Rhona's New Chapter

My favorite group En Vogue continues to make waves in the news.   Earlier in the year, original member Maxine Jones returned to the group to make EV a foursome once more.   Not long after that, original member Dawn Robinson made news for announcing that she was living in her car by choice.  Now Rhona Bennett, who joined En Vogue in 2003 and has been a staple in the group for over 20 years, announced on November 13th that she is departing En Vogue.   

I was totally shocked when the message popped up on my feed.   As I looked further into it, I found out that En Vogue performed with Salt & Pepa & Spinderella (that group has had it own drama but they looked to have worked it out) where the latter were being honored at the Rock & Hall Hall of Fame as one of their 2025 inductees.   Notably absent in the performance was Rhona.

It turns out according to Rhona that she found out about the performance at the same time as the general public.   She had a prior commitment that was happening on the same evening as the performance which took place on November 8th.    She stated in her announcement post that "It could’ve been nice to attend had [she] been given the opportunity to adjust [her] schedule."

She kept her announcement classy as she generically thanked EV for the opportunity to join the group.   I could tell she was just being polite since she didn't mention the members individually by name.  One of the things I noted when the group was on their European tour was that I felt like Rhona was being marginalized and regulated into the background since Max returned.   Thanks to a fan on Youtube I was able to see their performances.   They sang one of their songs Whatever off their EV3 album which was one that they haven't performed in years.   The song has two verses that are split.   On the album, Cindy sings the first half of verse 1 and Max sings the second half.     Terry sings the first half of verse 2 and Cindy again sings the second half of verse 2.   The assumption was that had Dawn not left the group, she would've sang the second half of verse 2 instead of Cindy.    So since they are a foursome now, I thought it would've been a nice gesture if each singer had a part to sing.    But they chose to sing parts like the album, which in one respect stays true to the album, but on the other end, it marginalizes Rhona who is more than capable of singing.   The argument could be made that maybe they were lip-synching and had to keep it to how the album had it.

I can't help but wonder with Max being back in the group, things became extra awkward for Rhona.  I felt for her even before Max came back when they would do interviews and everything would be on their early years which Rhona was not a part of.    She would be a deer in headlights as Cindy and Terry would speak on those times.   She was always referred to as the "new member" even after she had been there for more than a decade.

En Vogue purists would always lament that they wanted Max and Dawn back with the group.   Dawn actually was my favorite member in their hey-day.    I honestly did think that Max and Dawn were the soul of the group and their departures hurt the group overall.    But at the same time I loved what Rhona bought to the group.   She had her own spin on various songs when given the chance.   In the early times when Rhona joined, it felt like Cindy and Terry were hogging all the parts and only giving Rhona scraps to sing.

Sadly En Vogue never had another hit after Max left.   They tried with Rocket off their second studio album with Rhona.    It did hit #8 on the Billboard Adult R&B Songs chart but it wasn't a smash like their earlier songs in the 90's.

I was disappointed to hear about the drama behind the scenes and feel like Cindy, Max, and Terry did Rhona dirty by not telling her about the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame event.   I imagine that may have been the final straw that pushed Rhona to make her decision to say deuces to En Vogue.    It will be interesting to see if En Vogue gives a statement on the departure.   It's not a good look for them.   The ladies are in their 60's and they still seem like a bunch of mean girls.   Unfortunately though, age does not necessarily bring wisdom.

Rhona did announce that she has a new song that is coming out just before the holidays called “It’s Christmas Time (For You and I),”.  I look forward to supporting that when it comes out.   I also hope she releases another solo album.    Her first and only self-titled album had a lot of great songs.   Unfortunately the label she was on folded shortly afterwards so there was no promotion of it.   She also has a presence on Youtube so look forward to seeing more of her there.   I hope that she blows up to super stardom.    That would be the ultimate revenge.

Lost Stories

 Dom and I had an interesting discussion earlier.   It came out during a discussion of why I always have cold hands and feet.   When the weather changes for the cold, I find my extremities to get cold even when I have socks and gloves on.    Dom is the opposite and always is hot.    So you can guess I find myself seeking Dom's warmth much to his annoyance.   But Dom being my source of heat is in our marriage contract...LOL.

One of the theories Dom shared with me was that since my family is from the "islands", Guadeloupe to be exact, where it's tropical, having cold hands and feet could've been a mechanism of cooling off.   I realized with mentioning my country of origin that I've never ever mentioned it before in any of my blog entries from either this blog or my original one.   Well, except for a story of a cousin that visited the family almost a decade back.    I just said she came from overseas.

Part of why I didn't mention it could be that I was born in Detroit and only visited Guadeloupe two or three times growing up.    So for me Detroit was home.    It was second home of course for my Mom and Dad.

So Dom and I talked about how Papa came into Detroit in 1957 to stay with his Uncle and Aunt.   His Aunt was by blood and was his Mother's (my paternal Grandmother) sister.   I know Papa's uncle as "Uncle".   Dom asked me how Papa's Uncle and Aunt came into Detroit.    It was only then that I realized that I had no idea.    Can you believe I don't recall ever asking Papa about it?

I only remembered the stories Papa told about how "Uncle" was miserly with his money and how he was protective of his possessions.   The most infamous story was how Papa needed to borrow Uncle's encyclopedia set for something he needed to do research on.   He recalled how he didn't return some of the books right away and how upset his Uncle was.   After returning it, one of the first things my Dad did when he got a job was save up to buy his own encyclopedia set from World Book.    The set was from 1960.   I knew this because when we were in school we used that same set for book reports.   And yes this was in the mid to late 80's so a lot of the information was over 20 years old and a lot of it obsolete.

But I remember how proud Papa said he felt when he got his own set.   It was a form of independence from Uncle.   

Papa's Aunt died less than two years after Papa came to Detroit which left him devastated.   It seemed that Uncle and Papa's relationship was a tumultuous one.   I wonder if losing his Aunt played into that.

The only other story I remembered was how Uncle didn't trust banks and kept most of his cash in his mattress.    There was even a story of how Uncle could've bought IBM stock and had he done so, perhaps they could've gained some wealth when the stock really started appreciated.    Speaking of which I never knew that IBM originated from another company called CTR (Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company).   The name was changed to what it's known as today in 1926.   Interestingly enough I've been trading stocks for a number of years now myself (though I'm not really good at it...LOL).

Who I knew as "Grandma" was the daughter of Uncle and Aunt.    I never knew Uncle since he died in 1977 when I was 5 years old.   I only remembered him through the stories.   Grandma also had a husband who passed away in 1978 and they did not have any children.

So I never knew Uncle's story.   Was he even from "the islands" or was he actually American?  What was his family life like?   I feel bad that I never asked Papa about his Uncle's history.   I asked Tasha and Trina and they didn't know either.    Sadly a part of family history is lost forever though perhaps it may be revealed on the other side of life.    Who knows?   If I do I won't be able to tell yall...LOL.

I can only guess there must've been some opportunity that led his Uncle to Detroit.  A lot of times folks move for opportunities.   That's why I moved to Maryland for a brief spell and ultimately Chicagoland.  So it was probably the same for Uncle.

Work's Unsung Hero

 In my job I am responsible for putting customer fires out on the daily.   Since I'm part of the Severity 1 team, some of those customers have been international ones from France, the UK, and Asia Pacific, among others.   When I get those cases, the customer usually sends them during the end of their work shift so I'm not always able to connect with them.

If I'm not able to connect with them and they didn't provide a way for me to access their system or enough information about the issue, I'm limited on what can be done.  You would be surprised by the number of cases received that just says the bare minimum with absolutely no details.   The description just says for example, "this is not working".   

In those situations we are responsible for meeting the SLA, or Service Level Agreement.   The SLA simply is the contract between the service provider (my company) and the consumer which defines the expected level of service in the event issues arise.

When we receive Severity 1 cases from those customers who pay for premium service, the service provider is expected to send out an initial response within the hour.   There are automation processes in place that will send you a warning message, if you have less than 30 minutes to respond.    You'll even get a human who will message you and say that you're in danger of not meeting the SLA.    Those messages are always so annoying especially if I'm in the middle of reviewing the issue.   Incidentally if that's the only job those folks have, where do I sign up?  *LOL*.

