Brazen Billy

Back? Maybe...

2011-06-14T22:12:00.002-04:00

The pirate has set sail to the north and settled in the south, go figure.

New location, new job, new everything pretty much.

While I may be landlocked never fear me hearties, the new state has a history of pirates so old Billy just may survive here.

4 and a half months, puhleeze.

2010-10-18T20:01:00.002-04:00

More like nearly two damn years. To those that still stop by, WTF? Yeah, I tend to go by your places too just to see who's still around. Some are, most aren't. The last two years have bit, big time.

I'm starting a new one of these, it's located down the road a bit at it's own url. I'm gonna start writing again cuz things were good then. If you still stop by and want to read the trials and tribulations of the boy behind the man behind the pirate drop me a line and I'll send the address your way.

All the best to all my old friends, I may be gone but you're not forgotten.

Billy

It hasn't been 4 1/2 months YET

2008-11-06T15:05:00.004-05:00

But it's getting damned close. Seems that I am just throwing up quarterly posts now. Do I suck or what?

Hey to all in the blogosphere, old friends and new. Yea, just fucking busy, but now I wonder busy doing what. Things have slowed down, tremendously, and it's tough keeping things rolling but never say die right?

Just wanted to say Hey I'm still alive. Hope that can be said for all my old friends. Family is good, as good as they can be anyway. Business is surviving, slow, but surviving. Watching people move out of the office park every month, we're about half full now. Economy sucks but I'm sure y'all know that.

Too stubborn to close this place, I like it, and what it meant to me. Thinking maybe I can take my 2:30 mental slowdown time to do an update here occasionally. Every day about 2 or so I want to go to sleep and productivity dies, not sure what's up with that, just trying to get around it.

Y'all be good, I'll be back.

Pirate out.

Wait, forgot what Thursday's are. Here's an HNT for ya. Is that still going on? I've been gone so long...

damn, 4 1/2 months huh?

2008-07-29T21:27:00.005-04:00

Been awhile, damn long while.

Big HEY THERE to those die hards who still wander the halls here seeking some sign of life, nice to be missed. I been wishin for the simpler days. Days when that half hour or hour was available for a FreeBooby Tuesday, FUCKyou Friday or Half Nekkid posts.

The Pirate's extra special good friend Green Eyes ventured down from Tennesssee for a visit. She was hanging on the beach with her family, trying to remember why she moved to the north land. We had drinks, of course, and chatted and made fun of the strange people dancing. Thanks for visiting girl. Someday there'll be time off that will allow a motorcycle tour through TN.

Even though all I ever do is work there have been some fun things goin on. Went to Anna Maria a few weekends ago, drank rum on the beach. Went to Lauderdale in April for my cousin's wedding, helluva weekend on the beach with golf too. Saw "Some Like it Hot" at the Tampa Theater one Sunday, Casablanca is this Sunday. Good time, black and white classics on the big screen and it's not your typical theater, it's an old classic too.

Here's hoping the whole crew is doing well, and I'll try to not make it 4 1/2 months till I do this again.

Bonus time - HHNT people.

damn ain't that scary.

Pirate out.

The crew has spoken (and they want an update)

2008-03-14T13:50:00.003-04:00

Alright, alright. Here ya go, a new post.

What a long strange trip it's been. Lemme see, what's happened since the last post? A lot.

Worked every day for a month or so, 10 or 12 sometimes 14 hours a day. Regular job during the day, renovation of the new space at night. Forgot what the family looked like. :( That's over now, we finally moved in last Saturday and are getting used to the new corporate offices. lol

During all that we started a new business, yeah, another one. Lawn service, don't ask, just kinda happened. Iffin you're in the pirate's locale and need your yard to look primo drop me a line.

Got Sweetpea another car. 1988 Chevy Celebrity, a real grandma car, the only thing this car is missing is the red carnation twist tied to the antenna. She wasn't very happy about it but it cost what I was willing to spend. So far, no damage. Keep your fingers crossed. And she's getting used to it now, think she figured out she was just damned lucky that I even considered getting her another set of wheels - either that or her Mother told her she was damned lucky that I even considered getting her another set of wheels. :)

It was concert season at the Strawberry festival in Plant City- usually give this a big write up and review but the time didn't exist. We had tickets for 4 shows, only saw 3. Miranda Lambert, this girl kicked ass, loved the show. Alan Jackson, that boy was either drunk or had been drinking heavily earlier in the day. Slurred his words, forgot what he was saying and really just stood there and played - disappointed in him I was. Sugarland! Hell yeah. That was a great show, they can entertain. Just hearing Jennifer Nettles voice gives me wood, love that southern drawl. Had tickets for Jason Aldean but missed the show - that's a post in itself.

Now for the sad news. We lost our beagle, BJ, last Saturday; no, we didn't misplace him, old age finally got him. He'd lost prolly 15 of his 30 pounds in less than 2 weeks and was really having a lot of trouble just getting around. Actually fell in the pool one day, pool's been there 5 years and he'd never fallen in. Lucky the wife heard the splash and was able to get him out. Babygirl is just torn up about it - he was the wife's dog and my baby but he was her best friend.

He was in poor condition on Friday and worse Saturday morning so we decided it was time - not an easy thing to do. Babygirl went with me to the vet and we both held onto him as they gave him the shot. Lots of tears. We took him home and buried him under an oak tree with a view of the park. Rest in Peace little buddy.

Okay, I'm sure I forgot lots of stuff and this probably wasn't very entertaining but hell, it's what I got today. That and the batteries in my keyboard are dying and aggravating the hell out of me.

Hope y'all are well.

Side notes:
Just Some Dude - Have you heard from MG at all?
April - Happy Now?
Maureen - I liked the HNT from yesterday, kinda cool.
Donna - Sorry I missed your birthday - then again I don't know when it is... and thanks for checking on me.
GE - still coming down at the end of the month?

and now for something completely different

2008-01-31T22:10:00.000-05:00

These weren't supposed to be an HNT, I found and scanned the pics on Sunday. Fully meant to post this earlier in the week but the time just slips away don't it.

Here's a little retro blast from the past for the crew. Travel back with me if you will, the year is 1980; damn that seems like a long fucking time ago eh? In some way's it is, but in others it's yesterday. 1980 for the pirate was my senior year at THS; my alma mater, nestled comfortably somewhere along the Ohio river. Small town USA, 600 kids in the school, 125 in my senior class. One of those places where everybody knows everybody... that's a story in itself.

This story on the other hand is Senior Prom, eh, not a story really, more like a couple old pics. I found them Sunday while looking for something completely unrelated and thought them to be entertaining, maybe y'all will to. Hell, if nothing else, laugh at the clothes, I did. The crowd here are my bros from high school, best of friends for years. We had our own lunch table, a club all to ourselves, and we invented clubs so we had more opportunities to get our mugs in the yearbook.

We were the guys in the hall reciting the Rocky Horror Picture Show between classes, scenes from Saturday Night Live (the good stuff with the Not Ready for Primetime Players) and loads of Monty Python. At talent show time we performed Chicago's "Beginnings", a skit with the characters from Mash and a most excellent version of Samuri Photomat, I got to be Belushi - kimono, sword, ponytail, oh yeah.

On your left is Doug and his date Kelly, Doug did the army, some PI work and has fallen off the radar.

Below is Randy. Not sure where his date is, matter of fact I don't remember who it was. I do remember he had one though - only goes to show I haven't lost it entirely. Oh yeah, last check he was selling insurance.

On the left are Paul and Barb. Paul grew up to be a police officer.

Down here is Jim and Teresa. I have the most contact with Jim, he's an entreprenuer like myself. He's had a manufacturing company and then chased his dream of a music store.

Last but not least, yours truly and my high school sweetheart Debbie. She's a nurse now and well, y'all know I grew up to be a pirate. Looking at this I think that I really wouldn't mind having some of that hair back.

Well, there you go, Senior Prom 1980. And almost the entire cast of the Infamous Plebney Bro's, ah, those were the days.

Have a great Friday peoples. Garrr.

man, did y'all get lucky...

2008-01-22T22:35:00.000-05:00

I said that I missed FuckYou Fridays, then came the FuckMe Friday. I came on here the other day to write about what a fucking disaster Friday was and before I knew it I was 8 paragraphs deep into a mindless, although highly entertaining, Billy rant and no where near finished; y'all didn't really need that so I'll spare the details and give ya the highlights.

Had a job at the local airforce base, install some TV mounts on the walls. No big deal right? Ya think? Told the guys they'd be searched top to bottom to get access to the base, not just them but the truck and maybe even the material boxes. I say just don't have anything questionable in the truck, if you think it may cause a problem, take it out. Now, the important part of this is I told them this 3 times the afternoon before and twice that morning. So, tell me what the fuck do you think happened.

Had to be classic right? I mean for me to writing about it and all. Well, yeah, it is. We have a saying around here for what happened, it's called "A Special Kind of Stupid". Seems that just prior to arriving at the base, like 2 blocks prior, the guy driving the truck REALIZES he has some weed in the truck. Yep, that's what I said, weed in the truck. Now never mind the fact that he shouldn't have weed in the company truck, nor anyway mind you cuz that stuff is illegal, or so I hear. He tries to hide the shit in the truck, IN THE TRUCK, the one I told him would be SEARCHED. Yep, special kind of stupid. He thinks he can hide a half ounce of weed from an air force search team. The kind with guns, and dogs, and shit. Yep, special kind of stupid.

Long story short, they never got on the base, they did get banned for life and the driver is not only waiting to hear from the states attourney's office about what charges will be filed he also lost his job. Hated to do it, he was my favorite, just couldn't justify being able to keep him after that. That in itself is amazing, I can usually justify anything, big part of being a boy.

Okay, so that was how the day started. Mid day I signed a lease on a new office/warehouse space. Little further from home but everything will be in one spot and I save a few hundred a month. Cool.

Okay, now you get to hear about how the day ended. Sweet Pea totalled another fucking car. Yes, she is alright, just shaken up, thanks for asking. Seems she tried to make a left turn and didn't see the car COMING AT HER. She got plowed, got hit dead on the passenger rear tire and spun 180 degrees. She came through surprisingly well, the car, not so much.

That's two for her, not good (here's the story on the first, it has a pic of the Tbird too). Probably gonna get our insurance cancelled. I love her and all but can I fire her too (?) she's a liability. Next car will be a five hundred dollar pos, and she's gonna have to pay for it and her own damn insurance policy too.

So, Friday kinda (read severely) sucked but I damn sure made up for it Saturday. Had people over, jello shots, beers, wine, ganja - it's different from weed, it's imported - a bonfire and guitars and blues harps and a few people who weren't afraid to sing. Damn good time, I needed that, it'd been way too long. I love chasin people out at 3 in the morning. Y'all should come over next time and hang.

It was a hiatus, yeah, that's it, a hiatus.

2008-01-16T23:19:00.000-05:00

Yeah, right, hiatus my ass... I just ain't had the chance to do this. And ya know what? I miss it.

The daily rants, the HNTs, Fuckyou Fridays yeah, the whole bit. Who'da thunk it. Just ain't got the time to do this anymore. Need to make it though. Miss my pals.

Can't even believe it's been since early December that I last posted. Lotta shit goin on, I know, I know, same story different day. Such is the life of your pirate buddy. More drama than TNT.

Let's see, what'd we miss. How about Merry Chistmas? Maybe, Happy New Year! Yeah, that's good.

Thanks to all that continued to stop by, even in my extended absence. I appreciate y'all looking in on me. Poor Maureen, I think she thought I just fell off the face of the earth. I'm here darlin, just lurkin.

Biz is going well. Earning money as always, just none in the pocket now. Keep tellin myself, yep, nother couple of weeks and it'll all be okay. Poor deluded bastard. Been doing that for two years now. So far I've talked myself past the point where many others have failed. Just keep remembering Winston Churchill - "Never, never, never quit". Works everytime.

Currently at six employees, added another guy in the field about a month ago, could use two more - just can't pay two more. Had a change in the office staff. The chick I hired in late August was terminated with a fucking veangence early in December. Just had enough, man had I had enough. Her last day... there were 267, yeah, I fucking counted 267 internet page views in her browser history - oddly enough almost ZERO of them had something to do with work. Her shit was packed in a box when she arrived the next morning.

The new kid, love calling her that, new kid, is a dream. Trying to be careful and not give her a big head - she'll want more money or something - but she's good. Learned quickbooks and now I no longer carry around my big ass envelope of receipts to enter once every month or so anymore. We have daily accounting now - holy shit. Keep piling stuff on her and it keeps getting done, gotta love it. Hope this lasts. really.

The house is still over run with estrogen. Puberty on one end, menopause on the other; yee fucking haw. But I love them all, kinda makes me wonder about my mental state. No huge problems lately with the girls - can't get into too much trouble when your ass is grounded and Dad makes all your decisions. That won't last long but it's working for now - I needed the fucking peace.

Hope y'all are doing okay, I try to visit but have been pretty much a slacker lately. I'll get back more often, at least more often than a month and a damn half from now...

When you're a pirate

2007-12-02T14:08:00.000-05:00

You meet some pretty interesting people in your travels.

I was working yesterday and a very good pal of mine stopped by to visit. Hadn't seen him in nearly a year and he was looking for info on some of my friends. I didn't tell him everything about y'all but what I did tell him was good.

Just remember, it's that time of year and there are more people watching you and what you do. I mean more than the usual obscure governmental agencies I'm talking about some people that really matter... So y'all better be good, or maybe, just good at it.

Here's the friend I was talking about - maybe it'll give ya hint on who to be looking for.

no, down a little more.

nope, some more yet.

hell, hit page down...

What a great guy he is, look what he brought me.

Well, no, not really, actually it was more like this.

He's still a good pal though.

Have a great week y'all.

Now I know

2007-11-27T10:56:00.000-05:00

Why some species eat their young.

The stories about Babygirl and her older man canot begin to compare to what her older sister has now perpetrated. She pulled a stunt on the school bus that has landed her a 10 day out of school suspension and possible criminal charges. FUCK.

I've spent more time "on the carpet" in the past week than I did during my entire high school career. And before you start, yeah, I pulled some crap in my day BUT nothing like this.

She was supposed to graduate mid year, as of today she's got 18 days of school left, hopefully.

I just wanna beat her with a 2 x 4, prolly wouldn't help her much but it would make me feel better. Alas, a loving, supporting father wouldn't do that, would he? So, just for once can I be the asshole Dad? Puhleeze?

Starting to think this is a great time for my mid-life crisis. There's a Porsche for sale down the street, and I can afford it. Of course it's a 1983 Targa, that's the only reason why...

Way too much drama, I'm really beginning to tire of it, seriously. I meant that. Can I have just one day, just one fucking day, without my life seeming like a fucking show on TNT - they're supposed to have the drama don't you know.

Who wants to run away with the Pirate??? It's getting to be that time.

Every now and then

2007-11-06T21:40:00.000-05:00

I may be good for a paragraph or two.

Hey Maureen, I'm back from California. Actually, been back a couple weeks now I suppose. Had a good trip, got there in time for dinner Wednesday, meetings all day Thursday and flew out Friday morning. Rather a whirlwind of a trip and it went well.

Drama still abounds at home. Nothing unusual there. The word went down with Babygirl and so far no serious repercussions, no sign of the "boy". Have had a talk with her sister and a few of her friends about enabling that relationship to continue. I had seen a few text messages to big sister from the guy. Hopefully this will go away quickly, yes, I am delusional.

Big sister had her own share of trouble, apparently she had been using a stashed debit card that belonged to Mom. Bad move on her part. Big confrontation over that one. At one point there was a nice "I fucking hate you" to Mom, and she took off out the door. Y'all would have laughed your ass off to watch me go chasing after her. Finally caught her in the back yard at a small lattice fence by the pool, I got hold of her arm and wouldn't let go. She ended up grabbing my other arm and we both went through the fence, classic. Brought her back in the house and things were a little calmer from there on. Grounded, no car, yadda, yadda, yadda.

The wife quit the hospital, is now working for a hospice organization. Working the unit she was on at the hospital was tough on her, killed her back (serious problems there) and she really didn't enjoy it. She went to a hospice open house just to see what it was all about a couple months ago and they ended up pursuing her to work for them. She's been working there 2 weeks now and so far so good. No more 12 hour shifts that were actually more like 14, no more weekends and no more of a few certain people that I had to listen about. She doesn't miss it yet.

