Saturday Night.... For Me.

That's Not What You Said Earlier...

I believe in being honest with your word. Both in everyday life and especially in business. You say it, you stick to it. In business, the preamble is that the customer is always right (within reason of course). What you tell the customer, if you are the business face, is that my word is like gold, a unwritten contract. And before you open your mouth with any business deal you should have your facts and figures straight and figured out. Your ducks in a row so to speak.

Barry and I went to Denver to find, my then wife Marnie, a $1,000 car in 1996. Something in good shape but not great. We looked all Saturday and didn't find one that was either priced right or in drivable shape to last a couple of years while she finished college. Discouraged we found a VW dealership that was one I forgot about. Mountain States Volkswagen on Colorado Blvd. in Denver. I'm thinking that we were probably wasting our time but Barry said we would glance. I asked the young salesperson if they had any cars around a thousand and heshowed us some behind the building that were not yet detailed and cleaned. Three cars. One was a Chevy Citation, a Honda DX hatchback and the other was a stationwagon. I glanced around and asked about the Honda. The salesman left to get the keys so I looked inside. The windows were dirty, dirt and some garbage on the floor. No dents or major body damage. We jump in for the test drive and I'm trying to listen at the motor and the sound of the car but the goddamn salesman wouldn't shut up. I take it for a 5 or 6 minute drive and return to the carlot. I told the guy to clean it up and I would probably come back to deal in an hour. Barry and I go eat across the street at a Taco Bell while the detailed the car.

Upon returning, we were greeted by the guy who mentioned to us that the cars were around a thousand. He pipes up that he'd misquoted the car I was interested in. That car was $2900. My heart sank then Barry pipes up "Not today, Today that car is a thousand dollars." Before I found out the actual price to the misquoted Honda, I gave the salesman a 100 dollar bill in good faith that the car what I was looking at. He goes, "I'll have to talk with my manager" After haggling with the sales guy for about an hour I get them to come down to 1100. Not bad. Before signing the paperwork the salesman presented the numbers with a transportation fee of 300 dollars. I ask, "What's this? He tell me that it's a standard fee they have. 300 dollars more put me out of range for the car. By now Barry is irritated because of this and tells him that the transportation fee will be included to total tha car at 1100. So in the end I chewed the guy down 2100 on the actual price. Not bad. The salesman knew he fucked up, and by dealing, was trying to recoup some of the cost he lost by the quote. Barry later tells him that you knew we were driving that car out of there for 1000 dollars and he had to of sold it for that spoken price of be in violation of Colorado State Law. None the less I bought Marnie a 2900 dollar car for a third the cost. Even though the guy dealed he knew that his mouth got him in trouble.

Okay, fast forward to a couple months ago. Marnie finds an ad in the paper for a KIA dealership offering new cars for a monthly payment of $189 a month. In her monthly price range. She told the salesman on the phone that around 200 a month. He said we could do that for her on a used Saturn Vue, a 2006 Saturn Vue. Today we went to look at it. Sure it was there, we took it for a spin. The salesguy came along. That's when the bait and switch began. Marnie was told by the salesman when she talked to him by phone was that the Saturn would be in her monthly price range. He did the figuring and the actual cost was 150 dollars more than was quoted on the phone. FUCKERS!!! Needless to say I spoke up and asked why the price was more. No answer. The other salesman asked if we could hand out his cards for 100 off for each person who bought a car from them. Well that's not going to happen. Honesty will go a long way.

The car dealership in question is Billion KIA in Rapid City. Avoid like it's got an STD.

Electronics, Electronics....

What is it with men and gadgets? I don't know and I could care less. I love em! I'm typing from my new notebook. Sweetness. I was using my brothers for a long time so it's nice to have my own.

My brother just built his own to revolve around the 47 inch Sony Bravia LCD he bought. Oh, he still has his Dell. He wanted to be able to play in a higher resolution. Well.... I'll be contributing more often. Good night all.

Eric

Call It What You Want.....

My 2nd day off this week. I have to work this weekend. That's the beauty of the 4 - 10's format.

I have a slight cold of some sorts that is dragging me down. I have no energy or ambition to do anything but sit on the couch. When payday come I usually am up to anything. Not this week. I hope I can snap out of it soon. I really hate feeling like this.

I did a little grocery shopping today. Yippee.... Got my work clothes and bedding laundry done. Another yippee... Enthralled aren't you?