There are times when it takes time for the case to be assigned and when you receive it, you have less than 20 minutes to meet the SLA.   That's when you have to quickly give a generic response before time runs out.

Once the SLA is met, there's pretty much nothing else you can do for that particular case.   There are plenty of other fires from U.S. customers to keep me busy.    Near the end of my shift, for those cases, I would fill out a template with what little details I received, and then transfer the case to our general queue and directly route it to my European or Asian Pacific or India counterparts.

There are situations though where we are able to reach the international customer and obtain details.   I even had a case this past week, where the International customer opened the Severity 1 case near the end of the day and left excellent details about their issue.   They also gave me access to their system to investigate.   They weren't available to chat but I had what I needed.

I was able to immediately narrow down on the issue but I still needed time to verify that the issue indeed was what I suspected.   This involved testing the scenario in my personal work org.  I also had other fires to put out as well throughout the day.

I finally had some time about an hour before my shift ended.   I was able to confirm my first instincts were correct.    But since the customer was International, I had to decide whether to keep the case in my queue or transfer it to the customer's time zone.    I was certain that I figured out the issue but I felt like the customer may have had additional questions and if they responded on the case and I wasn't available (because it was outside my shift), it would sit there all day during their shift without a response (unless the customer escalated the case, which would be a bad thing).    Best case scenario, the customer would close out the ticket or give permission to close.  

I decided to transfer the case.  I checked on the ticket the next day and the customer did indeed respond that it was fine to close which the current assigned engineer did.   We receive credit on cases when they are closed.   Whoever is the case owner at time of close gets the credit.    Since I didn't own the case anymore, I didn't receive credit even though I was the one that resolved the issue.

During those times I feel like an unsung hero.   I lamented about it briefly to my co-worker Alvin who could relate.  He and I have definitely made a positive connection even though he's in Indianapolis.  He's become someone that I can trust for sure.   

On the flipside I've had some international cases where I was completely stumped and was so happy to pass those off and not have to deal with them anymore.   It's all part of the game.

Make It Last Forever

 

Keith Sweat w/ Jacci McGhee - Make It Last Forever

INTRO

Make It Last
Make It Last Forever (Ever)
Darling I Love You (Ooh Ooh)
(Ooh, ooh, ooh, Oh)
Let's Make It Last (Ooh, ooh, ooh)
Let's Make It Last Forever And Ever
Don't Let Our Love End (Don't Let Our Love End)
Mmm

VERSE 1:

Let Me Hear You Tell Me You Love Me
Let Me Hear You Say You'll Never Leave Me
Ooh Girl, That Will Make Me Feel So Right
Let Me Hear You Tell Me You Want Me
Let Me Hear You Say You'll Never Leave Me Baby
Until The Morning Light (I)

Let Me Tell You How Much I Love You
Let Me Tell You That I Really Need You
Baby, baby, baby, I Will Make It All Right
No One But You, Baby
Can Make Me Feel
The Way You Make Me, Make Me, Make Me Feel

CHORUS:

Woah-Oh-Oh, Oh-Oh-Oh
Mmm, mmm, mmm
Don't Let Our Love End (Don't)
Just Make It Last Forever (Oh, Make It Last) And Ever (Forever)

BRIDGE:

Your Touch Is Wonderful
Your Love Is Marvelous
Joy, That's What I Feel
When I'm With You
Nothing, No One (No One Boy)
Could Compare To What We Have (Oh, My Baby)
Love, It Feels So Good
I'm So Glad You're Mine

I wasn't the biggest fan of Make It Last Forever.   It wound up being the prom song for my high school prom that I never attended.   Wait a minute, I'm lying.   I think Make It Last Forever was my sister Tasha's prom song.   She did go to her prom.   My prom's theme song was Here and Now by Luther Vandross.   That song still hasn't warmed up to me.

But Make It Last Forever actually is the jam.   And in recent years I've found myself playing it more and more.   It actually is a lovely song that is written from the viewpoints of two lovers who want their love to last forever.

Of course nothing is forever.   I was reminded of that when knowing today is the 6th anniversary of my Mom's passing.   It's crazy that so much time has passed.   There's not a day that goes by that I don't think about my Mom and wishing I could talk to her one more time.

I keep replaying the last few months of her life.   I freshly remember when she called me while I was on the road making my way to Amazon one Saturday morning.   I was at that time working at an Amazon Warehouse that was 90 minutes away from home.

She was calling to tell me not to spend any more money on alternative meds to take because she was done fighting to live and was accepting that she was going die.  I had sent her some Essiac liquid as a possible option.  I've seen stories and testimonies on how it helped individuals conquer various forms of cancer.   I thought it would be something that might help.   I wasn't ready to lose my Mom yet.

But in true Mom fashion after dropping that bombshell, she refused to give me a chance to react and talk her out of it.   She instead said that she had to go do something else and promptly hung up.   I was so upset at the news and she told me it while I was driving on the tollway.    I immediately called Dom to vent and he thought I crashed the car.

Mama had the habit of throwing little bombshells when calling and then wanting to excuse herself.  I always hated that and this time it was no exception.

I later had moments when I was mad at Mom for giving up.   But I later realized that my Mom had been fighting for a long time.   She was first diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease in 1999 and was suffering from it years before without having any idea what was happening.

She went through a few more trials and turbulations over the years and when she was diagnosed with uterine cancer in 2018, it was the beginning of the end.   She had the surgery to remove her uterus but unfortunately the cancer had spread to her spine and caused her pain.   

When the doctors said her form of cancer was aggressive, they also said she only had months to live.   I was there in the hospital room when she was given the news.    I was doing my best to calm Papa who was upset obviously.   Tasha was discussing the diagnosis and options with the doctor.

I wasn't ready to accept the doctor's diagnosis but after processing my anger, I realized that Mama had fought a long time and she was ready for the pain to go away.    We all have an expiration date and there may be a point of time when someone just knows.   She knew her time was running out.   She made sure to let us all know that she loved us all.

The day before she died, I remember I was giving her a warm rag with water that she put on her forehead.   There was a moment where I accidentally had the rag with cooler water.   She squealed when she touched it and we exchanged a brief laugh as I apologized.   She told me that she loved me and I said the same.   

Hours later my Mom went into another world.   She was moaning continuously and wouldn't stop no matter what I did.   Tasha came over that evening to check in on her.    Seeing Mama's state, she couldn't stay and wound up leaving the apartment.   Papa joined her in bed a little bit later.   I wound up settling in for the night in an easy chair they had outside of their bedroom.

I couldn't really sleep that night.  I woke up several times during the night to check in on my parents.   Papa was fast asleep and Mama was continuing to moan.   There was nothing I could do and that was frustrating.  I wrote notes on the journal that our caretaker suggested we have to keep a tally of Mama's condition.

The next morning Mama was still in the same state.   Her caregiver came to help clean Mama.   Mama was still moaning and was not aware that we were in the room.   For the first time I started crying as I helped the caretaker move Mom around.   With one hand I cradled my Mom's neck to position it straight, which was protruding sideways.  

We were done cleaning her up.    The caretaker told me that Mama was actively dying.   The process can take anywhere from days to weeks.   As we were talking, Mom suddenly gasped as she briefly lifted herself up before she fell back down.    We both called out for her but she didn't say anything.   I didn't realize it then but my Mom took her final breath before being called home.

My Mom's eyes were wide open.  I was petrified at the time and couldn't touch her.   I feel ashamed that I froze.  The caretaker wound up passing her fingers on my Mom's eyelids to close them and then she wrapped a towel to close my Mom's open mouth.

We gave the news to Papa who was in the next room.   He was crying.  I was still crying.  I texted Tasha and Trina to let them know.   In my haste I called 911 not realizing that I was supposed to call hospice.   EMS came and of course couldn't take my Mom because she died and had to have hospice and coroner declare it.

It was a crazy day.  I was originally supposed to leave for home that morning but was not going to leave that day.   I stayed the night and left the next day.   Unfortunately Amazon didn't have much in terms of bereavement leave and I knew I would still have to work.

It just so happened that I was starting work at a new facility that I relocated to with a different shift.  So I had to do training and keep my grief at bay.   It was the same thing until I was able to take two more days off to attend the funeral.

