The Eagle goes to School

I had a prep day for school today. The Eagle has returned to his winter territory to work with the kids in the detention room...

My Day

This morning I have two interviews, one for a full-time job, and one for a part-time job teaching enrichment classes after school. The second interview takes me way out near the west end of the wildlife refuge where I volunteer as a park ranger. My plan is to change clothes and go for a hike before coming back home. Tomorrow I have a preparation day for my regular job as Jr. High School detention supervisor. Summer is all but over. I’m hoping to go to the state fair on Friday.

Follow-up

Out with the old and in with the new!

My close friend has replaced her car (that caught on fire) with a beautiful, 2007, Toyota Corolla. We looked for two days, and the used cars with low mileage were very close in price to the new ones. We kept hearing that “Toyotas hold their value.” In the end, it seemed logical to pay an extra thousand or so and get a brand new car. That’s what she did, and she loves it!

My refrigerator is working. I still may need to replace the timer that regulates the defrost cycle (as per Mike).

My brother is going to do my front brakes. It has been a long time since I had him do any work on my vehicles, but being that money is short, this is a good alternative.

Maybe I can find something interesting to write about soon!

When Things Go Wrong

I haven’t written lately because things haven’t been working out really well. Of course it could always be worse, but I was hoping not to go on a rant. It seems, however, that I have some regular readers, who have asked me “how it’s going?”

In reality, I have had a wonderful (although too short) summer. But in the last week or so, one of the people who is closest to me had a family member die, and then her car started on fire the day she returned from the (out-of-town) funeral.

In my own little part of the world, my car needs brakes, my refrigerator decided to stop being cold and I find that money is short and my summer is all but over.

Why do things break? Planned obsolescence keeps consumers buying. I can’t afford to buy right now, so I am attempting to fix some things. My friend Mike looked at my refrigerator… had it pulled apart and opened it up actually… and nothing seems wrong with it. In fact, this morning it started working again. Will it keep working? I don’t know, but my food is temporarily at my parents’ house and I need it back (… getting hungry…).

I have two small black & white televisions that I like because I can move them where I need them. One is in my bedroom, and it kept getting “snowy” after it was on for awhile. I took it apart, and though it works better I don’t think it is really fixed. I cleaned it up inside though. My other, smaller set wouldn’t tune in anymore and I took it apart and now (for the moment) it seems to work again.

Perhaps temporarily, I have undermined the idea of planned obsolescence. Perhaps I haven’t. I just know that between my two jobs, I don’t make enough money not to try to fix things. I’m really not that good at it. My brother and dad are really good at fixing things, but I’m really not. Although I have noticed that when measured against the entire population, I’m not too bad at it actually.

Barbecue at Mike's Garage

Here is a picture of me and Neng at a barbecue at neighbor Mike's garage.

Car Alarm

This morning I woke up to someone's car alarm in the parking lot. I looked at my clock and decided it was time to get up anyway.

When is the last time you heard a car alarm, and thought,
"Oh my God, someone's car is being stolen!"

Fallout

I live under fallout. The party-girl upstairs who has loud parties, throws trash off her deck and makes noise all night has now begun a new plague. I recently bought my condo, and renovated it. Now, my new paint is ruined in the bathroom because she let something overflow and it has run between the wall and my new paint.

My neighbors are all upset with this person, and they don’t even live under her. However, we live in a society that protects offenders. Those who are victims can do little to rid themselves of these horrible complications to their lives. The homeowners association is trying to fix this problem, and lawyers are stopping it.

The Story of Melnarik, Part 1

Melnarik was from the planet, Melnarik Prime. Her family used to vacation on Melnarik-3 when she was still in the larval stage. Now, after several revolutions, she had left her home world with its various cheeses, and traveled into the Purple Zone.

She found that fermented fruit juice was to her liking, and it came in glass cylinders, though she preferred it from a box. There was no accounting for taste. Yes, Melnarik had embarked on a new adventure, cleaning debris from the grinders of those who dwell in the Purple Zone.

Satisfaction

Satisfaction is having bought gasoline for $2.88 per gallon last night, and seeing it went up to $3.19 this morning. Pretty sad in so many ways isn’t it?

National Night Out

Last night was National Night Out. I went to the gathering at my condominium complex and met some more of my neighbors. The food was good and it was fun, in spite of the rain.

In the Twin Cities, the local media likes to talk about the crime and shootings (especially) in North Minneapolis. I understand that this needs to be addressed. I do, however, think that it is unfortunate that the good things that good people are doing don’t get noticed nearly enough. Perhaps if they were noticed, it would be as “cool” to do good things as it would to be a pimp and thug.

Things are not the same anymore in Minneapolis. I believe it is a heavy Chicago influence that has changed it. Plain and simple, the glorification of street life and thugs has destroyed the quality of life for both those that embrace the lifestyle, and those who live in the vicinity. It is not “sticking it to the man,” so much as it is “sticking your head up your ass” and pretending it smells good.

Summer Heat

Thankfully, the heat broke today. It has been really hot lately. Yesterday, it hit 101 degrees Fahrenheit (38.33C) in Minneapolis. It was eleven years since the temperature went triple digits here.

I have managed to travel into triple digits a few times over the last few years. People might wonder why someone would live in Minnesota, “because it is so cold.” I can’t imagine living where you have to be indoors all summer because of the heat. I can wear a coat if it gets cold.