Kevin's Ramblings…

Another Sunday … AFC and NFC title games on this afternoon and evening…

So, it is the New York Jets @ the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC title game. I’ll take Indy, big time. I am very surprised that the Jets were able to beat San Diego last week, but, San Diego always seem to find a way to lose in the playoffs. Indy 28-10.

In the NFC it is the Minnesota Vikings @ the New Orleans Saints. Brett Favre should have stayed retired. After one retirement, I can accept him coming back but then he retires again… Both times all teary eyed… Give it up… Anyway, I don’t think that the Vikings stand a chance against New Orleans – this is their year. I’ll take New Orleans also big over the Vikings – 45-21.

Who knows – guess we will have to wait and see eh. An update on this later tonight.

Update – 5:46, Monday, January 25

Well, perhaps my predictions on the scores were a bit off but BOTH teams that I thought would win did win, so there. Made myself a little something extra on the Saints win – that was a really good game. I feel so bad for Favre (OK, that is DRIPPING with sarcasm). Perhaps now he’ll retire – for good…

So, Indy vs. New Orleans – I will take Indy to win the Super Bowl.

Well, twas a good Friday and Saturday – for the most part…

Went and picked up my toy on Friday morning.  I was like a kid the night before Christmas…  Well, that’s not exactly true because I slept well – kids don’t tend to sleep well on Christmas Eve (or at least I didn’t).

So, I go to pick it up, no issues, no problems – imagine that eh…  Great purchase, I am so happy.  🙂

RV and FI get to my place shortly after 1pm and we head for Toronto.  First stop, the RV show.  The second RV in this paragraph refers to Recreational Vehicle – the first refers to a person (just to clarify).

I found a couple of trailers that fit into my criteria …

1. Can be towed by my Jeep
2. Have a shower/fridge/stove/couch
3. Can be parked in my driveway easily
4. Are under $15000

I think I will look for something used and the cheaper the better I guess.  I need something with a “dry weight” around 2000lbs…  Tough to find what I am looking for, but I did see a few.  I will have to go through the pamphlets and make some sort of decision…

We hit Boston Pizza for dinner after the RV show.  I tried their chili with a side of fries and a caesar salad.  It was all pretty good but not really enough for a dinner…

The Best Ever Clinic was good, well, the exhibitors were good, much better than previous years.  There were a lot of deals to be had and we took advantage of many of them.

I played a great baseball card game invented by two Montrealers – excellent job guys.  It involves strategy and a bit of luck, quite a good game.  I had to buy one, they signed the board for me – cool.  I picked up an electronic pitch count and a dry-erase clip board.  Got a Team Canada baseball jacket as well – pretty good haul…

Woke up WAY too early this morning.  I don’t sleep well in hotels…  I hit the pool for 40 minutes or so, had it to muself for most of that time.  Had a quick dip in the hot tub and then a stint in the sauna…  We were staying at the Holiday Inn on Dixon Road in TO – one might think that there would be a Starbucks or two within walking distance of the hotel.  Nope…  Not at all…  According to my GPS, the closest one was 18km away…  Oh well – really felt like a vanilla latte so I didn’t have a choice – off I went.

Breakfast was @ Perkins, their menu has really improved.  More wheeling and dealing with the exhibitors, another game of that card baseball and before I knew it, lunch time had arrived.  DV showed up, we loaded what we ordered into our cars – most of the balls, etc., have been purchased at a great discount…

Montana’s for lunch was good – nachos…  We tried their new donuts for dessert, AMAZING.  I don’t want to know how bad they are for you but wow, did they ever hit the spot.

We cut out of Toronto a bit early on Saturday – I did some more shopping in the afternoon and had a demo of a great mini-scoreboard I’ll call it – I think I will pick one up.  I also had a “tour” of a web-site service that I am going to suggest SCMBA switch to.  Excellent site indeed.

Good ride home – had some trouble keeping my speed down with the new “buggy”…

Nothing happening tonight, I am too tired to do anything but watch some TV (The Green Mile) and type out a blog entry.  Nothing going tomorrow – going to relax…

Well, today was an interesting day. Started out early, needed to pick up coffee supplies for work and then head out to deliver a PC for 8am. So, I stop at Avondale for cream. Typically, Avondale is one of the last stores that I would shop at, everything is expensive – except for cream… I head over to work and while passing the Tim Horton’s, a woman (big surprise there) is coming out of the drive through and she doesn’t bother to check to see if anyone that perhaps has the right of way is coming, she just goes… Slam on the brakes, hammer the horn and flip the old middle finger – she waves in her rear view mirror like, oh, I’m sorry, I was eating my donut and drinking my coffee – I didn’t see you. You know what you fat-assed lazy chick with the custom plates, put the damn donut down and learn to F-ING drive…

