just doing the unemployment thing

Unemployed.  Searching and applying online for jobs.  Looking into a certificate program at the local community college. Looking into financial aid for education. Applied for deferment on my current student loan while I'm unemployed. And continuing DIY house repairs.

Yes, I want a different job.  Yes, I understand that I'd be starting at entry level.  Yes, I would accept the lower pay.  Employers probably look at my resume and assume that I wouldn't accept the lower pay (and lower "status").  sigh...

(sticky) discernment event

WHAT: Life Awareness Weekend is a vocation discernment retreat devoted to providing information about religious life vocations
WHO:  unmarried Catholic men and women between the ages of 18 and 45
WHEN:  July 23-25, 2010
WHERE:  Houston, TX

more information:
http://www.houstonvocations.com/2010/life-awareness-retreat/

been painting

I've been painting. We have a little foyer (more like a short hallway from the front door to the rest of the house). We're giving it two colors plus a different color for the trim. We picked out the colors over the weekend and Monday, we picked up the paint and tweaked the colors with help from the paint folks. We moved stuff
from the foyer and the wall later that day and Monday night I washed down the walls and did just a little spackling.

Tuesday (today) I sanded the spackling and caulked around the door frame. The folks who installed the door forgot to caulk. Either that or they just left it because there isn't much space around the sides of door frame and you can't see whether it's caulked. Pretty hard to get the caulk gun just right for that tight space, but I managed.

One wall will get a deep color, so it had to be primed with the appropriate base color. I didn't get the primer on evenly, so I'll have to give it another coat. The other wall didn't need priming so I finished painting it. I really want to apply the second coat of primer and be done with that, but I'm tired. Plus I need to have the front door open to paint the door opening, and I'm not leaving the door open at this time of night.

I have three cleaned off paint roller covers sitting by the sink right now. I had used three different paint colors (not all at once). Rollers are great for getting the job done; but man, they take forever to clean. I also had two paint brushes. I'll need one of the brushes for the the corners when I apply the second coat of primer; gotta wait for that brush to dry anyways.

Man, I am tired. Pardon me if I am incoherent; I'm just tired.

video blues

One of the most frustrating things for me is video. There is a multitude of formats and it's all quite confusing. Video from our Xacti is .mp4; video from our TV tuner card is .ts.

Just getting video from our tuner box to the computer is an adventure in itself.  The signal is undoubtedly sent to the box as digital. It is converted to analog at the S-video output, which I then feed into my TV tuner card.  The tuner card takes the anlog signal and converts it to back to digital signal again.  For me to burn a DVD, I'd have to then take that digital file and convert it to analog for the DVD.  (I think DVD video is analog, not sure).

Right now I am struggling with mp4 files from the Xacti, and trying to figure out how to get the video into Windows Movie Maker.  I go through a plethora of free converters.  I've done it before, but I can't remember what I used or did.  Dang it.  When is video going to be less of a headache?  I can't imagine how the "average" user is going to ever be able to burn a recording onto DVD.

what I learned: scratched toilets

Sometimes when trying to clear a clogged toilet, you might end up scratching the bottom of the toilet.  I'd recommend avoiding the risk of scratching the toilet.  Use a toilet auger with a protective vinyl throat or such.  But if it's already said and done, then Bar Keepers Friend will remove the scratches.  It turns out that this stuff is good for cleaning surfaces of glass, ceramic, copper, brass, porcelain, chrome, and stainless steel.

cycler's utiltiy belt

I've been looking for a utility belt of sorts to carry stuff.  Many of my dress pants don't have pockets.  I guess women are supposed to carry purses/bags.  Those things just don't do well with me.  They slide right off my shoulders.  You get to a restaurant and there's no place to put it.  But worst of all, I tend to forget and leave stuff.

Here is an interesting belt.  Apparently made for cyclists because it includes a loop for holding a U-lock.  They have several other styles and lots of other colors.

Fabric Horse
http://www.fabrichorse.com/index.php?page=utilitybelts&item=170

fast friends with a sewer auger

I had the morning to myself since Gumby is sick and slept late.  I fed the critters, routine for my mornings, and since I now number among the unemployed I looked for jobs and applied online to two.  Not a smooth process since I'm a little rusty.  One company asked for the manager's name from each job I had, and I couldn't hardly remember the the one from my temporary job in 2006.  I did my best and coughed up a name.  I hope it's right.  The resume isn't polished and I don't have a cover letter.  I also had to get re-acquainted with the e-mail address I use for job hunting;  I needed a password reset to get into it.

Then I had a late breakfast and got hooked on watching TV.  One show was "Flip This House" where some people bought a house, renovated it and sold it for some $50K profit.  The next show was "Drill Team" and in this episode they majorly renovated a basement in six days.

Gumby joined the living around noon.  I was going to paint the entryway and asked Gumby what were the colors picked out.  After at least an hour of looking through swatches we had on hand and the Sherwin Williams color tool online, we gave up.  The onscreen rendition of the colors doesn't match the swatches.  This would have to be a project for another day.

