The Year Ahead

Well folks, as you can tell, I wanted to take most of Kwanzaa off from blogging to use it as a time of reflection and values clarification. I hope that all of you experience a wonderful Holiday #3 at some point in your life.

I look forward with great anticipation to the year ahead. I know that there will be many challenges, but with grace, skill, and determination, I hope to flee from them all.

Here are some of my goals:

1. Lose 14 Pounds by next year. Folks, that's probably about 28 dollars American, depending on the exchange rate. That's really gonna make an impact.

2. Eat healthier. So many times I try to eat something when I am sick and it just doesn't taste the same (especially when I have congestion or a cold).

3. Quit smoking.

4. Blog more. Jenny N. sent me a note the other day when I was taking time off blogging, asking whether I am still blogging. So, since I know someone actually reads this stuff besides me and my collection of alter-egoes... I said to my self, I said "let's blog."

--more to come later. Happy New Year!

As we are in the midst of Holiday #1, I'd like to say that my boss attends a Messianic Jewish fellowship. We've had a lot of interesting conversations and I am enjoying learning more about his faith. It's been great fun, and I would like to wish him and his family a J-y-us H-liday.

On Saturday, we joined my mom, dad, sister, her boyfriend, my aunt, uncle, and cousin for dinner in the International City. The restaurant is a new one that is in a Holiday Inn (read: not Christmas Inn). So as you can imagine, it has all the unique decor and feel of , say, a Denny's. Katie and I had never been to it before, but my parents like it because it is cheap and provides a lot of food for the money. The menu was huge, featuring Greek Food, Italian Food, Classic American Food, Breakfast, and so on. Then, some weird-sounding world music started playing and a belly dancer showed up. It's always so strange to find a place that serves breakfast at night.

Today was my day off for the week as we head into Holiday #2. I did what most procrastinators do this time of year and put on some shorts, a t-shirt, and went out and mowed the lawn. I was still kind of mad at myself the whole time, saying "next year I'm gonna get this done early."

And So Holiday #1 Commences

As many of you know, today marks the first day of an eight night Holiday Celebration of Candle Light, symbolized by our traditional Holiday Candle Display, and sponsored in part by Yankee Candle "You'll be Amazed How Long They Last."

Please remember to enjoy this Holiday responsibly.

Holiday Time

My wife traditionally has a birthday every year, and on that day we get a Holiday Tree for our house and decorate it. As it just so happens, today was not that day. It was, however, exactly one day prior to The Day. Since it coincided with my day off, we celebrated today by getting a tree and decorating it with our retro-modern ornaments. It was a fun day, and got me more or less into the Holiday Spirit of Things.

Tomorrow I attend a luncheon for all co-managers in my zone, where we go to a restaurant and eat some Communist Food. By which, I mean that it is apparently served on a lazy Susan which turns to serve all persons seated at the table. Each person then reaches and grabs according to their ability and can easily redistribute said food according to need (or other varying factors). I, for one, am looking forward to such an outing, as the last time I attended a Communist Meeting of this sort was back in school.

One day before Pirates 2 came out I went to see it in the theater. We have a dollar theater here in the International City, so my aforementioned wife and I attended since it coincided with a date one day prior to a significant day. The movie was interesting, I guess. But I think I had only seen the original 1.2 times (the 0.2 accounting for bits and clips I stumbled across while in a sober haze) and it was a long time ago, so I was sketchy on who the characters were. Also being a married guy, I couldn't care that much about a girly figure in pirate garb. Not that I care that much for Johnny Depp anyway.

Till next time...
Karl

We Are Marshall

I just saw an advertisement for the movie We Are Marshall. Just want to say there aren't many state governors who would make an appearance in such a movie, but Sonny Did...

Thoughts...

With Fox's recent cancelation of its controversial TV special, it makes one wonder if OJ is searching for the "real producers"...

Or if the book was ghost written, they may be looking for the "Real Author"...

I heard on NPR that some mothers have been protesting the airlines cracking down on public breastfeeding. It may have been on other news outlets, not sure if there was a lot of exposure...

A lot of people have been coming into the store to buy meals for our National Day of Thanks. I started merchandising a few items, but I quit cold turkeys...

We recently made an excursion to Ikea, no one was mad. But the good prices did Sweden the day...

Favorite Things...

Inspired by one of Katie's recent outings, where they each shared stuff they liked...

NPR Weekends: I really like to listen to the game shows and other programming that they put out on the weekends. Car Talk, Wait Wait Don't Tell Me, Michael Feldman's What Do You Know?, and many others. Good especially when listened to while yard-saleing

Bass: In my humble opinion, the best bottle beer out there.

Freecycle: A great way to promote environmental friendliness and also get a lot of loot, free of charge.

Clif Bar: One of the best energy bars on the market. Sticks with you throughout the day and can be used to replace a lunch or breakfast, if necessary.

Rechargeable Batteries: Another way to help save the planet, and it feels much more efficient.

Messenger Bags and Briefcases: Everytime I walk into a store, it is probably the item I am most likely to impulse buy. I don't know why...

Prinnie-Mack Lattes: The best coffee ever. Strong enough to taste the espresso through the flavoring. I also like supporting local bidnesses, when I can.

Container Store: We don't have one around here, but I like those stores a lot.

Bottled Water: You're not buying the water, you're buying the portability.

Atlantic Monthly: A great magazine. It makes me feel smarter somehow for reading it.

Eddie Bauer: Even though I was never a part of the Golf Shirt Council at PHC, I like the store.

So Close, Yet So Far

Every now and then an event happens that brings a sense of cosmic gravity to our daily lives, and crystalizes the meaning of life. Some of you may be aware of our recent visitor, a Supposed Member of Our Cabinet, a distinguished, destructive, mouse who pillaged through all of our baking soda, chewed our hand mixer (made out of plastic), consumed a plastic container of icing and its contents, and caused a massive syrup spill that covered the entire cabinet.

Of course, we bought and set traps for the mouse, after clearing our cabinets of all its contents. We used sticky, tempting foods as a lure. The combination of feta cheese, peanut butter, and marshmellow wafting through the contained air, we thought, would make an irresistable combination to said visitor, and draw him to his destiny. We also thought that he might be drawn to the trap itself, as it was made of plastic, and that maybe curiousity would prompt him to take a few moments out of his busy day of scurrying to meet an untimely demise.
Yet, days passed and no rodent noise was heard by us, and no further evidence of intrusion had been witnessed. Ever-so-delicately we would conduct twice daily rodent checks by gently opening the doors and peering around the outstretched fingers which covered our eyes, shielding us from the wood of the cabinet which further obstructed our view of the empty trap.

Then yesterday, the call finally came.

You know what call I'm talking about. The one at midday that catches you by surprise. When your wife is saying that something has happened, and you brace yourself for the news.
Our Friend, Our Rodent, Our Univited Plastic-Obsessed Guest, had indeed met his doom. But like so many of us who have lost our perspective in life, who have drifted far from the goals and ideals that we had set, who strayed from that purpose deep within... we found him ignobly dead. lying lifelessly where he had lain for maybe a couple of days in an adjacent cupbord, having become embedded with the syrup which he had made flow so freely. Reflecting on this, we thought about how many times Poetic Justice has caused us to wallow in a sticky situation we ourselves had created. But so far, it had never caused our own death, at least to the best of my knowledge. Now, he lay there, bound by it. Unmourned and unacknowledged (and I might add, unremovable without scraping him and the shelf liner just beneath him out).
Sadly, had he gone just a few more inches over, taken just a little more effort, not lost his perspective, he could have died in the trap. Douglas Adams had told us that we could learn much from the Mouse. Indeed, we can.

A Badge, A Raise, A Steak

Today I completed my "Total Store" Phase and received my official Blue Badge (which means that I am now a C0-Manager). I also got a raise, which made me happy, and I was told that
I answered the How to Handle a Bomb Threat question better than anyone had before. We went to celebrate the evening at Outback, as I was in celebratory enough of a mood that I didn't mind the calorie indulgence.

It's going to be a challenge, as now I am handling millions of dollars worth of inventory during our busiest time of year, and directing 160+ employees in a workforce ranging from 15 to 72. A big job for sure, but I am looking forward to it and am feeling pretty upbeat at the moment.

