Anything You Might Have Done

by Jeff W Posted on April 20, 2009


I always chuckle AND bristle a bit when I get this screen. “..and anything you might have done that may have caused the error.” Um, yeah…all I did was CLICK ON THE LINK TO YOUR SITE!

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United Airlines To Charge Overweight People For 2 Seats

by Jeff W Posted on April 20, 2009

Airlines make the seats smaller (17″ to 18″ wide) and closer together so they can cram more of them into the aircraft and thus have more paying customers on any given flight, THEN say if you can’t fit into one of our ridiculously small seats, we’ll charge you for two. Oh, and we’re only doing this because of the high number (almost 800) of complaints we’ve received from other passengers.

Hmmmmm, strangely enough they haven’t bothered to respond to the THOUSANDS of complaints they have received about extra baggage charges, snack charges, scheduling changes, flight cancellations and generally poor service across the board. They’ve only responded to the complaints that they can turn into a revenue stream for the airline. Hmmmmm.

Now, I fly quite a bit. I myself am a large person (6’4″ and 260 pounds), but I’m always careful to not intrude on a seat mate’s space because I know I don’t like my space being intruded into. My travel agent knows that my preference is to sit in an exit row window seat, if for no other reason than it gives me a bit more leg room, and they always try to book such a seat for me when possible. On any given flight I’d rather be mashed up against the window than hanging out into the aisle to be pummeled by flight attendants, people walking the aisles and drink carts

I HAVE sat next to people, both large and not, who “flow” into my seat space. Yes, it’s aggravating. But even more aggravating are the loud talkers, the screaming kids, the people who don’t control their kids, the people who kick the back of my seat, the people who recline their seat back into my space, the people who bring their surfboards, skis and golf clubs on board as carry-on luggage and the flight attendants who will do nothing about any of the above. Can we charge all of them extra as well?

I thought not.

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Posted in Travel | Comments Off on United Airlines To Charge Overweight People For 2 Seats

Sidecar Sideshow

by Jeff W Posted on April 18, 2009

I just thought this was amusing.

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Posted in Humor | 1 Comment

Thoughts On Wallpaper

by Jeff W Posted on April 18, 2009

Can I just say I hate wallpaper? Not the nice digital kind you find on your computer monitor, but the awful, creepy, horrible kind you find on the walls of your home.

Cindy and I have been saying for 12 1/2 years that we were going to remove the wallpaper that the previous owners had hung in the guest bathroom. We never liked the pattern or even HAVING wallpaper on the walls. But that’s all we did for 12 1/2 years; talk about it, threaten to do it, think about doing it and plan to do it.

Today all the talking, threatening, thinking and planning came to an end. Since we are on sort of an accelerated schedule for trying to get the house ready to put it on the market, my “honey do” list has grown and the need to finish it has become more imminent. A couple of weeks ago while home, I built and hung new doors on our storage shed. Yesterday I painted them and worked on replacing the fan blades on the ceiling fan in our bedroom. And we’ve had two separate contractors come out and offer estimates on the projects that I either do not have the knowledge and/or tools to complete successfully. But we’re trying to do all that we can ourselves to economize the process.

In all my life I have never hung or removed, until today, wallpaper. Cindy and I took a crash course via the Internet and a “wallpaper removal” kit sold at Lowe’s. We started early this morning and finally had to stop when I broke the scorer that is used to perforate the paper so that the glue dissolving liquid you spray on it can soak through. We were probably 3/4 of the way through the paper removal process when that happened, so I already know how I’ll be spending part of Saturday.

Part of what made the removal so difficult is that the previous owners never bothered to prime the drywall before gluing the wallpaper. That means that once I’ve completely finished removing the paper and scraping the drywall of leftover glue and paper, I’ll have to do some patching before we can actually paint the damn walls.