As for me, business is currently tough. We were slow the last month or so and billings were down. That translates to minimal cash flow. Which sucks now that things are starting to get busy. Need operating capital, seriously. We're going to bill out over $250k in the next three months, our busiest yet and payroll just may be a concern till that cash comes in. If anybody's got $20k they're not doing anything with for the next 90 days get hold of me.

Things will work out, just growing pains. Making a step to the next level, gotta stretch. We're booking a lot of work, contracts are coming in. Crew is shaping up and the new girl is working out alright. Lots of positives, but the worries can be a mother fucker at times.

Y'all take care, I'll be back.

Pirate out.

HNT and an update as requested

2007-10-18T00:26:00.000-04:00

Well, here I is, sitting in a hotel room in California all by my lonesome. Kinda boring, but what are ya gonna do? It's only 9:30 here, but 12:30 home time, if I go to sleep now I'll be up at 4 am so I'm gonna stay up a while. Meetings tomorrow, all day... Then fly home on Friday. Yippeee.

Anywho, how bout this for an HNT, nekkid pirate alone in a hotel. Room 220 if your interested.

Now, as to Babygirl, Dad put his foot down. Exactly what that means is yet to be determined. I wrote that last post Tuesday before I went home from work. When I got home the "grounded" babygirl was out walking the dogs and had been gone for an abnormally long time. I decided to go look for her, bad ju ju ya know?

Didn't take long til I found her and the subject of my wrath at the park, kissing. She was ordered to go home, he was ordered to fall off the face of the earth. If he was gonna have trouble doing that I said I would be all to happy to help him never be found again. They both had lied to me, not to happen again, ever.

The Mrs and I have been at it a few times in the last week over this, I'm not moving. She was wavering, for all kinds of reasons. The strife this has caused in our house is overwhelming. Poor little babygirl has been playing us from the beginning. She cannot even imagine what it will take for me to trust her again, if ever.

I have exhibited great patience and caring for her and just great patience with the guy. If I ever hear his name again, he's headed to jail. Period. I just don't fucking care anymore. Don't care if Babygirl hates me forever, don't care if this guys life is ruined, don't care if the wife stays upset, just don't care. And that my friends is how this story ends.

No Maureen, I'm not in jail and he's not dead or vice versa. But I really thank you for caring.

And Happy HNT y'all.

Thanks all.

2007-10-09T18:06:00.000-04:00

It's been awhile since that last post and I reckon y'all deserve an update since you've been so kind to chime in with your opinions (and threats of bodily harm). And yes, I kinda like that everybody agreed with me. :>)

Little Miss has been grounded for a while on unrelated charges, well kinda related but whatever. That's given me some time to deal with the revolt and mutiny that have been popping up in the house.

And yes, as of today the "boy" is still alive and without serious injury - but that can change.

It took a few days but Babygirl is talking to me again, it's an uneasy truce but a truce none the less. She said she loved me the other day, that was good to hear; don't know how long that will last.

Some of you know that I had a meeting with the kid last week, Wednesday night I believe it was. We had a sit down, in a public place, better for both of us. We talked for about a half an hour or so and to his credit he neither lied nor tried to bullshit me. Not that this means I'm getting soft but I still kinda like the guy - that really makes this difficult.

The guy neither drinks or does drugs, he has a responsible job, he's polite, kind and friendly - there's not much about him to hate and I hate that. It seems that the only real and true problem here is his age. When asked if he know how old Babygirl was he told me he didn't know until they'd been hanging out about a week and yes, it bothered him, but only for a week or so. Poor bastard, wish it had bothered him more. (And yes, I've checked every local sheriff's website and the state offender database, he's not there.)

He said all the right things (without trying to mislead me), like I said it's tough not to like this kid except for the obvious reason, his age. I really don't know what to do here, I do, but I don't, ya know? If there was any reason not to like this guy it would be a no brainer - he'd have to die.

There's been no relations with them, so far it's all friendly and yes, I believe that. (schmuck) The problem is what comes next. I just don't like where it can go. Yeah, he's too old for her, but really, I don't think this guy is as old as he really is if you know what I mean.

I can cut it off completely which is what should happen. Then Babygirl and he are sneaking around behind my back - that's no good. I can condone it which just tears apart the fiber of my very soul - that's no good. There's just no way out here for me.

The wife is softening on the issue. Big sister who was completely against it is letting up some. The guy knows that jail time is a distinct possibility and I'm just the pirate to send him there. I'm the last hold out on the issue - just because it bothers me so deeply.

My problem is I can't explain why it bothers me so deep. The only thing I can come up with is that he's just too fucking old for her and that's the way it is - that's the way the world works. For that explanation I was called a hypocrite; apparently I question everything and always buc the system so why am I so with the way of the world on this????

Any help here? I would love to not like this punk and send him on his way. He's a genuinely good guy and he treats her well for a "friend". If it weren't for the age I couldn't wish a better guy for her.

Your Pirate's having a hard time here. For some reason it's not sitting well, bad ju ju if you will. I need to do something soon, even if it's wrong, but what. dammit, dammit, dammit. Would love to hear more from the crew, chime in folks. As of this point cruel and unusual punishment is off the table, so, now where do I go?

Someone was kind enough to send me this url this week, for those of you with daughters, ATL LG, check it out. "the daughter song"

C'mon folks, help me out here.

Riddle me this mateys...

2007-10-03T02:41:00.000-04:00

There's a conflict afoot in the pirates house. An ill wind blows, tempers be flared, and your captain has been declared not fit to be his Babygirls father - by his Babygirl, there seems to be a mutiny afoot.

So, here be the question for ye - iffin ya had a 15 year old daughter, would ye lets her date a 22 year old fella? Take your time, think it over, don't go answerin that one too quickly. Apparently I did.

And, whether you would or wouldn't, how would ya feel iffin she lied as to her whereabouts and spent the night at said 22 year olds house? Again, take your time, think about it. If it makes a difference, he has his own place.

No, Billy hasn't killed anyone yet, YET. Surprising, huh? It's still remains very much a possiblity, although jail for him looks more likely than jail for me. Currently though it looks as if I have lost a daughter; hopefully "you're not my fucking father" were the words of a brokenhearted teenage girl and not something she plans on holding onto forever. Cuz that broke my heart, really. I've heard "I hate you!" before, that was nothing. This was spoken with equal parts contempt, hate and disgust with eyes as cold as I've ever seen.

So, what will it be folks, who thinks I should let her date a 22 year old? Can't wait for a little input on this one. And if you can't imagine having a 15 year old daughter, how would you feel if your 22 year old son brought home his 15 year old girlfriend for dinner? Is the pirate out of touch with the youth of today or just being a good Daddy?

HNT - Homecoming Edition

2007-09-19T23:21:00.000-04:00

This may be kind of cheating, but, bite me.

I'm taking my HNT space this week and using it to show somebody I'm proud of. Just got these pictures in tonight and wanted to share. This was taken about 11 am Tuesday when my niece's husband stepped off the bus in North Carolina. Her Marine Sargent husband just returned from a 6 month stint in Iraq, his fourth deployment there in the last couple of years.

He's back, safe and sound, all in one piece, we're so happy. And for those that have lost loved ones to this fiasco, I'm proud of yours too. I don't support the war but I do support my troops.

Happy HNT!

Happy Birthday Dad

2007-09-19T09:13:00.000-04:00

It's just shy of 13 years since my Dad passed away. I miss him. All the questions I've wanted / needed to ask about family, kids, career and life in general have gone unanswered. I talk, I ask, just no answers come. I'd like to think he's watching, telling me to quit "rushing" and making smartass remarks about the stupid things I do and maybe, just maybe, being proud of me on occasion.

Love ya Dad.

Yep, still kickin.

2007-09-18T22:26:00.000-04:00

The rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated. Hard to believe it's been nearly a month since I've posted, what a fucking slacker I am.

The Pirate is still kicking, and scratching and clawing. Working, but not really quite as hard. and relaxing, maybe a little more than I should... pretty much just hangin about.

The biz continues, the summer rush is over and activity is at a low. If you recall my rant about a "special kind of stupid" it wouldn't be a stretch to know that the entire crew has been replaced. Even my high dollar saviour. History. Sometimes in order to build something great you have to tear some things down, that's what I did, tore it down. Lost everybody.

Somewhere along the line I remembered that I was the boss and the owner and these fools were losing me money. Quite the opposite of what I was trying to do, which was, obviously, make money. So, I dismantled the entire operation and started over. Of course that meant I had to work harder but only for a bit. I've put three men back in the field and stuffed my tools in the garage, and if they have to come back out I'll fire someone else.

I hired a secretary almost a month ago. We'll call her G, she passed the hotness test. That means the wife interviewed her and figured she wasn't a threat. What a help that has been, like you wouldn't believe. All the little stuff I used to spend my time doing that kept me away from the big stuff is now handled by someone else, hallefuckinglujah. She's catching on pretty quick and pushes me to let go of things, which is good cuz like we all know I need a foot in my ass every now and then.

Now before y'all cry cuz I didn't hire one of you... remember, to get the job you had to pass the hotness test. Sorry but none of y'all would have passed. The mrs. is jealous of you girls already.

The downside of all this is, I now have time on my hands and I'm feeling kinda lost. Without a crisis to solve, without a pile of paperwork with deadlines on my desk I don't know what to do. I've been walkng about in a funk for while now, just not sure what to do. I NEED STRESS, it's what I live for. I need to go fuck something up... Really. Just so I can fix it. Hopefully I'll get past this soon, please.

Hope y'all are having a good week. I'll get around to visit everyone soon enough. For now I know Charlie's at the beach, Antigua I think. bitch. Found out Trish is getting married. Congratulations. Green Eyes is MIA, her last post was just a few days before mine, hope she's okay. And TME has made it throu'gh her latest surgery, what a woman.

later folks.

Sunday dinner with the Pirate

2007-08-26T18:55:00.000-04:00

Looks like it's just us for dinner tonight; the Mrs. is working, so is Sweetpea, Babygirl is off with a boy to see a movie and won't be home til 8. How bout dinner by the pool?

We're gonna be having some ribs, corn on the cob and yellow rice. The ribs and corn are on the grill.

Well, looks like it's ready. Have a seat, I got you a beer and a sweet tea.

Damn, that was good. Really, you can trust me on that. Now that I sit here writing this there's a thunderstorm rolling in from the southwest. The wind is whistling through the screenroom, lightning flashing and thunder booming - no rain yet. Clouds are looking evil though, could be interesting.

Hope y'all enjoyed your Sunday and thanks for stopping by.

HNT - lanai edition

2007-08-22T18:55:00.000-04:00

Stole this shot from ATL LG, well not the pic actually, but the idea though. Thanks pal.

Wishing a Happy HNT to all and a wonderful weekend as well. Off to Ft Lauderdale in the early am, have two jobs to finish up there and I'll be done down south.

Interviewed a secretary today, thinking I can have someone in the office taking care of the BS and I can spend a little more time on the road taking care of jobs and selling. How many other corporate bosses address their own envelopes and do their own filing anyway?
I'll get it right, just wait.

Edison found over 1400 ways not to make the light bulb before he found the one that worked, hopefully it won't take me that long but you get the picture.
Winston Churchhill said, "Never, never, never quit". and I won't.

A Special Kind of Stupid

2007-08-21T20:33:00.000-04:00

That's what I've been repeating for the last 5 or 6 days. A special kind of stupid, not your regular garden variety of stupid, a special kind. This goes far beyond being "not the sharpest knife in the drawer", or maybe "not the brightest crayon in the box" or even "dumber than a box of rocks".

Nope, this is a special kind of stupid, the kind you have to mail away for cuz the stores don't carry it. Maybe from a catalog, or perhaps one of those late night infomercials with the guy that yells. This stupid is probably made in the USA and not China because there's certainly no defects to it. It's a special kind of stupid.

Trouble is, I don't necessarily know who it really applies to. I'd like to think it was in the possesion of the guys who used to work for me, that's right, used to. Or the guy I hired to keep watch over those guys, he's gone too. Or maybe, just maybe, it belongs to me for hiring all those guys. I'm a "the buck stops here" kinda guy so it does probably belong to me. So, it would only make sense that I would spend the last 5 or 6 days correcting problems, fixing stuff they did and installing product that I was told was already installed.

Ya'd think that grown-ups or adults or people that are old enough to have to work and pay their bills would have just a bit of responsibility about them. Well, you'd be wrong - at least as far as it applied to the bunch that I had working here. I've seen things in the last few days that have made me cringe and then wonder what kind of stupid you'd have to be to do something like that and then it hit me, a special kind of stupid.

I'd love to regale y'all with the gory details of the shit I've seen in the past week but that'd just bore ya. But believe this, it was fucking insane. I'd seen product installed so damn incorrectly that it would have been impossible to stand back from it and say "Hey, that looks good." I saw product installed in the wrong part of the building, that I fixed yesterday, 14 hours so school could open today. The effin morons installed it in the rooms that were to be demolished and remodeled this fall instead of the rooms that needed it to open today. And apparently my superintendant, my savior last spring, knew it and covered it up, hid it from me. WTF?

Yup, a special kind of stupid.

Guess I'm gonna be needing some help in the HR department, gotta get a new crew. I've got a couple of weeks to get it done, and well, that's what I do, get it done. Time to rethink some strategies, maybe alter the plans a little, but, life does go on and so will this biz. Just without so much stupid.

And now for something completely different... I want to say goodbye to MG, Margarita Girle, one of my mostest favoritest bloggers. A fan of tequila, Waffle House and loud angry music, she earned a place in my heart a few years ago and she signed off recently, to write here no more. I miss her and I wish her the best, always.

HNT - it's a beach

2007-08-15T22:38:00.000-04:00

Hey all.

Another pic from vacation. One of my favorite poses from the weekend.

Happy HNT!

now that was a good time.

2007-08-13T21:37:00.001-04:00

Okay, here ya go, in no particular order, cuz officially I'm still on vacation, some various pictures from the trip to Anna Maria this weekend. This is our room, well part, there was a separate bedroom and the couch folded out, two bathrooms, way cool with three women and a small kitchen.

Birds on the beach, all weekend.

Count over third from the left, bottom row, that's the room.

doo, doo doo, looking out my backdoor.

Kids in the pool, lens was foggy...

For three days, this was the view that set the tone for my morning coffee; well, that and a heavy shot of Baileys.

C'mon. Me? At the beach? But of course there was Corona, I mean really.

But wait, there's more. The aforementioned Baily's, the typical Rum Runner mix and a bottle of Riesling and most importanly, the ke ke. What is that you ask? If you like Key Lime Pie, you're gonna love this stuff. Chill it, you may want to top a shot with whipped cream, yeah, it's good.

And of course, the Pirate's own Pina Colada recipe.

And my cake, German Chocolate. yum

Saw a few of these, beautiful sunsets, and a thunderstorm at night over the water as well. I love the little boy in this pic, playing in the tidal pool - did a lot of that myself. Happens when you get to be 8 years old for a while.

And to those of you that worry about me, I really took all the days off, I relaxed, I got f*cking drunk, I got indebriated, I got sleep, I played in the water and I did it all again the next day. No work whatsoever, not even a voice mail.

brought home a new sign for the lanai as well

"If you're lucky enough to be at the beach, you're lucky enough"

Just thought I

2007-08-08T19:44:00.000-04:00

should post something.

Kills me, when I'm a kid I can't wait for summer to get here and it's always over too fast.

In this biz, summer's here before you know it and it never seems to end.

I've got 13 projects that MUST be completed by next Friday, cuz there'll be kids in the building that following Monday. If you didn't know the bulk of my business is educational.

Guess then, summer is officially over and I'll be able to breathe again.

I can't wait.

I also can't wait for this weekend. Four days, count em, FOUR days on the beach. with beer. My Gulf front room with a balcony will be ready at 3 pm on Friday, I'll be waiting.

Maybe then, just maybe, I'll make it through next week. Here's hoping.

HNT - I found a smaller towel edition

2007-07-26T07:52:00.000-04:00

You asked for it, you got it, Toyota.

Umm, I mean washcloth.

Happy HNT y'all!

Y'all ain't gonna believe this....