I wish I could Make It Last Forever and have my parents still around.   But alas the cycle of life is that nothing lasts forever.   Not the good times or the bad times.  Time just marches on.

As hard as it was, I'm glad I was there to say my goodbyes to Mama.   I do hope I get to see Mama and Papa again one day.   I will light a candle for each of them this weekend for All Souls Day.   It's a tradition that I learned from Mama when she did it for her Dad, my Grandpa.    It's my tradition now that I do until I can do it no more.

Latest Lifefront

 One of the senior members of our Church made the suggestion in September to have a monthly birthday celebration for all the birthdays that are taking place for the month.    The folks who had the birthday would be responsible for bringing a cake.    When I heard this I silently balked since I knew my birthday month was coming next.   Another new member volunteered to bring cupcakes for October so at least that was covered.

I honestly don't like to be made the center of attention even for a brief minute.   The most I like doing for my birthday is taking time off for work (always felt I shouldn't work on my birthday with the only exception being when I worked at Amazon since I needed whatever crumbs I could get) and traveling somewhere.   I normally do like to venture out somewhere but this year I chose not to.   It's a good thing too since the air traffic controller shortages that have been happening under Orange's administration.   I did take off from the 15th - 17th.

I do want to go to the Japanese Gardens in Rockford, IL for my birthday.   Since Dom isn't working and I know he has a love for Japanese culture, I thought it would be a good day trip for us.   Plus it would be nice for us to do something together.    The facility opens from 9am to 6pm daily and it would take us 2 hours to get there so we probably want to leave as early as possible.   Dom also wanted to see the new movie adaptation of Kiss Of the Spider Woman.   I had no clue that Jennifer Lopez was in it.    It should be interesting to see how it is.   Maybe we can do that Thursday or Friday.

So this past Sunday was when the October birthdays were being celebrated.    I was reminded last week from the same senior member that my presence was required.    As part of the Church board, our meeting was also being held at the Church as well.   So I opted to go after the service.   I'm so bad.

Of course since Dom and I are a package deal, I was asked about Dom's recent interview.   Unfortunately Dom is having to deal with ageism.    He mentioned that the interviewer was dry and disengaging the whole time.    I feel that the interviewer didn't like that Dom was walking in with a cane and immediately dismissed him from consideration.

It's so frustrating.   There's so many things we have to deal with when it comes to interviewing.   Unfortunately a lot of different biases come into play.   The interviewer made assumptions about Dom, not taking into account Dom's previous experiences.   It's sad that due to that person's preconceived biases they missed out on a great employee.

I feel like at this point Dom needs to reach out to his previous employer and get them to put him in as a substitute.    He tried applying for unemployment and as I expected, the previous employer declined it and claimed that Dom resigned which he didn't.    But I'm thinking Dom is getting a bit tired of dealing with the bull.   He's 61 now and if he waits till next June, he can hopefully collect on Social Security.

I just wish he would slow up on the hobby spending since he has no income coming in.   He did finally try to put some of his dolls on sale but he did it through his personal Facebook site.    He has not had any biters unfortunately so he needs to place his items on Ebay to hopefully get them sold.    

I hope I can hang on somehow to my job and not get sick.   On that front I'm in the process of trying to get a living trust done.    Dom always says that he wants to be the one to die first but life doesn't always go as you plan and I remind him that I could be the one that dies first.     If that happens I don't want Dom to lose the house because I didn't plan properly.    I've heard too many stories especially in the gay world where if the main breadwinner passes, the surviving partner is thrown to the wolves and loses the home, especially with family members taking over.    I'm fortunate in that I feel my sisters would not throw Dom out but I need to get things ready.   I also have other assets that need to be divided.   Fun times.

Mortgage Milestone

 My quest for financial independence took a positive turn this morning.   I forgot about a work bonus that is typically paid twice a year that came at the end of September.   Thanks to that bonus I was able to use most of it to get my mortgage down to an even $10,000.    I wanted to etch an extra hundred to break the 5-figure mark but of course Dom had hobby stuff that stood in the way.   Sigh.   But nonetheless I recognize that we're very fortunate to be close to paying it off completely.   My pay-off amount at least is in the four figures as of today.    If only I had an extra $7600 hiding somewhere.    

I took care of a household issue that I put off for a few months.   I had our regular plumber come over to fix a leaky strainer in the kitchen sink.   That was a $190 hit.   Dom thought it was a bit high.   But given how the cost of everything has gone up, I realized that gone are the days you can get things fixed for $50 or even under $100.

So I have to get our garage fixed yet again.    For years we had the issue where the garage will not close all the way but rather reopen and then we have to struggle to get it to close.   I had it adjusted twice before but I was told that the issue is that garage itself is shifting in one direction which is affecting the door function.   A more long term fix is to adjust the door so that the sensors will pick them up properly.   But doing that would leave a gap on the right hand side of the door.   I wasn't keen on doing that and they made adjustments to the settings to get the door to close.   But the issue keeps returning months later so now I'm ready to try the long-term fix.   I bought a floor strip for the garage that I'm hoping will help cover some of the gap.    But we'll see.   I need to get it fixed before the weather changes for the colder so will have to work on that this month.

In other news Dom had an interview for a teaching position yesterday at a Gary charter school.   It isn't a math role but rather an elective teaching role on career and college preparation.    He said the interviewer was boring and he wasn't sure if he made a connection with him or not.    When Dom has interviewed in the past, he's had it where the staff reaches back to him within an hour after the interview and offered the job.   That didn't happen here but I'm hoping he'll hear something soon.   

He ran into a former colleague that is working security at the school.   He described him as resembling the actor D.B. Woodside when he played Amenadiel on Lucifer.   They bonded over their hate for the same member of the admin team.   Apparently that member screwed Amenadiel over as well.  

Maybe Amenadiel can put in a good word for Dom if the principal asks.   We shall see I guess.

The last time Dom was unemployed was in 2010.   Prior to losing his job, he had already paid for registration to one of his first doll conferences.    He said his parents helped him get a plane ticket to the event.   I found an old tattered sign that he put on his display table back then when he was selling a few dolls.   It looks so sad and sweet at the same time I wanted to share it.

We all have our crosses to bear in life but we find a way to get through and ideally in a better place.  That's life in a nutshell.   As long as we're breathing we have more opportunities to navigate through what gets thrown.   Dom and I are both pushing along. 

Brother Clay Cane

 Back in the mid-2000's when I first starting blogging at my original blogspot, I discovered over time a community of folks who had their own blogs and occasionally chimed in with feedback and sometimes tough love on my blog depending on the topic.    When I started blogging again a few years back, I often wondered what happened to my fellow bloggers and hoping they all are living their best lives.   

I recently rediscovered none other than Clay Cane on Youtube.    I knew from his blogspot (which actually I need to get invited again...LOL) that he was a prolific writer and political activist that was already making moves.    It's so cool to see him doing his thing on Youtube and he's speaking the truth on a lot of topics.   I don't have SiriusXM so I'm not able to listen to him live or call in so it's good he adds them on Youtube as well.    And he's also an author as well and has an upcoming novel titled "Burn Down Master's House" that's coming out in late January 2026.   I will definitely have to check that out.   I also looked him up on LinkedIn and can see that he has a profile there.   I sent him a connection request so I'll see if he responds.   In the meantime here are a few of his videos.

First one I'm sharing is his most recent (as of this blog entry date) where he and his co-host Reecie Colbert talk about ICE's attack on a black Southside neighborhood apartment.   From reports that I've seen, they took everyone out of that apartment and kept them in custody for several hours.   It's crazy how they are using immigration to violate human rights.   They didn't care if a person was a U.S. Citizen or not when they removed everyone.    Not only that but the way they did it, rappelling from helicopters and breaking windows and doors to get into apartments.   There were children living in the apartments and I can't imagine the trauma they'll have to deal with thinking that they don't have a safe space.   Of course Orange's administration doesn't care about that one bit.

The next video I'm sharing is one where Clay Cane with co-host Ted Winn talked with legendary R&B singer Teena Marie's daughter Alia Rose who is an artist as well.    We got to hear stories about Teena Marie from Alia's perspective.    She also mentioned an upcoming biopic that's she involved in that tells her Mom's story.