Thanks, you lazy b@$t@rd$! I hate you and your wallpaper! LOL

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Posted in Personal | 2 Comments

Ovation TV

by Jeff W Posted on April 17, 2009

If you have Ovation TV available on your cable system, you should definitely avail yourself of the excellent content this channel dedicated to the Fine Arts offers to viewers. Programming is dedicated to Art, Music, Opera, Dance and Film. This week features documentaries and profiles revolving around photography and photographers, which is of particular interest to me.

Watching how great photographers of the past and present practice their art and hone their skills has been informative and inspiring, Listening to them express and explain the philosophy behind their process is enlightening and helps me understand my own feelings when framing a shot, coloring a photo or cropping a view.

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Posted in Photography, TV | 1 Comment

Alex, I’ll Take $1.99 FTW

by Jeff W Posted on April 16, 2009

Over at The Consumerist (one of my favorite RSS feeds, btw) they have a fun feature called “How Much Is…?” with photos from consumers of confusing retail pricing signage.

As you can see, those seeking relief from their halitosis would end up more confused than a democrat at yesterday’s “tea parties.”

Seriously though, for some excellent consumer advice and alerts, The Consumerist is a great online resource.

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Posted in Humor | Comments Off on Alex, I’ll Take $1.99 FTW

Top 10 Most Inspirational Books

by Jeff W Posted on April 16, 2009

Well, at least according to a UK research/polling company. Below is the list of books their research and polls determined to be the most inspirational. Not sure I agree with all their results (though I have not read numbers 3, 7 and 8), but I suppose that may depend on how you define “inspirational.” What do you think?

1. To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee (1960)

2. The Bible

3. A Child Called It – Dave Pelzer (2001)

4. Men are from mars, Women are from Venus – John Gray (1993)

5. Diary of Anne Frank – Anne Frank (1947)

6. 1984 – George Orwell (1949)

7. A Long Walk to Freedom – Nelson Mandela (2002)

8. The Beach – Alex Garland (1994)

9. The Time Traveler’s Wife – Audrey Niffenegger (2005)

10. The Catcher in the Rye – J D Salinger (1951)

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Sunrise On The Beach

by Jeff W Posted on April 15, 2009

After enjoying the day at KSC, we left around 3:30 in the afternoon and made our way north up I-95 for the second part of my anniversary surprise for Cindy. I had reserved a hotel room on the beach at Daytona Beach Shores for Monday night so that we could wake up Tuesday morning and watch the sunrise from the beach, something Cindy LOVES to do. Here’s a picture from our balcony that afternoon.

After getting our room and showering, we went to dinner at a nice Italian restaurant across the street from the hotel and then took a walk along the beach, hand in hand, in the darkness of the evening. After such a full day, we slept like babies that night.

We had set our alarm to get us up about 30 minutes before sunrise so that we would have time to get dressed, get our cameras and walk down to the beach and be there before the sun began to come up across the water. We each took hundreds of photos. One of mine is below and I have uploaded others to my Flickr page.

I was happy that I got to surprise Cindy for our anniversary and even happier that she enjoyed what I had planned as a celebration of our marriage.

Thanks again, baby, for the best 12 years of my life.

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Posted in Anniversary, Personal, Photography | 1 Comment

“Ground Control To Major Tom”

by Jeff W Posted on April 14, 2009

On Monday, March 30, 2009 I took Cindy to the Kennedy Space Center as part of a surprise for our 12th wedding anniversary. Cindy and I had both been to KSC before we met and were married, but not once had we been together to enjoy the center of our country’s space program. It was time to remedy that and I’m glad to say Cindy was pleasantly surprised to find out what our secret destination was on that Monday morning.

Beginning at the Visitors Complex, we had a very enjoyable tour. Here is one of the many photos I took that day and I have uploaded the best ones to my Flickr page.

But the Kennedy Space Center wasn’t the only surprise for Cindy that day. Check back tomorrow for the other surprise I had in store for her on our anniversary.

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Posted in Kennedy Space Center, Personal, Photography | Comments Off on “Ground Control To Major Tom”

Easter Photos On Flickr

by Jeff W Posted on April 14, 2009

I went through the Easter pics from yesterday and uploaded the best to Flickr.