The store I'll be at is in a good part of town, with good clientel, and a good unit manager. Hopefully there is good bonus potential as well. :-)

Oh yeah, I also got six pairs of dress pants last night on Freecycle. They were all Ralph Lauren brand and some even had the original tags on them priced at $85. Yeah, stick it, Moel Joughon!!!

Car Talk

Well, I submitted an answer to the weekly Car Talk Puzzler, heard on National Public Radio. This is the email I received acknowledging my submission. I thought it was pretty funny.

Thanks for sending in your puzzler answer. Imagine how excited you'll be if we choose your response as the correct, winning answer!

In case you were wondering, here's the process we go through to select each week's winner: First, we have to be certain you have the correct answer. We start by sending your answer to Paul Murky, at Murky Research. Murky, working with our Statistician Marge Innovera, will place your puzzler answer in one of two heaps: "not even close" and "pretty much right."

Assuming it passes by Paul and Marge, your answer will then be zipped along to Central Processing, where it will be date and time stamped, and searched for attached currency. Next, it will be shipped electronically to our Correct Answer Verification Center, where our legions of lackeys once again search your answer for currency-- just in case someone at Central Processing missed it. Then, they make certain that your response fits the criterion we have established for correct answers. Please note that since we're often unsure of what the right answer is ourselves, we have very wide latitude in determining what constitutes a correct answer.

Incorrect answers, however, will be sent to the Jehovah's Witnesses, for immediate inclusion in their mailing list. Lastly, correct answers will be sent to Ms. Shirley Wright, who operates under the auspices of the Committee for Reviewing Answers to Puzzlers. There, operating under complete secrecy, Ms. Wright will pick a winner. If your response is selected as this week's winning entry, we'll announce your name on the air. You'll also get a gift certificate to our Shameless Commerce Division, which if you're smart, you'll trade to an unsuspecting coworker for a cup of coffee and twenty-five cents.

Cordially,
Tom and Ray Magliozzi
Click and Clack the Tappet Brothers

There Has to Be a Morning After...

Well, folks, it was an interesting election night. By the way,the key retail check went great. Autumn, Katie and I went to Mac Collins' election night celebration where we watched the results come in. We left somewhere around 10:00pm, and at that point, things were looking grim but hadn't totally collapsed. We came home and settled in here with the internet and our television set. We don't have cable, unlike at the celebration where the results were on Fox News, so the local stations reverted to covering GA political results. Man, it was a great night. For the first time since reconstruction we have re-elected a Republican Governor. And for the first time, elected a Republican Lt. Governor. The Secretary of State also went in the Republican column, and the majority in the state legislature also grew. The two federal races were nip-and-tuck, so things seemed so glorious. (It is also worth noting here that I was really fed up with the National Republican party and the way they have run things, but the GA Delegation is totally different. They are really in the mold of the Class of 1994).

Well, at any rate, the local stuff finally went off, and the national results were being shown on ABC News. It was quite a shock. I had really thought things were going well for the Republicans because of all the local stuff. Boy, was I wrong...

I was sad to see that Ryun lost in Kansas and that some of the Indiana delegation lost out, but I'm glad in a way that the Republicans are going back to the drawing board to rebuild. We really needed something to shake up the National Party. No more having to see people support No Child Left Behind, McCain-Feingold, Medicare Expansion, out-of-control fiscal spending, and so on. In fact, if it weren't for National Security, I don't think that we'd have anything "Republican" to have run on. And is it so bad that Lincoln Chaffee is gone? Or Mark Foley? Or all the Abramoff folks?

Even in the Federal races here, we didn't really lose out by having the Democrats win, as the differences between those running were (in a good way), hard to distinguish.

I think I'm longing for a return to the Clinton years of divided government.

Tommorrow is the Big Day

That's right. We're getting pre-certified on our Key Retailing practices tomorrow morning. It's not a small thing for us, and we're hoping to do well... (we should).

On the national level, there is an election. Republicans should be prepared to lose big tomorrow. We're actually going to a Victory Party for Mac, but only as a curiousity and because it is literally right around the corner from our house. I have never been to one before and wonder what the fuss is about. We're also hoping he wins. But his Liberal Democrat Pelosi-Loving Opponent is endorsed by both National Right to Life and the National Rifle Association, so it's hard to tell if we really lose out.

On another election note, don't forget the PHC Alum voting on Wednesday (I just got an email while writing this post). Looking at the list, it's going to be a bad night for both Republicans and Kool-Aid Drinkers.

Middle GA Facts

1. Three words in the English Language scare people here to death: Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

2. Therefore, early voting has been booming around here. And John Kerry also probably gets a lot of credit for that (think: Big Air Force Base full of offended stupid people, and those who love them).

3. You can be a respected and credible Republican candidate once Democrat Zell Miller has endorsed you.

4. We support our troops.

5. We support President Bush.

6. Sonny "Did"

7. Get 'er done.

Haven't You Noticed? We Saw the POTUS...

Happy Halloween, everyone. Today we were in for a treat of sorts as George W. Bush was in town campaigning for Mac Collins for Congress. This is one of the few races that can make a difference because he is running against a Democrat incumbent, and can offset losses elsewhere. Anyway, we took the opporunity to go see W, and it wsa a lot of fun. Reps. Charlie Norwood, Tom Price, and Phil Gingrey were also there with Sens. Chambliss and Isakson. We were five deep, so we had a really good spot to see the President, and I am glad that we went.

Probably the neatest thing about it though was looking up as they were setting the stage and I saw a guy named Lucas getting things set up. He was a comrade from the BC04 days, so it was great to see that he was still in the game and doing well for himself.

Autumn was really good during the whole thing even though she didn't get a nap.

It's weird just how popular George W. Bush is down here, as we have a very staunch military community. I'm sure that if he wanted to he could retire down here and run for County Council.

Death of Americana

No more pocketwatches, no rabbit ears, no more had delivered telegrams announcing life and death news...what is next?!?

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported earlier this week, that the pink, plastic, flamingo-shaped slice of Americana as we know it is ceasing to exist. Those items so synonymous with church fundraisers, with Florida yards, (and at THE with senior pranks) are disappearing from store shelves. As one tipster said, "They're ugly and they're cheesy, but all the sudden, when I heard they were stopped being produced, I wanted one." After being tipped off to this article, I too suddenly wanted to rush out and purchase my own slice of Americana.

Thank You for Your Support

I just wanted to let everyone know that I just supported Georgia Public Broadcasting, by making an annual membership commitment and designating that money towards National Public Radio. Together, we can make a difference.

I urge all the readers of this blog to make a contribution to Public Broadcasting, by supporting their local stations during this fall fundraising drive.

“He’s got all the ones he doesn’t know memorized in case he forgets them.” –Jeremy Sewall

Thank You for Smoking

I finally watched the aforementioned movie on DVD home theater last night, and I thought it was a very funny movie. Not only that, it was probably the best movie that I had seen in a long time. It had good acting, good pace, and some memorable lines.

All that equals awesome in my book.

Caution though, about some scenes...

Karl

A man complained about the state of things today, because he spied a bottle of Red Cream Soda labeled in both English and Spanish.

"This country was founded by English-speaking people," he exclaimed to me in outrage, "and I refuse to support that! I'll just buy the other stuff," he said in a huff -- I made no effort to stop him.

In his mind, he drew a line against the tides of aliens. Just by refusing to buy something he never bought before.

He walked away. Italian Opera Music played over the PA, and he bristled at the totality.

Dietary Guidelines

Fat:
Women - less than 30 grams per day
Men - less than 40 grams per day
less than 15 grams per meal
IT oil - 14 grams
Does not include fat as found in whole foods

Sodium:
Less than 2000mg per day
500-700 mg per meal (200-300 mg per serving)

Fiber:
30-50 grams or more per day
At least 10 grams per meal

Sugar:
Less than 30 grams per day
10 grams per meal
Does not include sugars as found in fruit, milk, or whole foods

Processed and Packaged Food Specifics:
Breads, Cereals, Pasta, Soups - 3 grams or less of fat and sugar and 3 grams or more of fiber per serving.
Cereals - less than 8 grams per serving.

(Information courtesy of a Lifestyle Medicine Institute flyer...)

Thought for Tonight

Hummus is awesome.

