flights, stayed there, taken
care of him immediately, and saved my company a fortune in travel costs. But
no, that would have been too easy I s'pose, so yeah; Monday I was right back on
a plane to Knoxville again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
I had fully intended to travel in my preferred fashion,
but again things sort of conspired against it. My poor wife had been sick for
the entire weekend and when Monday 3AM rolled around, I was pretty sure that I
was coming down with it too. A sore throat and runny nose wasn't enough for me
to call off the trip, but it <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">was</i>
enough to change my mind about caking makeup onto my face in the hopes of
convincing blind and deaf people that I really was a woman - nothing to see
here - pay no attention to the man behind the curtain! I don't know if it was
the vitamin C I had been slamming or what, but I apparently ducked the sick
bullet because it never got any worse. Honestly, by the end of the day I was
fairly irritated that I had not traveled as Kim, but I hadn’t been willing to
risk spending the day wiping snot and makeup off of my nose.</div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-875AsgRNg78/WgOehuAh6JI/AAAAAAAAB5s/X50DmArB2UA0O0oFCrT4jMDf8iJhUyiqQCLcBGAs/s1600/Dusty%2BSpringfield%2B%25E2%2580%258E%25E2%2580%2593%2BDusty%2BSpringfield%2527s%2BGolden%2BHits.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="598" data-original-width="598" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-875AsgRNg78/WgOehuAh6JI/AAAAAAAAB5s/X50DmArB2UA0O0oFCrT4jMDf8iJhUyiqQCLcBGAs/s320/Dusty%2BSpringfield%2B%25E2%2580%258E%25E2%2580%2593%2BDusty%2BSpringfield%2527s%2BGolden%2BHits.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
Good news - I found another cache of records even better
than the last batch that I had found here. Several Neil Diamonds, including
"Hot August Night", two Simon and Garfunkel albums, Dusty
Springfield, and even two Ray Conniffs for my stupid Conniffs collection! I
hadn't really set out to collect all of his records but now it's a
"thing", kind of like collecting coffee cups or shot glasses. </div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
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<div class="MsoPlainText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
Part way through the service call my customer made a
comment that he was not thrilled about how much it is costing him to keep his
spectrometer running. It took a bit of effort to drag the story out of him, but
it turns out that he had been bringing in a guy that my company fired a couple
of years ago to work on his machine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
fired him because he was a thief and had no ethics, and he hasn't improved any
since then. I've had seven different customers come back to us and they all
tell the same story of how he had replaced almost every part in the instrument,
and some parts several times. For a machine that rarely fails for anything
other than the end of life of an onboard laser, this is astounding. Unless I
miss my guess, this asshole is taking components from one customer, and installing
them in the next customers instrument, and charging both for the pleasure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I've talked to my management until I'm blue
in the face, because I really feel we owe it to our customers to warn them
about this guy, but I'm told that it would be on shaky ground legally and
ethically speaking. </div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
Well, plane is landing so I've gotta pack it up and make
the drive home from the airport. I'll be flying to Southern California tomorrow
morning to attend my sister in laws funeral. I'm not looking forward to that.
I'm still trying to decide if I will fly as close to pretty as I can get these
days or not as I will be checking into my hotel before I see any of my family.
