Eyes are Opened, finally...

OK so the tornado and hurricane are back in my head. Do you ever wonder if you are a good friend, acquaintance, or co-worker? I tend to rate my acquaintances, co-workers and friends on how I would treat them in a certain situation. And here lately I learned that I must be a complete idiot. I would never treat people that way and I don’t know how they sleep at night. You think you know some one and you are completely wrong. I have always been a person where words mean nothing to me. Actions are what I am about. I have heard the words come out of both sides of the mouth and no actions follow.

I like to think that I was taught by the best. Herbie and Betty Mae what better teachers. Everyone loved them and respected them. If they needed anything they had a limitless family and an infinite number of friends. I knew this but when Dad and Mom passed, I seen just how many lives they had touched. From the coal miners wiping their eyes when telling some joke Dad had pulled or the countless number of Mom’s additional kids remembering how Mom adopted them all no matter what, seeing and hearing how Dad and Mom brightened their lives made me even more proud of the best parents in the world. They set an example and that is how I want to be. Heck with being like Mike, I wanna be like Herbie and Betty Mae!!!

Rule number one: treat everyone with respect. Treat them how you would want to be treated. Seems so simple and it is common sense but so many have trouble with this. This world does not revolve around you, no matter what you think. We all put our jeans on the same way. It doesn’t matter what religion, sex, race, or social status you are; we are all the same. It doesn’t matter if you are from the big city or a small town in Southern Illinois. It doesn’t matter that someone buys his or her clothes from Wal Mart or from the mall. The only thing that matters is what is on the inside. You know that is what the Big Guy upstairs is going to be looking at come judgment day.

Rule number two: timeliness. What is considered good timing? Certainly not three weeks after you said you would do it the first time. I procrastinate too, hell ask my great nieces and nephews that get their birthday cards very belated. When asked to do something and commit to it, then do it. Don’t make excuses. To quote Betty Mae excuses are like assholes everyone’s got one. So we are all getting older and yep I will be the first to admit, I must actually make myself notes to do things. I never want to have to tell someone I forgot to do something they asked me to do, cause then it is like I forgot them too. And yeah there are times when we get busy with something else, but hey if you have a note it could remind you. We all have our own routines, like mine is get up, go to work, get pissed, come home, go see my family next door, and get in a better mood. There are many times when I have to veer off this routine. I might need to go see someone else in my family or a friend that I haven’t seen in quite a while or go get another tattoo (yeah this is coming up). So you just have to work new errands, responsibilities and tasks into your schedule and if it for family or friends like the Nike slogan, you JUST DO IT!

Rule number three: Recognize and Respond. If someone does something for you or continually does something for you, don’t act like nothing. Telling them every once in a while something like “Hey I appreciate whatever” goes a long way. When you say nothing, it is like you expect or you deserve whatever. No, this doesn’t mean you have to do this every minute of every day. A simple response every once in a great while that says you recognize that someone has been doing something for you, means you haven’t forgotten. Or even better that you are grateful and don’t deserve to be helped in such a way. I am a big supporter of “please” and “thank you”. Don’t expect anything. If people want to help you they will and if they do acknowledge it. A simple thank you goes a long way. I like helping people and there is no other motive. I am not trying to gain anything but maybe a friend. What can I say; I get a rush helping people, nothing like seeing a smile when you do something for someone. I am addicted to smiles; I can’t get enough.

If you haven’t already guessed it, I have been rather upset here lately. This blog is my cleansing. I am here to say first, Betty Mae was right and I learned the hard way how people change. Yep Mom, I should have listened to you on this one too. I am not the one who changed, and my eyes are opened now. Same as before I am the one making this decision, no one else is coercing me to do what I am doing. I am ending by saying that I have learned my lesson, my expensive lesson. Now I am done, time to move on. Breathe out the bad, breathe in the new. As the Beatles say, Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da, life goes on bra, la la how life goes on…

Peace out!

My "Red Special" video for Turtle

Last two have the audio removed due to copyright...blah blah. The entire DVD with sound was a hit. Comments galore on me and Turtle swapping the chap stick.(Check out part three) LOL







And for a good laugh check out this video of Turtle's Grandma on New Years Eve.

My Bad...big mistake in the book of Red Rover

OK so I typed in something last night that I have to change. And all it was was one word but that is a very big word in my book. Basically I updated my status on Myspace, Facebook and Twitter, with what I had done yesterday, but now I have to modify or should I say clarify. No I have to change one word.

Here is what I put out there…

Myspace - Made a Red Special Video for Candice for Turtle's first year. Score...Nothing but smiles and smiles. Everyone loved it. Feels good to make friends happy!!!!!!!!
Facebook - Made a "Red Special" Video 4 Candice 4 Turtle's 1st year. Score...Nothing but smiles and smiles. Everyone loved it. Feels good to make friends happy!!!!!!!
Twitter - Made a special video 4 Candice 4 Turtle's 1st year. Score-Nothing but smiles & smiles. Everyone loved it-Feels good to make friends happy!

Basically the same message to all. After I shut everything down and headed to bed, it was then that I realized that I needed to change it. So that is why I am here now putting it out there cause I made a mistake and in my book it is a big one.

The last thought should be… Feels good to make FAMILY happy!