That is all.

New Links, New Contributors, New Subscription Option

The astute viewer may notice that there are some new additions to the links section. If you would like to be added, let me know. More importantly, if you would like your associaiton with me hidden, let me know and I'll take your link down.

Two contributors have joined Karl A. Kilgore and Associates. Ceil and JeremyAAP (currently stationed in Iraq), may be posting inflammatory messages soon. We look forward to them playing a part here on this site.

If you would like to subscribe to this blog, please use the new Blogarithm button up top.

Thanks so much for all you do to make this blog possible.

Karl A. Kilgore and Associates

Recap, Roses, Wrong Places

Today began in the morning, like most days. In 80 degree weather I was wearing a shirt and tie to stack bags of firewood to Build a Massive Display. Four pallets worth. A sweat-inducing job. Though not too strenuous.

Somewhere later on I found myself piecing together floral elements to wrap a rose and also to make a corsage. Let me tell you, that takes talent. Which is what I think I lack... but not bad for a rookie. The Florist gave me a C+ :-P. I rock. I wish I would have taken a picture.

Venturing home, I got on the phone with Ceil and we got to talking. I was on my way to a rendezvous point to eat dinner out with my family (Katie and the Beep are in Ohio). So we were talking about Alumni Stuff, the Weekend, and about the current shenanigans happening on the Hill. My family wasn't there yet, so I walked in, asked for a table of six, and sat down. The attentive waitress brought me some tea right away. Well, I realized after a few minutes that I was in the wrong restaurant, and that they were waiting for me next door.

So I flagged her down, told her "my party decided to go somewhere else" and asked to pay for the tea. (I was very self-deprecating in my demeanor)... She told me not to worry about it. I walked next door. Dinner commenced...

Specifically for Faith...

Today's fuel prices remained unchanged.

Also, congratulations on your recent precious stone acquisition. We're all glad that an affirmative answer was had by you that day.

We look forward to viewing the photographic evidence, and the textual narrative soon.

Till then...

A Thank You to the Faithful...

For your help in making our business so profitable on Sundays. We love to see you come in on the hour (starting with the Methodists), mill about, and buy lots of stuff. Your coming in all dressed up makes the place look a lot nicer too, gives it a bit more class.

Whether or not it contradicts your faith, I don't know. Who am I to judge? We're just glad you came. And brought your money. And made this work day necessary.

Certifications

Today, I got my official Food Safety Manager Certification in the mail. This adds to my HIPPA Certification, Powered Industrial Truck Certification, CPR Certification, and Notary Certificate. All the things you need to get through a day...

And today's fuel price: $1.95/gal, $1.92/gal with card.

Old School American Gumption

-----Original Message-----
From: BREAKING NEWS [mailto:breakingnews@foxnews.com]
Sent: Wednesday, September 27, 2006 1:03 PM
To: BREAKINGNEWS Subscribers
Subject: FNC Alert

7-ELEVEN FIRES BACK AT VENEZUELA'S CHAVEZ, DROPS CITGO AS GAS SUPPLIER TO STORES


"Where'd you learn to shoot like that?"
"7-11"

-- Back to the Future III

Today I accidently attended a political meeting...

Autumn had to go to the doctor's office in Macon today, and later Katie and the Beep met up with me at my store. We meandered around, and seeing that it was such a good day outside (cool and crisp) I thought it would be a good opportunity to get a latte from the local shop called Joshua Cup.

Strangely enough, Mac Collins (R-GA) was in there hosting a meet and greet. There were some people at the meeting who knew who I was from when I was trying to get into GA politics. It felt very weird to have stumbled into something like that. I was still wearing my name tag from work, so the once and future Congressman and I discussed the grocery business for a few minutes, and I told him that I had voted for him yesterday (I always vote absentee).

It was an interesting exchange, but it was good to slip in and slip back out (Autumn was pleased to have snagged one of the complimentary Chick-Fil-A nuggets from the gathering).

While I still have a long way to go and a lot to learn, I am glad to have a little more say in whether I will have a job in November.

PS -- Today's fuel price remained unchanged.

Look up at the night
Have you seen that star before?
How quickly dreams rearrange
When constellations are at war

--CL, LLHR

Fuel Price

Today's price: $1.99/gal, $1.96/gal with card.

Fuel Price Update

2.07/gal, 2.04/gal with card.

Fuel Price Update

It is 2.15/gal at my store. We filled up 2 days ago for 2.00 even with our 15 cents off promotion.

Southern Democrats

There is a heated race here in the GA 8th Congressional District, where Republican (former Congressman) Mac Collins is running against incumbent Democrat Jim Marshall for the seat. The Democrat's ads have been touting the fact that Marshall is endorsed for re-election by the NRA, votes against Nancy Pelosi, and is strong on defense. The Republican ads say that Marshall is the liberal in the race.

Biblical Prophesies

Right now I am listening to an "Evangelical Leader" speaking about Israel, the Middle East, and American foreign policy. It follows the familar Evangelical playbook that in the latter times Russia teams up with the Arabs to launch an invasion of the tiny nation-state.

It makes me wonder if Harry Truman had been at Yalta, and possibly prevented the Cold War, would the Prophesy still be that Russia was going to do it?

A minor update

Just wanted to let y'all know that my concealed carry permit came to me in the mail, finally. So don't make me mad...

Also, Karl A. Kilgore and Associates would like to extend a congratulations to John Grosjean, a fellow KnepperKnepperLander who has found the way (though not apparently the Way of the Knepper himself).

If any of y'all need me this week, you can find me in the Deli/Bakery learning about rotisserie chicken and cake decorating techniques.

All the Best,
Karl

What goes up... must come down

This past week I went up to Atlanta and brought along a pair of slacks that I hadn't worn in 7 years. A few months ago they were 4 inches too small in the waist, now they fit great. I'm back down to a weight that I hadn't been at since high school. More energy, and feeling great. That's about a 35 pound reduction total from the high watermark in DC. Couldn't have done it without Clif Bar.

King of the Hill

While I know that a lot of my comrades tilt heavily towards The Simpsons, I have to say that my favorite social satire show is Fox's King of the Hill, mainly because it is cleverly written and doesn't have all the crudity of Simpsons, Family Guy, American Dad, etc.

It also does (in its own way) convey a sense of family values and provides a real-world perspective on some of society's excesses and absurdities.

Cupid Update

We hear from Ceil that Cupid has taken up the practice of throwing Pebbles. We at Karl A. Kilgore and Associates are disturbed by this news, and hope that we can stop the pattern of destruction in time to prevent Cupid from moving on to throwing the much heavier BamBam.

Key Retailing

One of the focuses of our operation is to have very clean and inviting restrooms to help enhance our customers' shopping experience. An example of this happened yesterday when one guy had gone into the single person men's room up front, and was joined a few moments later by a young woman.

My guess is that he was so impressed with our restroom cleanliness that he wanted his girfriend to come see it for herself. It is good to know we're doing our jobs well.

R.I.P. Steve Irwin

You touched all of our lives.

God Uses Mundane Things...

Every morning when I show up for work I start my day off with a store walk, which is essentially walking up and down every aisle of the store and conditioning it to get things ready in case we have customers that day.

Well, this morning (about 7:00am) I noticed that on the top shelf some items were pushed all the way back so that they couldn't be seen. I got a step stool and worked them back to the front (facing, as we say in the trade) so that the items were visible. I noticed that it was "Clam Sauce," something I had never heard of till that moment. I laughed and said to my self, "self, bet that's a big seller..."

Well, later on in the day (around 3-4pm) I was working some stuff from the truck out to the shelves when I asked a customer if they needed help finding anything. Can you guess what they were looking for?

Yep. Because God prepared me for that customer, I could effortlessly point them to the correct product.

Oh yeah, Clam Sauce is a vital ingredient for Jumbalaya.

Shameless Credit

Karl A. Kilgore and Associates today takes the underserved credit for Drunkenpiper's new post.

Best Wishes to the Drunkenpiper

I just wanted to post this to wish Jeremy a happy and fulfilling September's Eve. Already, eager blog readers are awaiting his insightful commentary to roll out about the Church and events taking place in July.

It seems that, just maybe, he'll realize the popular demand, and get out a new post by Groundhog Day. Then again, we may all be doomed to six more months of impending Morocco.