I get to work, drop off the cream and pick up the PC – it is 7:50am… Heading out, driving down a side street and on one of the other side streets that meets mine (I have the right of way again), another F-ING woman driver doesn’t slow down, comes 1/2 way onto the street trying to turn directly in my path… Slam on the brakes again – the computer that I am about to deliver slides off of the front seat onto the floor… No idea what her excuse was – didn’t have her coffee perhaps? Likely on her way to Tims…

Deliver the PC – no issues – imagine that…

I go and pick up some coffee – we are out of that too… Didn’t want to get coffee at Avondale, too expensive for that. Head back to the office – busy, busy, busy day…

I get an email or perhaps it was a call from RZ. He has tried to register my plates – no go – I owe $160 and change… For what I ask… 407. This is for KEVSJEEP. I have only had my Jeep on the 407 to my knowledge ONCE. Yes, that’s right, once. $163? Please… So, I zip over to the MTO, nothing that they can do – I have to pay for it and then fight the 407… Wow, that’ll be fun. First of all, why did the Provincial Government (damn Liberals) sell the 407 in the first place and secondly, why are they allowed to suspend licenses for those of us who decide not to pay their insanely high tolls… Anyway, I guess I’ll pay and fight…

One piece of good news… I receive a letter in the mail – when it this EVER good news? Well, this time it is… Way back in November or December 2008 I brought a full page of the Toronto Star into them to have it “plaqued”. It was a double colour print of the Men’s and Women’s Gold Medal Hockey from the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City. I had totally forgotten about it until they sent me a letter… My phone number had changed so, after more than a year they decided to mail me – good decision on their part…

Anyway, when all of this started I decided to take the afternoon off of work. I was done at noon. Made for a nicer afternoon…

WB and I went to Ft. Erie to pick up my new (used) desk for the office. I plan on getting back into supporting people’s PC’s and what not at home to make some extra $$$… Sounds like a good idea to me anyway – we’ll see…

Yesterday was Bill’s 40th birthday. I decided to take him out for dinner. I called CR and invited him – he actually agreed to come – amazing… Bill calls me this afternoon. CR has backed out. Figured as much anyway… Well, Bill was persistent and convinced CR to come out. We went to MT Bellies in Welland. Good food, S—L—O—W service – we waited FOREVER…

On the way home, Bill and I decide to stop @ Wal-Mart on 4th Ave… We are standing in line at the express line, there is only one cashier open. There are 3 of us in line at this point. This guy comes up, walks by all of us and stands right at the cashier. I make a comment to Bill and the guy behind us says that he thinks this guy is with the people already at the front – I don’t think so…

So, I go up there and make a comment that some people might wait in line as opposed to making their way right to the front. He comes back with some line like, “I’m not stupid, why would I wait in line?”… What? Excuse me?

I send a few well placed insults his way – he isn’t about to start anything, there are two of us and only one short, fat Italian on his side… Some people…

Well, it is nearly 10:30… I am hitting the sack – off work tomorrow and going to pick up my new toy and then head to Toronto for the RV show on Friday afternoon and then the Best Ever Clinic for Friday evening and Saturday. I am going to skip hitting TO again on Sunday, lots to do around here.

An interesting day to be sure. Later… 🙂

Well, what do you think of this? It is a 2006 Grand Prix GT. Very nice car, or as RS said, and I quote, “that’s a nice little buggy”…

I’ve gotten a new toy – what the heck… I like toys, some of them seem to be pretty pricey, but, what the heck eh?

Delivery is this Friday in the morning. I will be able to drive it to Toronto for the weekend.

So, it is fully loaded, heated leather seats, dual climate control, 6CD in dash changer, power everything, power moon roof … There are no options that I could get on it… 240HP, likely too much for me… I am going to have my KRD21 plated put on it – very cool. Mine will have tinted windows but I won’t be able to have the tinting done prior to delivery. Cars look much better with tinting – in my humble (or not so humble) opinion…

Should be fun… 🙂

What a busy week at work it has been… Monday was busy enough, Tuesday was busier and tomorrow is going to be insane… Oh well, the days are zipping by at the speed of light.

I was supposed to go to two meetings tonight. The first was at 6pm was with Big Brothers. I called and cancelled that meeting. I will have to reschedule it for another time. It will delay getting a “little brother” but that’s OK – I needed a break in the day.

My second meeting is a baseball meeting. I don’t typically miss baseball meetings and tonight will be no exception. RS will be set as our Secretary. I think that she will enjoy the job and she will do a good job as well I am sure. She has already done a fair amount as a favour to me so that is great. She is the best !!!

I applied for a loan today for a 2006 Grand Prix GT. By the sounds of it, I will get the loan. SR says that my credit rating is about the same as what it was 2.5 years ago when I last applied for one. Seeing as I would have the Jeep to use as collateral and the new vehicle as well, it shouldn’t be an issue.

This leads to another question really… Is there something wrong with me? Why do I need two vehicles? Well, I don’t really, I want a second one… I love the Jeep and will keep it for ages but having something that will be a bit better on long highway drives will be nice. I really regret selling the Grand AM – kick myself in the ass when I think about that… Can’t undo history though, can I?