Totally dreading the trip as only a month ago we all got together to cry over
the death of my niece. We have a family reunion planned for July so that just
once we can get together without a death as the driving factor. It's too bad
that we scheduled it too late for two of us .. . .</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<![endif]-->Kimberly Huddlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11668019327622021786noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7776343890232020343.post-8862594478179907562017-11-06T11:54:00.002-06:002017-11-06T11:54:44.627-06:00Just stop it already<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It’s been a
hard couple of months, I won’t bullshit you. I’m starting to think that my blog
is nothing more than documenting my mental, physical, and spiritual decline.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
As I wrote a
few blogs back, two days before my 52’nd birthday, my niece died. No warning,
no serious illness that we were aware of, no nothing. A young woman in her
mid-thirties, alive and well one day, found dead in her bed by her husband in
the middle of the night. I already wrote about this so I wont dwell more on it
here. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The bad news
for my family didn’t stop here though, it continued to degrade. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
A couple of
weeks after my nieces death, and two days before my daughters birthday, my
mother in law suffered a major stroke. Of course they never know for sure how
much damage such a stroke has done to someone, but as of the writing of this
post, she has no movement on one side, very limited movement on the other, and
has only spoken one or two words. A month later we still don’t know how she is
going to fare. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
But wait,
there’s more! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Halloween
night my brother’s wife of 35 years died. Much like my niece, she was in
relatively good health and just died in bed. They were handing out candy to the
trick or treaters when she told my brother that she didn’t feel well and was
going to go lay down. My brother checked on her an hour or so later and found
her dead in bed. I just can’t imagine what that would be like – to find your
wife, mate, and best friend of 35 years cold and silent forever in your bed. My
heart weeps to consider it.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
So, just
having returned from a funeral in Arizona for my niece a few weeks ago, I’ll be
headed back to the west coast and Southern California for another funeral.
First, I’ve got a job to do in Knoxville though, so I’m on a plane for the
eastern US this morning, get home Wednesday night, take a shower and repack a
bag just to head for southern California Thursday morning. I’m kind of tired,
ya know?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jmtEtCp0jkc/WgChM14e3sI/AAAAAAAAB5Y/_CkYRW1reeINlS_-HQDBEmVPUgQbges-wCLcBGAs/s1600/Denver%2B009.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jmtEtCp0jkc/WgChM14e3sI/AAAAAAAAB5Y/_CkYRW1reeINlS_-HQDBEmVPUgQbges-wCLcBGAs/s320/Denver%2B009.JPG" width="240" /></a>Well, I made
a trip to Colorado a few weeks ago and absolutely nothing of any interest
occurred. I like going to Denver as it is a beautiful place, and it is nowhere
near as hot as Austin Texas. I’m sick to death of the heat and look forward to
the chances I get to get the hell out of it.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eVjmSS5WFE8/WgChcUtpoXI/AAAAAAAAB5c/ETV4HHJgAV0Rcyx0GYLI8DGF47BTqxCwgCLcBGAs/s1600/Knoxville%2BTN%2B006.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1466" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eVjmSS5WFE8/WgChcUtpoXI/AAAAAAAAB5c/ETV4HHJgAV0Rcyx0GYLI8DGF47BTqxCwgCLcBGAs/s320/Knoxville%2BTN%2B006.JPG" width="293" /></a>After the
trip to Denver, I made a trip to Knoxville. Not a lot of interest occurred
there either, but I did finally screw up the courage to spend some time
shopping again, this time raiding thrift stores for records. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I found some in both, a Goodwill and at a US
Veterans thrift store. At both locations, I was treated with indifference,
which is I suppose the most that we can ask for - to be treated just like
anyone else.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I've got two or three things that have been
making me more and more reluctant to spend the kind of time that I used to
spend out in the world. As I imagine most of you have noticed, I've been
obsessed for some time with my advancing age and the associated decline in my
appearance. I'm not sure if it is purely vanity or if there are more relevant
and laudable considerations, because as I get older and older, it's not just
that my looks are declining, it's that I look distinctly more and more male.
Getting less attractive, as presumably many women must eventually come to worry
about, does not put your health and wellbeing at risk. For someone like me
though, who is trying to pass as a woman, being perceived by others as an old
man in a dress can definitely put my health and life at risk if I find myself
in the wrong circumstances with the wrong people. This is related to and leads
to my second reason for being more reluctant to spend time in the world these
days - the distinctly changing attitude of many Americans toward the transgender.
For many years I had felt an increasing comfort level that most people that I
interacted with did not care that I was transgender. I felt that it was
becoming more and more understood and therefore accepted. Much as it pains me
to say so, I no long feel that this is the case. Right or wrong, based on facts
and or just my emotion, I feel that there is a definite backlash in the US
these days. It's as if a large part of America just decided one day that they
had had enough of accepting people that were not like themselves, and they were
going to start pushing back. It seems to me that this large group of people is
gaining a momentum and building in numbers, and now feel free to be loud,
vocal, and demanding. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It's such a
mundane thing, but where I had always been nervous to use the ladies room when
a gender neutral one was not available, I am now positively terrified.