Take care, Piper, and all the best.

Karl A. Kilgore

It's like Winning the Tour Guide Drawing...

Without having to give tours...

Today we got a postcard from Starbucks telling me that we're valuable customers and as a reward for registering our giftcard we received anonymously in the mail a few months ago, they're giving us another $10 to spend.

Kinda cool. In a Joughonian sort of way.

Fact of the Day

As the fall rolls in, your local retail stores order more lightbulbs to sell.

That's because lightbulb usage goes up.

Then the lights go out.

And buying habits change.

Busy Local News Day

Today's Fox 24 Poll:

Do you prefer commemorative stamps over regular postage stamps?

Well, do ya?

Grocery Phase: Complete.

Next Phase: Drug/GM

Where In The World Is Moel Joughon?

That's righ folks, Suriname.

Another sign that my Beltway Days are behind me...

I went to the Courthouse and put in my application for concealed carry. The same day, I also became sworn in as a Notary.

So if any of y'all need something notarized at gunpoint, let me know...

Congratulations Schwartzy

I recently talked to The Schwartz... and guess what?

He has taken a big first step into home-decorating by painting a single wall in his townhouse. I would like to point out that the posters of Marilyn Monroe are not his, but the one of Rothbard is.

In addition, I would like to thank him for pointing this web site out to me.

Also, he is finally giving Moel Joughon (pseudonymn) his cat back. Speaking of which, many cultures judge how a person relates to those he cares about by how he treats his cat...

Or maybe they just judged me by how I treated his cat. Can't remember.

Been listening lately...

to a bunch of recordings from the Vision Forum as I commute into work. It's been interesting to listen to them, and an enjoyable experience.

local scenes...

New Carbon Leaf CD

I just pre-ordered the new Carbon Leaf CD from Amazon.com. The funny thing is that I didn't know about it except that I was doing some dishes (we don't have a dishwasher), and I turned on the Laura Ingraham Show, a conservative radio talk show host. Joining her on the show today was none other than Carbon Leaf, performing some of their songs live from the studio. I really like how with Amazon.com you can purchase the CD and then listen to it streaming over the web as well. Really nice feature for those of us who seek instant gratification.

Anyway, just a shout out.

Also, if any of you out there could pray for us, we're having a difficult time lately dealing with my family. One of the benefits (and horrors) of living so close to your realtives is that you're close to your relatives. My family is really bad about trying to pressure and guilt trip us into making decisions that go along with what they would do. I'm having a hard time with it, as they are very meddlesome and like to get into every aspect of our lives that they can. They had backed off for awhile, but now they're back at it again. This has always been a struggle for me as they have always throughout my life dissaproved of everthing that I had done. Even when I achieve something, they focus immediately on the negative or start asking series of questions about small details I hadn't thought of yet. It always taught me to just be very secretive about going about doing things in my life, and also not to show a lot of joy or emotion about achieving something, as I was sure the good feeling would be shot down as soon as I shared the news. Anyway, that's what I'm having to work through now. I'd really like to move somewhere so that the problem would just go away, but I'm not sure when that could even happen. I have a long way to go on an uncertain path just to have that possibility.

It's Been Awhile

I have been busy for the last 4 weeks or so with work. I'm training in the 17 week management program and that has meant intermittent travel up to Atlanta and working at least 50 hours per week. Add about another hour and a half for my commute and we're set. This week I have been getting up at 5am to work the irregular hours demanded by the bidness. I'm pretty stressed out and worried about being able to make it through.

I have to learn each department and get evaluated at the end of each "phase" by the Store Manager where I am assigned for training, and the department head. Right now, I am learning Grocery (which includes Dry Grocery, Frozen Food, Receiving, and Dairy). There are a ton of acronymns to learn and also the tools of the trade. You only one "do-over" on the phase evaluations, so its pretty much that you need to learn it the first time through.

I'm feeling pretty lost and powerless right now, and not sure how to change that. And yet, making it through this is pretty much the most important thing that I have ever had to do... important because failure hurts more than just me right now.

One of the most challenging aspects is just learning to speak up. Anyone who has ever worked with me knows that when I am on a job, I hardly say anything. Even when I need help, I never seem to know how to get it out and express it in a meaningful manner where I actually get help. I do't know why this has always been a shortcoming, but I can feel in my stomach me getting anxious just thinking about it.

I hope that I'll figure it out soon....

You've come far, though you're far from the end, you don't mind where you are 'cause you know where you've been." -- Carbon Leaf, Let Your Troubles Roll By

Got into the Management Training Program...
Stuff's gettin' better. Gettin' better every day.

Which Comes First?

During my time watching hundreds of orders come down a conveyor belt, I can say with a great deal of confidence that the chicken comes before the eggs.

Western Cantaloupes

"Do you have Western Cantaloupes?"

"Well, ma'am, these are our cantaloupes here. It looks like they come from Arizona and California."

"Is that the same thing as a Western Cantaloupe?"

"Well, I'll go check..."

"Yes, ma'am, they're Western Cantaloupes."

-- it's been a long week.

World Cup...

I had to work 12pm-8pm today, so I am just now watching the France/Portugal game... so far the playing is very beautiful, fun to watch...

Some Sad News...

ENRON FOUNDER KEN LAY DEAD OF HEART ATTACK

**Watch FOX News Channel or go to http://foxnews.com for more

In Other News...

Avril informs us via email of this one-line development:

"I said yes!"

Karl A. Kilgore congratulates her, assuming the question wasn't "Do you want fries with that?" :-p

Night Shift Fun

When you're working 11pm to 7am, sometimes you need to come up with stuff to keep you awake. This morning as the sun started coming up and I started feeling more tired, I decided to rework some slogans in order to keep my eyes open. Here are a few that I came up with:

"It's possible that it's one of her inherited traits, but another possibility is that it is our product." Maybelline

"Looses all structural integrity when consumed orally, yet is resistant to decomposition when handled manually." M&Ms

"There's not even one person who has a negative opinion about us." Sara Lee

"I have great affection for this." McDonald's

"Obtain a unit of our product for your own personal consumption." Cheez-Its (Get your own box)

"Are you in possession of a lactose-based product?" Milk

"We are not dogmatic about our product's assembly." Burger King

"Do not constrain a facial expression." Little Debbie (unwrap a smile)

"We are the correct merchant. Our cost indicator is also accurate." Kroger (Right Store. Right Price.)

Happy Canada Day!

Crossing the Rubicon...

Well, I have crossed over from part-time to full-time now and will be working in the Produce department. The store manager is also looking to help launch me into the management track, so good news on that front, too.

And, no to the survey question, my school didn't help place me there, except that I was liberal arts and didn't have any major career options out here in the heartland.

Take care, kidos.

Internet Woes...

struggled this week with the internet being completely off or very very slow all week. I finally called up Cox to troubleshoot the problem. After going through a lot of different configurations, multiple reboots, and resetting the modem, it turns out that the problem was that I had a coupler on my cable line going into my modem.

So, now we're back online, amazing what one small piece of metal will do to ruin your day.

That PK was totally bogus.

Shopper Demographics

Wal-Mart has been criticized for a lot of things, but here on this display in the International City, it is obvious they have very selective demographic targets for certain goods:

Local Coffee, Local Markets

I have been hanging out lately again in the International City's only full-fledged coffeeshop on the north side. It's a little bit strange, as when I go in there I am usually the only customer. During the times that I have been in there, some people come in, grab their coffee, and then leave, leaving me and the two employees on our own.

The other strange thing is that this shop is in the exact same location as the one I worked for a few months ago when it was Gourmet Grounds. The barista chick is the more conversational one, while the guy barista who works there is usually silent. So when I go in and I take a break from what I am working on, she usually has something to say. This time she was asking me all about my thoughts on the previous owner and a short discussion ensued comparing the relative strengths and weaknesses of the two owners.

The final interesting fact is that the shop is called "Prinnie-Mack" named after Prinnie (the owners' dalmation) and Mack (their Scottish Terrier). The decor is dog-themed, while modern at the same time. The mood is further offset by XM Oldies Radio and "local artist" drawings of Victorian zombie horror dolls and misshapen objects.

