The neighborhood center that I work at just received a free pool table.

I put the emoticon for rolling on the floor laughing after that sentence because the story I am about to tell you will have you doing the same. Unless you are an angry taxpayer.

Anyway, I received word on Wednesday afternoon that mobile maintenance would be bringing a pool table over to put in the game room at our neighborhood center. The pool table was used at a smaller facility, and that recreation center was getting a new pool table.

So whenever a recreational facility receives new equipment, calls are made to the other neighborhood centers inquiring as to whether they are interested in getting the equipment. Kind of like getting handmedowns from your older brother or sister. This however, is more like unloading one's junk onto somebody else. Then that recreation center is stuck with equipment that is in dire need of repair.

So mobile maintenance finally delivers this pool table to our center, and there are seven employees that have made the trip over to our facility. One employee, a recreational specialist, is running her mouth giving orders. So you know that she is not going to do a damn thing but get in the way and be a pest. Another guy who was there to help had muscle, but just stood around looking like he was supervising. He didn't say anything. He just stood there looking stupid. Another employee helped move the pool table off of the trailer, then disappeared until it was time to go. A fourth employee acted like he made an effort to help, but he more or less was in a hurry to get the job done so he could go back to sitting around all day. Which left me, a fellow employee named James, and an employee I did not know by name trying to move a pool table with a slate top of one inch thick.

So, needless to say, the pool table was heavy and difficult to move. As a result, two legs on the pool table were broken because the table was not disassembled before moving. As we are looking at our "free" pool table, we notice that the felt to the table needs to be replaced. I also notice that a cushion on the side of the table needs to be replaced. Oh, yeah. And the two legs that now needed to be repaired.

This morning, two representatives from a billiard table company come in to look at the table. You know it is going to be bad when the center manager for the neighborhood center asks the reps how much the repairs will cost, they both break into laughter.

"Actually, this pool table will run you about $1,500.00 brand new.", says one of the reps.

He then proceeds to tell us that since the pool table is made of one inch slate, it would be worth restoring. Now, I know a little bit about pool tables. And if the pool table is made of slate,it is going to last you a long time. And even though the table cover will need to be replaced because of the use the pool table gets at the recreation center, that cover will last a long time.

Here is where my blood starts to boil. The rep from the billiard company informs us that it would have cost only $150.00 to have the table disassembled and moved. But since the recreation department decided to move it and save money, the table was damaged in the process.

So now, we have to pay near $300.00 for having the table disassembled and the legs repaired. And that is not including the $300.00 for the material and recovering. Plus another $90.00 for new pockets.

So much for the "free" pool table. If there is a silver lining along the black cloud in this story, I know that the children will love the idea of having two pool tables to play on. Especially when summer camp will be starting soon.

Now if only we could get a new net for the ping pong table.

Hey Folks!

It is the Memorial Day weekend!

I took today off from work, so I am at home this evening taking it easy. Since I did not go to work today, I took the time to get around to doing a few things that I needed to do. Right now I am at home watching the Tampa Bay Rays-Baltimore Orioles game. Any baseball fans besides me and Heather out there?

Anyway, I wanted to thank everyone who responded to my last post. I will start looking for apartments soon, depending on whether I will be able to rent month-to-month or sign a year lease. I just decided that even though I am close to work, shopping, and entertainment, I am tired of dealing with the management. And though I have a few neighbors that I like, I am really tired of some of the residents that have moved in. And I am tired of things breaking down all the time. Especially the air conditioning.

Aside from the situation with the apartment, everything else is fine. Work has been busy, but things seem to be going by well. My truck is running fine, and my health is fine. And I can still get a hard on, so no need for Viagra.

At least I know that still is in working order. I have to work Saturday and Sunday at the theme park, but I am off Monday. It finally rained today in Orlando. Goodness knows we need it. It has been really dry here. Rain is predicted for tomorrow as well, and sunny conditions are called for Sunday and Monday. If the weather is great on Monday, I will most likely wash and wax the truck. What do you plan on doing for Memorial Day? Are you going to a parade to honor the war veterans? Are you planning on having a cookout?

If you get a chance to go to the cinema multiplex this weekend, check out "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull". I went to see it this afternoon, and I enjoyed it.



While I was at the theatre, there was a preview for a movie called "Australia" with Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman, which is set during World War Two. It is scheduled to come out Christmas, 2008. I think it may be worth checking out. There was also a preview for "The Dark Knight". I'm going!

Well, I am going to get back to the ball game. It is the bottom of the fifth inning, and still no score. Again, thanks for the responses to my last post. Although I did not get to thank everyone individually, your comments were appreciated.

Take it easy, have a great Memorial Day weekend, and careful with those buns and weenies!