Gumby was hungry and wanted grits, eggs, and toast.  So I proceeded to cook while Gumby went to wash up.  I had the grits going and was buttering the bread for cinnamon sugar toast when Gumby called me.  As the water drained out of Gumby's sink, bubbling would occur in the toilet.  So I'm thinking "hmm...what happens if I flush?"  We almost had water overflowing the toilet bowl is what happened.  So I stopped the cooking and attacked the plumbing.

It turned out that both toilets were not draining.  Plunging had no effect.  Since Hurricane Alex brought torrential rains in the area, we thought maybe the sewers were backed up.  We called the water company; they sent a guy out.  Nope, not the sewer lines, it's the house.  By this time, I had finished cooking, but the grits didn't turn out right.  I gave Gumby the food but I guess the grits wasn't palatable.  I had to start and stop on the grits several times and judging by the results, it looks like I can't do that.

Anyhow, I called the neighborhood Ace Hardware store for advice and they said I could rent a sewer auger.  So off I go.  I love our local Ace.  They are very helpful. Probably all the houses in the neighborhood were built by one or two builders, it means that houses here share similarity in hardware and brands.  Ace seems to stock the right replacement parts.  Also, at Ace I could buy low quantities of fasteners.  I only needed one bolt or one washer, I can get that at Ace.  But I digress.  Today, they rented me a sewer auger and talked me through how to operate the machine.

Since I was in a hurry, I just set up the way I was instructed and used common sense where safety is concerned.  Thank goodness it wasn' raining, but I was being eaten alive by mosquitoes until Gumby gave me the OFF spray.  I forgot we had that spray.  All went well and the toilets got to draining and I was finished before dark.  Others advised that I run the auger again tomorrow before returning the machine.  They also said to run a water hose into one of the main lines to help flush everything out.  Ok, so I'll get up early in the morning to run the auger again, but I'm not dragging a water hose in here.

In conclusion, I'd like to recommend to Ace that they include a safety sheet with each rental.

Apparently I had taken a few risks:  Yes, I was standing in water.  It had been raining and the yard was wet.  Yes, that was an electrical appliance I was using while standing in water.  No, I didn't think to test the GFCI before use.  Yes, I had shoes on.  No, I didn't wear safety goggles or gloves.  The manufacturer recommends ONLY leather gloves and I don't have any of those.  I suspect I will have blisters on my hand tomorrow.  Yes, I know to keep stuff away from rotating machinery.

time to bring out the pig of happiness!

perfect french fries

The story of how the recipe cam to be:
http://aht.seriouseats.com/archives/2010/05/the-burger-lab-how-to-make-perfect-mcdonalds-style-french-fries.html

The recipe itself.
http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2010/05/perfect-french-fries-recipe.html

I came across this when trying to figure out what I can do with the french fries I do have.  I don't usually eat them, but apparently they rung me up for fries when I ordered my hamburger last night.  So now I'm trying to figure out how to make eating them more enjoyable, so that I don't just throw them away.

scooter

I saw this thing at a convention center today.  Some lady was zipping around in it.  I flagged her down and she told me http://www.travelscoot.com/

So awesome.  If I had the duckeys, I'd get one for Gumby.

searching for a solution

Hurricane season is upon us. An active season is predicted for this year. When I was unemployed several years back, I cut plywood for all of our windows. They were to be used with Plylox and fit into the window opening. When Ike came through, we were able to board up the windows in no time flat. The Plylox worked great, though there was a moment when I thought one of the boards was in danger of being pried off. After Ike, I got another pack of Plylox so each board will have another pair of clips the next time around.

Recently we replaced our windows with double-pane vinyl windows. Great for energy savings. However, the Plylox can no longer be used because the window is "thicker" and reduces the "setback". That is, the window doesn't sit deep into the opening.  Plylox require at least 2 1/2 inches setback. They don't say so on their website, but I've seen it in a news article.

So I've been trying to find another solution without having to cut new plywood (to overlap the window opening, not sit in it) or having to drill into our brick. So far:

• Storm Brace http://www.stormbrace.com/
• Hurricane Bar http://www.hurricanebar.net/index.html
• Panel Lock http://www.hurricanepanellock.com/howwork.html
• and I saw reader comments on some blog that said to cut a 2x4 the same size as the window opening and then tap it into the opening with a hammer. Space three of those per opening and then fasten your plywood to the 2x4.

and a solution that requires more setback than I have but seems nifty:
     Quick Shutter http://www.quickshutterclampingsystem.com/

At this time, I am still searching for a solution. If I run out of time, then I'll probably go with the "tap-in 2x4" solution and use our exisitng plywood. I still have some fence screws and can use those.

been painting

Some discoveries made while painting:
1. It's difficult to tell where you've painted if your paint is like your primer. Primer is flat white, and so is the paint. If I had hired someone to do the job, I'd be unable to check the work.