But it's a really good cup of coffee. If your finances can afford the travel, I'd say it's necessary for you to make a trip to the International City to sample their Latte's.
-----

Also, at work they have been really busy. As you can see from the picture below, they are also Superhero enthusiasts. When they first started assembling this structure constructed out of 12 packs of Pepsi products, we couldn't figure out what it was going to be. One co-worker guessed "it's a bird?" "nah," said a second one, "I think it's a plane..."

"Leftover" Spiritual Gifts

On all those Spiritual Gifts tests, I come out as "Organizer" or equivalent, which is very frustrating to me because I often wonder whether they just created a position so that those of us without real gifts can still feel like we have one too.

It has been especially rough for me (in what seems like a weird departure here) while watching the World Cup. Growing up, playing soccer was perhaps the only tenuous claim that I had for talent. I played a lot, sometimes for 2 teams during one season, and even had the ability to "give back" on occasion. I helped coach some teams, I even "played down" one spring on a Park and Rec team and basically wound up being an on-the-field coach. Tactically and in terms of technical skills, the teams got better and it was fun to see the progress. But it was also frustrating, because even though the level of play was more beautiful, it didn't necessarily translate into victories or goals scored (i.e. the American moms and dads didn't understand that it was more beautiful to pass back than to "boot" the ball).

As I reflect on this as I am so far past my prime (I basically stopped playing on a competitive level by my Junior year of High School) that to watch world class soccer, it's kind of depressing. What do you do when you're old and washed up? When your gift is an "organizer" and yet the only thing you've ever been able to be good at was "organizing" a defense? Or when you live in real America and "organizing" doesn't really have the same resonance as when you're in the city and people are so busy that they have to hire people to organize practically everything for them?

I don't know, and for some reason, it's got me depressed. At least more than my standard level of depression :-p.

World Cup so Far...

I have found myself riveted by the 2006 World Cup, and have been glad that my work schedule has been mostly evenings this week.

The best game so far that I caught was the Trinidad and Tobago v. Sweeden. This was TaT's first appearance, and they held the Swedes to a scorless tie, earning themselves a point in their first WC contest. Kudos to them.

Today, the US played against the Czech Republic, and I have to say that it was an embarrasment. Not only did they lose in a blowout (3-0), they showed no agression, creativity with the ball, or any defensive aptitude. And this is after all the hype and the rollout of supposedly our best team ever.

Let's hope that they pick up their game when the face Italy on Saturday.

Yay!

The Laptop is back!

Thoughts on X-Men 3

FYI -- I'm going to give some stuff away here...

First of all, I liked this movie and it was definitely worth going to see in the theaters. Second, I know, Thomas, that my vote didn't count because I didn't see it opening weekend.

My prediction -- well, the end left it wide open for a fourth picture. What I think would happen (not having read any comic books and actually knowing what might happen). Cyclops is alive because we never saw him die on screen. Magnito regains his powers and resumes his crusade for mutants. Cyclops joins him this time because he wants to get back at Wolverine for killing his girl. And of course, if you saw the extra scene at the end of the credits (or read about it on Wikipedia) you know that Charles may be around as well...

Theoretical Memories

Yesterday I was driving into work and Blues Traveler's "Run Around" hurtled intself inperceptively against my trusty Volvo Station Wagon via FM radio frequency, traveled through my radio antenna, and blurted itself out through my vehicle's multi-channel stereo system (I would go into more detail about the exact equipment used, but I really am not into promoting stereo types....). This song was popular probably around ten years ago now, and I think it is pretty catchy and offered such profound lyrics as this:

"But I know no matter what the waitress brings, I shall drink it and always be full
Yeah, i will drink it and always be full."

It was fun to think back on those theoretical memories of how this song connected me to a time and an era. Time travel can be fun to think about in the abstract sense sometimes. Meanwhile, I was snapped back into the present-day world by a Memorial Day Blowout Sale commercial for the local Ford dealership. So I changed the station. Now, it had been a long time since I had heard or even thought about that particular song. Guess what was playing on the next station I turned to. Yeah, Run Around. An interesting coincidence, and further proof that theoretical memories and abstract time travel will always take second place to Actual Dejavu. Vu.

Stayin' Alive...

Although the days and weeks have lapsed on this blog as the font itself goes stale, I am still around. Things have been on the upswing lately as a lot of small things have come together. It's amzing how encouraging that can be. My laptop is still being serviced, so I have been limited to a Win 98 computer that I got for 5 dollars at a yardsale. At least it included a mouse, monitor and keyboard and can let me check email and surf the web. (and I'll have a printserv when I get my laptop back). But it has meant that there is less time that I have wasted being on my laptop.

I'm sure to be talking to y'all later.

Oh yeah, I got a new phone number, so please email me if you need the new number.

Karl A. Kilgore and Associates Celebrates Schwartzy's Birthday

Karl A. Kilgore and Associates is pleased to hail Schwartzy's (formerly known as Schwartzy, due to recent name changes) 25th birthday. Schwartzy has built a lasting reputation and friendship during his law school tenure with various members of the Loudon County Court System and Law Enforcement Community. His regular meetings with them have been a time of encouragement, support, and even revenue for one of America's Fastest Growing Counties.

His lifelong dedication to freedom, liberty, individual rights, Asian food, and upholding the Laws of Eight demonstrate the unique characteristics that make up the Schwartzy that we all know and/or love.

We at Karl A. Kilgore and Associates wish him well in the next 25 years, that he will accomplish all that he has set out to do and find his St. Rose. And if this is the last blog post written, we want to deliver it.

According to Purves...

I am boring as "heck." That's what his quiz told me.

So I created my own protype quiz of exciting people and intentionally chose the "boring person answers" this was my result. I guess it confirms things.

You are 99% BORING

Boring Character BIO: Jeremy Holmes, Northern, VA His dream job is to be a lawyer by day so he can afford to work his dream job at night as a security guard for a prominent, but top-secret, computer software firm whose product is hideously overpriced and then sold to the government. For hours on end, Jeremy stands guard against the evil villains who would penetrate the secure perimeter and steal office chairs and ink pens from the company’s HR department. To date, there have been no such attempts at theft, much to Jeremy’s chagrin.

John Smoltz for President!

2 RBIs and reached base on 3 plate appearances tonight against the loathesome Mets. Also, he did an excellent job on the mound... :-p

Reformed Evangelical 86% Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan 82% Emergent/Postmodern 79% Neo orthodox 61% Fundamentalist 50% Charismatic/Pentecostal 32% Classical Liberal 18% Roman Catholic 14% Modern Liberal 11% What's your theological worldview? created with QuizFarm.com You scored as Reformed Evangelical. You are a Reformed Evangelical. You take the Bible very seriously because it is God's Word. You most likely hold to TULIP and are sceptical about the possibilities of universal atonement or resistible grace. The most important thing the Church can do is make sure people hear how they can go to heaven when they die.

You scored as Premillenialist. Premillenialism believes that there will be a rapture and tribulation before Jesus returns and overthrows the antichrist and establishes his Kingdom. Current events are spoken of in scripture. Premillenialist 80% Dispensationalist 55% Amillenialist 50% Moltmannian Eschatology 50% Left Behind 30% Postmillenialist 30% Preterist 15% What's your eschatology? created with QuizFarm.com

Buyer Beware

Yersterday I was getting training in Customer Service when an older lady came up with her purchase and receipt.

"I want to exchange this Sprite for another one. I got home and saw on the packaging where it says lemon-lime soda, and all I wanted was regular Sprite."

"Ma'am, Sprite is a lemon-lime Soda."

"It has lemon in it???"

"It's a lemon-lime soda, ma'am."

"Well, can I just swap it out for Coke then?"

Shoutout to RLR

As I was working today in the produce department a woman came up to me and asked, "Where are your nuts?"

I wouldn't have thought anything about it, before. Thanks, Bensmom :-p

Kind of a Bummer...

One of the bad things about not having conventional business hours is that you sometimes miss out on opportunities to do cool stuff. This happened today when I got a call from one of our Lt. Gubernatorial candidate's campaign asking if I could pick up the candidate this Saturday from the airport to drive him to an event the Governor is hosting. Had to turn it down becuase I had to work.

Bummer.

It Has Nothing to do With Boycotts

but ironically, I have been on loan this week to the produce department...