Finally here's Clay's video about former The Biggest Loser loser trainer Jillian Michaels and the gall about her recent comments relating to slavery and how it wasn't so bad for black folks and that less than 2% of whites owned slaves.   I watched Netflix's documentary on The Biggest Loser and was reminded of what a piece of work she and Bobby Harper were to the folks that participated on the show.    Like everything else on TV, it was all about the money.   The show went on for 18 Seasons and spawned other versions of the show internationally.

So Hemingway it was nice seeing that Clay is doing well and I wish him continued success.

Does Freedom Still Ring?

It's been a wild eight months since Orange taken office.   Everyday it seems the news mentions one ridiculous thing after another that he has said or done.   I've tried to shut it out but it's everywhere when looking at posts from Facebook or on the news.     He promised to end the war between Ukraine and Russia on Day 1 of his being in office.   Lies.  The price of eggs became a hot topic for awhile.   At one point he claimed that he'd get the prices lowered, which didn't happen.   Prices did eventually peter down months later.

Every other day looms the threat of tariffs which has caused havoc with the cost of items like cars, electronics, and now even drugs.   Because of his antics, international travel has dropped significantly, with cities such as Las Vegas, reporting much fewer visitors.   There was also an uptick of near misses on the air due to cuts in federal workers and his relentless attack on anything DEI.

The latest attack is now on the First Amendment.   The First Amendment is part of the U.S. Constitution's Bill of Rights that protects core freedoms from government interference.   These include the freedom of religion, speech, the press, the right to assemble, and the right to petition.

This amendment has been in the news a lot lately.   It came into play when folks who spoke out against the racist beliefs of "political activist" Charlie Kirk being fired from their jobs.   Orange and Sofa have stated that there would be consequences for anyone who celebrate or mock Kirk's death.

Sadly it's become the norm for US Immigration & Custom Enforcement (ICE) agents to randomly harass and arrest U.S. Citizens and whisk them away to unknown locations.   A detention center, nicknamed Alligator Alcatraz, was built in Florida by the Florida Division of Emergency Management that is used by ICE to house detainees.   Conditions there have been described as being extremely hot, full of bugs like mosquitoes and crickets, with lack of food and water.   Also it's built near the Everglades which is swampy land that includes alligators and snakes.   Orange even alluded that escapees shouldn't run in a straight line since they may get eaten by an alligator.

ICE agents have been deployed in Washington D.C. and Chicago and is slated to be sent to other cities.  In particular he's targeting blue cities that have black mayors.

The government is at risk of being shut down on October 1st due to Congress and Orange stalemating on the budget.   Orange wants to cut everything that helps those that aren't rich.    The economy is in shambles with lots of layoffs happening.

This is supposed to be the land of the free.   But a lot of freedoms are being eroded away.   It's getting scary out here.   

Another Layoff Round

 My company chose to layoff several thousand more co-workers last week.  I wasn't let go but given the state of the economy today and Dom not working, it has me more concerned.   I really don't feel very secure and the latest layoffs have me further on edge.    I'm feeling extra stressed since everything is falling on me financially.   If I lose my job we'll be in trouble.   

I already have some expenses that I need to deal with.   Dom is wanting more money for more pre-order doll stuff that's coming in.   I've already had to pay over $1400 for his crap.   That part is very frustrating since it's not a need.   Also I was hoping the money we lost from the hack would be credited.   But I found out that the investigation could take anywhere from 30 - 90 days and then our balance would be credited. So in the meantime I won't be able to make an extra payment for the mortgage.    So that puts me a month behind from the goal I had to pay off the mortgage.

I have a couple household expenses that I need to pay for as well.   One for a leaking sink and another for a garage door that won't close properly.   I also need to start paying for the new fridge we had to get.   I'm very stretched right now.

I usually plan a birthday trip but I haven't planned anything and it's probably a good thing.  I really can't afford to spend more money for a hotel and flight.    It's good at least we did Mackinaw Island this year though now I have to hear how Dom wants us to retire there...LOL.   He's insane.   Plus he doesn't understand the concept of saving money so I don't know how he plans on paying for it.   That's right, I have to.   The hell I do.   But that's another rant.

But yeah I'm struggling financially and sadly I may not be able to pay my credit card balance in full this month.   My total balance is over $3200 already and I still have 9 days left on the billing cycle.   I'll have to pay interest fees for the first time since 2023 if I can't pay it off.   I may just have to dip into my dwindling savings which is now below $12K (and sinking).   

It's depressing to think about.   But all I can do is pray and hope I can hold on to my job.   And maybe win a small fortune...LOL.

Just Another Sad Dom Song

 Our joint account wound up getting hacked last Thursday.   I put an alert for Centier to send me an alert if the joint account balance falls below $120.   I've had it go off several times since I've set it up.    But I was peeved when the alert came out last Thursday.   I was almost home from work when it came.   I was expecting my balance to be over $600 since I transferred some cash over in anticipation of paying the mortgage which was due the next day.

I was thinking the worst of Dom not believing he spent over $500 for something.   I asked Dom what was going on but he said he only spent $70.    I decided to log in and check out the transactions to see if my transfer came through.   I confirmed that it did indeed come through but so did two fraudulent entries, one for $250 and another for $400.   The entries were from something identified as Gemini which we later learned was supposedly crypto transactions.

I immediately called the bank who of course had to speak to Dom since the transactions came from his card.   We had a similar incident happen less than a year ago.   What annoys me is that Dom makes so many purchases related to his doll hobby.   It's likely one of the sites he went to may not be 100% secure.  I have a hard time making heads or tails of his purchases.   

At the end of the day it's his hobby.   But I wish he didn't spend almost his whole paycheck on it, which right now is nothing.   He seems to have given up on finding anything.   He did apply for unemployment but I sill question if they would pay him or not.   He mentioned it would be $300 something though I'm not clear if it's every week or every other week.   I believe I was collecting a paycheck once every two weeks for only about $300 - $400.    

We would have to go to the bank to get the disputed transactions removed from our account.   We did that this past Saturday even though it doesn't come off right away.   We also both decided to get new bank cards.   I really didn't need to get one since I only use my card to deposit cash at the ATM whenever Dom gets the balance below $120.

 I checked today to see if the Gemini balances were credited to our account and it's still not.  The saving grace is that I deposited an extra $600 for Friday that originally was supposed to be the extra payment but wound up being my primary mortgage payment.   Otherwise we would've been late for the mortgage.

I have to wait for the fraudulent payments to be cleared out so I can get the original $600 back so I can then put an extra payment on the mortgage like I had originally planned.

So when looking to see if the transactions were removed, wouldn't you know Dom is already using the new debit card for doll purchases.   Some things will never change but I can't believe that he's still buying frivolous stuff when he's not collecting income.   I can see it now, his unemployment will be spent on dolls and maybe a few groceries...LOL

I said it before but choose your mate wisely.   They'll either work to help build things up or they'll try to bring you down with them.   I do love Dom despite his ways but if I knew I'd be dealing with this drama,  I may have had second thoughts.   The saving grace with Dom is that he's a good person with a good heart.   I still wish he picked up some financial sense along the way, though.   But I'll have to be that person for both of us.

I know I've complained about it before.   I felt awful because I even complained to my boss briefly about it in our one-on-one but then felt bad.   I guess I needed an outlet.   

Squid Pro Quo

 Netflix released a Korean series called The Squid Games on September 17, 2021.   The premise of the series is that there is a secret island where players who are extremely down on their luck (i.e. owing creditors millions of dollars or needing to cover expensive health care for an ailing child) are offered the opportunity of a lifetime to win up to 456 million dollars.   It's a million dollars for each player and in the end it only goes to the last man or woman standing.

The show itself wound up being one of the most watched and talked about series of 2021.  I myself was immediately hooked once I started watching.   I was vested in the stories of the various players and still remember the shock after that first game where folks were shot and killed if they did not successfully complete it.

I remember I was working at Amazon at the time which was in a way my rock bottom.  So the series resonated with me.  I remember the anguish I felt when favorite characters were killed and crazily enough the glee when unsavory players got their just dessert.