Physically I am exactly the person that these less than tolerant people are
watching for. Regardless of my self-image, regardless of how I feel about
myself, I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">am</i> physically a male, and
now it seems that there are people and even entire states that feel it would be
appropriate to humiliate me for simply using a bathroom. When even members of
your own family, who know you, love you, and have some understanding of what
you are, are free and outspoken with their opinion that the MTF transgender
have no place in their bathroom, you have to start questioning yourself. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Maybe I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">am</i> a freak. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Maybe
something <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">is</i> seriously wrong with me.
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Maybe I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">should</i> be ashamed of myself.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Shit, I
dunno . . . </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
If you have
read this blog and think I am just talking about bathrooms, then I've failed to
get my feelings across. The whole bathroom thing is one small part of it; a
symptom of a much larger disease - the growing intolerance in my country, and
the growing speed with which that group is becoming louder, prouder, and more
confident. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Oh, and if
my friends and family would please stop dropping dead for a while, I'd sure
appreciate it. . . </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Kimberly Huddlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11668019327622021786noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7776343890232020343.post-60905152968473478122017-10-14T07:18:00.001-05:002017-10-14T09:02:14.758-05:00Going in Circles <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-I8Bjy5EKx-o/WeH7hqPSS0I/AAAAAAAAB30/h0xqEiWs5nE7cr-FlLniGAZ2qL1urOf_gCLcBGAs/s1600/Window%2Bbox%2B20171014.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="610" data-original-width="456" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-I8Bjy5EKx-o/WeH7hqPSS0I/AAAAAAAAB30/h0xqEiWs5nE7cr-FlLniGAZ2qL1urOf_gCLcBGAs/s320/Window%2Bbox%2B20171014.png" width="238" /></a>It’s amazing
the odd collection of stuff that goes around in circles in my steroid addled
mind at 4AM on a Saturday morning. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
My wife
wants false and removable backs on the window boxes that I had to rebuild so
that everything you put on a shelf doesn’t end up falling way back where you
can’t reach it. I’m trying to figure out how to do that while keeping it
removable, attractive, and functional.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The screen
door on the back of the house was relatively cheap and fell apart. Should I buy
a new screen door or I wonder if I might be able to actually build something
attractive? If I try and make it myself, how do I join the horizontal and
vertical pieces, because I don’t have a jointer or a dado blade, just a table
saw. Should I use the table saw to remove half of the ends on the
horizontal and vertical pieces so that I can glue them together and have the
thickness of one board, or should I try and tongue and grove it? Can you do
that with a table saw if you have patience?</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The side
door to our garage has been collecting water for 20 years and the frame is
rotted out to the point that you can put your finger through it. This is a reoccurring
theme in this house. How hard will it be to replace that damned door frame? How
do I keep it from happening again? Gotta build some sort of roof over that side
door to keep the water off of it. How the hell do I do that? How much of the
structure behind that door frame is rotted out too and will require rebuilding?
Why in the HELL did I sell a 100 year old house to buy this piece of garbage –
what was I thinking?</div>
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<br /></div>
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-unSSgB39imk/WeH8A3Qc9rI/AAAAAAAAB38/cF9skzJlLosUToI-s5O3Gib8tKJIAbQcgCLcBGAs/s1600/Bathroom%2BRenovation%2B037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-unSSgB39imk/WeH8A3Qc9rI/AAAAAAAAB38/cF9skzJlLosUToI-s5O3Gib8tKJIAbQcgCLcBGAs/s320/Bathroom%2BRenovation%2B037.JPG" width="320" /></a>The exterior
wall of my upstairs bathroom rotted out years ago because the previous owner or
builder of the house did a shitty job building the shower. They didn’t use the
right drywall and didn’t seal things properly, so the water was leaking into
that wall for decades until the wall rotted away. On the second floor, that was
all sorts of fun. So we ripped the shower and tub out, and rebuilt the wall and
the structure of the floor. Years later, that bathroom is still gutted, no
proper flooring, the wall is still drywall, no tub, no shower. The floor has
sagged and has distinct ridges and humps <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>in it that to my way of thinking, will make it
impossible to put down a proper floor unless it is flexible linoleum or carpet.