Some Important Thoughts

First of all, should we be surprised that a company that combines the words "Go" and "Ogle" to form their name has a significant group of people worried about their privacy?

Second, I found this website linked to a blog I read. Based on the writing on their site, I would love to work there.

Finally, Water Spaniels! And no, I don't really get the significance either.

Schwartzy would be pleased to know that the tradition of intentionally misheard song lyrics continues, as this week I drove around listening to U2 (see the Personal Top 5 post). One of the tracks on there is “I Will Follow,” which I like a lot. However, because my mind wanders, I converted it to “I Will Swallow,” which gives it an interesting twist. Especially if you alter the other lyrics to promote beverage consumption.

Some of the other U2 songs include “Someday, Buddy, Someday” and “Greenest Thing.”

However, none of them compare to the Cranberries infamous song “Zombie” which is translated to “Salami.” Some of the lines go like this:

Salami, Salami
It’s on wheat bread,
On wheat breeeeaaad,
Salami
Salami
Sa-la-mi-e-e

Chloe Loves Jack?

More to look forward to in the non-stop season...

Autumn and REM

We found out today while riding around looking for yard sales that Autumn really likes R.E.M.. She started singing along in the back seat to "Belong" off of the Out of Time CD. There were a couple others she liked on there as well. Weird kid.

Happy Earth Day!!!

Flowers From Galen!

The International City's Unofficial Slogan

E.D.I.M.G.I.A.F.A.D.

I'm not making it up.

A Nice Hot Cup of Joe

At long last, Lent is over and a day of celebration was in order (punctuated by having to work from 11am-7pm). It was so nice to have a cup of coffee again this morning. It was Kenya Kirinyaga from the Starbucks Black Apron series. Very tasty, even thuogh I made it less strong than usual.

Also -- this evening I tried Coca-Cola's new Blak "Fusion Beverage" which is basically Coke with coffee extract. It's not very good as a stand-alone, but is actually quite tasty as a float.

Happy Easter

Easter Affirmation No. 888

Leader: This is the good news which we have recieved, in which we stand, and by which we are saved:

People: Christ died for our sins, was buried, was raised on the third day, and appeared first to the women, then to Peter and the Twelve, and then to many faithful witnesses. We believe Jesus is the Christ, the Annointed One of God, the firstborn of all creation, the firstborn from the dead, in whom all things hold together, in whom the fullness of God was pleased to dwell by the power of the Spirit. Christ is the head of the body, the church, and by the blood of the cross reconciles all things to God. Amen.

Whad'ya Know?

This morning as I was driving in to work I had NPR on in the car (which is what I frequently listen to, more so than music). It was the weekend, so instead of all of their usual news-themed shows they have their NPR gameshows, one of which is called Michael Feldman's Whad'ya Know? I have to say that I am a fairly regular listener to this show, and every time I find it an absoultely maddening experience to listen to it.

First of all, the flow of the program is like he is making it all up entirely on the spot with no real clear direction of where he is going, except for perhaps a few major bullet points that he needs to cover. The delivery is complete with ummms, ahhs, and other spontaneous interjections indicating lack of planning for the next thought. Second, the jokes are frequently really lame and are often somewhat sarcastic. Third, as he moves forward in the show, he is often able to crack jokes by bringing it back to an original joke from way back in the conversation. The rambling nature just continues as he talks to various members of the live audience and interviews them. Fourth, being that it is NPR they are usually talking about something cultural (like today's program about the centenial of Samuel Beckett, whom I might point out with dismay is not the guy from Quantum Leap, but an author...) that is usually somewhat serious, but with enough deprecating remarks that it is hard to know what the true facts are. I honestly have no idea why I keep tuning into it, because it is so frustrating to listen to all the nonsensical rambling that never seems to have a point to it.

That is, until I realized that if I were to have a radio show of my own, it would probably be very similar to that. Whad'ya Know?

www.notmuch.com

From the Achives

Caption: Aaron the Redneck Yuppie of Indiana (L) wears a homemade corsage and Texas-themed jewlry while joining Karl Kilgore in munching on ice cream sundae bars in this undated photograph.

Oh Yeah!

My Personal Top Five

These are the top five CDs that I keep coming back to over and over again, consistent with the Douglian and Gabelian philosophy of the top 5.

Tigerlily -- Natalie Merchant
I really like the smoothness of this CD. It is one of those projects where the whole CD sounds like one song, yet not in an annoying way. Good to listen to as background or to enjoy. Has a little jazz flavor to it, sorta. I am a fan of Natalie and also the other 9,999 Maniacs who are now unemployed.



Eponymous -- REM
This has a lot of their early sound which I really like a lot. On songs such as Gardening at Night, the focus is on the sounds that the words make and as such blend into the music. This has a really cool effect. Also just love to listen to this CD when I am just driving around. It has a lot of the early REM/indy/college/underground feel to it.


Best Hits 1980-1990 -- U2
I feel a little inauthentic in putting up a "best hits" CD, but this is one I like a lot. I think it is much better than their 1990-2000 Best of CD. I had to put it up though, because it is one I go back to a lot, even if it does seem "blah."




Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou -- Various Artists
My favorite Wes Anderson film, this movie is hilarious if you enjoy subtle humor, sight gags, and irony. The soundtrack is also ironic in that it consists heavily of David Bowie tunes in Portuguese. As you can imagine, the sound is unique, and the soundtrack really makes you remember and enjoy the film every time. But you can also enjoy it even if you haven't seen the movie. Definitely one of my favorites.

Carbon Leaf -- Echo Echo
This is a really great CD, which includes what is probably their biggest hit, The Boxer. These guys are also my favorite band, bar none. Their sound has a twinge of Irish in them, but the band is from Virginia. This particular CD is very high-energy and upbeat, which probably surprises the heck out of some of you. Their wordplay is what I think I like the best about this band. A lot of their lyrics don't necessarily make sense, but they make them sound really cool. I also highly recommend their newest and probably most polished album, Indian Summer, which is another one I listen to frequently. Avoid their early stuff, such as Meander.

Insights From Galen!

Here is an interesting tibit from Galen (an infamous inaugural student who apparently skated by, using MouseCRAP. It is unclear how he is making it through lawschool without it). Please remember to set your clocks 12 hours forward, just in case:

On Wednesday, at two minutes and three seconds after 1:00 in the morning, the time and date will be 01:02:03 04/05/06.

That will not ever happen again. Cool, huh!

OK, OK...in another 1000 years, but who wants to wait that long?

Hail to the Chief, He's the Chief and He Needs Hailing...

Congrats to Mark on his successful bid for the Presidency. His determination, spirit of public service, and dedication to principle will serve him well in his new office. He's a great American.

From the RedneckYuppy

"Continuing drama at PHC... Just another reminder that older more educated people are subject to the same passions and emotions as anyone else. I just wish they could take care of some things without bleeding their conflicts all over the poor students who are trying to concentrate on keeping up and surviving the academic load. Prayers are needed and appreciated."

This pretty much summarized what I was thinking.

World-Renowned Icon Threatens Karl A. Kilgore and Associates with High-Profile Lawsuit

International City -- World-renowned author, poet, graphic design artist, and apparent blog enthusiast Anonymous yesterday threatened Karl A. Kilgore and Associates with a high-profile lawsuit for displaying an image claimed to be copyrighted by the famed icon on its internet blog site.

The graphic prominently displays a telephone booth accompanied by an unidentified male in the foreground in a state of partial undress. The graphic appears to be a modified version of another photograph which itself may or may not have been copyrighted.

Many of Anyonymous'’ other works have lapsed into public domain over the centuries of his or her prolific career.

"After centuries of hard work and staggering creativity, we are amazed that Anonymous could find the time to visit our meager website," said Karl A. Kilgore, who was named as a potential target of the lawsuit. "In a spirit of cooperation, we are not going to demand answers for why the lawsuit was threatened, or level any assertions regarding the limitation of speech, freedom, justice, or expression."

Anonymous'’ "“cease and desist" request came in the form of a comment on a blog article on Thursday evening.

Karl A. Kilgore and Associates does not expect any similar legal action to be taken against them by persons known as Homer, Edmund Burke, The Easter Bunny, or the Great Pumpkin.