Netflix at the time didn't realize how big of a hit it would become.   They scrambled to make merch based off the series, including Halloween costumes wearing the uniforms of either the players or the guards, the latter of which was explored in more detail in the next season.    There really wasn't a second season planned either until the overwhelming response of the show.   That's why it took almost three years before the final season was released.

One of the items that was created was a collectible Squid Game Building Set from Mattel.    I knew nothing about this but found out about it from yours truly.   Dom knew of the series because I couldn't stop talking about it and other folks that he knew watched it.   However, I could never convince him to watch it for himself.   He's not big on watching violence on TV and Squid Games definitely has it share.

So Dom knowing how much I enjoyed the series decided to buy the set for me about three months back.   It comes with 1735 pieces (that are kind of like Lego blocks and other shapes) that you have to put together to rebuild the classic multi-colored hallways that the players and guards go up and down the stairs on.   There are two huge manuals that come with it that shows pictures of all the steps that need to be taken to put it together.   It even has some mechanical parts that you can wind to move the players and guards around.   It's something that will take some time to put together.

It's a pretty cool set and it was so sweet of Dom to think of me.   I wasn't thrilled though to find out that he spent $130 on it.   But Dom was so excited about it and he took pictures of the box and the various manuals and pieces that are divided into individual bagged sections.   The steps have all the pieces from a particular step that is needed and then the other pieces add on to the base.

So far I've completed 4 steps.   There are several dozen more steps to go.    But I'm taking pictures as I complete the sections and sharing them with Dom.   He ultimately wants to publish all the pics into his personal site.    So in a way it's like a project that we're working together on.   So maybe it's worth it after all.

UPDATE:  10/04/25

After a couple of starting over moments and adjusting some pieces to fit better, I finally completed the set last weekend.   I wanted to share a picture of the completed project.   Dom even gave me a few "Squid Game" accessories to add to the set like the money pig, front man mask, V.I.P. mask, and the tall "little girl" in the introductory Red Light, Green Light game.   I didn't think I would be into putting it together as I did but once I was on the right track, I found myself working on it a little bit every day.

   

Sunset Muscles

 I was checking out one of my favorite sites to admire muscle men today and was bummed to see the message from the founders that after 26 years of being online and providing a haven for gays to admire muscle men, they are officially taking the site offline after the end of September.

It's truly an end of an era for me.   I can't remember when I started checking out profiles on there but it had to be in the late 2000's, early 2010's sometime.   I never did create a profile on there since I wasn't in the demographic that was being celebrated but they had something called an admirer's profile that I created a few years back.

I never did meet anyone from bigmuscle.com but nonetheless it was nice to admire the eye candy every now and then.   They cited the changing legal landscape and their nearing retirement as primary reasons that it was time to hang it up.

It made me think of another site craigslist that hung up at least the hooking up part of their website a few years back due to the changing landscape of things.    There were murders that were happening from folks meeting randoms on Craiglist that was the nail on its coffin.    Now I did meet a few guys on there, most notably Mitch, who's the only one I've kept in touch with.    I was really bummed that ended though when I think about it, I thank my lucky stars that I didn't meet a truly psycho person in my years of hooking up.

Speaking of hooking up, Anthony is still in the picture and he's pretty much the only person I've been hooking up with.   It'll be almost two years actually.    We've been discussing introducing him to Dom.   They actually have three things in common.   They're both in their 60's, both teachers, and I learned in recent months that they are both doll collectors.   

I think they would get along actually.   I believe Anthony has a Facebook account so if we connect there that may make it easier to show Dom his profile.    Plus maybe Anthony can buy some of Dom's doll collection.   LOL actually Anthony was like a kid in the candy store when he saw Dom's collection.    As I said before I guess I have a type.

School Haze

The 25-26 School year officially kicked off on the second week of August which was on 08/11.   The school system Dom worked at unfortunately has been playing games and Dom was not set up to select substitute jobs on the system.   So he hasn't been working for almost three weeks now.

Let me back up a bit to explain what led to this mess.   Back in April Dom sent an email to the administration of the school saying that he was looking into possibly becoming a sub teacher for the 25-26 school year.   Towards the end of the year, Dom thought about and changed direction and mentioned that he wanted to return as a teacher.   A member of the admin team which Dom clashed with in the past said that since he sent a letter to the admin expressing looking into being a sub teacher that they would consider the letter to be a letter of resignation and he would not be returning as a teacher.   Dom was livid.

He was weighing out his options all summer and decided that he would come back to the school as a sub.  So there was no preparation done by the admin to allow him to pick up sub positions and that is where we're at.

The first day of the new school year, Dom reached out to the principal and they talked about the letter.   Principal claimed to agree with Dom that the letter he sent was not a resignation letter.   He mentioned that the school board was having a meeting the next day.   The principal stated that during the board meeting they would discuss reinstating Dom as a teacher.

It just so happened that the board meetings are recorded on YouTube.   We both watched the video and there was no mention of Dom at all.   Nobody from the school reached back to Dom and he still isn't able to sign up for sub classes.

So he applied for another teaching position at a different school and he's been getting the run around from that place as well.   Supposedly they are "desperate" to fill the position.    He reached back to the admin of the new school a few days later and they said that the principal would need to schedule a time for the interview.

Dom's planning to head to the unemployment office today to see his options.   The thing is he wasn't fired from the job, they just chose not to set him up for subbing or reinstate him as a teacher.   So I'm not sure what the unemployment office will be able to do.

In the meantime Dom's had a bunch of his expensive doll orders coming in that I've had to cover.  It's been frustrating but I thank goodness that I'm able to (for now).   But he is really needing to stop doing anything else or actually sell some of what he has until the job situation is resolved.   Preferably he should stop even after getting a job and try to save more.    But I know that won't happen.

Thank goodness I'm not a huge spender and do not spend my whole paycheck.   If we both were spenders we'd be in trouble.    But it is nonetheless frustrating.

Forced Rearrangements

 About two or three years back, Dom and I were discussing making some rearrangements in our kitchen and kitchen nook rooms.    To start the kitchen itself is a very tiny one.   Dom and I can barely maneuver around that space when one of us is washing dishes (usually me) and the other may need to go over to a shelf near the back or pull something out of the fridge.    The entryway is also made narrow by an angled shelving unit that was added to make more storage space.

The nook area is slightly larger, about the size of a small bedroom.   But it lacked the extra space to store food items or various smaller appliances that were needed.    We had a tall metal shelving unit in our basement that we thought would be better suited to go into the kitchen where the fridge resided.

In the nook area, we had an old rolling shelving unit Dom owned that was occupying one side of the nook area and another wider shelving unit on the other side.   We discussed moving the fridge over to where the old shelving unit was.

We also had an old wooden table that I owned with chairs that was in the middle of the nook.   It unfortunately was overflowing with food boxes, storage containers, pots, and other random items.   We also had various other items like extra bags from Trader Joe's and Whole Foods as well as packs of towel papers surrounded the table and some under the table.   In short it was a mess.

On one of our few trips to Ikea, we saw a free-standing wooden kitchen island with an overhang for pots and pans that we thought would be perfect to replace the wooden table and provide some additional storage.   Ikea wanted around $600 for the set which we thought was a bit high.   We said that we would save up for it.

So we made slow progress of making any changes at all.   Dom was also starting his descent into having health issues, including not being able to walk like he used to.    Over the course of a few weekends, I decided that I would work on moving the tall metal shelving unit from the basement to the nook area where the old rolling shelving unit was.

I didn't mention that the metal shelving unit was full of other stuff that was added to it over the years.  So I had to work on removing everything from the shelves before I could move it.   So I basically worked to find new places to put those items.   Dom happened to get some folding tables that he originally was planning for his dolls that made a perfect spot to put some of the items.   Other items were placed on smaller tables or cabinets nearby that were available.

It was another weekend or so before I finally attempted to move the metal shelving.   I tried maneuvering it around the stairs but it was too tall to angle it around the next level of stairs, even after opening the back door that served as the midpoint between the basement and main floor.   I realized that I would have to bring it in through the front door.

It was a bit unwieldly but I managed to bring it over from the back of the house all the way to the front.   I used the sliding washer to keep the front screen door open as I hoisted it over the front stairs and bought it in the house.    It made its way into the main hallway where it remained for another week or so.   During that time I cleaned it off the best way I could.

