A NEW YEAR? ALREADY?

Heidy-Ho, Blogger Pals.  I see I have been remiss in posting but hope you will forgive that since we have all been embroiled in the holidays.

It appears we are at the beginning of a new year.  And it's a Presidential Election Year.  Sigh.  I prepare for the (already) continuous onslaught of campaign drivel and suggest that you do the same.  It's going to be a bumpy ride.

So... while I have been derelict in posting, I have continued my morning walks and my appreciation of nature.  A couple of lovely things to share:

A Bradford Pear Greets the Fall

The Turning of Leaves on a Foggy Fall Morning

There was not a lot of activity here during the month of December.  That is not necessarily a bad thing!  Odd that it seemed so busy with nothing to really show for it.

I caution you all about your driving and watching out for other drivers.  I passed a newly-generated impromptu memorial on the street alongside the city park Friday morning.  With all of the orange paint on the ground, I knew it wasn't good.  Later that morning, I read in the paper about the 27-year old who was traveling on his motorcycle at a high rate of speed (the speed limit at that point is 25 mph), lost control, and lost his life.  That same day, less than 2 hours later, I passed a minor rear-end collision being handled by the local law enforcement.  Fortunately, no apparent injuries but some folks are not going to have a fun New Year.  About 3 hours later, I passed yet a second minor collision being handled.  Within 15 minutes of passing that (and only about 3 blocks away), I pulled up behind a pickup stopped at a stop sign.  I watched in horror as it began making a left turn... while its right front corner hit the elderly gentleman on the bicycle that the pickup driver obviously did not see.  I slammed my vehicle into "Park", hit the flasher button, grabbed my phone, and began bailing from my vehicle to see if medical assistance was going to be needed.  Quite honestly, I could not imagine that it wouldn't!  The pickup driver bailed even faster than I did, obviously quite shaken, and raced to the right front of his vehicle.  I was surprised to see the elderly gentleman stand up, gather up the basket from his bicycle which had been torn from the bike, and walk it toward me on the street where I had stopped.  I asked him if he wanted my name but he refused.  He said he was alright.  I somehow feel like he is going to have a very sore day and hope that is all.  The driver of the pickup did speak with him and apparently tried to provide him with information but the elderly gentleman refused.  So... I noted vehicle, license plate, party descriptions, date, time, etc., and went on with my business.  The point here?  WATCH WHAT YOU AND THE OTHER PARTY ARE DOING!!!!  It is so easy, especially at a holiday season, to be distracted by the desire to be somewhere else.  It's bad enough we have folks texting while driving (if I see you, I am going to BLARE my horn at you so be ready!).  Remember that nothing is worth being hurt or hurting someone else, especially a call or text.  Just be safe, please?  I have a limited readership and I can't afford to lose you!!!

With all that said, I hope you all have a safe, healthy, and prosperous New Year.  I look forward to seeing you or hearing from you during 2012.

Until next post...

EDJEWMACASHUN AND A WIRELESS UPDATE...

Heidy-Ho, Blogging Pals!!  Hope all is well with you, your Thanksgiving was terrific, and you are on the fast track to complete whatever Holiday Shopping you feel compelled to do.

So... let's just imagine that somehow my name became involved in judging a literary competition... but only to the point of providing feedback on posters generated by high school students.  The posters had a short list of criteria to follow.  The competition was not so much the artistic portion but the overall success of said poster to spark interest in the book the generator had read.  A little marketing competition, really.

So... let's just say there is NO likelihood I will ever be invited back to the school to do anything at all.  I probably knew I should hold my tongue... but you all know how unlikely that is when I find something which I passionately believe should be pointed out.  I let it rip.  How is it that students arrive in a high school environment without the ability to read, follow instructions, spell (although I understand some have issue with doing so, HAVE SOMEONE CHECK YOUR WORK!), punctuate, or use some vague semblance of proper grammar?  Oh... and when you misspell the author's name or the title of the book... there is no hope.

It's alright.  I really don't think I could allow my blood pressure to reach that level again without risking a serious stroke.

A little update for those who have been following the fun and frivolity of the Smarter-Than-Me-Phone that has refused to function properly since October 22nd.  After the day-before-Thanksgiving call when the young'un on the other end of the line ASSURED me the phone would function properly after his "fixes", I began to have hope.  The Saturday follow-up call revealed the phone to be continuing to operate as promised.  Could it be?!?!?!?

Nah.  You all know better than that.  *chuckle*  I found myself on the phone again with the Warranty Department Monday afternoon, the 5th.  Apparently my current Warranty Service Representative actually paid attention to the previous comments on the account.  After only two very slight questions about the issue, the young lady stated she would be placing an order to replace the offending unit.  Really?!?!?  Finally?!?!?  Hot-diggity-dog!!!  You guys finally figured it out.  I am right.  It is the PHONE!!!

The less-than-stellar news here... they are sending me a "reconditioned" unit which I was assured would not have a single mark on it.  Great.  I'm getting someone else's problem that you guys believe you have "fixed."  Terrific.  Looking forward to that.  Oh... and I was instructed to keep the back of my current phone along with the SIM card and the battery.  Uh-Huh.  So you are just sending the the "electronics" portion of the phone, right?  Right.  Fabulous.  So... I paid $80 more than what this stupid thing runs today for an upgrade, it worked exactly one month and has been giving me grief for over six weeks, and you are going to send me a used, "reconditioned", may-have-even-had-the-same-problems-my-phone-is-having replacement?  Oh... what a warm fuzzy feeling I am getting about this.

I will keep you all posted on how things work out with the replacement phone.  I will not keep you posted on how the students do after leaving high school.  You will know as you begin to encounter them in their places of employment where you have the misfortune of needing to deal with them.  I wish you all the very best of luck and suggest you carry pencil and paper with you so you can draw what you need.  Lord help us all.

Until next post...