Some housekeeping….

Tomorrow I leave out for 9 weeks of training in Indianapolis, Indiana. I am, as I have noted, going “over the road” to drive truck once again. Because I do not have any verifiable work experience available; I will have to go through the full trucking school again. I am not complaining as I need to really brush up on my skills a bit. I’ve been away from driving truck for 9 years.

I will not be taking my laptop, due to baggage concerns. I will have my Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphone. I really wanted to take the laptop; but Greyhound’s baggage policy is just too restrictive.

So, until I am able to return for my laptop, I will be putting the blog in full moderation mode.

Posting will be limited, mostly to pictures of my travels across the Country. I might try and sneak in a link or two to something that catches my eye.

For now, I will be going silent. Wish me luck and your prayers are much appreciated.

Tomorrow is a new dawn and a new chapter is this old fogey’s life.

 

Family News: Dad is in the hospital

I just thought I would tell my readers that read here all the time. My Father is in the hospital with his hip. For a while now, my Father has had problems with his hip and his leg. The pain, up till last night; has been bad but manageable. Well, last night, Dad’s pain took a turn for the worse.

Dad had been up at a family camping and fishing trip with my uncle and cousins. For the all of that trip, my Dad was in horrible pain; and last night my Father took all he could take and told me to take him to the hospital. I ended up staying at the hospital all night long. Needless to say, I will quite rough. I got some sleep here for a few hours thankfully, but I will be tired by this evening, I can tell you that.

What I can tell you is this; so far, the Doctor’s have found no blockages in his legs at all. So, they are running a battery of more tests to see if it is a pinched nerve or what. I will tell you this; seeing my poor 67-year-old Father literally crying in pain and agony, rips my heart out. đŸ˜„ Mainly, because there is nothing that I can really do about the pain or even make it stop.

I know I was telling about my plans to go back to driving truck and how my little health issues delayed my getting back in the truck. Well, those are solved, for now at least. But, due to my Father’s issues, my plans on getting back into the truck are on hold for the time being. Until my Dad is pain-free and can get around like he could before; I will not be getting back into the truck. My motto is this: Family First, Career Second.

I will keep you posted on my Dad, I promise you all that. But now, I got to get to the hospital to see my Dad here shortly.

Prayers for my Dad, my Mom and for me.

Thanks,

-Patrick

Health Update

I wrote about this already once. But, I thought I would give my readers an update on my situation.

It is officially official: I have diabetes and high blood pressure. đŸ˜„

Here is the picture that officially declares my days of ” Work Hard, Live Fast, Die Hard and Leave a good looking corpse.” over for good:

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On a more positive note: I have been cleared by my doctor to go drive truck. I will just have to eat three square, sensible meals a day. I have to, of course, cut down on portions. ( 🙁  ) I already drink diet soda; so, I am covered there. I will be going on Tuesday, after the holiday here and getting my note to take back to the clinic, which will get me my DOT card; and then, I have to go down to the Secretary of State and get my license switched back to Interstate from Intrastate. THEN, I will be, hopefully, calling this company and getting a bus ticket out to the training school/main terminal.

Then, I will be there for a week of classroom and driver orientation and then a driving evaluation; and then out with a trainer for 4-5 weeks. Could be more, could be less, depending on how I do. I am, needless to say, praying that I do well and get my truck quickly. I am not naming the company for some very obvious reasons. I still have political enemies and because of a particular group of internet trolls who like to get people fired from jobs.  I will not elaborate on that bunch, except to say that, seeing I am getting back to work; I am going to be speaking with a lawyer and getting that posting about me taken down. I hope they’re reading here; because I am very serious about that.

Also too, and I was thinking of doing another posting, but I will just say it here. After this weekend, this blog will be going silent for a few weeks. I will not have a smartphone to post from. There is a boost phone that I want to buy, but at this time, I cannot afford it, and the only phone I will be taking, is a cheap phone that my mom used to use, before she got her new one. She offered to activate that one, until I can afford to buy my cellphone. I will be taking my laptop and might look into buying WiFi service from the truck stops that I will be stopping at. But, for the first few weeks, internet access won’t be happening, unless I get lucky and it is offered for free at the motel where I will be staying. I would like to get an Galaxy S4, which is a really nice phone. However, I do not want to get locked into a stupid two year contract. So, I am most likely getting this one here, because of the “hotspot” feature.