2007-07-20T12:42:00.002-04:00

I'm happy to say

I'm proud to report
I'm gonna take
A vacation of sorts

It's way past time
And long overdue
For a few days on the beach
And some buckets of brew

It'll be a fine time
A pleasure I'm sure
A room on the beach
With a view of azure

Okay, that was a stretch, but yeah, I'm going. Ya see, the 11th is my birthday so that weekend we're headed to Anna Maria Island again. Maybe y'all remember this post when we booked for a night in April. The manager offered us a deal for the summer if we wanted to come back - I just made the reservations. 4 days, 3 nights, room with a balcony on the gulf, the beach just steps away. Hell yeah!

And now, I'd like to invite y'all to Billy's Birthday Bash. Last year was a party at the house, remember? I had to throw people out at 4 am, drunks... It was great. This year is a little smaller, and more contained. No bouncehouse. But, still, a pool and plenty of booze. And the BEACH. I know, I know, you're saying, "but Billy, how can I join you? I live in (fill in the blank, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Michigan, the UK, Kansas, etc.) and I can't get there." Well, remember my post from a couple weeks ago? "Don't tell me what you can't do" make it happen. Or at least send me a nice gift, you've got exactly 21 shopping days left. Better yet, just click the link and make a reservation at Club Bamboo. Join the Pirate for his birthday!

Who knows, I may even buy a book to read. Gonna take the bikes so we can ride as well, should be a good time. Hell, who am I kidding, it's gonna be a great time. And if anybody deserves it, besides you guys for putting up with my whiney ass lately, well, it's me.

Have a great Friday peoples and a good weekend too. I get to sleep in before I go to work tomorrow, lucky me...

HNT - yeah he finally did one edition

2007-07-18T21:38:00.000-04:00

Been awhile, actually longer than I had thought.
Probably should have looked for a smaller towel.

Suggestions for next week? If ya got em, maybe I'll do a request edition. Tell me, is there anything you'd like to see?

Happy HNT y'all.

d'ja ever wonder?

2007-07-16T17:12:00.000-04:00

Ya know, what's with people? How many of you ever took a job, worked for a couple of months and just never went back? Any hands up? I can't see from here....

Back in the hiring frenzy I picked up a guy we'll call Dick, for conversations sake anyway. Now Dick was a superstar in his own mind, a thirtysomething year old man, with a wife and a couple of kids, and a resume as long as your arm. My first thought was why does this guy want this job? With his skills and equipment he's much better suited for a higher position, why is he coming here. Add to that, he lives a good hour from our corporate offices (makes me feel good to say that).

After 3 days of working he came to me needing gas money, seems he had enough gas to get to work, but, as it turns out, he didn't have enough to get home. Okay, here's a little and some more to get you here tomorrow. (yeah, I never learn) When I was on the jobs he seemed to be taking the lead with the other guys, pushing them, teaching them some carpentry tricks, etc. and being a decent guy.

As time went on I took a dislike to him, all flash and no substance was my take on this dude. My superintendant thought differently so I let it slide, thought maybe he was falling into line. The man had a definite problem with being on time, which he was spoken to about on a number of occasions, by my super. Never seemed to solve the problem though. We had enough work going on, so we put him on a project by himself, didn't matter when he got there, we were paying him by how much work he did, piecework. This was working out, then last week I moved him back to hourly because he was doing something new and had to have a helper to do it.

Turns out for two days he didn't do much of anything... Started Thursday with me on the job, teaching him how to do what needed to be done, I worked with them for a couple of hours going through the particulars and thought he had it down, so I left. Friday he suffered some problems, first he put a screw through a water pipe, flooded the room they were working in. Actually not a big deal, it happens with what we do. Then had a problem with something else so he calls me and says that he's gonna call it a day and come back Saturday, he'll knock it out then and we'll make our inspection on Tuesday no problem.

Come Saturday, the other guys I have on site call me and tell me no Dick. He's not there. I call his cell and get voice mail, leave a message, then another a half hour later, then two more calls no message. No calls back. After another hour or so, I call from my super secret cell phone, a number nobody has and his wife answers, seems he stepped out. I asked her why he didn't come to work but she didn't know. I asked her to have him call me but I have never heard form him.

So why does a grown man just walk away from his job? He knew this was time sensitive, he knew of the upcoming inspection, he knew if he didn't do the work I'd have to. Dick. So, I spent all day Saturday and a good portion of Sunday on the job completing it. Another thing was the quality of the work he did do, it was missing, not so much the work but the quality. He's a fucking hack. Spent three hours correcting what he had done and then had to finish the fucking project myself. It's done, it's done well, and it's over - so is Dick's job. I guess the best part of the whole thing is that I didn't get the chance to fire him, if I had fired his worthless ass he'd been eligible for unemployment at my expense, this way he's just fucked. Gee, I hope he lists me as a reference.

The worst part of it all was that I missed Green Eyes, she was in town Friday and Saturday and I didn't get to see her cuz of all this shit. Wanted to, planned to, but didn't get to. Why do I have to suffer? I was looking forward to beers on the beach with a babe and I spend my time sweating in a building with some ugly guys - life is NOT FAIR. Next time GE I promise, I'll be there.

Sometimes I wonder if it's all worth it... Working my ass off for what? I mean I've not gotten anything out of this yet. Ya'd think by now, a little over a year later it should start paying off. Then again, I've heard most business's fail in the first three years. So, maybe, I'm doing okay? I am still here, I am still solvent, yeah, maybe so. Sometime's I'm just too stubborn to quit.

Unlike Dick.

I'm not dead yet.

2007-07-12T14:11:00.000-04:00

(that should have been said with an english accent to reflect one of my favourite movies, who can name it?)

I've just gone missing.

Summer is always the hardest time. Most of our projects are schools, this is the time of the year that all the new ones MUST BE DONE as well as the remodels. Deadlines fly fast and furious, inspections abound and everything must be perfect. We're spread from one end of the state to the other, in June alone we used $2900. worth of gas between three trucks, we be doing some driving.

I am still here, I do check in, and I try to visit y'all. It's just tough to do. Thanks for coming by and I will endeavor to have an HNT up next week worthy of all my friends.

For now, I'm off again.

The Pirate

Don't tell me what you CAN'T do...

2007-06-27T11:41:00.000-04:00

Tell me what you can do for me.

It's that effin simple people.

I've got 6 guys on the road, in two trucks. That takes a lot of damned gas, and, if you haven't noticed, gas is getting damned expensive. I used to just give the boys cash to fill up but that got to be a hassle, especially with one crew driving 220 miles round trip everyday to a job in Orlando.

I gave that crew a credit card with a $500 limit so they could get fuel without constantly bothering me for cash. Smart enough I thought. I've been keeping tabs on the card online and when it'd get close to the limit I'd pay it and let them start over.

They brought me the card this morning and said it didn't work, limit was reached. I'd just payed $500 on it on June 15th, I'd paid $475 two weeks before that. That's almost a grand inside of 30 days. I went online today to make a payment and I'd been hit with an overlimit fee.

To be fair, we did go over the limit, no getting around that. But $29 fee for it is ridiculous, I'd been making payments all along, not the minimum mind you but the whole damn balance. Just so happened that the card doesn't work that way. It's what you spend in the cycle that counts.

I called the company, it rhymes with Capital One... and asked that they lose the fee and I'd make the payment there and then and I wanted to talk with someone about raising the limits. All the punk kid could do was tell me he couldn't do anything for me, I had reached the collections department since I was overlimit. Crap. I made the payment, $703 right on the spot, while I was talking to him and he still couldn't do anything for me.

I told him, don't keep telling me what you can't do, tell me what you can do for me. I want the fee tossed and the limit raised, I have a great credit history that shouldn't be a problem. CAN'T DO IT. Okay so pass me to someone who can. CAN'T DO IT. Give me to customer service, CAN'T DO IT, they won't talk to you while the account is in collections. COLLECTIONS? But I've paid the bill, in full, every two weeks. Doesn't matter, it won't post till tomorrow, call back then. Do you want me to keep this card or cut it up I asked, we want you to keep it he said, then help me out here. CAN'T DO IT.

Then let me talk to a supervisor, can you do that? He wanted to know why? Are you fucking kidding me? No offense to any call center operators out there but every now and then, let go of the script, think for yourselves and help a guy out. I'm not a delinquent, I'm a damned busy guy, I ain't got time to call back tomorrow dammit. I have right now to deal with it, and right now only. We're both on the phone, let's work this out, k?

CAN'T DO IT. It was then that I presented my very controlled and pissed off customer act. Lo and behold, he passed me to a supervisor, who looked over my account history, sterling as it is, and decided to forgo the fee. WOOT! WOOT! Hot damn, now was that so tough? I mean, they control the card, why did they cut it off at $675 and not at $500 as is the limit. OOOH, OOOH, I know, they wanted to make another fucking fee. Bastards.

So, I got aggravated as hell, and only saved $29. I still have to call back tomorrow and see about having the limit raised. Ah, but therein lies the rub. I cut the fucking card to pieces. Yeah, I'm kinda that way. I have this quaint little notion that I'm the customer and the vendor is supposed to want my business and take care of me. When they don't, I take my business elsewhere.

So, I'll dig through the ole bag 'o credit cards and give the boys another, from another company, maybe with a higher limit. There's more than one way to fill a truck.

Okay, I'm done now, and yes, I feel better. Hope y'all have a great Wednesday, and ATL LG, be happy man, you don't have to look at my white ass any more.

HNT

2007-06-21T06:59:00.000-04:00

Was the least I could do, haven't posted a damn thing in two weeks it seems.

Sooner or later I'll put something up worthwhile. Thanks to those that still stop by even during the content drought.

Happy HNT y'all!

Finally

2007-06-07T19:14:00.000-04:00

A chance to sit down, and not behind the steering wheel. Since Monday am I have driven nearly 950 miles. Monday to St. Augustine and back, around Tampa on Tuesday. Wednesday back to St. Augustine then today back from there through Orlando.

No special reason for Tuesday's Sinatra clip, just feeling beat up and left for dead for the day. Love to blast that song when things aren't the way they should be, reminds me why I was in the situation I was in. Cuz I did it "my way". And it wasn't the wrong way, I just bit off more than I could chew it would seem.

I just have a look at the books and gaze at the bottom line - more often than not that cheers me up. Pisser is it's all in receivables on not in my damn bank account. To give you an idea of how much I've taken on and grown... current receivables under 60 days are about 10 grand less than last years total revenue. Not bad eh?

Now things have settled down and seem to be under control - for the next hour or two anyway - maybe, I hope, please. Tomorrow I'm gonna fly to Charlotte (if I can find my flight info).

Headed there to watch my niece graduate from high school.

(that's not her - she hasn't graduated yet...)

Gonna be some family in, so there'll be lots of food. And if I have any say in the matter, there'll be a few (read 79) of these as well.

Maybe, just maybe I'll get to relax for a couple of days. Wonder if I remember how.

Everybody - just have a damned fantastic weekend, Pirate's orders.

There were times

2007-06-05T15:42:00.000-04:00

I'm sure you knew
when I bit off
more than I could chew
but through it all
when there was doubt
I ate it up
and spit it out.

Hate to talk with my mouth full, but today sucks.

FreeBooby Tuesday

2007-06-05T07:32:00.001-04:00

Hey all, hope your respective Mondays went well, the pirate drove to St. Augustine and back, perfect way to fill the day I suppose. 400 miles. yeehaw.

Have to head back there tonight, have a truck arriving Wednesday am and I'm all out of crews. I actually have to put my tools on this week - that's not supposed to happen. Bringing in a couple of extra hands but not normal crews so I'll have to educate them first and hope we can finish in an expedient manner. And there's why I won't be around the rest of the week.

When I come back Friday I have a flight to North Carolina for my nieces graduation on Saturday. Will get back Sunday from there and then more than likely it'll be back to St. Augustine for another couple of days. Basically I won't see home for a week or so.

Anywho, FreeBooby Tuesday it is. Here's a few, pair. The first I just kinda like, it goes with the whole pirate and the sea thing. Damn nice photoshop by somebody.

Have a great week people.

Pirate out.

Friday.

2007-06-01T09:34:00.000-04:00

Seeing as how the instigator of FuckYou! Friday has taken a hiatus(?) I'm not gonna bitch about anything today. Not that I don't have anything to bitch about and a few fuck yous to hand out, I'm just not in the mood.

Yesterday the Pirate was having a fucked up day, really. I was doing something entirely out of character for me, worrying about something I couldn't control. Not me, not what I do. I pretty much wasted the entire damn day fretting, worrying and bitching. Again, not me, not my style.

Has to do with a job that will not be done on time. Been FUBAR from the beginning, this is for the day job and not my biz but it still has my name all over it and that bothers me. I decided that I'd go get my hair cut just to get away for a while and that's when I had my moment.

In the spot next to me was a guy just two years younger than me, also getting his hair cut. Difference here was that he was in a wheelchair, a quad, couldn't speak either, and the two women with him were arguing over how his hair should be. This guy had a completely normal life til 4 years ago when a car crash left him in this condition. Turns out my day wasn't so damned bad after all now was it.

I could still walk, I could still talk, I could still tell Maren how to cut my hair. In the scheme of things who cares if the truck with my material is gonna be late, who cares if it's gonna cost the boss man 3 grand a day for everyday the jobs not done past the 13th (well maybe he does, but he never did anything to make sure it was gonna be on time) so screw it. Not my problem.

All I could think about was that guy sitting there, probably hearing these two argue over his hair and not being able to tell them to shut the fuck up. My day was pretty good all things considered. I'm over it now, I'm still gonna go to Charlotte for my neice's graduation on the 8th and if the job isn't done so fucking be it.

Y'all have a great weekend, have some fun and enjoy yourselves.
Pirate out.

Grandma Update - she's doing better, much better than expected. she should be able to come home this weekend and after a week or so be able to live on her own again. Yeah Granny! You go girl!

HNT - step into my office edition

2007-05-31T08:14:00.000-04:00

Someone I once knew had an office fantasy.

Who am I to deny something like that?

**, can you come into my office for a minute, well, maybe more like an hour or two?
Happy HNT all!

Kitty update - we have found a home for one of the critters, the black/grey/white precious ball of fur is moving out tomorrow. One down, one to go.

Charlie, typically I would love the little things... however, already have two monster cats and two dogs - we're at our limit. I'll pay the freight to GB if you want the last one... ;>)

** after seeing this posted I just wanted to clear one thing up. My office isn't nearly as messy as it appears, must be the camera angle.

FreeBoobyTuesday!

2007-05-29T11:41:00.000-04:00

Hey y'all. Happy Tuesday. We sailed right past Monday this week didn't we. If you had to work yesterday... sucks to be you.

It's FreeBooby Tuesday.

We have underwater boobs. Only fitting since I spent so much time in the pool this weekend.

And we have big boobs.

Yeah Boobs!

and yeah, the Tequila was good. That and the Coronas and the Reisling and the food, and the company. Three days of lazy are not good for the Pirate.

Oh, and we had a couple of kittens move in Friday. Long story. Looking for homes for them if anybody's interested. They are litter box trained and toes are their snack of choice.

Have a great day peoples.

FuckYou! Friday

2007-05-25T09:14:00.001-04:00

It's Friiiiiiidaaaaayyyyy.

Guess who's taking the weekend off? Yeah, that's right. Yours truly.

Need it bad. and a few days off too.

My cousin from Lauderdale and his family are coming over for the weekend and he's bringing a bottle of 100 year old (?) Tequila that somebody gave him. Yeah, MG, I'll have a shot glass set aside for you, c'mon over. I'm gonna get blinded. Seriously.

The pool area is sparkly clean and the water's about 86 degrees. Guess where I'll be. Have to make floaties for my beer and shot glass.

Now, FuckYou! Friday.

Don't ya just love that pic?

Fuck it all, I'm off for three days. Then it'll probably take another 3 or 4 to recover, fuck that too.

Fuck you to payroll. We've doubled the size of the crew in the past week, up to 6 now. Gonna need at least two more in a week or so. The check for payroll this week was 4 times what my original payroll was. Holy shit.

Fuck me, damn I'm tired. Feeling better today though, better than I've been in a few weeks. Gotta keep it that way.

Have a great fucking weekend peoples. If ya wanna come by for the party, bring it on.

Grandma update is below, with a pic of the farm.

Pirate out.

Grandma Update

2007-05-24T15:56:00.000-04:00

Sorry all, no HNT this week. Can barely find time to breathe.

I wanted to give y'all an update on Grandma though; you guys are the best. I was just getting it out there and off my brain and the support and well wishes were incredible. I thank you and I know she would too.