Besides, what am I going to do with the extra income? I don’t plan on having children to leave it to… The rest of my family will likely be dead when I go – if all works out, you know… They are older than I am after all… So, I figure I might as well own some cool stuff while I am here.

Well, gotta get ready for the meeting, have a few things to do. Have a good night.

A busy Monday it was. OK, I’ll admit it, that was Yoda Speak. I like speaking like Yoda so leave me alone about it.

Anyway, work went by rather quickly – I was busy, lots going on, lots to do… It is typically busy this time of year with new hardware going out, etc… Makes the days go by, that’s for sure.

Going to take a look at a car tonight – 2006 Grand Prix GTP. Not quite what I wanted, I was looking for a 2003 Grand AM GT – I’ll see if I like it though. It is fully loaded and not too expensive… We’ll see…

Don’t get me wrong, I love my Jeep and will NOT be getting rid of it. I am just sorry that I got rid of my Grand AM and RZ has found something that I might like – worth a look anyway…

I am getting a second desk for my office on Wednesday evening. I have decided that I am going to start doing some computer work on the side – my current office doesn’t really have the room so a second desk will be a great addition.

I have done this sort of thing before and there is a LOT of money to be made on repairing Windows issues, viruses, spyware … It is easy to do (for the most part) and I can make some good income while doing it.

Anyway, I am off t0 Niagara Motors. Later 🙂

UPDATE 19:55

Well, I took the 2006 Grand Prix out for a test drive – very nice. I think it seems a little expensive. Mind you, it only has 52,000 km on it, not too bad at all. They want $12,500 for it, just over $14k with taxes, license, all that extra crap…

I am going to think about it. Unlike other times when I would have just gone with it and would be getting it tomorrow. They will throw in the tinted windows – no charge.

We’ll see… 🙂

Watching the Dallas @ Minnesota game. I hate Dallas, I really do. I hate the star on their helmets. I hate their owner who likes to be on the sidelines like he is one of the players – you’re not, you’re the owner, stay in your box – I am sure that the players and more importantly the coaches don’t want you there. I hate the QB – Romo, he’s gay (not that there is anything wrong with that). I hate their new stadium … I am happy that they will lose this game and that their season will be over. I mostly hate them because they defeated my Bills TWICE in the 90’s. That was a long time ago, but I haven’t forgotten…

Anyway, the Vikings are winning – that’s good I guess. Favre should have stayed retired the first time he retired… Not that he isn’t doing well, he is, but, once you retire, all teary eyed, just retire. Go and garden or be a colour analyst with Fox or something but stay retired.

It doesn’t really matter who wins this game though – next week, the winner is going to hit a wall, also known as the New Orleans Saints. My friend Linc will like that. The Saints will destroy whoever they play next week – I am sure of that…

So, good thing that the Cowboys (what a gay name too) are out this week. Next week, Favre will be out – will he retire again? Probably… Will he stay retired? Who knows – we’ll find out sooner or later…

On the AFC side – who cares… My team is the Bills – they’ve been out since week 5 or so… I hate Miami – they are out, good. Who’s left… New York Jets? I don’t think so – they will be defeated by San Diego shortly. Then we have Indy… So, next week it’ll likely be San Diego @ Indy – good one. Indy on top of that contest for sure.

The Pro-Bowl was moved to the week before the Super Bowl. Not a bad idea except what player who is in the Super Bowl will take a change of being injured and play? None would be my guess… The Pro Bowl always was a sissy game anyway, touch-tackle football I’d say – can’t blame them though…

So, Super Bowl will be Indy @ New Orleans (or is it New Orleans @ Indy). Should be a good one. I predict Indy 14, New Orleans 10. Maybe I will have a small Super Bowl party this year – maybe I won’t. It will be better to go somewhere for that I guess…

Anyway, those are my predictions. I’ll check back later tonight to see if I am correct on the one game that hasn’t been played yet today. Until then…

UPDATE – 21:02

Well, well, well… Somehow the New York Jets pulled off an upset that I don’t think too many football fans (other than New Yorkers perhaps) would have predicted… I didn’t think they would either, but, San Diego seems to have a special way of finding new ways to lose in the play-offs…

I am sure that this upset cost the odds-makers some money. My neighbour lost a bundle as that was the only game he didn’t win…

I’ve made my predictions for next weekend – let’s see how I do…

Well, the office is officially done. I have re-organized it and cleaned it up. Done, like dinner. 🙂 It took long enough – I think I planned it in December or so (early December too). Oh well – so what – I procrastinate. Big deal.

I got up early today – too early… It was around 5am or so. Got lots done so it was worth it. Went out for breakfast with Sister Joan and Brother Dave. That was my dose of religion for the week 😉

Watched a little TV, will watch some football, will have a nap. That’s the plan and I’ll stick to it.

I’ll have another item to check off on that to-do list. I’ll update it later this week – I might be able to finish the list off before the end of the month – wouldn’t that be something?