The plan with the old rolling shelving unit was to move it into the basement where the tall metal shelving unit used to be.   But alas that did not happen.   It wound up being moved into the main hallway while the metal shelving made its way to where the old rolling shelving used to be.

Things remained that way for another six months or so.   When Dom and I went to the Chante Moore concert in Joliet, we went to Ikea the next morning.   We once again saw the free-standing wooden kitchen island which reinspired us.   But I couldn't bring myself to paying $600 for it.

Something told me to check out Amazon.   I was glad I did.   I was able to find another unit which included two stools for just under $200, more than a 66% savings.   The only wood part was the table itself and the wood was much thinner than the Ikea brand.   But it boasted two overhead shelves in addition to hooks over a bar to hang up to a dozen pots and pans.   I was especially happy about that since a lot of our pots and pans made their home on the stove.

So I purchased the Amazon unit and then worked to dismantle the old wooden table and moved it into the basement (where it now resides in the laundry room).   The unit arrived but before putting it together, I cleaned up the area since it was full of dust and cobwebs that settled over the time the table was there.

Dom and I were able to put the unit together in about 2 hours and we were so proud of the results and how it looks.   We vowed not to fill the wooden table with junk.    We were good for about 3 months but unfortunately that promise went out the window.

So the only remaining steps were to somehow move our existing fridge from the kitchen over to the nook area where the metal shelving now resided and then move the metal shelving where the fridge resided.

We weren't really in a hurry to make the switch since it was a hassle even getting the fridge into the kitchen with the tiny opening and angled shelving.

Life of course has a funny way of making things happen.   A week ago Dom started telling me that the fridge was not as cool as it used to be.   I tried moving things around the freezer to open up the airways thinking they were being blocked.   That didn't work.   I tried adjusting the temperature of the fridge and that didn't work.    In the meantime the fridge was slowly dying and the freezer was getting colder and colder.

We decided that it was time to get a new fridge.   We settled on Home Depot after by coincidence his Mom and nieces purchased a new fridge there after their fridge broke down.    We had the standard top freezer fridge that almost made it eight years.    When we first moved in we inherited a french door fridge which we hated.   We mostly weren't a fan of the freezer which always seemed to run out of space.   It wound up having issues after a year and a half and we wound up getting the top freezer from a Sears Outlet store.

We settled on a side-by-side model that I thought would work for us.   With the limited space, I thought the 33 width model would work for us.   The space around the fridge could only fit a 34 width model, not the standard 36 width model fridges that are usually designed.   Delivery of that model was today.    The younger of the two delivery folks came in and did measurements and after consulting with the older partner, they concluded that the fridge would not fit in the narrow area.   While I accounted for the width of the final fridge space, I didn't account for the entryway space.   

I was going back and forth in my mind what to do.   They were suggesting I just get a top-freezer instead.    The funny thing is like I said earlier, Dom and I discussed having our fridge (before it died) move over to the nook area.   Dom however wasn't feeling that idea anymore for some reason.

But we needed a fridge so knew we would have to scramble.   If we went with their suggestion, they would be happy because they wouldn't have to hoist the new one.   However it would likely be another week or so before another fridge would be ready.    Also we really wanted to try the side-by-side fridge.

We agreed to have them place the new fridge in another part of the nook area and then remove the old one.    Removing the old one proved to be a challenge.   For some reason they could not get it to fit squarely through the angled shelving.

The older delivery guy was trying to get me to agree that they did all they could.   I wasn't certain they did and Dom was trying to point that out as well.   But I was resigning that we would have to quickly move things around but still be stuck with a dead fridge in the kitchen without doors.  The older guy suggested we get someone to saw it in half.    But that made no sense.  

Finally I asked them if we cleared out the sink area and the angled shelving, would they be willing to slide out the fridge that way.    They were against it but I offered them $100 each if they would do so.   Dom wasn't thrilled about it but they went along with it as long as I accepted responsibility for any damages.  Money talks.  Thankfully they were able to get it out.   Sadly I only had $184 total in my wallet which they accepted.    That was a mess but I'm glad we don't have to deal with the old fridge just sitting there unused.

 So in the end we wound up rearranging the old metal shelving to go where the old fridge was and the new fridge is now where the old metal shelving resided.   It's funny how things almost are where we were talking about having them a few years back.   Now will the old rolling shelving unit ever make its way to the basement.   That's a problem for another day.

We're slowly rearranging things back in place and the new fridge is cooling off nicely.   After this post I will be getting ready to head out to the church for their open-mic karaoke night.   I need to sing my heart Louise after the day I had.

Baby, I'm Falling...

 Falling out of the bed apparently.   My Saturday morning started off unexpectedly.  I don't know if I was dreaming or having a nightmare but I felt myself spinning.   Next thing I knew I rolled off the bed, hitting my head on the nightstand and knocking one of Dom's dolls with me.   I nearly knocked over the CPAP machine as well.

It's not at all how I expected to start the day.   I had Dom panicking as well as he got up to turn on the lights and then reach out for me from the side of the bed to help me up.   I quickly got up and was holding the right side of my head with the palm of my hand.   I was feeling a dull ache from hitting my head.

Needless to say both Dom and I got out of bed.  The plans for today include going to Meijer's (maybe Walmart since eggs are slightly cheaper there) and then Walgreens to pick up Dom's prescriptions.

Afterwards Dom and I plan to head to the church to meet Don and Juan.    We'll then carpool over to Katherine and her wife Sherry's home for their second annual get-together at their place.    They are an elderly couple that's been together for almost 20 years.   Both of them sadly have their health issues (don't we all) but they're making it work.    

So the get together starts at noon.   Katherine was mentioning that folks should carpool since space would be limited.   I messaged Juan earlier in the week and asked him about Dom and I riding with Juan and Don to the event.   He was game.   Yesterday evening he messaged me asking me what time we wanted to meet at the Church.

In my mind I was thinking I didn't want to get there too early.   Dom on the other hand was fine with arriving right at noon...*LOL*.    So we compromised and I told Juan we could meet at 1:30 PM.   

I knew I made a mistake when Juan didn't respond back.   I was thinking I hope I didn't give him an aneurysm.   I went to the restroom and felt my phone buzzing.   I had no idea why it was buzzing since it didn't flash that a call was being made.    It ended up Juan was calling me on Facebook messenger.   It's a good thing I didn't answer as I was having my nature call.

I saw Juan messaged me saying I needed to call back since the get together was starting at noon.  I was thinking great I guess they wanted to be there at noon as well.    But we compromised and agreed to meet at the Church at 12:30 PM instead of 11:30.

So as soon as I'm done with this post, I need to do some baking.  I have a zucchini that I will use to make a zucchini bread.    I made one last weekend that was so good.    The get together is a potluck so that'll be my contribution.

In dedication to my fall, I'll leave you with one of my favorite Mya songs...Fallen.

And as a bonus, let's add some Alicia Keys to the mix.   

Let's hope that falling is not my new norm anytime soon.

I'm Still Here

 It's been a week at work.   The Sev 1's were sev-ing.   And life was life-ing.    But I pushed through it.   It's funny how time is going by so quickly.    As crazy as things gets, before I know it, another week has gone by.

Hemingway this oldie but goodie clip from MadTv got me laughing extra hard.

Debra Wilson was playing Beyonce and did the most with the rendition of the music video they shot for their remake of the Bee Gee's Emotions.    It played on the fact that a lot of the focus in Destiny's Child was on Beyonce.    So many gems on this skit.   MadTv did Debra wrong not paying her worth.   She was so hilarious in all of her skits.

Another funny ass commercial that brought me back was a condom commercial for a brand called Trust.   Basically the guy in the commercial was supposedly packing so much that he needs a condom the size of a tall umbrella and proceeds to use a condom to wrap up a lady's umbrella after a rainstorm and catching the attention of many passerby's.   I think I might've blogged about the commercial before in my old blog.    Anyway...it's still hilarious more than 20 years later.

And apparently when looking at this video, there was another Trust condom commercial that came up.   It was kind of funny too but not as funny as the Trust Umbrella commercial.   The really funny part came near the end of the commercial.   Homeboy was banging though.   I was fanning myself along with the ladies and I will admit I cracked up when the second lady purposely dropped her water bottle so she could get her bottle capped with the condom as well.