Latest word is she's out of intensive care and in a regular room in Pittsburgh now. She'll be leaving probably tomorrow and headed back to the hospital in her little town. The initial problem has been taken care of although they came up with another before they were done. She'll be in the local hospital for a week or so maybe and she's gonna need some therapy of some sort before they'l let her go home.

The start of it all was a lesion in her stomach that was bleeding, now they're worried about her heart. My Mom says that she'll probably need to have full time help at home now when she gets out. She's been pretty independent up till this time, maybe not so much anymore.

Again thanks for the wishes and prayers and all. Here's a pic of the farm so you can see where I spent my summers oh so many years ago. This pic is hanging in the Pennsylvania welcome center on I-79 at the W. Va border.

I love my Grandma

2007-05-21T11:54:00.000-04:00

Yeah, that's an odd post title for me isn't it???

It comes because Grandma is lying in a hospital in Pittsburgh, she's got some bleeding in her stomach and they thought they had it under control but today, maybe not so much. She's been around a long time, she celebrated her 94th birthday in February.

Her and my Pap were married 75 years, 75 fucking years, how often does that happen? That date took place in October of 1994. We lost Pap the following August, he was 96 when he went. He'd been ready to go for about 6 years, he was just too tough to die.

Now Grandma's been to the hospital before, ususally for fluid buildups in her chest. Everytime I get the call that she's in the hospital I'd always say it's not her time and not worry about it. For some reason I don't have that attitude this time. This time I'm concerned. I love that woman. I loved Pap too.

They have a farm in SW Pennsylvania, I spent most of my youthful summers there. Hanging with the cousins, working the farm, helping out Uncles on their farms. Long damned way from the Caribbean, but it is one of the places I hold most dear. Over their later years the farm declined. Pap had a sawmill, that's how he supported his family; it's gone now too. When Grandma goes, it's all over. I hate to see it happen, really hate to see it happen.

I just hope that me thinking this may be the end is because I've had such a shitty couple of weeks and everything's gonna be okay. It's just my juju sense is tingling, and it's not positive.

When Pap died in August of '04 there were 102, count 'em, 102, direct descendents. That doesn't count spouses, step children, etc. Big damn family eh?

Grandma, I know you're not reading this, but you need to know that you mean the world to me. I've told you a thousand times how much you and Pap and that farm means to me and I had to tell you again.

How bout throwing some good wishes Grandma's way. I know when she gets better she'd love to make y'all some bread and jelly and can you some veggies. She's just sweet that way.

I love my Grandma.

FuckYou! Friday

2007-05-18T10:36:00.000-04:00

I had the coolest fucking post put together with all my venom spewed from the week at everybody who pissed me off. And believe me it was a long damned list.

I had all my greatest fuckyou pictures in it, from the skeleton to big bird, the little girl asking for help dealing with fucktards and the tatooed and pierced topless chick flipping both barrels.

It was some of my best work.

My wireless connection went down when I hit publish and my post disappeared into the ether.

FUCKITY FUCK FUCK FUCK. (thanks mg)

So FUCK ALL. I'm done.

Friday is turning out like every other day this week so far. I have 6 men, at a cost of $100 per hour sitting on their thumbs in North Tampa waiting on a truck full of material that was supposed to leave Orlando at 6 AM THIS MORNING... I was just told it may be there by 1 pm.

FUCK.

So, here it is. Fuck everything. I'm done. I'm turning on the answering machine and leaving. There's a box of Coronas in my immediate future. After that, maybe a booby bar. Who knows. I'm outa here.

Have a great fucking weekend peoples!

Pirate out.

Oh, and thanks for the glowing, positive responses to my post from yesterday. 8 x 10 prints are available in the ship's gift shop. I'd be proud to be anybody's desktop pic. ;>)

HNT - time for something completely different edition

2007-05-17T09:36:00.000-04:00

Yesterday's post was not like me, today's isn't much different.

When I hit this point I tell myself it's time to do something stupid.

Something completely out of character, something unlike me.

Well, this will have to suffice for now.

Happy HNT.

Thanks for the love, and don't worry. It'll work itself out, it always does. It's just a matter of when. The Pirate is "pigheadedly optimistic" that'll never change. If things don't change, I'll be running away to join the circus and I'll let you know when we're coming to your town.

ATL LG, when's the boat leave?

dammit

2007-05-16T08:28:00.000-04:00

I can't be the rock
not today

sometimes I wanna pop
sometimes I wanna say

I'd like to break down
but I can't find the time
they're all looking to me
to keep it in line

I hope I can keep it in line.

*Lyrics by Cross Candian Ragweed

Went home yesterday completely drained, physically and mentally.

Added three men to the payroll, now I'm responsible for 6 people, not including myself.

Feeling the strain of running the business and holding the job, revenues and expeditures, just everything. I'm over tired and over committed; I should probably just be committed.

When I got home there was major conflict with the mrs, minor conflict with the youngest, got those somewhat worked out and then there's a major conflict with the mrs and the oldest. I really didn't need any of this, not now.

I try to solve things and work stuff out for everybody, keep the peace at all costs; where do I turn to get my shit worked out and find some peace?

I'd like to break down...

I just can't find the time.

HNT - show me the money edition

2007-05-03T09:28:00.000-04:00

TME has been waving that $20 I asked for in my face all week, wanting to see some pirate flesh before she'd part with it...

I have some good news and some bad. Ya see, here in this county you're not allowed to have alchohol and nekkidness in the same place. Pisses me off entirely, cuz to me, there's nuthin better than a cold beer and a naked woman to put a smile on my face and I can't get it all in one spot. I'm all about convenience you see.

Anywho, since Coronas are always on the menu around here, along with MG's margaritas and other hallucinagenic tropical concoctions, it would be a violation of numerous county ordinances for complete nekkidness. Sorry TME.

That was the bad news.

Now for the good.

I did take a new HNT pic, it does show pirate flesh, and it has approved for use in this space.

Also gives me a chance to fly my Pirate colors.
So, hopefully that was enough flesh to get me that 20 spot from TME. Things are tight and I need to raise some cash. There are some out-takes available to the highest bidder, c'mon peoples - Surrender the Booty.

Happy HNT all. Click the blue button over to the right, yeah, that's it, down a little bit, now ya got it... and join the fun.

FreeBooby Tuesday

2007-05-01T11:22:00.000-04:00

Hey All,

Same shit, different day.

Busy, crazy, busy Ted!

Here's some boobage for ya.

Man, I got a ton of shit to do. Will try to post something of a nekkid pirate for HNT - really need that 20 spot from TME. Other than that I'll be missing for a while.

Pirate out.

FuckYou! Friday

2007-04-27T11:54:00.000-04:00

I'm kinda at a lack of fuck you's this week. Either that or I have so damn many I just don't know where to start.

I know, FUCK paperwork. Yeah, that's it. That's what I've been doing all damn day and probably will continue through the weekend. This having your own business shit is shit. I have so many hats I forget which one I'm wearing from one minute to the next.

Y'all should hear the sales department have an argument with the dicks from accounting around here. People think I'm talking to myself but actually I'm having a staff meeting. Things are tough at the moment, we're changing billing cycles from the work we used to do which had money come in every two to three weeks to contract work where the money comes in every 5 to 6 weeks. Talk about strapped. Bondage without the fun...

The guys in the field need this and that and I'm left figuring out how the hell to pay for it. I've got a healthy chunk in receivables but unfortunately you can't spend that. I'm just happy that receivables is constantly higher than the payables, I think that means I'm making money - I just can't see it yet.

Okay, I got it now, FUCK being undercapitalized. I get rid of one type of stress and totally replace it with another kind. Yeah, I'm just brilliant that way.

Have a great fucking weekend y'all. The Coronas are on me!

oh, can anybody lend me a $20 till maybe late May?

HNT - Public Safety Announcement

2007-04-26T09:00:00.000-04:00

Squimish beware.

I had a couple of these.
And used one of these To chop some of this to put in this

and ended up with this.

The moral of the story...

Damn! That fucking hurts!

It looks quite a bit better today, after three days of being bandaged with Neosporin. The little piece on the end is actually sticking back on.

Happy HNT folks.

FreeBooby Tuesday

2007-04-24T10:58:00.000-04:00

How's about a poolside pic for today. Still in time off, let's hang by the water mode apparently.

Oh, and I got this in my email today - what guy hasn't had this happen to them.

Have a great day all.

Pirate out.

ya oughta check this place out

2007-04-22T20:33:00.000-04:00

Friday both the girls were spending the night away, I told the wife to pack a bag that would fit on her bike. I took off early (believe that?) and packed a bag myself. Kickstands up at 5pm.

Off we went down through the backwoods headed to Anna Maria. Was a nice ride, sun was shining, weather was warm and the sky was blue. Heading into Anna Maria Island from Bradenton there are several little islands along the causeway, folks were lined up there with their boats and jet skis and grills. Bastards, I want a boat. But, we were on the bikes so that's okay...

Got us a room at Club Bamboo, last time we were here it was an Econo Lodge, now it's all condos that are rented by the night or the week. It was a helluva lot nicer than last time. I had packed a bottle of Reisling but forgot the corkscrew, luckily there was a Circle K next door and they had a few. After a few glasses we went to Sharkey's for dinner.

From the outside it kinda looks like a sportsbar kinda place but on the inside it's a pretty damned nice place. The wife had Onion Crusted Grouper, I opted for a nice shark steak, Mako, grilled with BBQ sauce. Needless to say it was gooood. A couple of cocktails later we opted for dessert in a box and wandered back to the hotel.

Cool thing about the beach on the west coast, the sunset. Here's a quick version.

Saturday we played tourist. Spent some time talking with the new management of Club Bamboo, really nice folks. Rob, the chief in charge, wanted us to come back again and offered a buy two nights get one free in the summer so we've got a gulf side suite reserved for late July.

We both rode my bike down to Bridge Street in Bradenton Beach, a couple of blocks of souvenier shops, clothing and jewelry stores. Had lunch at the Bridgetender, damned good burgers and I must add some excellent customer service, nice folks. Here's the view from the patio, really made that burger enjoyable.

A sign in one of the gift shops caught my eye - "If you're lucky enough to be at the beach, you're lucky enough."

We ran into a woman and her little girl headed for the ice cream place and she chatted us up. Told us of several places we needed to see so it's a good thing we're going back. She also clued us in on a cool little riverside bar in Ellenton called Woody's River Roo. Stopped there on the way home for a couple of Coronas and then finished a few more off poolside at home.

Damn, nice weekend. Ya know, I should take some time off more often.

HNT - Shiney and New Edition

2007-04-19T11:10:00.000-04:00

It's fixed and back and all better, shiney and new.

Damn I love my truck.

Happy HNT all!

Wednesday Biz Report

2007-04-18T16:27:00.000-04:00

Went this afternoon to walk a project that we are near completing. A new building in Pasco County, our first, big, major project. This was the $60k job that I was yapping about back at the end of January.

Gotta say it made me proud. Walking through the buildings, looking at all our products installed, in a quality fashion mind you. I've had much larger projects while working for other people but MY company's largest job to date was about $18k. We were called in last minute on this one cuz the intial sub had defaulted and we had just two months to get quotes, open accounts, get material onsite and get it done. WE DID IT.

There are a few things left to do, as with all jobs like this but we are 95% complete. And without any hassles or problems or headaches - none worth mentioning anyway. We are actually ahead of the schedule.

We so fucking rock!

Free BoobyTuesday (afternoon)

2007-04-17T18:33:00.000-04:00

Okay, well, more like evening then. House is quiet, taxes are done, WTF may as well post some boobies. Been on roll with the posts lately, not sure whats up with that, but, why quit on boob day?

Not sure why but I just love that picture.

Hott damn, two FBT's in a row. watch out kids.

Random bitch of the day... fucking tires and alignment for the new truck cost 800 fucking dollars. Damn nice tires, but 800 fucking dollars? I hate that.

okay, I'm better now and please have a wonderful what's left of Tuesday.

It's Monday!

2007-04-16T16:02:00.000-04:00

Yeah. whatever.

Nuthin new, 'cept this.

Another truck added to the fleet. An '02 Dakota for the new guy, M3, to drive. Counting my GMC that I did actually get back on Friday that makes three. They have to accept my nomination for Commodore now don't they? Fuck em if they don't I'm buying a new hat.

Like I said the new guy is making me money, when I make money I can spend money. I don't like spending money but hey, ya gotta do what ya gotta do. He made me money, I made him happy. Hopefully it'll turn into a vicious cycle.

The GMC is shinier now than when I bought it nearly 6 years ago, she looks suhweeet. Makes me happy. Guess I need to take a pic of it too and set it next to the crashed pic so y'all can see the difference.

Oh, and my taxes are almost done. Found out I actually have till tomorrow so I can procrastinate just a little bit more. I got em started, now I just need to finish.

Pirate out.

FuckYou! Friday

2007-04-13T08:39:00.000-04:00

More like FuckMe Friday, then again not...

Lots of mixed feelings today. I get my truck back! YEAH! I have to give the Caddy back. :>(

Really enjoyed driving this puppy. Probably way too much.

Note to DH - I got it at Enterprise.

But now it has to go back.

Gave myself a bit of a reality check Wednesday night. Went to Caddy.com and built my own CTS, not bad, only $36k. Then I went to autotrader.com and used one of their payment calculators. Figuring my truck as the downpayment, the payments would have been like $540 a month; for 5 effin years. Holy Shit, it's nice but it's not that nice. Guess there's no Caddy in my immediate future. But hey, we're on the rise so there's time.

So girls, if ya wanna ride be here before noon.

Now it's back to work time, fuck me again, and this weekend - I get to do my taxes. Do I know how to live or what? Really looking forward to filling in my occupation as Pirate on the old 1040. Good thing I don't have to declare all the booty I have in those off shore caves.

Have a great fucking weekend.

HNT - C'mon let's ride.

2007-04-12T13:01:00.000-04:00

OH

MY

GOD!

3 posts in a row.

Short and sweet this time.

For those who wanted a ride in the Caddy.

Climb on in.

How was that? Oh yeah. Grass, gas or ass - no one rides for free.

and the tank is full.

Happy HNT y'all.

Wednesday Bidness Report

2007-04-11T09:27:00.000-04:00

Things are good.

Better than they have been in a long time.

The new guy, henceforth known as M3, is doing a fantastic job. With the projects, with the guys, with everything. He has exceeded my every expectation. Maybe I had them set too low. nah.

I wonder if my hesitation, delay and just unwillingness to place the damned ad for help is what helped me get this guy. If I had looked when I should have maybe he wouldn't have been looking for a job. Maybe I just needed to suffer for a while. Who knows. It worked out, somehow it usually does.

I'm told I "may" get my truck back at the end of the week. MAY get it back. Fuck all. Stupid bastards, it was a month on Sunday. Between the insurance company and the body shop they've fucked the whole thing up. Mercury insurance sucks. I cancelled them. Dumb bastards.

Not that I much care anymore. I gave up driving whatever was available last week and rented a car. Been driving around in a Caddy CTS, this this is fucking sweet. And I make it look good. lol. Another week in this thing and I won't want my truck back. Imagine that. I just may go buy me one of these things if biz keeps up and M3 keeps making me money. Dreams....

Have a great Wednesday folks.

Wow, two posts in a row. Maybe there'll be an HNT tomorrow.

FREE BoobyTuesday

2007-04-10T07:26:00.000-04:00

Billy's Back. Back again.

I was talking to Green Eyes the other day and said that I needed to find a new blogging time. Used to be I'd get my posts done in the morning waiting for the boys to show up, anywhere from 7:30 to 8 or so in the morning.

Now, with the new guy, everybody's always here on time, hell, the new guy is here before me everyday. Really cutting into my posting time. This morning they're all on a jobsite, have a large truck coming in today so they're all out to unload it. And I get to post. Boobies.

Hey ATL LG, where ya at? Look, I'm posting. Boobies.

One shot reminds me of one of my favorite bloggers, we'll see if she sees herself in the pic the way I do. Then again, I'm just a pervy pirate...

On with the boobs. Two shots just cuz I ain't been here; I'm a nice guy that way.

Everybody have a great Tuesday, I will, I'm not out in the rain unloading a damned truck.

HNT - Shiny and Clean Edition

2007-04-05T08:27:00.000-04:00

It's Thursday and Billy's posting, WTF?