A few weeks ago I drove my little brother to Sioux Falls for a mediation in a auto accident litigation. We stayed at a crappy Motel 6 there, overnight, that the lawyer's firm reserved, then returned back the next evening. He met with a Jr. Lawyer working his case at The Sheraton. Low and behold, After signing the final paperwork yesterday, Brett noticed on the attorney's itemized charges sheet that he paid a sum of $230.00 for a hotel room for that Jr. attorney at, of all places... The Sheraton. The lawyers book him a motel room a hooker, most likely, wouldn't have used. I'm hoping he confronts the lawyers over it.

Any who, I hope to have my new notebook computer this weekend or Monday.

SlugBoy....

Today is my day off and I haven't done anything but sit here. I'm pathetic....... Ugh.

The Priciple of the Widget...

Most people have no clue as to whet a "widget" is. A"widget" is the stuff on the sidebar of a blog like my stuff to the right. If you know how to manipulate HTML codes inside a template then you can add any widget to your blog or MySpace account. I used to be pretty good at HTML when I was blogging regularly.. but as the addage states "It's like riding a bike... yada yada.." That's complete horseshit.

I'm sure you have noticed a couple of new things here. First is the "Slacker Radio" widget. Most blogs I have ran across have a music player that you add music that is licensed from the website offering the the player. Most I have seen, you need to have a Masters Degree in Computer science to get the fucker to work. Plus I hate going through the ropes to get a couple songs of artists you hardly know to play on your page. Over Christmas, co-worker wanted to listen to holiday music on the computer and stumbled across "Slacker.com". This is a very cool website radio. I have no come to an online radio station that offers the amount of music that Slacker does. In other words.... Fucking cool. Check out their website and listen to it. Simple sign up.

Anyways... The Slacker widget I have here is actually for MySpace but Imade it work with a little manipulation. To get the player to play you have to press the "Play" button and voila instant music. the player plays random tracks from the genre of music I think you need to listen to... Because, from the wisdom I've learned of a co-worker I work with (Cheryl knows who I'm talking about) IT'S ALL ABOUT ME!!! I will change up the genre every so often but for now you get "Alternate Hits" If you want to hear anything else... Get in your fucking car.

Next I added a ticking clock with the time here for no good reason. And also I added some interaction. Scroll down farther and I added a frog. Move your mouse around the area he is in and he will follow the mouse. Left click to feed him. Anyways....

Remember to click the "Play" button for the radio to play. Peace!!!!!!!!

Dude... Are You Okay????

Compassion. Most people have it. Some don't. I hope that people see me as being compassionate. Sure... I'll be the first one to laugh at the stupid people antics on the "Home Video" show. It makes me appreciate the fact that I hang with a lot of people who aren't videotaping me. $10,000 or not, I hate being embarrassed. Nobody likes it.

Today is St. Patrick's Day. I couldn't tell you what the hell St. Patrick did to have a whole day in his honor but none the less the thousand upon thousands of people getting shitfaced tonight could give two shits either. It's basically a non government observed holiday, in which, gives you the god given right to tear it up on a Monday. I chose not to for the simple fact that I have to work in the morning. Yes... Job before good time.

Anyways... The first paragraphs in which I was spewing the diatribe about compassion??? Okay... While driving home tonight I was stuck in 5 o'clock traffic. It ws nice outside so I had the window down. While stopped at the 9th Street and Main light in front of Murphy's Bar. I happened to look towards the outside area in front only to notice this drunk guy trying to scale the 3.5 foot fence. Unfortunately, for him, and fortunate for me, the drunk guy falls head first [no hands out] onto the concrete sidewalk with a resounding "Uuuhhhgggg". Me being the compassionate guy I am and the traffic just happened to start moving.... I yell my best "Nelson" impression from the Simpsons...

"Ah Ha".

Cut That Wild Hair....

Okay... I'm usually not the type to mess with evolution. Things are the way they are for a reason correct?? Well... I messed with evolution.

When I moved into an apartment with my brother awhile back he had this contraption. It was in the cabinet in the bathroom with all of his "get ready in the morning stuff". You know, toothpaste, mouthwash, razor, etc... Well I happen upon this mechanized piece of equipment about as big around as a dry erase marker and just as long. It had a slide switch on it and buzzed when activated. I'm thinking... "That sick little bastard..." After I pondered the potential uses for this little device, in disgust I tossed it back with the rest of his shit and then washed my hands... with Clorox Multicleaner.