With the commercials, I had to see if Trust Condoms was still in business after all these year.   They have a slick website that shows that they are.   The brand is primarily sold in various African countries.  Fun times.

Fudge Covered Chicken

 Dom and I recently completed a road trip that started in Mackinaw Island, continued into Frankenmuth, and concluded in Detroit.   Dom did mention in the past that he's always wanted to visit Mackinaw Island and Frankenmuth.   So we decided to do just that.

I went back and forth particularly over which hotel to stay at in Mackinaw City.    It's cheaper staying off the island than on the island.    Mackinaw Island's Grand Hotel for example has rooms that at minimum set you back over $1200 a night.   Maybe if Blackberry stock ever gets its act together I'll splurge on staying there.   But I'm not there yet.

So I wound up booking a room at Clarion Hotel Beachfront in Mackinaw City.   The draw to the hotel was the indoor hot tub that some of the rooms offered.   Also the hotel is off the beach which boasted a ocean side view.

The pictures made the place look appealing but the reviews did not.   Of course I didn't see all the reviews until after I booked it.   I chatted with my sister Trina who reminded me of how the hot tub jets would get grimy and lots of sludge came out of it.   She suggested I get some kind of hot tub cleaner to clean the tub prior to using it.  I tried to get a refund but it was non-refundable so I was stuck.

I took 07/18, 07/19, and 07/21 off from work to accommodate the trip.   Dom and I left Thursday mid-morning and made our way to Mackinaw City which was almost 6 hours away.   On Interstate I-196 we hit bridge construction after bridge construction.   At each point, lane travel was reduced from two lanes to one.   Of course a bunch of idiots decided to cut near the merge point.   I hate people.

Our route took us to a couple of rural back roads.   Dom was disappointed he didn't see any cows along the way though there were plenty of horses.   We finally arrived at the hotel and I quickly checked in.  Parking near our hotel building was very tight.   I managed to find one spot relatively near the building we were staying at.

We thankfully were staying on the 1st floor and I was glad there was a ramp since Dom has mobility issues now.   The room was very dated (the decor was from the 70's) and it had a very musty smell.   But we did have the ocean view.   We opened the screen door and directly by us was the beach.   We kept the door open a little bit to try and get the musty smell out.   It never really went away.

The hot tub was right next to the bed.   Originally Dom and I talked about just soaking our feet in the tub but it did not look particularly inviting.    Thankfully it was drained at least.   Also I didn't see any bugs which was a relief.

We had a lackluster dinner at a combo O'Reilly Irish Pub/Dixie Saloon.   The food was expensive and lacking in quantity and taste.   There was a family at the bar with babies and kids crying.   This is at the bar where they serve alcoholic drinks.   Needless to say if we ever make it back to Mackinaw City, we won't be going there again.

Afterwards I dropped Dom back to the hotel room while I ventured off to Mackinaw City's local casino.  It's a small casino called Odawa Casino.   There may have been 500 games in all.    It was less than a mile from the hotel so that was nice.   I didn't win any jackpots but I did like that they had some older Aristocrat games that I can't find anymore.    It was a good distraction at least.

Friday morning we just ate some snacks that we packed for our trip and then made our way to Shepler's Ferry which would take us to the island.    We just missed the current shuttle that was taking folks from the parking lot to the ship.   But it was only fifteen minutes more till the next shuttle arrived.

The ship itself had two levels, one on top and the other below.   We opted for the lower level and had our own row right at the front of the ship.   It was a quick 20 minute ride to the island.

We slowly made our way around the island, checking out random shops along the way.  I spied at least 4 different fudge shops.   Mackinaw is famous for their fudge so I knew I would have to get some and get extra for my sisters.

Dom was holding his own.  It was a bit of a walk around the island but we eventually made our way to the Grand Hotel.   It's a $12 fee per person to go into the hotel itself but they reduce the cost of the buffet by that amount.   The hotel is amazing.   There's really no words.   The buffet was excellent as well.   It was $65 per person.   Interestingly enough they're currently having a sale if you book your stay for 2026 early.   Rooms were going for $440 a night which is a huge discount from the $1200 a night.   You would have to stay in May or June when the weather may not be as nice.    Maybe it's something I'll consider for 2027.

Dom really did love the island.   He even kept saying he wouldn't mind moving there.   

We timed it pretty good for the lunch buffet since it opened at noon and we got there at 11:45 AM.   There was a lady by the door that was part of some other group that was hosting an event there.   She kept talking like she was in charge.   Another group of ladies came in as well.   Dom earlier happened to take a picture of the ladies.    We all greeted each other once more.

So they took off, unbeknownst to us, that we had to register for the brunch.    The other lady that was by the door made a mention that we may have to register.    Dom stayed at a bench while I walked by the registration which there was a small line now.   The three ladies were ahead in the line and I couldn't help but give them the side eye.     One of them b's could've said something to us.   But it was okay.    Dom and I got a great seat by the windows and we were there early enough to enjoy the buffet.

Afterwards we walked around the outside of the hotel and then we had to make our way back to where the ship docks were.   Before going there I stopped at a couple shops to get some fudge and soap.    At one of the gift shops I spied some lilac soap that smelled nice.   Apparently lilacs is a thing in Mackinaw.   

I purchased a couple soaps and a holder for ourselves.   As I was waiting at the register, I spied this hot beefy guy that was in the shop with his girlfriend/wife.    He stretched briefly and raised his massive arms.   While doing so I couldn't help but notice his sexy belly.   It briefly reminded me of a random memory I had when I was 12 or 13 and I went to Mackinaw with my grandma and our church congregation.    I remember I was playing frisbee with a couple folks.   I remember having the frisbee thrown at me and it flying over my head and landing further away.    Hemingway when I ran to get it, this sexy beefy shirtless bear picked it up and he nicely handed it to me.    It was then that I cemented my attraction to bearish guys.   Obviously I was 12 or 13 at the time so nothing was going to happen there.   But the thought made me feel things inside...LOL.   

So yeah back to present time, I was admiring the beefy guy nearby.   The cashier came out eventually and I paid for my items.    As I  was leaving, he and I exchanged glances.   If only...LOL.    But it was a nice moment.  I shared the experience with Dom who got a good chuckle out of it.

I wound up stopping at two different fudge places to get fudge for my sisters and their respective spouses.    It was then time to make our way back to the ship.    We were back in Mackinaw City and then on the road to our next stop Frankenmuth.

If we do go back again, I would probably stay at St. Ignace, which is another city off the island.  I've read that the hotels are nicer there.   I believe they even have a casino as well...LOL.

So the next hotel we stayed at was the worst of the three.   It was a Baymont in Bridgeport/Frankenmuth.    We noticed how ghetto the clientele and some of the hotel staff were.   Thankfully at least we had a room with a higher toilet seat which made it easier for Dom to get in and out of.    Next door to the hotel was a Cracker Barrel.    Dom was definitely feeling the walk from earlier and wasn't up to venturing out.   It was probably for the best since I wasn't really hungry.   Cracker Barrel was okay.

Dom was still tired the next morning when we made our way to Frankenmuth.    I really wanted us to try the chicken and suggested a place to get a light pastry to tide us over till lunch.   Dom vetoed the idea though and wanted a bigger breakfast.     We wound up going to a pizzeria that also serves breakfast called T'Dubs.   I ordered an omelet with hash browns and was disappointed that the omelet was burnt in some places and the hash browns were not memorable.    Dom was tired and just wanted to stop whereever so I went along with it.

We did see the clock show at Frankenmuth Cheese Haus and he found some blackberry jam to purchase while I bought a Dubai Chocolate bar.    It was my first time buying a Dubai Chocolate bar which is all the rage on Tik Tok.   It was $17.99 bar called V-gift Pistachio.   I did enjoy the crunch and taste of the chocolate.   But it's something I would probably buy sporadically.  

Afterwards we drove a mile to the Bronner's Christmas world.   The shop sold everything Christmas.   It was a sensory overload.   It was good to experience it once I guess.    Dom wasn't overly impressed.  