In conclusion: Pray for me, much. I just want to make it, and do well in life; like my Father did back in 1967 — when he left Middlesboro, Kentucky and came to Detroit looking for a better life.  I want to prove the naysayers wrong. I want to prove to myself, my family and my enemies that I can truly do all things through Christ, which strengthens me.

Pictures and video will come. Soon. I do promise you all that. But, for now. I have to go silent.

 

 

Health issues preventing me from going back to work

Believe it not….

Yes, I had to do this today….

As I wrote awhile back, I have wanted to go back into driving truck for a living. Well, I went today for my DOT physical and I got a bit of a surprise. I had sugar in my urine. So, I had to stab my finger and check my blood. My blood sugar was 275, DOT rules say nothing over 200. My Blood pressure was 160 over 100. For DOT regs, it must be no more than 140/90.

I was wondering why I was having headaches here as of late. I found my answer —- blood pressure. 🙄

Needless to say, I have a doctor’s appointment coming up next Wednesday at 2:00pm. As I have to see what on earth is going on here. I guess sitting around for 10 years doing nothing but writing has taken its toll on the ol’ body here. One thing I will mention, Diabetes does run on both sides of my family. I was hoping it would skip over me; I guess it is what they say, hope floats. 🙄

So, my DOT thing is on hold, till I can either get this under control or something.

Also too, full disclosure with me here: I went online today and applied for STATE medical insurance help.  I won’t take federal, unless I absolutely HAVE TO do it. But, now; I will be blunt with everyone: This sugar in the blood and high blood pressure stuff is NOT anything to play around with and I am not getting any younger.

So, honestly, I do not give two flips where it is coming from. I want to live and be healthy. So, at the point, politics is not in my realm of view at the moment. Sorry, but I am not dying young, just so I can say, “Screw the Government!” Why I see it, if the Republicans think that my dying young is somehow or another preserving some sort of freedom, then they can just go jump in the lake and I will call myself a Democrat again. I did not like Obama, for many reasons. His wanting to help people, like me, be taken care of, was not one of them. I am not much into “Mob Rule” at all, but I am not dying so some wealthy Republican can feel good about himself. If you know what I mean and I think you do! 😀

Anyhow, I will everyone posted on this. Needless to say, this was a huge shock to me. The last time I took a DOT physical, I passed with flying colors —- this was in 2003, 10 years later and now this; it sickens me a bit. For years, I was the epitome of health and now….this. 🙁 It was not the way I thought my life would turn out, that is for sure.

Continue reading “Health issues preventing me from going back to work”

I’ve decided to make some changes

I’ve noticed that when I post pictures of babes, and gun videos. The hits on this blog go through the roof. So, I am going to make a change. I am going to start posting pictures of babes and Gun videos more and not just once a day.

Of course, I will continue to post political opinion too. But, it will be babe phone, gun video, politics in that order.

Anything to get traffic up around here.

Oh, I will still be posting the Christian videos; I am sure someone is going to call me a hypocrite for that; I got two words. Screw ’em.  😡 They’re not signing my checks. As for someone getting all judgemental, who is not a Christian; I got one thing to say, Matthew 7:1-2

So, that’s what I am doing.

About the new name

First of all, I want to assure my readers that this is not the start of a pattern again for me. I did this stupidity when I first start blogging, changing the name and look every 5 minutes. This is not my intent this time at all.

When I decided to put political byline into inactive status; and then a few days later decided to start a new blog; I came up with the name “Pat’s Thoughts and Rantings” off the top of my head. Well, at first it sounded great, but after awhile, the name began to sound a bit — well, corny. So, I dropped the Pat’s part, because this blogging stuff has never been about me — and kept the name Thoughts and Rantings. Even then, the name sounded a bit clunky and I really never was happy with it.

I wanted to call it The Americanist; but there is already a blog out there called by that name. So, I cannot call it that. So, I have decided to call my blog something that accurately describes what it is that I truly am; A Thinking Americanist. I love this Country and I believe that this Country is the greatest on this earth. I believe in defending her and the ideals that she does truly represent. The ideas of Freedom, Justice and the ability to pursue one’s dreams.

Furthermore, I believe that America is, and should always be the leader of the Nations and other Nations should aspire to be like us. Not the other way around. Some people would say that I am a Nationalist. I will accept that title, if you should so wish to give that to me. Although, I will mention that I, in no way, shape or form; endorse White Nationalism, Neo-Nazism or any of the other bigoted idiocy out there. I simply am someone who loves God and my Country.