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Posted in Holidays, Photography | Comments Off on Easter Photos On Flickr

Easter In Orlando

by Jeff W Posted on April 13, 2009

Well, we pretty much finished up the preliminary work we were doing in Valdosta and southern Georgia, so I was able to come home to Orlando Saturday morning. I left Valdosta at 4:30am and arrived in Orlando in time to surprise Cindy and her parents as they were meeting for breakfast at Cracker Barrel. I loved the look of shock and then pleasure on their faces, lol.

I got to see the same look on my daughter’s face when she walked into the family dinner at Cindy’s parents’ house this afternoon, since I had been careful not to post anything on this blog (she doesn’t follow me on Twitter or Facebook) that would clue her in that I was home. It looks like I’ll be going back to Georgia later this week.

We had a wonderful dinner prepared by Jeremy and Wendy (2 days of cooking and preparing!) and great visits with most of the rest of the family (Jason, Mikey and Steve weren’t able to come) but of course the best part of the day for me was watching my 3 year-old granddaughter Heather hunt for Easter eggs and playing in the garden.

Here’s one of my favorite shots, where she’s reaching for an egg hidden at the top of the arbor. I hope to have all the Easter photos uploaded to Flickr tomorrow.

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Posted in Holidays, Orlando, Photography | 3 Comments

Thoughts From Georgia

by Jeff W Posted on April 12, 2009

Georgia women really DO talk like Deputy Chief Brenda Johnson on “The Closer”, thank yew.

I knew Georgia was famous for its peanuts, pecans and peaches (the fruit, not the women), but what I DIDN’T know was that they are also known for their blueberry crops.

People in Georgia really ARE the epitome of Southern Hospitality.

Georgia “Good ole’ boys” really ARE.

When I arrived in Kentucky in February the local radio station played “Cold Kentucky Rain” by Elvis. While driving down a dirt road the other day outside Valdosta, the Ray Charles song “Georgia” was played. I’m sensing a trend.

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Wetherington Lane

by Jeff W Posted on April 11, 2009

Driving to meet a congressman at a damage assessment this morning in Valdosta, I came upon something that made me stop to take a photo of it. I mean look at it, wouldn’t YOU have made the congressman wait if you were me and you saw this?

Wetherington Lane…I like the sound of that.

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Posted in Georgia, Personal, Photography, Valdosta | 1 Comment

And Then There Was One…

by Jeff W Posted on April 10, 2009

Last week while I was home for a few days, Cindy and I followed the next step in “The North Carolina Project” and did some car trading.

We knew, from painful experience, that we will need a 4WD vehicle to navigate the mountain roads. We also knew that we will need either a small truck or a small 4WD SUV so that Cindy will be able to cart her candles and incense around to various craft shows, farmer’s markets and businesses in the mountains.

For a while now we have had a truck that I drive when I am home and a small, fuel-efficient car that Cindy drives back and forth to work every day. With me being gone more and more, the truck was just sitting in the driveway costing us insurance coverage money 6 days a week and the monthly loan payment. Cindy would use it on Sundays to take her wares to the Eola Market, but otherwise it would sit idle a great deal of the time.

We have also been taking steps to reduce our monthly expenditures so that we would be able to put money toward our cabin construction loan. Given the above facts, it seemed obvious that we could accomplish some savings by having just one vehicle loan payment and our insurance costs would be reduced as well.

So, last Friday we traded in both the truck and the car for a 2008 Kia Sportage. It has the 4WD power we need, as well as the cargo space Cindy will require, with the small environmental impact that we want.




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Posted in North Carolina, Personal | 1 Comment

Hello, Operator…?

by Jeff W Posted on April 9, 2009

OK, had an EXTREMELY busy day traveling around parts of southern Georgia (300 miles on the rental car), escorting folks on damage assessment outings and various meetings. I am very tired and have another day of more tomorrow, so this will be short.