Note: This post is copyright 2006 and is the intellectual property of Karl A. Kilgore and Associates. This post may not be reproduced, copied, linked to, or otherwise be affiliated with any persons expressing an opinion without the express written consent of Major League Baseball. All rights reserved. Offer void where prohibited. California residents add 5 cents sales tax.

New Word on Alumni Reaction

Coming soon, but there are some very serious conversations about how to get involved. More to come later...

In the meantime, here are a couple stories:

http://chronicle.com/news/article/156/christian-college-sheds-profs-who-found-wisdom-in-mark-and-marx
http://www.leesburg2day.com/current.cfm?catid=5&newsid=11807

Again, keep the school in your prayers.

Happy Birthday Moel Joughon!!!

You are an outstanding American and part of what makes this country great. Your
entrepreneurial spirit and strong work ethic nake you a role model of success that anyone should be proud of.

Your keen sense of the orthodoxy is a guiding light to all. Your impeccable grooming makes us all aspire to dress better.

Even though you are a year older, I hope that you will continue to cheat death and drink your pomegranate everyday.

Happy Birthday Moel!

And finally, this...

Apparently there is only one man (and three side kicks) who stand up for Truth, Justice, and the American way...

It is a very sad day indeed when students attack their own school by calling it "evil," and accusing it of "lies" and "hiding the truth." In the absence of information, they are willing to fill the vacuum with their own unsubstantiated claims and make the problem worse.

I wish all of these men and their families the very best and I hope that we will all be able to move on soon.

How I Celebrated St. Patty's Day

I couldn't think of anything good to do, so I went out today and planted potatoes in the ground in our garden as part of my very fitting tribute to the Irish, on this their patron saint's designated day.

I guess I could have driven the snakes out of the yard, but I didn't want to have to go get my car keys.

Conversation Transcript

This is an actual exchange of emails between Schwartzy, Moel Joughon and me. See if you can guess what the answers are without looking at the answers below.

---
KK: YGSR - GTSYLW. TTYL
---
SW: SIADN
---
KK: WTH???
---
SW: YKWIM
---
KK: Y, IK, FIO.
---
KK: TIR!
---
MJ: STIWITC
---
KK: VF, S#1
---
KK: SIG
---
SW: CBAIVD
---

Answers:
1. You guys so rock. Good to see you last week. talk to you later.
2. Stick it and die now.
3. What the heck???
4. You know what I mean.
5. Yes, I know, figured it out.
6. That is right! (responding to MJ correctly guessing the meaning)
7. So there I was in the Congo.
8. Very funny, stupid number 1. [note: refers to the host families when I went to get the guys to drive them in the school. I walked into the room and said, alright, stupid number 1, stupid number 2, you guys ready? (this seems harsh in text but was very jovially and lovingly delivered and MJ has thought it was funny ever since)].
9. Stick it good. (another jovial expression adopted from KnepperKnepperLand and can actually be a very friendly phrase for greeting people).
10. Conversing by acronymns is very difficult.

Anyway, this post is designed to shed light on the effects that can occur after living in very confined spaces with me for awhile. I'm not sure anyone else would have enjoyed trying to abbreviate our stock phrases and send them back and forth, but I thought it was funny and didn't have anything else exciting to write about, so here you are.

it's cherry blossom time in Macon, GA!!!

Today is the first day of the annual Cherry Blossom festival.

By the Way

I got my $25 check in the mail for my jury duty -- not a bad hourly rate considering it was that amount for about three minutes of "work."

What makes an organization?

Today word came down in an all alumni email that some professors were not going to extend their employment opportunities with a certain small liberal arts college. Some of these were well-loved profs whom students and alumni alike will miss.

I was saddened that one in particular is leaving because he was a colorful and enjoyable teacher whose heart really seemed to be in his work. Because of his commitment, he had and has, quite a following.

It made me start thinking about how so many times there are people that I associate with certain institutions or places so much that you cannot separate the two. Sometimes that is a good thing and other times it is not. Where do you draw the line? People change over time and with that change people move on with their lives and leave certain things behind. This is both natural and good. There is a danger in allowing an institution to be about one particular person, and allowing that devotion to carry you to such an extreme that you no longer support the organization’s First Principles.

In that case, I think the individual, the organization, and all the people it affects are better off if you agree to a mutual parting of ways.

Crash

just finished watching on DVD. Crash = awesome. I understand why it won Best Picture (R)(TM).

Houston County Thanks You For Your Service,

You Are Dismissed

Today, I traveled to the seat of government of Houston County (Pronounced House-ton, not like the eponymous city in Texas) because I received a jury summons in the mail a few weeks ago. It was somewhat of an adventure getting there, as I decided to dress up for the occasion (i.e. I was wearing a blue blazer, dress slacks, dress shirt and a tie, accompanied by my favorite “dress” black cowboy boots. Editor’s note: Sorry Aaron, I wasn’t wearing French cuffs). (Additional Editor’s note: my lack of French cuffs should not signify a disdain for all things French, when in fact they produce very good salad dressing). (Yet another Editor’s note: The editor apologizes for the excessive use of parentheses, and encourages you to forward any complaints to this address).

So anyway, there I was on my way out the door running late and misplacing various essential items such as car keys, cussing at the printer because it was being slow printing out my Mapquest directions to the Facility for Maximum Justice, and otherwise grumbling.

Well, I finally got on the road. It’s about 28 minutes to Perry according to the directions. But the directions had me get off at a certain exit, go on a bypass, pass several farmers’ fields, a concrete plant, and wind up in the Greater Perry Industrial Park. At this point it was exactly 8:46am and I was supposed to be at the Facility for Maximum Justice at 8:45am, and I had no idea where it was.

So I drove around for a couple minutes till I could figure out how to get to “downtown” Perry and found an official looking building to go into and ask directions to the Courthouse. (Editor’s note: The author was able to discern that this was an “official” building because of its architecture, and more importantly because it had a Confederate Civil War memorial in the front gardens).

I got directions from a very nice lady in there, and they also had pre-printed directions sitting on a table which she urged me to take, which I did. It was about 8:55, I think, when I got back into the four-door grey Volvo station wagon and re-initiated my journey.

The directions said that I should head North on Main towards Hawkinsville, which I did. (Editor’s note: Hawkinsville is actually South). I figured out things weren’t looking right once I realized that I was re-traversing the terrain which had been previously traversed, thereby introducing the “re” and “-“ necessary to convey what was happening to the word “traverse.”

Well, other than that, the directions were spot-on. I slud into an available parking spot, walked through security, and into the Jury Assembly room. Of course, most of the jurors came with no assembly required and looked to be remarkably in one piece. I didn’t notice any detached limbs or other miscellaneous body parts scattered about in the room.

I walked in and asked the guard if I just sit down, and he nodded his ascent. So I took my place in a large hall similar to one you would hold town meetings in. A man up front in one of the elevated chairs was speaking, “…and so we’re not going to need to pick a jury today, and I am sorry that you had to come out here. All we’re going to do now is call the roll to see who was here and you’ll get a check in the mail later this week for coming out here today…”

And Moel Joughon (editor’s note: pseudonym) would be proud to know that “When the Roll Was Called Up Yonder, I Was There,” though just barely (Editor’s note: Schwartzy won’t get that reference). I announced my prescence, and then left a couple minutes later.

Thus, my day as a juror ended all too soon, but as I went back to my car, I felt like perhaps, in a way, Great Victory Was Achieved by Houston County this Day.

Watching Pride and Predjudice

I am watching Pride and Predjudice on DVD right now. I might as well admit that I never read the book. Here are some thoughts:

1. The camera work is very impressive with the way they do the long cut away shots and the moving camera effects at the balls are also very well done.

2. It is really foreign nowadays to witness a society that has complex rules. The only rules of our society seems to be there ain't no rules.

3. Mrs. Bennett refering to her husband as "Mr. Bennett" all the time is really annoying.

4. I reiterate, there are some awesome camera effects.

You Are 7 Up

Understated and subtle, people warm up to you slowly. But once they're hooked, they can't imagine going back to anyone else! Your best soda match: Diet Coke Stay away from: Mountain Dew

What Kind of Soda Are You?

Trade Deficit???

Working in a grocery store has really made me wonder why the protectionist folks aren't worried about our trade deficit with Concentrate, since it seems we get a lot of goods from there.