2. Latex paint doesn't do well over rust. Just a wild guess, but maybe the water content in Latex paint aggravates the rust problem. I had to switch to oil-based paint. We'll see how that goes.

3. Which leads to the next one: paint brushes aren't much good for painting small diameter rods. I tried. These were maybe 3/8-inch diameter rods. So I used the "sponge on a stick" type of "brushes." I had a whole bag of them of various widths. Must've been from Walmart. Works out good with the oil-based paint, because I simply throw away the used sponge-on-a-stick. It doesn't do well for corners and joints because in tight spots, all you can do is dab with the sponge. You can't brush it out as with a brush. I mean, I did use them for the whole job but the results aren't pretty at the joints. But that's ok. I mainly wanted to stop the rust, seal over it and make it look better (better looking than rust, that is). The oil-based paint is satin. I would've picked glossy, but they were out of those so I got the satin finish. Not bad. Better than flat finish for what I was painting.

The thing now has two coats of latex primer, one coat of latex paint, and one coat of oil-based paint. When I get some time, I'd like to give it yet another coat of oil-based paint.

Prior to painting I did go over the rust with a wire brush. Then a little sanding (I got tired of that quickly). Wipe down to remove dust. Then a coat of rust converter, sprayed on then wiped smooth and allowed to dry. Rust converter was re-applied anywhere rust reappeared after priming and after painting. With the oil-based anti-rust paint, I hope to NOT see rust peep out again. I am uncertain because I didn't use the primer the paint specified. So we'll see...

funny

at TargetI like! (but not buying)

Happy Sunday to all

Happy Sunday to all.  Based, on Jesus's promises, it is better to be resurrected than to be dead.

Which leads to the question:  "What does the Church mean when she says 'resurrection of the dead'?"
and why would we look forward to being 'resurrected'?

(I know, this has nothing to do with Pentecost Sunday.  It was just on my mind at the moment, was all.)

time gone

Where did the time go?  We've spent the evening sorting and paying bills.  We still have to make a grocery run, drop off some the payments, and fill up the car.  Sure hope the run is going be quick.  I'm hungry.

where's the rice?

Why is it that when you order take-out from a Chinese food restaurant, they don't give you enough rice?  In this case, it's not rice, but crispy noodles.  It's as if the noodles are just an appetizer.

new vocations website

I'm a little behind the times on this one, but here it is:  the new vocations website launched by the USCCB
http://www.foryourvocation.org/

switch timer

The other day, I installed a switch timer for the front porch light. Works great. I enjoy the convenience.  It comes on at a certain time and goes off at a certain time.  Switch timer plus switch plate came out to less than $31USD.

I saw it at the local hardware store but didn't buy it at first because I couldn't figure out how to make it work with my existing two-gang switch electrical box. Thanks to Amazon.com, I was shown the way when they suggested the switch plate to go with the timer. Nowhere on the timer packaging does it say that it fits a decora plate; it ought to indicate that it does fit.

I get home after dark.  With our new glass door, it is very important that the porch be lit. If the porch is not lit and the light inside the house is brighter than outside, you could see in.  With the porch lit, it is more difficult to see inside plus it allows us to see out to our porch VERY well.

I'd certainly recommend a switch timer for anyone who wants to leave their light on all night and ensure that the light is off in the morning.  No more forgetting to turn off the porch light.  (so long as you program the timer)  It is compatible with CFL bulbs.  The tiny screen is difficult to see; you might need a magnifying glass.

This particular switch timer has an internal rechargeable battery that doesn't need replacing and will keep your settings in the event of a power outtage.

Absolute DO turn OFF the circuit breaker to the light (and therefore, the switch) BEFORE removing and replacing your old switch!

pet of the week

Pet of the Week: 'Ziggy Bear' the cat

Young cat reminds me of our cat who just died recently.  Tempting, but no, I'm not looking to get another cat.  I'm trying to reduce the complexities in my life and have less stuff.

at the skate park

We had some kids with us yesterday and we took them to the skate park.  Exposure for them (they don't skate) and to satisfy a curiosity for us.  We wanted to see where the park was and we thought it'd be fun to see some of the action.  While walking, this kid stopped me ...

he:  Hey, will take a photo of me?

I: How will I get it to you?

he: Put it on Facebook.

I: (shaking my head) I don't do Facebook.

he:  What do you use?

I:  I don't use any of that. (pause) I can e-mail it to you.

he: okay. (He poses, leans over on the girl next to him. She fusses. He stands back.)

I:  OK.  Just you then. (flash)

he:  OW! OW! OW!  (rubs his eyes) Let me give you my e-mail.

he:  (to the girl) you got a pen?
she: no
he: make up pencil?
she: gives him a "look"
he: Ok, well, just post it and tell your friends you saw this cool dude at the park.
I show him the photo on the camera and we parted.

So dude, here's your photo.