Ever heard of carpet in a bathroom? <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
If it weren’t
for all of the lives that could be lost, I could almost hope for a tornado as
it truly would solve many of my worries.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GKrmDrrFLYw/WeH8uGkwYcI/AAAAAAAAB4E/CL3qL1Rx-y00JOzv8HcORcnxK0_umsOWACLcBGAs/s1600/Mustang%2BEngine%2BBay%2Bredone%2B001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GKrmDrrFLYw/WeH8uGkwYcI/AAAAAAAAB4E/CL3qL1Rx-y00JOzv8HcORcnxK0_umsOWACLcBGAs/s320/Mustang%2BEngine%2BBay%2Bredone%2B001.jpg" width="320" /></a>The 1967
Mustang wont start. It gets driven so rarely that the battery has died and wont
hold a <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>charge. Should I replace that battery? What’s the point of spending the
money for a car that goes nowhere? What
the hell was I thinking when I bought that car? Keeping an antique car going is
the hobby of either a very passionate person, or a wealthy one, and I, alas, am
neither. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The nodules
on my darn legs refuse to go away. Normally they last about 6<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>months and then go away for about a year.
This round has been going on for about 18 months now with no sign of going
away. Every time I stop taking steroids, the stuff comes back with a vengeance.
I’ve taken more steroids over the last 18 months than a cyclist team prepping
for the Tour De France. It makes it just a bit harder to rebuild an entire
house when it hurts to walk, and when your brain is so soaked in steroids that
you can’t fricken think straight and clear anymore. I wonder if I should try
and increase my life insurance just in case? Is that taking money away from my
family that could be better used, or is that putting money away for them if
this shit turns out to be a symptom of something serious?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I wonder how
my son William and his family are doing? Proud of him for making a family and
taking care of them. Sort of wish he wasn’t in the Navy so we could be
closer and be a part of their lives, but I’m also proud of him for doing the
smart thing and staying in the Navy.<br />
<br />
There is a large hole in my daughters bedroom ceiling where my poor wife
fell through it trying to get Christmas stuff outta the attic while I
was away. I wonder where that should be on my priority list.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
My wife
wants false and removable backs on the window boxes <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>. . . </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Can I make
my own screen door? If I try, what method/design should I use?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The side
door to our garage is rotted out . . . </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The bathroom
is STILL gutted. . . </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Would a
tornado be a good thing or a bad one? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The 1967
Mustang wont start . . .</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I wonder how
Billy is doing?<br />
Is my sister all right?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
My wife is
kind of quiet lately. I wonder if we are OK? </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
My daughter
is 14 now and starting to demand some independence. This causes a bit of friction . . . </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
My 8 year
old son spends all his time in front of the idiot box. His father is gone on the road all week and then spends every weekend working on the house and doing laundry. At 52 years old, I'm a bit old for teaching him to ride a bike and playing at the park. Boy did that kid get screwed . . .</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I should
call my mother. Nope, scratch that. Mom has been gone for years. You would think I'd have that through my thick head by now. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
My wife
wants false and removable backs on the window boxes <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>. . . </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Can I make
my own screen door? If I try, what method/design should I use?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The side
door to our garage is rotted out . . . </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The bathroom
is STILL gutted. . . </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Would a
tornado be a good thing or a bad one? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The 1967
Mustang wont start . . .</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I wonder how
Billy is doing?<br />
Is my sister all right?</div>
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My wife is
kind of quiet lately . . .</div>
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My daughter
is 14 now . . .</div>
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My 8 year
old son spends all his time in front of the idiot box. . . </div>
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<br /></div>
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Over, and
over, and over, and over . . .<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> <br /><br />So yeah, here I sit at 430 AM writing my thoughts, slurping coffee, and wondering if I can listen to a record without waking up everyone?</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;"></span><br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></div>
Kimberly Huddlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11668019327622021786noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7776343890232020343.post-62978994186402369892017-10-10T20:52:00.000-05:002017-10-10T20:52:18.898-05:00Someone is broke in the head around here . . . <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"Well all right then, let's go take a look at it." I