When I saw him a while,after my brush with potential disturbia, I asked him about the "thing" in the cupboard. He didn't have a goddamn clue what I was talking about. So, I showed him gripping the device with my forefinger and my thumb as if it was a soiled condom thrown onto the floor. He grabs it from my fingers and says.... "Ya dumb fuck... it's a nose hair trimmer!" I said, "Ahh.. okay." Then I thought, "Ah shit!!!A nose hair trimmer.. Ew...Brett's nose hair trimmer. Egad."

I said, "Your nose hairs get long enough to have to be lopped off?" He then says,"They get out of control and peek every so often. Don't yours??" I thought for a second and recalled if I ever had any peeking. "Yeah I guess.. He goes," What do you do.. yank it out? I reply, Well, yeah. He gives me a goofy look and says " That hurts too fuckin' bad." I said, "You're not kidding." He then goes on to say the he will soak the blades and tip in alcohol and clean them in the morning, Then I can try it out and see if it works for me.

I give it a go the next day. I know what you bastards are thinking. Eww!!!. Well, it's not like I'm borrowing a pair of day old underwear from the the man and for god sakes.. he's my little brother. I hesitate at first.. then proceed to stick the trimmer in my right nostril. As I move it around, I can hear the blades cutting and think..."Hey... this is pretty cool. No yanking pain and it's twice as fast." I finish both nostrils and drop the tip and blade into more alcohol to clean.

Later he asks if I liked it and I reply, " Yeah it's cool but I'll deal with them if they [the hair] comes back. He shrugs his shoulders and returns to what ever he was doing before talking to me.

Move ahead.. say two weeks. I wake in the morning for work, go into the bathroom glance in the mirror for a second before I take the first piss of the day and to my utter surprise... There had to have been 6 or 7 hairs in each nostril sticking out. Some longer than others. But to my shock were the gray ones. I'm thinking somebody in the night shoved 2 New Years eve party favors up my nose as a fucking joke. I say out loud... " Holy shit". Then as fast as I can I began pulling those little bastards. Now the hair grows twice as fast and comes back in an assortment of colors

None the less, I ended up buying my own. So the moral to my wee tale here is. Don't snoop through you little brother shit with the fervor of a curious cat. You'll just be messing around with something much larger and uncontrollable... Human Evolution.

Art On Rails....

As I pull down West St. to get to the main road thru town, I notices that a train is approaching a road I have to cross to get to my bank. Swearing at the jam of traffic rolling down the road after a green light. I watch for an opening and at the same time watch the train getting closer. Thinking, "Come on people... I want to beat the fucking train!!" Of course, I didn't.

Sitting at the railroad crossing I watch the large Blue and Yellow on the DM&E engine whine pass. Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern is the rail line that runs right through the middle of the downtown area of Rapid City. Smart planning there. Anyway, I watch the freight cars pass and noticed the spray paint on the cars. Some of the scrolling looks like gang territorial signage and other is just a smart assed punk with a cheap can of grey spraying paint.

The more sophisticated art is done with multiple colors and is quite good. Mostly gang names... you know the ones. The others are crude drawings of a cock and balls and profanity. One that struck me in particular was a red USA on a car but the S was in the shape of the Nazi swastika. I turned to my daughter who was spacing out in the passenger seat and said, "Did you see that?". She looks at me and blurbs "what?" "Nevermind..."

At least kids are getting outside to play these days...


Added commentary....

I listen to the Alternative Hard Rock station on XM known as "Squizz". They play the hard stuff by Tool, Avenge Sevenfold, Korn and the likes of those. I listen every once in a while to change shit up. Today, I was listening and a band came on that I despise..... Coheed and Cambria. Horrible, horrible band. Why on gods green earth could anybody get into a band that sound like these shitbirds. Coheed and Cambria should not be played with the likes of Korn and Tool. It's like baking a cake with Miller Lite as opposed to water. We need to rid the world of this "fart for the ears" called Coheed and Cambria. I need to email those bastards at XM and express my outrage that they play them on "Squizz" I think XM kids would be a more appropriate channel for these douchebags.

Sorry... I'm Slipping Again...

Sorry folks... I'm slipping up on posts. Not a lot happens anymore.

I do have one subject tho. What the hell is Daylights Savings starting so soon for. That's going to fuck up the sleep pattern again. Government fucking with our little heads..