It was that flag, the old stars and stripes —- that many men have fought on many lands, foreign and domestic to keep us free; from the evil hands of tyranny and hate.  Free for those who wanted to take this Country over for some very evil purposes. It is out of respect of those people, like my great-uncle, the late John Franklin Hayes of Dalton, Georgia —- of whom received a purple heart and a silver star for his bravery in Germany during World War 2; that I run this blog and continue to fight for the values that he believed in and went to off to war to fight for.

That, and that solely alone is why I continue to write here on this blog.  Because I happen to believe that this Nation can do better, than accept the fate that those in the Democratic Party wish to consign this Nation to; which is a Nation of slavery to big Government.

Now about the first part of the name; thinking. One of the best things ever said about this Country is that we have became of Nation of sheep. Following our leaders by the nose and not thinking for themselves. I do fully admit to being one of those sort of people for a very long time of my life. It was in 2007, when I really began to have some serious doubts about the direction of the Democratic Party and the direction in which they wished to take this Country.

Because of that and because of the Democratic Party’s despicable treatment of our Military, not to mention a myriad of other reasons; is why I simply decided that my days as a Democratic Party voter where over. I simply could not think like they did any longer and not look myself in the mirror and sleep at night. Self-deception is not something I do well at all.

For now, the new name will exist at this address. At some point, I will register a new domain and move this blog to it and allow the old one to expire. But for now, I will just use this domain.

This should not be considered a new blog; but rather a new chapter in my journey into the world of American politics.

Let’s go, shall we?

 

Silence

Seeing that I am still reeling a bit from my sleeping adventure yesterday and because there really is not anything that I feel the absolute need to write about. I shall be taking a break.

This is while my body tries to figure out when to sleep and when to stay awake.

In the meantime, I will posting links. But don’t expect novels, at least not on this iPod touch.

Cutting bait with some on the right.

I hate to even write about this. But, because I think it needs to be said — I am going to say it.

As of now, I disassociate myself with most of the so-called “right.” A little performance tonight by one of the citizens over at Ace of Spades HQ’s yahoo group, confirmed what I have believed about that part of the so-called “right”. They’re just a bunch of secular hatemongers.

I’ve linked to Ace of Spades HQ before, no more. Pam Geller was right about that crowd.  I wish then, that I had listened and just stopped associating myself with them.  But, I do try to get along with everyone. Well, no more. I have decided that getting along is just not something that can be done with those who make it their business to smear and degrade you.

So, as of today; this blog will be only linking to news sites and friendly blogs.

I am also going through the blogroll and getting rid of sites that associate with Ace and his group of haters.

No, I am not going to the RNC Convention

I was not even going to blog about it, but I figured I would let all of you know. I really am not going to the Republican Party’s Convention in Tampa, Florida and I will list the reasons why:

  1. My financial  situation – I have not worked in over eight years, I blame the “disconnected from reality” politics of both parties for this; and that is on ALL levels, Federal, State and yes, local. Elections have consequences and because of this, myself and many other people that I know are paying for those stupid votes. So, the funds to go to a convention just are not there at all. End of discussion.
  2. I just do not get into establishment politics at all. – I mean, the idea of someone beating Barack Obama in this election is great and all, but to be honest with you; I have never really fit into the stereotypical “Republican” mold. I am from a working class, middle class, mostly Democratic Party voting family and neighborhood. I loathe that party with every fiber of my being, but I am not exactly smitten with the Republican Party either. Remember, just as recent as 2006, I was still running a “Historic Populist” blog. 7 years ago; Wow…. It really does not seem that long ago — that I was swearing about Bush and his politics; which were really not that Conservative or really even Constitutional.
  3. They all really, truly, hate me with a passion. — It is no secret, that I am truly the black sheep of the so-called “Conservative” blogosphere. This is mainly because of my past of being a former “Left of center” blogger and person. …and you know what? I am fine with that. I never started writing about the things that pissed me off about politics to get any sort of vain glory or popularity. I just did it to talk back to the forces that I thought were hurting this Country. So far, I have made some waves and a few enemies. Again, I am fine with that. Even if I had like a zillion bucks in the bank and could charter a flight to Tampa and had the money to stay in the nicest Hotel — I just would not bother. Hell, I cannot even afford to replace this stupid laptop that decided to wink the dashboard. Not only that, but my Mom has not gotten in a hurry to let me have back the laptop that I royally screwed up, and she managed to fix herself. So, I am still on the old monitor, which sucks to the high heavens, but, what can I do? I don’t have the money to buy a laptop. Which again, sucks. 🙁

However, I can recommend some places to read, with people that WILL be in Tampa.