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<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Now don't get me wrong, I hate bugs but I WILL do my "manly" duty
and take care of them. The rules are simple though: if I take care of it - it
dies. If mom is feeling kindly and wants the thing to live, <i>she </i>squares it
away. <br />
Now my wife peeks around the shower curtain to look at it.<br />
Then my 14 year old daughter looks at it.<br />
My wife and daughter both look at each other.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-24YsaEA-F7Y/Wd14lnDjAZI/AAAAAAAAB3g/ka4z3Bk_qggQlMxXNeXH9fv9cvEv6Z3HQCLcBGAs/s1600/Leptoglossus-occidentalis-key-image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="889" data-original-width="1036" height="274" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-24YsaEA-F7Y/Wd14lnDjAZI/AAAAAAAAB3g/ka4z3Bk_qggQlMxXNeXH9fv9cvEv6Z3HQCLcBGAs/s320/Leptoglossus-occidentalis-key-image.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“It’s a leaf footed assassin bug” my wife sagely informs the
crowded bathroom. My son and I lock eyes and I give him a nod of acknowledgment
and respect. <br />
“By God, ‘assassin bug’ <i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">does </span></i>sound
pretty aggressive to me little dude! Good call!” I told him.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Naw, he eats other bugs.” My wife laughingly assures us, but I
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<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“So – you gonna take care of him or am I?” I ask while raising
the cannon . . . err . . .<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>vacuum into the
air to make my point clear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess I
should mention that my wife and daughter were ‘doing their facials’ when I so rudely
interrupted them, so I guess she didn’t want to be distracted.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Go for it.” She replied with a wave of her hand toward the tub. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "inherit","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A hush fell over the bathroom as I turned and slowly approached the tub with my
weapon at the ready. . . <br />
Suddenly, the silence in the bathroom is shattered when my daughter shouts “NO!”
so loudly that I almost peed my pants. Next thing I know, she is shoving me
aside, reaching down into the tub, and picking this bug up in her hands to
carry it outside. The whole way, my son is right behind her, asking over and over "is it biting you? Is it biting you?!"<br />
Like I said, this family is broke in the head, I’m just not sure which one of
us is crazy . . . <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
Kimberly Huddlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11668019327622021786noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7776343890232020343.post-53694029952703268052017-10-10T10:40:00.000-05:002017-10-10T16:41:26.495-05:00September sucks . . . <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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So September
totally sucked for birthdays. </div>
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Two days
before my birthday, my niece died. </div>
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Two days
before my daughters birthday, my mother-in-law and my daughters grandmother had
a major stroke.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yeah, I’m glad September
is over.</div>
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<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8pFoiIu67SY/WdzpClv8egI/AAAAAAAAB2w/Yx2ipZloO8oulq2eUvJg_xjL3ICjJAVKgCLcBGAs/s1600/Fire%2Bant%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8pFoiIu67SY/WdzpClv8egI/AAAAAAAAB2w/Yx2ipZloO8oulq2eUvJg_xjL3ICjJAVKgCLcBGAs/s200/Fire%2Bant%2B2.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fire Any Bites</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5Smd6yeB4Lk/WdzpClRqZ3I/AAAAAAAAB20/XE1BijxosYAmbX_dnB_C9zZDK3_q4unlACLcBGAs/s1600/Fire%2Bant%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5Smd6yeB4Lk/WdzpClRqZ3I/AAAAAAAAB20/XE1BijxosYAmbX_dnB_C9zZDK3_q4unlACLcBGAs/s200/Fire%2Bant%2B1.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fire Any Bites</td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I’ve been in
pretty poor health this last year and so a lot of stuff has piled up around the
house and yard, and I’ve just started to make my way down the list. This
weekend I was out working in my backyard, which has gone completely wild. About
four hours into it, I conceded to myself that I was in very poor shape, and so
I got down on my hands and knees to continue yanking weeds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Any half-wit who has lived in Texas could
have told you that this was a remarkably bad idea, but I was exhausted and not
thinking straight. Anyway, about an hour later I realize the magnitude of my
mistake when I start feeling these sharp little pains all over my stomach and
hands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’d had to remove my glasses because
they were getting so coated with dust and sweat that I couldn’t see through them
anyway, but I didn’t need to see them to figure out that I was covered in fire
ants. Now I’m a fairly shy person, but I didn’t hesitate at all – I ran like
hell for the back porch and ripped all of my clothes off faster than a
prostitute that had just been offered a thousand bucks. Yup yup, my clothes and
I were both covered in hundreds of the little bastards and I got the snot bit
out of me. I still can’t believe that I forgot to watch out for them . . . </div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I had a bit
of a paradox when it comes to height. My 14 year old daughter Audrey had a checkup
with the doc, and I guess she kind of surprised him when it came to her height.