BUT, I HAD to share this with you. One of my meetings was at a local emergency services building and when we arrived I was in desperate need of the “facilities”, if you get my meaning. I hurriedly stepped into the restroom to find this:

Yes, that is a working multi-line phone in the bathroom stall above the toilet paper dispenser.

I didn’t ask.

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Posted in Georgia, Humor | 2 Comments

Hello, Valdosta!

by Jeff W Posted on April 8, 2009

Monday night at 6:50pm I got a call from my employer directing me to rent a car and be in Valdosta, Georgia this morning (Tuesday) at 8:30am.

What followed was a whirlwind of activity culminating in 3 hours of sleep and an early morning drive up Florida’s Turnpike and I-75 to the “Azalea City” and most of the rest of the day driving around the city with damage assessment teams in the morning and with congressional VIP’s and City officials in the afternoon.

The olfactory highlight of the day was a tour of the wastewater treatment plant that city workers and volunteers heroically and successfully (for the most part) managed to save from flood waters over a 4 day period last week. Their unselfish work averted even more serious problems that would have arisen for at least half of the city population. Kudos to all.

The saddest part of the day was touring homes and neighborhoods that were flooded, some with the water reaching the eaves of the houses and consequently damaging not only the physical structure but the lives of those within.


NOTE: This is a cellphone photo and thus not the best quality, but I was trying to be unobtrusive and considerate of those who had suffered through this flood.

Thankfully, throughout all this, no one was injured and no lives have been lost. But the impact will be felt for a long time.

I am tired so it is off to bed. I have an early morning drive to Thomasville for an 8am meeting and it will take an hour to get there, according to GoogleMaps.

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Posted in Flood, Georgia, Travel, Valdosta | 3 Comments

The Father Of Our Country

by Jeff W Posted on April 6, 2009

I’m in a sharing mood.

Here’s something almost no one knows about me.

When I was in elementary school I was cast as George Washington in a play our class was performing about the Father of our Country. My life as an actor was cut short when, even after my parents had purchased the appropriate “costume” for me to wear and I had memorized all my lines, the school inexplicably canceled the play.

I could have been a star!

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Posted in Personal | 2 Comments

A Busy Saturday

by Jeff W Posted on April 4, 2009

We began the day with a nice breakfast at Cracker Barrel with Cindy’s mom and dad, then over to Jeremy and Wendy’s to see the wedding event photos/DVD and pick up the souvenirs they brought us from London.

Back home we spent most of the rest of the afternoon tearing down the special table I had made for Cindy a couple years ago to make her candles on and cleaning/rearranging the area in preparation for getting the house on the market later this year.

Now we’re on our way out the door for an early dinner in downtown Orlando and then over to the Arena to enjoy the Celtic Woman concert, compliments of Jeremy and Wendy who bought the tickets as an early Mother’s Day gift for Cindy.

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Posted in Music, Personal | Comments Off on A Busy Saturday

Irrefutable Logic

by Jeff W Posted on April 4, 2009

I am nobody.

Nobody is perfect.

Therefore, I am perfect.

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Posted in Humor, Personal | Comments Off on Irrefutable Logic

World Autism Awareness Day

by Jeff W Posted on April 2, 2009

Back in November of 2007, the United Nations passed a resolution declaring April 2nd of each year beginning in 2008 to be observed as World Autism Awareness Day. The resolution seeks to promote early diagnosis, early intervention and necessary services for individuals affected by Autism Spectrum.

That day is today, the second World Autism Awareness Day to be observed around the globe. In addition, all of April is Autism Awareness Month.

The more awareness of autism, the better chance there is of understanding and developing even more educational breakthroughs to assist those who are affected by it and their loved ones.

So observe World Autism Awareness Day and Autism Awareness Month in your own way. Educate yourself further, make a donation to an autism charity, or if you see someone wearing an autism pin, stop a moment and talk to them. I’m sure they’ll be happy to share their story or knowledge they have.

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