Been feeling like such a slacker, haven't posted an HNT in a while so I figured I should. Thought I'd have something from the wedding to show y'all but nothing good. Had a great time, Corona in my hand and my toes in the sand for three days; made coming back Tuesday extremely difficult to do.

Weather was beautiful, water was cool, wedding was nice, reception was good too. The ceremony was Sunday night at 6:30, beachside, I will post a pic or two soon. The couple had been together for 11 years, started dating in middle school. The two of them grew up with my cousins and basically second children to my aunt, she performed the ceremony under a little tiki hut in the sand.

Anyway, HNT.

Hope everybody has a great day. I plan to.

no, FUCK YOU MAN, Friday

2007-03-29T20:58:00.000-04:00

Or, as I like to say, Karma's a bitch.

Got a minute for a story? This is a classic, really.

We needed to use our T nailer today, we use it to nail wood to concrete block. It should have been in storage at the office, but it wasn't. We searhed the unit, the trucks, the warehouse and my garage - nuttin. Couldn't find it, anywhere.

We all looked at each other this morning and said the same thing... and that was the name of the lead guy I'd had and let go recently. Y'all remember those stories, yeah, that guy. The nailer I bought last summer and we used it maybe 4 times, then it sat. In the same place, probably since August. We had no need for it, till I picked up a new job last week.

Sales I might add - have been good. Things are getting better all the time. Kick myself in the ass for not making the changes sooner.

Anyways, it was gone. Was gonna buy a new one, and then thought ya know, I just may get mine back, crazy thought. So we rented one, diffent kind so I had to buy nails too. Dammit. When I was at the rental place the guy listened to me bitch and then said that the pawn shop down the street had several.

Gee, maybe I should go look. ya think?

So, I went to the pawn shop. I looked over the shelves and didn't see it so I wandered to the counter and asked if they had taken one in in the last month. After I told them why they asked the mans name. They looked on their computer and, well I'll be damned, guess who was in and pawned 7 items the day I let him go?

There on that list was my nail gun, it's in the back, shelf 60. Ain't that a hoot? Dumb fuck.

Luckily the nailer was the only thing of mine there. Made me happy. So, I have to file a police report, and pay the pawn shop what they paid for it and I can have it back. I filed my report but I can't get it back till next week... BUT I am getting it back. and that's not the best part.

The officer had a paper for me to sign to request or decline incarceration. As much as I wanted to see him suffer I had to think about his kids. Remember, single dad. I knew where the kids would go if he went to jail and I just couldn't do that to them. He can fucking rot. But not the kids. So, I declined incarceration. Sucker me...

Thing is, the officer didn't plan to share that with the boy right off the bat. My deputy said she'd take pleasure in making him squirm for a while and then let him down slow. Suhweeet. I'll bet that was a good time. Anyways, he called later. Repentent he was, fucker. Kiss. my. ass.

Can't wait to see how this plays out... Should be good. What goes around comes around. Ya know, karma can be a bitch.

So, Mr. I'm so damn sorry, this FUCKYOU!s for you. Mess with me godammit.

And for the rest of ya, have a great fucking weekend. I'm off to Lauderdale for a wedding on the beach, gonna have some fun.

it's been awhile...

2007-03-23T19:05:00.001-04:00

Man, a week and a half? Have I been gone that long? Guess so... Just been lazy mostly, tryin to get used to not workin so hard.

Been a busy time, lots going on. Finally got the insurance company to look at my truck (a fucking week later) and authorize the repairs. They didn't really seem to care that it was out of comission and I was out of luck. So I didn't really feel bad when I found new insurance last week and cancelled both my policy and my agent. fuck with me will ya. piss off.

So, that was Thursday, let's move to Friday. Sweetpea got to go to Germany with a friend for spring break. Her friends dad is stationed at an Air Force base there and that's who they went to see. She arrived Sunday, so far her bags have not... sucks huh? She bought new outfits before she left, talk about sucking. From what I've heard so far they've been shopping and to a chocolate factory and the Mercedes plant. She's due back Sunday, can't wait to see her.

I had the brilliant idea Saturday to clean up the mud pit around the pool equipment, well, not really a pit but whenever it rained you didn't want to go there. I decided to go get a yard of gravel and regrade the area and cover it with the gravel. It was a brilliant idea, all except the part of me actually doing the work. Man did I fucking hurt, still do, a week later. dumbass. Sure looks pretty though, I do have to get the place ready for pool partys ya know.

Quiet week overall, things are really leveling off at work. The new guy is working out pretty well. He was in the office most of the week, we were catching him up with what's going on, so he can carry on from here. I so fucking enjoy knowing that I don't have to deal with the shit anymore, and the field even had a good week. We're making money now instead of giving it away. bout time. I even got to go out and do some PR today, that was a huge step - it'd been so long.

Maybe, just maybe I'll be able to get back to posting here more often. I've really kinda failed with FreeBoobyTuesday lately, the Wednesday business report and last but not least HNT. TME came looking for a nekkid pirate this week and got nuttin. Well, till she complained, then I sent her a personal one. Customer Satisfaction is number one here at BrazenBilly's. Y'all may take a lesson from me and cancel my ass.

something of an update

2007-03-14T07:58:00.000-04:00

Well, suffice it to say last week was the week from hell.

The accident was my fault, wasn't paying attention to what I was doing. As dear old Dad would say - I was rushing. Yep, Dumbass. Dumbass me. Had a major interruption to my schedule, Sweetpea was sick, really sick, and taking care of her took a major portion of my day. I was late picking up material to get to the guys and was leaving a parking lot; made a U turn around a truck and BAM! Hit a concrete pole, if I may quote MG, "Fuckity, Fuck, Fuck, Fuck!"

It's been 3 business days now and no-one from my insurance company has even looked at my truck to assemble an estimate. I started lighting a fire under their ass about 4 pm yesterday, I pay big money for commercial insurance so I'm a little upset (understatement). I need my fucking truck. Hopefully y'all don't have an insurance company that "may be" from another planet - if you get my drift. Cuz so far they SUCK!

By the time Friday rolled around I was down to 2 employees, that's a good thing. The one quit, another just hasn't called or shown up and the third, the one I wanted to leave, well, I laid him off Friday afternoon. Seeeeeya! Gotta say, after that, it was like someone lifted a semi off my shoulders. The stress and pressure was gone.

The new guy is living up to my expectations. He's been on two jobs so far and MADE me money on both. That's the way this is supposed to work. PROPS to the new guy!

Found out Monday that the old lead guy has lied to me about at least two jobs. Spoke with a super on Monday to find out that my guy had fucked things up, not the GC as I was told. The man told me that my guy had been told explicitly what to do and he continued doing as he always had. Again costing me money to fix. Another job I was told was completed was not, talk about surprised. Holy Shit, was I surprised. Gotta add that job back to the schedule. How could he possibly think that I wouldn't find out about that.

In the past. It's all in the past. Time to move on, bygones people.

This week has been all about moving forward and that we have been doing in spades well, 'cept for my truck and I would expect that to change today. IF it doesn't I'm gonna kick the insurance companies ass back to the planet they came from and then maybe a couple planets extra just for good measure.

Had a great weekend. Concert Friday night, party Saturday night and the theater on Sunday. It was great to enjoy all those things without the pressure of the old regime hanging over my head. The new crew kicks ass, and we're gonna keep it that way.

Have a great Wednesday peoples. Pirate out.

fuck ME friday

2007-03-09T08:00:00.000-05:00

'nuff said.

HNT - Feelin Alright

2007-03-08T07:27:00.000-05:00

Well kids, the pirate's in much better shape than he was last week, let's hope it holds up.

I will write of the meeting on Monday but it will come to you tomorrow. It did go well, I definitely got my points across. One unfortunate thing did occur though, the man I wanted to quit is still here as of today and a guy I had no intention of losing, left. WTF? That's a story all by itself. He walked in, left his shirts and keys on my desk and walked out - never said a word. Nuttin. Went outside after him, but he was in his car driving away; he gave me a half salute and kept on going when I called his name. He wouldn't answer his phone and never returned my message. Oh well..
We will survive. It hurt me personally but life goes on.

Now, as far as HNT goes, I got word last week that I had exposed entirely too much Pirate flesh. So we're gonna leave a little covered this week. Maybe I'm overreacting but I'd rather not burn anyone's eyes out ya know...

So, MG, I could have lifted the sheet but I didn't want to hurt you.

Happy HNT to all, if ya wanna play click the little blue button over there to the right and go see Os. If not, well, have a nice day anyway.

Damn, that HNT for two weeks in a row. The Pirate's on a roll.

Oh, and one more thing. I lost all my bookmarks last night and need to rebuild, if you can leave a link or your url in the comments. If I get a few I can surf around and find everybody else. Much thanks.

Time for a change

2007-03-01T18:57:00.000-05:00

It's time for a change.
I'm tired of that same ol same.

"Boats to Build" Jimmy Buffett

It is indeed time for a change. I have changes to make. Not the typical personal changes, this is about the biz and the guys that work for me. I've hit the wall with problems. As I've said here before I'm tired of having to come up with desperate last minute solution to problems caused by other people. A fine quote from an old Segal movie that serves me well.

If you saw the FuckYou! Friday post you have a clue as to what I'm talking about, if not you can read it or just follow along... you'll catch on.

I've been working two jobs for about 10 months now. I have a full time sales job and I've also started a company whos initial purpose was to install the products I sold through my full time job. I started the company cuz I just couldn't find a decent subcontractor to install the stuff. Lo and behold here come a couple of guys I knew looking for work and MYcompany was born. We now install all the stuff that I was selling.

Soon that wasn't enough to keep these guys busy so I started selling other products through the company I had formed. I had the contacts, I had the knowledge, it was a natural progression. Now the guys are busy all the time and I'm working 14 hours a day; yeah, I know, I've whined about that before...

So, anyways. These guys worked well for the first few months and to keep them around I may have coddled them a bit. I paid them a salary, they got 8 hours a day even when they worked 6, I loaned them money, I bought them food, I took care of them pretty damned well. I was under the impression that good help was hard to find, hell I had a hard time finding bad help for a while. Now I'm not so sure.

In the past few months I've paid out the ass to correct problems that they've caused. I've pretty much lost my mind a few times. The biz plan for the company included me starting to get a check about this time and being able to renegotiate my terms of employment so that I could focus more on the biz. Now that's not gonna happen for a while and it pisses me off, royally.

It's becoming more and more obvious that at least one of the original guys is simply out for himself. He's having a real hard time with the new man I put on this week, he's figuring out that I'm gonna insert this guy between him and me and start holding him accountable for what he does. It would make sense just to fire him, it would probably be the best thing all the way around. Biggest problem here is that I've loaned this guy money and haven't gotten it all back yet, he owes me about $1700. I loaned him a grand to pay for the attorney for his divorce, I loaned him a hundred for I forget why and when we moved from me paying them cash to a payroll service I loaned them their regular check amount so they wouldn't starve to death cuz there was a week lag in the service taking effect and them getting their checks.

I've been soft, some of you know that. I've been called sweet and nice and many other derogatory words and I have a fit cuz it detracts from my Pirate image but, ya know, it's the damned truth. And now it's put me in a position I'd rather not be in. The lead guy, who owes me the most, is the guy that put his truck into a pole, that story is here. I felt bad for him then, now, not so much. I don't want to help him any more, he's a taker. period. He had the company pickup while he was waiting to get a new truck, he was never without transport. I should have been able to use that truck when Sweetpea had mine cuz her car was broke. No, he had that one, she had mine and I rode the motorcycle. Granted it wasn't that bad but fuck, a couple of days it was 40 degrees - that's cold on a damned bike.

Now what it comes down to is I just want him gone. Out of here. The new guy I hired the other day, while older and costing me more money is already leaps and bounds ahead of the original guy. BUT, if I fire him I may as well toss the money he owes me into the ocean and I'd bet even money that if I toss him the guy that started with him is gonna go as well. More money gone.

I like these guys, I do. I thought that I could help them while they helped me. Kinda lift them up a little, raise them out of the low level existence that they've been living. Thinking now that no matter what I do, they're never gonna change, especially the guy that owes me the most. He doesn't need to be kissing my ass,but you'd think he'd be a little humble about how he has been - he doesn't see any problem here.

The plan is this. Monday I call them all in in the morning and have a company meeting. I've established some guidelines for what I expect from them and what they can expect from me and I'm giving everybody a copy for their very own. I am going to be very clear about what I expect and that things are going to operate very differently from how they have been. If they don't this operation won't be around much longer and nobody's gonna have a fucking job. I know that guys 1 and 2 are not gonna take it very well and anticipate a ton of bitching. I'm not gonna listen to it.

I've been way too nice to these guys, and it's cost me, severely. Question to you good people is this: Should I just cut my losses and let at least the main problem go, I can kiss nearly 2 grand goodbye if I do. Or, do I give these guys an opportunity to make things better. Y'all know I'm too good to folks, it's just the way I am, Pirate rep be damned. One other thing I'm starting Monday is mandatory payroll deductions for those who owe me money. I know that they can't afford to miss any pay but that's the only shot I have at getting any of this cash back.

The floor is now open to discussion. Tell me what you think, and no, don't ask me for a job. The old Billy is out the damned door. The new Billy's pretty much gonna be an asshole. Not too tough for me to pull off when I'm sick and cranky.

**The next day... As I go to post this I have had conversations this morning with a few different folks. What I've come to learn is I have been helping the wrong people and it has cost me dearly. When I sent the main man out this morning I made clear my expectations for the day, I clearly spelled out what I wanted to happen and what he had to do to make it happen. All I got was a look of contempt. So, as of now my mind is made up, he's gone, along with one other and I'll rebuild. This biz is what is to be my main line of support and I can no longer tolerate people in the organization that don't share my vision and work to make it a success. I'll say seeya to what he owes me to cut my losses; I'm not gonna kill myself to make this work when other people in the organization do not. It's been standard procedure my entire life that lessons learned cost about 2 grand a pop - it's only seems to be then that I actually learn from them.

Comments, ideas, etc?

HNT - One sick pirate

2007-03-01T08:44:00.000-05:00

Hey all, look it, Billy's posting an HNT. WTF?

Sick as a dog...

Worn out, tired, congested and cranky as hell.

Gonna write a post tonight, so if you would, check in tomorrow and have a read; it has to do with the new guy I hired and the old guys who are severely letting me down. I wanna hear input from my blogger friends about how you think I could handle this. I'm torn, really torn, but at a point where I need to do something and I wanna hear from y'all. So, come back tomorrow and have a read and give me your heartfelt opinions.

Have a great day folks, Happy HNT!

Finally FuckYou! Friday

2007-02-23T16:24:00.000-05:00

Haven't posted for a while so I figured I'd drop in for a bit this afternoon seeing as I have a few fuckyous to pass out.

While they mainly pertain to me, here we go.

Fuck Uncertainty
Fuck Doubt
Fuck Hesitation
Fuck Me.

I've been kinda dragging my feet with what's going on with the business. We've been gaining more projects and the backlog is increasing along with our credibility but, as usual, I've been killing myself getting it done. And the boys have been killing me with stupid mistakes.

I've spent a couple of $grand fixing dumb little fucking mistakes that they have made. Be it they don't know any better or they just aren't paying attention the shit finally hit the fan last week. I spent $1800 correcting something we got paid $1200 to do. Seriously, WTF? I told them how to do the work, they figured they were saving time and doing it faster hence everything would be okay. What ended up happening was that they royally screwed the trade that was coming behind us, that didn't go over well. In the scheme of things what they did wasn't that bad, they just didn't think ahead as to how it would affect anybody else.

Had another project that I had to refund almost a $grand to the customer for a problem that one of my guys caused. Add to that one of the little fuckers ruined $800 worth of material simply by not paying fucking attention to what he was doing. Turns out that same guy was responsible for the loss of a couple hundred dollars of tools as well - let me say now that particular employee was terminated last week.

I knew I needed help in here and all these things brought shit to a head. I placed an ad last week for some help, some help that will make things better. Today I hired a new man, not a boy like the rest mind you, a man. Someone with a background very similar to mine, someone who when in charge will not allow the aforementioned "stupid shit" to happen. I've been hesitating to hire someone like that simply due to the cost, judging by the crap that has been going on the last few weeks, I decided I couldn't afford NOT to hire this guy. What I've spent on fixing the boys fuckups would have paid this man's salary for a month and a half.