Immutable Maxim of the Day

A town that has bars will always have cabs.

Recapping the Journey

Wwell, it was a fun and fast-paced weekend in Northern Virginia. We came to two conclusions while up there:

1. It was good to see people again.
2. We're so glad that we left.

Going back made us realize more than anything that it was really the best thing for our marriage that we relocated to VA. We're also very grateful that God used such traumatic circumstances to basically force us to move.

It is also very cold up there while it is in the 70s down here. Very nice. We stayed at the Shipp's house which was a lot of fun and great to be able to catch up. Had lunch with Joel at Panera and it was a shock again to see everyone walled off with their Ipods on and frantically working on their laptops or pdas.

Later that evening I caught up with Aaron the Redneck Yuppie and we recalled old times as a couple of out-to-pasture student government hacks. But the good news is that there was a controversy recently in the Senate about appropriating for a new gavel. The back story is that after getting elected, I cut a deal with Aaron for him to use his constitutional authority to give me my gavel that I presided with when veep. He was allowed to do it without permission because it was less than $25. Well, the issue came up and people were asking where the previous gavel went. Then they appropriated $200 to buy a new one.

Anyway, that's all inside baseball but it was kinda fun to hear about.

Later that evening my wife went to a party for the then bride-to-be while I went to go hang out with Schwartzy. The next day we woke up early to go visit Katie D., Kristen, Layla, Rebekah, and company.

Went back to get ready for the wedding and then met folks at the reception. There were a lot of people there and it is too bad that we couldn't spend more time with folks. We met Drunkenpiper's girlfriend, among others, and Autumn really seemed to take to her right away.

I also got to talk about alumni affairs with my good friend John Vinci. Here's a picture. He's a great guy and I enjoyed the opportunity to discuss election reform, his italian heritage, and ask him why he was naked without his pen.

Went to an after party at the corporate Olive Garden and sat across from Wileyman and Wileywoman. It was really swell to see them and it was cool to talk about movies and writing with the Wileys. And in case you're wondering, we did get to use the word Sarcophagus in conversation. Zach and his financee were there and it was weird because he actually exuded hapiness for the first time in his life. Galenus Maximus was also present and as always it was cool to catch up with him. He takes jokes about himself a lot better now. Well, the evening ended far to soon and the next day we were off to GA again. A great weekend and time well spent. It was also good for me personally because I had lived under a raincloud since my senior year there and thought that a lot of people really resented me and had ill feelings towards me. It was good to see that things weren't as bad as I thought, and it was good to feel a part of the world again.

Take care peeps...

The Tipping Point

I have to come up for air long enough to recommend The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell. It is a fascinating look at how social epidemics happen.

I Bet the Left Wouldn't Be So Outraged Now...

Remember when this was a hot issue, way back in January 2003?

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/12/15/politics/main588582.shtml

(CBS) Vice President Dick Cheney and Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia spent part of last week duck hunting together at a private camp in southern Louisiana, just three weeks after the court agreed to take up the vice president's appeal in lawsuits over his handling of the administration's energy task force, the Los Angeles Times says in its Saturday editions.

While Scalia and Cheney are avid hunters and longtime friends, several experts in legal ethics questioned the timing of their trip and said it raised doubts about Scalia's ability to judge the case impartially, the newspaper pointed out.

Expect more sunshine than clouds today as temperatures warm into the low 70's to near 70 degrees in most communities.

Will your weekend be as nice?

The Pseudo Olympics!

Well, the "Olympics" are here... the winter games, that is. I think that only the summer ones should count. but anyway, Madagascar is being represented...

Tomorrow

The fun continues tomorrow as I go to sign some paper work to get hired. I was informed that I won't start working though until after I take my drug test. I hope that it's not multiple choice though, because I am bad at multiple choice tests.

My Daughter's Thought of the Day

"nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn jnmkmj bhg v v" (As IMed to me while she was staying with her Aunt).

From the Archives

These are from a long time ago, but are some of the probable thoughts of certain people about customer service. I wasn't intending to make fun of them, just highlight certain aspects of their personality. I don't know why this was originally written unless I need to stay awake during an FP lecture.

Karl

Some [Certain] People on Customer Service/Professionalism

Dr. F: Inspire other people with a vision, train and motivate them, and then take back the popular item by redeeming it through cultural change.

Bob B: You can actually submit your request online now, but make sure you get it in before the add/drop deadline.

Paul P: Sure, I’ll do what I can and give you 5 other people to ask too who work on the Hill.

Dr. Sillars: Please compose 300-350 words and submit your request to the editor.

Mr. Jardines: Because of the sensitive nature of the request, you'll never know when it is fulfilled.

Dr. Bullard: All your requests can be fulfilled using only a straight edge and a compass. Do not include any numbers in your query.

Dr. Gruenke: Your request is transmitted through electrical pulses that one's brain translates into directions sent to the various members of your body to make the fulfillment of the request possible, scientifically speaking.

Dr. Brandly: It's not worth the opportunity cost to fulfill your request.

Dr. Sanders: Use all necessary paper to make your request, supplying appropriate information to buttress the inquiry and specify a red-letter date for final delivery of the product. Don’t ever do anything illigull to fulfill it.

Dr. Noe: All customer service requests must be properly conjugated and understood from the Greco-Roman perspective.

Dr. Watson: Deliver what they want, but most importantly make sure they can cite where their request came from, give them a response in about 3 months.

Dr. Hake: Serve the customer in a highly original manner, even if it's not what they wanted.

Dr. Bouchoc: Provide material that not only meets physical needs, but edifies them, resulting in spiritual growth too.

Dr. B.: Give the customers what is possible, and realize that in the real world we can’t always get what we want in the ideal sense.

Mrs. MacLeod: I knew someone on the Hill once who asked for that same thing. Why don't you write out a formal proposal and we'll talk next Tuesday.

Rachelle: If you help me with this request you could win the weekly drawing for coffeehouse gift certificates.

Avril: What kind of request is that, goober! :-)

Dr. Snyder: The reason you're asking for this is because you come from a Judeo-Christian heritage.

Dr. Stacey: Your request must provide a sufficient learning experience that will make you a well-rounded citizen able to participate in a democratic society. Then you should stick it.

LTE in Today's Paper

http://www.macon.com/mld/telegraph/news/editorial/letters/13814625.htm

Cagle campaign

The Cagle campaign for lieutenant governor likes to talk about the candidate's experience in representing the interests of Georgia's citizens. Perhaps they would like to talk about why Sen. Cagle walked out on Georgia's property owners last March, when the Senate was voting on S.B. 86 which would bar local governments from condemning private property "solely or primarily" for economic development purposes.

Although the bill passed, when you look at the record, you'll find that Sen. Cagle didn't bother to vote on this critical constitutional issue. As a civic-minded Georgian, I find this abdication of leadership very troubling. I think that we all want to have a lieutenant governor who believes that private property is worth protecting and who will be there when it comes time to put rhetoric into action.

In that spirit, citizens have a shared responsibility to examine a candidate's record and make sure that we elect a true leader, not someone who takes a walk on property rights.

Karl A. Kilgore
International City

Tax Time!

Well, my wife has been doing our taxes (because I'm too impatient to deal with all the forms). We got TaxCut to do the Virginia and Federal taxes, which seemed to go pretty easily. Then there was the GA forms to fill out... she did those manually because it would be another 25 bucks to add another state. Well, after hours of trying to interpret the instructions, figure out the formulas, and filling in the information, she determined that we're going to get a refund of... drumroll... $7.

Today

Today I attended an event hosted by the Bibb County Republican Women organization. Gary Black who is running for Agriculture Commissioner spoke, and I think I am pretty impressed by him. His demeanor and personal style seem to be very different from the typical Georgia politician. I think that I'll vote for him.

I also came home and took my final exam for a grant writing course I have been taking. I now have my very own precious "certificate of completion." Isn't that nice?

In other news, a certain college president stepped down from his position to become the chancellor. This is a very positive move for the institution and all who are affiliated with it, not to mention the former president himself and his family -- Good luck!

Oh yeah, I also got a Jury Summons in the mail the other day. Not sure what all it entails, but it looks like I'll at least have to go in to report in March to be considered for part of a jury. Weird huh?