  • The Other McCain, who’s owner is not really someone I like, but he’s a decent writer and will tell the truth; for the most part anyhow.
  • HotAir.com is the best, hands down, Conservative Blog around. It is in my sidebar and I read the site daily. Someone from HotAir will be there for the show. Which from what I read is going to be shortened a day.

Also too, I am sure Fox News will be there as well. I will be watching that as well. I will also give my feeling about what I see and here on the TV, like everyone else.

So, there you go, what is happening with me and the RNC Convention. If you are going to Tampa, be safe. There is a hurricane churning out at sea. If the Feds tell you to hit the road; by all means, please listen! But from what I have read, it is not expected to be that bad. The RNC is just being cautious and believe it or not, I think that is a very good thing.

 

I accidentally messed up my Mom’s Laptop

I thought I would give you all an update on what is going on with my laptop saga. Needless to say, it has been a nerve racking 24 hours around here. As you all know my Laptop’s LCD display went on fritz. It had been acting up for a good long while. When the Laptop would boot up, it would have a reddish color to it, and sometimes it would flicker; which drove me up the wall.

Well, finally yesterday, my LCD display on my laptop finally went out, while I was watching a video on youtube. Luckily for me, I have an old SVGA 17 inch monitor, it is a Amptron GS17 monitor. It is old school, but hey, it works.

So, anyhow, my Mom, who is the greatest lady ever — lent me a Dell Inspiron 1545 laptop, that my dad used, before he started using an 17 inch Dell laptop, that my Mom gave to him, when she bought herself a newer 17 inch laptop.  This laptop had Windows Visa Premium in it. Also too, and please note this point: The Laptop HAS NO Harddrive LIGHT at all.

So, I got the thing, and of course, it needed like a bunch of updates, because it had not been hooked up to the Internet, in long while.  So, I started the process of getting all of those updates. In the process of doing all that, I did something stupid — I had an excuse and reason for it — But I digress.

While the laptop was apply all of the updates for Windows Visa, the update process seemed to have stalled; remember what I said about the Hard Drive light? Yeah, that’s right, I had zero clue as to what was happening in that Department. So, I committed the ultimate stupid mistake. I actually shut the machine off, while it was applying the updates.  Oops. 😳

So, needless to say, the Laptop’s hard drive “Drive Table” is hosed and I mean hosed good. Can’t boot from CD, the computer wants a driver for the Hard Drive, and naturally the driver is not on any of the CD’s that came with that laptop.  So, now, I not only have this laptop, of whom the LCD display is hosed, I also screwed my mother’s laptop, that she used on occasion in her bedroom, horribly up.

To say that my Mother was displeased with me, would be the understatement of the century. I tried to explain to her, that it really was not my fault, that I had no idea what was happening in the Hard Drive department; but all she knows is that she loaned me a laptop and that I screwed it up. 🙁

So, the chances of me getting a new laptop from my parents, at this point, is slim to nil. The horrible part is, that it is all my fault; if I would have left that damned laptop alone and let it do it’s thing, none of this would have ever happened. But it did and now, I am back to square one, and now owe my mother for the laptop that I destroyed.

I was thinking of putting up Donation buttons in this posting; but I doubt very seriously that would do any good. I know I am not well liked by anybody in the blogosphere. But, my Mom does not know this. All she knows is that I blog to defend the “Republicans” as she calls it. She also most likely thinks that “He ought to go ask his rich Republican friends for donations to cover the cost of my laptop.” Which all makes me very sad, because I happen to know that the Conservative Blogosphere and the rich Republicans, as she calls them — happen to hate my guts.

So, yeah, needless to say; I am in a serious bind. I have zero clue what to do at this point. My sidebar has a button, if you wish to donate; give enough, so I can pay my Mom for the laptop that I messed up and so I can get me a new laptop to replace the one that went out on me. I will not hold my breath, because I know my status in the blogosphere, but I have to try and make things right.

I brought it all on myself and for that I feel really small and honestly folk, that feeling really sucks to the high heavens.

Update: October 21, 2013: Someone must have done a search on this, because it popped up in my stats. I am very happy to report, that not long after this was posted, my Mom was able to do a recovery from the actual laptop itself. I don’t know all the details, all I know is, it worked. 😀 I’m still using that laptop, it works very well. 🙂