Another fantastic thing about this hire is that I will also be able to use him in the office in almost any capacity. His experience is vast and wide ranging. Not only these things make it a great thing but simply the fact of how much this hire has shaken up the rest of the staff makes me happy. Since the time I informed them I was going to be doing this they seem to be shaping up, they know that I will NO LONGER TOLERATE the stupid shit. One man in particular is shaking in his boots about this, hopefully he'll improve, if not he knows what's next.

I see great things coming.

I also signed a lease on some bigger office space, we move next week. It's right next door so the move shouldn't be too bad. I am nearly tripling my space and I get a window, yippee. This will allow me to bring someone else into the office as well. Can't afford that person as of right now but when I can I'll have room; and for now I won't be cramped into this little box anymore. THE BEST PART... we get to have the company name on the sign above the door. It may be silly but y'all don't know how much that means to me. Remember when Steve Martin got the new phonebook in "The Jerk"? Yeah, that kind of excited - I'm somebody now!

Y'all have a fantastic weekend, I'll be in the office for a great part of it but there is also some time to ride planned. Gonna get out the bike with the wind in my hair and ride, just ride.

** on a side note, new blogger won't let me post a pic. the little box isn't popping up - so fuck blogger too!**

FreeBoobyTuesday

2007-02-13T09:30:00.000-05:00

Just a post before I go...

Bout ready to head north and west to Panama City, FLA. Have to go visit a project for a day, 6 hour drive one way to spend an hour or two. Will be at the Hampton if anyone cares to stop by and visit the Pirate.

It is FreeBoobyTuesday, and, since I missed last week I'm gonna give ya two this week - or is it four? Never sure how to count the pups.

Hopefully DH and ATL won't be disappointed this week. Last week they came by late and only got a shot of my ass. And for the others that stopped by, thanks for the spanks, squeezes and the pinch. Really.

OKAY, FREEBOOBYTUESDAY time.

I loves a girl in the kitchen. Wonder what's cooking? Bacon would hurt.
This weeks posts come to us courtesy of postyourgirls.com cuz that's where I stole them.

Hope y'all have a great Tuesday. See ya in Panama City!

PS Blogger tells me I have to switch to new blogger the next time I sign in; I've been avoiding it for a while now if ya don't see me for a while that's why. I hate it when people move my damn cheese.

HNT - A little behind

2007-02-08T08:58:00.000-05:00

Yippeee, it's Thursday!

Okay, that's the extent of my enthusiasm today.

Haven't posted an HNT yet this year, but, since I had a request to put one up I figured I'd better. Searched through the archives for a special pic (one not yet posted) but couldn't find what I was looking for so you get this one. Hope this will cheer you up friend - it's the best I got to offer today.

Click on the blue button to the right, yeah that one over there and play HNT with all the cool kids.

**Update on my worker, he's got no broken bones but his foot is still sore as hell. He's hobbling around but working; his dedication to taking care of his kids is incredible. He's driving the company truck til he gets his shit sorted out, hopefully soon he'll be able to get some more transportation.

FuckedUp! Friday

2007-02-02T12:47:00.000-05:00

Hey folks, gonna take a departure from the typical FuckYou! Friday and share with y'all a fucked up Friday.

Been a tough week for the Pirate and his crew. Started on Monday with an event that would make Mr. Fabulous proud, one of my guys put a drill bit through a 1 1/2" hot water pipe and flooded the Yankee's locker room at Legends Field, their spring training facility. No major deal, cut open the wall had the pipe patched and put the wall back. Luckily the Yankees are the forgiving type...

Continued from there with another couple of unfortunate events, culmanating last night with the same man plowing his Durango into a major power pole. Spent last night at the hospital with him til about 1 am, think he has a broken foot and a few other problems, but should come out of it okay. Problem is that he probably won't be able to work for a while.

This guy has been with me since the beginning almost a year ago and has worked his ass off. He is a single father with two boys, ages 1 and 2. The mother just up and left for Cali not quite a year ago with another man and has put my guy through hell ever since. She abandons the boys and him and then she and her family are constantly filing "anonymous" abuse complaints with the Department of Children and Families. Ya think they could just leave him well enough alone.

This man is up every morning and gets the kids to daycare, works all day, grabs them and takes them home, cares for them when they're sick, doctors appt's and all, all by himself. I know a lot of you are single parents so you can agree that this is tough. He is seriously trying to elevate himself from where he came. His family is basically non-existant, I don't know where his mom is, his dad is an alchoholic and lives with him. For the most part, one of my other guys and I are the closest thing to family he has and pretty much all the support he has.

So, now, I sit here, tired, beat to death and confused, wondering what to do. Currently we are at a very low point for cash flow, gonna be real hard to carry him on payroll while he can't work. And I also need to find someone to do the work he can't do. I absolutely cannot bail on him, that would be the easy thing but hell, when do I take the easy route. Yeah, the pirate has a heart, some of you already know that.

The Mrs and I can help with the kids, but the cash well is dry right now; besides he's already into me for a couple grand between the divorce attorney and a few prior problems. Now he's out a vehicle, insurance will probably pay it off but it's not gonna get him a new truck..

Well, during the writing of this the boy hobbled in here. Seems to be in decent shape, says he's not on any pain pills - at the moment. Maybe he's not all that bad off physically. We went over and saw his truck at the tow shop, it's definitely totalled. Too bad, was a nice truck. He's off to cash his check and look into some more transportation. Still has some issues to deal with, I still have some issues to deal with as well. As always, I suppose we'll work it out. I simply can't wait to put an end to this fucking week.

The saving grace of the day is tonight I have some damned good seats for Spamalot, a Monty Python musical at the performing arts center. A bright spot in my day, gonna do another hour here and call it.

Hope everybody has a great weekend, we'll be back on Monday with a fresh attitude and hopefully some new ideas to never have a week like this again.

Free(zing)BoobyTuesday!

2007-01-30T07:46:00.000-05:00

Dammit y'all, how many times do I have to say it...

This is fucking Florida. Was a chilly 37 degrees when I got in the truck this morning, didn't have to scrape ice but seriously, I've only got so many long sleeve shirts. It's Tuesday and I'm out of warm clothes, it better warm up tomorrow or I got to call in sick or something.

Anyways, as always, it gave me an idea for Tuesday here on the ship. I kinda thought Free(zing) Booby Tuesday was clever - if you don't agree the plank is over to your right, please, step off.

So, maybe I don't have snow but boobies in the snow was the best I could do, there were no returns for my search on Frosted Boobs. And now, on with the show... I ccould just never sail far enough north to encounter this.

Have a great day people, and for Ja's sake, stay warm! Can't afford to lose any crew members this week. And if ya got an extra warm beanie or flannel shirt hanging about send it to your old pal Billy.

FuckYou! Friday

2007-01-26T07:57:00.000-05:00

It's FLORIDA dammit!

I'm not supposed to be scraping ice off my fucking windshield. Welcome to Friday in Tampa, there's frost on the rooftops and the grass, would have taken a pic but Sweetpea was late for school and we had to go. Ya know 42 degrees is a fine temperature for your beer but not for your Pirate.

So, fuck you to the forces of nature that brought the chill to my damn neighborhood. Yeah, I know, some of you are dealing with major snow falls and ice storms and subfreezing temperatures but c'mon, I live in a subtropical climate for Ja's sake, not in the great white north. You made your choice I made mine, I hate the fucking cold.

Nuff said, hope everybody has a great fucking weekend. I get to sleep in. Hells yeah.

That is all.

Catchin up...

2007-01-24T23:12:00.000-05:00

Well, it's late Wednesday and as of this minute I've got about 39 hours in this week. I slow down pretty damn well don't I? I keep waiting for the slow time that was supposed to be here in November and it's just not getting here. I've got 4 guys working in St. Pete and I and another guy went to Orlando last night and tonight. I'm thinking about maybe taking half a day Saturday off, guess we'll find out how that goes... TME, I have been delegating. :>)

Friday should be a good day, plan to close another big job, and, hopefully, maybe close a deal on a larger office space. I need more room and can't get it where I am, a space is opening up across the parking lot with 5 offices in it. The plan is to take the entire unit, keep the two largest offices and sublet the rest. I'll control the unit, be able to gain offices back as needed and, best of all, get my name on the big sign over the front door. Get me some wood just thinking about it. pardon me whilst I touch myself..

We'll call the stuff up there the Wednesday Bidness Report. The backlog is steady at about $400K, hope to add $100k on Friday and have the lead on another $30K bid. I so fucking rock.

So, that gets Wednesday out of the way, now to ATL LG's question about what happened to Tuesday. Tuesday passed by before I noticed but ya know, boobies are important, I mean really important. At least to ATL and myself. Something that gets me just as much as boobies is curly hair, luvs me some curly hair. So, without further adieu, here's some boobies for a late FreeBoobyTuesday with a dose of some cute as hell curly hair. Figure since I was late I'd fine myself two pics in addition to the one I didn't post to begin with.

So, maybe it is a fixation, sue me. Although I kinda like the setting too, cool looking out the window behind her. It took me a while to notice the city out there.

I need to hit the sack y'all. I'll get back here when I can and I'll get around to you guys again before long. Gotta get through this week yet. Take care.

Moday Update

2007-01-22T08:29:00.000-05:00

Hey all! Had a lot of questions about the doctor visit last week. I have no news. Went Wednesday for an Echocardiogram and to drop some blood. During the echo I layed on my side and watched my heart beating on the TV, pretty freaky. First off this proves I do indeed have a heart, while this may damage my rep as a pirate so be it. It was cool to watch this organ contract and the valves open and close. I asked if they could email the video to me but they told me no. I can however take in a blank CD and they will burn me a copy. Maybe sometime I'll get a copy and post it - wouldn't that be cool? Have an appointment with a neurologist tomorrow, after that I'll visit my regular doctor and get all the news. Y'all know when I do, thanks for your concern.

Was a tough week for Sweetpea. The motor on her Tbird blew Wednesday night on her way home from work, she drifted to the side of 75 and called me. She handled it better than I ever would have expected, she was calm and locked herself in the car and waited for me to get there. I called AAA and they came to tow it about an hout later. We had been sitting in my truck waiting with the lights and the radio on... When the guy pulled out with the Tbird, I went to start the truck to follow him and I had a dead battery. oh shit. Luckily I had the drivers cell phone and he turned around, came back and jump started my truck. We got home about 1 am, what a day.

Friday she was driving her Mom's Trailblazer and the drivers side window broke, then Sunday at 7:30 am she was leaving for work in my truck and backed over my fucking flagpole, snapped it in half. What was left in the ground was bent at a 45 degree angle. The neighbor saw it later that morning and wondered if I had torn it down cuz the Bucs did so bad this year. She's not driving anywhere for the next couple of day so she should be okay.

Sunday morning I had an email from a Marine in Cali, he had been in the archives and read the story about Charlotte the Cardboard Cowgirl. He wondered if I still had her, which I do, and wanted to know if I could send her to them. Apparently the Marines ain't scared of no curse. He assured me that if she kept up her mischevious ways that they could dispatch of her "in a most spectacular fashion". Waiting to hear back from him with an address so I can mail her out. Semper Fi!

Have a meeting this morning for another job, this one's worth about $100k; if I close it, this will put me at 1/4 of my 2 year goal and we've only been up and running for 8 months. Not bad huh? Looking for capital investors, I need more office space and I need someone in the office besides me, we are bursting at the seams here. Hired my 4th field guy this morning and looking for 2 more, damn we are growing, and fast.

Got to run, more later. More on Gasparilla later this week too.

FreeBoobyTuesday

2007-01-16T08:21:00.000-05:00

Hey all, welcome to FreeBoobyTuesday!

Been a slow posting week, see I haven't put up anything since last Wednesday... say it with me - SLACKER! Lots happening, just not writing it down. Last Wednesay a cousin of mine and her new beau came to visit, nothing unusual about that 'cept that I hadn't seen her in 7 years. She's from my dad's side of the family, we never saw that branch of the tree all that often; I spose cuz they lived further away than he cared to drive. Matter of fact I've only seen folks from that branch 4 times in the last 20 years. 3 of those for funerals, talk about a fun time to get together.

This time was for fun, I made a great dinner with the help of Babygirl. She made her world famous BBQ shrimp whilst I threw together several racks of ribs and the fixins. We ate and drank and smoked and ate and then dranks some more. A good time was had by all. As usual we promised to never let that much time pass again before we see each other...

This cousin and I have always had a certain click between us, not sure what it is but it was just always there. This trip I may have found out a reason why - she loves Pirates - but c'mon, really, who doesn't? This is something that we had never known about each other, to me that was really cool, she was freaked by the theme of the room they slept in - which was the old home office. I never moved all the priate flags and shit to the new corporate offices over the summer so she enjoyed her space.

Which brings me to an announcment. Quiet please. TME, turn that jackhammer off will ya? This is improtant. Another one of the reasons I love Tampa is that this time of year we have a little party known as Gasparilla, it's a pirate invasion of the city. Starting next weekend and ending on January 27th with the invasion. Every January, a great percentage of the population here turns pirate, and it's a blast. Too bad Kelly has kinda disappeared from the blog scene cuz last year she was talking about coming down for it - miss ya kid. The Pirates are coming! The Pirates are coming! You can visit the link for more info, and if ya decide to come let me know.

Now, for the reason I love Tuesday - BOOBIES! Softball Slut suggested body shots were in order last week to "celebrate the sale" and who am I to deny my lovely, plaid skirted assistant. Love the ponytails BTW, nice touch. Now without any further adieu, FreeBoobyTuesday, body shot style.

Y'all have a great day - I'm gonna.

and for those of you keeping track - I have an appointment for an echogram with doppler tomorrow morning.

Wednesday's Business Report

2007-01-10T08:27:00.000-05:00

Avast me hardies, come aboard; it be time for the weely bidness meetin'.

The old Pirate is gonna try to keep this up to date this year, well, at least posting it anyway. Quickbooks and Excel are keepin it up to date, which is cool cause a honest pirate acountant is hard to come by.

You'd have to dig pretty deep into the archives to find where Brazen Billy's Business Report started and since I ain't going back and looking for it I don't expect y'all to either. So, brief explanation of what we're talking about here is my three Bs. Bids - the $ amount of quotes we issued, Bookings - the $ amount of quotes that turned into contracts and billings - how much we invoiced. Thinking I should translate all this into Pirate lingo, but maybe next week.

For the first week of January 2007 we shaped up like this.

Bids - $13,045.00 (low)
Bookings -$226, 170.00 (that gives me wood)
Billings - $1,817.56 (that makes me panic)

Another very important B is the backlog, that is the amount of work we have under contract waiting to be performed. The jobs we submit quotes on are usually not done for at least 6 to 8 months, some are longer out, some happen right away, but 6 to 8 months is the average. So we always need that Backlog number to be high as that is the work we have to look forward to and it helps us work out our financial plans.

Current Backlog - $ 396,761.00 (not bad at all for now)

Considering that total billings for 2006 were just a bit over $100k, 2007 is shaping up to be a decent year. The current backlog is 20% of what I hope to build the company to, the business plan calls for us to have a backlog of $2 million in June of 2008. Now if I can just get the paperwork noose off my neck and get out and sell we may stand a chance of getting there.

Well thanks for not sleeping thru the meeting and a big thanks to my accountability partners for keeping me on the ball. Softball Slut I expect you - ummm, I mean the meeting minutes on my desk by noon.

And just so the entry today isn't a total boring loser I'm throwing in a pic I don't know why I didn't find before Xmas. So bear with a holiday photo of what could be the Pirate's very favoritest elf.

FreeBoobyTuesday!

2007-01-09T08:25:00.000-05:00

Hey Peoples, it's the first FreeBoobyTuesday of the new year.

I would like to thank all of you for your kind words and support for my big sale week, it was huge for me and the company. Now, if I only had a way to celebrate that achievement. Got another one yesterday, only $2k but everything counts right?

Now.

BOOBIES.

God I love Florida, the beach and everything tropical.

Then again, I just love boobies, I really like these.

That's right, it's 2 for Tuesday, or maybe like 8. But who's counting...

Enjoy your day folks, and if you can come up with a way for me to celebrate my achievement, and it must be celebrated, by all means let me know.

Still Kickin

2007-01-05T09:34:00.001-05:00

Hey y'all. Happy New Year and all that Jazz.

It's the first Pirate post of the new year and ya know what? It's short.

Holidays went well. Christmas went off without a hitch, just the fam and the mother-in-law, luckily she likes me. Took her about 12 years to realize that I was indeed a decent guy and for her to stop calling me by the wifes first husbands name but hey, guess it was worth the wait.