Sorry Scrappy and Turtle, my bad…I was a bit out of it after being on the computer all day working on the video…It won’t happen again and if it does I owe 20 quarters to the jar. LOL :)

Here it is finally…

Like I said there are many things running through my mind right now. Actually it is more like they are being whipped around like a tornado or hurricane. The best way for them to get the hell out is for me to vent, so if you don’t want to read the ramblings of a pissed off red head stop right here.
So the month of February was stressful as f#@$. I didn’t know if I was losing my job or what. They had already informed us that there would be layoffs and that every department would be getting hit. What was really messed up was that they had just hired a new guy for our department at corporate. WTF so here I am thinking that they hire new they will be getting rid of the ones that have been there for awhile and I just got my 20 year service award. So I think there is a big target on my back. I kept telling myself there wasn’t anything I could do to stop it, so I would just roll with it. My house and truck are paid off so I wasn’t in that bad of shape. But still the whole idea of starting over, what can I say change sucks.
Well I wasn’t one of the chosen, but one of my best friends did get it. So then I go through the guilt that I still have a job and here is a woman with a family that lost her job. But what really sucks is they said she could keep her job but she would have to go to thirds and run a die cast machine and with 2 kids that wasn’t an option. And lo and behold the 2 other people they told that too are on days, so essentially they lied. The real kicker is she was the receptionist and they said that they didn’t need one, but they come back with that our department would have to help with the phones. So you fire my friend then you want me to help with her job. Oh hell no! But I guess I am supposed to feel lucky cause I still have my job. Then there is the fact that now my phone rings constantly, and how am I suppose to concentrate on writing programs with that? Oh wait I forgot I have earphones in listening to music anyway so I can tune out the phone. Works for me.
I am not the main one answering the phone that responsibility goes to my other good friend, which now I feel guilty that I am not helping but if I answer then it is like I am screwing my friend that lost her job. Oh and it is supposed to be for a 3 week trial, this is the last week coming up, but not real happy with my manager(s) so I don’t see them protesting and forcing it away from our department.
So my boss was one that did get the axe, and I was happy about that cause he was horrible with communication but what sucks is his replacement’s communication skills seem to be the same. I hate having to baby-sit my bosses. You know send out several emails before you get an answer if I get one. But when they send one to me, it only takes one.
Another thing is I hate how certain people get to basically bitch and complain and they get out of doing shit. They say they are too busy or just flat out say I don’t have time to do it. WTF then they are doing nothing and you know this cause you hear them make comments on how they spent 2 hours doing something or they are on the phone all the time and not for work.
OK that is enough, I think except for one thing. I got to go back to communication. When asked to do something, I try to respect the person enough to at least reply or actually get the job done. Keep people informed, sounds simple but yet how many times do we hear, sorry I meant to but I forgot. Hey I am guilty too, especially now since I am getting older. But there is this awesome creation called a pen and paper that you can write shit down to remind yourself of what you have to do. Or if you are a geek like me then you have it in a computerized to do list. Or I love the excuse of I was busy doing blah blah or something else came up blah blah blah. Excuses, excuses, excuses. Hey guess what everybody is busy doing something, but you know what it amazes me that when you want to do something you can always find time to do it.
My attitude/hard head is my biggest downfall. All of February I did nothing cause I was worried/pissed about my job which was stupid. Nothing I could do but just put me in a funk where I didn’t want to do anything. My bad. Still not happy with work but what can you do. Also not happy with a few others, but what can you do. Time to say JDM and move on. Just Doesn’t Matter, can’t change people can only work on myself. So I will continue to treat people with respect cause that is what my Dad and Mom taught me.

Rant is over, stay tuned for pictures and videos of one heck of a first birthday party for my Turtle.

Happy First Birthday, Turtle!!!!!!!!

I can’t believe that you are one already that year went by quick. You came into this world and it was perfect timing for me. I had just lost my Mom a few months earlier and you were a God send. Thanks to your Mom, I had the privilege of seeing you every day if I wanted and that is what I wanted. That was what I needed; I needed to see the circle of life right before my eyes. One Morgan leaves and another one enters. Yeah, like it or not you are a Morgan. The only thing is that I wish you would have gotten to know Betty Mae, but I do believe that she is with you and Bird always. We even have some stories that leads me to believe that you do know Mom. You and your family have been my saving grace. When I needed a pick me up I headed to the neighbors and you welcomed me right into your world.

Those first months it was like you only liked your Mom and me, for whatever reason I still don't know. I like to think it was because I had Betty Mae on my side helping me. Normally I am scared of babies, but for some reason you trusted me and we bonded. So when you felt like driving TT nuts she would call me over and then you would quite down and fall asleep in my arms. Which was good on two counts we drove TT nuts and it was absolutely priceless watching a sweet angel like you fall asleep.

I have so many precious memories of this past year. Here are a couple that I tend to cherish and hold on too. When I need a pick me up this is what I think of...First and foremost is listening to Sugarland and seeing you right at the stereo dancing and turning it up. Or even better listening to Sugarland and holding you swaying back and forth and you singing in my ear right before you fall asleep. And to add to this memory are those times while we are swaying to the music and I am patting your back and you start patting my shoulder too. All of your many faces, your smiles and laughs. You just being goofy. Then the one that made my heart smile for a very long time, was when I was leaving after a lovely night with you girls, I had made my round giving you and Bird kisses and when I got to the door I turned around to say bye and you waved to me and gave me that beautiful smile. Tugged at my heart strings big time.

So my Turtle is going to be one and I see nothing but so many more precious and fun memories. Yeah we are going to drive your Mom crazy cause like I said you are a Morgan in every sense of the word. Yeah you can be your Mom's little princess, but your going to be our little rough neck too. And we are going to have so much fun. One thing that you can always count on is that I will be there for you no matter what.

Happy First Birthday, Turtle!!!
Love ya!

Oh No who knows what is coming....

Got something roaming around in my head and trying to get it to come out into the blog...so all I can say is stay tuned...coming soon...another rant from Red...bet you can't wait.

Yeah Right!

All I can tempt you with is things are not going the way I want them in some aspects of my life and when that happens I vent to my blog or my journal and or both. So who knows what will come out of this psycho mind of mine.