According to my daughter, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>he pointed at her
chart where it showed her height steadily increasing through the years, but then
tisked when he showed that it had leveled off at just under five feet.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
My five foot
two inch tall wife laughingly explained to the doc that most of her family was
relatively short, and that Audrey’s dad (me) was “only” five foot eight inches
tall.<br />
“Sweetheart, you might be done growing!” the doc told my daughter with a grin.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Ok, so later
in the week I was picking out an outfit for my trip to Denver, and showed my
wife a killer pair of heels that I thought would be perfect for the outfit, but
they were four or even five inch heels and I feared the attention that might
bring. I don’t recall her exact words, but she basically said it didn’t matter,
that I was so damned tall that I was going to attract attention regardless. <br />
What the hell??!! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
One minute
my daughter is doomed to be short since mom and dad are apparently both
considered runts, and the next moment it doesn’t matter what heels I wear because
I am so damned tall that I’ll draw attention in any case. Grrrr. . . .</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I’ve always
tried to be real in my blog and share the good with the bad, and so I think
most of y’all are aware that my confidence, and hence my attitude, morale, and
spirit are all suffering. I’ve noticed that this is a common thread with many
of the TG’s that I know lately – they don’t appear to feel confident, safe, or
welcome these days. Now we can argue all day long about whether this feeling is
justified and reasonable or not, but in the end it really doesn’t matter. Justified
by the current backlash in America or not, reasonable or not, the fear, depression,
and anxiety that so many transgender people feel these days is very real. I don’t
know where I am going with this, and don’t really have a point – I’m just
yapping I guess. Really, I can’t blame my own recent depression and lack of
confidence on US politics though. Mine is due to a combination of advancing
age, retreating health, and increasing weight. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Not much
that I can do about getting old and the damage that it brings with it; the bags
under my eyes and the wrinkles all over my face. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The weight I
am just starting to work on again, as I am getting up at 5 AM every weekday morning
to jog and am paying more attention to how much I eat.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
My health I
hope to at least influence by trying to stay in decent physical condition, but
all of the jogging in the world isn’t going to make the large and painful nodules
on my legs go away. Sigh . . .</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WN7vsU7-Kbg/WdzpKh_3avI/AAAAAAAAB24/iWs30cluiRcvVdT0OeM_Z0xGIdPxqPlyQCLcBGAs/s1600/Denver%2B009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WN7vsU7-Kbg/WdzpKh_3avI/AAAAAAAAB24/iWs30cluiRcvVdT0OeM_Z0xGIdPxqPlyQCLcBGAs/s320/Denver%2B009.JPG" width="240" /></a>So as I was
boarding the flight to Denver, I ended up stopped in line on the airplane right
next to a flight attendant. She was about my own age and turned out to be a bit
of a chatty Cathy. At one time, I would have had fun with this and enjoyed
bullshitting with her, but refer back to the above paragraph denoting a lack of
confidence on my part. Anyway, she went out of her way to tell me that she
loved the color of my hair, and when I turned to thank her, she exclaimed about
my eyes. <br />
“You have the brightest and prettiest blue eyes that I have ever seen! Now me,
I got stuck with brown eyes.” She said, with an exaggerated pouty face. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Here was my
big chance to make a good impression for the TG community.<br />
I could have chatted
with her.<br />
I could have made her laugh.<br />
I could have told her that her brown
eyes were beautiful.<br />
No, I just smiled, thanked her, and slunk to my seat.