For New Years had my cuz and his family stop in on their way back from the northlands. They spent a few days and a relatively low key New Years Eve with us. Sweet Pea and Baby Girl went out to their own parties, the old folks stayed home. Since the Mrs. had to work New Years Day we started early. Beers were flowing around noon, Lemon Drops were served starting at about 2pm and by 6 we were all pretty much in the bag. Needless to say all but the Pirate were in bed before 11 pm. We simply fucking rock. Doesn't seem like all that long ago we'd drink and partake of pleasures all night long to watch the sunrise, what the fuck happened here?

Now, the BIG announcement. Should post this on Business Wednesdays but I can't wait.

The company just got it's biggest contract to date. $224,250.00. FUCK YEAH! Since we only had about $160k in work on the books we basically doubled in size overnight. Guess the good things are worth waiting for eh? I am one happy fucking camper. This is gonna look real good on our resume.

And the best part? Not that I like to cause a stir. Okay, I do like to cause a stir - piss off. There are about 4 competitors in town going who the fuck are these guys? The contractor called me yesterday to tell me that people are having a fit cuz 1) they didn't get the work and 2) they don't have a clue as to who the hell we are. So, not only did we get a simply fucking beautiful contract - we got the competition tripping all over themselves. Life is good. See what you get for answering your phone and taking care of your customers?

Take a note competition - y'all been around long enough. You don't take care of your customers and most of you simply get work cuz there's no other choice for the customers to make. Now there is, and it's me. I don't want to be the biggest, I just wanna be the best. I won't take all your customers, just enough from each of you to get me my $2.5 mil a year. And from what I hear, it ain't gonna be too damn hard.

As far as the Pirates health goes, he's about back to normal. Then again I've heard that "normal" is just a cycle on the washing machine. Have a few follow up appts to make and I'll get them done. The biggest resolution for the new year is to delegate, something that may be even tougher for me that not smoking or eating right, but I gotta do it. Just need to move past those trust issues...

Well, so much for a short post. Softball Slut, you better get ready to work, this assistant job is about to get serious - hope your feeling better after that crash. And ATL LG, I have some technology issues that need some attention. All hands on deck, it's time for the crew to get to work...

Have a great day y'all.

Merry Christmas to All

2006-12-22T08:57:00.000-05:00

Busy crazy busy Ted.

Yeah, I know, you've heard that before. Still true though.

Currently negotiating a $218,000.00 contract, that'll double our backlog of work. We're sitting on $168k right now. Moving forward, slowly, but moving forward.

Went to the doctor Wednesday for a follow-up. Status is I am being sent to a Neuro for an evaluation, being sent for an echocardiogram and yet more bloodwork. The cholesterol was high but not as high as I had expected, so I am being given a chance to lower it on my own before they tell me I have to take meds for it. And I am now taking a baby aspirin everyday. Still no reason for what happened, no specific cause and I seem to be about back to normal with the exception of just not giving a fuck about anything. I've only felt like me for maybe two days out of the last 3 weeks, hoping this doesn't last much longer - I hate not being me.

I want to wish each and every one of you a very Merry Christmas, that is unless you celebrate something else then have a happy whatever that may be. I hope that all my blogger buds get something that will bring them some happiness and joy no matter what it may be.

I was gonna try not to be a Grinch this year but hey, this doesn't look too bad.
Y'all take care.

FreeBoobyTuesday

2006-12-19T08:39:00.000-05:00

Twas the Tuesday before Xmas
and all thru the blogs
folks were making wish lists
and sucking down nog

or Tequila and Vodka
or whatever you choose
to make sure the Holiday
don't get to you
The pirate was searching
high and then low
for some Xmas time boobies
to post for the show
He went thru the archives
and then google and yahoo
and a couple of websites
for boobies to show you

He searched and he searched
for boobies with cheer
something in tune with
the day that was near.

Billy looked and he looked
for the perfect pair
Maybe some by the tree
or the fireplace in a chair

He finally came up with not
one pair but three
he found some with ornaments
in front of the tree

So here we go folks
my ever faithful crew
It's FreeBooby Tuesday
from the Pirate to You!

Keepin it on the down low...

2006-12-18T09:38:00.000-05:00

Hey all.

Still here and kicking. Barely today.

This trying to rest and relax shit is gonna kill me, mainly cuz I just ain't no good at it.

I be worn out and tired and feeling sickly, hopefully this too shall pass.

I had a call today from a contractor I deal with and the man wants to award us a job worth about $200K, I should be doing a fucking happy dance - all I can do is sit here. That just ain't right.

Hope everybody's week is a good one and you get all your Xmas shopping done.

Oooh, speaking of Xmas...

Whaddaya do with a Baby Jesus?

Odd question I know, but hear me out.

Sweetpea, Babygirl and I went out and bought a tree yesterday, a holiday shrubbery if you will, and a couple of poinsettas so we could Xmas out the inside of the house. We got back and moved some furniture and I went out the front door to bring the tree inside and when I stepped out there was a baby Jesus on my doorstep.

A tiny baby Jesus in a cradle, sitting on our door mat? Replete with halo. A baby Jesus. Now we have no idea where it came from and quite frankly it was a little creepy. Neither of the girls would go near it. Totally strange, guessing maybe one of our neighbors thinks we need a little help?

So, question of the day is??? If you walked out the front door and found a baby Jesus on your doormat - what would you do with it?

FuckYou! Friday

2006-12-08T10:30:00.000-05:00

Thinking maybe I ought to tone it down this week. I had a lot of FuckYous! posted last Friday, guess I had a lot of pent up agression that needed to be released but in the end it was me that pretty much got fucked - and not in a good way...

FuckYou! Friday this week goes to me, cuz I got it coming.

Fuck me for working so damn much.
Fuck me for trying to do everything myself.
Fuck me for not cutting myself some slack every once in a while.
and last but not least...
FUCK ME for nearly killing me.

It's been a helluva week for the Pirate. Trying to relax, trying to take it easy, trying... but not really doing it. I've been to the office everyday this week, am here now... Working slowly, but still working. Not the hours I have been but shit if it doesn't get done, it'll still be here for me to do and then it'll be late too.

Been a week of reflection, quiet and otherwise. There's been shouting and screaming and some soft gentle conversations. There's been some decisions about what's important and what's not, what really matters and what doesn't; the Pirate has to reduce his stress. pffft. More decisions, more stress. It'll never go away, will it?

I've always been one to say, "Ya know, if I can't each steaks and cheeseburgers and fries and chicken wings and drink and smoke and carry on what the hell am I living for?" Guessing that maybe my philosophy will be changing; maybe not by choice, but since I choose to stick around it'll be changing none the less.

I don't play with some of y'all when you do the count, but I gotta tell ya, I've been counting this week. And that definitely includes my blogger pals, thanks for the words of support (including those of you that have threatened to come down here and kick my ass if I don't listen to the doc)

Hope everybody has a great fucking weekend!

FreeBooby Tuesday

2006-12-05T15:49:00.000-05:00

Hey all, still alive and kicking. Still wornout and drained also. Not doing well at keeping the stress level down either. Thanks for the love that was shown yesterday, if your just getting here and wondering why people would show the Pirate some love, check the post below.

It is FreeBooby Tuesday, even though it's late in the afternoon I figured I got to put something up since ATL LG advised folks to come here and look at boobies.

This one's not so much about the boobies as where the pic was taken. Subway, where I can get sammiches with 6 grams of fat or less. Seeing as how I've got to get serious about the whole cholesterol thing now, guessing cheeseburgers, fries and wings are off the menu. Got to remember to make some more oatmeal cookies too. Anyways, Subway.
How come that never happens when I'm there?? Then again maybe my heart couldn't take it.

Hope everybody is having a great day. Should be seeing the doc again in a couple days so I'll let y'all know what goes on.

I'm no Superman

2006-12-04T10:04:00.000-05:00

Apparently...

Let's just say that the weekend didn't go anything like it was planned. It seems that this:
Will lead to this...

See them sexy shaved patches on my chest, and my legs, well that's where they attached the leads for the EKG and eventually the heart monitor. Dumbass Pirate... Seems that the Captain had what's called a "TIA" Friday evening when he was supposed to be out having fun. For the official definition check this out, for the simple answer say "mini-stroke" or brain attack. Yup, that's right, the pirate can't have a good time without something going wrong.

If you recall, when I left you Friday I was going out with the boys Friday night, we we're gonna go see boobies... Well... that never happened. Met up with the boys at T's house about 7pm, we smoked a bowl of some fine herb and decided that we'd hit a bar and shoot some pool before we went to see some fine adult entertainment. After a quick stop at the liquor store where the youngin's got bottles and I got a soda we headed to a little dive to play some pool and get our buzz on.

We grabbed a pitcher of beer and a table and I played the first game against J, should have known something was wrong then cuz I lost... anyway I sat down and finished my beer and poured another. I was perched on a barstool watching T and J shoot it out when something wasn't right. I was having a hard time seeing...

Within seconds I felt like I had been drinking all night and was severely fucked up. I couldn't see straight, I couldn't speak, I felt nautious and then I found out I couldn't walk. I was feeling very sick and decided that a chair would be much better for me than a barstool, I thought about going outside but didn't think I would make it. As I stood up from the barstool I stumbled forward and was about to go face down into the pool table when T caught me and set me back on the stool. He let go of me to ask what was wrong and apparently I fell down again. The rest of this story is second hand cuz I don't remember much of anything after this.

T says he caught me a second time and I couldn't respond to anything they asked me. They decided to take me outside to my truck and set me on the tailgate. Luckily the boys that work for me are some pretty good sized guys so they each took an arm and carried me to the truck, they told me that I was coming around and then my eyes rolled back and I went out again. I was out 3 times from what they said the longest being about 5 or 6 minutes, scared them to death. In reality they prolly should have called 911, live and learn, it all worked out. They were worried cuz we had smoked and been drinking; now before you ask, yes, that is all that we had done, no pills, no coke, no nothing else - just a little herb and some beer. I'm a pirate I can party all night long, this was fucked up, I hadn't even finished my second beer.

Most of the problems disappeared within a couple of hours, I had some lingering effects on Saturday but by Saturday night pretty much everything was back to normal. I still have a few things that bother me but so far so good. I didn't go to the hospital Friday night, just went to bed. My Friday night out lasted about 45 minutes counting the unconcious time on the back of the truck. dammit. Saturday morning I did the manly thing and decided that I really didn't want to see the doctor cuz I knew what he was gonna say, Saturday lunchtime I did the right thing and went anyway. The Doc decided he thought I had had a TIA and sent me to the hospital for some tests.

SO... I spent a lovely Saturday horizontal on a stretcher, I had a CATscan, and some bloodwork and a sonogram or two (no, I'm not pregnant), some Doppler work and a few Xrays. After all that I was told that they could not find any direct cause or any lasting damage. Lucky me. Gotta tell ya, I shiver at every little pain and bit of numbness now.

Called the boss in Cali yesterday and told him what had happened and that I was taking a few days off. Today this post comes to you from bed, where I am trying to relax and not think about all the shit I'm not getting done. I'll get over it, the unfinished shit that is (I hope).

Thanks to my boys I guess I'm gonna be okay, at least I don't have an ugly scar from slamming my head into the pool table, thanks T for catching me. Bitch of it is we didn't get to go out and see boobies. And needless to say I didn't make the concert yesterday either. Sweetpea came home last night limping on a sprained ankle and with a bloody knee - gotta love the pit.

Seems to be time for a little reassessment on how I am living my life. Haven't had a cigarette since the bar that night. That's making me crazy. Have tried to eat better the past couple days, guess we'll see how long it lasts. I'm supposed to reduce my stress levels as well, yeah, that'll happen. Anyway, that's how it is for now.

Hope y'all have great week and we'll see how well I do...

FuckYou! Friday

2006-12-01T08:07:00.000-05:00

Holy blogshit Batman, the Pirate posted everyday this week!

How long can that last?

It's FUCKyou! Friday. This week I've got a list.

Sunday is Next Big Thing 6, the all day music fest sponsored by the local alternative music station 97X. I've gone the last two years with Sweetpea and her friends, see here for last years review and here for the official website and list of bands. Two problems this year that bring up the FuckYou! First of all, they moved it. For the first five years it's been at Coachman Park in Clearwater, an excellent location by the intracoastal, just right for an all day party... This year it's at the Amphitheater, WTF? How the hell do you expect people to sit in those hard ass plastic chairs for 12 fucking hours. Here's a special fuck you to whoever planned this from one of the folks that will probably be there.
Then, and this hurt the most, found out last night that Sweetpea isn't going with Dad!?!?! Whaddaya mean - not going with Dad. I've been looking forward to this all year, but NO, she's going with one of her friends. Daddy feels let down. So fuck her too. (okay not really, but I am disappointed)

And onward.

Fuck you to all the people on the road over the Thanksgiving Holiday who don't know how to drive on the highway. Yeah I drive 35k a year so maybe I'm a little more practiced than most but one of the first things my dad told me was if you're not passing stay in the right hand lane. SO, PEOPLE, LISTEN UP! Stay in the right hand lane, you'll not only save me aggravation you'll save everybody a lot of time as well.

Fuck you to the people that leased the office space next door, I wanted that. Now that I can finally afford it it's gone.

Fuck you to the folks that gave a job I was low bid on to the next highest bidder without calling me to ask about bonding. They said they would call me and we could work it out, then next thing I know the $86k contract is given to someone else. Note to self - look into bonding...

And finally, fuck me. I'm tired and worn out and so far behind I couldn't see my own ass with a telescope. Vacation kicked my ass and after a full week of 12 hour days I need some sleep. Maybe sooner or later I'll smarten up and realize that I can't have a full time job and my own business but it'll be another couple of months before I can give up that regualr paycheck.

But... tonight me and the boys are going out, they want to see strippers, who am I to deny that.

Have a great weekend peoples, a review of the newly relocated Next Big Thing 6 will be here on Monday and I'll let you know how sore my ass is from 12 hours of those damn plastic chairs.

Wait, one more fuck you, when I went to get the link for NBT6 to place above I saw that Blue October isn't gonna be there. C'mon people I was looking forward to them.

HNT - Classic

2006-11-30T08:16:00.000-05:00

Alright, I've taken some grief cuz the HNTs have been lacking. One comment in particular was "Another week with no naked pirate, damn." Been busy, way too busy, fuck I'm busy. I know, you've heard that before, unfortunately it's a continuing theme.

Y'all know how I hate to disappoint...

Haven't had the time or opportunity to take anything new worthwhile so we're gonna resort to repeats again this week. Yeah, I know, it's still sweeps month, the programming is supposed to be new and exiting and tittillating (what a word) but hey, what can I do. I'll really try for something new next week, I really will, promise.

So, without further excuses or whining, here are a few Pirate HNT Classics. (Dontcha just love how I repackage this shit - I should be in marketing...)

Ah, don't ya love the classics.

Happy HNT y'all. If ya don't play, you should - click the blue button over there on the right someplace and go see Obsasso, the king of HNT to find out how to play.

Tagged (dammit)

2006-11-29T08:08:00.000-05:00

Okay MG, ya got me.

6 weird things about the Pirate, must be inflation; last time I got tagged with this I only had to list 5...

1) I hate rules, that lends to the Pirate persona - that's why I didn't follow the instructions precisely and state clearly the rules for this tagging above as instructed. Maybe that's not too weird but I hate being herded. If there's a rule, I'll bend it, if there's a system, I'll work it.

2) When I die my family has decided to cremate me and spread my ashes in the water at the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disney World... wonder what that's all about?

3) My first wife, bless her soul, was cremated and a portion of her is on Tom Sawyer Island at Disney World. When I go there I take the ferry to the island, walk thru the fort, hop a wall and sit under a tree and smoke a fattie with her.

4) The smell of sawdust relaxes me, when aggravated I fire up the table saw and make a pile.

5) Gonna copy ATL LG here, I like liver and onions. Always have, with mashed potatoes, mmm, mmm, good. There have to be more of us out there. C'mon, stand up and be counted.

6) I have kept every father's day, birthday, christmas, whatever type card my kids have ever given me. I have a stack that takes up an entire dresser drawer. Pack rat or softie - you decide.

Okay, that's six, maybe weird maybe not. I'm not gonna tag anybody - there I go breaking the rules again. If ya wanna play, please by all means do.