I have a studio apartment. I call it "living in a box". That was a name of an 80s' band that had a song with the same title. Anyway, I would like to get a one bedroom apartment. If I do, it would be at another apartment complex. The apartment I currently live in is older, but it is convenient to work, shopping, and entertainment.

Work is a fifteen minute drive for me, so I do not have to deal with the interstate. Except on the weekend, when I am going to my part-time job at the theme park. And on the weekend, traffic is heavy. But it is moving. No bumper to bumper. No stop and go.

With the apartments being older, things have a tendency to break down. The maintenance staff does a good job with the repairs. The only thing I do not liike about my apartment is the apartment manager. I am not going into details, but she is one of the most mean spirited persons I have ever met. And she happens to be a friends' mother-in-law. Make that ex-friend.

As I mentioned earlier, I live in a studio apartment. It is actually enough room for me since I live there by myself. Over the years that I have been there, I see people come and go. Such as the young couples that are starting out,only to move on to a bigger home so they can start a family. Or the young man who moved out so he could take care of his parents.

Over the past year, however, I am seeing apartments rented out that are smaller than required. There is a mother of two living in a studio apartment. For all I know, she could have just recently got out of a abusive relationship and is starting out on her own. There is a family of four living in a one bedroom apartment across from me, but this is temporary. They plan on moving into a larger place.

Last month, the straw that broke the camel's back happened. A one bedroom apartment downstairs was rented out. There are seven people or more living in this apartment. Five are children. And they make noise. Morning, noon, and night. It is 10:00 p.m. on a weeknight, and the children are running around outside. It is midnight, and one of the adults is hanging out in the hallway with a few of her "homies" smoking pot. And as they hang out, the cellphone rings. And I can hear this from upstairs.

If I can hear it, how do you think the woman who lives in the studio apartment below me is handling this? Or the couple in the one bedroom next to them? Or even the single mother with the two children who are quiet and keep to themselves.

And if you go to complain to the manager, she give you a ration of shit, trying to make you out like you are the asshole for saying something.

So you tell me. What would you do? Besides move out. I have made up my mind that I will be moving out. But I cannot do it immediately. For it will be a few months. My lease is up this month, and I have not had time to look around for a new apartment. So if I have to sign a new one-year lease, then it will be a year. If I can get by on month-to-month, and I will start looking around.

Any suggestions?

Two nuns from a small country in Europe are on an airplane flight to the United States. They are both excited about coming to America, since this will be their first time in the United States. As they sit in their seats during the flight, they tell each other what they are looking forward to once they get to their destination.

The Mother Superior tells the other nun that in the United States, people eat dogs. The other nun could not believe this, but the Mother Superior told her fellow nun that dogs are even sold on the street for eating.

"As a matter of fact", Mother Superior told the nun, "these vendors that sell the dogs are called 'hot dog carts'".

Soon after they arrive in the United States, they leave the airport, check into their hotel, and decide to walk around America. As it turns out, they are in New York City.

So as they walk around New York City, they come across a man selling "dogs" at a hot dog cart. Curious to find out what a dog tastes like, they decide to order two dogs. The hot dog vendor is so delighted to serve the nuns, he gives them several condiments on their dogs for no charge and wraps them up to go.

Excited to try their dogs, the nuns find a bench at a park and sit down. As they start to unwrap their dogs, the Mother Superior looks down at her dog and begins to blush. Then she turns to the other nun and asks, "What part of the dog did you get?"

Anyway, that's the joke of the day. I am going to try to go see "Iron Man" tonight. So have a great weekend!

Has anyone out there ever have a McDonald's McGriddle?

Once in awhile, I like to stop at McDonald's in the morning and get two breakfast sandwiches. The Sausage McMuffin is my favorite. I also like the Egg McMuffin, which has Canadian bacon. Until recently, the Sausage McMuffin was part of the McDonald's value menu, costing only one dollar. Then to my disappointment, it was removed from the value menu.

Up to a week ago, the McDonald's that is close to my work place had two Egg McMuffins for two dollars. So needless to say, I would stop in once a week and get my McMuffin fix.

This week, there are no more specials featuring the McMuffin sandwiches. They are, however, promoting a special on two McDonald's McGriddles for two dollars.

Now let me get this straight. The sandwich consists of a sausage patty between two pancake like buns with maple syrup baked inside?

Sorry folks, but I like my pancakes with a knife and fork. It just doesn't sound appealing to me. Which leads me to ask you, have you ever tried one? Let me know if you have.

Since McDonald's did away with the Sausage/Egg McMuffin for a dollar, I feel like my old friend, Rodney Dangerfield:

"I went to McDonald's for a break, and they told me I don't deserve one!"