I’m kind of ashamed of myself for that . . . </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Kimberly Huddlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11668019327622021786noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7776343890232020343.post-33839922625802630162017-09-21T16:59:00.002-05:002017-09-21T17:02:06.600-05:00“Gay Tech Love” <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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Quite honestly, I’m getting tired of my own dreary and sad
blog posts, but I guess for better or worse this <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">is</i> the way that life works. </div>
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After taking steroids for my legs for the better part of 8
months, I’m finally off of them. Did you know that you suffer withdrawal
symptoms when you stop taking them after so long? I didn’t know this and so was
caught completely off guard when I found myself even more of a wreck than I had
been – hands shaking really bad, super irritable, chest hurt every night, and
couldn’t think straight to save my life. I was scared to death that yet something
else was going wrong with me until it occurred to me that it was awful
coincidental that it all got so much worse right as I quite the steroids and so
I started looking at the after effects. </div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xNhPOhZccZc/WcQ1j4TTkVI/AAAAAAAAB1w/IFfVhV2fQC8cuNGBYr81OeMFXN5tjZygACLcBGAs/s1600/Sunshine%2Band%2BMommy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="992" data-original-width="684" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xNhPOhZccZc/WcQ1j4TTkVI/AAAAAAAAB1w/IFfVhV2fQC8cuNGBYr81OeMFXN5tjZygACLcBGAs/s320/Sunshine%2Band%2BMommy.jpg" width="220" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Sister and Niece</td></tr>
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I’m afraid that the month of September got off to a shitty
start for me. At about 530AM on the first of September, I received a call from
my big sister in California and she was sobbing so violently that I couldn’t
understand her. All that I could make out was that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">someone</i> had died, but I couldn’t make out <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">who</i> it had been. Both my aunt and my brother have been in
questionable health for years, and so I fully expected to it was one of them,
but I was wrong. When I finally got her to calm down enough that I could
understand her, she told me that her daughter (my niece) had died. She had gone
to the ER that night for a sinus infection, been treated and released, and
returned home. At about 1:30 AM, her husband woke to find her dead . . . </div>
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I felt like I’d been hit by a sledge hammer – this was completely
out of the blue and unexpected, because as far as I knew, she had been a
perfectly healthy 30 something year old. My sister had had her when she was only
16 and so I more or less grew up with my niece Sunshine as part of my entire
life. With my having grown up as the youngest of three children, Sunshine was
the first person that had ever looked up to me, both metaphorically and literally
speaking. She was the first baby that I had ever held, and she was the first
baby, toddler, and child that I had ever babysat. I loved and adored that
little girl, and with absolutely no warning, she was now gone. </div>
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I’ve never before heard the kind of anguish and pain in
someone’s voice as I heard in my sister that morning, and I hope like hell that
I never do again. My big sister was always the one that took care of everyone
else, always the one who was strong and tough for everyone else, and here she
was – absolutely broken and crushed. That hurt almost as much as the thought of
my niece did. By the time that I got a hold of my manager and the customer that
I was supposed to be working with, all good options for a flight that day to
Phoenix were already booked and so I tried to rent a car. I've no idea why, but I found that for some
reason none were available. I kept hearing the heartbreak in my sisters voice
in my head though, and knew that I couldn’t wait another day to get there, so I
said “Screw it”. I threw a bag together, threw it into my 15 year old F150
pickup with 220,000 miles on her, and headed out alone for the 18 hour drive
from Austin to Prescott Arizona. I won’t dwell too much more on this as I am
sure that most of you have lost someone that you love and probably have some
idea what happens to a family when this happens. </div>
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My birthday was on 3 September, and so I found myself surrounded
by a heartbroken family as I turned 52 . . .err . . . I mean 29. As we had a
lot of people to feed, birthday or not, we decided to go ahead and get the
makings for a BBQ and take the entire group to a local park for a cook out/
birthday party. Even in the midst of our pain, we managed to find some humor
and some fun. My nephews wife had graciously volunteered to buy all of the food