Here's a few road trip pics, and GE, yes, we had dinner and a few beers at the Moon River Brewery but no ghostly happenings. and CONGRATS on the new job!

This is in Savannah, made me think of my Billy's Big Boy Playground idea all over again. I wanted to go play on the tractors.

The Clipper Trading Company in Savannah, this is the greeter, beats the hell out of the old guy at Walmart. This St. Bernard just wanders the store letting everybody scratch his head.

Yet another failed attempt to take Sweetpea's picture.

Little guy came up to me in a park and then ran up a tree. Reminded me of my squirrel Charlie, he was just as effin fat.

This chick was spray painted on a wall in an alley, pretty cool huh?

Our only stop in South Carolina, sorry April. The kids wanted chili cheese fries. Yummm.

More later. Have a great day peoples.

FreeBoobyTuesday

2006-11-28T08:06:00.000-05:00

Damn, Tuesday already...

Personally, I don't think Monday was long enough.

But it is Tuesday and we know what that means, FREE BOOBY TUESDAY.

In honor of my drive to the northland I searched for Winter Boobies this morning, not many hits. However, Boobies and Snow came back with a few selections. Didn't snow when we were in PA but we did see a decent amount on the ground in West Virginia. Sweetpea saw it first and screamed for me to turn the car around... The nut doesn't fall far from the tree.

It was cold, well, for me anyway. Wednesday morning I walked outside to a car coated in FROST, thick frost, not the stuff we get here. And no ice scraper, sound familiar GE? Wish someone had taken a pic of me scraping the windows with a small box of Frosted Mini Wheats, fucking classic. Got the job done though.

Anyway, boobies. Here we go, Boobies in the Snow.
Err, maybe booby, but ya get the idea... Ah hell, here's two.

Have a great Tuesday y'all. Pics from the northland are almost sorted so I should have a few for tomorrow. Here's one from Savannah that I really like, we spent Sunday night there.

2,154

2006-11-27T09:44:00.000-05:00

Miles.

Round trip.

I am tired of fucking driving...

Way too many cars on the road this past week.

Didnt anybody get the memo? Stay out of my way?

I know I've said this before but in case you weren't listening...

IF YOU'RE NOT PASSING SOMEONE - STAY THE FUCK OUT OF THE LEFT HAND LANE!

Okay, I feel better now, kinda.

I've got pics and tales and AED (Associative Estrogen Disorder) too many miles with three women in the car...

Hope everybody had a great Thanksgiving.

I'm fat.

More later.

FreeBoobyTuesday!

2006-11-14T08:25:00.000-05:00

Hey Y'all! What's shakin'?

Been absent AGAIN, yeah, I know. Whatcha gonna do? Been busy as all get out, going back to my old standard response; "busy, crazy, busy Ted". For the life of me I can't remember what commercial that was from, prolly 6 or 10 years old, but definitely an appropriate remark.

Brazen Billy is in need of another crew member, this one is for real life though. Have to add another man to the crew, possibly two. I expected this time of year to be slow as hell but, and that's a good butt, we're not. Not only am I busy, crazy, busy Ted but so are the boys in the field. Need to add an apprentice/helper to the crew, now I got to find one. Wages are competitive, benefits are limited, the future is not. Anybody???

Now, as for BOOBIES, since I've been skipping out of this lately I decided that I would try to make up for it as best I could. Here's a three in one for y'all - or would that be six in one?
Now them there are some nice boobies, not sure I'd know what to do with all that but hell, I'd damn sure make a go of it.

To quote another old song, "our future's so bright we gotta wear shades". I'll be in and out of here, probably not on any regular basis, not for any lack of love for y'all but shit's gettin crazy round here. I try to come by and visit peoples on occasion, so maybe absence will make everybody's hearts grow fonder of the Pirate.

Have a great Tuesday folks.

Take a minute

2006-11-10T08:41:00.000-05:00

Busy as ever don'tcha know. The boss's visit came and went, successfully, thank ja. Or thank me for being ever the diplomat. Seems that my biz and my employer can peacefully co-exist and mutually profit from one anothers existence. Now that that's over life can continue.

I'm gonna skip out on FuckYou! Friday this week except maybe a little FuckYou! to the ultra conservative bastards that lost on Tuesday. Seems the country may have just woken up a bit, too damn bad it took so fucking long. It'll be nice to have a little oversight in our nations capital now instead of a rubber stamp to whatever King George wants to do. Yeah, the new contingent may go a little overboard but as they say "payback is a bitch".

I do love this country though, I have to thank my high school government teacher for that. It is still the greatest country on the face of the planet. Nowhere do you have the freedoms that we have here, and maybe, just maybe, now we'll get back a few of the liberties that have been hijacked in the name of false security - but hey I refrain from politics here - most of the time.

Take a minute today to remember and thank our vets for providing security to this great nation and for all that they have endured, suffered and lost in defending this nation. There are many in my family alone, and in the neighborhood in which I live. Being not far from McDill Air Force base here in Tampa I live with many of these fine men and women and today I want to thank them for all that they do, I know it isn't easy but they do a fine job.

So, today, thank you to the men and women of our Armed Forces, past and present. I salute you!

HNT - Classic Edition

2006-11-02T08:58:00.000-05:00

Hey all, Happy Fucking Thursday.

The hangover and headache are gone, finally, thank Ja!

Seems that I finally made the year mark with this here blog. Simply amazing that I was able to keep at something for that long given my short attention span and need for new adventures. Guess I must really like some you people, I can't stay away. Y'all are just way too damned entertaining.

No time for new pics this week, was gonna have the Mrs. take one last night but by the time I walked the dogs she was sleeping. SO, since I been here a year now I just gonna reprise the first HNT, so here goes.

Hope everyone has a wonderful day. I've got 4 days to finalize a presentation for the guy that actually employs me to show how my employment and my new business venture can peacefully co-exist and profit together. No pressure, nope, none what so ever. Damn I need to get busy.

Happy HNT and if you want in on the fun, and you should, click the blue button over there on the right and go see Os.

Softball Slut - thanks for the aspirin and water and handling the phones yesterday. Damn I was in bad shape - I LOVE Halloween.

Post Halloween Update.

2006-11-01T14:27:00.000-05:00

FUCK!

my head hurts.

keep your voice down k?

FreeBooby Tuesday!

2006-10-31T08:28:00.000-05:00

Hey there folks, thanks for stopping by.

Yeah, I know, Billy's been slacking again.

But hey, it's a new Tuesday, and it's Halloween!

I love Halloween, it's another kids holiday, but in our neighborhood it's just another excuse to consume mass quantities of Jello Shots. Yep, Jello Shots.

Not sure how that come about. Bout 5 or 6 years ago we started gathering in a neighbors driveway for passing out Halloween candy and tradition grew from there. Grew to the point that last year I had a bigger hangover the day after Halloween than I did after New Year's Eve.

Life is good.

So, tonight I'll wear my Dreads and talk smack and pass out candy to kids and Jello Shots to the adults that pass by. It's what I do. So, if you're walking down the road and come across a group of "adults" drinking beer, passing candy and sucking Jello - say hi, it's prolly me and my friends.

And yeah, it's FreeBooby Tuesday - Halloween Edition.

Have a great Halloween peoples!

Why I love Florida

2006-10-23T14:51:00.000-04:00

Finally. Blogger let me post. I feel so priviledged.

I love Florida because:

It's late October and I'm in the damn pool. Saturday night it was 83 degrees outside, the beers were icy and the water was 88 degrees.
Who could ask for more?

Friday night was spent at Busch Gardens, Howl-O-Scream. Had a pretty good time then to. Well if you don't count all the people I had hanging off of me cuz they was scared. I had claw marks in my back from them all.

FuckYou! Friday

2006-10-20T12:05:00.000-04:00

It's FuckYou! Friday! so fuck you.

Nah, not you... This weeks candidate for Fucking is Estrogen.

Fuck Estrogen and/or the lack of it.

Softball Slut had a post the other day that her Aunt Flo had come to visit and that she was able to make others do the same simply by standing next to her or something to that effect. I left a comment that I lived in a house with two recent additon to the menstruating crowd and another knee deep in menopause.

I always used to comment that I lived on a small island in the middle of the estrogen ocean, forgot what comedian I stole that from but it's sooo fucking appropriate. Especially now that the daughters are at "that" age. I'm telling ya, life is tough for the lone male in the house, real tough.

Yesterday one of Sweetpea's male friends came over to visit for a spell. Sweetpea and Babygirl and G, the friend, sat in the garage talking about various teenage angst shit. Apparently Sweetpea was telling G that women were unpredictable, not quite liars but that they were able to say something and then for no reason to change what they said, without penalty. Simply because they were women.

I walked in on the end of that conversation and Sweetpea looked to me for confirmation of her statements. In true Brazen Billy daughter style, she says "Dad, tell him, tell him that it's the vagina. It's the vagina that makes us that way, we can't help it." After I regained my breath I confirmed her statement, clarifying it only slightly. The reason is the estrogen I said. Girls are fine till the estrogen production kicks in, then the rules go out the door.

Save yourself I said. Take some advice from an older, more experienced man who has been beaten down by estrogen for the past 30 years. DON'T EVEN TRY to understand them. You can care for them, love them, take them home and keep them but, NEVER, I repeat NEVER try to understand what makes them tick. NEVER try to think you can predict their next move or comment. NEVER think you will have the upper hand, cuz you don't. You never will. Save yourself 30 some years of pure hell. Just concede now and go forth with the knowledge I have imparted upon you; it will save your very soul. Estrogen is the kryptonite of logic, remember that and you may just survive, may survive I reiterated.

And if you think they are difficult now, wait till the estrogen production starts to slip; because you ain't seen nuthin yet my friend. May the force be with you.

Have a great fucking Friday and a better Fucking weekend. I'm headed to Busch Gardens tonight for Hallowscream with my family and my cousins family who's coming over from Lauderdale. Should be a drunken weekend, according to tradition anyway.

Oh, and one more fuck you. Fuck those gated private country club blogs. Snoots.

LOL

HNIT - Slacker Edition

2006-10-19T10:48:00.000-04:00

I know, I know.

I ain't been here.

No, I'm not sick anymore either.

Just trying to apply myself to shit that needs to be done.

Trying to be responsible.

Trying to be grown up.

Trying...

Trying hard.

I lack discipline.

This isn't really news, but it's something that I need to work on.

So, I'm working more diligently and not here like I was. All this diligent work is drowning my kid like creativity and irreverence. I hate that.

I read yesterday that was the mark of a mid life crisis. Say it ain't so. PLEASE!

Got no interest in buying a sports car. Got no interest in running off with my secretary, well, no more than usual (dress conservatively Softball Slut, lets not take any chances). And yes I always want to run off to the islands but no immediate plans for that either. I think I'm losing it.

But, for today, I'm gonna play. How's this?

Ya know, you can barely see the gray in this one.

Happy HNT y'all, if ya wanna play click the blue button and go see Os. He's got the down low on this here phenomenon.

And thanks to those who check in to see if I happened to post anything today. Maybe it'll get better soon.

THIS JUST IN...

2006-10-13T12:09:00.000-04:00

Holy shit - 2 posts in a day.

But this is important.

In what should be a humongous boost to the Pirate's self esteem is this article on MSNBC.com

In a new poll on ethics Pirates rate higher than Congressmen. How 'bout that, huh? Not bad at all. Yeah, we pirates may be a scurvy bunch of scallywags but we offically rank higher than members of Congress when it comes to ethics. Apparently our motives are clear, you know we're out to rip you off and make you walk the plank and we deliver. Congress on the other hand, well, you know what they're all about too. they tell us one thing to get our votes and then turn around fuck us in the aft.

Raise a glass of ye favorite grog to a pirate.

And vote out your incumbent come November 7th.

FuckYou Friday! Mojo wanted.

2006-10-13T08:20:00.000-04:00

Okay, this is a departure from FuckYou! Friday but this is my post none the less.

I've been negligent in getting around to see my blogger friends lately, mainly due to the recent bout of sickness I encountered; you can add working two jobs to that too. Nah, I'm not whining - I'm seeking forgiveness. I've just found out that one of my neglected blogger friends needs some help.

There is a woman out there in Blogland, a great woman, who works on many other peoples behalfs. She was in the Blogathon schlepping for the Pediatric Aids Foundation and has made making bloggers aware of womens issues a priority in her writing. And getting past her charitable works, the woman is just damned funny. I mean really funny. Most of her posts make whatever you're drinking come out your damned nose funny. She's on the list of folks I haven't been to see in a while. She is the Certifiable Princess. A Jew with a capital J, a Mom with a capital M, and Hilarious with a capital FUNNY.

But like I said she needs some help. The Pirate is turning to you, those of you that are still coming around to see if slacker Billy posted today. (thanks for that by the way, I'm trying to get better about it) CP's little boy is having some major medical issues, he has come up with pericardial effusion, fluid around the heart, apparently this has come about from a dog bite perhaps in combination with previous serious heart problems. Hell, I'm a Pirate, not a doctor Jim, she goes through it all here - take 5 minutes and go read this post. She's not asking for money or time or anything material, she's just asking for your support. Now the Pirate is not a praying man, but some of you are, you can do that for her. If you're like me, fire up some mojo, some good ju-ju, some pleasant and loving vibes if you would and send them to the Tampa Bay area for her. If ANYONE deserves some metaphysical help with a bad situation, it's CP. After you read her post about her son, dig through her archives, I'll bet she'll make your blogroll. That is if you like being entertained.

So, send little Nicholas and his momma and his family your prayers, your mojo, your love, your good thoughts. Anything ya got, let's help these people out, they're good folks; take a Pirate's word will ya. All my best CP, you got my number woman, call if ya need me. I'm not that far away.

Kinda makes me feel like a bigger wimp for letting this little sickness get the best of me. No matter how bad off you are - there's always somebody with bigger problems. Man I'd hate to be at the end of that line.

For FuckYou! Friday how about FUCK YOU to the dog that bit little Nicholas.

And a great FuckYou! Friday to you all.

On this date in history...

2006-10-12T12:32:00.000-04:00

Today, the 12th of October, 2006, I made the last payment on my truck.

I actually paid the damn thing off.

2nd time in my life I've kept one that long.

Imagine that.

NO MORE TRUCK PAYMENTS!

HELL YEAH!

HNT's down below.

HNT - Equipment Operater Edition

2006-10-12T10:47:00.000-04:00

Sick again... dammit!

Can't seem to shake whatever it is I have, the Mrs. is gonna make me go to the Dr. again. NOOOOOO! whatever.

Monday I was feeling alright, which was good cuz we had a semi to unload, 32,000 pounds of freight. Yippeee. Wasn't bad this time though, it's amazing what kind of equipment you can rent for a couple cases of beer. Thanks Mr. Electrician (it was his machine).

I love playing with big toys and basically that's what I did most of the day, just play. Accomplished some work in the process, but that was purely by accident. First the truck looked like this:
Then I did this:

Then it looked like this:

(picture an empty fucking truck, blogger quit cooperating)

When we went to the beach what seems like forever ago, there were a couple of pieces of heavy equipment parked by the dunes; a bulldozer and a large front end loader - a bulldozer with a bucket. I wanted to play and that gave me an idea for the next business venture...

Billy's Big Boy Playground. Yep, a playground. Gonna have 20 acres and stock it with bulldozers and dumptrucks and cranes and forklifts and graders and you get the idea. Just like my sandbox when I was a kid but on a much larger scale. Silly men pay big dollars to go to baseball camp and hockey camp etc. How about 3 days in a big ass sandbox with big ass toys? Found a nice empty lot between a golf course, strip club and hotel that would be perfect. I think it'd be a hoot, there's gotta be more boys out there that would like it too. Working on the prospectus now, I'll be calling you for your investments in about a month.

Happy HNT all. Have a great Thursday!

FREE BOOBY TUESDAY

2006-10-10T09:08:00.000-04:00

Billy's back.

Feeling better, tired, but better. I don't get sick often, this was the first time in a couple of years, but when I do get sick, I do it right. We're talking walking dead type sick, cranky as hell type sick, stay the fuck away from me type sick... So... I did y'all a favor by not being here. Not only didn't I spread my germs but I spared y'all my bad attitude too. You can feel extremely sorry for the Mrs., the kids and the crew - they took the brunt of it. Awwwww.

Better now, time for BOOBIES!

Hope everyone has a great Tuesday!

More later.