Dom did ask me if I wanted to go back and get some of the famous German chicken to go that we could have at the hotel.   I thought about it but I wasn't feeling having my car smell like chicken for several days and then eating cold chicken later.     The moment had passed. 

We drove another hour and some change to our final hotel, the Hampton Inn in Madison Heights, MI.   This one wound up being the best one of the three, with the only annoying thing being our room door bouncing back and making noises every time someone slammed the stairway door which was next to our room.    I wound up putting my bag next to the door which helped reduce the noise.

Dom was not wanting to go anywhere, opting to remain in the room.   I picked up dinner at the sports bar called Twin Peaks.   Apparently the attire of the women working there is similar to Hooter's where their boobs and butts stuck out in skimpy uniforms.   I ordered some wings and a burger for Dom which we both enjoyed.

I later went to the nearby Meijer's to get some more water, plain donuts, small salads, and a Cherry Garcia ice-cream to enjoy in the room.

Sunday morning we checked out and then I drove to Trina's place and then Tasha's.   It was good for Dom to see them since it was about three or four years since he's been.    Tasha's in-laws were in town due to Abe's Grandmother passing away at 107.   I got to interact with them and deal with some crazy but that's family for you.   

We headed back home Sunday evening.   I put about 1000 miles on my car between the various stops.   It was a pretty good trip and I'm glad Dom finally crossed two more cities off his bucket list.   

Put It In My What?

 

This post will be short and sweet.  So this random Diddy came up in a YouTube search.   The title of course gave me a double take.  According to the video, the artist name is Mimi Sinclaire.   However upon searching for the artist name, I learned there's no such artist.   Furthermore the song was generated by AI to sound like something that was sung in the 40's with the most controversial words.   I guess I should've known if homosexuality and racial equality were not the norm in the 1940's, why would I expect talk about taking a dick in the ass to be something that was sung.

This AI is fascinating and scary at the same time.   With just one image, you can make someone do something that they normally would not do or say.    But like it or not it's a part of our lives now.   I just have to continue to navigate through it and hope AI doesn't fool me into thinking something is real when it's not.

R.I.P. Big Ma

 My sister Tasha messaged Trina and I yesterday in the early morning hours to let us know that her Grandmother-In-Law, affectionately known to family as Big or Big Ma, passed away peacefully on July 11.   She lived on this Earth for 107 years which is a wonderful miracle.   As my brother-in-law Abe texted, she was living in overtime to continue to impart her love and wisdom to her family.

When I did see Big Ma periodically over the years, she always had a smile on her face and she remembered that I was Tasha's brother.   She would always talk about her life and want to be part of family discussions.   

During one of my visits at Big Ma's home one Thanksgiving (Big Ma's house is the next door over from Abe and Tasha's), I spied a photo of Big Ma along with a large group of ladies that were part of an Auxiliary group that I can't remember the name of.   Big Ma noted that she was the only remaining living person that was in the photo.   

It's wild to think she's lived through World War I (born in the tail end of it), World War II, The Civil Rights Movement, the 1967 Race Riots in Detroit, Iran Hostage Crisis, 9-11, and Covid among other major life events.   There were 19 different presidents in her lifetime.

I learned from Tasha yesterday that Big Ma moved into her final home on Tasha's actual birthdate.  That was definitely a cool fact.   Abe has three brothers and one sister but has been the primary one responsible for caring for Big Ma and his Mom who is her late 80's.   I can't even imagine the grief that Abe and his Mom are especially feeling.   His Mom had her Big Ma for more than 80 years.   I'm sure in all that time there's been ups and downs (like with any family) but it truly is a blessing to have that amount of time.   The number of memories they had together I do hope does give them a small bit of comfort in their time of grief.

The grief never completely goes away.   Even though it's been almost three years since I lost both my parents, there's not a day that goes by that I do not think of one or both of them.   They gave my sisters and I life and were present for us through the good and bad.

I like to think that among all of Big Ma's relatives that she lost over the years that my parents are among those in the big crowd that will be there to celebrate heaven's newest angel.

I do not know when the celebration of Big Ma's life will take place but it just so happened that Dom and I were planning to be in Detroit next weekend (after visiting Mackinaw Island and Frankenmuth).   It would be good if I was there to pay my last respects.   R.I.P. Big Ma.

Power Played

 I had a customer that was working my last nerve on one of my Severity 1 cases that wasn't really a Severity 1 case.     He was one of those that talked and talked and wouldn't allow me to get a word in edgewise.   Then everything I suggested he was not open to trying.   The customer's homebase was in London and I inherited the case when the customer insisted on wanting to work with an AMER engineer since the EMEA's shift was ending.

To make things worse he would not allow me to get access to review his issue deeper.   Not only that he was demanding I resolve the issue in 30 minutes and get a manager on the call as well.   This customer was definitely a piece of work.

That whole ordeal with the customer lasted nearly an hour.   I did some initial research with the limited information provided.   I spoke to the Sev1 Swarm lead and he agreed to join the next call.   So he joined the call and then he invited a friend of his to join as well.

That call ended up being for nearly two hours.   In the midst of the call, I heard a sound like a soft pop and then my work laptop shut off.   I quickly found my work android and let my swarm lead know the laptop went out and I was going to rejoin by phone.

In the meantime I struggled to get my work laptop working again.   Finally after a couple minutes I got it to come on again.   I discovered that my charger was not working at all.   I did switch back to the nightmare meeting from my phone back to my laptop.   The call finished and then knowing that I only had so much time before my battery would die, I raced to get my General Hand-Off notes together for the two Sev1's, including this nightmare on, going before it died.    This all happened on 07/02.

So when I got home, I discovered that my backup charger was not working on the one Type-C USB port but it worked on the second Type-C USB port.   Then I discovered my work charger also worked on it as well.   So I let the laptop charge for the rest of the day.

I decided I wanted to go in the office for a fourth day this week.   My original intention was that I wanted to work 4 days to get an extra banked day in case I decided I wanted to work two days in the office one week.   But with my charger issue, I decided it would be good to go in so I can work with tech support in case I had issues.   I also wanted to find out about the USB port.

So fast forward to 07/03.   I was in the middle of a team meeting (about 2 hours after I logged in for the workday) when I heard the soft pop and my laptop shut off again.   At that point I decided to meet with the tech support team.   After reviewing the issue, they concluded that the issue was with the charger.   To confirm this he tried it with a different charger and the battery charged fine.   

I was frustrated because I had bought a replacement charger in March 2024 so it only lasted about 15 months before conking out.   Tech support was suggesting I get a new charger (which tech support does not supply).   I also wanted to get a newer laptop.   Tech support mentioned that the laptop would not really be new but rather the same version of my existing laptop.   Plus they would need a valid reason for replacement.

My keyboard letters have faded into oblivion which made it difficult to see what I'm typing.   The guy working tech support was not sure if that would be a valid enough reason.   But after thinking about it, I told him that I wanted to try and get a replacement.   Even if it's not a newer laptop, my hope was that it would be a functioning laptop.

So they went through the process of putting the order replacement in.   I got a confirmation email that the replacement was in the process of being shipped.   I also decided I needed to go home since I only had so much time before the work laptop would die.

It did save me from getting any new Sev1's that day, including potentially getting that nightmarish customer again.   I looked at the case history and the customer was already demanding to speak with me since EMEA's shift was ending again and clearly was not open to the suggestions from EMEA.   I saw that another team member ended up with the customer with disastrous results.   The customer again was being overly demanding and not willing to listen to suggested workarounds.

Knowing that I didn't have much time before my laptop died again, I decided to head back home.  I stopped at a local restaurant a few blocks from our home and ordered lunch for Dom and I.   I got home just before my team meeting.

In the end I was pretty much dead in the water without my laptop.   My manager suggested I just take the rest of the day off.   I decided also to order a new charger for the work laptop even though the replacement should be coming as well.  I want to see if I can at least get a charger that will work again.

Then as if to add insult to injury, my charger on my personal laptop decides to act up as well.   So I basically have to order another replacement cord for that one as well.   Luckily my backup charger actually works for my personal one.   So that's what I'm using until my replacement charger comes in. 

Both chargers are out for delivery and are expected to arrive sometime today.   You got to love technology.