and supplies for the party, but she totally forgot that kids like ketchup with
their hotdogs, and everyone gave her complete hell for forgetting it all night
long. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So there I am, eating a bratwurst
(without ketchup) when she sneaks up behind me and whispers in my ear with a
very threatening tone. <br />
“You better eat that thing without ketchup, and you’ll fucking LIKE it!”</div>
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I hadn’t even known she was behind me, so it came so
unexpected that I laughed so hard I almost spit my mouthful of food out. Such a
silly thing, but we laughed about this for several days after.</div>
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<br /></div>
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The following morning we had an informal remembrance for her
at the local VFW. I’m 52 years old and have managed to duck everything
funeral-like until now, but I couldn’t duck this one. I did however do my best
to try and start things off on a light note with a practical joke. On my way to
the event, I went to the store and bought an entire gallon of ketchup, and four
smaller bottles of it, and piled it all on the table that everyone had to walk
by as they entered the room. The extended friends and family that hadn’t been
at our cook out had no idea what it was for, but everyone that had been there,
including my sister, Sunshine’s brother, husband, and children, all laughed
hysterically when they saw it. It’s the little things, ya know?</div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Antique in Atlanta</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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At the moment, I’m sitting in a hotel in Atlanta Ga where I’ve
just completed the service call that I had had to cancel when my niece died. My
trip here was fairly uneventful, with very little of interest to share. My
company has ended our relationship with Avis and we now use National Car
Rental. As I was checking out the car, I handed her my Texas ID instead of my
drivers license. I use this ID when I am traveling because even though it still
has my male name and gender on it, it has my female photo. Needless to say,
when you are renting a car, the ID is not acceptable and you must show a
drivers license, so she handed it right back.<br />
“That’s an ID. I need a driver license please.” She said politely.<br />
“Sure. Sorry about that.” I said as I took back the ID and handed her my
license. “I try not to hand that one out!”</div>
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When I checked into the hotel, the lady behind the counter
made a big fuss about my “status” with the Holiday Inn, and embarrassed the
hell outta me.</div>
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“Oh, you are Spire! Thank you SO much for staying with us
and God bless you!” she loudly proclaimed. Then, much to my horror, she reached
below the counter and pulled out a bell, sat it on the counter, and proceeded
to ring it – over, and over, and over. I wanted to curl up into a ball and
disappear, but she kept making a fuss, and generally dragged the whole check-in
process out for about twice as long as it should have taken.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eventually I had my keys in my hand and
headed down the hallway, dragging my baggage behind me. Along the way, a young
woman told me that my blouse was beautiful, so there is that. <span style="font-family: "wingdings"; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">😃</span></span></div>
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When I got into my room and started reading the news, I
realized something that I had totally overlooked; I was going to be working at
Georgia Tech – the university where <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2017/09/18/us/georgia-tech-student-killed/index.html" target="_blank">a young LGBT activist had more or less committed suicide</a> just a few days ago. Odd how I hadn’t put that together until then. I
ended up eating lunch with my customer less than 100 yards from where this
young person had died, and I’d have to admit to more than a little sadness at
the thought.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Both of the PHD’s that I
was there to train were from South Korea, and so we had an interesting
conversation once they found out that I had lived there for a year, though many
moons ago. It must be a very hard time for Koreans right now, with childish lunatics
in charge of both, North Korea AND the United States. Scary times if you have
family in South Korea.<br />
<br />
One good laugh. I was working in the Georgia Tech Love building, and so when I
programmed the address into my GPS, I saved it as “Ga Tech Love”. This had the
unanticipated result of my GPS telling me that I had arrived at “Gay Tech Love”
when I arrived. Again, it’s the little things . . . </div>
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Kimberly Huddlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11668019327622021786noreply@blogger.com8